It’s already common knowledge at this point that ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith is a huge New York Knicks fan, given that he grew up in the area. In an Eastern Conference that features an elite Boston Celtics team, he shared his confidence on ESPN’s “first take” of the Knicks making an underdog appearance in the conference finals as the biggest rival from Boston.
For the moment, the New York Knicks occupy fourth place (41-27) in the Eastern Conference standings, winners of six games in their last 10 games. With the Celtics being one of the most dominant teams early in the season, Smith argued that a healthy Knicks team could make for an interesting matchup.
“If the New York Knicks recover, I think they will be the number one threat to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference,” Smith said. “I think they’ll go to the conference finals.”
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However, Smith mentioned that the team must first get their injury issues under control if they want to challenge the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals.
Julius Randle (shoulder) and Mitchell Robinson (ankle) remain sidelined as they continue to recover from injuries. No definitive return timetable has been provided by the team’s medical staff.
Additionally, OG Anunoby’s elbow suffered during Thursday night’s 105-93 win over the Portland Trail Blazers and is expected to miss time. He had already missed 18 games due to injury and surgery. Additionally, the New York Knicks are 15-2 when he is on the court.
What are the New York Knicks’ chances of reaching the Eastern Conference Finals?
Looking at the Eastern Conference playing field, the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks have the necessary elements to support their cause, from superstars to impressive regular season records.
Regardless, there are still some underdogs in the conference who have something to say about the odds stacked against them, like the New York Knicks.
So what are the Knicks’ chances of reaching the Eastern Conference Finals? According to FanDuel, they have New York with the fourth-best odds at +1100 to make an appearance in the ECF.
Additionally, the Boston Celtics hold the best odds at -130, the Milwaukee Bucks come in second with +310, and the Cleveland Cavaliers in third place with odds of +1000.
Currently, the New York Knicks sit 14th in offense (116.5) in the NBA, but have more than made up for it with an imposing defensive identity, rivaling the best in the league. Their defensive prowess ranks seventh in the league (112.0).
Led by All-Star Jalen BrunsonThe Knicks certainly have a chance to make things interesting in the playoffs, but it will take tremendous effort from everyone on the roster, especially demanding they be at full strength.
