| The Knicks have won 5 out fo the last 6 (we won’t talk about that Jazz game), and Precious is very close to coming back. The Knicks look like they’re starting to gel. This is why you don’t call a trade a bust after a dozen games. | |||
| Rank | Player | Comments | Last Weeks Rank |
| 1 | Anonoby, OG | OG playing great on both ends, with a career high 40 points last night. He’s playing like prime Kahwi | 3 |
| 2 | Brunson, Jalen | Career high 17 assists last night, that’s what we need to see more of. The Knicks look incredible when the ball is moving. | 1 |
| 3 | Towns, Karl-Anthony | Towns has been really good. No buyers remorse here.The east doesn’t have a lot of elite bigs, he’s going to be a problem for opposing teams all season. | 2 |
| 4 | Hart, Josh | Hart does it all. So for this season he’s averaging a career high in FG%, FT%, rebounds, and assists. | 5 |
| 5 | Bridges, Mikal | An up and down start to the season, if Mikal gets it together this is arguably the best starting lineup in the league. | 4 |
| 6 | McBride, Miles | Good to see McBride back so soon, was worried he had a long term injury. | 6 |
| 7 | Payne, Cameron | Payne brings nice energy off the bench. He had a steal on 3 straight plays against the Jazz. | 7 |
| 8 | Sims, Jericho | Sims held his own against Jokic, am I dreaming? | 8 |
| 9 | Kolek, Tyler | Kolek had 8 mins in the 1st half against the Jazz. I thought he had broken into the rotation, but it looks like he’s going to have to wait a little longer to become a regular. | 10 |
| 10 | Dadiet, Pacome | I’ve been impressed with Dadiet’s defense. He looks really good in the short minutes we’ve seen him. Might have something here. | 11 |
| 11 | Hukporti, Ariel | Since Sims play has improved it looks like Hukporti is the 3rd big man in a 2 big man rotation. | 9 |
| 12 | Achiuwa, Precious | Word has it Precious is very close to coming back. More depth is always a good thing. | 12 |
| 13 | Robinson, Mitchell | Mitch posted his goals on instagram and one of them was to be playing by Xmas. Fingers crossed! | 13 |
basketball
2024/25 New York Knicks Player Power Rankings – Week 3
| This team keeps making me go back and forth between they’re going all the way and man this team has a long way to go. That’s just the way it is early in a season when the team adds 8 new players. | |||
| Rank | Player | Comments | Last Weeks Rank |
| 1 | Brunson, Jalen | Brunson has been the best and most consistent player on the roster. I don’t think this is a hot take. | 1 |
| 2 | Towns, Karl-Anthony | The Invisible Man era lasted one game. A 44 point showing this early in the season was nice to see. Defense could be better but we already knew that. | 6 |
| 3 | Anonoby, OG | When OG gets rolling on offense you see why the Knicks paid him so much. Hopefully he can do what he did in Houston more consistently | 2 |
| 4 | Bridges, Mikal | Bridges looks like he’s getting more comfortable on this team every game. | 3 |
| 5 | Hart, Josh | What number is higher, Hart’s rebounds or injury scares per game? | 4 |
| 6 | McBride, Miles | Let’s pretend the Houston game never happened. | 5 |
| 7 | Payne, Cameron | Payne shows flashes of being a nice backup, but he also chucks like he thinks he’s the best player on the court. | 7 |
| 8 | Sims, Jericho | Sims is back getting a lot of minutes. When is Precious coming back? | 9 |
| 9 | Hukporti, Ariel | Not sure why he fell out of the rotation after looking better than the guy above him. | 8 |
| 10 | Kolek, Tyler | We got a very short Kolek sighting. He looked decent. How about not play the starters 40mpg in the beginning of the season and give Tyler some run. | 10 |
| 11 | Dadiet, Pacome | Apparently all the guards will have to be injured before we see Pacome again. | 11 |
| 12 | Achiuwa, Precious | Please come back soon! | 12 |
| 13 | Robinson, Mitchell | Mitch hasn’t played yet, but neither has the guy who injured him, so karma is doing it’s job. | 13 |
New York Knicks: A New Era Begins with Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns (Blame Isaiah)
By John Aurelus @nyknicksfinest
The 2024-2025 NBA season is already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated in recent memory, especially if you’re a New York Knicks fan. It all started on July 6th, 2024, when our phones collectively buzzed with the now formerly infamous “Woj Bomb” that confirmed what we had been hoping for: Leon Rose, the Knicks’ mastermind, had pulled off a blockbuster deal with our crosstown rivals, the Brooklyn Nets. The deal? None other than the league’s most coveted player, Mikal Bridges, was heading to Madison Square Garden.
Bridges’ arrival marked the completion of a Villanova Wildcats reunion on the Knicks roster, as he joined former college teammates Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, and Josh Hart. This “Nova 4” was immediately heralded as the core that could lead the Knicks to their first NBA title in over five decades. With Bridges on board, the Knicks now had one of the most potent, well-rounded lineups in the league. All we had to do was survive the long summer months, waiting for the season to begin.
But Knicks fans were in for another shock.
Just as we were winding down on September 27th, at 10:27 PM, another notification shook Knicks Nation. This time, it was the inaugural “Shams Bomb,” with Shams Charania reporting: “The Knicks have acquired Karl-Anthony Towns from Minnesota for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and a first-round pick via Detroit.”
Knicks fans are known for their loyalty and appreciation, but this news hit hard. The dream of seeing the “Nova 4” dominate together on the court vanished, replaced by the reality that we were saying goodbye to two key players—Randle, the heart of our rebuild, and DiVincenzo, a key part of the Villanova brotherhood. Yet, on the flip side, we were bringing in a two-time All-NBA selection, a four-time All-Star, and undoubtedly one of the top centers in the league in Towns. On paper, the move made sense, especially as Towns seemed like the perfect complement to our star point guard, Jalen Brunson.
But as any Knicks fan knows, it’s never just about what’s on paper.
The Isaiah Factor
What does this trade have to do with Isaiah Hartenstein? Well, in an amusing twist, Knicks beat writer Steve Popper reported that Josh Hart jokingly said, “Blame Isaiah” after realizing the GQ photo shoot featuring DiVincenzo made it clear he was gone. While the comment was made in jest, it did make me reflect on how different this Knicks roster could have looked had Hartenstein re-signed.
So, I started to compare what I had hoped our rotation would be going into the season versus what it actually is now. Here’s a breakdown:
Hoped-for Rotation:
- PG: Jalen Brunson
- SG: Mikal Bridges
- SF: OG Anunoby
- PF: Julius Randle
- C: Isaiah Hartenstein
Bench Depth:
- Mitchell Robinson
- Josh Hart
- Donte DiVincenzo
- Deuce McBride
- Precious Achiuwa
Actual Rotation:
- PG: Jalen Brunson
- SG: Josh Hart
- SF: Mikal Bridges
- PF: OG Anunoby
- C: Karl-Anthony Towns
Bench Depth:
- Mitchell Robinson
- Deuce McBride
- Precious Achiuwa
- Cameron Payne
- Jericho Sims
On one hand, the vision of Hartenstein as a gritty, defensive anchor and Randle’s bruising presence alongside OG Anunoby was tantalizing. But my rational side knows that Towns is an undeniable upgrade. He’s a versatile big man who can stretch the floor, score inside, and fit into a modern offense in ways Hartenstein simply can’t.
A Good Problem to Have
I don’t know about you, but I’m torn. My heart favors the scrappy underdogs, while my head acknowledges the brilliance of a roster headlined by Brunson, Bridges, Anunoby, and Towns. After 35 years as a Knicks fan, though, this is finally a good problem to have.
Ultimately, whether or not the Knicks made the right decision will come down to Towns’ performance on the court. Much like Bridges, the Knicks gave up a lot to acquire him, but unlike Bridges, this deal came at the cost of two players we consider family. Randle and DiVincenzo are made men in New York City, and we wish them nothing but the best in Minnesota.
But for now, it’s all about “Bodega Kat”—our new man in the middle. The stage is set for Towns to prove he can live up to the expectations of Knicks Nation and lead this team to glory. If he does, the trade will be remembered as the moment the Knicks landed their best center since Patrick Ewing.
Now, all we can do is sit back and enjoy the ride. What a time to be a Knicks fan.
2024-25 Standings Predictions
In Episode 655 we made some predictions. I’m posting them here so you can laugh at us later.
Eastern Conference – Jay’s Picks
1. Milwaukee Bucks
2. Brooklyn Nets
3. Atlanta Hawks
4. New York Knicks
5. Miami Heat
6. Philadelphia 76ers
7. Boston Celtics
8. Indiana Pacers
9. Chicago Bulls
10. Washington Wizards
11. Charlotte Hornets
12. Toronto Raptors
13. Orlando Magic
14. Cleveland Cavaliers
15. Detroit Pistons
Eastern Conference – Marc’s Picks
1. Milwaukee Bucks
2. Brooklyn Nets
3. Atlanta Hawks
4. New York Knicks
5. Philadelphia 76ers
6. Miami Heat
7. Boston Celtics
8. Charlotte Hornets
9. Chicago Bulls
10. Toronto Raptors
11. Indiana Pacers
12. Washington Wizards
13. Cleveland Cavaliers
14. Orlando Magic
15. Detroit Pistons
Western Conference – Jay’s Picks
1. Utah Jazz
2. Phoenix Suns
3. Los Angeles Lakers
4. Denver Nuggets
5. Golden State Warriors
6. Los Angeles Clippers
7. Dallas Mavericks
8. Portland Trailblazers
9. Memphis Grizzlies
10. Sacramento Kings
11. New Orleans Pelicans
12. San Antonio Spurs
13. Minnesota Timberwolves
14. Houston Rockets
15. Oklahoma City Thunder
Western Conference – Marc’s Picks
1. Phoenix Suns
2. Utah Jazz
3. Denver Nuggets
4. Portland Trailblazers
5. Dallas Mavericks
6. Los Angeles Lakers
7. Los Angeles Clippers
8. Golden State Warriors
9. Memphis Grizzlies
10. New Orleans Pelicans
11. San Antonio Spurs
12. Sacramento Kings
13. Minnesota Timberwolves
14. Houston Rockets
15. Oklahoma City Thunder
Episode 513: Preseason Preview
Marc and Dustin talk about the latest roster moves, lineups, the long and short term plans for the Knicks, and more
Knicks Look to Close Out NBA Season on High Note
Knicks Look to Close Out NBA Season on High Note
With only a few remaining games in what has been a disappointing season for the New York Knicks, there are still reasons to get interested in the final stretch. As the Knicks will go into most of their final games as underdogs, the NBA basketball lines for the Knicks remaining games promise some big payoffs for anyone looking to make money off of a Knicks upset.
Here are some of the key matchups to look at:
April 9th & 11th – home and home series against the Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs will be looking to use these games as a springboard into the playoffs. Currently sitting in third place in the East and five games into a win streak, the Cavs would do themselves well by getting two big wins against an inferior team right before heading into the postseason. With as close as their division is (Indiana is right on their heels and Milwaukee isn’t too far behind either) the Cavs may even need these games to lock up third place, which will be crucial down the stretch. Look for a confident Cavaliers team to show up to this back to back series. It will be doubtful that the Knicks could pull wins off in either of these games, but if Cleveland takes things for granted in an effort to rest up before the playoffs, or if they choose to give their bench some more playing time before things get serious, the Knicks have a shot at a couple of wins here. As proof it’s not impossible, the Knicks did win the first meeting of the season, taking a 114-95 victory back on October 9th.
March 28th vs the 76’ers
Philadelphia has already locked up a spot in the east, but they are right in the middle of a bunch of teams who could move up or down the standings depending on how the rest of the season plays out. The Knicks have yet to win against the 76’ers this year, most recently dropping a 118-110 contest at home back on March 15th. Since Philly will be trying to string together some wins going into the playoffs to both give themselves momentum and gain ground in the standings, look for them not to take this contest lightly. This game is the least likely to end in an upset, so if you are looking to make money off the Knicks, this is not the most likely game to do it.
April 7th vs the Bucks
During a miserable 1-17 stretch that lasted all the way through February and halfway into March, the Knicks faced the Bucks three times and dropped all of those contests (92-90, 103-89 and 120-112). Fast forward to now, and well…nothing has changed much. The Bucks have still not clinched a spot in the East, but still have a good chance at making the playoffs along with the Miami Heat, with whom they are tied in wins with 39. Depending on what happens between now and then, these are games that the Knicks could possibly steal if Milwaukee takes things for granted. All three times they matched up this year the Knicks were in the middle of playing their worst basketball and come April 7th they might feel they have something to prove. You never know this time of year.
Episode 397: Fantasy Draft
Marc and Jay talk all things Knicks as well as around the NBA while Jay tries to simultaneously draft his fantasy team
Episode 380: Ex Knicks in the Playoffs
Marc and Jay talk about each series of the playoffs, offseason moves, ex Knicks in the playoffs, what Phil might be thinking, who to draft, and much more
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Episode 311: 6th Annual Fantasy Draft
Marc and Jay do a live broadcast during their 6th annual fantasy basketball draft. Marc hates auction style. During the draft we do man on the street, listener questions, and argue.
Episode 306: Book Club
Marc and Jay talk about giving books to players, JR finally getting a contract, expectations, and more
The New York Knicks Podcast 