Knicks Coach Reveals Playoff Opponent Preference

New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau will closely watch tonight's game between the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers.

Jeremy Brener | Apr 17, 2024

Apr 4, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) drives past Miami Heat / Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Knicks

New York Knicks fans will be eagerly watching tonight's Play-In Tournament game between the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers as the winner will be their team's first opponent.

Both teams have significant playoff experience, reaching the second round of the postseason a year ago. The Heat beat the Knicks in the second round and advanced to NBA Finals, but lost to the Denver Nuggets in five games.

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau knows it will be a tough challenge whether the Heat or the Sixers end up being their opponent.

"They are both great teams," Thibodeau said. "If you've gotten this far, every team poses different problems. So we have to be ready. ... You want to build that habit all year long so when you get here, you're not adjusting. This isn't the first time we've done it."

During the regular season, the Knicks won the first two meetings against the Heat, but lost their most recent matchup on Apr. 2. Meanwhile, the Knicks went 3-1 against the Sixers this year. Joel Embiid missed all but one of those games, but he scored 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in his lone appearance against the Knicks this year - a loss in Philly back in early January.

Regardless of which team ends up playing the Knicks, New York isn't going to have it easy, but the team appears ready either way.

The Heat and 76ers are set to tip off tonight at 7 p.m. ET inside the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The game can be watched on TNT.

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Published Apr 17, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.