- The New York Knicks are locked for the NBA Playoffs.
- The Knicks are battling with the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks for seeding position.
- The Knicks have -170 odds to lose in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
LAS VEGAS - The New York Knicks are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2013.
The Knicks are the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference, and are tied with the Miami Heat in terms of wins and losses, and tied with the Atlanta Hawks in the loss column.
This means that they could still reasonably finish as high up as the fourth seed, but even making the playoffs is an accomplishment for the Knicks.
But how long will their playoff run last?
Online sportsbooks have handicapped the Knicks this whole season, and looking at their odds to make it out of each round of the playoffs paints a dismal picture.
Stage of Elimination - New York Knicks
- Lose In First Round Of Playoffs -170
- Lose In The Conference Semi-Finals +150
- Lose In The Conference Finals +1000
- Lose In The NBA Finals +5000
- Win The NBA Championship +8000
In terms of all the possible outcomes for the Knicks in the playoffs, the (* online sportsbooks https://www.usaonlinegambling.com/sports-betting/ *) believe that the most likely is that they lose in the first round.
If the season ended right now, the Knicks would face the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, a tough test.
If they are able to jockey with the Hawks and the Heat for a position in either the fourth or the fifth seed, they’ll be facing off with one of them instead.
That matchup would be much more manageable for the Knicks, who would likely be overmatched by Giannis Antetokounmpo.
If they manage to get to the fourth or fifth seed, taking them to lose in the second round instead of the first round could be a solid play.
The Knicks losing in the second round is the next most likely option. At that point, most of the teams that are around their talent level will likely be gone.
Any Knicks run that involves even making it to the Conference Finals would be a borderline miracle, with the Knicks having +1000 odds to lose in the Conference Finals.
The odds get more and more ridiculous from there, with +5000 odds to lose in the Finals, and +8000 odds to win the NBA Championship.
This season has been a success for fans of the Knicks, and the team seems to have at least a plausible argument for making it to the Semi-Finals if the seeding works out right.
Knicks fans, rejoice, and enjoy playoff basketball as long as it’s there!