New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson looks to drive past Toronto Raptors guard Jamal Shead. Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Knicks Take Big Leap in Recent Power Rankings

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Dec 1, 2025 1:04 PM ET

The New York Knicks are riding high, winning their last four games to get back to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Knicks' win streak has propelled them to move up to No. 6 in NBA.com writer John Schuhmann's power rankings. The Knicks moved up four spots from last week's edition.

"The Knicks are the only team to reach the Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals in all three seasons, and they’ve climbed from sixth to second place in the East with a four-game winning streak that includes a blowout of the third-place Raptors on Sunday," Schuhmann wrote.

New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek brings the ball up court in the fourth quarter against the Toronto Raptor Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Knicks Hope to Continue Hot Streak

The only teams ranked higher than the Knicks in the power rankings are the Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets and defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

While the Knicks have been good this season, they still have some obstacles to face. One of those obstacles is the Orlando Magic, who pop up on the schedule this week and could be New York's opponent if they were to reach the NBA cup semi-final in Las Vegas.

"The Knicks are 0-2 against the Magic, having allowed 127.2 points per 100 possessions (their worst mark vs. any opponent) over the two games. They’ll meet again on Sunday, the start of a stretch (which could include another meeting with Orlando in the NBA Cup semifinals) where the Knicks are playing 12 of 14 against teams that currently have winning records," Schuhmann wrote.

The Knicks might have a chance to go into that contest against the Magic with a seven-game win streak because the beatable Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets and Utah Jazz are the teams that play the Knicks before that.

If the Knicks can ride the momentum out, they should be in a great spot going into the NBA Cup quarterfinal against the Toronto Raptors, whom they blew out at Madison Square Garden in their last matchup.

The Knicks are doing this without OG Anunoby and Landry Shamet, proving that their depth is as strong as it looks on paper. The Knicks still have a long way to go, but the first month and a half of the season has shown that they are legitimate contenders.

“I still think we have room for improvement. But we did a great job tonight of competing with a team that’s really hot and playing well and finding a way to play Knicks basketball," Karl-Anthony Towns said h/t Posting and Toasting.

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

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