Now that the NCAA tournament is on hiatus for a few days, let me get back to the Knicks. The playoffs begin in less than a month and to say that they aren’t in playoff form would be an understatement. There have been a bunch of headlines lately because of what the Knicks have done since the Carmelo trade, and because of what the Nuggets have done as well. With their most recent loss to Milwaukee, the Knicks are now 7 – 8 since dealing for ‘Melo, while the Nuggets are well above .500.
It’s easy to say “I told you so” if you’re a ‘Melo/Knicks hater, but I sincerely doubt that their record over this last 15-game stretch would be that much better with the guys they traded away because remember, their starting lineup is better now versus before the trade. The Carmelo (and Chauncey) trade made the Knicks relevant, but not a serious contender. Even though ‘Melo and Chauncey been on the team for several weeks, they’re still learning how to play with one another as the Knicks haven’t had that many full practices since the trade. Sprinkle in the fact that Chauncey was out for a handful of games with a thigh bruise and you have a lackluster stretch.
But since we are so close to the playoffs, every game becomes extremely important. The Knicks have been 6th in the East for the majority of the season. Well, not anymore. The Sixers now have a half-game lead on the Knicks who are now in the 7th slot. Right behind them is the Indiana Pacers, but it’s unlikely that the Pacers will catch them (even though Indiana beat the Knicks twice last week).
There isn’t much time left in order to get a good flow going before the playoffs roll around. In addition to the two losses to the Pacers, New York has also lost to Detroit and Milwaukee recently. That’s not good and they have no momentum right now. They’ll end up 6th or 7th, which means they’ll face either Boston, Miami or Chicago in the first round. Let’s just hope they can string a few together before then.
If you’re looking for your everyday, predictable basketball talk, then go somewhere else, because Kevin Burke of The Kevin Burke Project brings provocative, thought provoking content about basketball as only he can. Kevin also hosts The Hoop Doctors weekly podcast show, which you can subscribe to for free on iTunes. Follow Kevin on Twitter and Facebook
