If I told you before the start of the season that Reggie Bullock and Elfrid Payton would rank third and fifth on the Knicks in minutes per game, that the #8 overall pick wouldn't even average a quarter of playing time, that the team would rank 29th in the league in three-pointers attempted, but they'd be 24-23 after 47 games despite all of the above... you wouldn't have believed me.

And I wouldn't have blamed you.

The Knicks have a lot going against them, but it somehow seems to not really matter. Sure, it helps having a person like Tom Thibodeau helming the sideline who nightly fights as maniacally for every single win that you fear he's inches from an an aneurysm, but it goes deeper than that.

There's a sense of calm hovering over the Knicks, that hasn’t been present since Patrick Ewing donned the uniform. A sense of peace, even, for the first time in years.

Ewing, for the record, last wore a Knicks jersey 21 years ago.

The Knicks are finally without drama, and it's paying off. Julius Randle is having a career-year averaging 23 points, 10.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists, all while making his first NBA All-Star game, and second-year man RJ Barrett is coming along nicely, putting up a respectable 17.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists on his own.

While Barrett still has ways to go, it's apparent he has improved. Would that even have been the case during a "normal" Knicks season?

Despite New York's recent success, there's little optimism that they end up competing for a title this season. The top of the Eastern Conference is simply too good and too deep.

But that isn't a bad thing.

As patience is now roaming the halls of Madison Square Garden, the focus is on the future. If the Knicks are playing this caliber of basketball now, despite not being a strong shooting team, and not even getting much production from their 23-year-old rookie, just imagine where they could be a year from now when they've had a chance to fix some of their issues.

Yes, it might be time to dare dream again, Knicks fans.

Of course, it needs to be mentioned that a few surprises have helped the Knicks along the way this season. Immanuel Quickley, drafted 25th last year, has provided the team with a healthy injection of offensive production, averaging 12.8 points in just 20 minutes of playing time per night.

Not only is the 21-year-old hitting two triples per game, he's also getting to the free throw line 3.2 times per night. His 3PAr and FTr of 51.4 and 31.2% respectively are signs that Moreyball is in his future.

Also helping Quickley's evolution is his ability to create his own offense. Only 38.1% of his offense has been assisted, and he even creates 39.8% of his own three-point makes. For any 21-year-old, that's impressive.

The future, which is bright on its own internal merits, also receives assistance from the outside. The Knicks still own this year's first-round pick from Dallas, which is currently projected to be the 21st pick.

That may sound like a low pick, but given that the Western Conference playoff picture reshapes itself on a near nightly basis, it's not out of the realm of possibility that it ends up jumping. Maybe even significantly so.

The organization is also projected to have over $50 million to spend in free agency, even if the superstars are mostly lacking from this year's class. That allows the Knicks to take chances on younger players, maybe even to the point where they can put teams in uncomfortable situations by maxing out their restricted free agents.

That approach could force a team like Atlanta to give up John Collins, or match his offer sheet only to put themselves in a tougher financial spot. Maybe the Knicks then pivot onto Lonzo Ball or Lauri Markkanen, putting the pressure on New Orleans and Chicago to put up gigantic sums of money to retain their players.

If they don't, the Knicks won't necessarily be worse for wear. With so much future cap flexibility, the Knicks can afford to roll big on a young player, as most improve as they age. It may never end up representing fair value, but most players on rookie extensions can get flipped if push comes to shove.

Sean Marks used this approach in Brooklyn to force Portland into matching a large $75 million offer sheet for Allen Crabbe, just as he maxed out former Washington wing Otto Porter, which the Wizards ended up matching.

That sort of trickery will frustrate opposing teams, but that's kind of the point.

For once, the Knicks hold all the cards. And instead of wasting them, as is usual custom for that franchise, it's time to play them.