New York Knicks: Who are their 3 biggest rivals in 2021-22?

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 23: New York Knicks' Derrick Rose, left, fouls Atlanta Hawks' Trae Young (11) as he drives to the basket during the second half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series on May 23, 2021 in New York City. The Hawks defeated the Knicks 107-105. 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 Seth Wenig - Pool/Getty Images) /

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New York Knicks Rival No. 3: Chicago Bulls

This, to be honest, is more of a hypothetical rivalry. A rivalry for the future, if you will. The New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls were on pretty similar paths for a few years, until the Knicks took that extra leap last season, which the Bulls were unable to replicate.

However, they might be the team with the best free-agency acquisitions this year. After trading for Nikola Vucevic in March, they now added DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball to create a very promising starting lineup in the East.

To be fair, the Knicks are probably still one step ahead of these Chicago Bulls. For starters, they have already established the team’s chemistry and have proved that they can click together when needed.

Chicago’s defense is another potential area of concern for Billy Donovan. The lack of interior defense might prove problematic against some of the league’s best big men, a list that undoubtedly includes Julius Randle.

The two teams are set to face off three times until early December, so this potential rivalry might take off faster than we expected.

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