Knicks make franchise history with third consecutive blowout win

The most impressive aspect of the Knicks' outburst has been their balanced points distribution. 

Over the last three games, six players are averaging double figures, with Jalen Brunson (25.0), OG Anunoby (23.7), Mikal Bridges (22.7), Karl-Anthony Towns (18.7), Josh Hart (13.0) and Miles McBride (10.0) all showing the capability to take over games at various stretches. Furthermore, the Knicks have been getting a steady diet of bench production, with Precious Achiuwa, Cameron Payne and Landry Shamet combining for 20.7 points on fewer than 17 shot attempts a game.

The Knicks are starting to prove why several analysts picked them to win the NBA championship after they acquired Towns and Bridges in a pair of blockbuster trades last summer. Even Nikola Jokic, the 2023 NBA champion, believes the Knicks are a legitimate threat to win it all.

"They're playing really well," Jokic said of the Knicks, via NBA.com. "They're well-coached, they're pushing the pace and in the halfcourt they know what they're doing. So they're a really good team. I think they are the favorites – not the favorites, but I think top-five candidates for the title."

When told about Jokic's high praise, Towns refused to get carried away and urged his teammates to stave off complacency. 

The oddsmakers are still not sold on the Knicks as the biggest threat to unseating the defending champion Celtics. As of Thursday, the Knicks and Nuggets (+1200) are tied with the fourth-shortest title odds, behind the Celtics (+200), Thunder (+250) and Cavaliers (+750), per ESPNBet. Those odds could change following the Feb. 6 trade deadline when teams could make significant roster upgrades.