The Knicks are on pace for a 33-win season, but coach Mike D'Antoni believes that the team is better than their record and will qualify for the playoffs come spring.

"The schedule is kinda in our favor," D'Antoni said. "Now we have to make up some ground. And if we do that, we'll have a good shot. This next month and a half is going to be a telling point."

Eleven of the Knicks' next 19 games are at the Garden -- and only eight of the 19 are against teams that currently have winning records.

"I'm optimistic and happy to a certain point," D'Antoni said. "I thought we played very well in some games that we did lose. I thought we didn't come out with energy maybe one or two times all year and one happened to be (last Friday against) Milwaukee. Overall, we're okay, but we need to make the playoffs. We need to understand what it's going to take and have a little bit more dedication."