Knicks Playoff Picture 2021: Scenarios For Postseason Appearance, Chances Celtics Pass NY

The New York Knicks are on the verge of making their first playoff appearance in eight years. Only a late-season collapse can keep the beleaguered franchise out of the 2021 NBA playoffs.

The Knicks are guaranteed to make the play-in tournament, at worst. The team’s magic number for earning a top-six seed and heading straight to the playoffs after the regular season is down to one.

A single Knicks’ win or a loss by the Boston Celtics, the Eastern Conference’s No. 7 seed, would send New York back to the playoffs.

That means the Knicks have a chance to clinch a postseason berth before they play again. Boston visits the Cleveland Cavaliers Wednesday night. The Celtics will be without three of their top four scorers.

The Celtics have ruled out Marcus Smart (Right Calf Contusion), Kemba Walker (Left Knee Injury Management) and Robert Williams (Turf Toe) for tonight's game vs. the Cavs. And, of course, they'll be without Jaylen Brown.

If Boston losses, the Knicks will clinch a playoff berth.
— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) May 12, 2021

Knicks now tied with the Hawks and Heat for the 4th seed in the East. They're all 38-31. They're 3 games up on the No. 7 Celtics with 3 games to go. Hawks would get the 4-seed in this scenario while Knicks slide to 6th. But 3 games left to sort it out. pic.twitter.com/EEnxf37p9M
— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) May 12, 2021

The Celtics visit the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday.

New York returns home Thursday night for a matchup with the San Antonio Spurs. It’s the start of a three-game homestand to end the season. The Knicks lost a heartbreaker to the Los Angeles Lakers in overtime Tuesday night, going 3-3 on their final road trip of the season.

The Knicks host the Minnesota Timberwolves Saturday. If New York loses its next two games and Boston wins two contests in a row, all eyes will be on Sunday’s contest at Madison Square Garden.

The Celtics will visit the Knicks on Sunday in the regular-season finale. There’s a chance the East’s No. 6 seed will be on the line.

New York has its eyes on more than just avoiding the play-in tournament. The Knicks are aiming to get the East’s No. 4 seed and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

The Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat and New York all share the same 38-31 record. Tiebreaker scenarios put the Knicks behind both teams.

Should the Knicks and Hawks finish with the same record, New York would win the tiebreaker.

The Knicks have finished at least 18 games under .500 in six straight seasons. New York has only one playoff series victory in the last two decades.

Julius Randle has led the way for New York. Averaging 24. points, 10.2 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game, Randle is the heavy favorite to win the Most Improved Player award.

Defense has been a key ingredient to the Knicks' success under head coach Tom Thibodeau. No team gives up fewer points per game than the Knicks.

“They’re a great defensive team," New Orleans Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy said of the Knicks in April. “[Thibodeau] has done his usual spectacular job in terms of raising the competitive level of his team.”

The Knicks have the 14th-best odds to win the title at 80/1 odds, according to betting site Vegas Insider.