NBA: The definitive 6 teams that can win the 2023 championship

East teams that just missed the cut

New York Knicks 

The New York Knicks have a top-10 offense but their overall defense just falls out of the top 10. The Knicks have the seventh-best net rating in the league but I’m not ready to crown this team as one that has two superstars. Quite frankly, I’m not even sure if they have one. Nevertheless, the Knicks are a very good team and are likely going to be a problem in the playoffs.

Could this team theoretically make a deep run in the Eastern Conference playoffs? Absolutely. However, I ultimately believe (and my formula backs that up) that the Knicks are still a couple of years from true contention. Or perhaps even a superstar acquisition away from elevating themselves in the East.

The Knicks have absolutely taken a step forward in their development as a franchise this season but they still have some work to do when it comes to their team building to be considered a legit championship contender. It’s been a great season for the Knicks, but this team can’t win the championship this year. They’re just not there yet.