Getty
Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks during a playoff game.
The New York Knicks earned their place in the Eastern Conference Finals with a sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers, but the reward may come with a problem attached.
Their next opponent is still undecided, and the wait could stretch even longer as the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers battle in a tied 2-2 series.
The Knicks now have time to rest and prepare, but in the playoffs, too much time off can sometimes dull the edge that got a team this far.
GettyNew York Knicks could face one brutal issue before the Eastern Conference Finals
The Knicks have been on fire lately, working together well, but postseason rhythm is really delicate.
Sure, a long break can bring benefits in health and scouting, but it can be disrupting to timing, and neither the body nor the chemistry gets sharper; it might even make Game 1 more of a ‘starting over’ than ‘continuing.’
For a team like New York, this is a real thing because they’ve been struggling with slow starts during the regular season, at least on a few occasions.
So the reason is if the Knicks are in the wrong part of the curve of the game, at the wrong moment, it might be Game 1 when it happens. We all know the Knicks can step up after being backed into a corner, but to be honest, if they are off to a slow start and get a deficit early, then the situation can get more challenging than it was supposed to be.
Whether the regular season or the playoffs, the when and how of when New York is at its best has been when it takes control of the game and is quickly able to relax and focus. Let us say that if the opening segment is a mess, then it’s not just one bad quarter that we have to worry about. It might even mean that the whole night is going to be filled with anxiety, forced shots, and rushed decisions.
Such problems can lose you momentum before the series has officially started.
GettyDetroit Pistons and Cade Cunningham are there real issues for the New York Knicks
The other complication is Detroit. According to the official bracket, the East Final is going to be DET/CLE vs. New York, and the standings show the Pistons as the No. 1 seed whereas the Knicks are No. 3. So, if Detroit manages to beat Cleveland, the Knicks would not have home-court advantage. The Pistons are also very much alive, with Game 5 in Detroit after the series is tied 2-2.
This is a real issue for New York because going to Detroit would not only mean a very difficult matchup, but also that the Knicks would start the series in a much louder and more hostile atmosphere against the top seed in the East.
From my perspective, this is the worst-case scenario of this break. A Knicks team that has been resting is a good team. A Knicks team, that has been away from game action for several days, and has to play in Detroit, is a team which might be very susceptible to that kind of sudden blow which can completely change a series.
The best Knicks team can handle that. The last New York version might spend the entire Game 1 trying to catch the lead.
Jayesh Pagar Jayesh Pagar is a writer at Heavy Sports, covering the New York Knicks and other NBA teams. He brings four years of experience across digital sports media, including NBA, WNBA, college basketball, and college football. He covered as the Knicks beat writer for ONSI and has written for PFSN, Sporting News, and ClutchPoints. More about Jayesh Pagar
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