I don’t see Miami having it easy, either. I think this years playoffs might the best since the early ’90s.

The funny part now is if the Knicks do finish 2nd their most likely 1st round opponent is of course the Celtics. Maybe the Knicks should finish 3rd, play the Hawks or Nets in 1st round and hope the Celtics beat the Pacers lol.

We need that 2nd seed. Indiana has a team of loudmouths and a Knicks-Pacers playoff series will have both buildings on fire in May. We need to have home court advantage against that defense.

Frank: I really like this line of thinking. Hopefully this is right, and the 15-15 is an aberration.I do believe that having guys injured midseason (especially all semblance of any centers behind Chandler) has really thrown this team off.

The 2010-11 Mavericks started the season 24-5.

They then went 2-9, losing by 10 or more points six times. (A stretch where Dirk, Haywood, and Chandler all missed some time)

They had another four game losing streak at the end of the year.

The 2008-09 Nuggets started the season 37-17, but had a 3-8 stretch with multiple blowouts in late February and March.

The Knicks probably aren’t a true 60 win team, but they aren’t a 45 win team, either.

30 games is barely a third of the season. Let’s see what the Knicks do in the final third, after a great first third and a below average middle third.

Remember, the Knicks made their run last year when the schedule was most difficult and under similar circumstances.

ruruland: It’s somewhere in-between. The key is playing to their potential near the end of the season and not having to face a juggernaut in the first round.

Moreover, I actually think this stretch of rotten shooting and porous defense has actually forced the Knicks to rediscover their defensive identity from last year. That’s coming along, and yes, Martin/Camby for 20-30 minutes a night will make a nice difference.

I really like this line of thinking. Hopefully this is right, and the 15-15 is an aberration. I do believe that having guys injured midseason (especially all semblance of any centers behind Chandler) has really thrown this team off.

jon abbey: 15-15 in their last 30, that’s a long stretch of mediocre ball, and they’ll be lucky to play .500 over the next 12 games. that’s more than half a season, that’s not a small sample size.

51-26 under Woodson, started 36-11 (60+ win pace to start his tenure).

They’ve regressed — which should have been assumed given Amar’es absence, Wallace and Camby being out, Felton’s injury — but you don’t go from championship caliber team that has the Heat and Spurs number to one that is barely good enough to make the playoffs in a matter of a couple of months.

It’s somewhere in-between. The key is playing to their potential near the end of the season and not having to face a juggernaut in the first round.

Moreover, I actually think this stretch of rotten shooting and porous defense has actually forced the Knicks to rediscover their defensive identity from last year. That’s coming along, and yes, Martin/Camby for 20-30 minutes a night will make a nice difference.

ruruland:
Here we are, the Knicks in the third place in the conference, a game back of second place, and this is what we’re talking about?

15-15 in their last 30, that’s a long stretch of mediocre ball, and they’ll be lucky to play .500 over the next 12 games. that’s more than half a season, that’s not a small sample size.