The New York Knicks are set to take on the Miami Heat on the road on Tuesday in a big game when it comes to the Eastern Conference playoff picture, and Josh Hart had some funny comments regarding Jimmy Butler and his season so far that has not lived up to standards.
“Jimmy kind of does side quests during the year until about April,” Josh Hart said, via Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “Then he starts locking in. I'm sure people are going to see that maniac competitive side now that he's done with the side quests and he's on to the main quest.”
Playful comments like that are nothing new from Hart, as he loves to poke fun with the media and at his Knicks teammates. He is certainly mentally prepared to face prime Jimmy Butler in Tuesday's game. It is a rematch of last year's second-round playoff series, in which the Heat took in six games.
The game is important for playoff seeding, as mentioned before. The Heat are three games back of the Knicks in the Eastern Conference. New York is in the fourth spot in the East, behind the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers are just a half-game ahead of the Knicks in third place. The Heat could theoretically catch the Knicks, but they have the Orlando Magic and Indiana Pacers ahead of them as well before the Knicks.
Miami is fighting to avoid the NBA Play-In Tournament. The Knicks are as well, but they are in a bit better shape when it comes to that.
Depending on how the standings play out down the stretch, the Knicks and Heat could meet once again in the playoffs this season.
Knicks trying to finish the season strong
The Knicks are trying to maximize their seed in the Eastern Conference so they can have the best chance of making a run in the playoffs.
New York has eight games left in the season, starting with Tuesday against the Heat, then the team will play the Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, Bulls again, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, then one more against the Bulls to finish the season.
There are some winnable games on that list, and a win against Miami on Tuesday would go a long way, given that is a team the Knicks are battling with for seeding.
However, the bigger story will be whether or not Julius Randle and OG Anunoby will be healthy enough to play come the playoffs. Randle has been out since he suffered his shoulder injury against the Heat in January, and Anunoby is out again after briefly returning from his elbow issues.
The status of those two is more important than the seed the Knicks have.
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