The New York Knicks should be the clear favorites to win the Eastern Conference. That sentence should be said with no asterisks. While teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers stack regular-season wins, New York has already built something stronger: playoff reliability and roster depth that should now be built to last.
The Knicks are now the East’s most complete team
“When you think about where the East is right now. There is a team that has a proven regular season track record and consistent playoff results. Why would the New York Knicks not be the favorite default?” That statement is from Rob Mahoney of The Ringer, and honestly, it's correct for him to think that way.
Cleveland may have won 64 games last season, but the Knicks have a 12–2 all-time playoff record against them, including that 4–1 series win in 2023 during the Eastern Conference Championship. The Cavs always look great until they run into real playoff pressure. The Knicks? They seem to get stronger when it matters most.
New York’s playoff resume is not built on one good year. They have now put together back-to-back postseason runs that show who they are. Truthfully, the one team that has consistently caused New York real problems recently? The Indiana Pacers, and specifically Tyrese Haliburton.
Haliburton’s ability to control tempo and stretch defenses has given the Knicks fits. But this year, that may not be a factor. After unfortunately suffering a torn Achilles during last year’s playoffs, Haliburton could miss significant time, if not the full season. And he is not the only one. Boston lost Jayson Tatum the same way. Milwaukee waived Damian Lillard after his own Achilles tear.
All three injuries, Haliburton, Tatum, and Lillard, have completely reshaped the Eastern Conference. Teams that were locked in at the top are now scrambling to stay relevant. The Knicks, meanwhile, have only gotten more complete. Hiring coach Mike Brown gives them a proven postseason leader who understands how to build systems around depth and chemistry. His arrival alone raises New York’s ceiling.
On the roster side, Jordan Clarkson brings much-needed scoring off the bench, and Guerschon Yabusele gives them spacing and versatility at the forward spot. When you add that to a playoff-tested core of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges (who they recently extended), it is hard to argue there is a better-balanced team in the East right now.
New York is not only going to be ready this season, but they are also going to be steady. While other contenders scramble with setbacks, the Knicks are walking in with continuity and confidence.