The playoff race in the Eastern Conference is coming to a conclusion, and New York Knicks fans are beginning to get a more solidified picture of what their team's path to a potential championship would look like. New York currently sits a comfortable three games ahead of the Indiana Pacers. Barring some sort of collapse, this is almost certainly where they will finish, especially given the Boston Celtics' seven and a half game lead ahead of them.
So of course, the Knicks are keeping a close eye on that sixth seed as their first round playoff opponent. That team will almost certainly end up being either the Milwaukee Bucks or the Detroit Pistons. New York would likely be favored against the Pistons, but the more experienced core of the Bucks would have the potential to present a more significant challenge. However, some big breaking news from Tuesday serves to change the equation here.
Shams Charania reported on Tuesday evening that Damian Lillard has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf. What this means is that Lillard has a form of blood clot, and he has been put on blood-thinning medication by the Bucks' staff. While there is still the chance for him to return this season, he is now out indefinitely.
Damian Lillard is out indefinitely and could be done for the season
We have to also note that this is the same condition that Victor Wembanyama was diagnosed with in February, and this ailment caused him to be sidelined for the remainder of the season. So while Lillard could make a comeback before the Bucks' 2024-25 campaign ends, we probably should not expect it.
Hopefully, this injury is not a long-term thing and Dame can recover to full health once again. But in the meantime, this does improve the Knicks' odds of success in the playoffs. They will now have a much higher chance of being able to take down Milwaukee if its second-best player is not available.
Should New York defeat the Bucks or Pistons in round one, they would almost certainly be matched up with the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Ultimately, the Knicks have been dealt a solid hand here, and their path to the second round is favorable. Boston is undeniably a difficult matchup, but games are never won on paper.