Just think about the fact that it is the second round of the NBA Playoffs, and the Knicks are not only in the playoffs, but they’re actually the higher seed, and have homecourt! This is literally the second time that this has happened for the Knicks in almost thirty years! The 1993-94 Knicks had homecourt in the second round of the playoffs and then, the last time that the Knicks made the second round, in 2013 (thanks, Z-Man’s son!), they had the homecourt over the Pacers. Three times in nearly 30 years!! How insane is that?
Granted, this time it is only because of a flukish #8 seed over #1 seed upset, but, well, still, right? Holy shit!
But, of course, when they had homecourt in the 2013 Playoffs, they lost, so that shows you what will happen this time around.
The Knicks are bound to get swept by the Heat. That was, after all, what happened in 1999, when the Knicks themselves were the #8 seed who upset a #1 seed in the first round (the NBA didn’t care about the Heat, so they allowed the five-game series to remain back then, only going to seven games in the first round when it might have put the Los Angeles Lakers in danger). The Knicks then swept the #4-seeded Atlanta Hawks in the second round. So presumably the same will happen this time around, as well.
The Knicks and the Heat have played each other in the playoffs five times. The first four series all went the maximum length, but the Heat won the last one in 2012 in five games. The Knicks are up 3-2, so clearly, this both means that the Heat are due and that the trend is towards a sweep, so the Heat will likely sweep.
The Heat are playing without Tyler Herro this series, but the Kmicks are without Julius Randle in Game 1, so that, too, favors the Heat.
You have to give the Knicks a ton of credit getting this far. But credit only goes so far, and the Heat will collect the bill in this series. I’d predict the Heat in three games, but that is not a possibility, so instead, the Heat will win in four games.
However, while the Knicks are doomed, I will still say (not that it matters at all), let’s go, Knicks!