NBA Power Rankings: Knicks Moving Up After Up-and-Down Week?

The New York Knicks are recovering after a .500 week that saw two tough losses sandwiched in between a pair of wins.

New York was challenged at home, facing and falling to Giannis Antetokounmpo's Milwaukee Bucks and Luka Doncic's Dallas Mavericks in the first half of a four-game homestand. However, their wins against the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers, the latter ending a five-game losing streak at Madison Square Garden, moved them up one spot to 24th in this week's power rankings from Sports Illustrated

"The Knicks emerged from a difficult week in better shape than expected," SI writes. "Julius Randle channeled his 2020 self and went for a season-best 36 points in a dominant win in Detroit. The Bucks and Mavericks then downed New York at Madison Square Garden—no shame in that. It looked like the Knicks were headed toward a third consecutive loss against Cleveland on the second leg of a back-to-back. Instead, they suffocated the Cavaliers and held them to just 82 points in a quality win."

The Knicks are off for two days before returning to the court to face the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG/ESPN). Then, the team heads to the Queen City to play the Charlotte Hornets before returning to the Garden to go toe-to-toe with the Sacramento Kings.

You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

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