New York Knicks: Complete Analysis of Playoff Chances

The New York Knicks looked bound for the playoffs under interim coach Mike Woodson, but a rash of injuries that struck the team may have just derailed their progress.

This comes less than a week after Woodson proclaimed that his squad has a “legitimate shot to win the title.” It’s going to actually be a battle for them to even make the postseason, as they currently sit at the No. 8 spot in the East and have Milwaukee breathing down their neck.

Three of the Knicks' stars—Jeremy Lin, Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire—are dealing with moderate to severe injuries that could play a major role in the success of the team down the stretch.

Stoudemire is dealing with a bulging disk in his lower back, and the power forward is reportedly out “indefinitely,” according to Ian Begley of ESPN.com.

He’s not electing for surgery yet and is hoping to get healthy in time for the playoffs, but Woodson did not rule out the fact that his star might have to undergo a procedure.

‘Melo re-aggrevated his nagging groin injury in the third quarter of Monday’s victory over the Milwaukee Bucks but still managed to log a few minutes in the fourth. His status is uncertain for Wednesday’s game against the Orlando Magic.

Lin isn’t faring much better than ‘Melo and was forced to sit out against the Bucks with a sore right knee that has him on the injury report as “day-to-day.”

These injuries are coming at the worst possible time for the 25-25 Knicks, who are just three games ahead of the Bucks for the last playoff spot in the conference.

They still have a great chance to make the playoffs, but they also need to get healthy over this next month to have an opportunity to do anything once they get there.

New York will most likely be facing either Chicago or Miami in the first round, and both of those teams will absolutely destroy the Knicks if they aren’t 100-percent ready to go, just as the Celtics did last year when Amar’e was banged up.

Expect the Knickerbockers to be in the postseason, but don’t expect much more unless they heal up soon.