Overview

• Zach Lowe said this is the most pressure on a Knicks team since Patrick Ewing’s prime, framing a failure to reach the Finals as a disappointing season.
• New York returns a star core of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart after last spring’s Eastern Conference Finals run.
• Empire Sports Media places the Knicks alongside the Cavaliers as East favorites, and Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz gave New York an A for its Finals odds.
• The team fortified its bench with Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele, with both expected to bolster second-unit scoring.
• Tyronn Lue questioned the decision to fire Tom Thibodeau, while Jeff Teague cautioned against a reported pursuit of free agent Ben Simmons due to injury concerns.