Knicks’ messy point guard situation big concern no matter playoff seed

The Knicks’ standards have become so high, even their overtime victory Saturday afternoon over the Hornets didn’t feel as exhilarating as it should have. Not with the playoffs around the corner...

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The Knicks’ standards have become so high, even their overtime victory Saturday afternoon over the Hornets didn’t feel as exhilarating as it should have.

Not with the playoffs around the corner and the daunting possibility of facing the mighty Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo in a 6-versus-3 first-round matchup. Not with the Knicks’ point-guard situation looking queasy and confusing due to Elfrid Payton’s massive regression and Derrick Rose’s health.

The 40-win Knicks left the Garden court to a standing ovation in the midafternoon from the pandemic-limited crowd of 1,981, but were still in the dark as to whether they will face the Bucks, Hawks or Heat in the first round.

But after Saturday night’s Bucks-Heat game in Milwaukee, the darkness brightened. The Knicks control their own destiny regarding the best-case scenario of the fourth seed and home-court advantage in the first round against the Hawks.

With the Bucks’ win over Miami, all the Knicks must do to avoid having to pack their bags for Milwaukee next weekend is beat the Celtics at the Garden in Sunday’s regular-season finale. That would lock up the fourth seed and a home date against Atlanta, which the Knicks defeated in all three meetings this season. A fairytale season is on the cusp of getting more magical.

“I’ll be watching,’’ Julius Randle said of the Bucks-Heat game after posting his sixth triple double in a 33-point, 11-assist, 13-rebound gem. “I think it’s the only game on tonight, if I’m not mistaken. So of course I’ll be watching. I watch games anyway. But obviously when it has something to do with us, I’ll be watching. So whatever happens, happens. We’ll be ready for whatever the challenge is.’’

One regular-season game is left to this glorious 40-31 Knicks season, in which they’ve won 15 of their last 19 games. The Celtics arrive for Fan Appreciation Day and it’s for home-court advantage.

Saturday, the Knicks blew the 18-point lead they built methodically in the first half and needed to dominate overtime to repel the Hornets. It was that close. Charlotte point guard Devonte’ Graham, who would look good in orange and blue next season, could’ve won it in regulation with a last-second jumper.

It was a good win, but hardly a great one. The more troubling situation for the Knicks is at point guard, with a perplexing melange of Payton-Rose, Alec Burks, Immanuel Quickley and Frank Ntilikina.

Rose didn’t play in Thursday’s win over the Spurs, after the Knicks’ return from an 11-day Western trip. Tom Thibodeau would rather sing Karaoke at a Manhattan bar than rest a key player, but Rose, who had tweaked his ankle in Los Angeles, sat out Thursday. Then Thibodeau sat his all-time favorite player again in the final 11 minutes of Saturday’s fourth quarter and all of overtime. Thibodeau kept Rose at exactly 25 minutes — which was his minutes cap while with the Pistons.

Thibodeau denied a minutes restriction is now in place or that he was resting Rose on the first game of a back-to-back so he could be ready for Boston.

The Knicks coach claimed he liked the second unit of swingman Burks running the point and Quickley at off guard, though the Knicks rookie’s 3-point shot became wayward. Even Ntilikina came in over Rose and Payton in the final minute of regulation for defense.

“It was the way the game was unfolding,’’ Thibodeau said. “We started off the third quarter really well. And then we hit a lull. We found a group who could go. That group ended up going well. So we stayed with them longer. They’re fine and will be ready to go [Sunday].’’

Rose sat on the second row of the bench and didn’t budge after shooting 6-for-9 for 16 points. He also hasn’t been available to reporters since the Knicks returned from Los Angeles, where he logged 39 minutes against the Lakers on Tuesday.

“Our goal is to win,’’ Thibodeau said. “So whoever gives us the best chance to win, that’s who’s going to be on the floor. Derrick’s behind it.’’

After Sunday’s game, Thibodeau’s Knicks will have a week off, perhaps to evaluate whether Payton still deserves to be in the rotation — let alone start. Payton scored two points with two turnovers in 12:25 Saturday. Payton has scored 17 points in the last six games.

Thibodeau looks to be losing faith. Maybe Saturday’s maneuvers were Thibodeau’s way of taking an even closer look at Burks at point guard for the playoffs. Perhaps the Knicks will start Rose and have Burks as the backup point guard.

It all worked out Saturday. The Knicks lost the lead in the fourth quarter, but forced overtime, after which the Hornets melted.

The regular season ends Sunday with another crowd that will be announced at the 10 percent capacity of 1,981. It will mark — God willing — the smallest Knicks crowd the Garden will see for the rest of our lives. The capacity will be bumped up to 5,700 for the playoffs — perhaps as soon as Saturday for Game 1.

Indeed, things are creeping back to normal life at the Garden. The Knicks City Dancers have finally returned for these past two games — though they are not yet allowed to be on the court because of COVID-19 safety protocols.

A platform in the 200-level has been erected for their performances during timeouts. They’ve been missed, but the Knicks have staged this miraculous season without their cheering troupe.

Right now, however, the Knicks don’t need their dance team — they need a stable point-guard situation, a win over the Celtics, and the Hawks.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman

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