Knicks own ‘the best starting 5 in the NBA,’ ESPN analyst says

In the wake of their fourth straight win of the season, one ESPN analyst says the Knicks feature “the best starting five in the NBA.”
Jalen Brunson went for 36 points and 10 assists, Karl-Anthony Towns 34 points and 10 boards and the three other starters — Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby each reached double-figures — in New York’s 138-122 win at the Phoenix Suns. The starters combined for 119 points in the start of a five-game West Coast road swing.
Brunson, who shot 7-of-11 from deep, and Towns became the first pair of teammates to register 30-point double-doubles in a game, and the Knicks scored 130+ points in consecutive games for the first time since 1988, per ESPN.
“I said this back in September after they made the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, I thought the Knicks starting five was the best starting five in the NBA,” ESPN’s Bobby Marks said Thursday on Sports Center.
Want to bet on the NBA?
See the best NJ Sports Betting sites
Marks pointed out there’s a difference between the “best starting 5″ and the “best overall team,” and that he still thinks the reigning NBA champion Celtics are the latter.
But after the Knicks outscored Phoenix 44-28 in the first quarter and went 16-0 on fast break points, “I think what you saw last night was kind of the recipe of how good this starting five can be.”
The key question, Marks added, relates to the team’s depth.
“How can they sustain if one of these players goes down with an injury?” Marks asked. “But last night certainly I think they can justify as one, or the best, starting five in the NBA.”
Fellow ESPN Insider Brian Windhorst previously said the injuries to Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa were “worrisome” as far as the Knicks’ frontcourt depth was concerned.
But on top of the latest win, the Knicks got good news when Tom Thibodeau told reporters that Achiuwa (hamstring) is expected to be cleared to practice during this road trip.
As for Robinson, he is not expected back from ankle surgery until December or January.
“It’s going to be a long progression,” Thibodeau said, per the NY Post. “So obviously he started but he has to be patient, go step-by-step. He hasn’t been cleared for practice but he’s done some shooting and that sort of thing. Can do conditioning in the weight room. So he’s making good progress. Just have to be patient.”
Windhorst previously said he could see the Knicks making another move around the margins to improve their frontcourt depth.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if they need another transaction cycle to build out the back end of this roster,” he said last month. “They’ve done all the hard work with the young players, getting them under contract.”
He continued: “I think this is a multi-year play for the Knicks.”
Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.
Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com.