What to Watch For: Washington Wizards vs. New York Knicks November 30th

Friday, November 30^th, 2012

Pre-Game News and Notes

Washington Wizards vs. New York Knicks

Wednesday night the Knicks had an impressive victory over the Central Division leading Bucks even without veteran guard Jason Kidd.  Kidd will again be sitting out Friday night because of back spasms, meaning the Knicks will go with the same starting lineup in Raymond Felton, Ronnie Brewer, Carmelo Anthony, Kurt Thomas and Tyson Chandler.  Here are some things to keep an eye on for the game tonight:

-Avoid a Letdown

The Wizards come into tonight’s game sporting the worst record in the NBA at 1-12 and 0-6 on the road.  The Knicks need to avoid complacency against them, coming out strong and setting the tone from the opening tip.

One way for this to happen is Anthony continuing his hot start in the first quarter.  Anthony leads the NBA in first quarter scoring around 11 points per and he usually dominates the Wizards, scoring 27.1 points per game against them in his career, his third highest mark against any team. 

Anthony is in the midst of one of the hottest stretches of his career and definitely hottest since coming to New York and it should continue against the Wizards; they are an average team at best when they have their best player in John Wall, but with him sidelined the Wizards are one of the worst teams in the NBA.

-Battle on the Boards

The Wizards are not a good team, but one thing they do well is rebound.  They are 10^th in the NBA at rebounding with 43.2 per game led by Emeka Okafor with 6.1 per game.  The return of Nene gives the Wizards another big body capable of grabbing rebounds as well.

It will come down to Tyson Chandler battling those big bodies once again with Anthony hopefully chipping in again.  Chandler and Anthony have been battling on the boards the last two games, giving the Knicks their two best rebounding games of the season.

They should have some more help tonight, as head coach Mike Woodson has hinted at the possibility of seeing Rasheed Wallace and Marcus Camby on the court together, giving the Knicks two big men on the court more than capable of rebounding.

-Bench Play

The Knicks are far superior to the Wizards on the bench and they will have to make that known when given the chance.  Giving the starters some rest will only be possible if the second unit plays well; if they come out like they did Wednesday in Milwaukee that will be no problem.

Pablo Prigioni had his best game as a Knick Wednesday, leading the second unit with Kidd being hurt and doing it masterfully.  He had a career high 28 minutes played and put them to good use, tying a career high 11 points and handing out a career high seven assists.  If asked, there is no doubt Prigioni would be able to run this offense smoothly.

Steve Novak also lit up Milwaukee, playing his best game of the season.  He set career and season highs across the board, playing a career high 40 minutes while posting season highs in points, rebounds, steals and three pointers made.

J.R. Smith and Wallace struggled scoring the ball for the second consecutive game but were picked up by Prigioni and Wallace.  It is good to see the Knicks have different players pick up the slack every night, as when they all get on the same page opposing teams will have a lot to deal with. 

Keep in mind the Knicks are still without two important players in Amar’e Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert; their return will only make an already deep team that much more difficult for teams to handle.

Nets Survive a Fight in Boston

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Nets vs. Celtics Post Game Recap 11/28

The Brooklyn Nets were able to pick up their 4th straight win in Boston over the Celtics 95-83, as the Nets showed that they are in fact a good team, and won’t be pushed around by the Celtics.

The Nets showed some serious toughness in the second quarter after a harmless Kris Humphries foul on Kevin Garnett lead to Rajon Rondo pushing Humphries in to the stands with a semi-brawl starting out, as Gerald Wallace got involved with Rondo and Garnett coming to the aid of Humphries. The fighting led to Rondo being ejected for the Celtics, and Humphries and Wallace being ejected for the Nets.

On a basketball note the fighting overshadowed an impressive win for the Nets who after a big win over the Knicks at home went up to Boston and won by double-digits, and had a 16 point lead at the time of the ejections.

Joe Johnson picked up the slack for the Nets after the ejections of two members of their starting five, as Johnson bounced back from a poor game against the Knicks to lead the Nets in scoring with 18 points on six for 14 shooting, and added six assists with four rebounds.

Deron Williams struggles with shooting the ball continues due to the right wrist injury, as Williams only scored eight points on three for 12 shooting, and could probably use some time off to get the wrist right.

Brook Lopez had to leave the game early after hurting his foot in the third quarter, and is expected to miss two games, but on a note the injury doesn’t appear to be related to the one that kept him out most of last year. Before Lopez had to leave the game he was having one of his better rebounding games of the season, as he had 10 rebounds in just 17 minutes.

With most of the starting lineup having to leave the game early the Nets got a huge lift from their bench which outscored the Celtics bench by a huge 52-18 margin.

Jerry Stackhouse has certainly found the fountain of youth with his second straight monster game off the bench, as Stackhouse went five for six from downtown with a couple of free throws for 17 points.

Andray Blatche with no Lopez or Humphries for most of the game made the most of getting his extra minutes. Blatche had a nice double-double off the bench scoring 17 points on seven for 14 shooting with 13 rebounds.

Up next for the Nets will be the Orlando Magic, as the Nets will look to keep their winning streak going, and avoid a let down against a poor Magic team.

Knicks Bounce Back, Dominate Bucks

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: New York Knicks: 102 Milwaukee Bucks: 88

Knicks Bounce Back, Dominate Bucks

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The Knicks needed to put the disappointing game against the Nets behind them and move on and that is exactly what they did.  The start was a little shaky, but the Knicks would start taking control as the second quarter went on and eventually took the game completely over right out of the gate after halftime.  Jason Kidd did not make the trip with the team because of back spasms and for at least one night they were able to overcome his absence

Playing in Milwaukee means home coming time for Steve Novak and he responded in a big way.  Novak set season highs across the board tonight in minutes played with 40, points with 19, three pointers made with five, steals with two and rebounds with four.  Novak put on a show in front of his friends and family tonight in Milwaukee, playing his best overall game on the season.

I have been critical of Novak because he is really a one dimensional player with his calling card as his three point shooting, but he has done a solid job on defense recently.  He is putting forth effort and at least trying on defense, which is better than nothing.  He knows that he isn’t the most gifted of athletes but at least looks to at least be giving his all and trying to improve his game.  He cannot be faulted if he is at least trying to improve.

Novak was not the only bench player to put on a show tonight, as Pablo Prigioni had his best game in his brief Knick career.  Prigioni brought a spark off the bench in the second quarter, scoring eight points and getting one of his patented steals and finishing for a layup.

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Prigioni has been berated by head coach Mike Woodson for not always shooting the ball when he has open looks, but tonight he was aggressive.  He knocked down two quick three pointers to start the second quarter and was aggressive attacking the paint as the Bucks do not have a strong defensive backcourt in Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis.

Prigioni filled in masterfully for the injured Kidd, finishing the game with 11 points, seven assists, three rebounds and one steal.  Prigioni is capable of running this team if need be; he is a rookie according to NBA regulations but in actuality is far from a rookie.

Chris Copeland got some significant minutes tonight as well, starting the second quarter for the Knicks.  He looked a little nervous in that time though, hesitating on some of his decisions and not going to the basket aggressively on his pick-and-rolls, instead passing it back to the perimeter after receiving an entry pass.  He finished with five points and one rebound in 11 minutes.

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J.R. Smith once again struggled for the Knicks, getting into foul trouble early picking up three fouls in his first six minutes of action.  Smith seems to be effected the most with Kidd sidelined, as this is the second consecutive poor performance as he managed to only score two points.  Smith just does not seem to have his head in the game like he had earlier in the season, something the veterans on this team will undoubtedly change and get Smith back on track; he is too important to the season to not.

The ineffectiveness was offset tonight because of the strong play by some of his bench mates and the starting five.  Raymond Felton had a nice bounce back game after a disappointing effort Monday, finishing with 12 points on five of 10 shooting, seven assists, three rebounds and four steals. 

Tyson Chandler continued his super efficient streak, making all four of his field goal attempts, running his total to 32 of his last 36 shots as makes.  He finished the game with 17 points, eight rebounds and one steal in only 27 minutes of play as he was able to get a rest with the blowout score. 

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Once again Carmelo Anthony came out on fire for the Knicks, scoring 11 of his game high 29 in the opening stanza.  Anthony finished the game going nine of 18 from the field, including three of four from deep, continuing his torrid shooting pace from three point range.  Anthony also added a team high tying eight rebounds and took care of the ball much better tonight, having only one turnover.

Next up for the Knicks is a weekend home, as they will host the one-win Washington Wizards Friday night and the Phoenix Suns Sunday afternoon.  This is a great opportunity for the Knicks to get their defense back on track and get a nice winning streak going. 

What to Watch For: New York Knicks vs. Milwaukee Bucks November 28

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Pre-Game News and Notes

New York Knicks vs. Milwaukee Bucks

The Knicks will look to bounce back against the Central Division leading Milwaukee Bucks Wednesday night after a tough overtime loss at the hands of the Brooklyn Nets Monday night.  This will be no cake walk for the Knicks, as they have struggled with the Bucks in recent seasons and they finally have some offensive firepower to go along with a suffocating defense.  

The Knicks will be without Jason Kidd for the second game, who did not make the trip because of back spasms and is said to be day-to-day by head coach Mike Woodson. Here are some things to watch for tonight:

-Ball Movement

The Knicks struggled mightily Monday without Kidd in the lineup, placing an immense amount of responsibility on the shoulders of Raymond Felton to run the offense.  Felton responded with his worst performance of the season, shooting three of 19 with only five assists.

The lack of another facilitator also saw Carmelo Anthony revert back to his old ways of hero-ball and a ton of isolation.  This made things easier on the Nets, as they just threw everything they had at Anthony knowing he was the only thing the Knicks had going for them.  That needs to change against a Bucks team that has more ammunition than the Nets did to throw at Anthony. 

The Knicks assisted on only 14 of 33 makes against the Nets, a number that has to improve as that indicates that the Knicks were not moving the ball enough and relied too heavily on tough shots going one-on-one.

-Get Back to Basics

The most basic play in basketball is the pick-and-roll; a simple play that every team uses extensively yet is one of the hardest things to defend.  The Knicks need to utilize this more tonight than they did against the Nets; meaning Felton has to put together a solid effort against a tough backcourt in Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis.

With Jennings and Ellis in the backcourt, the Bucks have a very quick and swift perimeter, helping them in allowing the least amount of three point attempts per game at 16.7.  Running the pick-and-roll will open up the lanes and create easy scoring opportunities for the Knicks.  If they can open up the middle some, it will make the Bucks’ wing defenders help off their man equaling open jump shots.

-Slow Down the Backcourt

Without Kidd, the Knicks will most likely go with a more traditional lineup with Kurt Thomas starting at the 4 and Anthony sliding back to the 3.  This means Felton and Ronnie Brewer, if he starts after dislocating his finger Monday night, will get the first shot at slowing down the dynamic combination of Jennings and Ellis.

Jennings historically has lit up the Knicks, averaging 20.3 points per game against them in his career, his highest against any Eastern Conference team.  The Knicks passed on Jennings in the 2008 NBA Draft in favor of Jordan Hill. 

Brewer or whoever starts at the 2 will be manned with the responsibility of slowing Ellis down and keeping him out of the paint.  If the Knicks can force Ellis into jump shots, it will go a long way in stopping him as his efficiency and shooting percentage drops the further away he gets from the basket.

-Bench Play

The Knicks bench struggled mightily Monday night against the Knicks, giving almost no help whatsoever to the starting lineup in the way of scoring.  The bench mustered only 13 points Monday, their lowest output of the season by 15.  J.R. Smith scored a season low five points and Rasheed Wallace shot an ugly two of 11 from the field. 

The Knicks bench will need to step up tonight with Kidd and possibly Brewer out of the lineup.  The Bucks have depth for days at virtually every position with some shuffling done, so the Knicks will have to be prepared for many different matchups and schemes from the Bucks. 

One person the Knicks will have to keep an eye on is Mike Dunleavy, who torched the Knicks last season for 25, 26 and 19 points in the last three meetings the teams had last season.

Giants Team Grades: Week 12 vs. Green Bay Packers

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Final Score: Green Bay Packers: 10 New York Giants: 38

Giants Team Grades

The Giants headed into the bye week looking like a shell of themselves, losing two straight games and faced one of the hottest teams in the NFL in the Green Bay Packers coming out of it.  The result was expected, but the teams were in reversed roles.  The Giants looked like the defending Super Bowl Champions that they are and they hammered the Packers 38-10, ending their five game winning streak.

Passing Offense Grade: A

There might not have been another player on the Giants that needed the bye week more than Eli Manning.  Manning, who had not thrown a touchdown since October 28^th against the Washington Redskins, looked refreshed and on point against the Packers, completing every type of pass in the game and looked to have the regular zip Giants fans have become accustomed to seeing from him. 

Manning finished the game with 249 yards and three touchdowns on 16 of 30 passing.  He was only sacked once even though the Giants lost starting tackle David Diehl to a burner in the first half.

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Hakeem Nicks scored his first touchdown since week two against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, hauling in five balls for 77 yards and the touchdown.  Nicks will be an integral part to the Giants offense down the stretch and the closer he gets to 100 percent healthy the better it will be for the team.

Rushing Offense Grade: A

The Giants rushing attack was dominant against the Packers no matter what defensive package they used against them.  As a team, the Giants ran for 147 yards on 31 carries, good for 4.7 yards per carry.

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Ahmad Bradshaw looked spry as well coming off the bye, as there had been concerns he had hurt his neck again.  Bradshaw finished the game with 58 yards rushing on 10 attempts scoring a touchdown.  He also added an impressive 59 yard reception on a screen pass to setup an Andre Brown touchdown.

Brown had a solid game as well, leading the Giants with 64 rushing yards on 13 carries.  Sadly, Brown will most likely be lost for the season after breaking his fibula.  He will be placed on the IR-Designated to Return List with hopes that he can return if the Giants make a deep playoff run.

Pass Defense Grade: A

The game got off to a rough start for the pass defense, as Corey Webster surrendered a 61-yard bomb on the Packers first drive of the game; that was all Aaron Rodgers and the Packers passing game would be allowed for the game. 

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Webster bounced back with an interception of Rodgers on the next Packers drive to get some redemption.  The Giants never allowed Rodgers to get into a rhythm, sacking him five times and hitting him seven, seemingly knowing what the Packers were running and being in the backfield all game. 

Kenny Phillips returned from injury and the Giants brought back their three safety look for parts of the game and it worked to perfection.  It is unknown if the Giants will be able to do that next week against Washington though, as Phillips re-aggravated his MCL injury.  Phillips said he could have returned to the game, but with the Giants handling their business they aired on the side of caution.

Rush Defense Grade: B+

The Giants rush defense wasn’t exactly suffocating, giving up 116 yards on 26 carries but they were able to limit the big plays from the rushing game; the Packers longest run of the night was a 12-yard scamper by Randall Cobb.  The running game seemed to be implemented so heavily by the Packers to keep Rodgers from getting hit so often.

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Rodgers is capable of killing opposing defenses with his mobility and it showed as Rodgers ran all over the field.  Thankfully for the Giants, most of the time it was trying to avoid the pass rush in the backfield and not for rushing yards, as Rodgers was held to 22 yards rushing.

Special Teams Grade: A

The Giants came into the game focusing on Cobb in all aspects of the game, as he is a multi-dimensional player for the Packers lining up at running back, wide receiver and wildcat quarterback on offense and being the return man for kickoffs and punts.

The preparation to slow Cobb worked, as he totaled only 20 yards on two punt returns and a modest average of 26 yards per return on six kickoffs. 

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Lawrence Tynes continued his career season knocking a 43-yard field goal through the uprights, with the only negative for the Giants being a muffed punt by Rueben Randle, who made up for it catching both balls thrown at him by Manning, one going for his first career touchdown.

Coaching Grade: A+

The Giants used the bye week to their advantage and executed everything flawlessly on the field Sunday night against a hot Packers team.  They looked for ways to spark their own team and dominated the Packers with unique personnel packages in all aspects of the game.

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It was a great start to a tough stretch to end the season, as the Giants got a little extra motivation from 15-year old Adam Merchant, who was given the opportunity to meet the Giants through the Make-A-Wish Foundation and delivered a spirited and heartfelt speech to the Giants at the end of practice Friday telling them to play like the defending world champions that they are.

Giants Trounce Packers Off Bye Week

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: Green Bay Packers: 10 New York Giants: 38

Giants Trounce Packers off Bye Week

The bye week is something all NFL teams look forward to on their schedules as it gives players a week to just get away from the game and be with their families.  The wonders that bye weeks bring was evident Sunday night at MetLife Stadium, as two teams heading in opposite directions did full 180’s.  The Giants, who entered on a two game losing streak, dismantled the Packers who were riding a five game winning streak.

The Giants received a huge boost earlier in the week from a young boy, Adam Merchant, who is battling Burkitt’s Lyphoma.  He was given the opportunity to give the team a pep talk at the end of practice Friday and he let it all out, telling the Giants they need to play like the world champions they are.  It hit home with the players and they definitely played like the defending Super Bowl Champions Sunday night. 

Eli Manning was able to get back on track, throwing his first touchdown pass since October 24^th against the Washington Redskins, setting the tone and making a statement early.  Manning and the offense was clicking against the Packers defense, looking like a totally different unit than the one that limped into the bye week,

Manning finished the game with 249 yards, completing 16 of 30 passes and tossing three touchdowns.  

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Manning also had a game changing run in the first quarter, deciding against sliding instead laying into a Packers defender and gaining some extra yardage; it was the type of effort you have become expected to see from the Giants when they are on top of their game.

With Manning finding his groove, the Giants receiving core was able to put up some stats.  Hakeem Nicks is finally starting to round into form after battling injuries all season, catching five balls for 77 yards and his first touchdown since week two against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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Rueben Randle only had two targets, but he made the most of them.  He caught both of them for 26 yards, including his first career touchdown on a 16 yard reception.  Victor Cruz caught the other touchdown thrown by Manning, finishing the game with three receptions for 36 yards.

The rushing game was on point for the Giants also, as they totaled 147 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries.  Andre Brown and Ahmad Bradshaw led the way for the Giants, combining for 122 yards and the two touchdowns on 23 carries. 

The Giants defense was the stars of the night, slowing down a potent Packers offense led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers.  The Giants got to Rodgers constantly, sacking him five times and hitting him seven total times. 

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The defensive backfield was outstanding for the Giants as well after a rough start.  After Corey Webster allowed a 61 yard touchdown on the opening drive, he bounced back intercepting Rodgers on the next Packers drive.  As a whole, the Giants had four passes deflected and held Rodgers to only 219 yards passing on 14 of 25 passing. 

While the victory was great for the Giants, there are some negatives that came about.  The injury bug came knocking again, as Brown was lost to a broken fibula and will most likely miss the season.  Head coach Tom Coughlin says there is an outside chance he can return if the Giants make a deep enough run into the post season, so Brown will be placed on the IR – Designated to Return list. 

This is a tough blow for Brown, who just has not been able to stay healthy since coming into the NFL but was having a breakout season for the Giants. 

In addition to Brown, the Giants lost Kenny Phillips as he re-aggravated his MCL injury he had missed the last six games with.  Phillips said the injury wasn’t bad and that he could have went back into the game if it had not been a blowout. 

Offensive lineman David Diehl also was lost with another injury, as he suffered a burner in the first half and was only able to return to watch from the sidelines in the second half.

Next up for the Giants is Monday Night Football showdown with Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins.  A win against the Redskins would go a long way for the Giants, as a brutal stretch to end the season awaits them and getting divisional wins is crucial to winning the division.

Knicks Lose OT Thriller in Brooklyn

Monday, November 26, 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: New York Knicks: 89 Brooklyn Nets: 96 OT

Knicks Lose Round 1 in OT Thriller

The Knicks lost the first round of the new found rivalry between them and the Nets 96-89 in an overtime thriller any basketball fan would have enjoyed.  Tonight’s game was the make-up from the season opener that was canceled because of the damage done by Hurricane Sandy.

The loss is hard enough to take, but losing Jason Kidd before the game to back spasms and then Ronnie Brewer to a dislocated finger in the fourth quarter made the loss that much harder to take. 

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The Knicks struggled mightily without Kidd, as the ball movement was not as crisp and more pressure was put upon Raymond Felton and Carmelo Anthony.  It was the first and not the last time Kidd will be out, as he isn’t making the trip to Milwaukee for Wednesday night’s game, and it showed.

Felton struggled with his shot all night, going three of 19 from the field and only getting five assists.  Deron Williams, Felton’s counterpart for the night, severely outplayed him throughout the night, as Williams struggled from the field shooting six of 17, scoring 16 points, but handed out 14 assists. 

The Nets assisted on 23 of their 37 baskets, compared to just 14 assists of 33 baskets for the Knicks.

One reason for the lack of assists was the offensive load was placed on the shoulders of Anthony and the multiple isolation situations he was placed in.  Anthony had to get open on his own and do everything basically on his own as Felton was unable to get the pick-and-roll game going.

The Nets threw everything they had at Anthony from the start, constantly double-teaming him as Anthony scored only four points in the first quarter; the first quarter Anthony has dominated all season, scoring 11 points per game in the first frame.  

Anthony heated up in the middle frames and early in the fourth quarter, as he finished with 35 points on 11 of 25 shooting from the field.  Anthony also added team high 13 rebounds, as the Knicks as a whole got working on the glass in the fourth quarter after sorely being out hustled there the first three quarters.

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Unfortunately for the Knicks, Anthony ran out of steam towards the end of the night, as he didn’t score a field goal the last seven minutes of the game.  Anthony also uncharacteristically missed free throws, going 10 of 16 from the charity stripe, missing four in the fourth quarter and overtime alone.

So much pressure was put on Anthony because Felton had an off night and the bench was atrocious.  The bench combined for only 13 points, never getting it going on the offensive end.  They didn’t match the energy level or intensity of the Nets bench either, as Reggie Evans grabbed 12 rebounds, five of the offensive variety.  

Marcus Camby in particular struggled with the energy level of Evans, as he was ineffective in his five minutes on the court, not securing a rebound and turning the ball over twice and committing two fouls.

J.R. Smith and Steve Novak were unable to get anything going on offense, combining to shoot just three of 10.  Smith did have seven rebounds, but the Knicks sorely missed his scoring punch with Felton struggling so much.  Novak struggled on the defensive end yet again, constantly losing his man for wide open three point attempts from the short corners.

Rasheed Wallace continued the trend, going just two of 11 from the field as he joined the long list of Knicks who were unable to get it going Monday night.  He grabbed eight rebounds, but didn’t have the normal impact on the game he had been having throughout the early part of the season.

The Knicks were -8 with Wallace on the court in large part because of his old college teammate Jerry Stackhouse.  Stackhouse knocked down four of five three point attempts, ending the night with 14 points and the best +/- of the night at +13.

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The only person to help Anthony in the scoring column Monday night was Tyson Chandler, who set a career high with 28 points.  Chandler went 12 of 13 from the field and set the tone from the start scoring eight points in the first quarter.

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Chandler came into the game with a lot of intensity, the only player who matched the level of the Nets for the whole night.  Chandler had his presence felt while he was on the court, as he grabbed 10 rebounds in addition to his 28 points, adding one assist and two steals as well.

The Knicks head back on the road with a game in Milwaukee against the Bucks Wednesday night at 8:00 P.M. ET.  The Knicks will not have Jason Kidd again and potentially could be without Ronnie Brewer as well, possibly leaving the Knicks thin in the backcourt against a team that sports Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis as their starting backcourt. 

Nets Down Knicks in Overtime

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Nets vs. Knicks Post Game Recap 11/26

The Brooklyn Nets were able to win the first battle for New York against the Knicks in overtime 96-89, as with the win the Nets and Knicks are now both (9-4) atop the Atlantic Division.

Deron Williams despite the sprained wrist lead to another poor shooting game came thru in the clutch for Brooklyn while notching his sixth double-double of the season. Williams scored 16 points on 6 for 17 shooting, but had a season-high 14 assists, and was getting M-V-P chants while icing the game for the Nets at the line in overtime.

Center Brook Lopez in a battle with last years defensive player of the year Tyson Chandler had yet another great game offensively. Lopez finished the game scoring 22 points on nine for 20 shooting with 11 rebounds, and five blocks.

Joe Johnson who looked like he was starting to find his groove after two big games of scoring fell short in the big game against the Knicks. Johnson only scored eight points on three for 12 shooting.

Gerald Wallace had his best game of the season contributing on the offensive and defensive end of the court. Wallace finished with a season high 16 points on six for 13 shooting, and added two steals and two blocks.

The bench for the Nets outplayed the bench for the Knicks led by Jerry Stackhouse who at the young age of 38 showed he’s still got some game left in the tank. Stackhouse outscored the Knicks bench on his own, as he finished with 14 points on four for six shooting with all four baskets being three-pointers. Reggie Evans also had yet another monster game of rebounding, as he grabbed 14 rebounds in just 18 minutes.

The Nets will have to turn their attention to yet another Atlantic Division opponent, as they will be facing the Boston Celtics on Wednesday who will be looking to avenge the loss the Nets handed them earlier in the season.

What to Watch For: New York Knicks vs. Brooklyn Nets November 26

Monday, November 26, 2012

Pre-Game News and Notes

New York Knicks vs. Brooklyn Nets

After blowing out the Pistons Sunday afternoon, the matchup that everyone has been waiting for in the tri-state area has finally arrived.  The Knicks and Nets will face off for the first time tonight, making up the opening night game that was canceled because of the storms earlier in the month.  This matchup will be determined by which team plays more defense, as both teams have offensive fire power.  Here are some things to watch for:

-Control the Paint

The Nets sport one of the best offensive big men in the NBA in Brook Lopez, who is averaging a team high 19.0 points per game.  Andray Blatche comes off the bench and offers some punch as well, scoring 9.0 points per game.

The Nets also sport two guards in Deron Williams and Joe Johnson that are above-average at getting into the lane and attacking the rim.  Emphasis will be on Raymond Felton, Jason Kidd and J.R. Smith to slow these guys down.

Kris Humphries is also super active in the middle, which can cause a problem for the undersized Carmelo Anthony.  Look for Mike Woodson to learn from his mistakes in Houston and give some more run to Marcus Camby and Kurt Thomas.  The bulk of the big man minutes will be given to Tyson Chandler and Rasheed Wallace, but pairing them together with another big would be beneficial against a team like the Nets.

-Bench Play

The Nets bench, which was a question mark coming into the season, has been a spark plug thus far this season led by Blatche, MarShon Brooks and C.J. Watson.  The second quarter, when the Nets subs play the most, the Nets sport a +5.0 scoring differential, compared to a -0.9 for the Knicks, their only negative quarter.

The Knicks defense needs to be consistent from the starting lineup to the second unit.  The second unit has seen lapses at times on the defensive end and struggle scoring at times, two things that cannot happen against a team playing as well as the Nets.

The Knicks bench is no slouch, led by J.R. Smith and Steve Novak.  Smith offers a legit scoring threat while Novak has deadly long range shooting.  If Novak can bring his shooting from Sunday afternoon to this game, the Knicks have a deadly weapon for their offense and a huge momentum changer; every time Novak touches the ball and releases a shot, the crowd goes into a buzz.

-Will Defense Show Up?

The Knicks have struggled on the defensive side of the ball the last three games against lower tiered teams and if that happens tonight the Knicks will be hard pressed for a win.  The Knicks have surrendered over 100 points in their last three games and cannot afford to do it a fourth straight time if they want the victory tonight. 

The Knicks have to get their rotations right, as the combination of poor defense against the three point shot and a team that shoots a healthy amount of three pointers is a deadly combination.  The Knicks give up the second highest percentage of three point shooting; at 39.9 percent while the Nets shoot 20.3 three pointers per game and 32.5 percent on the season.

Knicks Bounce Back, Blow out Pistons

Sunday, November 25^th, 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: Detroit Pistons: 100 New York Knicks: 121

Knicks Bounce Back, Blow out Pistons

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The Knicks didn’t exactly bounce back on the defensive end of the ball against the Pistons, but it didn’t matter much as the Knicks were unstoppable on the offensive side, dropping 121 on Detroit en route to a blowout victory.  The Knicks gave up an average of 122.5 points in their last two games, giving up 100 for the third straight time but they were able to cause problems for Detroit; the Knicks forced 19 Detroit turnovers and converted them into 33 points.  The Pistons also became the fifth straight team to lose at Madison Square Garden this season by double-digits.

Carmelo Anthony came out scorching from the start again, as he scored 15 points in the first frame in the most dominant of fashions.  Anthony went for 15 points in the first quarter, following up an 18 point first quarter Friday night against the Rockets.  In the quarter, Anthony went six of seven from the field, knocking down all three of his three point attempts.

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Anthony would finish the game with a game high 29 points, adding two rebounds, three assists and one steal.  A glaring stat is Anthony’s high turnover number again, which was six this afternoon.  That makes 20 turnovers for Anthony in his last three games, something that will need to get lower as the Knicks will not be able to stay in the game with better competition with turnovers that high.

Steve Novak has been struggling thus far this season, but Sunday afternoon he was on.  Novak went for a season high 18 points, knocking down five of his seven three point attempts.  Novak also showed up in the box score in other places, something he hasn’t done recently, getting two rebounds, two blocks and one steal. 

If Novak has his shooting stroke back it gives the Knicks a deadly weapon.  Novak is a perfect floor spacer for the offense that the Knicks run, but he has to be making his three point attempts as his shooting ability is really the only thing that he brings to the table.

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J.R. Smith didn’t allow Novak to be the only shining star off the bench, as he had another strong game for the Knicks.  Smith hit only three of eight shots from the field, but attacked the rim consistently, getting to the foul line for eight attempts and knocking them all down for 15 points.

Where Knick fans are happy is that Smith stuffed the stat sheet and helped the team in other ways than just scoring.  Smith grabbed a team high 10 rebounds, while handing out five assists and getting a steal.  Smith is an x-factor this season for the Knicks and when he has performances like Sunday afternoon, they will be tough to beat especially when Iman Shumpert and Amar’e Stoudemire return from injury. 

Another strong performance was put forth by Raymond Felton as well, notching his second double-double in three games as he went for 14 points and 10 assists.  Felton also added four rebounds, two steals and a very impressive zero turnovers. 

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Outside of Anthony, the Knicks ball security was as great as it has been throughout the season, as the rest of the Knicks combined for only five turnovers. 

Rasheed Wallace also returned from his sore foot and had a big impact on the game, as he scored 15 points off the bench to go with one rebound, steal and block.  Marcus Camby also got into the game, playing five minutes and grabbing three rebounds. 

Overall, the Knicks shooting was lethal from everywhere on the court.  The Knicks shot 48.1 percent from the field and 17 for 33 from the three point line, good for 51.5 percent.  They also shot an impressive 28 for 31 from the foul line, good for 90.3 percent. 

Next up for the Knicks is the first game against the Brooklyn Nets for the season Monday night at 7 P.M. ET.  It is the first of four meetings between the teams this season and a game fans of the Knicks would like to see them dominate. 

Jets Disappoint on Thanksgiving

nydailynews.com

Jets vs. Patriots Post Game Recap 11/22

The New York Jets were totally embarrassed at home on Thanksgiving by the New England Patriots, as most fans left the stadium at half time because the game was already well over after a historically bad second quarter. The final score was a 49-19 Patriots victory.

The loss puts the Jets at (4-7) now for the season, and almost certainly ends their shot at the playoffs something that would have been a tall task even with a win on Thanksgiving.

The Jets were actually tied with the Patriots after the first quarter 0-0, but three turnovers in the second quarter on a Sanchez interception, and fumble along with a Joe McKnight fumble on the kickoff return led to the horrendous 35 point second quarter from the Patriots, with the Jets only kicking a field-goal at the end of the half. The field goal was a curious one if you are down by 35 points on the Patriots goal-line why not go for a touchdown.

Most notably absent from the game was Tim Tebow who was questionable with a rib injury but was in uniform, but Tebow didn’t step on to the field on offense or special teams making it curious that third string quarterback Greg McElroy wasn’t in uniform in case of a Sanchez injury.

Mark Sanchez didn’t play well against the Patriots but the blame can’t all go on Sanchez despite two awful turnovers including a comical fumble when he ran into his lineman’s rear end. Sanchez finished the game throwing for 306 yards on 26 for 36 passing with a touchdown pass to Dustin Keller, and the two turnovers. Most of Sanchez’s stats came in junk time with the Patriots defense clearly in somewhat of a prevent defense.

The Jets pass defense was owned by Tom Brady even though he was missing his favorite weapon in Rob Gronkowski you wouldn’t know he was missed by the way that Brady played. Brady torched the Jets for 323 yards on 18 for 28 passing, and three touchdowns to Shane Vereen, Wes Welker, and Julian Edelman.

The Jets will have a little more time than usual before the next game against the Arizona Cardinals, as it will be interesting to see how the Jets respond after this game realizing the playoffs won’t be happening this season.

Nets Rally Late to Beat Trail Blazers

blazersedge.com

Nets vs. Trail Blazers Post Game Recap 11/25

The Brooklyn Nets were able to pickup their second straight win beating the Portland Trail Blazers 98-85, as the Trail Blazers were without their star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge who sat out with back spasms.

The Nets were led by shooting guard Joe Johnson who had his second straight nice game, as it seems he is starting to get into a groove with his new team. Johnson led the Nets in scoring with 21 points on 10 for 19 shooting, and added four assists.

Deron Williams who is still banged up, and far from 100 percent healthy didn’t shoot the ball well again, but that didn’t stop him from recording his 5th double-double of the season. Williams finished scoring 15 points on four for 13 shooting, but had 12 assists, and a career-high four blocks.

Kris Humphries had a solid game for Brooklyn notching a double-double with 14 points on seven for nine shooting, and had 10 rebounds.

Gerald Wallace had a disappointing first game against is former team, as Wallace missed his first seven shots from the field finishing the game going one for eight with only two points, and a rebound.

Brook Lopez had another strong game continuing his good start to the season thus far, as Lopez scored 15 points on seven for 14 shooting with eight rebounds, and two blocks.

Reggie Evans had yet another strong game off the bench rebounding, as in just 22 minutes Evans grabbed 14 rebounds making it three out of the last four games Evans has had double-digit rebounds.

Next up for the Nets will be the New York Knicks on Monday in the Barclays Center in the highly anticipated match-up that was postponed due to Hurricane Sandy.

What to Watch For: Detroit Pistons vs. New York Knicks November 25

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Pre-Game News and Notes

Detroit Pistons vs. New York Knicks

The Knicks are coming off a very disappointing stretch of six quarters in which their defense was non-existent, giving up 196 points over that span.  The Knicks will look to get back on track Sunday afternoon against the 3-10 Detroit Pistons, a winnable game that the Knicks cannot over look with a big matchup with the Brooklyn Nets the following night.

-Get Back to Basics

The Knicks have suffered severe lapses for parts of the past six quarters and it has hurt them, as they are on their first two game losing streak since Mike Woodson took over as head coach.  Role players such as Chandler Parsons and Omer Asik dominated the Knicks Friday night in addition to the big name players Jeremy Lin and James Harden.

The Knicks need to get back to trusting each other on defense, as there was no help defense given Friday night.  Tyson Chandler needs to get back to his Defensive Player of the Year ways, as he has become Charmin Soft in the middle at times this season. 

Chandler has a lot of his plate, as Woodson has not been matching up his players well at points, leaving Chandler as the only big on the court a large portion of time.  Chandler has not been protecting the rim well recently either, as foul trouble has deterred him and caused him to be less aggressive.

-Crash the Boards

One glaring problem Friday night was the thumping the Knicks took on the boards, as the Rockets out rebounded them 49-30.  That is a trend that needs to change even though the Knicks have been successful thus far this season with an 8-3 record.

The Pistons sport a huge front line in Greg Monroe and Jason Maxiell in the starting lineup and have Andre Drummond coming off the bench.  Monroe is becoming a household name in the NBA and Maxiell has been a menace on the boards since entering the league.  Drummond has been quite impressive thus far in his rookie campaign, averaging 5.2 rebounds in only 16.2 minutes per game.

It will take a team effort from the Knicks to win the rebounding battle, as the Pistons are not going to just roll over; head coach Lawrence Frank will have his young team ready to roll Sunday afternoon.

-Offense Needs to Flow

The Knicks offense does not garner a ton of assists because of the post-ups that Woodson runs for Carmelo Anthony and Rasheed Wallace; that does not mean the ball movement is always there though.

The ball has been stopped multiple times in the recent games, as Anthony has turned the ball over seven times in each of the last two games.  Anthony was featured heavily Friday against the Rockets because of matchups, but teammates became spectators and were standing around watching most of the game, causing for a stagnant offense.

If the Knicks can get the ball movement and flow back in their offense this should be a relatively easy game before heading to Brooklyn Monday night.