Knicks second half schedule released

The second half of the 2020-21 NBA schedule has been released, which means we now know who, when and where the Knicks will be playing over the next few months as they make their pleasantly surprising playoff boost behind All-. Star Julius Randle.

The unveiling of the second half schedule reminds us that we are living in strange times. Due to the pandemic, this season is only 72 games long. The Knicks are seventh in the East at 15-17 heading into Thursday’s game against Sacramento, which means they have 40 games left to maintain a playoff spot.

Will they make the playoffs? How hard is their schedule for the rest of the time? Why is Tom Thibodeau so rigid with his rotations? The answers to some of these questions can be found in the schedule for the second half of the season.

The Knicks will be tested in March

Starting March 11, the Knicks enter the second half of the season with a challenging four-game road trip that includes Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, and Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving (plus OKC). Maybe the Knicks will beat the Bucks by 20 again, beat the Thunder, and squeeze in 2-2.

Then the Knicks have a four-game streak at Madison Square Garden that features some winnable games but won’t be a walk, with the Magic and the Sixers coming into town, followed by two games in three nights against Bradley Beal, Russell Westbrook and the Washington Wizards.

March ends with another game in Milwaukee, a home game against the Heat and a showdown with Karl-Anthony Towns in Minnesota. March seems difficult. Hopefully the Knicks are still here at this point.

By the way, the deadline for trading is March 25. So maybe this is the time of the season when the Knicks traded for some sort of star to team up with Randle. Or maybe they’ll be clever and hook someone who isn’t even on our radar. We certainly have the impression that this front office wants to Something to shake up the list, isn’t it?

The Knicks will also be tested in April

April starts off with four games in six days, starting with a return to the garden for Kristaps Porzingis, although whether he’s playing or not it’s only a draw at the moment. Then New York hits the road for games in Detroit, Brooklyn and Boston. The next few weeks include fierce guys like Ja Morant, LeBron James and Zion Williamson, as well as another fight with Kristaps, this time in Dallas.

They do end the month with six straight home games, all of which could happen if RJ Barrett does and Immanuel Quickley shines a light on him (Pelicans, Hornets, Hawks, Raptors, Suns, Bulls). But at this point, who knows what their record will be? And maybe more importantly, is Frank Ntilikina still on the squad?

The Knicks will be tested again in May

May, like March, comes like a lion. Contrary to the famous phrase, however, he doesn’t come out like a lamb. A ridiculously long six-game road trip begins in Houston, and over 10 days includes stops in Denver and Phoenix, not to mention ending with bouts in Los Angeles against the Clippers and Lakers. The regular season ends with three games at MSG, with the Knicks taking on the Spurs, Hornets and Celtics.

Being realistic, barring a crazy trade, even at the best of times, the Knicks will spend the entire second half of the season fighting to stay in the playoff race. But they certainly have a chance to succeed. And who knows what could happen by the end of May? The Knicks may not be a three-headed monster superstar like the Brooklyn Nets, but they’re on the hunt.

Notes:

The Knicks will be on national television six times, all on ESPN. No love for the Knicks from the TNT people.

According to Tankathon, the Knicks are right in the middle of the field when it comes to schedule strength. The website ranks their second-half schedule as the 14th toughest in the NBA. Orlando and Chicago both have tougher schedules, according to Tankathon, but every other team in the East that the Knicks could compete for a playoff berth with have an easier schedule, per Tankathon. You know what? That’s enough about Tankathon for a blog post.

The first half of the season has been marked by a ton of nice surprises, but things only get more complicated going forward. Still, the Knicks have shown they are a team to be reckoned with this year, and any given game looks manageable if the right players get hot. Until the second half of the season, let’s hope Randle spends the All-Star break talking about the Knicks and maybe signing an All-Star or two to join him in New York. It’s pretty cool here when the Knicks win.