Tight Playoff Race Puts Pressure On Knicks & Kings

The NBA All-Star break is often most welcomed by players, as the season has gone on for roughly 60 games. The league won’t return to normal action until Thursday, February 23rd, allowing players a chance to recuperate, and take some much-needed time off to heal from injuries, or simply to catch a breather.

They’ll all need it too given the cluster of teams angling to make the play-in tournament grows tighter. The remaining 20-something games of the season will not only be incredibly exciting to watch for fans, but also nerve-wracking for the teams still clinging onto the hope of breaking through and ending up in the postseason.

As such, here is a look at two teams, one from each conference, that are currently ahead of the curve, but who will need to keep their engines running to maintain their current position.

Sacramento Kings

The Kings have had an amazing season so far, as they finally look like a playoff team after 17 years of drought. They’re led by one of the league’s most clutch players in De’Aaron Fox, and one of the most creative big man playmakers in Domantas Sabonis.

Usually, you wouldn’t think that duo would be enough to take a team that far, but they’ve proven to fit together beautifully, playing off each other’s passing, and being flanked by shooters. Simply put: They’ve leaned into offensive volume, and it’s worked for them.

Post All-Star will be the most trying time for the Kings, though. Currently slotted third in the Western Conference at 32-25, they’re only three games ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans, who are currently in the play-in tournament.

The Kings would love to avoid to go through the play-in and instead be assured of a rock solid spot in the postseason, which is only guaranteed with a Top 6 finish. With the Clippers and especially Suns biting at their heels, they’ll need to maintain their current momentum.

Staying ahead of the Suns specifically will be challenging, as Phoenix recently acquired future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant, who is expected to have his debut after the All-Star break. Phoenix managed to keep Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and Deandre Ayton around, and that foursome is certainly cause for concern in Sacramento.

The Mavericks, who are 2.5 games back, also recently made some changes by trading for All-Star Kyrie Irving, as they’re looking to catapult themselves up the rankings over the coming two months.

Sacramento, it could be argued, would be smart to get involved in the NBA’s buy-out market, and especially make a pitch for Kevin Love, who is reportedly nearing a divorce with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Love, still a formidable rebounder, passer, and quality shooter, could help provide the Kings with much-needed depth in the closing stages of the regular season, helping them out in key areas to withstand a strong push from the Suns and Mavs in particular.

New York Knicks

The Knicks are currently finding themselves in the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference, which would automatically qualify them for the postseason, if the season was to conclude today.

However, they’re only half a game ahead of the Miami Heat, a team notorious for clawing their way forward, be that regular season or the playoffs. The Knicks, just like the Kings, would love for nothing more than to avoid the play-in tournament, and with rumors swirling that the Heat are looking to be active in the buy-out market, the Knicks will need to get creative themselves.

One on-court change they can make is give more opportunities to Isaiah Hartenstein. The 24-year-old center was a significant free agent acquisition last summer, but he’s yet to duplicate the production he provided the Los Angeles Clippers last year.

For one, Hartenstein has not received a ton of scoring opportunities, which seems counterintuitive given that he’s historically been efficient in that department. Secondly, he’s been used off the ball more than he should have been, considering his ability to function as a big man playmaker. Hartenstein’s rather unique set of talents allow him to be used in a magnitude of ways, and the Knicks have seemingly found the one way to not make proper use of him.

With Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, RJ Barrett and now Josh Hart in the lineup, the Knicks are in big need of a do-it-all center who can both do the dirty work on the glass, score off the attention devoted to others, and function as a secondary passing hub. Hartenstein fits that description, and it’s time for the Knicks to fully unleash his talents, if they wish to remain ahead of the competition.

Even if Hartenstein has to be utilized as a bench player, like he currently is, it’s crucial the Knicks make him the centerpiece of that secondary rotation, instead of the afterthought he is now. Winning bench minutes is a crucial matter, especially late in the season, and the Knicks could use some firepower in that regard as it seems as only a matter of time before Hart – who has come off the bench since being acquired – ends up in the starting lineup.

Wasting away good players is never a good idea, and it’s an outright horrible idea if you’re playing to win.

Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.