Westchester Knicks Wrap-up Regular Season-Clinch Third Seed in Playoffs
The Westchester Knicks will play a NBA G League Eastern Conference Playoff Game at the Westchester County Center, against the Windy City Bulls, on Wednesday, March 27, at 7 p.m.
The Westchester Knicks, the NBA affiliate of the NY Knicks, completed their 2018-19 season with a double-overtime loss to the Erie Bayhawks, 123-122, in Erie, on Saturday. Nonetheless, on Thursday, March 21, the Westchester Knicks clinched a home playoff game with their 105-94, victory against the Maine Red Claws at the Westchester County Center.
The local Knicks clinched the third seed in the Eastern Conference G League Playoffs with a 29-21 record in 2018-19. The First Round of the G League Playoffs as well as the Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals are single elimination contest with the NBA G League Championship being the best of three-game series.
Therefore, on Wednesday, the Westchester Knicks have to beat the six-seeded Eastern Conference Bulls (27-23), the NBA G League affiliate of the Chicago Bulls, in the First Round, to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. If the local Knicks get past the Bulls, they will face the number two-seeded Lakeland Magic, the NBA G League affiliate of the Orlando Magic, in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, on Friday, March 29, in Florida.
“We try to put ourselves in a position to win every game. Although, the Playoffs are different with the one game sudden death type of thing, so we will be ready to play and try to play like we do every game,” said Head Coach Mike Miller, who has led the local Knicks to the G League Playoffs three times in his four years at the helm.
Miller has a 108-92 regular season career-record with the Westchester Knicks. He has led the NY Knicks affiliate to their first ever Eastern Conference and Atlantic Division Titles in 2017-18, while being awarded the NBA G League Dennis Johnson Coach of the Year Award.
“We have been so fortunate to have the players that we have had during the time that I have been here (in Westchester),” humbly stated Miller. “I think the credit goes back to the Knicks organization for having the vison for what they wanted with this team in Westchester and putting the players in place,” continued Miller.
On Thursday, Westchester Knicks guard Billy Garrett addressed the fans from center court in the County Center, before their last home game of the regular season. Garrett thanked the fans for their support throughout this season, before the local Knicks rewarded them with a win over the Red Claws, while clinching a first round home Playoff game.
The Westchester Knicks played 25 home games during the regular season at the Westchester County Center. The local Knicks drew 32,293 total fans to the arena in White Plains and averaged 1,532 fans per game this season.
“It was fun. I have been fortunate to see this organization grow and I think every year it has gotten better. The atmosphere and the fans this past month or so during our string of home games has really been fun and that is good for the brand,” stated Miller, who logged his Westchester Knicks 100th career-victory, on Feb. 8, at the Westchester County Center.
Sean Kilpatrick Wins Greek Cup Championship
Sean Kilpatrick joined the elite of White Plains High School Athletes when he was inducted into the White Plains High School Athletics Hall of Fame in October 2018. Kilpatrick played four seasons of varsity basketball for the Tigers before graduating in 2008 as their second All-Time Leading Scorer with 1289 points.
He was voted a NCAA First Team All-American in 2014 upon graduating from the University of Cincinnati but went undrafted in the NBA Draft that same year. Kilpatrick worked his way through the NBA G- League before playing three seasons in the NBA with the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Buck, LA Clippers and Chicago Bulls.
However, even after averaging 15.4 points per game in nine games with the Bulls last season, he was waived by Chicago during the offseason. When the NBA teams did not call during the 2018-19 season, Kilpatrick took his talents to Greece and joined Panathinaikos.
On Sunday, Kilpatrick added a Greek Cup Championship to his resume as he helped Panathinaikos win the Greek Cup Title. Panathinaikos is led by former Louisville University Head Coach Rick Pitino, who was fired by Louisville in 2017, after his program was named in an FBI investigation into corruption. Also, on the Panathinaios roster is former Westchester Knicks star Thanasis Antetokounmpo.
