Suddenly-Injured Knicks Hold Steady in Power Rankings

The New York Knicks suffered one of this regular season's early blows earlier this week, watching as Jalen Brunson's rolled ankle required the star scorer to leave a game against the Orlando Magic in crutches and a walking boot.

The contenders will have to trek on without their go-to scorer, and they don't know how long that will be. His reported Grade 1 ankle sprain shouldn't see Brunson held back for considerable time, requiring daily checkups to better ascertain his return to the court, yet the Knicks' odds didn't sustain as much damage as one may assume following a fresh round of power rankings.

The Knicks, already valued as debatably the best team out east, maintained the No. 4 spot they solidified last week according to Bleacher Report's evaluators.

"The New York Knicks ended their week with a loss to the Orlando Magic, but they had won five in a row before then," Andy Bailey wrote. "And the offense is rolling. Despite scoring only 107 points on Wednesday, New York is up to third in the league in points per 100 possessions, with some room to improve in front of it.

"Three members of the core four (Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges) are off to hot starts, but Karl-Anthony Towns is shooting just 42.9 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from deep. Once his numbers start creeping closer to his career norms (52.3 and 39.9), the Knicks could be nearly impossible to slow down."

New York Knicks Forward Mikal Bridges — Nov 12, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) takes a jump shot past Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) in the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Knicks Dominating Behind Prolific Shooting

Their 7.2 net rating was built off of that well-rounded offense, with the playmaking Bridges and his litany of shooters ready to continue building as Brunson heals up. Their healthy dosage of 3-point hoists and team-wide accuracy has the Knicks sitting squarely at the top of the league in makes per game, sinking an average of 16.5 long jumpers ever night.

They're in a comfortable-enough conference where they can continue holding the line with solid bench play and adjustments from their stars, a pair of realistic expectations to set for a team with as solid of a rotation as the Knicks have, but there's still a noticeable gap between New York and the top dogs out west. The Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets and, most notably, Oklahoma City Thunder have each posted double-digit net ratings, each scoring at least 10 more points per 100 possessions than what they're allowing behind championship-combinations of offense and defense.

The Knicks' most recent injury won't help them lap the competition, but those are names worth circling as primary competition to chase upon his return.

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