One Knicks Stat Should Cause Concern

The New York Knicks struggle in a very important area.

Jan 15, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) walks off the court after a victory in overtime against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks are one of the best teams in the NBA, but they are still a little far off when it comes to being one of the premier contenders for a championship.

CBS Sports writer Colin Ward-Henninger points out the fact that the Knicks don't play their best against the league's top talent.

"The Knicks have dismissed it, but they're 0-5 against the Cavs, Celtics, Thunder and Rockets this season, with an average margin of defeat of over 15 points in those games," Ward-Henninger writes.

"Those also happen to be the only NBA teams with a better record than them, so they're obviously doing a lot right, but it's still an alarming stat when you're likely going to have to beat at least a couple of those teams in a playoff series to win a title."

On top of that, the Knicks have the toughest strength of schedule remaining in the league with their remaining opponents combining for a .525 winning percentage. They still have seven games remaining against the Cavs, Celtics and Rockets this season.

The Knicks are 27-10 against all other teams in the league, which is a positive sign. However, they will eventually have to go through at least one of the Cavs and Celtics to get to the championship, and there's a good chance that the Thunder or Rockets could be on the other sideline for a potential NBA Finals matchup.

The Knicks have to figure out how to play their best basketball against the top-tier teams if they want to have a legitimate chance at hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy this summer.

The Knicks are back in action tonight as they take on Julius Randle, Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET inside Madison Square Garden.

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