Knicks Have NBA's Best Starting Five?

The New York Knicks have one of the best starting lineups in the NBA.

Jeremy Brener | Nov 23, 2024

Nov 18, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) celebrates his three point shot against Washington Wizards forward Corey Kispert (24) during the second 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 are still figuring things out 15 games into the season, but they have been able to maintain one of the best starting lineups in the league.

ESPN analyst Bobby Marks believes that the Knicks have proven that they have one of the best starting fives in the NBA.

“I said this back in September after they made the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, I thought the Knicks starting five was the best starting five in the NBA," Marks said h/t Posting and Toasting. “I think what you saw last night (at Phoenix) was kind of the recipe of how good this starting five can be. How can they sustain if one of these players goes down with an injury? But last night certainly I think they can justify as one, or the best, starting five in the NBA.”

All five starters — Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns — are averaging 14 points per game or more, while Brunson and Towns are averaging more than 25 points per game. All five of them have played in every game so far this season, with the exception of Towns last Friday against the Brooklyn Nets after he sustained a knee injury.

While the Knicks have a strong starting five, their bench is still trying to figure things out. Miles McBride and Cam Payne are leading the way while rookies Pacome Dadiet, Ariel Hukporti and Tyler Kolek are finding their footing as the season rolls along.

The Knicks are in need of depth, because even though the starting five have been excellent to start the season, it won't be sustainable towards winning a championship.

The Knicks are back in action today against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. ET.

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

Published Nov 23, 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.