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Race to avoid the East playin (Knicks, Nets, Heat)
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nyvector16
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3/26/2023  12:38 PM    LAST EDITED: 3/28/2023  1:59 PM
This end of season is turning out to have a very consequential final 8 games.
Below are the schedules for the Knicks and the two teams that are challenging us in the standings:

5. Knicks (42-33)

  • Rockets - Win
  • Heat
  • @Cavaliers
  • Wizards
  • @Pacers
  • @Pelicans
  • Pacers

6. Nets (40-35)

  • @Magic - Loss
  • Rockets
  • Hawks
  • Jazz
  • Timberwolves
  • @Pistons
  • Magic
  • 76ers

7. Heat (40-35

  • @Raptors
  • Knicks
  • Mavericks
  • @Pistons
  • @76ers
  • @Wizards
  • Magic

I will not mention Hawks(37-37), Raptors(36-38) or Bulls(35-38) as they are not a threat to Knicks standing.

Predictions (assuming knicks beat Heat in next matchup):

  • Knicks(4-3) Final Record: 46-36
  • Nets (4-4) Final Record : 44-38
  • Heat (4-3) Final Record : 44-38


So what it really comes down to is that one game against the heat... It will determine everything.. If we lose that game we could be in a tie based with Heat and Nets only a game away. If Nets overachieve just 1 game or 76ers rest players that final game of season we could also have a 3-way tie. If we win that Heat game, we avoid alot of this mess.

That Heat game (Wed March 5th) will be the most important game of the season for its impact on the final standings.
Exciting basketball in March is always a good sign for the progress of a team.
AUTOADVERT
gradyandrew
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3/26/2023  9:52 PM
Nets lost to Orlando tonight giving Knicks a bit of a cushion along with them beating Miami. I have no idea how tie breakers would work in the various scenarios. Obviously the easiest way is to finish with a better record. Knicks have gone 3-6 since the streak. They need to get back to winning basketball games starting vs the Rockets.
KnickDanger
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3/26/2023  10:52 PM
Nets did us a solid beating the Heat yesterday then losing to the Magic today.
GustavBahler
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3/27/2023  8:23 AM
gradyandrew wrote:Nets lost to Orlando tonight giving Knicks a bit of a cushion along with them beating Miami. I have no idea how tie breakers would work in the various scenarios. Obviously the easiest way is to finish with a better record. Knicks have gone 3-6 since the streak. They need to get back to winning basketball games starting vs the Rockets.

Im hoping a little rest will help with the final push.
Clean
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3/27/2023  8:48 AM
We have not done ourselves any favors but thankfully the others teams are helping us. I have a quick question. Who do yall think is the easiest path to the 2nd round. I rather avoid the play-ins so that takes out BOS and MIL. The Cavs are good but I rather face them than the 76ers. I can't watch 76er games. They flop and foul bait too much. I have to turn them off after the 1st quarter. We also have a problem with keeping our hands to ourself so all that foul baiting will work. We have seen Grimes lock up Mitchell before so we hope him and IQ can contain Mitchell and Garland. If the Cavs are not hitting 3's they are very beatable. The flip side is if they are hitting 3's we will get blown out. Them releasing Love is good for us. Love always blows us up from 3.
Caseloads
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3/27/2023  8:59 AM
Clean wrote:We have not done ourselves any favors but thankfully the others teams are helping us. I have a quick question. Who do yall think is the easiest path to the 2nd round. I rather avoid the play-ins so that takes out BOS and MIL. The Cavs are good but I rather face them than the 76ers. I can't watch 76er games. They flop and foul bait too much. I have to turn them off after the 1st quarter. We also have a problem with keeping our hands to ourself so all that foul baiting will work. We have seen Grimes lock up Mitchell before so we hope him and IQ can contain Mitchell and Garland. If the Cavs are not hitting 3's they are very beatable. The flip side is if they are hitting 3's we will get blown out. Them releasing Love is good for us. Love always blows us up from 3.

We’ve beat philly (which I love; but maxey gets us) and the cavs (sweet against Donovan). Both would be tough outs.

Hart and JB love playing in philly though
martin
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3/27/2023  9:13 AM
Clean wrote:We have not done ourselves any favors but thankfully the others teams are helping us. I have a quick question. Who do yall think is the easiest path to the 2nd round. I rather avoid the play-ins so that takes out BOS and MIL. The Cavs are good but I rather face them than the 76ers. I can't watch 76er games. They flop and foul bait too much. I have to turn them off after the 1st quarter. We also have a problem with keeping our hands to ourself so all that foul baiting will work. We have seen Grimes lock up Mitchell before so we hope him and IQ can contain Mitchell and Garland. If the Cavs are not hitting 3's they are very beatable. The flip side is if they are hitting 3's we will get blown out. Them releasing Love is good for us. Love always blows us up from 3.

Cavs! So Brunson can remind Donovan once again who is king

Official sponsor of the PURE KNICKS LOVE Program
KnickDanger
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3/27/2023  9:15 AM
I guess the order of preferred first round opponent for me would be Cavs, Sixers, Celtics, Bucks. But if the Knicks don’t bring their A plus game it won’t matter. If they do we have a shot with anyone.
Caseloads
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3/27/2023  9:15 AM
martin wrote:
Clean wrote:We have not done ourselves any favors but thankfully the others teams are helping us. I have a quick question. Who do yall think is the easiest path to the 2nd round. I rather avoid the play-ins so that takes out BOS and MIL. The Cavs are good but I rather face them than the 76ers. I can't watch 76er games. They flop and foul bait too much. I have to turn them off after the 1st quarter. We also have a problem with keeping our hands to ourself so all that foul baiting will work. We have seen Grimes lock up Mitchell before so we hope him and IQ can contain Mitchell and Garland. If the Cavs are not hitting 3's they are very beatable. The flip side is if they are hitting 3's we will get blown out. Them releasing Love is good for us. Love always blows us up from 3.

Cavs! So Brunson can remind Donovan once again who is king
Caseloads
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3/27/2023  9:16 AM
http://www.ultimateknicks.com/outerlink.asp?id=146879974
technomaster
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3/27/2023  11:57 AM
Thx for the link to playoff matchups.

I think the key for our team is to find our chemistry and swagger again before the playoffs. Randle has had a relapse in his overly emotional ways to the point he's getting T'd up with regularity.

The Knicks are plenty talented when we're 100%. We have counters for just about any team. We can even handle injuries at center or wing positions. But an injury to Brunson really messes up our chemistry. We can get scoring production elsewhere - both Quickley and RJ are happy to take on a bigger scoring role. But where we lose big with Brunson is poise and playmaking. We play like an anxious, guilty team. Brunson is the guy that somehow commands the respect of refs.

We have to believe that even though the refs have made some unbelievable calls with 10 minutes to go, there's still a lot of time for the refs to bring balance back and you hope the good karma will screw the other team late. But if you fight the refs, they'll keep punishing you and put the game out of reach early.

“That was two, two from the heart.” - John Starks
EwingsGlass
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3/27/2023  12:07 PM
technomaster wrote:Thx for the link to playoff matchups.

I think the key for our team is to find our chemistry and swagger again before the playoffs. Randle has had a relapse in his overly emotional ways to the point he's getting T'd up with regularity.

The Knicks are plenty talented when we're 100%. We have counters for just about any team. We can even handle injuries at center or wing positions. But an injury to Brunson really messes up our chemistry. We can get scoring production elsewhere - both Quickley and RJ are happy to take on a bigger scoring role. But where we lose big with Brunson is poise and playmaking. We play like an anxious, guilty team. Brunson is the guy that somehow commands the respect of refs.

We have to believe that even though the refs have made some unbelievable calls with 10 minutes to go, there's still a lot of time for the refs to bring balance back and you hope the good karma will screw the other team late. But if you fight the refs, they'll keep punishing you and put the game out of reach early.

Feels like he is pressing too hard to get his season points total and might be alienating teammates by trying to hard.

You know I gonna spin wit it
HofstraBBall
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3/27/2023  3:51 PM    LAST EDITED: 3/27/2023  3:52 PM
Clean wrote:We have not done ourselves any favors but thankfully the others teams are helping us. I have a quick question. Who do yall think is the easiest path to the 2nd round. I rather avoid the play-ins so that takes out BOS and MIL. The Cavs are good but I rather face them than the 76ers. I can't watch 76er games. They flop and foul bait too much. I have to turn them off after the 1st quarter. We also have a problem with keeping our hands to ourself so all that foul baiting will work. We have seen Grimes lock up Mitchell before so we hope him and IQ can contain Mitchell and Garland. If the Cavs are not hitting 3's they are very beatable. The flip side is if they are hitting 3's we will get blown out. Them releasing Love is good for us. Love always blows us up from 3.

Think we will definitely avoid the play in. We have an easier schedule playing teams with worse records than who the Nets and Heat are playing in 5 out of our last 7.

I like the way we match up against Cavs. One of my concerns when we were looking to add DM was that he has stints where he does not make his team mates better. Often has a tendency to try to do too much. Which is okay if he is hot but not a good look when he is not.
Think we can beat them and stop DM. Do not mind the Sixers either but do not want to spend several games watching Harden draw soft fouls. But again, think we will win at least 5 of 7. Fingers crossed.

'Knicks focus should be on players that have grown up playing soccer or cricket' - Triplethreat 8/28/2020
nyvector16
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3/27/2023  5:10 PM    LAST EDITED: 3/27/2023  5:14 PM
I agree, I don't think we would drop two positions to 7.

The other question was what is easier path to 2nd round.
The answer is of course the Cavaliers, which has been discussed a ton.

What has not been discussed is what is the easier path to the Eastern Conference Finals?
The easier path is one that avoids the Bucks until you absolutely have to face them.
Ironically the easier path to the ECF is 76ers(1st rd) and Celtics(2nd rd).
The path via Cleveland, Cavs (1st rd) and Bucks (2nd rd) is more difficult.

Stay in 5th place and go Cavs path, drop to 6th and play 76ers path...
I would not be too upset with dropping one place to play 76ers and let Cavs and whoever comes out of the playin deal with Bucks...

This is really shaping up to be a very interesting end of year for the Knicks.
Clean
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3/27/2023  5:28 PM
nyvector16 wrote:I agree, I don't think we would drop two positions to 7.

The other question was what is easier path to 2nd round.
The answer is of course the Cavaliers, which has been discussed a ton.

What has not been discussed is what is the easier path to the Eastern Conference Finals?
The easier path is one that avoids the Bucks until you absolutely have to face them.
Ironically the easier path to the ECF is 76ers(1st rd) and Celtics(2nd rd).
The path via Cleveland, Cavs (1st rd) and Bucks (2nd rd) is more difficult.

Stay in 5th place and go Cavs path, drop to 6th and play 76ers path...
I would not be too upset with dropping one place to play 76ers and let Cavs and whoever comes out of the playin deal with Bucks...

This is really shaping up to be a very interesting end of year for the Knicks.

I agree. The Bucks scare me the most. We can't stop Giannis and struggle to stop great 3pt shooting teams. They are our worst matchup.
TheGame
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3/27/2023  5:39 PM
KnickDanger wrote:I guess the order of preferred first round opponent for me would be Cavs, Sixers, Celtics, Bucks. But if the Knicks don’t bring their A plus game it won’t matter. If they do we have a shot with anyone.

Listening to Stephen A, the Knicks are destined to play Cleveland so we can all once again focus on the Donovan Mitchell trade. Media knows that will be the best drama, even though I think most REAL Knicks fans are over the Mitchell thing.

Trust the Process
nyvector16
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3/27/2023  7:19 PM
What the Media narrative ignores is that the Knicks would not have even made the playoffs with a gutted team and two undersized wings with little defense in their resumes...
A gutted Knicks team that somewhow squeaks into the playoffs against a fully stocked Cavs deep team..
The conversation would be can the Knicks get a win to avoid the sweep...

Screw the media and the silly narrative...
Philc1
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3/27/2023  8:47 PM
TheGame wrote:
KnickDanger wrote:I guess the order of preferred first round opponent for me would be Cavs, Sixers, Celtics, Bucks. But if the Knicks don’t bring their A plus game it won’t matter. If they do we have a shot with anyone.

Listening to Stephen A, the Knicks are destined to play Cleveland so we can all once again focus on the Donovan Mitchell trade. Media knows that will be the best drama, even though I think most REAL Knicks fans are over the Mitchell thing.

Bring it on.
KnickDanger
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3/27/2023  9:32 PM
TheGame wrote:
KnickDanger wrote:I guess the order of preferred first round opponent for me would be Cavs, Sixers, Celtics, Bucks. But if the Knicks don’t bring their A plus game it won’t matter. If they do we have a shot with anyone.

Listening to Stephen A, the Knicks are destined to play Cleveland so we can all once again focus on the Donovan Mitchell trade. Media knows that will be the best drama, even though I think most REAL Knicks fans are over the Mitchell thing.


Stephen A has become a clown and only a clown. A rich clown also I presume.
Philc1
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3/27/2023  9:44 PM
KnickDanger wrote:
TheGame wrote:
KnickDanger wrote:I guess the order of preferred first round opponent for me would be Cavs, Sixers, Celtics, Bucks. But if the Knicks don’t bring their A plus game it won’t matter. If they do we have a shot with anyone.

Listening to Stephen A, the Knicks are destined to play Cleveland so we can all once again focus on the Donovan Mitchell trade. Media knows that will be the best drama, even though I think most REAL Knicks fans are over the Mitchell thing.


Stephen A has become a clown and only a clown. A rich clown also I presume.

Stephen A as much as I have hated the guy has been right about a bunch of stuff in recent years
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