LOS ANGELES — The Knicks face the Clippers twice in their final 20 games, starting with Sunday’s matinee at Staples Center.
The third battle, though, will be lots more important — the clash for Kevin Durant.
Much like the Knicks, the Clippers executed a trade-deadline deal to clear cap space for nearly two max players.
They shipped Tobias Harris, amidst his career year, to the 76ers, essentially for draft picks and opening up enough cap space to at least snare Durant or Kawhi Leonard. The Knicks pulled a similar maneuver when they dumped Kristaps Porzingis.