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.
