The New York Knicks are getting back to what made them special in January. With the return of OG Anunoby and the brilliant play of Jalen Brunson, New York seems destined to make a deep postseason run. But their Eastern Conference competition isn’t going to simply roll over. Thankfully, a number of their competitors have head-to-head match-ups on Monday night. And while some teams adding to their win totals is unavoidable, the inevitable losses of others will help establish a floor above which the Knicks should remain given their record and remaining schedule.
After the Knicks' terrific 98-91 Saturday night win over the Sacramento Kings, New York is only two games behind the third-seed Cleveland Cavaliers. They also hang on to a slim half-game lead over the fifth-place Orlando Magic.
Monday’s Eastern Conference matchups
But New York stands to benefit from Monday’s NBA schedule. While they play the 35-31 Golden State Warriors (without Anunoby), four of the teams with whom the Knicks are jockeying for playoff position are facing off. Specifically, the Cavaliers play the sixth-seeded Indiana Pacers (38-30). And the seventh-seed Miami Heat (37-30) play the eighth-place Philadelphia 76ers (37-30).
Cleveland will be without All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell due to a nasal fracture that limited him in Saturday’s loss to the Houston Rockets. The Cavaliers are only 9-9 without Mitchell this season — and defeating Indiana becomes even more difficult without Mitchell. In other words, New York could inch one game closer to the third seed.
Furthermore, with the Heat and 76ers tied in terms of their records, one will inevitably fall to 37-31 after their matchup. That means that if the Knicks secure a win against the Warriors, they will be four games ahead of whichever team falls to eighth place. And they will remain three-and-a-half games up on the seventh seed.
Remaining Knicks games and correlating implications
Considering that the Knicks have just 15 games remaining, increasing their lead on some of the teams beneath them in the East standings is incredible.
The sixth seed is especially important considering it’s the lowest seed that does not participate in the play-in tournament. However, New York is not looking to settle for sixth place. Nor are they hoping for the seventh or eighth seed. They would much prefer to land in third — or even second — place, allowing for a more favorable first-round match-up, possibly with the Orlando Magic.
Additionally, the possibility of securing the second seed and avoiding a second-round collision with the first-place Boston Celtics is especially alluring.
But New York still has business to take care of before looking ahead to the playoffs. They have to defeat winning teams. In addition to tonight’s game against the Warriors, the Knicks still play the Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks, Kings, and Heat. But help from the schedule makers on nights like Monday is always appreciated, too.
The current standings can change quickly considering how tight the Eastern Conference playoff race is. While a lower playoff seed is obviously not the goal, nothing is guaranteed. And considering Anunoby’s continued elbow issues — and the fact that Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson remain out — New York should be thankful for the remaining matchups between their rivals. After all, a win for the Knicks is no more valuable than a loss for any of them.
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