Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Post Game Recap
Final Score: New York Knicks: 100
Charlotte Bobcats: 98
J.R. Smith Goes From Goat to Hero
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If there was a game all season the
Knicks were not meant to win, tonight was the night. The Knicks struggled mightily throughout the
game, looking to be distracted by the big matchup with the Heat looming
Thursday night; but they were able to pull out a victory from someone who
struggled as much as anyone on the night.
J.R. Smith struggled throughout the
game, having a rough shooting night going one for nine from three point range
and five of 15 overall. That was all erased
with one shot, as Smith nailed a game winning 18-foot step back jumper over rookie
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Smith struggled
throughout the game but never had his confidence waver, as he took it upon
himself to take the big shot with Carmelo Anthony injured.
Anthony injured his hand, getting a
laceration on his left middle finger that required five stitches with two
minutes remaining in the game. Anthony
was on fire in the first half, scoring 20 points and being unstoppable; no
matter whom the Bobcats threw at him he scored on them. The good play would end for Anthony at
halftime, as the second half was a real struggle.
Anthony started the second half zero for
10 and making only one free throw before making a tough shot in the paint
towards the end of the fourth quarter.
Anthony was not the only Knicks who struggled in the second half, as
they missed 11 straight shots at one point in the third quarter and missing 14
of their last 16 shots in the period.
One person who didn’t struggle in the
second half was Raymond Felton, who was making a homecoming in his return to
Charlotte. Felton struggled in the first
half in front of friends and family with a wrap on his left hand, shooting two
of nine. Once that wrap came off, Felton
got going in the second half.
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Felton was responsible for the first
seven points right of the gate in the second half for the Knick and was a
driving force in the five second violation called against the Bobcats with 1:10
remaining in the game. He also tied the
game with a driving layup with 56.3 seconds left, finishing the game with 17
points, nine assists, two rebounds and no assists.
Jason Kidd returned from his back spasms
and his impact was evident right from the first time he stepped on the
court. Kidd came off the bench for the
first time tonight since 2004 and made plays all night.
Kidd packed the stat sheet, scoring
seven points with two rebounds, one assists, two steals and three blocks. He also was instrumental in the five second
violation and made the timeout call when the Knicks were in disarray after
stealing the ball on the game winning possession. Kidd’s presence on the court was a driving
force behind the Knicks winning tonight.
One person who gave consistent effort
tonight for the Knicks was Tyson Chandler.
Chandler had the highest +/- for the Knicks with a +10 and made his
presence felt right from the opening tip.
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Chandler finished the game with 18
points and a season high 17 rebounds, scoring eight of those points and
grabbing nine of those rebounds in the first quarter alone. Without Chandler, the rebounding numbers
would have been more abysmal for the Knicks, as even with Chandler’s effort
they were outrebounded 50-36.
Defense at times was non-existent for
the Knicks, as two New York Natives torched them tonight. Kemba
Walker and Ben Gordon beat the Knicks
from all over the court as no guard was able to slow them down. Walker scored 25 points and handed out 11
assists, while Gordon added 17 of his own off the bench; this is a game that
Iman Shumpert was sorely missed as no Knicks guard was quick enough to stay in
front of either Walker or Gordon.
Next up for the Knicks is a huge matchup
against the Heat in Miami Thursday night.
The Heat have been waiting to exact some revenge on the Knicks from
opening night, so the Knicks have to be ready and come out with some
intensity. Anthony is not sure if he
will suit up tomorrow, but I have a feeling that there is no way he misses this
one.
