We chill until the playoffs.

NEW YORK — As the snow settles over 33rd Street and the NBA reaches its traditional mid-point on this January 19, 2026, the Madison Square Garden faithful find themselves in a familiar yet frustrating position. The New York Knicks are currently 25-17, good for 3rd in a top-heavy Eastern Conference. But as we look at the numbers, the question remains: is this iteration of the “Bockers” actually better than the 2024-25 squad that captured the city’s heart?

The Mid-Season Grade: B+

Through 42 games, the Knicks have earned a solid B+. While they aren’t leading the league in wins, they’ve already secured hardware, winning the 2025 NBA Cup title in December. However, a recent three-game skid and a defense that seems to have lost its “Thibodeau-era” teeth (now under the guidance of Mike Brown) keeps them from “A” territory.

By the Numbers: 2025 vs. 2026

When we stack this season against the same point in 2025, the shift in identity is jarring. The Knicks have traded a gritty, defensive identity for a high-octane offensive engine.

Category	2024-25 (Mid-Jan)	2025-26 (Current)
Record	27-16	25-17
Offensive Rating	118.5 (5th)	120.5 (3rd)
Defensive Rating	114.3 (14th)	117.0 (19th)
Points Per Game	115.8	118.4
Net Rating	+4.2	+3.5

The statistical story is clear: the Knicks are scoring more efficiently than ever. Jalen Brunson is playing at an MVP level, averaging 28.2 points and 6.1 assists. The integration of Karl-Anthony Towns (20.9 PPG, 11.5 RPG) has unlocked the floor spacing, making the Knicks a nightmare to guard in the half-court.

However, the cost of that spacing has been felt on the other end. Last year’s team, sitting at 27-16 at this exact juncture, was sturdier. They protected the paint with more desperation and relied on a slower pace (96.7) to grind opponents down. This year’s pace of 98.2 has led to more transition opportunities for both teams, often leaving the Knicks’ defense exposed.

The Verdict: Which Team is Better?

If you value winning when it counts, the current 2025-26 team has the edge. Their NBA Cup victory proved they can navigate a high-stakes bracket, and their offensive ceiling is undeniably higher. But if we are looking purely at regular-season dominance and “winning the math,” the 2024-25 team was slightly better at this point in the season.

Last year’s squad had two more wins (27 vs. 25) and a superior Net Rating. They were more balanced and felt less reliant on Brunson having a “superhero” night to win. While the current team is more explosive, they must find a way to drag that defensive rating back into the top 12 if they want to avoid another early playoff exit.

For now, the Knicks are a title contender with a glass jaw. They have the star power, but they’re still searching for the grit that defined them just one year ago.

The 2025-26 Knicks have opened strong. Through 24 games (as of early December) their record sits at roughly 16–7 (or 17–7, depending on the exact cutoff). That marks a healthy winning percentage (≈.696). By contrast, while publicly available game-by-game streak data for the first 24 of 2024-25 is a little patchier, the team went on to finish 51–31 overall and – extrapolating from their 20-10 record through 30 games – they likely hovered near 15–9 or 16–8 after 24 games. Thus: the early-season performance in 2025-26 is at least as good, likely a bit sharper, than the comparable 2024-25 start.

One major underlying difference is coaching and schematic changes. After the 2024-25 season, the Knicks replaced Tom Thibodeau with Mike Brown as head coach. Under Brown, New York appears to be playing with somewhat more fluidity and offensive tempo: the 2025-26 team’s per-game scoring is reportedly near 120.5 points per game (5th in the league), with an opponent-ppg allowed of ~111.9. Those figures suggest improvement offensively over the 2024-25’s 115.8 PPG — a sign that the scheme, pace, or shot selection has shifted. In 2024-25, the Knicks’ “pace” was among the slower tiers (pace: 96.7, 26th of 30). The new coaching regime seems to have opened things up more, which may account in part for the early-season win rate and scoring uptick.

Finally, shooting efficiency and roster construction appear to be better balanced. While detailed per-game splits for the first 24 games of 2025–26 are limited, publicly available reporting shows that when key players — notably perimeter-oriented two-way wings and 3-point threats — are healthy, the Knicks are hitting their shots. For instance, recent games highlight contributions from newly integrated rotation pieces alongside established scorers, and the offense seems more spread out. Moreover, the fact that the Knicks are combining a high offensive output (120.5 PPG) with a defense that keeps opponents around 111.9 suggests improved balance — something the 2024–25 squad sometimes lacked, especially when results swung with reliance on isolation-heavy or mid-range-dominated lineups.

In sum: through 24 games, the 2025-26 Knicks show clear signs of being a more versatile, more efficient, and better-balanced team than their 2024-25 selves. The coaching change has resulted in a more open, higher-scoring scheme, and shooting/spacing (plus possibly a deeper rotation) appears to be paying dividends. If those elements hold steady — health, chemistry, and adherence to the new system — this Knicks squad could be in position for a serious run.

Based on the performance described in the four-paragraph analysis — namely, a strong start, clear schematic improvement, enhanced offensive efficiency, and generally better balance than the comparable stretch of the previous season — the Knicks would merit a solid A- at this point in the 2025–2026 season.

Here is the reasoning behind that grade:

1. Record and trajectory:
A projected 16–7 or 17–7 record through 24 games places them among the top teams in the conference and is slightly stronger than their opening quarter of 2024–25. Strong early positioning matters in an Eastern Conference where seeding can swing dramatically in the final month.

2. Systemic improvement under Mike Brown:
The team appears to have embraced a more dynamic offensive structure: improved tempo, enhanced spacing, and more democratic ball movement. A noticeable scoring increase — into the top five leaguewide — justifies giving the coaching transition high marks.

3. Shooting and roster efficiency:
The offense is not only producing more points but doing so more efficiently. A more stable perimeter presence and improved shot profile compared to the prior season’s early stretch suggests sustainable growth rather than a hot streak.

4. Areas that keep it from an A or A+:
While the offense has surged, the defensive metrics (opponent ≈112 PPG) indicate there is still room for improvement. Additionally, the sample size — only 24 games — is promising but not enough to conclude dominance without some reservation.

Final Grade: A-
The Knicks have performed at a high level, showing meaningful structural and stylistic progression. If their defensive consistency tightens and the offensive efficiency sustains, this grade could rise to a full A by midseason.

Zingo

Brunson	B+
KAT	B+
OG	B
Hart	B-
Mikal	B-
Bench	C
Kolek n Dadiet	A
Thibs	C+

Push

Players	C+
Coach and Front Office	F

Tru

Brunson	B+
KAT	B
OG	B+
Bridges	C+	needed him to be more agressive look for his shot more
Hart	A-
Bench	C	they didnt get enough consistent mins to really evaluate outside of Deuce
McBride	C+	expected him to defend better
Rookies	I	they didnt play enough
Coach	D+	thibs rotations and general stubbornness
Team	B

NYC

Brunson	B
Hart	B-
Bridges	C+
OG	B
Towns	B
Bench	C-
Rookies	C
Thibs	C

Hollis

Brunson	B+
Hart	A
Bridges	B-
OG	B
Towns	B+
Deuce	C
Payne	B-
Precious	C
Rookies	Undefined (they barely played)
Thibs	C-

Sir

Brunson	B+	All Star
KAT	B+	All Star
Hart	B	undersized triple double king of NYK
Bridges	B-	a little passive, but whenever anyone goes down he steps up
OG	B	almost a B+ making All Star would’ve gotten him there
Deuce	B-
Mitch	B	Mitch late season comeback made me remember what we were missing from Mitch
Shamet	C-	if Shamet played like he did the final few games they would’ve gotten a far better grade
Payne	C-
Achiuwa	C-
Rookies	C	would’ve gotten a better grade if they had more playing time, but unfortunately Kolek and Hulk the two young stars of the future were held in check by our HC as he limited their development by having them ride the pine for far too long during the season, didn’t see enough Daddiet, McCullar, Toppin, etc … the late addition vets did what bench vets were supposed to do, I think their value might show up during the post season
Thibs	C	and the “C” isn’t for coaching, IMO his lack of in game fundamentals, coaching 101 was very lacking, his stubbornness, his love for certain players and his over usage of said players made his grade nosedive, if not for the 51 wins, he’s in “F” (Fired) territory .. IMO his final grade will be all about what he does during the post season
Team	B	unfinished product, lacking a good three point defense, too many blown leads, too easily pushed around and injured, offensively they need to be a lot more consistent from behind the three point line

Hannibal

Jalen Brunson	A-	responsible for a ton of heavy lifting on offense. All Star. All NBA.
Mikal Bridges	B	point of attack defense and spot up 3point shooting could have been a lot better. Very passive offensively at times.
Karl-Anthony Towns	A-	responsible for a ton of heavy lifting on offense. All Star. All NBA.
Josh Hart	B+	Best season of his career. Wasn’t locked in at times
OG Anunoby	B+	Best season of his career. Bad stretch of offense midseason that he shook off. Great on defense all season.
Deuce McBride	C+	Inconsistent shooting, hurt too often, size issues on defense
Landry Shamet	B	Relative to his career, he had a good season
Cam Payne	B-	Inconsistent shooting. Took way too many bad shots. Considered giving him a C+.
Precious Achiuwa	C-	Way more bad than good
Mitchell Robinson	B+	Impacted the game while working is way into shape
Delon Wright	A	Couldn’t ask for more from a guy that barely played. 4-1 as a starter.
Tyler Kolek	B-	Can’t expect much from a rookie. Has work to do. Needs to hit the gym.
Pacome Dadiet	C+	Rookie. Needs to play with more aggression. Needs an attitude adjustment.
Thibs	B	Great stretches during the season but the team got bogged down at times and didn’t do enough to get them out of it. Could have done a better job managing minutes sooner.