New York Knicks Playoffs Schedule 2012: Odds and Predictions for First Round

Easily the biggest roller coaster ride of the season, the New York Knicks enter the playoffs as one of the biggest wild cards of the entire postseason.

They locked up the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference, “earning” the right to play the No. 2 seeded Miami Heat in the first round after the Philadelphia 76ers tanked in their last game to ensure they avoided Miami.

Jeremy Lin was the major story for about a month, but the odds of him playing in the first round looks to be non-existent at this point.

That means it’s going to be all about Carmelo Anthony, who is playing his best basketball of the season of late. Can he, with the help of a hobbled Amare Stoudemire, hang with the big-three for the duration of a seven game series?

Follow along as we attempt to answer that very question, while providing all of the latest info on one of the juiciest first round match ups in a long time. 

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Superstars Who Must Shine

The Knicks are back to being the slow, methodical team that relies on Carmelo Anthony to bail them out. That means defense is going to be a major factor in this series, the slower the tempo the better the chances of winning for New York.

Tyson Chandler

One of the best defenders in the league, Chandler has morphed the Knicks into a halfway decent defensive team this season. His shot-blocking presence and incredible discipline will be essential against Chris Bosh.

If the Knicks can minimize Bosh’s impact offensively, the Heat are going to turn into a jump shooting team.

Chandler is more important than the hobbled Amare Stoudemire right now for the Knicks. 

Carmelo Anthony

This one doesn’t need much explanation. Everything the Knicks do on offense revolves around ‘Melo and he needs to bring his “A” game for the entire series for the Knicks to have a shot of pulling the massive upset. 

Role Player Who Must Emerge

The Knicks are predicated on their stars, but can't win the series without massive contributions from the following two players:

JR Smith

This guy is a complete roll of the dice.

One minute he is drilling seven three-pointer shots and collecting five steals, the next he can’t hit the broadside of a barn. The volume shooter can get out of hand at times with his emotions, so it’s up to his teammates to keep him focused. He all but admitted on planning to leave the Denver Nuggets during the 2011 playoffs. Something like that can’t happen again.

New York needs the good Smith and it’s up to the leaders of the team to ensure it happens. 

Iman Shumpert

The defensive whiz has been a gem for the Knicks this season. His defense on LeBron James and Dwyane Wade is going to be essential.  He averaged 1.7 steals during the regular season and is going to need more than that to neutralize two of the most explosive players in the league.

Anything he provides offensively will be a bonus.

Strategies to Watch

Offensive Strategy

The Knicks are not going to out-run the Heat without Lin, so they need to run crisp offensive sets.

That means getting all five guys involved early and allowing ‘Melo to take over late. Baron Davis is wildly inconsistent, but he is the closest player the Knicks have to a legit point guard, plus he has plenty of playoff experience.

Allow Davis to call set plays and work the shot-clock, wearing down the Heat defense by running massive amounts of ball screens.

One of the few advantages the Knicks have is in the depth department, but without the athletes to match Miami, they need to find an alternative way to run the Heat to death.

Defensive Strategy

Dare them to shoot three’s.

The Heat are shooting a mere 36 percent from downtown as it seems Shane Battier and Mike Miller are nothing more than expensive decoys at this point.

Slow the game down and don’t let Wade and James run wild in transition. Force them to stay on the perimeter and make them beat you with long-range jumpers.

Easier said than done. 

Last-Second First-Round Odds and Prediction

Heat in 5

The absence of Jeremy Lin truly hurts.

As ‘Melo proved time-and-time again in Denver and again last year in New York, his style of play doesn’t yield positive results in the playoffs.

The Heat are playing some of the best defense in the league this season and are going to be incredibly difficult to beat one-on-five. ‘Melo has to pass the ball more often and allow the offense to move the ball at a much more frequent rate to find open shooters like Smith and Steve Novak.

The Knicks are over-matched on the offensive end of the floor and the outlook doesn’t look much better defensively.

There is a reason the Heat were 3-0 this season against the Knicks and it’s hard to imagine them getting anything more one win in this best-of-seven series.

Odds of Knicks Winning Series: 5 Percent 

Full First-Round Schedule

All times EST

Game 1: Saturday, at Miami 3:30 (ABC)

Game 2: Monday, at Miami 7:00 (TNT)

Game 3: Thursday, at New York 7:00 (TNT)

Game 4: Sunday May 6rd, at New York 3:30 (ABC)

*Game 5: Wednesday May 9th, at Miami TBA

*Game 6: Friday May 11th, at New York  TBA

*Game 7: Sunday May 13th, at Miami  TBA

*=if necessary