Talk about a measuring-stick game.
The Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau and hired Mike Brown, extended Mikal Bridges, and overhauled their depth with championship ambitions in mind. Their first test comes immediately — a season opener that feels more like a spring preview hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers, the two Las Vegas favorites to win the Eastern Conference and reach the NBA Finals going toe-to-toe to kickoff the NBA season.
Cleveland finished 64-18 last season before bowing out to Indiana in the second round, a run derailed by injuries to key players. The Knicks, of course, reached the Conference Finals before the Pacers eliminated them for the second year in a row.
“It’s a good test. It makes us better,” Karl-Anthony Towns said after Monday’s practice. “You get to see where you stand and what to work on when you play teams that are highly looked upon this year. So we just go out there and play our best.”
The oddsmakers agree on the stakes.
The Cavaliers enter at +220 to win the East, meaning a $100 wager would net $220 if they reach the Finals. The Knicks sit close behind at +325, ahead of the rising Orlando Magic (+600), Atlanta Hawks (+900), and a second tier that includes Boston, Philadelphia, Detroit, and Milwaukee in the plus-thousands.
The Knicks insist they’re unmoved by early forecasts — even if it’s impossible to block out the noise.
“You hear and see everything in this era of social media and TV and podcasts,” said Jalen Brunson, who hosts one with teammate Josh Hart. “It’s up to the person consuming it to believe it or disregard it.
“I disregard it — because it doesn’t mean s–t. It’s not for me to worry about. My worry is practice, film, getting better every single day. I don’t have time to think about what people say about us.”
Towns isn’t a fan of early odds, either.
“All that is looking at a crystal ball, hoping things work out the way the crystal ball says,” he said. “We’ve gotta take care of our team. Don’t worry about the chatter. Just focus on what’s in the locker room and what we’ve got to accomplish.”
YABUSELE’S LISTED WEIGHT TURNS HEADS
One number in the notes raised eyebrows.
Guerschon Yabusele is officially listed at 6-8, 283 pounds — 18 pounds heavier than his listing with Philadelphia last season. For context, reigning MVP Joel Embiid stands four inches taller and has historically weighed 280 pounds but appears noticeably leaner entering 2025-26.
“You know, the game notes are done by a cat I don’t really trust,” Brown said, laughing. “A lot of [BS] in there. I ain’t gonna lie — I don’t even read the game notes. I didn’t ask him to put on weight or take off weight. That’s between him and our performance people.”
‘KEEP THE EXCITEMENT GOING’
Towns understands what comes with the territory. Madison Square Garden will be electric Wednesday, and expectations are sky-high.
“There’s no better fans in the world,” he said. “They bring energy every single night — at MSG and on the road. It’s great that we have excitement and optimism this year, but at the end of the day it’s about us doing our part and keeping that excitement going.
“The fans can see the potential of what we can be by the end of the year. It’s our job to actually reach it — and exceed it.”
