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New York Knicks: Eastern Conference Playoff Projections

By Maurice Moton

Dec 4, 2015; New York, NY, New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) shoots a free throw in the second half at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks win 108-91. Mandatory Credit: William Hauser-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 4, 2015; New York, NY, New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) shoots a free throw in the second half at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks win 108-91. Mandatory Credit: William Hauser-USA TODAY Sports /
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After a blockbuster trade and several notable free agent pickups, where do the New York Knicks rank in the Eastern Conference?

New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) drives to the hoop against Boston Celtics center Tyler Zeller (44) during the first half at TD Garden.
Mar 4, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) drives to the hoop against Boston Celtics center Tyler Zeller (44) during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports /

ESPN placed the New York Knicks ninth in its Eastern Conference 2016-17 forecast with analysis based simply off of injuries:

"The Knicks were the most improved team last season in terms of win-loss record, and now they’ve added former MVP Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah to the fold. If healthy, our projections could short the Knicks. However, our panel knows that Rose has missed 244 games the past five seasons and Noah has missed 68 games the past two seasons."

We’ll go beyond the injury report to delve into the playoff picture for the upcoming season.

More from New York Knicks

Eastern Conference rosters endured a lot of changes over the offseason. The Indiana Pacers switched coaches and added supporting talent around star forward Paul George.

Center Dwight Howard came back to the Eastern Conference and his hometown to Atlanta Hawks. The Boston Celtics signed Al Horford to a long-term contract.

Of course, the Knicks made a blockbuster trade deal to acquire guard Derrick Rose.

Last year, the Detroit Pistons clinched the eighth seed with a 44-38 record. The difficulty in earning a playoff spot will increase for the 2017 postseason. The Eastern Conference will surpass the Western Conference regarding top to bottom competition in the playoffs.

Which teams will finish within the top eight in the East? Is ESPN correct in projecting the Knicks as a non-playoff team?

We’ll go through the order, starting with each division’s leader, which automatically lists as a top three seed, regardless of overall record.

Next: No. 1

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