If the Knicks finish seventh or eighth in the Eastern Conference after this pandemic-shortened 72-game regular season, their long-suffering fans will want to throw a parade for coach Tom Thibodeau’s club up the Canyon of Heroes.
But they wouldn’t necessarily be celebrating the official end of the Knicks’ seven-year playoff drought — which is tied for the longest in franchise history with the one from 1959-60 through 1965-66.
The Post has learned that clubs finishing seventh through 10th — the ones who will take part in the play-in for the playoffs proper — will not be considered “playoff’’ teams unless they qualify for the final eight. The two losers of the play-in event will fall back to the lottery and, hence, can’t technically make the claim of having been a pandemic playoff team.
The individual numbers from play-in games won’t count as playoff statistics or regular-season numbers, according to an industry source. The NBA has recently decided the stats will be labeled in a separate entity: “Play-in Tournament Statistics.’’
Following their dispiriting 134-101 loss to the Bucks on Thursday to open the season’s second half, the Knicks (19-19) fell into a tie for sixth place in the East with the Hornets.
The league is expected to keep the play-in tournament for at least next season if it works out well, according to the industry source.
Especially for a shortened season that began Dec. 23, the NBA believes the new format adds extra drama beyond the play-in games.
It sets up a spicy battle for the all-important sixth seed, with the winner avoiding the perils of the play-in.
Under the format, the No. 7 seed faces No. 8 (with the winner getting the seventh seed) and No. 9 takes on No. 10. The winner of the 9-10 matchup faces the loser of the 7-8 game (with the winner getting the eighth seed). It has been widely reported all 10 qualifiers would be deemed playoff clubs.
In past years, the top eight seeds from each conference made the playoffs. The Knicks are no locks to even make the top 10 — let alone hold on for the key guaranteed sixth slot.
The Knicks are just 1 ½ games out of 11th place and face, based on current opponent won-loss records, the fourth-toughest schedule in the NBA in the second half.
When the Knicks were 19-18 at the All-Star break, their first-half schedule, based on records, was ranked mathematically the second-easiest in the NBA.
“The schedule is the schedule,’’ Thibodeau said. “Sometimes it’s in your favor. Sometimes it’s not.”’
The Knicks on Saturday will play at Oklahoma City, which beat them in January. Then it’s the East’s top two teams — at Barclays Center on Monday against the Nets and in Philadelphia on Tuesday — for a bruising back-to-back.
