Knicks Face Potential Playoff Gauntlet

The New York Knicks will face some tough opponents in the playoffs.

New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks guard Ryan Rollins in the second half at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks are expected to be the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, which could mean a matchup in the first round against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Should the Knicks advance past the Bucks, they will line up against the defending champion Boston Celtics.

Both the Bucks and Celtics have a way to exploit the Knicks, according to ESPN writer Zach Kram.

"Unfortunately for the Knicks, their potential opponents in the first and second rounds employ two of the most prolific pick-and-poppers in the league. Over the past two seasons, Brook Lopez of the Bucks and Kristaps Porzingis of the Celtics rank in the top 3 of this play per 100 possessions (Chicago's Nikola Vucevic ranks first)," Kram writes.

"Porzingis missed two of Boston's three wins against New York this season, but in the one game he played, he walked into a number of wide-open 3s after screens. Eventually, Towns started sticking with the Celtics' ball handler as a teammate switched to cover Porzingis, but Boston didn't mind that matchup. In theory, a Knicks team with wings Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart is built to defend the Celtics' high-octane attack. However, it's fallen flat this season because the Knicks can't keep up with Boston's shooters.

"The Bucks, at least, might not pose as much of a threat because of a lack of dangerous perimeter players around Lopez and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Lopez is also a less dynamic scorer than Porzingis; he averaged only 6.3 points in three meetings with the Knicks this season."

The Knicks haven't been able to match up well with the Celtics at all this season, but perhaps they can learn from all of their struggles and find ways to improve as the games begin to truly count in the postseason.

The Knicks will have a chance to compete against the Celtics in their next game at Madison Square Garden.

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