Knicks Can Still Be Contenders

The New York Knicks have fallen on tough times, failing to win convincingly in any of their first seven games after the All-Star break.

The Knicks are 4-3 in that stretch, but they haven't looked like a dominant team, which could be cause for concern.

However, there is still reason to believe that they are contenders for the NBA title this season. Heavy.com contributor Reese Taylor presents the case for the Knicks as contenders.

"They essentially run a Jalen Brunson, three wings, and [Karl-Anthony] Towns at center, which allows for great scoring, but against bigger teams could be an issue, or teams that play similar basketball like Boston, who have played together for longer. The Knicks are able to spread the floor, but a team that can play efficiently from outside will punish them. Bigger teams like Cleveland are going to be a problem with this current construction, as they have to guard two bigs in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Once Mitchell Robinson is back in shape, this could change," Taylor writes.

"The Knicks are on pace to have one of their best seasons in years, but it should be understood that fans haven’t seen the team at full strength. The vision of the team hasn’t been realized, and they’ve been able to win big games in spite of that but lost some games because of it. Will the Knicks have the best record? No. Will opposing teams see the Knicks at full strength? No idea. Are they contenders? Absolutely."

The Knicks have been building a contender over the past year or so with OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Towns, and it has taken time for the team to jell. If a title isn't in the cards this season, the Knicks will still be among the favorites for next year and beyond.