Usually, groups clinch a playoff spot with a win.
The Knicks simply did it with a loss.
Regardless of a 126-113 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday — New York’s fourth loss in its final seven video games — the Knicks had been beneficiaries of Miami’s 122-112 victory over Atlanta on Thursday. The seventh-place Hawks formally fell to 10.5 video games behind New York with simply 10 video games left on the Knicks’ schedule.
Which suggests irrespective of what number of video games the Knicks lose down the stretch — and with out Jalen Brunson, Miles McBride or Cameron Payne, they may drop a couple of — the Knicks won’t must take part within the Play-In Match. They’ll fall no decrease than sixth.
But, amid a season outlined by harm after harm, that is hardly a second for celebration.
As a result of whereas the Knicks can’t slip into the Play-In, they’ll nonetheless fall — and quick.
And in the event that they do, their path by way of an already grueling Japanese Convention playoff area solely grows steeper.
With Detroit leapfrogging Milwaukee into the No. 5 spot, the No. 3 vs. No. 6 first-round playoff matchup has a brand new look. A Knicks victory over the Bucks on Friday would accomplish two essential objectives: slowing the surging No. 4 Indiana Pacers, who now path New York by simply 2.5 video games, and solidifying the Bucks’ present place at No. 6.
“Of course you want to move up in the standings; you never want to move backward,” stated Karl-Anthony Cities. “One: It’s important for standings, just to have that seed. But two: we want to end the season winning. We want to be in a good spot, feeling good about our games, and as a team feeling good about ourselves. So it’s important these last 10 that we ramp up and get ourselves ready for the next step.”
Milwaukee is seen as New York’s most favorable first-round matchup: The Bucks are reeling after Damian Lillard’s unlucky prognosis of deep vein thrombosis, casting doubt on his availability for each the rest of the common season and Milwaukee’s playoff run.
With out Lillard’s explosive scoring and clutch playmaking, Milwaukee immediately turns into a much more favorable playoff opponent.
The Knicks are already 2-0 in opposition to the Bucks this season, each victories coming by margins exceeding 20 factors.
The Pistons are a distinct story.
New York is simply 1-2 in opposition to No. 5 Detroit, a staff now ready ominously ought to the Knicks fall to fourth.
If Indiana catches the Knicks within the standings, New York faces the hazard of a far harder first-round matchup.
And nonetheless, there’s a twist: Even when the Knicks drop to No. 4 and handle to defeat Detroit, a looming second-round showdown with the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers awaits as an alternative of the reigning champion Boston Celtics in the event that they had been to carry onto the No. 3 seed.
The Cavaliers current insurmountable challenges of their very own (New York is 0-2 in opposition to Cleveland this season) however are seen as a much less daunting second-round opponent than Boston — a franchise contemporary off its first title within the Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown period.
So, the state of affairs unfolds clearly: If the Bucks maintain dropping with out Lillard and the Pistons stay within the fifth seed, staying at No. 3 offers the Knicks a gentler first-round collection — however then an imposing second-round matchup in opposition to Boston.
Then again, if the Knicks fall to fourth — an actual chance with three extra back-to-back units nonetheless on their schedule — they’ll first face a grueling battle with Detroit, adopted by a demanding collection in opposition to the Cavs.
Each paths might result in a second-round exit, however one route clearly carries larger first-round danger.
Tom Thibodeau’s groups by no means wish to look past the subsequent sport. Successful stays the only precedence.
But, with the playoffs looming and the Japanese Convention standings shifting beneath them, the Knicks’ postseason destiny now doesn’t solely hinge on their well being.
Kinds make fights, and the Knicks might have a say through which model they wish to see.
