The New York Knicks are back in the NBA Playoffs for the second year in a row.
The Knicks clinched the second seed in the Eastern Conference with their 120-119 overtime win against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday afternoon. They’re now primed for a first-round matchup with the winner of Wednesday night’s play-in game between the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat.
The Knicks will enter the tournament without Julius Randle, who’s recovering from a season-ending right shoulder surgery. They ended their campaign with a 50-32 record despite important pieces like Randle, OG Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson and even Jalen Brunson missing time throughout the campaign.
“We had a number of guys just stay up and play great,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau told Yahoo.com. “You have to be a team. It’s not the best individuals. It’s the best team. And there was no quit in this team.”
There were several possibilities heading into New York’s final game, some of which may or may not have been made more advantageous by a Knicks loss. Both Miami and Philadelphia boast serious star power.
The Milwaukee Bucks lost to the Orlando Magic and slid into the East’s third slot, drawing a first-round bout with the upstart Indiana Pacers. The Cleveland Cavaliers sat Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland in a loss to the Charlotte Hornets, setting up a playoff matchup with a young Magic team.
“We don’t care what they’re doing,” DiVincenzo said. “We’re focused on our locker room. Whatever they decide to do, that’s their team, their organization’s decision. Our decision was to play. Everybody played and we won the game.”
Regardless of who New York plays, they’ll arrive to the dance with Jalen Brunson playing some of his best basketball. The Villanova product finished the regular season by winning Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors. Across his final four games, Brunson averaged 38.5 points and 7.5 assists while shooting 50% from range.
There are questions as to whether or not the Knicks will be able to compete against powerhouses like the Bucks or Boston Celtics in a seven-game series without Randle. The path may be more challenging with a first-round matchup against either the Sixers or Heat looming.
In any event, the Knicks will have a chance to prove they’re the real deal once and for all.
Thibodeau commented, “The spirit of this team is very strong,”
