New York Knicks: 3 award candidates in 2020-21

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 18: Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball during the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden on January 18, 2020 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 18: Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball during the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden on January 18, 2020 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
1 of 4
New York Knicks
New York Knicks Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

The New York Knicks have been turning quite a few heads in these opening weeks of NBA basketball, with some of the stars receiving a lot of attention.

What a start to the season the 2020-21 New York Knicks have had! After having their best opening period since the Carmelo Anthony 2012-13 days, most fans have been left gawking at their unexpected success so far.

For a team with the worst possible projections prior to the beginning of the season, it sure has been a pleasant surprise watching these guys perform every night. The Knicks have been comfortably sitting in a playoff spot for the majority of the season so far and people only anticipate what’s next for this squad.

After a surprisingly quiet offseason, where minimum moves were made in free agency, it turns out that the Knicks weren’t in need of spending millions of dollars to bring in talented players. These guys were in New York all along.

What this team so desperately needed was someone capable of utilizing all this talent that was being brought in every year via the draft. That someone was Tom Thibodeau who quickly got to work to attempt to turn this franchise around.

After dropping consecutive games, the team is now 5-6 on the season. To take things into perspective, last season’s opening 11 games resulted in a 2-9 record. All in all, things are starting to look up in Manhattan.

This evolved roster could even bring home an award or two when it’s all said and done. It would certainly be a treat to those loyal New York Knicks fans, who haven’t seen one of their players win an award since Tyson Chandler and his Defensive Player of the Year award in 2012-13.