Knicks Stock Report: Risers and Fallers After 4-4 Start to Season

The New York Knicks needed five games to undo an 0-3 start. They won four of those five, capped by Wednesday’s 135-105 rout of the Chicago Bulls at Madison Square Garden.

New York scored 84 points before halftime, tying its franchise record for a first half. The Knicks are back at .500 heading into Saturday’s visit to Cleveland, with a clearer picture of who is producing and whose role has changed under Mike Brown.

Jalen Brunson scored 22 points in the first quarter on Wednesday, one more than Chicago's team total.

He finished with 33 points, five 3-pointers and zero turnovers in 28 minutes. It was his second big game against the Bulls in a week after scoring 38 in their first meeting. Brunson is still shooting 41.4% from the field through eight games.

His recent scoring has helped New York climb back to .500, and on Wednesday he put the game out of reach early enough for Brown to keep his minutes down.

Karl-Anthony Towns has given New York steady production throughout the opening stretch. He’s averaging 19.9 points and 13.6 rebounds while shooting 57.3% from the field and 42.9% from three.

His last two games showed the different ways he can help. Against Brooklyn, he grabbed 16 rebounds and added five assists. Against Chicago, he scored 17 points without missing a shot from the field and pulled down 12 rebounds.

Even when Brunson drives the scoring, Towns can influence the game by finishing possessions on the glass and making defenses account for him beyond the arc.

Landry Shamet has made a case for minutes beyond his spot start against Chicago. He hit four 3-pointers off the bench against Brooklyn on Monday, then moved into the starting five Wednesday with Josh Hart out because of right ankle soreness.

Shamet scored seven points against Chicago. Over those two games, Brown could move him between units and keep a willing perimeter shooter on the floor in either lineup.

Dalton Knecht gets an early stock-up after scoring 10 points in his Knicks debut against Chicago. The lopsided score gave Brown a chance to get a look at the former Lakers first-round pick, and Knecht took advantage of his first minutes in a New York uniform. His path to a regular role is less clear.

Mikal Bridges has started all eight games, but his offensive role has been modest. He’s averaging 6.2 points in roughly 25 minutes, down from about 33 minutes per game last season.

His seven points and four assists against Chicago showed he can keep the ball moving without taking many shots. The question is how often the Knicks can get him attacking off the catch or cutting into open space when Brunson draws help.

A few more of those touches would give New York another way to score when its first action stalls.

Miles McBride is averaging 17.5 minutes through eight games after playing 26.3 per game last season. He made two 3-pointers in each of New York’s last two wins, including a four-point play against Chicago.

Shamet has averaged nearly 25 minutes and can fill some of the same off-ball minutes, leaving McBride with shorter stretches to make an impact. Saturday’s game at Cleveland will offer another look at how Brown divides those minutes, especially if Hart returns and Shamet moves back to the bench.