What to Watch For: New York Knicks vs. Miami Heat December 6th

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Pre Game News and Notes

New York Knicks vs. Miami Heat

After a thrilling victory Wednesday night in Charlotte, the Knicks are right back at it with the second game of a back-to-back in Miami against Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh and the Heat.  The Heat, like the Knicks, are undefeated at home this season making for a great matchup between two of the top teams currently in the NBA.  Hopefully the matchup everyone wants to see in Carmelo Anthony vs. Lebron James comes to fruition.  Here are some things to watch for tonight:

-Injuries Galore

The Knicks come into the game with the biggest question mark of all; will Carmelo Anthony suit up? Anthony suffered a laceration on his left middle finger Wednesday night diving into the bench and received six stitches on the wound.  If Anthony is unable to go the Knicks better bring their A game on defense because points will be hard to come by without their leading man.

The Heat are not without injuries, as their lineup will have drastic changes if Mario Chalmers (torn finger tendon) and Norris Cole (strained groin) both do not suit up.  Lebron James will most likely handle point guard duties full time if neither guard can suit up, as both are game time decisions.

The Heat may also be without Udonis Haslem (hip pointer), leaving an already lacking Heat team dangerously thin up front.

Depending on which players actually make it to game time able to play, the schemes and game plans could change drastically.  Whichever coach can adjust and adapt to the conditions best will put their team in the better position to come out on top.

-Make the Most of Advantages

The Knicks best lineups thus far this season have been their small-ball lineups in which they employ more players on the court to stretch the floor.  The Heat generally play smaller, but with the injuries to their point guards they could get even smaller upfront if James has to run the offense himself. 

As the Knicks have succeeded with the smaller lineups, it may be beneficial tonight to go big at some point.  Tyson Chandler has been dominating in recent games and should continue his hot streak tonight as he will be matched up with Chris Bosh most of the night.  Rasheed Wallace should find his way to the paint more often as well and resist from floating out to the three point line.  The Heat do not have the size to contend with both Chandler and Wallace if they are on the court together.

-Pick and Roll Game

If Anthony is unable to suit up, the pick-and-roll game becomes that much more important for the Knicks.  Raymond Felton has been playing masterfully since his debacle against the Nets, not turning the ball over in two consecutive games since his time with the Bobcats. 

Felton and Chandler have been on fire recently, running the pick-and-roll to perfection.  Felton remains under control, knocking down jumpers or taking it to the rim himself or throwing lobs to Chandler, who always finishes, evident of his 72.1 percent shooting on the season.

The pick-and-roll game is also run well by Pablo Prigioni, who is adapting well to the NBA game after playing overseas his whole career previously.  Prigioni works it will with Wallace and Chris Copeland, who we could see a lot of on the court tonight if Anthony doesn’t suit up and with Marcus Camby dealing with plantar fasciitis.

-Come with Intensity

Tonight is a nationally televised game so you know the Heat and their fans will come into the game fired up and ready to go; it is imperative the Knicks match that intensity and fire right from the start.

The Heat have undoubtedly had this game circled on their calendars since the Knicks gave them a whooping on opening night at the Garden.  They will come out ready to play and with revenge on their minds to show the world that they are still the beasts of the east and what happened opening night was a fluke.

Anthony would be huge, as he has exploded in the starts of games, but if he is unable to go someone will need to pick up the slack.  I would look for J.R. Smith to pick up the slack if Anthony sits.  He has struggled with his shot recently, even with knocking down the game winner Wednesday night, but has a never back down mentality and always gives his all. 

Tonight will be a great game for basketball fans even with no team affiliation in the game.  The Knicks and Heat both have something to prove tonight and will put on a show for the audience. 

Knicks Stay Perfect at MSG

Sunday, December 02, 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: Phoenix Suns: 99 New York Knicks: 106

Knicks Continue Home Dominance with Victory over Suns

The Knicks continued their win streak at home, running their home record to 7-0 on the reason with a victory over the Phoenix Suns Sunday afternoon.  This was the first home victory this season for the Knicks that was not of the double-digit variety and the best start at Madison Square Garden since 1992-1993.  The Knicks moved to 12-4 on the season, sitting at second place in the Eastern Conference behind the 12-3 Miami Heat.

Once again the Knicks offense was led by Carmelo Anthony.  Anthony got off to a good start from the beginning, scoring eight points in the opening frame and having 30 heading into the fourth quarter. 

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Head coach Mike Woodson had hoped Anthony’s afternoon would end there, but the Suns made a run in the fourth quarter and Anthony was reinserted, ending the game with 34 points on 11 of 27 shooting.  He also added six rebounds, two assists, one steal and two blocks. 

Raymond Felton seems to have the rough game against the Nets permanently behind him, as he put in yet another great effort Sunday.  Felton scored 23 points, handed out seven assists and added three rebounds.  He didn’t turn the ball over once in the game, a great stat for any point guard to have.

The Knicks as a whole protected the ball very well, turning the ball over only seven times as a team.  Anthony and Pablo Prigioni were the only two players to actually accumulate any turnovers, as Anthony accounted for four and Prigioni three. 

Tyson Chandler picked up right where he left November in the efficiency department.  Chandler ended November shooting 71 percent from the field and continued with it in his first game in December.  Chandler shot six of eight from the field, finishing with 15 points and season high tying 13 rebounds. 

The Knicks defense suffered some in the second half, as they gave up 57 second half points but they pressured the Suns consistently, forcing 17 turnovers and scoring 23 points off of them. 

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Anyone watching the game also got to see Rasheed Wallace in prime Portland Trail Blazer form, getting ejected after accruing two technical fouls after a whopping one minute and 25 seconds of playing time. 

Wallace got the first technical after arguing a foul called on him.  After Goran Dragic missed his first attempted, Wallace yelled, “Ball don’t lie,” and was handed his second technical.

With Marcus Camby sidelined with a sore foot, Chris Copeland was called on to pick up the slack and that is exactly what he did.

In 10 minutes of playing time, Copeland packed the stat line with eight points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal and block. 

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Steve Novak continued his hot shooting from deep, going four of nine from the three point line for 12 points in the game.  He also added two rebounds, an assist and two steals.  Novak getting hot and scoring some helps off-set how poorly J.R. Smith has been playing recently.

Smith went one of 11 in the game, scoring only 4 points.  This is the third time in the last four games Smith has scored five or less points in a game.  At least he is helping out in other areas of the game, as Smith grabbed five rebounds and handed out four assists. 

Next up for the Knicks is another road trip, as they will take the day off Monday before returning to practice Tuesday in preparation for the Charlotte Bobcats Wednesday.  After Charlotte, the Knicks will head to Miami to play the Heat then Saturday to play the Bulls in Chicago. 

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.

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. 

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. 

Knicks Blown Out By Rockets to End Road Trip

Friday, November 23, 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: New York Knicks: 103 Houston Rockets 131

Knicks Blown Out by Rockets to End Road Trip

The Knicks came into the game saying all the right things about their match-up with Jeremy Lin, but it was Lin who came out on top as the Rockets blew out the Knicks 131-103.  The Knicks left their defense in the locker room at half time of the game at Dallas, as the Knicks have given up 196 points in the last six quarters and 122.5 points per game in the last two.  The Knicks were unable to stop anyone tonight, including Lin. 

Lin had a strong game, scoring 13 points while grabbing seven rebounds and handing out three assists.  That is child’s play compared to what some of his teammates unleashed against what looked like an unprepared Knicks squad.

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James Harden came in as one of the top five scorers in the NBA, averaging over 24 points per game; he blew that away tonight.  Harden scored 33 points, including a perfect 16 of 16 from the foul line, dishing nine assists, bringing in four rebounds and getting two steals.

The Knicks had no answer for Harden tonight, as he danced into the lane at will and did whatever he wanted against the Knicks.  He took advantage of having the slower Jason Kidd on him for most of the night, slashing to the rim and attacking the paint; this put the Knicks in a tough position as their rotations were slow tonight and no one trusted each other on the court.

The Knicks expected a strong showing from Harden, as he has really taken to his new role as go-to player after being the third option in Oklahoma City.  What the rest of the Rockets starting lineup did no one could have predicted.

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Chandler Parsons, a second year player who was drafted in the second round last year, set his career high in the first half alone when he scored 26 points alone, 18 of which came in a perfect shooting first quarter.  He finished with a career high 31 points in addition to five rebounds, four assists and four steals. 

The second surprise came from Omer Asik, who is considered a top defensive center in the NBA and strong on the boards but not revered as a strong offensive option; tonight Asik scored around the rim and looks every bit worth the $25 million dollars the Rockets gave him.

Asik had a game high 14 rebounds to go along with 18 points, as he showed a deft touch around the rim making multiple reverse lay-ups and finishing off second opportunities. 

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The Knicks defense was non-existent tonight, as they allowed the Rockets to shoot 51.7 percent from the field and a blistering 56 percent from the three point line. The Knicks also got destroyed on the boards, as the Rockets outrebounded them 49-30, a number that is embarrassingly bad.

This raises the question of where Marcus Camby is.  Once again, Camby was unable to get off the bench even though Rasheed Wallace was out with a sore foot.  Camby was brought in to New York to be the backup to Tyson Chandler and bring a defensive presence on the court in addition to his outstanding rebounding skills.

Head coach Mike Woodson says Camby is still rounding into playing shape, but that excuse is getting stale fast.  The Knicks are in desperate need of rebounding help and are refusing to use what was the top rebounder in the NBA last season by percentages. 

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In addition to the poor rebounding, the Knicks didn’t take of the ball well either.  The Knicks turned the ball over another 15 times tonight, leading to 23 Rockets points.  The main culprit in this was once again Carmelo Anthony, who had seven turnovers alone and is reverting back to his old tendencies; a recipe that ends in disaster for the Knicks.

In one instance, Anthony argued with a referee while going up the court, completely ignoring what was going on around him in the game and allowing the Rockets to get an easy fast break dunk as Anthony was more concerned with yelling at the ref than playing defense.  This led to yet another technical foul for Anthony, as losing his cool rubbed off on his teammates and the Knicks imploded again in the third quarter. 

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Other than those problems, Anthony had an outstanding game, scoring 37 points while grabbing four rebounds and dropping two assists.  Anthony hit a career high seven three pointers in the game, as the Knicks shot well in the game but were unable to get enough stops to make the game close. 

Raymond Felton had a strong game for the Knicks as well, as he scored 17 points and had eight assists.  He got hit with the turnover big in addition to Anthony though; as he turned the ball over four times himself. 

Next up for the Knicks is a matinee Sunday against the Detroit Pistons.  The Knicks cannot look past the Pistons, as Lawrence Frank will have his team ready to go and they have a big front court; another team that will make it hard on the Knicks on the boards.

What to Watch For: New York Knicks vs. Houston Rockets November 23

Friday, November 23, 2012

Pre-Game News and Notes

New York Knicks vs. Houston Rockets

The Knicks head into Houston after a tough defeat at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks Wednesday night looking to bounce back and win the last game of their road trip.  The Knicks have not lost two consecutive games with Mike Woodson has head coach and they will look to continue that streak against the Rockets.  The biggest headline for Knicks fans will be Jeremy Lin, but to win this game there are more pressing needs to take care of; here are a few to look at throughout the game.

-Stop James Harden

Knick fans will focus on Lin, but he has struggled mightily this season, shooting 33.3 percent from the field and 22.9 from 3 point land, averaging only 10 point per game to go along with 4.4 rebounds and 6.3 assists. The bigger threat is the biggest catch the Rockets have had in recent memory in James Harden.

Harden has become the vocal point of the offense and franchise player for the first time since being traded from Oklahoma City.  Harden is averaging 24.5 points per game thus far this season, relishing in his role as the go-to player. 

The Knicks would be smart to focus their defensive efforts on Harden, as he is the only real scoring threat the Rockets have.  He handles the ball a lot and is put in isolation situations, but is prone to turning the ball over, so the Knicks should double him whenever they have a chance.  He is a good playmaker, but turns the ball over 4.2 times per game.

If the Knicks can limit Harden, it would make getting a victory tonight that much easier.  The Rockets are ranked only 17^th in offensive efficiency and if you take Harden away they most likely would not break the top 25.

-Win the Turnover Battle

As just stated, Harden turns the ball over quite frequently, one of the reasons the Rockets are last in the NBA in turnovers per game with 17.3.

The Knicks are on the opposite spectrum of the turnover list, as the Knicks turn the ball over the least amount of times in the NBA per game, with 10.7.  The Knicks actually set a franchise record for turnover differential, +58, through ten games in a season.

Turnovers hurt the Knicks Wednesday against the Mavericks, so getting back to what they had been doing and putting a premium on ball security.  This is a good opportunity to take advantage of; as the Knicks thrive on teams turning the ball over and the Rockets do that better than any team in the NBA.

-Rebounding

The Knicks rebounding woes have been well documented thus far this season and could very well continue tonight.

The Rockets are fifth in the NBA in rebounding, which means the Knicks have a big problem on their hands tonight.  It will take gang rebounding and an asserted effort on the boards to keep the numbers close.

 

If I were Mike Woodson, I would have to use Marcus Camby and Kurt Thomas tonight.  They bring a defensive mentality and rebounding to the court, something the Knicks sorely lack right now.  Rasheed Wallace has done a great job thus far off the bench, but the problem is with Anthony logging all his minutes at the 4, the Knicks are at a disadvantage rebounding.

I do not mind Anthony starting the game at the 4, as it has gotten the Knicks off to hot starts nightly; the problem is as the game goes on and the rebounding differential starts to grow.  Woodson has to adjust and get those rebounding numbers closer to even or in the Knicks favor; it would go a long way and make a great start to the season that much more sustainable. 

Furious Knicks Comeback Falls Short, Lose to Mavericks

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: New York Knicks: 111 Dallas Mavericks: 114

Furious Comeback Falls Short for Knicks

The Knicks fell tonight to the Dallas Mavericks 114-111, as they just did not have enough in the tank in the end to pull off the comeback.  Dallas built a 12 point lead in the fourth quarter, yet the Knicks never laid down and had a chance to win right up to the final buzzer.

The biggest problem in the game for the Knicks was on the defensive end of the court, as they surrendered 65 second half points.  The Knicks had no answer for the Mavericks perimeter players tonight, as Darren Collison, O.J. Mayo and Vince Carter all had great games.

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Collison scored 19 on seven of 11 shooting, adding seven assists.  Mayo continued his hot shooting start to the season, knocking down 10 of 17 shots for 27 points and two assists.  Carter was the Knicks killer tonight, as he knocked down five of 10 three point attempts and nine of 17 shots overall for 25 points.

Jae Crowder also stuffed the stat sheet for the Mavericks, as he scored 12 points and grabbed four to go along with one assist and a steal.  Crowder knocked down some big shots for the Mavericks, killing the Knicks momentum whenever they would start building some.

Overall, the Mavericks shot 49.4 percent from the field overall and 44.8 from the three point line.

The Knicks also had problems taking care of the ball for portions of the game in Dallas, turning the ball over 14 times in the game.  Carmelo Anthony turned the ball over seven times alone, and Raymond Felton had four turnovers of his own.

Felton was strong otherwise in the game, scoring 18 points and dishing 11 assists, continuing his outstanding start to the season and proving all his doubters wrong thus far.

Anthony was the recipient of two very questionable calls down the stretch of the game.  The first was on a circus lay-up that Anthony did a 180-turn in the air, banking it in; but it was waived off as the refs called an charging foul against Anthony when Carter slide underneath him. 

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The second call Anthony drove to the basket and was hit in the face with a Chris Kaman elbow after blowing by Shawn Marion.  What happens after the ball is out of a players hand is supposed to be irrelevant, but jump shooters get those types of calls all the time.  Anthony does not receive the start treatment from refs that many other All-Star caliber players do.

Anthony finished the game with 23 points, six rebounds and four assists but missed the game winning shot with 6 seconds left, fouling out afterwards.  Anthony’s stat line didn’t end up looking to bad, but he struggled in the first half shooting only one of six for four points in the first half. 

In their returns to Dallas, Jason Kidd and Tyson Chandler had arguably their best games of the season.  Kidd looked like vintage Kidd, putting on a show for the Dallas fans.  Kidd finished the game with 17 points, five assists, six rebounds and five steals.  Again, Kidd had no turnovers and the Knicks played best with him on the court, as the Knicks were a +12 with him on the court.

Chandler showed up for the Knicks tonight and dominated when he was on the court.  Chandler finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds and showed why he won Defensive Player of the Year last season.  Chandler finished with one block and one steal, all the while having multiple plays that will not show up in a box score; there were a number of times Chandler changed the shots of Mavericks’ players and made it difficult on anyone who drove the paint. 

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Mike Woodson was out coached tonight plan and simple, but he held himself accountable like he does with his players post game.  Woodson admitted that his strategy of an eight-man rotation in the game tonight did not work, as the energy just was not the same on the defensive end of the court with the cut down rotation.  It was a questionable decision by Woodson, as the Knicks were coming off the second night of a back-to-back and normally play nine or 10 players double-digit minutes.

It was also surprising to not see Marcus Camby of Kurt Thomas come off the bench tonight, as the Knicks struggled on the boards once again.  Camby, even in his older age, is a dominant rebounder; he led the NBA in rebounding percentage last season.  Thomas offers veteran leadership and a no back-down mentality and would have helped slow down the Mavericks onslaught tonight. 

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Next up for the Knicks is a visit to Houston to take on Jeremy Lin and the Rockets.  Lin will not be the only person the Knicks need to keep an eye on, as James Harden has taken to his new role as lead dog and ran with it in Houston. 

What to Watch For: New York Knicks vs. Dallas Mavericks

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Pre-Game News and Notes

New York Knicks vs. Dallas Mavericks

The Knicks continue their stretch of five games in seven days with a stop in Dallas against the Mavericks.  The Knicks will look to start 9-1 for only the fourth time in franchise history, with the last two occurrences ending with NBA titles in 1969-1970 and 1972-1973.  A win tonight would also give the Knicks a season sweep of the Mavericks, something that hasn’t been done since 1999-2000, also the last time the Knicks won a playoff series.  Here are some things to watch tonight:

Will Melo Keep it Going?

Carmelo Anthony is coming off an impressive scoring night against the Hornets, as he scored 29 points in 28 minutes, adding six rebounds and four assists in the process.  It was only the second time in his career that he scored that many points in that amount of time, with the other time coming December 22^nd, 2007.

Anthony is the fifth Knick to put up his season averages of at least 24 points and seven rebounds through the first nine games of the season.  There is no reason this should stop tonight, as Anthony already has poured it on Dallas this season.

On November 9^th, Anthony went for a season high 31 points, seven rebounds and two blocks all the while battling foul trouble.  The Mavericks will still be without Dirk Nowitzki, but Shawn Marion should be back in the lineup after missing five games with a knee injury.

Jason Kidd Returns To Dallas

The reaction that Jason Kidd receives will be something to keep an eye on tonight.  Kidd, who won a title with the Mavericks in 2011, alongside Tyson Chandler, left the team this off-season to sign with the Knicks, leaving some people very upset with his decision. 

Kidd backed out last minute on re-signing with the Mavericks and accepted a similar deal with the Knicks, a move that left Mavericks owner Marc Cuban quite upset. 

Thankfully for the Knicks and everyone with any type of stake in them Kidd came.  He has been a big part in the 8-1 start, bringing ball movement and veteran presence to the team that hasn’t been seen if what seems like forever.  The Knicks are currently turning the ball over the least amount of any team in the NBA with 10.3 per game.

Control the Glass

The Knicks and Mavericks are two of the worst rebounding teams in the NBA; something has to give tonight in this matchup.  The Knicks out-rebounded a Hornets team without Anthony Davis Tuesday night, 48-35, so hopefully they can build upon that.

The rebounding department has been one glaring negative for the Knicks thus far this season, but they have won despite the deficiencies.  With Rasheed Wallace and Marcus Camby still rounding into playing shape and Iman Shumpert and Amar’e Stoudemire getting closer to returning, that rebounding number should improve as the season goes on.

If the Knicks win the rebounding battle tonight, it would go a long way in limiting the Mavericks possessions and keeping the ball out of O.J. Mayo’s hands.  Mayo torched the Knicks in the first meeting this season, knocking down five three pointers in the first half alone and is coming off a strong night against the Warriors, scoring 27.

Knicks Back in Win Column vs. Pacers

Sunday, November 18^th, 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: Indiana Pacers: 76 New York Knicks: 88

Knicks Get Back in Win Column vs. Pacers

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It wasn’t the prettiest of games, but the Knicks will take it as they turned the clock back and went 90’s Knicks on the Pacers, winning 88-76.  The rare noon tipoff played a part in the slow start, as both teams shot poorly from the field and the game was very sloppy for portions of it.  The win moves the Knicks home record to 4-0 with all their victories being of the double-digit variety.

The Knicks defense was stellar once again Sunday afternoon and was the driving force in the victory.  They forced 19 Pacer turnovers and converted them into 18 points, while turning the ball over themselves only eight times for five points. The Knicks also held the Pacers to 39.4 percent shooting on the afternoon.

The Knicks actually shot worse than the Pacers at 36.7 percent, but made up for it out-rebounding their 

opponent for the first time all season and having fewer turnovers, taking 18 more shots than the Pacers. 

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Carmelo Anthony paced the Knicks on offense, scoring 26 points on nine of 22 shooting. Anthony added a team high tying nine rebounds and two steals.  Another great thing to see in the box score is that Anthony had zero turnovers.

J.R. Smith had another strong game for the Knicks, scoring 13 points and adding seven rebounds and two assists, filling out his stat sheet with one steal and block each.  The most surprising thing about Smith’s season thus far is his rebounding numbers, ranking second amongst shooting guards in the NBA.

Rasheed Wallace continued his comeback with another stellar performance off the bench for the Knicks.  Wallace scored nine straight points between the third and fourth, finishing it off with a huge tomahawk dunk off a pick-and-roll with Pablo Prigioni. 

Wallace has moved ahead of Marcus Camby on the front court depth chart, as Wallace has become head coach Mike Woodson’s first option off the bench.  Wallace pulled down seven rebounds and blocked a shot in 17 minutes.

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Camby, who sat for the last two games, got some burn Sunday, playing 13 minutes, grabbing four rebounds and blocking a shot also. 

Jason Kidd received a nasty cut on his head in the first quarter, when Pacers shooting guard Lance Stephenson had his teeth go into his head.  Kidd required seven stitches to be administered, but returned to the court in the second quarter wearing a head band to cover up the stitches.  Kidd had a quiet game, scoring three points with two assists, two rebounds and one steal.

Next up after an off day is a three game road trip for the Knicks starting with a game in New Orleans against number one overall pick Anthony Davis and the Hornets.  The Knicks will then travel to Dallas to take on the Mavericks and then take on Jeremy Lin and the Rockets Friday.