nix They are in a strong position with 20 games remaining until the start of the NBA playoffs, sitting in third place in the conference at 40–22 with the third-best offense in the league and the fifth-best net rating. They have a real chance to become Eastern Conference champions, but the postseason will expose and exploit their biggest weaknesses, as there is limited time left to prepare.
In light of the challenges facing Detroit, Boston, Cleveland and the like, let’s take a look at New York’s three biggest flaws they will need to address between now and the NBA Finals.
Advertisement
Secondary play making and shot making
It’s no secret that the Knicks have struggled to break down elite defenses when not inbounding the ball. Jalen BrunsonHands in the past. They have tried to address this this year mike brownSpeed of crime and acquisition of jose alvaradoFor some concrete success.
But it goes beyond getting two feet in the paint and finding ways to move people, you also need tough shot-makers who can create something from nothing. Last year when people didn’t worry as much about this carl-anthony town Career season was going on. He had his ups and downs offensively in 2025-26, but seems to be on the right track.
New York needs its wings to make drama – mikal bridges, josh hartAnd OG Anunoby All have ineffective pick-and-roll, isolation and post-up numbers, as well as can be prone to cold streaks from three. They need to actively move forward, screen, and aggressively attack the defense.
Advertisement
Teams will change things up, put a ton of pressure on Brunson and force someone else to beat him. Will that one be ready?
February 19, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) drives to the basket against Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagen Images
defensive stability
The Knicks defense has been everywhere from an elite, top-five threat to the worst threat in basketball this season. On average, it’s pretty close to the former, but New York can’t let the bad trends come back because they have too little margin for error.
It starts with Wings, Anunoby and Bridges, who can turn a game on their own through their defensive impact, or break an entire series if they’re not playing well. Like the rest of the team, he has been largely great outside of that disastrous 2-9 stretch.
Advertisement
You obviously need your anchors, but Brunson and Towns are guys who like to pick and choose opposing offenses, especially in tandem. Towns has quietly been great this year, executing schemes and defending the paint well.
Brunson has also been solid, once again drawing plenty of charges and generally producing high efforts. But the playoffs are another beast. Both will be constantly called for action and will have to be prepared for it.
One mistake the Knicks can avoid in the postseason is being too aggressive. They sometimes get too caught up in reaching out or helping, to the point of losing the situation or turning against the Scout.
small claimant things
Brunson repeats a line in interviews about doing all the little things needed to be a championship team — and that’s how last year’s team finally got there, but it’s a work in progress. To their credit, they’ve had to install a new offense and several new bench pieces, and still look quite impressive.
Advertisement
Still, there is room for improvement. Small issues can affect them at the wrong time and decide the series. For one, they rank 16th in free throw shooting, the easiest look you’ll get in the postseason.
Michelle RobinsonThe 39 percent outside clip is certainly dragging down the team’s average, but that’s no excuse for not sharpening up that area of the game that partially cost the Knicks Game 1 of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals. They’re also top-10 in fouls, and losing Robinson or Towns before the opening whistle could leave them shorthanded in a crucial game.
Another area to watch is how Brunson and the team maintain their composure while officiating. They have allowed wrong calls to take them out of their element and gameplan while chasing the first whistle, they cannot afford to do that in a championship run.
