At the All-Star break, The Post’s basketball crew takes a look at the most compelling questions and issues of the second half, including what direction the Knicks and Nets’ seasons will go.
The Knicks will end up …
Peter Botte: losing in the first round — The All-Star play of Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle and the addition of Josh Hart will get the Knicks the fifth or sixth seed, but they won’t beat any of the top four teams in the East.
Zach Braziller: fifth — They have survived without rim-protecting stalwart Mitchell Robinson, going 8-6 since he has been out with a fractured right thumb. Tom Thibodeau’s team should only get better upon Robinson’s return and RJ Barrett eventually should rediscover his game after a shaky past month.
Brian Lewis: in the playoffs proper — They have enough to hold off a frankly unimpressive Heat team, and could walk down the Durant-less Nets for good measure if they win on March 1 at the Garden.
Ian O’Connor: the fifth seed in the East — That will set up a fun first-round series with Donovan Mitchell’s Cavs. I see them winning that series before getting ripped by Boston or Milwaukee.
Mike Vaccaro: in the postseason, but in a play-in round — Let’s call them the 7 seed. They’ll win and get the pleasure of being hammered by the Celtics.
The Nets will end up …
Peter Botte: losing in the play-in tournament — The Nets’ 18-2 run before Durant got hurt then traded will be more than enough to keep them from flushing their 8 ¹/₂-game lead over No. 11 Chicago before a quick play-in exit.
Zach Braziller: seventh — The schedule is challenging, tied for the seventh-toughest, with the Knicks and Heat, according to Tankathon.com, and the lack of shot-creators has been evident since the trades of Durant and Irving.
Brian Lewis: where they were a year ago — A first-round exit seems likely, unless they can stave off the Knicks and Heat to maintain fifth, and avoid the East’s Big 3 of Boston, Milwaukee and Philadelphia.
Ian O’Connor: as the seventh seed in the East — The best of the rest in the play-in tournament. I see them advancing out of the play-in then getting swept by one of the conference’s two juggernauts.
Mike Vaccaro: in the postseason, but in the play-in — They’ll win and get the pleasure of being hammered by the Bucks.