The Eastern Conference was turned on its head when Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard, and Jayson Tatum suffered respective Achilles injuries. All three were presumptively ruled out for the 2025-26 season, thus leaving a void that the New York Knicks seemed uniquely qualified to fill near the top of the standings.
The quiet truth that the Knicks are suddenly beginning to realize, however, is that they aren't the only team in the Eastern Conference that's prepared to take a significant step forward.
New York has overcome injuries to get off to a 9-6 start to the season that has it just 4.5 games back of the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. That includes an 8-1 record at home that bodes well for a team that projects to enter the playoffs with at least one round of home-court advantage.
If the Knicks are going to right the ship on the road and ultimately make a run to the NBA Finals, however, they can't afford to take the progress the rest of the East has made lightly.
The competition ranges from 2024-25 playoff teams to resurgent sides with drastically improved rosters. In each scenario, the Knicks are due to come face to face with groups that have the talent, coaching, and upside to not only give them a series, but ultimately defeat them.
By no means has New York lost its spot as the team best qualified to represent the Eastern Conference in the 2026 NBA Finals, but the competition is far stiffer than anticipated.
Knicks aren't the only team with the talent to make the leap
The Cleveland Cavaliers won 64 games in 2024-25, but ultimately lost in the second round of the playoffs to the Indiana Pacers. Considering the Knicks also fell to the Pacers in the postseason, it's irrational to write the Cavaliers off as far as legitimate competition is concerned.
Cleveland is currently 12-6 despite dealing with injuries of its own and an assertive Donovan Mitchell is thriving in the role of a true No. 1 scoring option early in 2025-26.
The Detroit Pistons, meanwhile, pushed the Knicks to six games during the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs and have clearly learned from experience. Detroit currently sits atop the Eastern Conference at 14-2 and has two All-NBA candidates in Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren.
Considering how difficult it was for New York to defeat less experienced versions of Cunningham and Duren in the playoffs, it's unjust to view the Pistons as anything other than a legitimate threat.
Several other young teams have made progress in 2025-26, including the Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, and Toronto Raptors. All three are benefiting immensely from adding high-level veterans who are taking pressure off of up-and-comers who are already All-Stars or knocking on that door.
The Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers, meanwhile, have been without injured All-Stars for much of the 2025-26 season, yet are both above .500.
It must also be stated that the Boston Celtics may have lost an abundance of key players, but still have top-tier talent leading the roster. As such, writing a team off with a former Finals MVP in Jaylen Brown is an ill-advised maneuver.
Considering New York is 0-4 against Miami and Orlando, and fifth in the Eastern Conference, it's safe to say it's learning its lesson early in 2025-26.