New York Knicks 2025 NBA Playoffs Picture: Dissecting potential first-round matchups, key stats and more

The New York Knicks have created one of the better rosters in the NBA over the last few years, and the team is a contender in the Eastern Conference again this season. New York is comfortably within the top six spots in the East and hope to go on another playoff run behind their duo of All-Star starters; Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.

This year's New York Knicks' squad offered a far different look than the team that lost to Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs last spring. Within the last 18 months, New York has made trades that have brought in OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, retooling the team around Jalen Brunson.

Due to injuries to both Brunson and backup center Mitchell Robinson, the New York Knicks haven't been at full strength for most of the season. The team has been intact since Brunson returned from an ankle injury on Sunday, his first game in a month. The New York Knicks have built some momentum at the end of their season, winning seven of their last nine games with three left to play.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau has been as influential as any coach in the league this season and appears to have them chomping at the bit to slay some of their playoff demons.

Defining Statistic: Starting lineup minutes

Tom Thibodeau is one of the more old-fashioned coaches in the NBA and has a history of relying heavily on his starting lineup in the back half of the season and into the playoffs. His starting lineup averages 36.4 minutes per game each, and his starting lineup has played 909 minutes together this season, 244 minutes more than the second-highest group in the league, according to NBA.com.

Playing his starting lineup so many minutes, combined with the fact that he shortens his playoff rotation to seven players, has haunted Thibodeau in past postseasons. Last year, Brunson, Anunoby and Josh Hart all suffered injuries against the Pacers that could be attributed to the wear and tear that they endured throughout the regular season.

However, the New York Knicks appear set to enter the postseason with a clean bill of health outside of Brunson's lingering ankle injury. When they are all on the court, the Knicks offense has had stretches where they have been among the best in the league, and Thibodeau has built another top ten defense as well. New York's balance makes them a tough matchup for whoever they draw in the first round.

Playoff X-Factor: Mikal Bridges

When he joined the New York Knicks via a trade with the Brooklyn Nets, Mikal Bridges was hailed as the last of the "Nova Knicks" as he rejoined his college teammates. However, Bridges was the subject of a lot of concern in the weeks leading up to the regular season because of his jump shot. At the time, it looked as if there was a hitch in his shot, causing fans to worry about his offensive ability.

Bridges quieted that noise in his second half as a New York Knick and has been effective ever since. He and OG Anunoby split nights as the Knicks' third scorer, and Bridges is averaging 17.9 points while playing in every single one of New York's games this season. He is the Iron Man of the NBA, as well as one of the best two-way players the league has to offer.

In a playoff series, Bridges figures to handle the one of the two most difficult defensive assignments alongside Anunoby. When they made the trade, most experts believed that the New York Knicks made the move to make themselves a better matchup against the Boston Celtics. Bridges will go a long way in determining whether or not the Knicks can contain the "J's" in the second round.

Potential first round matchups for the New York Knicks

With less than five games left to go in the season, the potential first round matchups for the New York Knicks have come down to two teams; the Milwaukee Bucks or the Detroit Pistons. Both teams offer different concerns to the Knicks in a seven game series, but New York will be favored against either one.

The Bucks will be a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference as long as they have a healthy Giannis Antetokounmpo, especially as he enjoys one of the best stretches of his career. Milwaukee, though, still awaits the return of Damian Lillard as he continues to sit out due to blood clots. Antetokounmpo is a nightmare to match up against, but he cannot beat the Knicks by himself.

The Detroit Pistons, on the other hand, have been the dark horse team of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, thanks mostly to new coach J.B. Bickerstaff and All-Star point guard Cade Cunningham. The Pistons have been one of the feel-good stories in the league this year after tripling their 2024 win total and will be riding that momentum into the playoffs.

The Pistons have the roster to give the New York Knicks a run for their money in a series, but New York is expected to get out of the first round regardless. What will likely determine the success or failure of their season will be how they compete with the Boston Celtics in a highly-anticipated second round series after New York made specific moves with that team in mind.