Knicks Land Top 5 in Power Rankings

The New York Knicks are among the best teams in the NBA.

Jeremy Brener | Sep 11, 2024

Feb 24, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) controls the ball against New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks have had a strong offseason after making some bold moves extending Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby while trading for Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets.

The moves have prompted Sportsnaut writer Jason Burgos to place the Knicks at No. 4 in his latest power rankings.

"The New York Knicks were one of the big surprises in the league this season. Not because they were good, many expected that, but after a pair of big trades before the deadline, they had a team that seemed primed for a trip to the Conference Finals. But the injuries changed those projections," Burgos writes. "Nevertheless, they quickly improved their team by not only re-signing OG Anunoby but also by scoring Nets star Mikal Bridges in a blockbuster trade. While they lost Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency, they are now seen as a serious threat to the champion Celtics in the East."

The only teams that rank higher than the Knicks are the Oklahoma City Thunder (who signed Hartenstein away from New York in free agency), the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics, who competed against one another in the NBA Finals back in June.

The expectations for the Knicks are certainly at a high we haven't seen in over 20 years. They haven't been to the Eastern Conference Finals since 2000, but these power rankings have them pinned against the Celtics for a spot in the championship if the playoff bracket shook out this way.

The Knicks will need to do a lot between now and May in order to get to that point, but the moves they have made and the potential that they have can definitely allow them to reach those new heights as a franchise that haven't been seen in the Big Apple in a very long time.

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

Published Sep 11, 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.