The New York Knicks came up short in their efforts to advance to the NBA Finals.
It was quite the run, though, a run Knicks fans haven't seen the likes of in 25 years. While it didn't pan out the way they had hoped, the Knicks still improved on the season prior.
If they can do that again next year after making a move or two in the offseason, it's entirely plausible the Knicks could be right back there, if not better.
Celtics legend takes shot at New York Knicks
If it's any consolation, the Knicks were finally able to get over the hump and defeat the Boston Celtics this season. While many Boston fans would likely make excuses due to their injury, the Knicks looked and played like the better team throughout that series.
Unfortunately, some Celtics fans or former players will take solace in the fact that the Knicks fell after defeating them, in classic New York versus Boston rivalry fashion.
That includes Celtics legend Paul Pierce, who didn't hold back on X after watching the Knicks go down.
"Man let me [roll] up this Knicks pack then lay it down," Pierce posted with three crying laughing emojis."
What makes the loss sting worse is that the Knicks felt they had improved significantly from the roster they brought into the playoffs last year, yet fell to a team they had failed to beat last year.
Considering that most of the roster has been put together by big-time trades, it's not out of the question that the Knicks could look to make a big splash once again, especially with the rumors regarding Giannis Antetokounmpo continuing to swirl into the summer.
Every member of the Knicks' starting five is under contract next season. However, if a deal were to be done, it would likely involve Mikal Bridges, whose contract is set to expire after next season.