Of course the Knicks have a must-win game immediately after the national day of gluttony.
Forget the fact the NBA schedule-makers sent them on a wild pre-holiday loop — Florida to Texas and back to Florida — before Monday’s win at Barclays Center. The league also slotted an NBA Cup elimination game on Black Friday, putting players in the unenviable position of treating Thanksgiving like a cheat meal they can’t quite afford.
If the Knicks lose to the Milwaukee Bucks, their Vegas in-season tournament dreams evaporate. They’ve already split their first two Cup games, but a win will create a three-way tie between New York, Miami and Milwaukee.
“They would put us in a Cup game,” Josh Hart told the Daily News. “We need to win.”
So the Knicks are approaching Thanksgiving with caution. It starts with the food. Holiday plates are heavy, and nothing hits the legs quite like mac and cheese, candied yams and everything else that lingers in the system long after the last bite.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo coming downhill on Friday, nobody can afford a sluggish step.
“You gotta pick and choose how you go about it,” Miles McBride told The News. “You gotta eat a lot earlier. I’m getting older. You’ve gotta play a lot more games. You gotta eat a lot earlier to offset it.”
From a food standpoint, Hart insists he’ll be fine. He’ll make two plates — emphasis on make — but probably won’t clear them both.
“I’m the type of person where I eat a decent amount,” he said, “but I like a variety cause I like to taste everything, you know what I mean?”
Hart’s biggest challenge won’t be the food. It’ll be the beverages. A noted wine connoisseur with a personal cellar at home, Hart usually lets himself loose for the holidays.
Not this year.
“[I’m gonna] limit the wine. Normally I would drink some good wine,” Hart told The News. “So I’ll limit the wine to like one glass, and then maybe after the game I’ll indulge a little bit.”
One thing is for sure: everyone’s Thanksgiving plate will be loaded — though these Knicks are firmly out on turkey. McBride says it’s too dry, a performative plate filler more likely to hit the trash than the stomach.
Instead, his Turkey Day power rankings are strictly sides and one alternative holiday protein.
“Mac and cheese, one,” he said. “I’m a honey-baked ham guy. I’m really not a turkey guy. I’m gonna go mac and cheese, ham, yams, stuffing — oh, and the greens.”
Hart might have 14 different items spread across two plates, but if he could only have three things? Well, Hart’s three turns into six real quick.
“Mac and cheese. Yams. Cornbread,” he starts. “Greens. Curry goat with some rice and peas.”
Knicks sixth man Jordan Clarkson grew up in Tampa, so his menu leans in a different direction — and he knows it.
“For me, it’s chitterlings,” Clarkson told The News with a smile. “That’s gotta be on the plate. My uncle used to throw it down. Then mac and cheese, and then a good dessert.”
And don’t expect to see any of these guys in the kitchen. Not on a holiday wedged between high-intensity NBA games.
“Hell nah. I don’t cook a damn thing. We wanna eat,” said Hart. “And we wanna eat good. We don’t need me cooking.”
“Nah. I’m on the end of it, you know?” added McBride. “The end of it. Just the finished product.”
The players might have different food items on their plates, but Thanksgiving means the same thing to them all: a chance to gather with loved ones and, fittingly, give thanks.
Clarkson’s Thanksgivings were small growing up. He often went to his uncle’s or his aunt’s house–and auntie used to throw down.
Thanksgiving is McBride’s favorite holiday because it’s low-stress and high-reward.
“Just being thankful, getting family together,” he said. “There’s no gifts involved. Just giving thanks and being together.”
Hart might not be able to dive face-first into the wine this year, but his gratitude goes deeper than the drink.
“Family and faith. Throw friends in there,” he said. “Friends, family and faith. The three F’s.”
With an elimination game looming the day after Thanksgiving, the Knicks won’t get to enjoy the full feast — and that’s fine. There are always leftovers. There are always more bottles of wine on deck.
But there’s only one day a year devoted entirely to gratitude. The Knicks plan to embrace it.
“Man, being out here, being able to just give God the glory,” said McBride. “And being able to play this game at a high level.”
“I’m thankful to be a New York Knick,” added Clarkson. “Straight up.”
