The Knicks are suddenly the hottest team in the NBA. The Tom Thibodeau-coached squad are in a midst of an eight-game winning streak and they are now placed fourth in the Eastern Conference behind the Nets, Sixers, and the Bucks.
New York fans are very happy since success has eluded them these past few seasons. And with the way they have been playing lately, their NBA 2021 odds of returning to the playoffs are quite intact.
Elsewhere, Steph Curry and Bradley Beal look to improve their team’s postseason chances through their individual brilliance. But will it be enough considering there are a few games left in the 2020/21 season?
Read on below as SBOTOP shares to you our latest NBA takeaways.
The Knicks are on the precipice of making it back to the postseason
The Knicks not only have gathered more wins than losses this term, but they’ve also earned the respect of the fans and their peers.
New York aren’t exactly known as a successful franchise, which is why their campaign this term overall is quite a pleasant surprise.
Julius Randle has gone through a renaissance since he’s emerged as their leading star. In his second year with the Blue and Orange, Randle is averaging career highs of 23.9 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game.
RJ Barrett has been lighting it up from deep lately, making 17 three-pointers during the winning streak. Overall, he is the Knicks’ second leading scorer with a 17.4 points per game average.
Nerlens Noel is their unsung hero on the defencive end, swatting an average of 2.2 blocks per contest. Mitchell Robinson, on the other hand, tallied 1.5 blocks per game before being sidelined due to a broken foot.
The Knicks have become a gritty defencive-minded unit – which is a hallmark of Tom Thibodeau teams. Moreover, they are top five in the league in terms of defencive rating, rebounding, and opponent points conceded.
New York are the antithesis of today’s NBA which is heavily predicated on high-octane offences. They firmly believe that they can grind their way to wins, and such immense belief is the reason why they’re successful this term.
Steph Curry and Bradley Beal duel for the scoring title and playoff spots
The scoring battle between Steph Curry and Bradley Beal will go down to the wire as we’re winding down the season.
As of this writing, Steph Curry leads the Association in scoring with 31.2 points per game. He is leading only by a whisker over Bradley Beal, who has put up 31.1 points per game.
Both superstars are needed to be at their sparkling best these next few weeks. Other than fighting for scoring bragging rights, Curry and Beal’s teams are trying to claw their way into the playoff race.
The Warriors are ninth in the West with a 30-30 record, whereas the Wizards are 10th in the East with a 26-33 record.
Washington look to have a better chance right now since they are riding on a seven-game winning streak.
Other than Bradley Beal, the Wizards have been getting significant production from Russell Westbrook – who continues to drop his staple triple-doubles.
But the same can’t be said for the Warriors since much of their fate lies on the hot hands of Steph Curry, who is undoubtedly the franchise’s greatest player ever.
Gaining more victories is going to be helpful for both the Wizards and the Warriors. However, they will need some luck too in order to enter the playoffs.
Top young point guards shelved due to injuries and COVID-19
The Hawks and the Kings have suffered huge blows as their top playmakers are expected to miss the final stretch of the regular season.
Trae Young sustained a Grade 2 lateral sprain on his left ankle against the Knicks last Wednesday, while De’Aaron Fox will miss the next two weeks due to health and safety protocols.
Such NBA 2021 news come at an inopportune time as both teams are jockeying for playoff positions, although the Hawks’ have a smaller margin of error compared to the Kings.
Atlanta are placed fifth in the East with a 33-27 record. However, they are keen on grabbing a few more wins since they don’t want to fall into the play-in tournament spots.
Fox’s absence likely signals the end of Sacramento’s playoff hopes. The Kings are now five games behind the 10th-seeded Spurs, and the Pelicans are right above them as the 11th-seeded squad.
Sacramento haven’t reached the postseason since 2007. Fox was their best chance at breaking their drought, but it looks like they are heading to the lottery for the nth time.
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