The Knicks got to 50 wins by winning their regular season finale on Sunday, locking up the second seed in what was their best regular season performance in over 10 years.
The reward? Meeting the playoff-proven Heat or the 76ers with a healthy Joel Embiid in the first round, and Sal wasn’t too excited about it.
“Of course the Knicks finish the season strong, get win No. 50, get the two seed, and of course, like only the Knicks can do, they screw themselves in the process, and are gonna have a first-round matchup with one of two teams we didn’t want in the first round,” Sal said. “I hate the idea of whatever first-round matchup they’re gonna have with Miami or Philadelphia.”
Sal doesn’t believe either matchup means a first-round exit for New York, but he would have liked to have seen the Pacers in the first round than one of two teams that have what it takes to make a deep run.
“Not that I’m scared, but for them, I think they can lose,” Sal said. “It is infuriating to me that the Knicks accomplish this great feat…and yet their reward is the Sixers or the Heat.”