New York Knicks Tyler Kolek, Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Mitchell Robinson react to the team's big win over the Cavaliers on Christmas Day at Madison Square Garden.

Entering the season, the Knicks and Cavaliers were picked by most to be the top two teams in the Eastern Conference, given the Pacers are without Tyrese Haliburton and Celtics without Jayson Tatum. The door was wide open, most thought, for either side to win the conference and reach the Finals. Anything less would be a disappointment.

That is a problem for another day. Christmas is for giving thanks and unwrapping new gifts, and the Knicks were gifted a new-and-improved bench capable of keeping the team in or flat-out winning games when the starters come up short.

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