Hard To Take Knicks Seriously for Playoff Spot

The Knicks like to get their fans excited by talking about the playoffs. They mention their new approach to the game by playing defense and gritting wins out.

They rebounded well after a rough start to the point they are contending for the last playoff spot. Of course, it helps that the Eastern Conference is terrible, so they were never out of it.

It speaks badly about the  Nets that they couldn't recover after a rough start. They had numerous opportunities to get back in the race, but they continue to be inept these last few months.

That doesn't mean the Knicks are a playoff team. They are a nice little team that competes, but when it matters, they fail to come through.

Tonight was a good example of this theory.

The Knicks and Raptors battled all night long by rebounding the ball well and making shots from the arc line. The Knicks actually got fans to wake up and cheer with two minutes to go—but in the end, the Knicks disappointed them.

The home team could not make shots in the final minute, while Toronto did by being open.

This sounds familiar. The Knickerbockers performed like this under the Mike D'Antoni era.

While they deserve credit for making strides on defense, they fail to box out or block shots in crunch time. They foul at the wrong time, too.

One wonders if these guys are smart enough to play at this level. It's a trend almost every game, it seems.

Playoff teams find a way to get stops in the fourth quarter: something the Knicks lack.

Also, they lack a shooter who can score in a situation like tonight's game. Nate Robinson is not that player—as much as the Knicks want people to believe.

Robinson misses more than making it in. Danilo Gallinari starts out fine, but in the end, his shots hit the iron rather than the net.

David Lee seems to be double-team often, and he can't figure out how to get past them.

This team lacks a killer instinct more than anything.

In the old days, the Knicks made sure no road team would celebrate a victory at Madison Square Garden. That Knicks team would bully the opponent to the point that its work was not done until the opposing team's players sit on the bench the rest of the game.

It's different here. Other teams make runs with no consequences out of it. They expect the Knicks to fall apart when it matters.

That's what happens when a team is learning how to win.

Looking at the playoff race, it's hard to believe the Knicks are going to be there. Look for the Raptors, Bulls and the Bobcats to round out the final playoff spots.

Plus, playoff teams beat elite teams. The Knicks never beat an elite team.

It does not matter whether New York makes the playoffs this year or not.

The only way this year will be successful is if the Knicks land LeBron James this summer.

Who knows what James will do?

He does not know what's he is doing to do, so the Knicks have a shot.

James stays in Cleveland only if the Cavaliers lose in Game 7 of the NBA Finals or win a championship. If his team loses in the first or second round, he is all but gone.

He knows he won't have a prayer in winning in Cleveland because no player would want to play there.

In New York, it's a different situation. Players will take less money to play in New York as long as a superstar is there. James knows that.

The Knicks are banking on the Cavaliers to fall short, and that could make James' decision easy.

It could happen, too. As great as the Cavaliers are, they don't have enough depth to match up with the Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic, or the Los Angeles Lakers.

Right now, the Knicks are doing themselves a favor by being competitive and interesting.

It's not enough, though, as we are finding out.

Forget about what happens this year.

It's about what may happen in the summer of 2010.