3 under-the-radar contenders who have a real chance to make a run to the NBA Finals

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New York Knicks

New York basketball is back and while the Nets may be the best team in New York, the Knicks are not far behind them! All season long, the Knicks have been one of the best defensive teams in the league and as a result, they are currently the 4-seed in the Eastern Conference. 

In a 7-game series, the Knicks are going to be extremely tough for any team to beat not just because they are great defensively, but because they can wear down a team all 48-minutes of a basketball game. 

This team has rarely been blown out this year and they have been competitive each and every game against the top teams in the league, which is why they have a true “dark-horse” persona to them as a team. 

Julius Randle has emerged as a superstar in this league, RJ Barrett is a growing star, Derrick Rose is a former league MVP and with other key talents in Alec Burks, Reggie Bullock and Nerlens Noel, this team is built to fight in a 7-game series. 

READ MORE: NBA Trade Rumors: 3 teams who are one piece away from something special

Beating the Knicks in the playoffs this year will be no small feat and while it seems like a longshot, they could end up with a very favorable path to the Eastern Conference Finals. There really is not any team that is a bad matchup for this squad and we could potentially see a Nets-Knicks Eastern Conference Finals this year, which would be historic in itself!

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