Miles McBride is looking ahead to the playoffs.
The regular season has come and gone and the stage is set for the playoffs. For the New York Knicks, that means the only thing to look ahead to now is a start to their round one series against the Atlanta Hawks, where they'll enjoy home court advantage and start game one at Madison Square Garden.
The Eastern Conference has been a swirling storm throughout this season, with anything beyond the top three seeds feeling truly like anyone's spot.
The Hawks were the ones that outlasted the battle and found themselves in the sixth seed and while they haven't had the most consistent season, they put together 11 straight wins in late February and early March to flip the season around and now they're trying to ride that momentum into a series against the powerhouse Knicks.
Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (7) protects the ball from New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) during the first half at State Farm Arena. Dale Zanine-Imagn ImagesPreparing for Atlanta's Defense
Looking at that matchup, there's a lot for the Knicks to prepare for, but the defense is what's been raising the biggest red flags for the Knicks heading into the series starting on Saturday.
"They're a team that really defends really well. They've got guys that can go get a bucket on the offensive end. But, I think their team defense is really something challenging. So, I think it's going to be an exciting playoff series," Miles McBride said (via SNY).
New York Knicks guards Jose Alvarado (5) and Miles McBride (2) celebrate from the bench in the second quarter against the Chicago Bulls at Madison Square Garden. Wendell Cruz-Imagn ImagesThe Knicks have no shortage of weapons of their own, though. As the regular season came to a close, they finally brought together all of their talents to play like the team that they've always had the capabilities to be.
The Knicks' Arsenal
They're going into the playoffs with a top 10 offense and top 10 defense and by bringing the effort into both ends of the court, they've become closer to being a fully realized team that could contend not only in the Eastern Conference half of the playoffs, but potentially all the way through the championships.
Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook (18) controls the ball against New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesThe Hawks come first, though. It's shaping up to be an exciting series with two very different play styles. The Hawks play with pace and electricity while the Knicks prefer to control the paint and force opposing teams to play through them.
On paper, the Knicks should have all of the advantages, but effort reigns supreme in the playoffs, and the Knicks will still have to give it everything they've got to try and avoid an upset.
It will be a test of two teams in very different places throughout their seasons, and the Knicks will try to overcome the Hawks' defense to keep their season alive.