Knicks Playoff Picture 2021: Scenarios For Postseason Appearance, Chances Celtics Pass NY
05/12/21 AT 4:22 PM
The New York Knicks are on the verge of making their first playoff appearance in eight years. Only a late-season collapse can keep the beleaguered franchise out of the 2021 NBA playoffs.
The Knicks are guaranteed to make the play-in tournament, at worst. The team’s magic number for earning a top-six seed and heading straight to the playoffs after the regular season is down to one.
A single Knicks’ win or a loss by the Boston Celtics, the Eastern Conference’s No. 7 seed, would send New York back to the playoffs.
In this part, we will focus primarily on predictions for the team and what things may make or break the season. Thanks, and we hope you enjoy the preview! Related
5. We talked about best and worst-case scenarios in Part One yesterday. So how well do you think the Mystics will actually do this season?
None of the writers in our panel believe the Mystics will win the WNBA championship this year, though it isn’t out of the question either. If anything, we’re thinking the Aces are the preseason favorites.
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
Steph: I see them losing in the semifinals. This year’s group is very good but I think some teams like the Lynx, Sky and Aces have strengthened so much in the offseason that it will be difficult to do better than them. Though I said it will be difficult for Washington to make the Finals, it will not be impossible.
Playoff basketball is finally coming back to Madison Square Garden.
The New York Knicks clinched a spot in the NBA playoffs when the Boston Celtics lost Wednesday night to fall 3½ games behind New York with two games left. The playoff berth is the Knicks first since 2013, completing a quick turnaround under first-year coach Tom Thibodeau and a new front office.
The Knicks are sixth in the Eastern Conference, tied with the Miami Heat at 38-31. The Heat are fifth due to owning the head-to-head tiebreaker, but Miami and New York are each just a half-game behind the Atlanta Hawks for fourth.
Pistons set to extend coach Dwane Casey through 2023-24 season
Updated May 12, 2021;
Detroit hired Casey, 64, in June 2018 when they were in the midst of a playoff push. In three seasons, Casey is 81-137, but the team has pivoted toward a full rebuild.
The Pistons are 20-50 this season but have seen the emergence of rookies Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart, Saben Lee and more recently Killian Hayes. Both Bey and Stewart are in discussion for this season’s All-Rookie selections. Hayes, who returned from injury last month, has shown progress, including increased scoring.
Vetrean Jerami Grant also has carved out an expanded offensive role this season that has pushed him into the Most Improved Player discussion.