Knicks Winning at Historic Pace

The New York Knicks pre-All-Star win tally carries historic implications.

Jan 25, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) celebrates during a timeout called by the Sacramento Kings in the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Wednesday's New York Knicks victory carried a playoff-like atmosphere in more ways than one.

A tense yet thrilling 149-148 overtime victory over the Atlanta Hawks sent the Knicks (36-18) into the 2025 All-Star break on a high note but also had some historic implications for the New Yorkers: with their 36th triumph of the season — and ninth in the past 11 games — the Knicks have secured their third-best pre-All-Star Game win tally in franchise history.

Only the teams from 1969-70 and 1972-73 — the Knicks' two championship squads — have won more at this landmark with 38 and 39 respectively.

The .667 win percentage stemming from that record is also the fifth-best output in the same span. View the top five results below:

Season	Record at Break	Win Percentage	Season Result
1969-70	38-11	.776	Won Finals
1972-73	39-12	.765	Won Finals
1953-54	28-12	.700	Lost 1st Round
1970-71	32-14	.696	Lost ECF
2024-25	36-18	.667	TBD

As it stands, the Knicks are firmly entrenched within the top-heavy Eastern Conference's premier trio. Despite their struggles against truly elite competition (0-5 against current Association front-runners Cleveland, Oklahoma City, and Boston), New York seems well on its way to stringing together its first streak of three consecutive playoff berths since 2011-13 and is also partly on pace to better the famed 54-win total they had in 2012-13.

Despite the history, franchise face Jalen Brunson, sinker of Wednesday's winning shot, was in no mood for parade planning, hinting at larger aspirations after he returns from repping the Knicks at this weekend's NBA All-Star festivities in San Francisco.

"We haven't really accomplished anything," Brunson said in video from SNY. "We have a long way to go to continue to where we want to go. But it's all about taking one day at a time. Rest and recharge and come back ready to go."

There won't be much rest for Brunson, who will compete in Sunday's main event alongside teammate Karl-Anthony Towns (8 p.m. ET, TNT) as well as Saturday's 3-Point Contest. The quest to add more to a historic win tally continues next Thursday when New York hosts the Chicago Bulls (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).

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