If you had told a New York Knicks fan five years ago that their favorite team would be 35-18 with one game left to go before the 2025 All-Star break, they'd be ecstatic. However, now that we're at that point, the vibes aren't as high as you'd think.
The Knicks are coming off a 128-115 win over the Pacers, but some fans are still thinking about the 27-point loss to the Celtics on Saturday. It marked the second time this season New York lost to Boston. The Knicks are 0-3 against the top two teams in the East, with a loss to the Cavaliers earlier in the season.
The front office cashed in a chunk of their first-round picks last June for Mikal Bridges and sent another to the Timberwolves as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns trade. Those deals pushed New York further into the contention category, but the Knicks haven't proven that they can beat a team like the Celtics or the Cavaliers. They're also 0-2 against OKC, the top team in the West.
While things look much brighter in New York than they did five years ago, the weight of the expectations surrounding the 2024-25 Knicks is bringing fans down. Don't let those expectations cloud what the Knicks have accomplished this season and, more importantly, what they could do once the playoffs start.
The 35 wins before the All-Star break is the most by the Knicks since the 1972-73 season....which ended with an NBA championship https://t.co/KMbiT9TlXa
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) February 12, 2025
The Knicks are in a better place than you might think
No, the above tweet doesn't mean New York will win the 2025 NBA Finals, but it does give perspective. This is the best team that fans have watched in years.
Remember that it's also Bridges and KAT's first season with the Knicks. It took a while for Bridges to land on his feet once the season started.
New York's defense hasn't looked the same this season after losing Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency, but Mitchell Robinson hasn't played in a game yet. There will rightfully continue to be concerns about his health when he takes the court again, but his rim protection and rebounding will boost the defense.
All this is to say that the sky isn't falling, even though it might've felt like that on Saturday. The Knicks can enter the break on a high note on Wednesday against Atlanta. This weekend, two New York players will represent the organization in the All-Star Game (Tournament) as starters for the first time in over 50 years.
Do your best to enjoy what's left of the season. If you think the Knicks are nothing more than a second-round exit playoff team, maybe you'll be surprised in a few months.