Knicks 2016-17 Schedule: Top Games, Championship Odds and Record Predictions

The New York Knicks underwent a roster makeover this offseason after a disappointing 2015-16 campaign, and their route to a potential playoff appearance was laid out on Thursday in the form of the official NBA schedule release. 

Superstar Carmelo Anthony and promising big man Kristaps Porzingis were the only true bright spots last season, but they added a pair of former Chicago Bulls in point guard Derrick Rose and center Joakim Noah, who suddenly make the Knicks a potential threat in the Eastern Conference.

New York also hired Jeff Hornacek as the new head coach, which creates intrigue with regard to how closely he will follow team president Phil Jackson's triangle offense.

With the schedule now finalized, here is a look at the matchups that await the Knicks, as well as a prediction for how much progress they will make in 2016-17.

2016-17 Details

Season Opener: Away vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: Tuesday, Oct. 28 (8 p.m. ET)

Championship Odds: 100-1 (via Odds Shark)

Full Schedule: NBA.com

Top Matchups

Away vs. Chicago Bulls: Friday, Nov. 4 at 8 p.m.

Rose and Noah were the heart and soul of the Bulls for several seasons, but they have been reunited with the Knicks, and their first trip to the United Center in Chicago promises to be among the marquee games on the schedule this season.

While the Bulls never enjoyed much playoff success during the Rose and Noah era, they were perennial contenders in the Eastern Conference when Rose was healthy, and they created plenty of great memories in the Windy City.

Rose is a former NBA MVP whose career was derailed to some degree because of injuries, while Noah is a former NBA Defensive Player of the Year whose play dropped off over the past couple of seasons.

While Noah chose to sign with the Knicks, Rose was traded to them, so there is plenty of intrigue surrounding how they will be received by Bulls fans.

Regardless of whether the reaction is positive or negative, there promises to be a loud and raucous atmosphere in the United Center, especially since the Bulls have a chance to be a solid team despite their departures.

New York vs. Chicago was once considered one of the NBA's premier rivalries when it featured Patrick Ewing against Michael Jordan, and although the teams aren't quite at that level, the star power is impressive.

The foursome of Rose, Noah, Anthony and Porzingis makes the Knicks a force to be reckoned with, while Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo joining Jimmy Butler with the Bulls creates an interesting dynamic as well.

Both the Knicks and Bulls appear to be on the ascent in the Eastern Conference, and their first meeting in Chicago will say a lot about which team is closer to being a threat to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Brooklyn Nets: Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. ET 

Jeremy Lin has played at Madison Square Garden on multiple occasions since leaving the Knicks following his magical 2011-12 campaign, but there promises to be a different feel when he leads the Brooklyn Nets to MSG for the first time during the upcoming season.

The Nets figure to be one of the NBA's worst teams in 2016-17, but Lin has a chance to be a top offensive option once again after being among Brooklyn's key offseason additions.

Signing with the Nets also marks the return of Lin to the Big Apple and the idea that Linsanity could strike twice in NYC.

According to NetsDaily.com, however, Lin isn't focused on what he did during his memorable tenure with the Knicks:

"

I'm so far past [2011-12]. From the outside, really during the season, I don't read anything, tweets or comments or articles or what this commentator said. So expectations are going to be the same for me, and I'm going to go in and keep my mind right. play for God and I think the last couple of years, I've been able to live with the results. I played, I think, the right way and that's the way I want to play in Brooklyn.

"

While Lin may not be looking to the past, old memories were recently brought to the forefront by current Houston Rockets and former Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni.

He suggested in an interview with The Vertical (h/t ESPN.com's Ian Begley) that some players, including Melo, were unwilling to adjust their roles in order to accommodate Lin's skill set:

"

The problem that we had was that for Jeremy to be really good, which he was, he had to play a certain way. It was hard for him to adapt. Amar'e [Stoudemire], Melo, whatever, kind of had to play a certain way, too, to be really, really good. So there was that inherent conflict of, 'What's better for the team? What isn't? Can they co-exist? Can they not?'

And again, they could have co-existed if Melo went to [power forward], which he really didn't want to, and Amare came to back up Tyson [Chandler at center], which he didn't want to. So now it's like, what are we going to do? We could see how to go, and I didn't know how to get there, and with losing again and you're trying to prod them and you're trying to tell them to play harder and all the coach's speak, and communication just like deteriorated.

"

Any potential bad blood between Lin and the Knicks may be gone after five years, but the fans haven't forgotten his time with the team.

The rivalry between the Knicks and Nets has grown somewhat stagnant in recent years because of the struggles of the two teams, but if New York improves and Lin becomes an important player in Brooklyn, then things are undoubtedly looking up.

Record Prediction

The Knicks finished just 32-50 last season, which was good for 13th in the Eastern Conference, but anything short of a return trip to the playoffs would likely be met with jeers in 2016-17.

Melo, 32, remains an elite scorer despite his advancing age, while Porzingis is expected to make even greater strides after averaging 14.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as a rookie.

Rose appeared in 66 games last year, which was his highest total since 2010-11, and while his production was somewhat modest with 16.4 points, 4.7 assists and 3.4 rebounds, being another year removed from major knee injuries could help bring him closer to his past All-Star form.

Noah has never been a great offensive player, but he averaged a career-low 4.3 points per game last season, as he was ravaged by injuries and didn't fit well in head coach Fred Hoiberg's system with the Bulls.

His best season came in 2013-14 when he put up 12.6 points and 11.3 rebounds per game, and anything close to those career highs would give the Knicks a huge boost.

The main concern for New York aside from staying healthy may be depth. Courtney Lee is the fifth starter at shooting guard and Brandon Jennings could be a quality sixth man, but there aren't many proven commodities beyond that.

That lack of depth could be the main thing that prevents New York from being a true player in 2016-17, but a 13-win improvement seems realistic, and getting back to the playoffs for the first time since 2012-13 is a goal it should be able to accomplish.

Prediction: 45-37

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