Welcome to the first installment of Hoop Dreams, a season preview unlike any other. The premise is simple: We’ll be providing 30 of these fictional forays because it simply stinks that only one team can win the title each year. The list of contending teams seems to shrink with each succeeding campaign, and we wanted to provide something to those fans who only get to dream of Larry O’Brien during the offseason. Before October, every team can win the NBA title. Don’t believe us? Then keep reading. – Ed

The Knicks will struggle in the opening month of the 2016-17 season. The specter of Derrick Rose’s civil rape trial will hover over the team for the first few weeks as they lose five of their first seven games — including key games against the Bulls (D-Wade goes off for 43 against them), Cavs and inter-city rival, Brooklyn. Then there’s the late-game argument between Carmelo Anthony and Jeff Hornacek during a particularly brutal Friday night loss late in November to the Hornets and ensuing Frank Isola column for the Daily News claiming that Phil Jackson is inquiring about which teams Melo might concede to be traded to.

But a week later, after a perfect 4-0 stretch, their confidence catapults into the stratosphere. Rose has stopped taking outside shots entirely, and is vivisecting defenses like it’s 2011 again. He’s shooting over 70 percent inside the restricted area and blistering teams with impromptu run-outs that lead to a ton of wide-open layups. Joakim Noah, after looking his age as he hobbled along the first two weeks of the season, is rounding into the form that had him finish No. 4 in MVP voting just three years prior.

Teams looking to score at the rim against New York are met by a stronger and smarter Kristaps Porzingis and a rejuvenated, sprightly Noah. The Knicks lead the NBA in defensive rating for the months of December and January. There’s a slight drop-off in February as both Melo, Rose and and KP are in New Orleans for the All-Star Game, but aside from a silly misdemeanor charge because Porzingis got too loud dancing to Lil’ Wayne in his hotel room overlooking Bourbon Street, the Knicks are right on track to go as far as they ever have in the Carmelo Anthony era.

Melo and Noah both finish in the top-11 for MVP voting (Melo finishes No. 3, Noah No. 11), and the Knicks — to the surprise of everyone — finish the regular season with the second-best record in the Conference (58-24). In the first round they quickly dispatch a solid Hornets team who is only able to take one game off them as they cruise to 4-1 series win and a second-round matchup with the Celtics.

Boston finished with the No. 4 record in the Conference behind the Raptors, Knicks and Cavs. Al Horford banged up his back late in the season and it’s obvious he’s playing at less than 100 percent even when the C’s dispatch the Pistons in their opening seven games. It’s clear Brad Stevens’ crew is just too banged up to do much to stop a Knicks team that keeps improving as the season moves along.

Brandon Jennings, who has been quietly playing the most efficient season of his career, goes HAM in the second round, coming off the bench in Game 2 against Boston to score 54 points as the Knicks take a 2-0 lead back to Bean Town. They lose Game 3 as Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder combine to score 55 and lead Boston to their one and only win in the series. The Knicks capture the next two and Carmelo Anthony goes a perfect 10-for-10 from the field and 8-for-8 from the free throw line to clinch the series win in Game 5 at MSG. Melo is going back to the Conference Finals for just the second time in his career.