No matter what their ranking is, they have to beat both the Bulls and the Magic to break out of the East, it's inevitable.
Ranking only determines the order in which they meet the Bulls and Magic, that's all.
Roger and Riley's grudge was common knowledge, last season, the legendary coach was beaten so badly by Roger that his hair was a mess and he was going mad on the sideline, a sight that fans still talk about with relish.
People teased Riley, saying he had barely survived the nightmare that was Jordan, only to fall into Roger's nightmare.
The Chicago Bulls would be the cloud hanging over his head that he could never dispel.
This year, things became even more brutal for Riley.
Because his other nightmare, Michael Jordan, had come back.
He had to face both Roger and Jordan in the playoffs.
But for Riley at the moment, those two bastards were not his only worries.
At this time, he was in the office of James Dolan, the new owner of the Knicks.