Knicks, Hawks going in opposite directions
ATLANTA — In one of the most dramatic examples of the expression “what a difference a year makes,” the Knicks finished a single game behind the Hawks for the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference last season.
That one-game separation has exploded into a 44-game chasm this year entering the Knicks’ penultimate game of the season Monday against top-seeded Atlanta, which has won 60 games for the first time in its history.
The Knicks conversely have established their own franchise mark for losses with 64 under first-year coach Derek Fisher. Their 16th win of the season on Saturday in Orlando allowed Minnesota to pull even with them for the worst record in the NBA with two games to play for each team.
The Knicks conclude the 82-game slate against eliminated Detroit on Wednesday at the Garden, while the Timberwolves host New Orleans (Monday) and Oklahoma City (Wednesday), the two teams battling for the No. 8 playoff berth in the West.
If the Knicks and Minnesota finish with the same record, they would split the combined odds of the top two seeds for draft lottery purposes — around 23% apiece. A coin flip also would determine which team technically will be the No.1 seed, an important designation because the top seed can pick no lower than fourth in the draft while the second seed can slide to fifth.
The Knicks dropped their previous two meetings this season with the Hawks, although they haven’t faced each other since back-to-back games in early November, when Atlanta was 3-3.
“We can feel good about the 60 wins,” All-Star forward Kyle Korver said Friday. “That’s a great accomplishment. But it’s a regular-season accomplishment. We’ll think about those things in a few months.”
With All-Star forward and pending free agent Paul Millsap missing his fourth straight game with a right shoulder injury, Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer also rested his other four starters — Korver, Jeff Teague, DeMarre Carroll and Al Horford — for Sunday’s loss against Washington. Budenholzer told reporters he planned to use his regular lineup against the Knicks.
The Hawks also remain without Thabo Sefolosha, who suffered a broken leg when arrested by NYPD officers last week following the alleged stabbing of Indiana forward and former Knick Chris Copeland.