Though the New York Knicks may be gearing up for their own potential series-clinching game, during these next 24 hours separating now and Thursday's tip-off out in Atlanta, they'll likely be laser-focused on Game 5 between the Magic and Detroit.
In an unexpected turn of events, Orlando has the top-seeded Pistons on the brink of elimination with a 3-1 series lead.
Considering they've already taken away homecourt advantage and are riding into Motor City with momentum heavily on their side, there's a strong possibility that the eighth-seeded Magic could oust Detroit from the postseason as soon as Wednesday night.
In an NBA Finals-of-bust campaign such as this, the Knicks should be more than welcoming to the idea of getting help from outside forces to make their road to the title round as smooth as possible.
With the fact that they finished the season as the number one team out East, and downed New York all three times they squared off against one another by an average margin of victory of plus-28.0, having the Pistons be booted in round one and, in turn, avoiding them altogether in the playoffs would be something of a blessing for Jalen Brunson and company.
Needless to say, heading into Wednesday's matchup and, if necessary, beyond, the Knicks are clearly going to be playing the role of big-time Magic fans.
Celtics regarded as biggest hurdle for Knicks Finals push
Regardless of how the regular season standings may have played out, and whether or not the Pistons find a way to make it out of this first-round dogfight against Orlando, it is widely believed that the two biggest threats in the Eastern Conference during the 2026 playoffs are the Knicks and Celtics.
In fact, the most popular belief among onlookers is that a potential round two matchup between these two clubs should presumably determine one side of the title-round picture, with former Knicks forward Bobby Portis telling the folks at Run it Back that "Whoever wins that second-round matchup between the Celtics and Knicks... will be the team that represents the East in the Finals."
As everyone at this point is well aware, this Knicks core was put together largely to best Boston in a seven-game playoff series.
Last year, they accomplished such a feat in the semifinals via a 3-2 series win.
Though both clubs find themselves making their way through still very active first-round matchups, just one game separates each from advancing.
Having handily won their season series 3-1, New York should feel very confident about their chances in a round two rematch against Boston.
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