The New York Knicks have quickly erased their slow start with three consecutive victories and are off to a strong 5-3 start. Over the past week, they have started to truly see the potential of the team’s offense, which has led to a few dominant victories at home, including one over the top-seeded Chicago Bulls.
The Knicks are looking scary in the East
The Knicks currently have the highest net rating in the Eastern Conference at 5.6, a near full point higher than the Bulls. A major catalyst for that has been rebounding, as they are tied with the Charlotte Hornets for the highest rebound percentage in the East at 54.2%.
The Knicks are still adjusting to the change of pace under Mike Brown, as they rank just 23rd in pace as of now. However, as time has passed, the team has become more aggressive in scoring, and the ball has been moving with incredible precision.
Coming into the season, many believed that the Knicks were a team that could make a serious push for a title. While there are still things that need to be cleaned up for that to become a greater reality, the potential they have on both ends has been shown in full force.
They have been elite in transition so far, turning great defense into a positive on offense. They have shot more threes this season, and now the shots have begun to fall at an incredibly high rate.
Everybody has made a positive contribution
The Knicks have scored 120 or more points in three of their last four games, and they scored 137 on a strong defensive team in the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. Led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, they have begun to show the relentlessness that will come with facing this team regularly.
The bench has also made a step in the right direction after performing poorly to start the year. Jordan Clarkson and Josh Hart have turned into instant spark plugs in the second unit, and Miles McBride and Landry Shamet have also made positive impacts.
Head coach Mike Brown has emphasized the style of play he wants the team to play. Playing with pace and ball movement have been the two major keys he has preached, and as the team continues to adapt to the system, they are in a position to be the team to beat in the East.