Eastern Conference Rival Looking to Pass Knicks

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero sees the New York Knicks as a team they can catch in the Eastern Conference.

Jeremy Brener | Aug 20, 2024

Mar 8, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) warms up prior to the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks struggled to compete with the tall, defensive-minded Orlando Magic last season.

Orlando won three of four meetings during the regular season, but New York got the last laugh when it finished second in the Eastern Conference standings. The Knicks made it to the second round while the Magic lost in seven games to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

However, Magic star Paolo Banchero believes Orlando can be right there at the top of the East with New York among others.

"We feel like we're right there," Banchero said on ESPN's First Take h/t Bleacher Report writer Timothy Rapp. "We're right there with all those (elite teams in the East). I remember last year, we started the year off as a top-two, top-three seed and everybody thought it was a fluke. Everybody thought we were going to be a play-in team and drop out the top of the East. We finished strong and got the fifth seed and had a chance to really grab the two seed at the end of the season. We were right there last year. We got better this year. I got better; all of us got better. We got some new pieces that are going to help a lot. We're trying to make some noise. We should easily be a top-four, top-three team, and have a chance to win the East."

The Magic represent a threat for the Knicks in the East, especially with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as the team's premier new addition. The Knicks, like the Magic, also got better in the offseason by adding Mikal Bridges to the core of the team.

The Knicks and Magic should compete with the Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics and the aforementioned Cavs as the top teams in the East, and none of those opponents represent an easy beat for New York.

So while the Knicks took a step in the right direction, they will still have to stave off a number of teams to have a shot at making a deep run in the playoffs for the upcoming season.

Make sure you bookmark New York Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published Aug 20, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.