Magic Act! Win, Milwaukee Bucks Loss Seeds New York Knicks 2nd in NBA Playoffs

It was far from easy, but the New York Knicks secured the second seed on the Eastern Conference playoff bracket.

Apr 14, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) tries to hold / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

A little bit of overtime and Orlando magic helped the New York Knicks earn a landmark victory on Sunday.

It didn't come easy, but the Knicks will star as the second seed in the upcoming Eastern Conference playoffs. The fateful formula was a narrow 120-119 overtime victory over the Chicago Bulls at Madison Square Garden combined with the Orlando Magic's 113-88 triumph over the Milwaukee Bucks.

In addition to the second seed, the Knicks (50-32) also reached the half-century mark in the win column. Both landmarks were attained for the first time since the 2013 postseason, which saw the Knicks down the Boston Celtics in the opening round before falling to the Indiana Pacers in part two.

Apr 14, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) talks with the fans / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

New York enters this season with a pair bit of momentum despite losing three-time All-Star Julius Randle : their five-game winning streak is the longest among the East's top six and Jalen Brunson has been on a torrid scoring tear, averaging over 37 points in his last seven games. As the second seed, the Knicks have a prime opportunity to end of the most dubious streaks in the NBA, as their 23-year drought of conference title series appearances is the third-longest active streak behind only Washington (45) and Charlotte (34).

The Knicks will now have to be a little patient when it comes to planning for their postseason, as they're set to play the winner of Wednesday's Eastern Conference Play-In opener between Philadelphia and Miami (7 p.m. ET, ESPN) in a best-of-seven opening series. Game 1 of that series will be held on Saturday at MSG at a tip-off time to be determined.

Though Philadelphia (47-35) has gotten its groove back upon the return of reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid, the Knicks have had the 76ers' number this season: New York won the season series 3-1, the first victory being a 36-point shellacking at Wells Fargo Center with Embiid in the lineup. A showdown with Miami, on the other hand, would afford the Knicks a chance at revenge for last year's conference semifinal matchup, which saw the Heat end New York's season in six games en route to the NBA Finals.