The Knicks have less than a quarter of the regular season left to play, but their playoff seeding in the Eastern Conference is far from set in stone. New York holds a record of 41-25 and the third seed in the East. According to Basketball Reference, the Knicks have about a 50% chance to secure the third seed, a 30% chance to fall to the fourth seed, and a 20% chance to rise into the second seed.
Despite the numbers, the odds of New York elevating to the second seed seem higher when looking at the Knicks remaining schedule. Their chances to rise in the standings look even better after checking in on the current second-seeded Boston Celtics' upcoming games.
Boston faces a gauntlet of good teams to close out the season
The Celtics have the third-hardest remaining strength of schedule in the NBA. Some of the Celtics' daunting opponents are the Spurs, Timberwolves, Suns, Thunder twice, surging Hornets twice, and a game against the Knicks that could be pivotal to the conference standings.
Currently 2 and a half games behind Boston, the Knicks have the third-easiest remaining schedule in the league with 16 games left. The teams New York should expect to overpower on the schedule include the Nets, Wizards, Jazz, Pelicans, and Pacers twice.
Earning the #2 seed makes the playoffs look a lot different for New York
If the Knicks are able to finish hot, with some help from their rivals' opponents, they can change their outlook on the postseason. This Knicks team has championship expectations, so the first-round opponent should not matter too much.
The second-round is where the future second-seed will truly start to see the benefits of their position in the standings. This matchup will most likely be Knicks vs. Celtics, assuming both championship caliber teams beat weaker opponents in the first-round. The eventual second-seed will benefit from home court advantage, and location has been critical for the Knicks all season long.
New York holds a win percentage of about 72% when at Madison Square Garden this year. On the road, that number drops to 53%. The Celtics are a bit more consistent playing in different locations this season. Boston holds about a 68% victory rate in TD Garden, and a 65% win percentage as the visiting team.
Do not expect a potential Celtics series to go as smoothly as last years'
The Knicks were able to steal games one and two from the Celtics in last seasons' eventual second-round victory. However, those two key wins were a result of unlikely late-game comebacks. Relying on Boston to miss uncharacteristic open shots and heroic performances from Knicks players in the final minutes is not a recipe for success.
The Celtics are a force on the defensive end, holding opponents to the least points per game in the league this season (107). They've been more successful than the Knicks so this year, without their best player for the vast majority of the season.
As Jayson Tatum makes his historically fast return, this squad led by former NBA champions should not be viewed as "just" a team the Knicks beat in the postseason last year. Although Boston remains a top threat to New York's title hopes, the Knicks have a chance to get their rivals right where they want them - in Madison Square Garden.
If Mike Brown and his squad can win the games they should as the regular season winds down, the Knicks can set themselves up for the best chance possible to make it back to the Eastern Conference Finals.