Let’s face it. Despite a 43-25 record and arguably their best regular season of the new millennium, there is some serious discontent within the Knicks fanbase surrounding the team. Part of it comes from being amid two months of pretty meaningless games standings-wise, but there are also real reasons why. Between Jalen Brunson‘s injury, the team’s struggles against elite squads, and the loss of their typical hard-nosed playstyle, fans have been rubbed the wrong way at times this year. Add in the pressure of high expectations for the first time in a decade, and people feel disappointed with the Knicks. However, the season is far from over, and New York will likely get a fair chance at a playoff run with Brunson back healthy.
These negative feelings about the current group have fostered a debate among fans. Which team is better: the 2024 Knicks or 2025 Knicks? The 2024-25 roster was supposed to be the final version that brought NY into true championship contention. While their gaudy record says it has, their performance against the league’s top teams disagrees. We will only know for sure once the postseason starts. However, one thing is certain: the 2023-24 Knicks team resonated more with the city for their blue-collar identity.
Which Team is Better: 2024 Knicks or 2025 Knicks?
Let’s start with the numbers. The 2023-24 Knicks won 50 games, a winning percentage of .610. The 2024-25 team is currently 43-25, which is a .632 pace, or roughly 52 wins. That would seem like an argument for this year’s group, albeit a slight edge, but there is needed context to add. The 2024 Knicks were ravaged by injury, while the 2025 Knicks have been one of basketball’s healthiest squads.
Even with Brunson missing six straight games with the ankle, New York’s top six players (starters + Miles McBride) have combined to miss just 33 contests. It’s a stark contrast with last year’s team, who lost Julius Randle for the final 36 games and playoffs. OG Anunoby also sat out for 27 of his 50 Knicks games and was injured in the second round. It’s fair to say that the 2024 team would have won more than 52 games if they had the good luck of the 2025 squad.
Contrast of Two Different Styles
2024 Was Defensive-Minded, 2025 is All Offense
The 2023-24 Knicks ranked seventh in offensive rating (117.3) and ninth in defensive rating (112.4). 2024-25’s version has them at fifth in offensive rating at 117.7 and 14th in defensive rating at 113.5. However, these numbers are misleading, especially in 2025. New York has been a top-three offense for nearly the entire season, but fell to fifth since Brunson left. Similarly, their defense has surged to 14th after Brunson’s injury but has hovered in the low 20s all year. They’ve been the sixth-best defense in the six games without their second-weakest defender.
New York’s current team is solely offense-driven, as they hope their elite unit can overcome a porous defense. It hasn’t appeared as if it will in their seven matchups with the NBA’s top three teams, but they may have found some answers for when Brunson returns. In contrast, while NY was a good offensive team in 2024, they were built around defense, rebounding, and hustle. NY ranked first in rebounding percentage last year.
Roster Turnover Changed Their Identity
In a busy nine-month stretch from late 2023 to opening night 2024, Leon Rose dismantled the roster he had built by making three transformational trades. These moves completely changed the identity of the team from a gritty group to a more skill-based squad. Donte DiVincenzo, Randle, Quentin Grimes, Immanuel Quickley, Isaiah Hartenstein, and RJ Barrett departed. Mikal Bridges, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Anunoby arrived. While Bridges and Anunoby have helped defensively, Towns’ weaknesses on that end have made them far too easy to attack. NY will always have two weak spots in their lineup with him and Brunson, limiting what they can accomplish as a defense.
It goes further than that. In losing five guys who play with relentless energy (and Randle, who is a physical player), the Knicks completely lost the identity that spoke so directly to New York City. However, that doesn’t necessarily make the current team worse.
It’s Close, But 2025 Wins
I give the edge to the 2025 version of the Knicks for one simple reason. They have an elite unit that could carry them to a championship if they can make their defense respectable. With Mitchell Robinson‘s return and increased minutes for McBride, NY can have a decent defensive unit. The 2024 team was very good on both ends, but lacked the firepower to match with a team like Boston. Even if they had been healthy and matched up with the Celtics last year, it would have been tough to overcome the talent disadvantage. The 2024 team had fewer weaknesses, but the 2025 team has a higher ceiling because of their unstoppable offense. NY’s flaws will likely cost them against Boston or Cleveland in the spring, but they have a real chance.
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