In a marathon NBA campaign, games can blur together, but over their next two games, the Knicks can put a stamp on their regular season and spread hope for the postseason.
First up, on Wednesday, is a Garden matchup against the seventh-seeded Heat, who lurk three games behind the Knicks. If the Knicks want to take firm control of the fifth-place seed which they now hold, a win (which essentially would count double because it would guarantee them the tiebreaker over the Heat, too) will be critical.
Because the Heat lost in Toronto on Tuesday, the Nets moved into sixth place in the Eastern Conference, 2 ¹/₂ games behind the Knicks. The Nets and Knicks won’t play again this regular season.
Barring several upsets, the Knicks and Heat likely won’t face off in the postseason.
Instead, the game Wednesday will be the rivalry’s brightest spotlight of the season.
“It’ll definitely have that playoff-type atmosphere for sure,” Immanuel Quickley said after the Knicks victory Monday over the Rockets, which calmed some fears around the team. “Miami is a very good team. I think we’re ready for that challenge.”
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After the showdown, coach Tom Thibodeau’s crew will head to Cleveland for a game Friday against Donovan Mitchell and the fourth-place Cavaliers. That’s a likely first-round playoff preview, if the Knicks (43-33) can steer clear of the Heat and Nets.
Batting leadoff, though, are the Heat. The Knicks topped that familiar opponent twice this season before they lost a matchup in Miami last week.
A win would give the Knicks the head-to-head tiebreaker.
A loss would open the door for the Heat, who likely would own the next tiebreaker as the Southeast Division leader: Division winners get the edge over also-rans, and the Knicks trail the Celtics and 76ers in the Atlantic.
“If we get this one, it’ll put us even in a better position, especially with just losing to them,” RJ Barrett said. “It’s definitely a focus.”
Jalen Brunson is questionable for the matchup after he missed two straight games with a sprained right hand. The star point guard wore a brace over his right hand and wrist Monday in his latest injury concern.
He has missed seven of the past 11 games, first with a bruised left foot, and now the wrist concern.
The Knicks have lost six of those 11 games, including three straight prior to the destruction of Houston.
The Heat will be playing on the tail end of a back-to-back. Jimmy Butler — who has scored 10, 33 and 35 points in the three battles with the Knicks this season — sat out Tuesday with neck soreness, though it would be difficult to imagine the gutsy star forward missing the most important game of the Heat’s season.
“He’s a good player, he’s a smart player, he’s someone who’s physical but also shifty,” Josh Hart said. “He knows his angles and those kind of things. He’s tough. … He’s a heck of a player.”
Kyle Lowry, who has left knee soreness, played 24:29 off the bench Tuesday and told reporters he has not been cleared by doctors to play on consecutive days. So the guard likely will sit as the Knicks and Heat finish up their season series.
“Playing a team your fourth time is basically almost like a playoff series. You know what the other team is going to run,” Quickley said. “Basically just coming out, gotta be the hungrier team.
“We know Miami is a great team. We think we’re a really good team as well.”
The Knicks don’t have any back-to-backs remaining this season and, as of Tuesday afternoon, had the 14th-easiest schedule (their opponents have a .497 winning percentage) the rest of the way. After this challenging week, the Knicks will have home games against the Wizards and Pacers, and road games at Indiana and New Orleans.
The Heat, and particularly the Nets, will have easier finishes to the season.
Of the Nets’ final seven opponents, just the Timberwolves (39-37) and 76ers (49-26) boast winning records — and the matchup with third-seeded Philadelphia will be the season finale, so it is possible the Nets will face a diluted version of the Sixers.
Such scenarios would only become relevant if the Knicks can’t lock up the fifth seed.
With a win Wednesday, the Knicks could all but clinch a drama-free finish to the regular season and a hopeful beginning to the postseason.