http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/5-on-5-130103/nba-contenders-pretenders

1. Contenders or Pretenders: New York Knicks.

Kalen Deremo, Roundball Mining Co.: Contenders, especially if Amar'e Stoudemire can find his niche in the lineup. The Knicks have all the pieces to contend for a title: size, a superstar, deadly 3-point shooters, veteran leadership, willingness to defend, etc. Mike Woodson's coaching and the Knicks' ability to stay healthy will likely determine how far this team goes in the playoffs.

Beckley Mason, ESPN.com: Pretenders. As currently constituted. It's possible that Stoudemire will bolster the bench unit and Iman Shumpert will give them a desperately needed wing defender, in which case the Knicks might bump up to "contender" status. Even still, they will need Raymond Felton to play four very good games out of seven to beat any top team, and that's far from a sure bet.

Michael Pina, Red94: Contenders. The Knicks are designed much like the 2011 NBA champion Dallas Mavericks. They have an unstoppable scoring MVP candidate, a defensive anchor as good as any in the league, multiple 3-point shooters on the perimeter, and Jason Kidd stabilizing it all behind the scenes.

Darius Soriano, Forum Blue and Gold: Contenders. Though the Heat are still the favorites, and integrating Amar'e Stoudemire back into the lineup will prove challenging, the Knicks have the offensive firepower and defensive talent to come out of the East. With Carmelo Anthony playing his best ball and the leadership (and skill) the complementary players bring, this team must be considered a viable threat to win.

Ethan Sherwood Strauss, HoopSpeak: Contenders. Their defense is faltering, but the stench in the East factors into this judgment. Other than the Heat, there's little resistance in the Eastern Conference. If the Knicks can upset Miami, they need only shoot well from 3 to have a real shot at winning the Finals.

Recent trends be damned! Full Fable Ahead!

I missed the days when we were mortal locks to be the butt of jokes of all NBA teams. Isaiah come out of the booth and come back to the Knicks please.

That's why they play the games.

This is a nice ride, but only hot stove baseball idiots say things like:

"The playoffs are all that matters"

"I only watch the last two minutes of the fourth quarter of any NBA game"