The New York Knicks tipped off their title defense with a 122-120 preseason victory over the Toronto Raptors on October 15. This win came just two days after a tough 148-98 loss to the same Raptors squad. The team now turns its full attention to the regular season opener on October 20, a home game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Head coach Mike Brown enters his second season with the Knicks, looking to build on last year's historic 53-29 championship run.
The Knicks have every reason to believe they can compete for another NBA championship. They return the core of the team that won it all in June, ending a title drought dating back to 1973. With two All-Stars in Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns leading the way, the roster is built for another deep playoff push. The front office kept most of the group together in free agency, a sign of confidence in the existing chemistry. Even with the coaching change to Mike Brown last season, the team still won over 50 games for the third consecutive year.
A major strength is the rare continuity in the starting five. Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges are entering their third full season together. That kind of familiarity on both ends of the floor is a huge advantage in the NBA. Brunson, the reigning NBA Finals MVP, has proven himself as one of the league's premier leaders and clutch performers. The team's confidence in close games stems directly from his play.
The preseason results, however, show there is work to do. Following the October 15 win, the Knicks dropped games to Minnesota (122-104 on October 12), Washington (111-109 on October 8), and Philadelphia (120-97 on October 5). Integrating new personnel like center Andre Drummond, who joined to offset the departures of Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti, will be a key focus.
The immediate focus is the October 20 season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden. It’s a chance to set the tone for the 2026-27 campaign in front of the home crowd. The preseason schedule, a mix of blowout losses and narrow wins, served its purpose of evaluating rotations and building conditioning. Coach Brown now has a final week to fine-tune his plans based on what he saw. The goal is clear: extend the streak of 50-win seasons and position themselves for another title run. The entire schedule ahead can be found on our schedule page.
