NBA Playoffs 2012: New York Knicks and Most Dangerous Low Seeds in East

The NBA playoffs are less than a week away and the New York Knicks are a team nobody wants to play right now.

They have gone 7-3 in their last 10 games as the team has finally adjusted to Carmelo Anthony’s style of offense after a month-long experiment with Jeremy Lin.  

Coach Mike Woodson has pulled all of the right strings as the intensity on defense is about 100 times higher than when former coach Mike D’Antoni was in charge. Tyson Chandler is proving his worth with his incredible shot-blocking presence and overall sense of toughness that the Knicks so desperately needed.

Steve Novak and JR Smith have really helped spread the floor offensively with their sharp-shooting, making the paint less congested for Amare Stoudemire to operate offensively.

Add it all up and this team can match up against everybody…except for the Miami Heat. If they are able to secure the sixth-seed, facing the Indiana Pacers in the first round, I’d put them as the favorite.

The Knicks winning a playoff series? Who would have ever guessed?

Here is another lower seed in the Eastern Conference capable of doing some serious damage:

Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks are likely going to be the No. 5 seed with the Boston Celtics being the No. 4 seed—a matchup Atlanta has to be thrilled with.

They just beat the Celtics on Friday and had yet another solid season thanks to their stingy defense. They are fifth overall in points allowed (93.1), as Josh Smith as quietly put together his finest season to date.

While the absence of Al Horford is certainly a big blow, the younger and more athletic Hawks are more than capable of wearing down the Celtics with their superior depth and fresh legs.

They made the second round last year, and there is no reason to believe they can’t do it again against a Celtics team that’s dealing with an ankle injury for Ray Allen that may force him to miss the series.

As for the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers…sorry, there is no way they are winning a playoff series in 2012. 

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