Knicks Get Massive Good News Ahead of NBA Title Defense

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Jalen Brunson is the fourth second-round pick to win Finals MVP

The New York Knicks are attempting to become the first team in nine years to win back-to-back NBA championships. They may already have a head start in their quest to keep the Larry O’Brien Trophy in New York.

Per Canada Sports Betting, the Knicks face the lightest travel schedule of all 30 teams entering the new season—a decisive edge that could help them weather the 82-game gauntlet unscathed and successfully chase a championship in the playoffs.

Given basic geography, these figures make sense. New York sits in a dense cluster of nearby markets—including Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington and Toronto—significantly cutting travel miles compared to more isolated or West teams.

Knicks Get Massive NBA Title Boost

“New York projects for 35,135 miles of travel this season, 30th of 30 teams, just behind the Raptors (35,454 miles, 29th),” read the report.

“The Knicks’ longest single trip of the season is actually a home game, a 2,500.3-mile flight Denver makes into Madison Square Garden on January 11.

“New York plays in the Atlantic Division, the lightest-traveling division in the NBA.

“The Atlantic averages 38,157 miles per team, well below the Southwest Division’s 49,349-mile average, the heaviest in the league.”

For context, the New Orleans Pelicans are slated to travel 20,000 more miles than the Knicks, while the Miami Heat will travel 12,000+ more miles than Jalen Brunson and Co. The disparity in travel time could prove to be a huge factor if and when the Knicks and Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Heat face off in the postseason.

Knicks Ready to Go Back-to-Back?

Knicks captain Jalen Brunson knows that he and his teammates will have a target on their backs from opening night, when they host the Philadelphia 76ers.

“It will be different, for sure,” Brunson said in July, via New York Post’s Brian Lewis.

“Obviously, for the first eight years, I went through disappointment, obviously losing at the end of the season,” he continued. “And now winning, I think it’s an even bigger challenge. Now, it’s a target on your back. Now, players and teams have changed. They’ve gotten better. So, how are we going to evolve as a team?

“How are we going to figure out what’s the next step for us? And that’s going to be a really big, important question coming in the training camp: How are we going to be better? How are we going to literally look at the trophy, know that was last year, and then forget about it? And so, it’s going to be a very interesting training camp to see where our minds are at. But I’m excited for the challenge.”

The Knicks lost Michell Robinson in free agency, but replaced the big man with Andre Drummond. They managed to retain Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson, two other key pieces from their championship-winning team. Oddsmakers have given the Knicks the third-shortest odds to win the title, behind the Thunder and Spurs.