Mid-Season Report Card: Knicks

Defense! The Knicks are back! Is it sustainable this season and beyond? Good Knicks basketball is good for the league.

Everyone should be happy for NY

Julius Randle is carrying his Knicks to relevance and excitement, and impassioned New Yorkers are celebrating along the streets of Manhattan.

It's not a one-man show, however. The Knicks are playing incredible defense collectively and several other players are contributing greatly to the exuberance of the first half of the season.

Coach Thibodeau has instilled defensive DNA in his guys, and the Knicks are positioned for a playoff appearance for the first time since 2013.

Ceiling

If they keep playing this way they could be a 7 or 8 seed in the East, and they would like their odds against teams like Chicago, Charlotte, and Indiana in a play-in miniseries.

The first round would be difficult for them considering the top-heavy conference in regards to the first through third seeds.

Even if the Knicks season ends in a triumphant first round exit, it will have come as a successful one considering the team's recent history and ultimately entire history.

Keeping it going

Barely being above .500 in the East is sufficient enough to have home court advantage as of right now, which is a bit ridiculous. If the schedules continue to balance out in the second half, it won't help New York's chances in getting home court, but if they play the Nets they'll have it.

The Knicks need to continue what they were doing in the first half: tiring out teams defensively and playing tough, team basektball.

The basketball world feels bad for everything Knicks fans have gone through, and any version of success should be celebrated.

Grade:

A