The New York Knicks, The Hottest Team In The NBA, Are Now In 3rd Place In The East

The New York Knicks had a solid start to the 2023-24 NBA season. They were 17-15 through the first 32 games on the schedule and were sitting in a respectable 8th place in the Eastern Conference when the calendar turned over to the new year. But since January 1st, there has been no hotter team in the league, and the Knicks will enter the weekend alone in 3rd place and looking to move up even further.

NBA: Knicks Now In 3rd Place After 9th Win In A Row

The Knicks have won 9 straight games. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/UaJJ6dHfDl

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 2, 2024

2024 has certainly been kind to them. Since the beginning of January, the Knicks are 15-2, and are currently riding the longest winning streak in the NBA, which was pushed to 9 games with their win over the Pacers on Thursday night. They won 14 games within the month, the most that the franchise has had in any single month since 1968.

It is the longest winning streak for New York since they won 13 in a row in 2012-13. The franchise record is 18 in a row, which was set by the championship-winning 1969-70 squad.

The team has been riding the hot hand of Jalen Brunson so far this year, who has been New York’s top producer, and is currently ranked in the top 10 in the NBA in points per game. He is putting up over 27 per game thus far, but Julius Randle isn’t far behind with his 24 average, though he is currently nursing a shoulder injury. One of the biggest positive shifts has been the acquisition of OG Anunoby, who joined the team on December 29th, just before the start of the team’s streak.

The wins that the Knicks have been able to rack up combined with the recent skid by the Philadelphia 76ers has vaulted New York into the 3rd spot in the East.

Cavaliers Have Been Just As Dominant In 2024

The Cleveland Cavaliers have won 9 of their last 10 games.

Doing it without two of their top four players. pic.twitter.com/mgp43QeKId

— StatMuse (@statmuse) January 27, 2024

But while Brunson and company are surging, they aren’t the only team to win 9 of their lat 10 games. The Cleveland Cavaliers have been arguably even better than the Knicks in 2024, as they have now won 12 of their last 13 overall since January 3rd, and they themselves have passed Philadelphia in the standings and are now in 4th place. Just a half-game separate the two sides at the moment.

The Knicks are in the middle of a nice home stand, and will play four more inside Madison Square Garden before they have to hit the road again. Their next game will be against the Los Angeles Lakers and will be played on Saturday evening on ABC.