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NBA: 5 Teams That Look To Make Playoff Push

By Colby Giacubeno

Dec 21, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Rajon Rondo (9) dribbles as Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) defends during the first half at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 21, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Rajon Rondo (9) dribbles as Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) defends during the first half at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 2, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) and forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) against the Boston Celtics during the first half of an NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 2, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) and forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) against the Boston Celtics during the first half of an NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /

New York Knicks

Current record: 23-32

Games behind the eight seed: 5

After last season’s debacle, the mere fact that the Knicks are in the vicinity of a playoff berth is a success in its own right. But if they could put a solid stretch of games together, they could make the end of the season quite interesting.

Much of the success and buzz behind the Knicks this season is because the proclaimed unicorn that is Kristaps Porzingis. Fans in the Big Apple were disappointed on draft night when Commissioner Adam Silver announced the Latvian’s name following ‘the New York Knicks select,’ but he has taken the league by storm–shown by his jersey sales ranking fourth overall ahead of players like Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and his own teammate Carmelo Anthony.

Last week, the Knicks fired their head coach Derek Fisher after compiling a 40-96 record in a season and a half. Kurt Rambis has taken over as the interim head coach. Rambis has experience coaching under the team president, Phil Jackson, when Jackson was the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Porzingis will continue to improve as the season prolongs, Anthony will look to continue one of his best all-around statistical seasons (averaging a career-high 4.2 assists per game), and the rotation should begin to make more sense with Rambis at the helm.

The Knicks path to a playoff berth will be a big challenge, but if they could put together a couple of short winning streaks throughout the final 27 games, the playoffs are certainly obtainable.

Next: Sacramento