NBA Playoff Pictures – East

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One month of NBA basketball is left to splinter up the hardwood in the march towards the Playoffs in this 66 game lockout shortened season.

If the Playoffs started today the current playoff positions of the East would contain the following pairings.

 

 

Knicks (7) vs Heat (2)

At the end of today, Easter Sunday, these two teams would face off in a first round match up loaded with super stars and future hall of famers, as well as who´s of summer Olympians. The Knicks have gone hard and heavy in response to Miami´s 3 pair ACES with 2 aces and 2 wild cards as well. The Knicks have undergone key changes in terms of now being under the guidance of Woodsanity. Mike Woodson, who played under Hall of Fame Coach Bobby Knight, as given the Knicks new life. They have been on a terror since Mike D´ Antoni stepped down. In addition to this the  Knicks are currently without the services of Amare, and Jeremy Lin. STAT is out with back problems and JLIN just had knee surgery. Both are expected to be back for the playoffs,buthow New York approaches Miami would be entirely different depending upon the availability of either.

 

With the current Roster the Knicks would have an advantage in PG´s with Baron Davis over Mario Chalmers,they would also be able to get a lot of interior points from Tyson Chandler as well as lock down D on the other end of the floor. If STAT were healthy he would most certainly look to go right at Heat PF Chris Bosh. How much work Bosh would have do on defense will come down to whether STAT plays or not. JR Smith and DWayne Wade would be an interesting matchup at the SG. Smith gave Miami a lot of problems in their previous season´s losses to the Nuggets. There is also that guy Melo there but that will be one for the ages because the guy guarding Melo will be none other than LeBron James. Look for LeBron and Melo to put on shows in both NYC and MIAMI the likes of which we haven´t seen since Zo and Patrick.

Without the services of both  Lin and STAT, the Knicks would need perfect games from Melo. Tyson Chandler, and JR Smith every time out in order to shock the Heat. Should there be no healthy STAT it´s highly unlikely that the Knicks win this series but the last time these two teams played in a lock out season in the playoffs, the Knicks stunned the basketball world by beating the then 1seed Heat as the 8 seed in route to becoming the first ever 8th seed to reach the finals. So Knicks fans pray today on Easter that Melo and history rise in order to repeat and freeze the Heat because LeBron , Wade ,Bosh, and Battier will be out for blood.

 

Bottom Line:

It these 2 do battle  in the Playoffs and the Knicks don´t have Amare or Jeremy Lin they will lose in no more than 6 to the Heat. LeBron, Bosh and Wade are too much although if Chandler beasts inside and Melo scores over 27 a game, they get a shot. But let´s hope for healthy returns by both Stat and Lin. If those 2 are healthy along with all other potential participants, this brawl could go 7. .