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4 Eastern Conference rivals Knicks should finish over in standings

By Jordanna Clark

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 11: Josh Hart #3 and RJ Barrett #9 of the New York Knicks high five during the fourth quarter against the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden on February 11, 2023 in New York City. 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. (Photo by Evan Yu/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 11: Josh Hart #3 and RJ Barrett #9 of the New York Knicks high five during the fourth quarter against the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden on February 11, 2023 in New York City. 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. (Photo by Evan Yu/Getty Images) /
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New York Knicks, Josh Hart
Josh Hart, New York Knicks. (Photo by Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports) /

1: Brooklyn Nets

All is right again in New York City as the Knicks are back on top after both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant requested a trade and were dealt ahead of the deadline. Brooklyn got a couple of quality players in return, such as Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, but the team is no longer the threat that it once was.

The Nets are the only team on this list that sits above the Knicks in the standings. Brooklyn is the fifth-best team in the conference with a 34-24 record. While the Nets could still make the playoffs, the Knicks should be able to outperform them in the final stretch of the season.

Since the trade deadline, Brooklyn has a 2-2 record that includes a 124-106 loss to New York, the first time that the Nets have lost to the Knicks since 2020. Brooklyn will have a chance to redeem itself on March 1 when the team returns to the Garden to take on the Knicks, but a win is no longer a given for this Nets team.

Thanks to being kept afloat by Irving in Durant’s injury absence, Brooklyn isn’t in a bad place. However, the Nets could easily slip down the standings between now and the end of the regular season in April.

The Irving/KD/Harden era concluded in Brooklyn without a title to the delight of Knicks fans. A bonus would be if New York were to surpass Brooklyn in the East, which is what should take place.

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