Knicks Can Reach First Postseason Landmark Against Lakers

With a win and some help against the Los Angeles Lakers, the New York Knicks will officially head to the NBA postseason.

Feb 1, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) reacts after a three point shot against the Los Angeles Lakers at the buzzer at the end of the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

A mere invitation to the postseason party is no longer cause for celebration in the realms of Manhattan basketball, but the New York Knicks can nonetheless earn it on Thursday night.

With a win against the Los Angeles Lakers—and a little help from their friends—the Knicks will secure a spot on the expanded Eastern Conference playoff bracket, guaranteed to finish no lower than the four-team Play-In Tournament.

With the magic number down to two, the Knicks (40-21) will secure their early fate with a win in their interconference clash in Southern California (10 p.m. ET, TNT) and losses from the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, both of whom sit in 11th place on the Eastern leaderboard.

Philadelphia will partake in the early portion of the nationally-televised primetime doubleheader, facing the Boston Celtics in Beantown (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT). The Nets, on the other hand, remain stationed on Atlantic Avenue, hosting the Golden State Warriors as they look to halt a five-game losing streak (7:30 p.m. ET, YES).

Should the Knicks land the spot, they'll become the third team in the East guaranteed to expand its season: the top-ranked Cleveland Cavaliers became the first team in the Association to pick up a top six earlier this week while the Boston Celtics are also secure in the top ten. The Knicks currently hold the third seed on the Eastern bracket and sit a healthy 11 games ahead of Play-In purgatory, with the top spot in that category held by Miami.

Of course, the Knicks have greater aspirations than a mere 83rd game: New York has not been to an Eastern Conference Final since 2000 and they'll look to end the third-longest drought in the Association, trailing only Washington and Charlotte in such infamy. If and when the Knicks clinch their spot in the top six, they'll have earned three consecutive playoff berths for the first time since 2011-13.

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