The Knicks weren’t in action on Wednesday, but it was still a big night for the franchise, which clinched a playoff spot for the second consecutive year as a result of Miami’s loss to Dallas, as Peter Botte of The New York Post writes.
Although the Knicks are assured of avoiding the play-in tournament now that they’ve locked up their playoff berth, much is still to be determined in the final four days of the regular season — New York could finish anywhere from second to sixth in the Eastern Conference, depending on how the team’s final three games play out. Jalen Brunson indicated on Tuesday that the Knicks don’t plan to take their foot off the gas.
“I just think as we get close to the end of the season, we’ve been talking about not jogging to the finish line, just sprinting to it,” Brunson said. “So making sure we’re playing as hard as we can, getting better every single day. And we got to make sure our minds are ready to go.”
The Knicks are in Boston on Thursday before wrapping up the regular season with home games against Brooklyn on Friday and Chicago on Sunday. Even if they don’t lose any of those three contests, they’d need some help from Milwaukee to move up to No. 2 in the East, but they’d finish no lower than No. 3 by winning out.
“We want to win every game, so we play every game to win,” OG Anunoby said after Tuesday’s victory. “We don’t really worry about anything else. Just try to win every game.”
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- After missing an extended stretch of games due to an elbow injury, Anunoby looked like his old self on Tuesday vs. Chicago. He scored 24 points and made four three-pointers while registering a +12 plus/minus mark in an 11-point victory. As Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post writes, the three-and-D standout is rounding back into form at the perfect time for the Knicks, who are 17-3 when Anunoby has played.
- After receiving all three of his contract bonuses a year ago, Isaiah Hartenstein has achieved the feat again in 2023/24, earning a total of $1.05MM in incentives, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Hartenstein’s bonuses are for playing at least 1,350 minutes, his team winning at least 40 games, and his team making the playoffs. Since all three were considered likely to be earned entering the season, his cap hit of $9,245,121 remains unchanged.
- Knicks forward Julius Randle underwent successful surgery on his injured right shoulder on Tuesday, a source tells Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter link). He’ll be reevaluated in September, as the team announced last week.
As it stands right now, I would rather the Knicks be in the 3 seed than the 2. The 3 seed would put them against the Pacers. A tough battle, but the 2 seed would put them against the 76ers with a healthy Embiid. Either way, Bucks will be eliminated in the first round.
Things can’t stand as they are right now, they’re games that will move things one way or the other. E.g., I believe PHI would be the 6 seed (over ORL at least) if they beat ORL at home on Friday, and then BKN at home on Sunday. I consider that more likely than not.
I mean, that’s why I said, “as it stands right now”. Because things will move. But yeah, Knicks should (and will) be gunning for that 2 seed regardless. 76ers will be a problem if Embiid is healthy enough to play.
If BOS decides to play their A-team, which I believe they are likely to do, and hope they do, then it’s a big game for the NYK. I consider it like a dry run for a road playoff game against a more talented opponent. The NYK rotation players have good natural chemistry, but there’s no 5 man group that’s played together a lot, so that chemistry hasn’t really be tested. Less important that they win the game than that they take it into the last few minutes.
No we need to win and send a message. Celtics are best team in East and NBA. Plus they have handled us well. Time to man up
Boston laid an egg against the Bucks. I don’t think they care about playing their A team. I think they’d rather play them some minutes to keep them in rhythm but play the bench most of the game.
“rct”
December 30, 2023
Only silver lining is that IQ is a FA at season’s end. Otherwise I don’t understand this move at all. Shockingly bad trade for the Knicks. Better be something else in the works because this makes them a worse team.”
Considering we are a worse team NOW ……
Why would you even be HERE. I doubt you even watch this team ……
In the playoffs you always want hm court. So you get as high a seed as you can. That’s 2 if possible. Pacers are not beating Knicks. Sixers are not beating Knicks. Only a healthy Bucks team can. And only a healthy Celtics team can. Healthy Cavs team is also dangerous to me. All this only plays out. If Knicks are healthy too.
rct —— fact you don’t understand why Quickley gets moved. Means you don’t know my team at all. I told you then. Brunson is HERE. McBride is ready to backup. So it’s a win win for us to trade Quickley and RJ. Quickley not only could start for a team. But he was due a contract. You just didn’t get any of this.
Trade For a great fit OG and backup PF to Randle. A guy you called worthless. We even got Bogdanovic out of this trade.
Now you are already cancelling the Bucks. Without knowing if Giannis is coming back. Haven’t you learned to access all information before trashing the game and players yet.
See ……. now this is what Clueless looks like……. rct
Get me .
Hindsight is 20/20. Grow up. And I’m sure he wasn’t the only one thinking the trade was a mistake at the time. I questioned it as well. And I’m still questioning the Detroit deal, even with Fournier finally sent off.
He’s the only who talked trash about it. And threw insults my way. And at me trying to make him understand the trade. And now he’s at it again. So GFY cause we have already done this. You show me respect. I will show you respect. I’m can’t help I know more than both you combined .
“You show me respect. I will show you respect.”
You literally show no one on this board respect. You CONSTANTLY talk trash about everyone and say that no one “knows ball” except you. You are an absolute joke.
And I stand by part of my opinion. RJ and IQ have balled out for the Raptors. OG has been great but the Knicks gave up too much.
Question the Detroit deal …….
Really ……. does anything more have to be said. Grow basketball intelligence
Grow basketball intelligence, eh? Like when you said Hartenstein couldn’t carry the load? Like when you wanted the Knicks to get Spencer Dinwiddie? Like when you wanted the Knicks to get Westbrook when he still had his $47 million/year contract?
You are sharp as a cue ball, Al.
Congrats to Knicks for clinching 6th seed. Healthy Knicks team has a shot for the East Finals. That would be major for us. I’m just taking it one series at a time. 2nd seed is there for taking. So I know Thibs will go for it. I know the TEAM will go for it. It starts tonight. Celtics have handled us well. We need to send a message tonight. NYK
Get well Julius. Wish you were here for this. Just Be ready for next yr. Cause it will be even better ……. God speed