The New York Knicks are looked at as perhaps the biggest threat to the Boston Celtics repeating as reigning Eastern Conference and NBA champions in 2024-25, but that did not stop Celtics All-Star Jayson Tatum from telling it like it is about where he sees the Knicks finishing in the win-loss column next time out.
Celtics star Jayson Tatum predicts Knicks will win over 50 games in 2024-25
Tatum was a recent guest on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, where the enigmatic host asked the five-time All-Star how he envisions the Knicks doing as a team next season. To that, Tatum declared that the Knicks will actually be better than the 50-win team they were on previous campaign (h/t Geoff Magliocchetti of New York Knicks on SI):
“They’ll win a few more,” Tatum said encouraged by Fallon’s audience.
Any more wins in 2024-25 could see the Knicks fend off powerhouses out East
A few more may seem like a walk in the park, but in fact, it is quite the challenge and quite the feat to reach 50 wins in a season. That is the benchmark that tells the story of an elite team in their respective conference when looking back at seasons. Thus, if the Knicks were to improve by even 2-3 more games, which would be on the lower end of the 26-year-old’s general affirmation, the Knicks could create more distance between themselves and all the other teams that were nipping in their heels for the No. 2 seed out East last time around.
When looking at the Knicks’ roster, the addition of Mikal Bridges alone should be good for a couple of extra wins, to put it lightly. The effect that the NBA’s Iron Man, former 2022 Defensive Player of the Year runner-up and 26.1 point-per-game scorer from 2022-23 will have on a Knicks team that struggled to stay healthy last year will be crucial when they are all on the floor together, and serve as a quintessential failsafe in the event that they suffer more injuries during the upcoming season.
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While the Knicks losing featured center Isaiah Hartenstein to the Oklahoma City Thunder will work against a New York team that could use more oomph at the position, it won’t counteract the swing that Bridges’ presence will have on their win percentage.
Last year, seeds No. 3-8 in the Eastern Conference all finished with 46 wins or better. This includes the No. 3-seeded Milwaukee Bucks and their 49 wins, the No. 4-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers and their 48 wins, as well as the Orlando Magic (No. 5), Indiana Pacers (No. 6) and Philadelphia 76ers (No. 7) and their 47 wins a piece, and the No. 8-seeded Miami Heat rounding out the field with 46 victories.
The race out East figures to be equally as competitive in 2024-25, so the Knicks will have to click on all cylinders with their upgraded roster to fend off those strong contenders that will surely look to unseat them near the top of the standings.
