Coming off a year without a playoff appearance, a star player at odds with his own fans and a summer in part defined by who the team didn’t acquire, expectations were not necessarily high for the Knicks headed into this season. And nearly a quarter of the way into it, the team was 10–13, with some chatter that coach Tom Thibodeau may not be the right man for the job. Since then, all the Knicks have done is post the fourth-most wins in the NBA and the best net rating. Just like that, they may have entered the contender conversation.
New York has been thriving since Dec. 4, accumulating a 29–15 record, better than the likes of the Celtics, Kings and Cavaliers, to name a few. It’s the fourth-best record over that timespan, behind only the Mavericks, Bucks and 76ers. In those 44 games, the Knicks have a top-10 offensive and defensive efficiency, a significant indicator for long-term success.
It all starts with the star duo of Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle, who have been fantastic for the Knicks.
Brunson has been worth every penny of the contract he signed with New York in the summer. He has played All-Star-caliber basketball and has particularly thrived in the clutch. Among all players who’ve made at least 20 clutch appearances, Brunson is fourth in scoring, ahead of Joel Embiid, LeBron James, Luka Dončić and many more. Among the group of players with 20 clutch games, Brunson is also seventh in field goal percentage for players attempting at least 1.5 field goals. At only 26, Brunson has unlocked a new level from where he was in Dallas and is just entering the early part of his prime. The signing so far has been a home run for the Knicks, whose previous builds have often been sunk by bad contracts. Brunson has been the steadying point guard this team desperately lacked the last couple of seasons, and he’s become a legitimate late-game threat, which bodes well for the postseason.
Randle has also been spectacular. He’s one of only three players—MVP candidates Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo being the others—averaging at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and four assists per game. Of the three, Randle is the only one who shoots threes at a high volume. He’s made himself difficult to defend in isolation situations and has become adept at hitting some tough, contested shots.
It has to feel especially good for Randle, who was getting booed at home at times last year for his poor play. In 2021–22, Randle’s scoring and efficiency both cratered after his spirited ’20–21 campaign. Randle is now looking much closer to the player who took the Knicks to the playoffs two seasons ago. Here’s where I hold my hand up and say I was a Randle skeptic headed into this year, because the ’20–21 season seemed like a high variance year. Instead, Randle has shut up people like me, and having better teammates around has clearly helped him regain his form.
The question now: Can the Knicks contend? The evidence since Dec. 4 is pretty compelling. The notoriously stubborn Thibs tweaked his rotation after the slow start, and exciting results followed. Quentin Grimes and Immanuel Quickley are providing boundless energy. Josh Hart, one of the shrewdest deadline pickups in the league, is a willing and able perimeter defender unafraid to make all the needed hustle plays. The team has been very solid defensively whenever Mitchell Robinson has been on the floor. The consistency of Randle and Brunson plus the depth on the wing has also allowed the team to withstand up-and-down play from R.J. Barrett, who has still had some very effective moments.
The Knicks are a high-floor team, and, for over half the season now, have flashed the telltale signs of being a real contender. A test is coming, though. On Thursday, New York embarks on a four-game trip out West against teams all jockeying for playoff positioning—the Kings, Clippers, Lakers and Blazers. The Knicks then come home to the Nuggets and Wolves. They also play Miami two more times as well as the Cavs once before the end of March. While on paper the Knicks may have some contenderisms, how they finish this month will go a long way in solidifying their status one way or another.
In any event, it’s been a successful run for New York so far considering the questions surrounding this team back in November. The Knicks have not only been good; they’ve been an incredibly fun group to watch. If they maintain their hot play through the next three weeks, then there will be no reason to believe they can’t compete with anyone else in a wide-open league.
