Knicks Have Multiple Chances To Justify Rise in Power Rankings

Recent NBA power rankings have the New York Knicks on the move; can they solidify their spot near the top?

Mar 3, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) shoots a basket during warm up before a game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks have been arguably the hottest team in the NBA over the last six weeks of action.

Immediately following their worst stretch of the campaign, in which they lost nine out of 11 games, the team has responded with sheer dominance. After defeating the Toronto Raptors, the Knicks have won 15 out of their last 19 games, and in impressive fashion.

With another blowout victory in hand over their Atlantic Division rivals, New York finds itself heading in the right direction in the NBA power rankings. They are now ranked in the top five at both The Athletic by Law Murray (subscription required) and over at CBS Sports by Brad Botkin.

At The Athletic, the Knicks moved up one spot to No. 4. They were viewed in a much more positive light there than at CBS Sports, where they had the biggest jump in the league this week.

Knicks heading in right direction of NBA Power Rankings

Feb 3, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) celebrates a play with guard Jordan Clarkson (00) and guard Tyler Kolek (13) against the Washington Wizards during the second quarter at Capital One Arena. | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

New York now sits at No. 5 on the back of a 25-point blowout victory over the San Antonio Spurs, in which they held the Western Conference contenders to a season-low 89 points, snapping their 11-game winning streak in the process.

Can the Knicks solidify their standing as a true championship contender and elite team in the rankings? They will have plenty of opportunities to do so during a grueling upcoming stretch of their schedule.

On March 4, they host the Oklahoma City Thunder on the second night of a back-to-back after traveling from Toronto. On March 6, they start a five-game road trip against the Denver Nuggets, followed by games against the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers.

Those five games will be played in eight nights, with a little bit of a rest coming because the back-to-back set is against the Lakers and Clippers, both in Los Angeles.

New York will certainly have its opportunities, based on that schedule, to hold onto its spot near the top of the rankings. If they are going to keep up this incredible recent pace, they have to continue performing on the defensive end.

Defense will prove difference for Knicks

Mar 3, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) tries to block a shot by Toronto Raptors guard Scottie Barnes (4) during the second half at Scotiabank Arena. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Over this 19-game stretch, there isn’t a team that has been playing defense better than the Knicks. They have held 10 of their opponents under 100 points scored, buying into the scheme that head coach Mike Brown and the coaching staff have built on the defensive end.

Leading the charge are two players not normally known for their defensive impact: point guard Jalen Brunson and center Karl-Anthony Towns.

Both are giving effort and energy defensively, and their teammates are following suit. There was too much defensive talent on this roster, headlined by OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, not to eventually figure things out on that end.

Now that they have, the positive results are following, and the team is cementing its status as one of the best in the NBA.

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