NBA Power Rankings: The curious case of the Knicks; red-hot Magic surging in East

The New York Knicks and the Orlando Magic are the subject of this week's NBA Power Rankings.

Charlotte Hornets v Orlando Magic
Charlotte Hornets v Orlando Magic | Julio Aguilar/GettyImages
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10. New York Knicks

Winners of seven of their last nine games, the New York Knicks are beginning to play a bit more consistently. They've even managed to make it to the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament Quarterfinals. Who knows how that is going to end for the Knicks with a matchup set with the Milwaukee Bucks, but that just goes to show just how good New York has been in spurts this season.

Even though the Knicks have begun to show signs of promise this season, they're still very much a team that remains a piece away from being a true contender in the Eastern Conference. They're still a tier below the likes of the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks. Until they make a big move, that's going to continue to be the case for New York.

But that's not all that bad. With difference-makers on the open market, there is an avenue for the Knicks to make a splash. The big question for this team is whether they believe it's worth it to pull the trigger in-season or whether they're more willing to wait until the offseason.