Once again, the Eastern Conference playoff race has been one of the tightest in recent years. Dropping a couple of games can be the difference between making the playoffs or falling to the Play-In, and no one can afford to bat an eye at this point in the season.
That's why it's been slightly disappointing to see the Cleveland Cavaliers unable to make the most of the New York Knicks' recent slump. Mike Brown's team has already clinched a playoff spot, but they could still fall from No. 3 to No. 4 if the Cavs win out.
Instead, both teams have gone 7-3 in the past ten games. That could come back to haunt the Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs, as they're currently slated to square off with the up-and-coming Atlanta Hawks.
The Cavs should've already gotten past the Knicks
Two of the Cavs' past three losses have come against teams they should've beaten. There was no excuse not to beat the Dallas Mavericks a couple of weeks ago, and dropping the first of a back-to-back series vs. the Miami Heat also held the team back. Then, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers made a bit more sense, but it still probably sealed their fate as the No. 4 seed.
In the meantime, the Knicks had some bad losses of their own, dropping consecutive games vs. the Detroit Pistons, with a shocking setback to the Indiana Pacers in between. They are struggling on offense and look like a team that won't go deep in the postseason.
As things stand now, the Knicks are looking at a matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers. Even with Paul George and Joel Embiid back on the court, Nick Nurse's team is brittle and inconsistent, and they look like a more favorable matchup for the Cavs.
The Hawks, on the other hand, have been one of the best teams in the game since moving on from Trae Young. Moreover, the Cavs struggle to contain big on-ball players, and going against Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson could spell trouble for their rather small defense.
There's just a handful of games left in the regular season, and it's hard to believe the Cavs can catch the Knicks now. Then again, they won't even give themselves a chance if they continue to drop games they should've won. That's not how you want to enter the playoffs.