NBA: 3 Eastern Conference teams that will regress in 2021-22

2 of 4

New York Knicks Mitchell Robinson (David Richard-USA TODAY Sports) /

3 East teams that could regress in 2021-22: New York Knicks

The New York Knicks were one of the biggest surprises last season as they finished the regular season with the fourth seed entering the playoffs. They lost in five games to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the playoffs, but it was overall a successful season for the team.

Heading into the 2021-22 NBA season, however, there’s a good chance that Knicks could be set up for regression in the Eastern Conference. Teams such as the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, and Washington Wizards all made upgrades to their rosters during the offseason. And the likes of the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks will still be in a better position than the Knicks.

That leaves room for a bit of a stumble down the standings in the East. I don’t want to say that New York is going to miss the playoffs entirely, but there’s a chance that this team takes a bit of a step back this season.

I think it’s safe to say that this is not a top 4 team in the East right now.