Clippers vs. Knicks: TV Schedule, Live Stream, Spread Info and More

It's almost playoff time for both the Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks, but first they have some business to take care of.

The Clippers have never won a division title and currently sit only a half-game behind the Lakers in the Pacific Division. That alone could make their season finale against the Knicks a very important game, so it may be tough for Vinny Del Negro to get his starters some rest heading into the playoffs.

The same can be said for Knicks coach Mike Woodson, whose club still has a chance to claim the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference. New York needs to win their final two games (Clippers and Bobcats) and have the Orlando Magic drop their final two (Bobcats and Grizzlies) to move up to No. 6, essentially avoiding both the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat in the first round.

This will mark the first time on the season that the Knicks get a look at Lob City, and if Tyson Chandler doesn't play, Chris Paul and Blake Griffin could have a field day.

Even if the Knicks can't claim the No. 6 seed, which is doubtful with Orlando playing Charlotte, this game holds some importance as Woodson needs to get as much game action with Amar'e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony and Chandler on the floor together as possible before the playoffs begin.

The Knicks trio struggled in Stoudemire's return to the lineup Friday night at Cleveland.

While they had much more success in a win against Atlanta on Sunday, that came with Chandler out of the lineup, with Stoudemire playing the 5 and Melo playing the 4. With that lineup, Stoudemire and Anthony proved that they could have success offensively, but also proved they couldn't stop anyone.

They need time to jell with Anthony at the 3, Stoudemire at the 4 and Chandler in the middle.

It's late in the season and both teams are headed to the playoffs, but there's still a lot to play for. Here's everything you need to know about Wednesday's big matchup.

When: Wednesday, April 25 at 8:00 p.m. EDT

Where: Madison Square Garden in New York, New York

Watch: ESPN

Live Stream: ESPN 3

Betting Line: Knicks (-4)

Clippers Key Injuries (Per CBS Sports)

Questionable: Caron Butler (Hip), Nick Young (Illness)

Out: Chauncey Billups (Achilles)

Knicks Key Injuries (Per CBS Sports)

Out: Jared Jeffries (Knee), Jeremy Lin (Knee)

What They're Saying

Anthony played a big role in the departure of former Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni, and since Woodson took over we've seen a totally different Anthony. He's been unselfish offensively and committed to the defensive end of the floor.

More importantly, there's been a smile on Anthony's face and he's embraced the role of leader. The results are there as well as New York has gone 16-6 under Woodson's watch and Anthony's played his best basketball as a Knick, especially in April where he's averaged 31.0 PPG.

ESPNNewYork.com's Ian Begley writes that Anthony is committed to Woodson and would like to see him back in New York next season:

"

"Absolutely," Anthony told ESPN's Hannah Storm in an interview for the SportsCenter series Face2Face. "I'm a big supporter of what coach Woodson has done. His approach to the game, and what he gets out of all his players, even me. He holds everybody accountable and that's what we need."

"

Most Important Player to Watch: Amar'e Stoudemire

It's been two games since his return, and Stoudemire has put up a decent 18.5 PPG and 7.5 RPG and hasn't looked that bad on the offensive end.

While he won't be 100 percent, you just want to see Stoudemire get more touches the next two games and get more comfortable playing with Anthony and Chandler on the floor in the process.

Another area to watch Stoudemire is on the defensive end of the floor, where he hasn't had the mobility to defend anyone since his return. That has to come back to the point of when Woodson took over as Stoudemire also bought in defensively for a stretch.

It will be hard, given his health, but for the Knicks to have a chance in the first round, Stoudemire can't be a liability defensively. That should also get better with Chandler in the lineup, though.

Key Matchup: Iman Shumpert vs. Chris Paul

Shumpert's defensive ability has been a big reason for the Knicks late season turnaround. Woodson has shown that he will use the rookie on the opposing team’s best guard and Wednesday he will get a look at the NBA's best point guard in Paul.

He will surely be tested by the savvy veteran and whoever comes out on top in this individual matchup could determine which team ultimately wins the game.

Prediction

Knicks 102, Clippers 96