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Mar 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) before the game against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Knicks Still Outsiders Among Biggest Threats to Upset Thunder

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Henry Brown | Last updated Mar 24, 2026 7:00 AM ET

With mere weeks remaining in the NBA's regular season, all eyes seem to be following the same team who demanded them all throughout the previous year.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are currently cruising amidst their goal to notch back-to-back championships for the first time since the Golden State Warriors nearly a decade ago, presently standing closer than any other franchise in challenging an 80% winning percentage through 70 games. Other challengers see the reigning victors as the team to beat, and though they're armed with a shot at up-seating the Thunder, not everyone is quite so high on the eastern power.

Bleacher Report ranked the six biggest threats to dethrone Oklahoma City in a playoff setting, and the Knicks couldn't even crack the final list. Grant Hughes lumped them in as "honorable mentions," factoring in how well the Thunder's defense should fare against a team like New York led by a smaller initiator without much proven offensive versatility to speak of.

"Jalen Brunson is going to see a cavalcade of elite defenders throughout a potential series," he wrote. "The rest of the Knicks won't be able to take up the playmaking and scoring slack if OKC completely takes him out of the action. Unless Mitchell Robinson is grabbing 10 offensive boards per game, the Knicks won't be able to score enough to win."

New York Knicks Guard Jalen Brunson and Oklahoma City Thunder Guard Cason Wallace Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Thunder proved that dominance firsthand earlier this month, holding off the Knicks' late-game challenge with a 103-100 victory from the comfort of the Knicks' own Garden. But given the Knicks' superior records over other contenders whom Hughes ranked above New York, what does their perception compared to the rest of the conference and the field of top-shelf teams at large say about their long-term odds?

The Knicks' Case

Of the six squads graded concretely above the Knicks, three stem from the east, providing clear windows at how New York compares to more favorable operations.

The Detroit Pistons, for one, have had the Knicks' number all season, convincingly erasing last year's first-round playoff matchup with the sort of physical play that New York's been alleged to wilt beneath. But now that Cade Cunningham, the head of Detroit's snake as the superstar offensive orchestrator, remains out with a collapsed lung and no specific timetable for return, it's interesting that they're still considered a more frightening matchup right when they're beginning to slip.

Detroit Pistons Guard Cade Cunningham Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been one of the league's best teams for a stretch that surpasses the Knicks' rejuvenation, though they've been less consistent than usual as of late in dropping six of their last 14. But they, at least, offer multiple fearsome point-of-attack scorers to make up for their less-compelling recent playoff history.

The Boston Celtics are the trickiest team to rate. The Knicks know them well, having disposed of Jayson Tatum and friends in last year's successful bid at upsetting the 2024 champions, but they weathered the storm that was his Achilles tendon tear in remaining a contender long enough for his return. They execute well enough to surprise any team on a given night, whereas New York remains searching for consistency within their rotations and results from specific players.

There isn't much the Knicks can on a matchup basis to scare analysts or other contenders any more than they already have in the 10 games they have left. They still have time to answer some bigger-picture questions pertaining to who they'll deploy on a regular basis and how dependable their starters plan on being, and answers should breed confidence within the building and outside their walls.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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