Knicks Starting Lineup Given Better Grade Than They Earned

That puts the Knicks right on the cusp of a Top 10 starting five in the NBA. Based on their production this season, that certainly feels like a fair place to be. There is a lot to like about their combination of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns.

They have an offensive rating of 117 this year and a defensive rating of 108.9, for a net rating of +8.1, per Cleaning The Glass. Their improvements defensively are more than making up for a decline in production offensively.

The process of how they operate is straightforward, with Brunson running the show and Towns operating as the No. 2.

Head coach Mike Brown’s emphasis on ball movement and 3-point attempts has opened things up for Bridges and Anunoby to let it fly from the perimeter. Hart does all the little things to help connect the dots as a premier hustle player.

However, what makes the A- grade this group received surprising is that it has already proven not to work when it matters most. Unlike the other Eastern Conference contending teams, such as the Pistons, Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers, there haven’t been major changes to the rotation, whether it be because of player emergence, acquisitions, or injury.

The Knicks moved on from head coach Tom Thibodeau despite an Eastern Conference Finals appearance because ownership and the front office thought he had reached his ceiling with the team.

Mike Brown needs to make lineup adjustment

So, how much sense does it make for the new coach to once again revert to the same starting lineup that failed and ultimately cost Thibodeau his job?

That quintet has produced below-average offensive numbers this season in 653 possessions with their offensive rating being in the 46th percentile.

Those numbers aren’t as bad as things got in the postseason, when Brunson, Hart, Bridges, Anunoby and Towns had a -3.2 differential playing 523 more possessions together than the next most-used lineup.

Despite the lackluster results, the Knicks still found a way to win two rounds in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. There will be some egos bruised and feelings hurt, but Brown needs to change something with the starting five to avoid history repeating itself in May when the postseason rolls around.

Inserting another capable ball handler and playmaker alongside Brunson in the backcourt or a double-big lineup with Mitchell Robinson alongside Towns to give the group more size could help elevate the team to the heights they are capable of reaching.