The Knicks' stunning turnaround into a playoff contender has set them up to be showered with awards

• The New York Knicks have won eight straight games and are in 4th place at 33-27.
• The Knicks have blown away preseason expectations thanks to a number of key contributors.
• Julius Randle and Tom Thibodeau will likely win awards, while other players will be in contention.

The New York Knicks are the hottest team in the NBA, something even the most optimistic of projections couldn't have conceived before the season.

At 33-27, the Knicks have won eight straight games and moved into fourth place in the Eastern Conference. On Wednesday, they beat the Atlanta Hawks in overtime to leap-frog them for fourth place, a critical win over a team they would currently face in the first round of the playoffs.

To call the Knicks' recent success a surprise would be an understatement. No one in the NBA world projected a team that didn't make any major roster upgrades after a 21-45 season to make a leap this year. Optimists felt that better scheming under new head coach Tom Thibodeau and some internal growth from young players might have the Knicks sniffing 30 wins in this 72-game season.

Instead, this surprise leap, spurred by several key contributors, has put the Knicks in a position to not only make the playoffs for the first time since 2013 but also to be showered with awards.

Julius Randle - for Most Improved, All-NBA ... and maybe MVP

Randle is the story of the Knicks' season.

The 26-year-old power forward who signed a 3-year, $63 million deal with the Knicks in the summer of 2019 often became a scapegoat for the team's struggles last season because of his turnovers, inefficiency, and shaky defense.

This year, Randle has made an incredible leap, averaging 24 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists per game on 40% three-point shooting. He's one of four players to average over 20-10-6 this season. The only other player to post those numbers while shooting over 40% from three is Larry Bird. (Nikola Jokic is also on pace to accomplish it this season).

Randle looks like the run-away winner for Most Improved Player. No player has gone from good to excellent like Randle. ESPN's Zach Lowe recently said on a podcast that he had Randle as his No. 1 candidate for the award.

As a result, Randle is also going to be in the mix for an All-NBA spot. There are just six spots for forwards, and the competition is stiff - Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, Zion Williamson, and plenty of others.

Randle might not only have them beat in numbers, but he also has them beat in games played. He leads the NBA in minutes played and hasn't missed a game for the Knicks. And the gap between Randle and the Knicks' second-best player might be larger than any other player in consideration.

Randle's MVP case is similar to All-NBA. He has propped up a below-average roster into the thick of the playoff race. The Knicks might have a home-court advantage for a playoff series. He has improved every aspect of his game.

Randle won't win MVP, but if the Knicks finish in the top four or five in the East, he may land on some ballots.

Tom Thibodeau - for Coach of the Year

The Knicks' recent surge has also propelled Thibodeau into a race that previously featured Quin Snyder of the Utah Jazz and Monty Williams of the Phoenix Suns.

The Knicks haven't achieved the same level of success as the Jazz or Suns, but again, Thibodeau came into this job with less to work with.

The Knicks rank fourth in the NBA in defensive rating and lead the NBA in opponent three-point percentage at just 33.8%.

They're 21st in offensive rating for the season but are ninth over 12 games in April. Their three-point shooting has also seen a big turn-around - the Knicks are taking 33 threes per game post-All-Star, up from 27 pre-All-Star. The Knicks are making them at a 39% clip since the All-Star break;l those extra six attempts per game can make a big difference.

The Knicks are a classic Thibodeau team - they play at the slowest pace in the NBA and rarely turn the ball over.

Thibodeau has maximized this roster in a way few had thought possible.

Derrick Rose - for Sixth Man of the Year

Jordan Clarkson's excellent off-the-bench play in Utah has seemingly locked up Sixth Man of the Year.

Yet since joining the Knicks via trade in February, Rose has been an undeniable boost off the bench.

The Knicks are 17-7 with Rose in the lineup. He is averaging 13 points on 45% shooting and 4 assists in 25 minutes per game with the Knicks. Over this eight-game win streak, Rose has averaged 16 points per game on 50% shooting, and the Knicks are +51 with him on the floor.

Clarkson has Rose beat in scoring numbers and efficiency and has played a bigger role in his team's success. But Rose may still land on some ballots for Sixth Man. If nothing else, he has proven to be a good acquisition for the Knicks.

Immanuel Quickley - for All-Rookie Team

Quickley looks like the steal of the draft with the 25th pick. His solid production off the bench has made Knicks fans forget about the startling lack of production from eighth overall pick Obi Toppin.

Quickley, like most rookies, has had his ups and downs. But on the year, Quickley is averaging 11.8 points per game on 38% shooting from three. He's also an 89% shooter from the free-throw line and has taken the second-most free throws among all rookies.

He needs to improve his two-point percentage - a ghastly 39.6% from inside the arc -, but that's mostly because he has settled for tough floaters. In time, he'll develop the ability to get to the rim and find creative ways to finish.

Quickley might not edge out LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, or Tyrese Haliburton for All-Rookie First Team honors, but he is likely to land on the Second Team.

R.J. Barret - for Most Improved Player

It's difficult for second-year players to win Most Improved Player simply because most people expect players to make a leap from their rookie season.

But Barrett's leap has been eye-popping. His numbers are up across the board, averaging a steady 17-6-3 per game. Most importantly, his three-point percentage has jumped to 38.6% on the season, up six points from his rookie year. He's been on a tear since the start of 2021, shooting 41.6% from three.

Barrett has also improved his handle and learned to use his bulldozer strength to fight for tough baskets in the lane, something he lacked as a rookie.

Lowe said he has considered Barrett for Most Improved but didn't make his final list. Many voters may feel the same, but whether Barrett wins the award or not, his second-year leap has to be a huge victory for the Knicks.

Leon Rose - for Executive of the Year?

This is arguably the biggest stretch on here. Executive of the Year often goes to a GM who pulled off a savvy, franchise-changing trade or made several big offseason moves to build a contender.

Rose has not done that, but he has overseen a front office that has made very few mistakes.

Consider the following signings:

• Alec Burks, 1-year, $6 million: averaging 12 points per game on a career-best 40.8% three-point shooting and leading the Knicks in clutch three-point shooting.
• Nerlens Noel, 1 year, $5 million: averaging a career-high in blocks and anchoring the Knicks defense in the absence of starting center Mitchell Robinson.
• Taj Gibson, 1 year, $2.2 million: the fourth-best on-court rating of any member and the Knicks and providing energy off the bench.

Rose, of course, also oversaw the hiring of Thibodeau, the drafting of Quickley, and the trade for Derrick Rose.

Rose has his work cut out for him. The Knicks still have to make the playoffs, and next year's roster is barren - only Barrett, Toppin, Quickley, Robinson, and Kevin Knox have guaranteed money on the books for next season. Crafting a competitive team without overspending on existing or new free agents will be difficult.

But Year 1 for the agent-turned-executive has undoubtedly been a surprise success.