Think bigger. That was Arron Afflalo’s playoff message after the Knicks returned to the .500 mark Saturday night with their fourth straight victory, over the Bulls on Saturday.
Once upon a time, a .500 record meant a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. Not this season. The Knicks, with a 14-14 record, sit in 11th place in the East, due to the surprising turnabouts of clubs such as the Magic, who visit the Garden on Monday. One of the dregs of the past few seasons, Orlando is sitting tied for sixth at 15-11 with new coach Scott Skiles.