Knicks · Countdown to 50 wins. March 26: 43-28, 4th seed. We getting there and where we landing? (page 5)

martin @ 4/10/2024 6:02 PM
DLeethal @ 4/10/2024 6:19 PM
martin wrote:

I think it's more likely that Bucks freefall than ORL losing those 2 games against them. The game against Philly is huge. I think we basically want every team to do OK and have the standings not change much. We don't want any 0-3 finishes or 3-0 finishes. A bunch of 1-2 and 2-1 and we're good.

MaTT4281 @ 4/10/2024 7:20 PM
DLeethal wrote:
martin wrote:

I think it's more likely that Bucks freefall than ORL losing those 2 games against them. The game against Philly is huge. I think we basically want every team to do OK and have the standings not change much. We don't want any 0-3 finishes or 3-0 finishes. A bunch of 1-2 and 2-1 and we're good.


Best case scenario, which isn't too difficult to envision: Philly jumps Indy for 6th, Bucks drop (3rd, 4th, don't care), Knicks nab #2 and Indy beats out Miami in the first play in game.

Indy, Bucks/Magic, Celtics, whoever wins out in the West, parade

DLeethal @ 4/10/2024 10:09 PM
Magic lose handily to short handed Bucks. Heat lose and are locked into playin now. Cavs win.

2 seed further away and matchup with PHI is closer to reality. Need Magic to pull a win out of their hat against Philly.

CLE, PHI, IND, ORL might see a multi team tie of sorts

DLeethal @ 4/10/2024 10:10 PM
Also Knicks clinched top 6 tonight.
technomaster @ 4/10/2024 11:38 PM
Oh boy. It's messy! :) The best news is that we've clinched top-6 seed. Woo hoo.

As of 10:47pm on Wednesday:
Bucks: 2 games. Thunder, Magic. (Bucks own tie breaker) - Giannis out for remainder of regular season.
Knicks: 3 games. Boston, Nets, Bulls.
Cavs: 2 games. Pacers, Hornets. (Knicks own tie breaker; Cavs have tie breaker over Sixers) Mitchell came back tonight and had a big game.
Magic: 2 games. Sixers, Bucks. (Magic own tie breaker over Knicks) - NEED TO WIN 1 game to avoid being overtaken by Sixers. Franz Wagner has missed games w/ an ankle sprain.
Pacers: 2 games. Cavs, Hawks. (Pacers own tie breaker over Knicks; Pacers own tie breaker over Sixers) - NEED TO WIN 1 game to avoid being overtaken by Sixers.
Sixers: 2 games. Magic, Nets. (Knicks own tie breaker over Sixers; Sixers own tie breaker over Magic) - NEED TO WIN OUT + need help to get to 6th seed.
Miami: 2 games. Raptors, Raptors.
Bulls: 3 games. Pistons, Wizards, Knicks.
Hawks: 2 games. Wolves, Pacers.

About taking care of business:
The Celtics have clinched a 60 win season and HCA throughout playoffs. They have nothing to play for. I doubt we see KP for the remainder of the season.
The Nets will want to play spoilers - this could actually be the toughest game where the Nets leave it all on the court. We'll be playing @Boston, so there's travel time involved in the back to back.
The Bulls will LIKELY have clinched 9th seed by virtue of beating the Pistons & Wizards... making the last game meaningless.

I read an article about the Sixers, and the gist basically is:
The Sixers need to WIN BOTH GAMES *AND* either Orlando loses all remaining games OR Indiana to either win out or lose out.

There are some fascinating bits here:
* The Sixers are the hottest team at the moment, having won 6 in a row; followed by the Pacers (won 3 in a row, 7-3 in last 10)
* RJ and Quickley have a chance to help Miami start on the road during the play-in tournament. :) (I bet RJ won't play in both of those games)

As far as who do we want to play? Well, it's pretty weird.
The 2nd seed gets you the first winner of the play-in tournament. Likely will be the winner of the Sixers or Heat. Both are pretty dangerous - Embiid had this year's injury earlier than normal, and seems to be healthy heading into the playoffs. The Heat have 2 seasons of deep playoff runs - and killed us last year.

The 3rd-6th seeds would have us match up with Cavs/Pacers/Magic. I think we can handle the Cavs, esp with Mitch back. Pacers and Magic both beat us in the regular season.

We have OG and Mitch back - and with Randle out so long, we've adjusted to playing a quick brand of ball with 4 smalls and 1 big. We've undergone a major team revolution.

gradyandrew @ 4/11/2024 3:33 AM
The math is making my head explode. Knicks can move up to second by winning two and the Bucks losing two.

Celtics played their regular guys vs Milwaukee and lost. Not sure if it makes it more or less likely for them to run their regular rotation tonight.

Even with Giannis out, they easily handled Orlando.

All things equal the three seed looks better than the two right now, but who knows how it all plays out.

VDesai @ 4/11/2024 5:42 AM
gradyandrew wrote:The math is making my head explode. Knicks can move up to second by winning two and the Bucks losing two.

Celtics played their regular guys vs Milwaukee and lost. Not sure if it makes it more or less likely for them to run their regular rotation tonight.

Even with Giannis out, they easily handled Orlando.

All things equal the three seed looks better than the two right now, but who knows how it all plays out.

Bucks have the tie breaker and are 1 ahead in the loss column. They need to lose their last 2 and we need to win our last 3 for us to finish no.2. They play the Thunder and the Magic. Its not impossible, but its unlikely.

There's a decent chance Philly is 6 and we are 3. We cant control anything, but in my view finishing with home court in rd 1 is most important.

DLeethal @ 4/11/2024 7:11 AM
Let’s go Magic. Win a damn game.
DLeethal @ 4/11/2024 7:12 AM
We are close to locked in to 3rd seed. A great place to be if PHI doesn’t sneak into 6th. Odds are still relatively low and they don’t control their own destiny let’s hope they get bounced out of top 6 next game.
martin @ 4/11/2024 7:52 AM
DLeethal @ 4/11/2024 8:15 AM
martin wrote:

Basically 70% chance we play Magic, Pacers, or Cavs. I'll take that for now. That could change dramatically after 1 more game played though.

martin @ 4/11/2024 9:03 AM
Philc1 @ 4/11/2024 2:41 PM
Need to hold onto 3 seed
Philc1 @ 4/11/2024 2:42 PM
DLeethal wrote:
martin wrote:

Basically 70% chance we play Magic, Pacers, or Cavs. I'll take that for now. That could change dramatically after 1 more game played though.

Not worried about Pacers especially if we have home court. Magic and Cavs concern me

martin @ 4/11/2024 2:43 PM
Moonangie @ 4/11/2024 3:19 PM
I actually don't care who we play...2-seed FTW! We have shown we can play with anybody. Playoffs is where we take our game up a notch.
Chandler @ 4/11/2024 4:10 PM
i'm more focused on Orlando being the 4 seed. they play the celts tough and might do us a favor (assuming we are 2 or 3)
technomaster @ 4/11/2024 7:43 PM
Philc1 wrote:
DLeethal wrote:
martin wrote:

Basically 70% chance we play Magic, Pacers, or Cavs. I'll take that for now. That could change dramatically after 1 more game played though.

Not worried about Pacers especially if we have home court. Magic and Cavs concern me

The funny part is that the Magic odds are higher than the rest because of the possibility that we face them as either the 3rd seed as well as with us melting down to the 6th seed.

Regarding the Pacers, we have 2 players that know all of Siakim’s tendencies in Precious and OG. And we have a few options to throw at Halliburton.

MaTT4281 @ 4/11/2024 7:47 PM
technomaster wrote:
Philc1 wrote:
DLeethal wrote:
martin wrote:

Basically 70% chance we play Magic, Pacers, or Cavs. I'll take that for now. That could change dramatically after 1 more game played though.

Not worried about Pacers especially if we have home court. Magic and Cavs concern me

The funny part is that the Magic odds are higher than the rest because of the possibility that we face them as either the 3rd seed as well as with us melting down to the 6th seed.

Regarding the Pacers, we have 2 players that know all of Siakim’s tendencies in Precious and OG. And we have a few options to throw at Halliburton.

One of which being Wally.

martin @ 4/11/2024 9:44 PM
Someone did math

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