Knicks gain ground on Celtics after sweeping easy week of games

The New York Knicks picked up some valuable ground over the weekend in their quest to overtake the Boston Celtics for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

New York blasted the Washington Wizards by a 145-113 final on Sunday, capping a taking-care-of-business kind of week. The Knicks beat their three opponents, who entering Monday are the three worst teams in the conference, by an average margin of 19.7 points, sandwiching a one-point grind over the Nets between two blowouts.

Now, entering Tuesday, the Knicks sit just a half-game behind the Celtics, after the Pistons extended their lead in the 1-seed to five games over second place. The C's have the fifth-hardest remaining schedule, while the Knicks are ninth, according to Tankathon. So, it's quite feasible that if the Knicks can stay healthy and win the games they're supposed to win, they could overtake the Celtics for the 2-seed by the end of the season.

It's also entirely possible that the teams are within a half-game of each other or have the same record when they clash on April 9 at TD Garden. The 2-seed could essentially be on the line. It's becoming a fascinating stretch run for the budding conference rivals.