The New York Knicks have rebounded from a bit of a rough start to the new calendar year where they went 3-5 in the first eight games in January. After picking up wins over the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors earlier this week, the Knicks have gone 8-2 in their last ten games to bring their 2024-25 season record to 34-17, good for third in the Eastern Conference.

Tom Thibodeau’s squad has been potent on the offensive end all year long, as they own the second-best offensive rating in the NBA at 119.8. New York sits just behind the league-best Cleveland Cavaliers (121.5) in that category, but is ahead of division and conference rivals in the Boston Celtics (118.6), as well as the Memphis Grizzlies (118.2) and their historically prolific offense.

The Knicks have earned top ten numbers in several key statistical categories along the way, too. They rank third in field goal percentage (49.5) and free throw percentage (80.4), fourth in points per game (117.9), fifth in net rating (6.5) and points scored in the paint (53.8), sixth in 3-point percentage (37.5), and tenth in assists (27.6).

All of it starts with Jalen Brunson and his leadership. The seventh-year guard has played in all but one of New York’s games this season, and he only missed five games in 2023-24. In 35.3 minutes per game, Brunson is averaging 26.1 points while shooting just a hair under 49% from the field, adding a career-high 7.5 assists and 1.0 steals.

In the Knicks’ comeback win over the Rockets on Feb. 3, the 2025 NBA All-Star starter recorded his first career game with 40-plus points and 10-plus assists. He finished with 42 points (14-for-27 FGs) and 10 assists, dropping 15 of those 42 in the fourth quarter. Brunson scored 40-plus points for the 18th time in his career with New York, passing Carmelo Anthony for third-most such games in franchise history. Only Patrick Ewing (30) and Bernard King (23) have more.

After Karl-Anthony Towns was brought over in a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves last October, there were some questions about KAT, Brunson and Mikal Bridges having enough time to build chemistry for the upcoming season. Those questions should be all but answered, especially when considering the last ten games.

In those ten games, New York is first in points off of turnovers (22.5), tied for first in steals (10.1), second in second-chance points (17.9), and third in offensive rebounding percentage (36.0). The offensive rating is still elite at 122.0 (4th), and they’ve been even better by averaging 120.7 points per game, the fifth-best figure over this stretch.

The Knicks get their first chance to take down the Celtics since opening night as they host the reigning NBA champions for the first time this season on Saturday (8:30 ET, ABC). This battle between two of the top three teams in the East will be a measuring stick for New York as they look for a third straight win.