The real test starts now.

Everything about this Knicks season will be judged on whether they can overcome this final hurdle and reach the Finals for the first time since 1999. Their path — not having to go through either the Celtics or the Pistons and having home-court advantage for both the conference semifinals and conference finals — has been surprising and perhaps fortunate.

But, by the end of the second round, the Cavaliers looked like a more dangerous team than the Pistons.

The Knicks went 2-1 against the Cavaliers in the regular season, though the one loss came by 15 points and was the only game in which Cleveland had its new-look roster with James Harden. But, as we’ve written ahead of the first two rounds, regular-season results usually have little bearing on the postseason.