After another loss to the Celtics—their third this season—it might be time for Knicks fans to hit the panic button. New York’s 118-105 defeat dropped them to 0-7 against the league’s top three teams: Boston, Cleveland, and Oklahoma City.
Coming into the 2024-25 season, expectations were sky-high after the Knicks added Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns. Fresh off a 50-win campaign, they were considered one of the top teams in the East, with BetMGM listing them at +200 to win the division, +350 to take the conference, and +650 to win the title.
Now, with 25 games left in the regular season, those odds have taken a hit. They currently sit at +750 to win the East—trailing the Celtics and Cavs—and +1400 to win it all. And based on their record against elite teams, a deep playoff run looks like a long shot.
The Knicks are just 11-14 against teams with a winning record, and their losses to top competition haven’t been close. They’ve lost to the Celtics three times by an average of 21 points. Their two losses to the Cavs were by six and 37 points, while their defeats to OKC came by 10 and 25.
The Knicks were favored in their first meeting with Cleveland back on October 26, but were underdogs for the six other games against these top-three teams. They’re 0-7 against the spread in those matchups.
When they face teams with losing records, the Knicks take care of business, owning a 26-6 record. That’s the spot to back them. But until they prove they can hang with the league’s best, it’s hard to trust them in big games.
New York has the third toughest remaining strength of schedule among Eastern Conference teams, including two meetings left with Cleveland and one with Boston.
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