The New York Knicks are finding a championship-level rhythm with just about a month to go until the playoffs, joining the San Antonio Spurs as the only other team with a top five rating on both sides of the floor. Their journey there has been far from smooth, though, and Jalen Brunson summed it up perfectly on the latest episode of his podcast with Josh Hart, The Roommates Show. New York's captain called the first half of his team's 2025-26 season a "rollercoaster," which likely made every Knick fan that's been worried about this group's ups and downs feel seen.
Brunson nails "rollercoaster" feeling of Knicks' season thus far
Brunson and Hart were asked by their co-host Matt Hillman about the first half of their season, with Brunson joking right away that "it was something." Hart added that it had been "interesting," and referenced the team's broad set of highs and lows through the All-Star break.
The team's captain, however, hit the nail on the head from an emotional standpoint with his one-word description of their games thus far. Whether Knick fans still believe in their chances to win a championship or not, they'd likely all agree that the season thus far has been far from smooth.
Everyone from NBA analysts to Knicks players themselves agree that the team has the capability to play at a high level, and even win at a high level, but has yet to deliver an extended stretch of high-level play against top-tier opponents.
New York has toppled fellow contenders and gotten into intense clashes with tanking squads in the same week. The polarizing nature of the team certainly has its roots in their offensive system and revamped shot selection, but seems to stem mostly from the members of the organization themselves.
Knicks need to get off of the rollercoaster before the playoffs
Brunson acknowledged after the Knicks' narrow win over a depleted Warriors squad that they never want to see themselves as a finished product. Deuce McBride and Mikal Bridges hinted at that being part of the problem that led to their post-Cup slump.
Karl-Anthony Towns added after the game against Golden State that the team "plays with fire" too often, and doesn't play as hard to start games as they do when they're losing. That adjustment might seem simple, but steady levels of intensity and execution could be exactly what the Knicks need to produce more consistent on-court results.
The rollercoaster ride has certainly been fun thus far, even with its moments of suspense and anxiety. But when it comes time for the playoffs, this Knicks group is expected to ride a parade float down Broadway. That means finding consistency now, before it's too late.