ORLANDO, Fla. — The Knicks were without Jalen Brunson against the Heat last week and missing RJ Barrett against the 76ers on Sunday night, yet won both of those games against quality teams.
In fact, the Knicks’ four wins over the past two weeks have come against four of the current top-six seeds in the Eastern Conference standings: the Cavaliers (fifth), Celtics (first), Heat (sixth) and Sixers (third).
They can pull even with Miami in the standings with a win Tuesday over the improving Magic, who have won six of their last 10 behind Rookie of the Year candidate Paulo Banchero (20.3 points per game) to improve to 22-32 overall. The Knicks own the second-best road winning percentage in the league at .577 (15-11), behind only the Celtics (17-9).
Sixth man Immanuel Quickley was not listed on the official injury report for Tuesday’s game despite not playing in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s victory, with Brunson and Deuce McBride each playing the final 12 minutes in the backcourt.
Julius Randle and the Knicks have continued to gain ground on the Top 6 in the East. AP
Jimmy Butler’s Heat are currently sixth in the East, one spot ahead of the Knicks.Getty Images“He’s a little nicked up but [it] was just the way the game was flowing,” coach Tom Thibodeau said of Quickley after the game. “Those guys got into a good rhythm, so we just rode that group out.”
Quickley had missed the Knicks’ game in Toronto on Jan. 23 with knee soreness.
The Knicks have gone 4-5 in nine games since starting center Mitchell Robinson left the lineup following Jan. 19 thumb surgery. He is scheduled to be reevaluated this week.
Barrett is listed as questionable after being a late scratch Sunday night with a non-COVID illness. Orlando center Mo Bamba is serving a four-game suspension for his part in a fight against Minnesota on Friday. Former Knicks guard Austin Rivers of the Timberwolves was suspended three games for his involvement in the altercation.
