Mar 29, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks shooting guard J.R. Smith (8) readies to drive around Charlotte Bobcats shooting guard Gerald Henderson (9) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 111-102. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Knicks locked up the second seed in the Eastern Conference Sunday with their win over the Indiana Pacers. With nothing left to accomplish for the remainder of the season, the Knicks will be treating tonight’s game against the Charlotte Bobcats as a rest day.

Carmelo Anthony, the frontrunner to win the league’s scoring title, is expected to sit out. The Knicks were already shorthanded, without Tyson Chandler, Amar’e Stoudemire, and Kenyon Martin among others. There are rumors that Rasheed Wallace could make his return to the Knicks rotation tonight, as they hope to get the veteran forward on the court before the start of the postseason.

While the Knicks have nothing to play for, the Bobcats are still searching for any type of improvement they can carry into next season. The Bobcats have lost the last five straight to the Knicks, and lost 111-102 in their trip to Madison Square Garden on March 29. Gerald Henderson, who’s struggled lately, had a career high 35 points against the Knicks that night.

With the Knicks looking to rest their legs, tonight could be the chance for the Bobcats to pick up a win against New York. The Bobcats have lost the last five games to the Knicks by an average of over 13 points.

Bismack Biyombo certainly wouldn’t mind facing the Knicks depleted frontcourt. Biyombo, who had 13 points and 17 rebounds in a win over the Milwaukee Bucks Saturday, is averaging double-digit rebounds this month for the first time this season. Josh McRoberts is averaging just under double-digit rebounds in his last 10 games, and came close to a triple-double against the Bucks. The Bobcats frontcourt has been one of the league’s least-productive frontcourts this season, but is starting to gain some confidence as the regular season shuts its doors.

With the Knicks resting their star player and some of their key rotation guys sitting with injuries, tonight could be a good chance for the Bobcats to pick up a win. However, as we’ve seen with the team this season, no win has really ever been a safe bet or guarantee.

Dec 5, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats guard Kemba Walker (15) drives through the defense of New York Nicks guard J.R. Smith (8) and center Tyson Chandler (6) during the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Knicks win 100-98. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

Backcourt scoring has come with ease for the Charlotte Bobcats this season. The Bobcats have led the league in backcourt points for the majority of the season, thanks to their glut of guards. Lately, Gerald Henderson has been the one carrying Charlotte’s guards.

In March, Henderson is averaging 19.1 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and shooting 47% from the field. Henderson has been getting into the paint, drawing fouls and hitting his free throws at an 86% clip. Henderson’s scoring surge has since the all-star break has been a welcome addition to the Bobcats, who’ve now won three of their last five games.

A win tonight on the road will be tough, as the Bobcats go into Madison Square Garden to face the New York Knicks. The Bobcats again will be relying on the firepower of their backcourt. Henderson and Kemba Walker combined for 68 points in their last win over Orlando, so the confidence and ability is there.

The Knicks have won six games in a row after losing four in a row. During their win streak J.R. Smith has led the team in scoring four times. Smith, who made a game winner against the Bobcats earlier in the season, has been playing very well in March. Smith is averaging 21.6 points this month and 25.6 points on 54% shooting in his last five games. A candidate for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year, the Bobcats are going to have to zero in on Smith when he comes off the bench.

Carmelo Anthony has also been playing well since returning from injury. Anthony is averaging just above 27 points in his last five games and remains one of the more difficult players for the Bobcats to guard. In 17 career games against Charlotte, Anthony shoots just below 50% from the field, while scoring 26 points per contest. Anthony didn’t shoot the ball well in the last meeting against Charlotte, but at home, it could certainly be a different story.

Oct. 1, 2012; Tarrytown, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Raymond Felton speaks to the media at the MSG Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Well, the New York Knicks made a smart decision by bringing former Charlotte Bobcat, Raymond Felton back to Madison Square Garden. New York Knicks’ coach Mike Woodson has  tabbed the former Tar Heel as the starting point guard over Jason Kidd. Now, before you get happy keep in mind that this news does not mean that Felton is better than Kidd. I wrote a piece on starting versus coming off the bench several months ago. Several players, notably Manu Ginobili, James Harden, and Jason Terry, have made a career coming off the bench. All three of them have been very successful doing so.

Jason Kidd prefers to be on the floor during the last six minutes of the game. This upcoming season will mark the first time that Kidd has come off the bench, rather than starting. This may turn out to be a great thing for both Felton and Kidd, because Felton gets to re-build his career. The last time Ray Ray was a Knick, he was averaging 17 points and 9 assists a game. Then, he was dealt to Denver to backup another former Tar Heel, Tywon Lawson. Kidd gets to see the game unfold, by being the sixth man. Expect to see both of these players on the floor at the same time, also. Kidd can guard point guards, shooting guards, and small forwards. Felton played a great deal of shooting guard, while he was a donning the orange and blue in the Queen City.

The Knicks seem like they are changing the dynamics of their team. Now, if they could only trade Amare’ Stoudemire. He is not a good fit in New York.