Amazingly the Knicks are Still Alive in Playoff Race

It may be because of a very weak Eastern Conference this year, especially the free-falling Atlanta Hawks who hold the eighth playoff spot right now, but the putrid New York Knicks season has not been bad enough to eliminate them from the playoff race as we end the month of March. In fact, they are tied in the win column. These guys could actually make the playoffs. They have won seven of ten and look a whole lot better than the Hawks at this point who have lost six straight.

The Knicks are wrapping up their west coast road trip tonight at the Utah Jazz. They will be home on Wednesday against their crosstown rival Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are trying to improve their playoff position. Right now they are second in the Atlantic Division only 2.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors for the division championship. If they can overtake the Raptors they will be guaranteed a home start in the first round. This is a big game for both New York teams.

The Raptors are not going down without a fight though as they have won three in a row. They have three tough ones this week though with the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets and Indiana Pacers. The Raptors need to avoid a three-game slide here.

It is doubtful that the Knicks will get very far even if they make the playoffs. They will be facing either the Pacers or Heat in the first round. But with the history of playoff series past between both of those teams, wouldn’t that be a whole lot more fun than a Pacers vs Hawks or Heat vs Hawks series? Of course it will. If the Knicks do make the playoffs, what will that mean for the future of Carmelo Anthony? Do they try to keep him and bring in players to go with him? Or do they move him and try to get young and talented. Also, will they still fire Mike Woodson and hire a new coach?

The other two team in this Atlantic Division, the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers are looking forward to the NBA Draft. And both should make out very well. With players like Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins, Joel Embiid, Julius Randle and many other talented players, they should be getting better very quickly. The Sixers finally ended their long 26 game losing streak this past week with a 25 point win over the Detroit Pistons. They hope to celebrate something even bigger on the night the ping pong balls are shuffled at the Draft Lottery.