George Karl Unsure If Knicks Can Win In Playoffs

Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl told ESPN Radio that despite the emergence of Jeremy Lin, he does not see the New York Knicks getting past the first round of the playoffs.

“The thing I don’t like about the situation is all this stuff is happening with very little practice time,” Karl said during an interview with Stephen A. Smith on ESPN Radio Sunday. “I don’t think they’re going to get out of the bottom half of the draw, so I think they’re going to draw one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference (in the playoffs). I’ll be honest with you, I think it’s going to be very difficult for them this year to put the pieces together to figure out how to beat one of those top three or four teams.”

With star forward Carmelo Anthony returning the lineup, some have wondered if the team would be able to carry the same momentum they had built in his absence. New York lost their first game with Anthony back to the New Jersey Nets Monday night. It marked the first time that rising star Jeremy Lin, Amar’e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, and recently acquired guard J.R. Smith have played together.

In Anthony’s absence the Knicks won eight of 10 games. They are currently 16-17, and rank seventh overall in the Eastern Conference.