Knicks Core Takes Step Forward in Lineup Productivity

Calling out the meat that the 2024-25 New York Knicks left on the bone sounds disingenuous following the spirited run they made to the Eastern Conference Finals, but there's a reason they didn't go all the way and make the NBA Finals.

The Indiana Pacers were the superior team, as they demonstrated in taking the Oklahoma City Thunder all the way to Game 7 of those finals in one of the wildest series of the century. But the Knicks failed to maximize all of the interesting pieces at their disposal.

Despite sporting a lineup full of well-liked names at nearly every position, many of which offering alleged two-way potential while all sitting right around the same veteran age range, their most widely-used lineups revealed some damning truths.

Why Bet Against the 2024-25 Knicks?

The Knicks were doubted all along the way to coming within two games of their first finals appearance in a quarter-century, but there were numerous statistical indicators that expressed that they weren't as good as the roster's individual parts would suggest. Their 4.0 net rating was the eighth-best upon season's end, backed up by their consistently losing to superior squads behind a surprisingly underachieving lineup.

The regular starting five of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart only put forward a 3.3 net rating as a lineup, generating buckets without much fluidity and giving up just one possession's worth of points less than what they were scoring on offense.

New York Knicks Center Karl-Anthony Towns and forward OG Anunoby — Apr 24, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) and forward OG Anunoby (8) celebrates in the second half against the Detroit Pistons during game three of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

That combination has gotten considerably less burn this fall, with Hart's removal from the starting lineup freeing up some of the spacing concerns that bugged the starting unit last year. But the other four star scorers and fringe All-Stars were similarly treading water without him, with the four-man group of Brunson, Towns, Anunoby and Bridges still managing just a 3.4 net rating.

Returning Stronger With Identical Pieces

That was far from their most used lineup, with Hart regularly featured in most of the 2025 squad's most popular groupings. Compare that to the early goings of this ongoing campaign, where that foursome of the most relied-upon lineup that the Knicks have, and they've repaid that trust with a 15.9 net rating.

New York Knicks Head Coach Mike Brown — Oct 28, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown reacts in the 4th quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

The defense took a big step forward behind new head coach Mike Brown's deeper rotations, allowing reserve guards to make heftier contributions to ease the stars' loads. And after spending the summer preaching pace and space as the principles worth going all-in on, he's handled the ever-changing availability within his injury reports with enough shooters to keep the squad towards the top of the league in offense.

There were a lot of unresolved issues with last year's Knicks, and even with this team's occasional signs of struggle, there've been noticeable shifts in how this new coaching staff has gone about mixing together the various stars in the building.

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