The New York Knicks are an emerging team in the NBA, winning seven of their last 10 games to close out November and begin December.
The Knicks currently sit fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 12-8 record behind the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics and NBA-best Cleveland Cavaliers.
In the NBA.com power rankings written by John Schuhmann, the Knicks slide into the top 10 at No. 10, one spot higher than the previous edition.
“The Knicks still can’t beat the Mavs, but they’ve won seven of their last nine games and now have the league’s No. 1 offense,” Schuhmann writes. “The Knicks’ only regular-season home loss with Anunoby in the lineup last season was to the Magic, who are back at Madison Square Garden for a bigEmirates NBA Cup game on Tuesday. The winner wins East Group A, while also getting an important win in regard to the overall Eastern Conference standings.”
The only teams that rank higher than the Knicks are the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors, Magic, Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Celtics and Cavs.
In order for the Knicks to move back higher in the rankings, they will have to continue winning games and improving on the defensive end of the floor. If the ranking simply involved offense, the Knicks would be No. 1, but their defense has been a big reason why their potential hasn’t been fully realized.
Once the Knicks get the defensive side of the ball squared away, they may get closer to that coveted No. 1 spot.
The Knicks play three games at home over the course of the week, starting with the Magic in the NBA Cup tonight before facing the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday and Detroit Pistons on Saturday.
