The New York Knicks have been ranked as possessing the NBA's top starting lineup heading into their preseason opener against the Philadelphia 76ers. CBS Sports placed the Knicks' projected first five above every other team in the league, including a heavily remodeled Sixers squad.
The analysis points to the Knicks' continuity and star power. Their projected starting group features Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Karl-Anthony Towns. This core handled free agency without a single loss from its primary rotation. While backup center Mitchell Robinson departed to start for the Boston Celtics, the team's main contributors all returned. John Gonzalez of CBS Sports wrote, "When you deliver a team's first championship in 53 years, you deserve the top spot until someone knocks you off the perch." That statement directly challenges Eastern Conference rivals like Philadelphia.
The Sixers, who host the Knicks in Monday's preseason contest, were slotted at number four on the same list. Their speculated starting five includes Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid. Gonzalez noted this group is "as stacked as any in the league" on paper but called it "pure speculation." Major questions surround how so many ball-dominant players will mesh and whether Philadelphia's persistent injury issues will hinder chemistry development. History shows that assembling a super team does not guarantee a championship.
Monday's game offers the first look at two of the East's top contenders. However, the result itself carries little weight. Preseason action is primarily a warm-up for the long regular season ahead. The Knicks will use it to integrate their returning stars and build on the momentum from their playoff performances. Fans can track the team's preparation for the 2025-2026 campaign on our schedule page. The intensity of this budding rivalry will truly ignite when the games start to count.
This consistent winning provides a solid foundation as they begin a new chapter.
