Knicks fans - which NBA players are you taking over Jalen Brunson this season? Let us know here. (Takes 1 minute).
We’re officially 36 hours away from the New York Knicks’ season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 2025-2026 NBA season couldn’t be any more highly anticipated for Knicks fans. The bench unit is rounding out quite nicely, the progression of young stars has been refreshing, and the odds to win the NBA Finals have never been higher.
In a game where success can’t depend solely on one player, Jalen Brunson has once again found himself leading the cavalry into battle. Coming off an Eastern Conference Finals loss to the Indiana Pacers, Brunson is looking to prove his killer instinct is still intact. Given that key stars in the East — Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton — are sidelined with season-long injuries, the door has never been more wide open than it is now.
But alas, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Donovan Mitchell remain the number one roadblock standing in New York’s way. A team the Knicks couldn’t seem to beat in the regular season, going 0-4 against their conference rivals, the Cavs proved their dominance with the number one seed and 64 wins. Mitchell became an All-NBA First Team guard over Brunson, securing bragging rights and a stronger résumé.
Although fans around the league have voiced that Brunson is the better player over Mitchell, preseason rankings heading into this season tell a tale worth paying attention to. The Ringer and Bleacher Report each ranked Mitchell one spot ahead of Brunson in their respective NBA Top 100 lists. Primarily based on how last season unfolded for each superstar, Mitchell is still being viewed as the underdog in the one-on-one matchup.
