New York Knicks: Are the playoffs realistic in 2019-20?

By Anirudh Subramanian | Oct 15, 2019

WASHINGTON, DC -¬ OCTOBER 7: New York Knicks stands for the national anthem before the game against the Washington Wizards during the preseason on October 7, 2019 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Do the New York Knicks stand a chance at making the 2020 NBA playoffs?

The New York Knicks are about to start their 2019-20 season. The past few years have been tough to watch. However, with the preseason alone, it seems the Knicks may have turned a corner; more effort exists and there is just a better on-court product. The defensive intensity and effort level will get them wins on nights other teams don’t bring it.

The Knicks actually have a team now. Does that lead them to making the playoffs?

This may be the deepest roster the orange and blue have had in years; they go 10-12 deep and have a legit bench that many contenders would love to have.

The depth and options for David Fizdale will help them in the long, brutal NBA season, thus being able to handle inevitable injuries. The team may lack a superstar, but it is reminiscent of the 2018-19 Brooklyn Nets that surprised many. Players like Spencer Dinwiddie, D’Angelo Russell and Caris LeVert really turned heads. It even led Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant to the crosstown rivals.

The Knicks have that same feel with Julius Randle, the unknown potential All-Star, and Dennis Smith Jr., ready to be the next great point guard for the Knicks, plus the young talents of Mitchell Robinson, RJ Barrett and Kevin Knox.

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This Knicks team has plenty of pieces, including Randle, veteran presences from Taj Gibson and Marcus Morris. They also have sharpshooters in Wayne Ellington and Reggie Bullock, once he returns from injury.

For Knicks fans, the combination of youth and established players will be fun to watch. I also love the way, at times, they have played in the preseason, bringing energy each night and that goes a long way over a course of a season.

The roster provides them the potential but the conference makes it more plausible. Looking at the Eastern Conference it is once again top heavy. The guarantees for the playoffs are the Bucks, Sixers, Pacers, Celtics and Nets. From the other end, the Cavs, Hawks, Hornets, Wizards and Bulls are not good teams and I assume they occupy the bottom of the conference.

That leaves the Heat, Raptors, Pistons, Magic as teams competing with the Knicks to make the playoffs. That is five teams for three spots.

Overall, the Knicks will be a superior team this year. It can’t be overstated that they have a deeper roster with actual NBA-caliber players. No more G-League guys coming off the bench or fringe professional talents. Instead, there are players like Bobby Portis, Knox and Smith Jr., when the starters get their break.

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The NBA season is a marathon, and the New York Knicks have the depth that makes them at least a contestant in the race. They won 17 games last year, which they can easily shatter. They can, realistically, hit 30-33 wins, with a ceiling of 42-43 wins which would make the 2019 playoffs. The Knicks finally have an exciting team and could be one of the dark-horse squads to make the postseason.

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