For these battle-scarred Knicks, fighting for the No. 2 seed was the only option

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NEW YORK — If you have been around the arena or simply following along on your screen of choice, there was no question how the Knicks would approach their regular-season finale against Chicago on Sunday afternoon. There was no whiff of particular matchup jockeying in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. This team, under this coach, led by this MVP candidate, saw the Bulls’ red jerseys and saw another opponent standing in the way of another tally in the win column. Yes, it is a sentiment dripping with cliche, but also as much with truth, the through line of New York’s 50-win season following an overtime victory over the Bulls, which secured the No. 2 seed in next week’s playoffs despite myriad missed games due to injury from starter after starter.

“It’s been a next-man-up mentality,” said Donte DiVincenzo, the Knicks’ offseason signee who’s enjoyed a career season during his first at Madison Square Garden.

“We had a number of guys just stay up and play great,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “You have to be a team. It’s not the best individuals. It’s the best team. And there was no quit in this team.”

The Cavaliers, meanwhile, notably rested their starting backcourt of Donovan Mitchell — once the apple of New York’s eye — and Darius Garland as Cleveland played host to a lowly Hornets team. Charlotte, internally, has emphasized finishing the final two weeks of this regular season strong, even after head coach Steve Clifford announced he’d step down following this season, but there were many league executives who saw Cleveland’s final defeat to their visitors as a direct duck of a certain Eastern Conference Goliath.

Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives between Chicago Bulls guards DeMar DeRozan (11) and Dalen Terry (25) during the first half Sunday, April 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/John Munson)

By falling to the Hornets, the Cavs secured the 4th seed and a date with the upstart Orlando Magic. That outcome also assured Cleveland would not claim the second or third seed, which, entering Sunday’s final slate of games, eventually could have positioned the Cavs against…

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Publish date : 2024-04-14 23:18:06

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