Jalen Brunson Doesn't Think the Knicks Are Ready to Contend Yet

Entering this season, people were expecting the New York Knicks to be the dominant team in the Eastern Conference. With two of their biggest foes, the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers, dealing with major injuries to their stars, it seemed like the door was wide open to take the East.

While the Knicks haven’t been bad this season, they also haven’t proven that they are ready to be the Eastern Conference champions. Right now, they are the third seed in the East with a record of 35-20.

Jalen Brunson was asked about the current status of the team, and he was brutally honest.

“We’re very gifted. We’re very talented. But we need the little things that help us be better, the intangibles. We got to that point last year where we had it. We don’t have it right now…The front office has the vision, and it’s on us as players to go out and do our job. Yes, I’m asked about stuff, but I remove myself from that…I’ll say something, but I’m not going to be incriminating or [say], ‘This is what you should do.’ I’ll give my pros and cons.”

The Knicks still have some time to figure things out. The Eastern Conference looks like it is the Pistons to lose, but in the playoffs, anything can happen. The Knicks bested them last year, and have the experience to do it again.

The question is whether the Knicks can finally get over the hump. They’ve been knocking at the door of title contention for a few years now, and they may be missing one of their best opportunities this season.