Knicks Have Perfect Opportunity to Win Eastern Conference

The stage Is set for the New York Knicks.

The NBA regular season is almost halfway over, and already so much has happened surrounding the Knicks, from players to coaches to winning the In-Season Tournament.

There is a ton to evaluate as a result, and the team that should be looked at as being the best of the best in the Eastern Conference is the Knicks. They are sitting at No. 2 in the Eastern Conference standings with a 24-14 record with much more basketball left to play.

The Indiana Pacers are out of the mix.

Throughout the last couple of seasons, the team that has eliminated the Knicks in their rival, even dating back to the John Starks and Reggie Miller days, are the Indiana Pacers. The Knicks have found success against everyone else such as the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, and the Philadelphia 76ers over the last two playoff runs.

However, the Pacers, with their high-powered offense and three-point shooting, have been the formula on how to put the Knicks out. The Pacers lost their All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton with an Achillies injury he suffered in the NBA Finals last summer vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder, however, and own a 7-31 record this season as a result.

Dec 29, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New York Knicks Head Coach Mike Brown gives direction against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Mike Brown hiring has been a success so far.

The Knicks have not won an NBA Championship since 1971. They have not been to the NBA Finals since 1999 versus the San Antonio Spurs. They’ve had a mixture of playoff and non-playoff teams trying to figure it out. When it comes to team success, coaching is a vital asset of team culture while setting a standard for expectations. For head coach Mike Brown, his demanding style may be just what the Knicks need to reach their full potential.

Brown has had a long history of winning in the NBA, whether it be an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors or turning a rebuilding team around like the Sacramento Kings into a playoff team in 2023. The fact of the matter is, he is no stranger to winning at the highest level while taking on challenges.

The East is for the Knicks to lose

Outside the Knicks, the Pacers had the most overall success out of anyone in the Eastern Conference playoffs across the past two seasons. That means, the Knicks should feel extremely confident with their core of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, O.G. Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges know that the Pacers aren't contenders this year.

Other returning players such as Deuce McBride and Mitchell Robinson with the addition of sharpshooter Jordan Clarkson. This team has chemistry. The time is now for the Knicks to get the job done.

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