After starting off the Mike Brown era with a lackluster 2-3 record, the New York Knicks have seemingly flipped a switch as of late, rattling off four straight wins and taking ownership of the second seed in the Eastern Conference standings at 6-3.
Though this surge has undoubtedly served as a spark for increased optimism among the franchise's faithful followers on its own, Jalen Brunson's recent remarks may actually send their excitement levels through the roof.
Knicks 'can be a lot better' than what they're showing amid surge
Following the club's 134-98 rout of their cross-borough rivals the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday evening, a game where they saw six players score in double figures and, as a team, shot 53.9 percent from the floor and 45.9 percent from deep, the Knicks captain acknowledged that while they've seen a clear uptick in on-court production of late, the belief is that this is far from the best version of themselves.
“It’s about not being complacent and being more fluid in the stuff we run where everything is an instinct and we’re not thinking about what we’re doing. Everything’s a reaction and it comes seamless like that,” Brunson said, as transcribed by NBA insider Ian Begley. “So we’re working towards that… So yeah the ball’s going through the hoop but we can be a lot better.”
Perhaps the most impressive part of their ongoing stretch of domination is the fact that the Knicks are doing so without any real set plays, as coach Brown has admitted.
The aim as of now is simply to play off of "instinct."
With this approach, since the start of their win streak back on November 2, New York finds itself ranking second in the league in points per game (129.5) and field goal percentage (50.0), while leading the charge in long-range shooting (43.8), net rating (22.3), and point differential (+22.0).
Of course, most important of all is that they are tied for the best winning percentage (1.000) throughout this stretch.
While it may be difficult to understand just how much better this Knicks team can get, this mindset shared by Brunson is far from his alone.
Many of his own teammates have been vocal about still adapting to the learning curve of this new system, with co-star Karl-Anthony Towns noting after their blowout over Brooklyn that this team is still "a work in progress."
Towns, specifically, is a prime example of how more time being in and, in turn, learning Brown's system can have a positive impact, as the headman has acknowledged that he's getting more comfortable "each time he steps on the floor."
Based on the eye test, this goes without question.
Still in the early stages of the 2025-26 campaign, there's still plenty of time for other somewhat struggling contributors such as Jordan Clarkson and, to a greater extent, Guerschon Yabusele to find their groove and live up to the hype that followed them into the year after their respective free agency signings this summer.
As Brunson alluded to, there's plenty of room for growth for this Knicks team, and the rest of the NBA should be petrified.