Eastern Conference Playoff Prediction: The Fifth Seed

*Editor's Note: This was supposed to run preseason.*

Drew: We're almost into home-court advantage through the first-round territory! So, the last team that will be on the road to open the playoffs out East will be the "other" New York team -- the New York Knicks. I don't suspect they'll be better than the top-end of the Eastern Conference, but I do think they'll be much better than seeds six, seven and eight.

Andrea Bargnani is Andrea Bargnani, and it'd take the wildest of wild imaginations to project him to suddenly become an impact player. If anything, I still believe losing Steve Novak in that deal will hurt them more than help through an 82-game season. 40 percent plus shooters from beyond the arc are kinda-sorta important and the Knicks swapped him out for a non-rebounding seven footer who barely broke 30 percent from deep last season and was worse the prior year at 29 percent.

I'll go out on a limb and guess that everybody has the Knicks at five here, though I just wrapped up a pineapple Sharpie session.

Kevin: I'm very intrigued by this pineapple marker session and Google was of no help. Sadly, this is going to grind on me for about another 45 minutes.

I have to agree with you about the Knicks. They are now New York's second team and an 0-7 start away from hiring Isiah Thomas to run everything again. Well if Mike Woodson sneezes wrong at the wrong time of day he could fired so Thomas could run the team again.

They lost the Toronto deal for everything Drew said. Why would you trade one of the best three point shooters in the league that compliments the roster for a guy who has no discernible role in the NBA and seems to progressively get worse every year? Plus you take him from the nice and cozy pillows of Holly Mackenzie and the Toronto media to the blood thirsty minotaurs of New York? How does that make sense?

Also, why the hell isn't there a Knicks 24/7 channel? Specifically a show where J.R. Smith and Metta World Peace have to live together. That's where the Knicks really could win.

Seth: Yup. I got the Knicks here too. But honestly, I wonder if we are just going with the flow. I mean really, how much talent does this team have? Basically, you've got Melo with his flaws and Tyson Chandler who is the most-loved oneway player in the league (who also has his own injury troubles).

Metta World Artest is a shell of his former defensive self but at least will try and take (BUT NOT MAKE) as many threes as the missing Novak. The backcourt is mediocre and the Amare-Bargnani combinazione has to be the highest paid collection of non-productive talent ever assembled.

But yeah, I've got them fifth too because I'm a lemming.

Drew: For whatever it's worth I did like the Metta Ron Peace signing. Sure, he's going to stop any semblance of an offense and jack up long-twos after dribbling for 15 seconds. Sure, he isn't the Defensive Player of the Year he once was. But he can still body up a guy and has lightning quick hands.

Seth: So, MWP is basically PJ Tucker but comes with great powers to clog up the offense. Brilliant! Go Knicks!!

Drew: Brilliant!

Kevin: You mean like PJ Tucker clogs up the end of a bench?

Seth: I mean PJ Tucker, starting small forward for the Phoenix Suns. Believe it!