The New York Knicks are giving their fans an early Christmas gift by winning eight straight games, thus occupying the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference with 18 wins and 13 losses.
The start of December 2022 was a fluke for the Knicks, losing once against the Dallas Mavericks. But the rest of their schedule, whether on the road or at home, left their fanbase in awe.
Why? Because the New York Knicks have won eight straight games against teams that are possible playoff contenders.
Last December 4, they beat the number 3 Cleveland Cavaliers by 11 92-81. Then on December 9, Trey Young and the number 7 Atlanta Hawks were crushed by the Knicks 113-89.
The Charlotte Hornets also felt the wrath of the New York team, being defeated by 19, 121-102.
Their most recent win was against the Golden State Warriors 132-94, making their win streak 8. Four of their starters were in double digits, contributing 82 of their 132 points. Their bench, led by Immanuel Quickley, added 50 more.
Unfortunately, it was snapped by the Toronto Raptors last December 22, beating them 106-113. They will face the Chicago Bulls this Christmas Eve.
Their last three games for this year will be up against the Philadelphia Sixers (December 28), Mavericks (December 28), and San Antonio Spurs (December 30).
They are on a Roll, but…
Former Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson has been an asset for the New York Knicks after being acquired by the team for a four-year, $104 million contract.
For this 2022-23 season, the 26-year-old point guard averages 20.8 points and 3.2 rebounds, with 6.2 assists. Although he may have decreased his field goal percentage by 2.2%, he slightly improved his three points, from 37.3% to 37.4%.
Brunson also became more effective in the charity line, with 89%. Compared to his final season with Dallas (16.3 pts), he is now contributing more points. The guard also is more active on defense, averaging 1.2 steals per game.
However, there is a problem. The Knicks lost their 2025 second-round draft pick for violating the tampering rules.
After four months of investigating, the NBA discovered that Brunson and his current team were already discussing contracts despite “prior to the date when such discussions were permitted.”
Moreover, Brunson’s father, Rick, became the New York Knicks’ new assistant coach—just a few weeks before free agency. The team’s general manager, Leon Rose, is the father of one of his agents and also a close family friend.
In the meantime, OKBET has the match between the Knicks and the 76ers covered, with the latter being the favorite. The Knicks have an odds of 2.23, while their opponent has 1.66. But given the performance of the former, there is no certainty who will be victorious in their December 26 match.
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