Like all NBA playoff contenders, the Knicks are hoping to avoid play-in scenarios that will involve teams finishing the regular season in seventh to tenth place at each conference.
At the very least, Sunday’s game against the Raptors at the Garden holds significant significance for the Knicks’ chances of finishing in the top 10 in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors, before the game in Cleveland on Saturday night, were in eleventh position, 5 ¹ / ₂ behind the Knicks. The Cavaliers entered mid-game Saturday behind Toronto in 12th place.