After falling to the Memphis Grizzlies, the Knicks wrapped up February with a 39-19 record through 58 games, securing third place in the Eastern Conference. The standings, as shown in the sports card above, highlight the tight race in 2010:
1. Cleveland Cavaliers (46-14)
2. Orlando Magic (40-20)
3. New York Knicks (39-19)
4. Atlanta Hawks (37-21)
5. Boston Celtics (36-21)
6. Toronto Raptors (31-27)
7. Chicago Bulls (31-28)
8. Milwaukee Bucks (30-29)
The 2-5 slots were a dogfight—one slip could shuffle the order. The Celtics, fresh off dismantling the Knicks, were clawing toward fourth, eyeing home-court advantage in a potential playoff clash with the Hawks. Two home games could tilt the series, especially for Boston's battle-tested veterans, who'd exploit any mental cracks in Atlanta's youthful roster.
The Magic, fueled by Vince Carter and Dwight Howard's growing chemistry, surged in February. The Hawks, like the Knicks, leaned on young talent, but their offensive inconsistencies—evident in two losses to Cleveland (compared to the Knicks' 1-1 split)—exposed their fragility against elite teams.
February's Player of the Month awards snubbed Lian Dao again. LeBron James claimed the East's honor, powering the Cavaliers to an 8-3 record in 11 games with 32.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 10.5 assists per game. His scoring and playmaking electrified Cleveland. In the West, Carlos Boozer earned the nod, leading the Jazz to a 10-3 mark (best in the West) with 21.2 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists. Al Jefferson's bench spark offset Paul Millsap's departure.
March loomed large for the Knicks, with a grueling 16-game slate, including back-to-backs and clashes against playoff heavyweights: Cavaliers, Spurs, Celtics, Nuggets, Hawks, and Pistons. Media dubbed March the Knicks' proving ground—a strong showing would lock in their playoff berth.
On March 1, the Knicks faced the Cavaliers in a high-profile showdown, amplified by Lian Dao and James' shared All-Star MVP. Pre-game, Lian Dao set the tone: "Cleveland's the East's best, but we fear no one. The Knicks' goal isn't just one team—it's to go further."
Coach Mike D'Antoni tweaked the lineup: Jrue Holiday, Wilson Chandler, Lian Dao, Paul Millsap, Darko Milicic. Lian Dao drew the solo assignment on James, with Milicic anchoring Shaquille O'Neal and Millsap providing help defense. James, stifled by Lian Dao, targeted Milicic inside, scoring on all three early post-ups but burning energy. The Knicks countered with Holiday and Lian Dao exploiting pick-and-rolls to attack O'Neal, drawing two fouls on him in the first five minutes. Millsap and Milicic's double-teams further drained Shaq.
Cavaliers coach Mike Brown yanked O'Neal for Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Big Z), but James capitalized on Ilgauskas' screens, slipping past Lian Dao twice. Millsap's help defense couldn't contain James' drives, keeping the score tight. The first quarter ended knotted at 34-34.
In the second, Lian Dao led the bench unit, erupting for eight straight points to spark an 8-2 run. O'Neal, back in, bullied David Lee for a 6-2 response, trimming the gap to two. Lian Dao answered, splashing a three over Jamario Moon, then setting up Gallinari for another. Driving inside, he drew O'Neal's third foul, sinking both free throws to push the lead to 45-38.
James, barely resting, returned and orchestrated an 8-3 spurt via pick-and-rolls, closing to within two. With two minutes left, the score leveled at 53-53. In the final seconds, Lian Dao weaved through a pick-and-roll, spun past Varejao, and drew O'Neal's fourth foul on a layup. The ball kissed the backboard, teetered, and dropped for a 2+1. At 63-60, the Knicks led at halftime, O'Neal's foul trouble looming large.
The third quarter saw the Knicks unleash D'Antoni's "run-and-gun" attack. Lian Dao, fed by Holiday, used Millsap's screen for an emergency-stop three. He then picked off James' pass, muscled through Varejao, and drilled another three. Assisting Millsap for a third trey, the Knicks surged 9-5, stretching the lead to seven. Brown called timeout, swapping Big Z for O'Neal.
James and Anthony Parker double-teamed Lian Dao, tanking his shooting, while James piled up points. By quarter's end, Cleveland tied it at 92-92.
In the fourth, fatigue hit both squads. D'Antoni doubled James with Lian Dao and Chandler; Cleveland mirrored, with James and Parker hounding Lian Dao. Shooting percentages dipped as legs grew heavy. Without O'Neal, felled by a sixth foul on Lee's jumper, Cleveland's interior edge vanished. Big Z, solid but not dominant, struggled against Millsap's physicality.
Wilson Chandler ignited the Knicks, canning three straight threes off Lian Dao's passes for a 9-2 run, seizing a seven-point lead. Parker, Cleveland's sharpshooter, misfired (0/3 3P), while Millsap's steal on Big Z sparked a fast break. Lian Dao pulled up for a three—swish. A 10-point cushion.
Parker found his range late, hitting back-to-back threes to cut the deficit to five. But with Cleveland easing off Lian Dao, he exploited pick-and-rolls to answer. With 30 seconds left, the Knicks clung to a seven-point lead. James' three trimmed it to four, and he gambled for a steal on Holiday, but Lian Dao's help defense thwarted a break. James' final three clanged, and Millsap boxed out Big Z, letting Lee snag the rebound. Lee's outlet pass sailed toward Cleveland's basket, bleeding the clock.
Final score: 125-121. The Knicks kicked off March with a statement win.