Knicks Secure Second Seed in NBA Eastern Playoffs by Beating Bulls and Magic Defeating Bucks

The New York Knicks surged to the No. 2 seed in the NBA’s Eastern Conference playoff standings following a thrilling 120-119 victory in overtime against the Chicago Bulls in the season finale. This win propelled them past the Milwaukee Bucks, who fell to the Orlando Magic 113-88.

Jalen Brunson was the star of the game for the Knicks with an impressive 40-point performance along with seven assists. Donte DiVincenzo also made a significant contribution with 25 points, including five three-pointers, while playing 52 minutes in the regular-season closer.

DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 30 points, but a missed floater over Precious Achiuwa and DiVincenzo in the final seconds denied Chicago the lead. The efforts of Nikola Vucevic and Coby White helped push the Knicks to the brink before falling short at the buzzer.

Brunson’s 40-point showing marked his 11th such performance of the season, tying Patrick Ewing for the second-most in a single season in Knicks history. He also matched Carmelo Anthony for the third-highest single-season scoring average at 28.7 points per game.

The victory secured the Knicks’ first 50-win season since 2012-13 when they won 54 games behind stars like Anthony and J.R. Smith. New York now awaits the outcome of the play-in tournament matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat to determine their first-round playoff opponent.

Chicago, finishing as the No. 9 seed, will face the No. 10 seed Atlanta Hawks in the East’s other play-in game, with the winner advancing to potentially face the loser of the 76ers-Heat contest. The Eastern Conference playoff picture is set with the top seeds as follows: Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, and Atlanta Hawks all vying for postseason success.