The New York Knicks shouldn’t technically need any extra motivation to complete their potential sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 4, but the Cleveland Cavaliers gave them one anyway. By beating the Detroit Pistons in Game 3 and avoiding their own 3-0 coffin, they have opened the door for the Knicks to secure a valuable, and potentially much-needed, rest advantage entering the Eastern Conference Finals.
New York has an opportunity to punch its ticket into the next round by early Sunday evening, May 10. The series between Detroit and Cleveland is now guaranteed to last through Wednesday May 13.
This amounts to an extra three days of rest for the Knicks. And that’s at minimum. If the Cavs can steal at least one more game, their second-round series will run through Friday, May 15. And if Detroit-Cleveland makes it to Game 7, they won’t wrap until Sunday, May 17, giving New York an additional week off compared to whomever it faces next.
Even the shortest-possible rest advantage is a big deal. We know this, because the Knicks have already proved as much.
The Knicks are already reaping the benefits of a rest advantage
New York was the far more rested squad entering its second-round matchup with Philly. The Sixers not only needed to go seven games with the Boston Celtics, but they had to climb out of a 3-1 hole to do so. Â
We all saw what happened as a result: The Knicks gobsmacked Philly by 39 points in Game 1, and have never looked back.Â
Sure, the Sixers are shallower than both the Pistons and Cavs. Joel Embiid was and is also waaaay more hobbled than any of the stars in Detroit and Cleveland. But rest is rest. Especially coming out of an 82-game regular series, and in this case, two additional playoff series.Â
Would Cade Cunningham really be at his best in the conference finals after needing to log 40-plus minutes per game as the Pistons’ offensive engine, and one of their most important defenders? Or would a 36-year-old James Harden shouldering a much-too-heavy offensive workload really be anywhere near his best after going to six or seven games with the Pistons?Â
Maybe. But also: Probably not.
Knicks fans should now be Cavs fansÂ
While Cleveland is the better matchup for New York, this isn’t solely about holding out hope the Cavs come back to upend the Pistons.Â
A distinct rest advantage is more important if the Knicks end up squaring off against the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. Detroit plays the most disruptive and physical defense this side of Oklahoma City, if not in the entire league. New York will be much better off tussling with the Pistons if it’s not coming out of an unnecessarily prolonged set against Philly in which it’s playing a game every other day.
This says nothing of the OG Anunoby factor. The Knicks have bought him more time to recover from his right hamstring strain by winning Game 3. Closing out the Sixers as soon as possible, increases the likelihood that he’s ready to rock when the stakes are even higher, and in the event Detroit awaits, when the Knicks are facing an opponent they’ll be hard-pressed to beat without him.
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