The New York Knicks find themselves in a rare position. Not only are the Knicks likely headed to the 2023 NBA playoffs, but New York is in a battle for seeding that could potentially allow the team to win its first postseason series in a decade.
With seven games left in the regular season, the Knicks are the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference. The No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers are five games ahead of New York and out of reach. As the No. 5 seed in the East playoff bracket, the Knicks might be a popular pick to reach the season round. The Knicks could also fall down the standings and land a playoff matchup that would likely prompt a first-round exit for New York.
Let's take a look at the Knicks' nightmare seeding scenario and first-round matchup for the 2023 NBA playoffs.
No. 6 seed Knicks vs. No. 3 seed 76ers
The Knicks are fighting with the Miami Heat for the No. 5 seed. New York is 1.5 games ahead of the No. 6 seed Heat in the standings with one fewer loss than Miami. The No. 6 seed is currently on track to face Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs. The No. 3 seed 76ers are 1.5 games behind the No. 2 seed Boston Celtics. Cleveland has four more losses than Philadelphia. The Cavs are unlikely to change their seed before the playoffs start.
If the Knicks fall to the No. 6 seed, they should hope that the Celtics are the No. 3 seed. Philadelphia has proven to be a much more difficult matchup for New York than Boston.
The Knicks have won three straight games against the Celtics, including two victories in Boston. Philadelphia has been a house of horrors for New York. The Knicks have never beaten the 76ers on the road when Embiid has been in the lineup.
New York and Philadelphia split their four regular-season meetings. The 76ers went 2-1 against the Knicks in the games that Embiid played. When the 76ers last hosted the Knicks on Feb. 10, Embiid dominated New York with 35 points on 14-18 shooting.
Embiid has been the NBA's best player in the second half of the season. Averaging 33.4 points, 10. 2 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, Embiid is the favorite to win the MVP award. The 76ers also have James Harden, whose playoff woes don't usually rear their ugly head until after the first round.
Since going .500 in their first 24 games, the 76ers have a 36-12 record. Philadelphia is one of two NBA teams that has a top-six offensive and defensive rating.
If the Knicks face the Cavaliers or Celtics, there's hope that New York can find a way to advance. In a matchup with the 76ers, the Knicks would have little chance to pull off an upset.
No. 7 seed in the Play-in Tournament
The Kevin Durant trade should ultimately propel the Knicks to a top-six seed. The Brooklyn Nets have fallen from the No. 4 seed with Durant to the No. 7 seed in the East since dealing their best player. The Nets aren't completely out of the race for the No. 6 seed. They could potentially pass their cross-town rivals in the standings if New York falls into a late-season tailspin.
The Nets are two games behind the Knicks in the standings. Only the Cavaliers have an easier schedule than the Nets to finish the season, according to Tankathon. Brooklyn has two upcoming matchups with the Orlando Magic. The Nets will also face the Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets. Detroit and Houston have the two worst records in the NBA and don't seem interested in winning games.
Amid multiple injuries to Jalen Brunson, the Knicks have lost three games in a row and six of their last nine contests. Julius Randle has been erratic and shot just 40.6% from the field in the last nine games. One more cold stretch to close out the season could put the Knicks in the play-in tournament bracket. Even with two opportunities to win one game, no team wants to be in the play-in tournament. Just ask the 2021 Golden State Warriors.
The Knicks should ultimately hold their place in the playoff bracket. The Nets are on a five-game losing streak. Brooklyn is 7-14 in its last 21 games. Since trading Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Nets have simply been a bad team.
The No. 8 seed Atlanta Hawks are five games behind the Knicks, making it nearly impossible for New York to fall any lower than seventh in the absolute worst-case scenario.
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