NBA playoff chances: New York Knicks reaffirms championship run with stunning in-season Cup win

The New York Knicks have won the NBA Cup against the San Antonio Spurs with an 11-point lead. While the team has stayed on top of the NBA standings, the recent win has forwarded their case for a championship run even more. The team has won 9 out of their last 10 games. With the in-season tournament win, the team has a newfound motivation to maintain their position for the playoffs.

There is still a long time for the playoffs. 8 teams from both conferences will qualify for the next stage of the league. While the first six teams from each conference will advance based on their regular season performance, the final two seeds will be determined by the NBA Play-In Tournament. There will be a total of 16 teams in the playoffs stage.

Where are the New York Knicks on the NBA standings?

The New York Knicks are currently in second place in the Eastern Conference standings. The Detroit Pistons are leading the conference with a win percentage of .808. The Knicks, having won the NBA Cup, have now established the fact that the team won’t compromise with maintaining their position within the rankings. This might just give an extra push, as the Knicks have won a trophy after a long gap. Their last trophy was in the year 1973. While the NBA Cup finals game won’t add to the regular season stats, the performance would be a mental boost for the players.


Jalen Brunson, despite a slow start, has picked up the pace. He was named the NBA Cup MVP, which might just be another booster for the team. In the NBA Cup tournament, Jalen averaged 33.3 points with 6.7 assists and 3.7 rebounds. Overall, the player has averaged 28.8 points with 3.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists. Apart from him, OG Anunoby, Jordan Clarkson and Mitchell Robinson are playing their part in advancing their team while maintaining their position within the conference.

Who are the other top-performing teams in the conference?

The Eastern Conference has been dominated by the Detroit Pistons. While the New York Knicks are just right after, there might be tough competition from teams like the Toronto Raptors, the Boston Celtics and the Orlando Magic. The Celtics are in the top three in terms of the differential points until now. While the Magic team has shown wonders in the recent games, the Indiana Pacers have totally failed to make a mark this season.

Also Read: Jalen Brunson wins NBA Cup MVP “almost unanimously” as New York Knicks edge San Antonio Spurs in finals