Can Knicks Inch Closer to Challenging Heat in Playoffs?: A Fan's Analysis

The Philadelphia 76ers are seeing the Boston Celtics pull further and further away in the Atlantic Division. In fact, Sixers fans like myself are reduced to hoping that Philadelphia just makes the playoffs. But if they get in, it might do them good to be the No. 8 seed and avoid their old foes in the Miami Heat - leaving that job for the New York Knicks.

In fact, the Knicks would be considered a much better threat to upset the Heat than the Sixers these days. They would certainly prove it by knocking off Miami on April 15 at New York, which may make a first round playoff rematch much more likely - and troubling for the Heat.

New York has had statement games with Miami before, as the two teams faced off at the very peak of 'Linsanity' on Feb. 23. But the beginning of the end of the Jeremy Lin era came on that night, as the Heat dominated Lin and the Knicks and kicked off their subsequent tailspin. Yet now New York faces Miami again at the peak of another massive surge.

Since 'Linsanity' and the Mike D'Antonio regime officially ended, the Knicks have risen back up to a 31-28 record and a tie for second place in the Atlantic with the Sixers. Meanwhile, the Heat are stuck in the No. 2 seed and can't seem to beat real playoff teams on the road. Unfortunately for Miami, New York looks more and more like a playoff team and this rematch is in Madison Square Garden.

The Heat exposed the limits of 'Linsanity' and now they really need to expose a team led solely by Carmelo Anthony. With Lin and Amar'e Stoudemire both gone, Anthony has the control he always wanted and has taken full advantage of it. But can it carry the Knicks over the Heat this time - in both the regular season and the playoffs?

A win over Miami would put New York in sole possession of the No. 7 seed, although it already holds the tiebreaker over Philadelphia. With the Sixers still slipping and threatening to miss the playoffs altogether, the Knicks would seem to be heading right for that No. 7 spot - and a postseason showdown with the Heat.

The Sixers have stood no chance against the Heat this season, so slipping down to face the top seeded Chicago Bulls might be better by comparison. But if New York faced Miami instead - and if they both kept performing the way they have lately - there would be real doubt as to whether the Heat could flip the switch and defeat the Knicks.

Beating New York really shouldn't be a statement win for Miami - but it would certainly be a statement loss. And since losing to the Knicks would hurt the Sixers' efforts to rise higher, it seems even more inevitable that it will happen.

Whether by beating Philadelphia or losing to Boston, the Heat have always found ways to harm the Sixers this year. But if they lose to the Knicks and become more likely to face them this postseason, it would probably be a favor to Philadelphia. The Sixers already know that they don't match up with the Heat - yet the Knicks still have a chance to do better.