The New York Knicks thought they were contenders coming into this season, but so far, they have yet to prove it when it matters most.
The New York Knicks are vying for their first NBA championship in 52 years. The franchise has built a strong team around Jalen Brunson as the core piece.
The Knicks went and made two massive moves in the summer, landing Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns in blockbuster trades.
While the Knicks may have overpaid for Mikal Bridges, it will be worth it if they are able to win the NBA championship this season.
But not everyone is a believer in them. Brian Windhorst recently suggested that the Knicks are pretenders rather than contenders. And their record against two top teams shows why he might be right.
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Knicks 2-9 against contenders
The New York Knicks currently have a 37-19 record, and sit third in the Eastern Conference. However, their record against other contenders leaves a lot to be desired.
After their loss tonight against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Knicks are now 0-4 against the first and second seed in the East – the Cavs and the Boston Celtics.
And if you take the top three teams in the Western Conference and combine it with their record against the top two in the East, things get worse. Their record against the top five teams in the East and West is a combined 2-9.
Their only two wins have come against the Denver Nuggets. They’re 0-1 against the Memphis Grizzlies and 0-2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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New York Knicks must improve
The New York Knicks’ record against teams with 37+ wins this season is abysmal. With just two wins in 11 games, they have shown they aren’t at the elite level just yet.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau must address this issue as soon as possible. Their roster might be strong, but if they aren’t getting wins, then their efforts will be for nothing.
The Knicks have 25 games remaining this season. As things stand, they are on pace for a 50+ win season. Their ambition should be higher, and they should aim for 60 wins this year.
Can they usurp the Celtics in the standings before the season is over? They would have to go on quite the run in order to do so, and the Celtics would have to take some big losses too.
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