The New York Knicks breezed through the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, sweeping them in four games in dominant fashion, but the ease and speed with which they worked through that series may be a curse and much as it is a blessing. 

Sweeping the 76ers meant that, since the Knicks played the absolute minimum number of games possible, they maxed out the amount of time they had to wait until the first game of the next series would be played. 

That was further enhanced by the fact that the other Eastern Conference Semifinal, played between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons, went the maximum amount of seven games, with Cleveland emerging as the victor and New York's next opponent. 

On one hand, the Knicks have ample time to rest and recover for the next series, but having nine days off in between playoff games not only creates more than enough time for the adrenaline to wear off, it also puts the Knicks at risk of falling out of the rhythm that's so crucial in the playoffs.

The Cavaliers, on the other hand, while they're no doubt going to be worn and weathered from fighting for their season for seven games, they also don't have the risk of losing that competitive edge that made them winners in the semifinals.

That duality of circumstances is a real risk for New York, and it's something that head coach Mike Brown is deeply aware of.

“I’ve been in both situations, playing while a team’s waiting and I’ve been waiting while a team’s playing,” Brown said (via New York Post). “You can say they’re going to be tired, but you can also say they have a competitive edge because they’ve been going at it for seven games and we’ve been off."

Brown continued by saying that the most that he and his staff can do during this rest period is simply keep drilling with the team to keep them sharp, but ultimately that amount of time is it's own test of the Knicks' playoff chops.

That all being said, the way the Knicks have been playing, from the final game of the opening series against the Atlanta Hawks to their dominance over the 76ers, has proven that they have those traits that defines a champion.

This Knicks team has been playing at a level that has created excitement around the team that hasn't been felt in a long time and there's a certain legitimacy that's been added to this team that's made them feel like real champion contenders.

However the Knicks head into the Conference Finals, whether they're simply rest or their out of rhythm, there will be an expectation of energy that's been shown by them in abundance up to this point in the playoffs.