NBA Playoffs 2012: New York Knicks and More Teams Primed for Upset Runs
Teams are benching starters as the NBA season comes to a close and playoff seeds are finalized. Only one playoff spot remains open, the No. 8 seed in the West, after the 76ers clinched a playoff berth last night in the East.
Seeds can still be determined, but 15 of the 16 postseason competitors have already clinched berths.
So which top seeds have reason to worry? Last year the San Antonio Spurs were upended by the Memphis Grizzlies after a phenomenal regular season.
Will we see something similar? Let's take a look.
New York Knicks
One of the NBA's hottest teams since the "firing" of Mike D'Antoni, the Knickerbockers will enter this postseason as either a No. 6, No. 7 or No. 8 seed.
They currently sit as the No. 7 seed, meaning they'd have to play the Miami Heat, and that is the most likely scenario at this stage.
Miami is without question the one team nobody wants to face in the playoffs, but the Knicks do have a "Big Three" of their own even though they have trouble matching up with Miami.
If New York manages to land the No. 6 or No. 8 seed, they have a great chance to shock the Bulls (No. 1 seed) or Pacers (No. 3 seed).
The Knicks were 1-3 versus Chicago this season but played them extremely tough every time. The Knicks were 2-1 against the Pacers.
If Carmelo Anthony continues to dominate anything is possible.
Denver Nuggets
The other team directly affected by last year's blockbuster Carmelo trade, the Nuggets, are still a high-scoring team that plays little defense.
More often than not these teams struggle in the postseason, but if they wind up playing the Lakers (who are currently slotted in a No. 3 vs. No. 6 matchup), they'll be a dangerous threat.
Like the Knicks vs. Bulls, the Nuggets were only 1-3 against the Lakers this season, but they played them tough each and every time and could pose problems with their speed and uptempo style.
Running into the Oklahoma City Thunder would be a problem, but they certainly could shock the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round if they wind up playing them.
Any matchup in LA gives the Nuggets a shot for an upset.
Philadelphia 76ers
Philly clinched the postseason last night and have already taken steps to help force themselves into a matchup with the Bulls rather than the Heat in Round 1.
Via their Twitter:
"Coach Collins says he'll rest Brand and Iguodala for final two regular season games. "Probably" Lou Williams, as well.
— Philadelphia 76ers (@Sixers) April 24, 2012"
Benching three starters to "rest" is essentially tanking for the chance to play Chicago instead of Miami. And, with the Knicks owning the tiebreaker over the Sixers, they hold all the cards.
Taking on the Bulls is no easy task, but if Derrick Rose cannot stay healthy, anything is possible.
