The New York Knicks are officially heading to the playoffs, securing at least a sixth-place finish in the Eastern Conference. This was confirmed after the Miami Heat defeated the Atlanta Hawks 122-112 on Thursday night.
This marks the third consecutive year the Knicks have made the postseason and the fourth time in five years under head coach Tom Thibodeau. Currently, the Knicks hold the third seed in the East with a solid 45-27 record, sitting 2.5 games ahead of the fourth-place Indiana Pacers.
With only ten games left in the regular season, it seems unlikely that the Knicks will climb higher than their current position. The second-seeded Boston Celtics are 8.5 games ahead, making it almost impossible for New York to catch up. If the playoffs were to begin today, the Knicks would face the sixth-seeded Milwaukee Bucks, a team they have already defeated twice this season.
The Knicks and Bucks are set to meet again on Friday in Milwaukee. After a strong playoff run last year, expectations were high for the Knicks this season, especially after acquiring star player Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
However, the team has faced ups and downs throughout the season, particularly struggling against top-tier opponents, evidenced by their 0-5 record against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.
Since point guard Jalen Brunson suffered an ankle injury, the Knicks have been 5-5, with all five wins coming against teams with losing records. As the playoffs approach, the Knicks will need to find consistency to make a deep run.