Knicks High in Power Rankings Going Into Season

The New York Knicks are beginning their season. Where are they in the NBA power rankings?

Jeremy Brener | 3 Hours Ago

Oct 18, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are beginning their season against the Boston Celtics, and even though their opponent will defend their title from last year, they feel confident in their ability to replace them.

Bleacher Report writer Andy Bailey ranked all 30 NBA teams ahead of the season and placed the Knicks at No. 6.

"They already have an MVP candidate in Jalen Brunson, and surrounding him with three of his Villanova teammates and another gritty defender in OG Anunoby made them a fringe contender," Bailey writes. "But the departure of Isaiah Hartenstein and an injury to Mitchell Robinson made New York thin up front. So, it moved Julius Randle and one of those Wildcats for one from Kentucky. Now the Knicks have one of the best shooting bigs of all time on one end of their starting five, Brunson on the other and three gritty, switchable wings and forwards in between them."

The only teams that rank ahead of the Knicks include the Dallas Mavericks, Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder and aforementioned Celtics.

The Knicks are a work in progress, but they have one of the highest ceilings in the league after the transactions they made this summer. It will take time for the chemistry to develop, especially with two brand new key pieces in the starting five.

There is also a lot of turnover in the second unit, so that will also need some adjusting over time.

However, the Knicks are all on the same page in playing together as a team and sacrificing for the sake of winning. With that laid into the foundation of the team, the Knicks are in prime position to be one of the best teams in the NBA for the upcoming year.

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Published 3 Hours Ago

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.