The Knicks gained’t precisely be capable to ease again into motion after the NBA All-Star break.
Three of the Knicks’ subsequent 5 video games are towards the NBA’s elite, together with the one two groups within the Jap Convention with a greater document than theirs.
The Knicks (36-18) are set to renew play Thursday with a delicate spot on their schedule because the Chicago Bulls go to Madison Sq. Backyard.
At 22-33, the Tenth-seeded Bulls are clinging to the East’s last spot within the Play-In Match, however they traded away their main scorer, Zach LaVine, this month and entered the break on a four-game shedding streak.
After that, it will get rather more tough.
The Knicks are scheduled to go to the Jap Convention-best Cleveland Cavaliers (44-10) on Friday, adopted by a visit to Boston to face the second-seeded Celtics (39-16) on Sunday.
Towards these two juggernauts, the Knicks are a mixed 0-3.
The Knicks’ lone assembly with the Cavs got here again in October, when Cleveland eked out a 110-104 victory on the Backyard.
That was solely the third recreation of the season, and the new-look Knicks have been nonetheless discovering their chemistry after swinging offseason trades for Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Cities.
However the Cavaliers are a distinct workforce now, too.
In one of many greatest offers earlier than this month’s commerce deadline, Cleveland acquired sharp-shooting ahead De’Andre Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks, bolstering what was already one of many NBA’s finest offenses.
Hunter, who’s averaging 18.8 factors per recreation, joined a bunch led by Donovan Mitchell (23.9 factors per recreation), Darius Garland (21.6) and Evan Mobley (18.5).
Cleveland averages 122.7 factors per recreation, which ranks second within the NBA and first within the East.
The Celtics, in the meantime, pummeled the Knicks in each of this season’s earlier matchups.
These included a 132-109 win in Boston on opening day through which the Celtics tied an NBA document with 29 made 3-pointers; and this month’s equally decisive 131-104 victory on the Backyard.
Knicks ahead OG Anunoby (proper foot pressure) missed the latter of these conferences, however so did Celtics starters Jrue Vacation and Kristaps Porzingis.
The defending champion Celtics boast the NBA’s sixth-ranked offense and fourth-ranked protection.
The Knicks return house for his or her fourth recreation after the break to host the Philadelphia 76ers on Feb. 26.
The Sixers are a disappointing 20-34, due partially to Joel Embiid lacking all however 17 video games as he continues to cope with a left knee that required surgical procedure final February.
The Knicks are 2-0 towards Philadelphia this season, however subsequent week’s recreation would be the Sixers’ first on the Backyard since final 12 months’s contentious first-round playoff collection, which the Knicks gained in six.
The Knicks wrap up this month with a Feb. 28 journey to Memphis to face a Grizzlies workforce boasting the NBA’s highest-scoring offense at 123.3 factors per recreation.
Buoyed by a career-best season from Jaren Jackson Jr. and the return of Ja Morant, the Grizzlies are 36-18, tying them with the Knicks for the NBA’s fourth-best document.
The Knicks beat the Grizzlies, 143-106, through the groups’ first assembly on Jan. 27 on the Backyard.
Subsequent week’s journey to Memphis kicks off an 11-game stretch through which the Knicks will play on the street 9 instances. That features video games towards the Lakers (32-20) and Clippers (31-23) in Los Angeles through the first week of March.
General, the Knicks have the eighth-hardest remaining schedule by way of opponent win proportion, in response to Tankathon.
Friday’s recreation is the primary of three remaining conferences between the Knicks and Cavs. Sunday’s recreation is the primary of two conferences left between the Knicks and Celtics.
The Knicks are the Jap Convention’s No. 3 seed, however they’re 0-5 towards the Cavaliers, Celtics and Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, who personal the NBA’s three finest information.
The returns of Anunoby, who has missed the final 5 video games, and rim-protecting heart Mitchell Robinson, who’s nearing his long-awaited debut after Could’s left ankle surgical procedure, ought to give the Knicks their deepest and most-balanced workforce of the season.
“It’s a tremendous group,” head coach Tom Thibodeau mentioned going into the break. “I tell them all the time I’m fortunate to be coaching them. You enjoy the effort they put forth. They’re together. They’re committed. They’re all sacrificing something for the team.”
