Knicks Continue Strong Play at MSG

Sunday, December 9^th, 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: Denver Nuggets: 106 New York Knicks: 112

Knicks Stay Undefeated with Hard Fought Victory

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In his first game back after a two game absence, Carmelo Anthony returned to the court, helping the Knicks back into the win column.  With the victory, the Knicks continued their home winning streak, winning all their home games thus far this season. 

Under Mike Woodson, the Knicks are 19-1 at home in the regular season.  Also, the Knicks continued an amazing stretch in which they have only lost back-to-back games in the regular season only once.

Anthony struggled early, but got his shot going when the Knicks needed it most; Anthony missed 12 of his first 17 shots. The fourth quarter Anthony finished strong, going five of seven and scoring nine key points as the Knicks were able to hold off a scrappy Nuggets squad. 

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Anthony finished with 34 points and six rebounds, going 10 of 24 from the field and 11 of 16 from the foul line.  Anthony showed tonight how much he really means to this Knicks team and how much a team can benefit from having a superstar to close out games.

The Knicks struggled as a whole from the free throw line tonight, but thankfully it did not hurt them at the end.  Even when struggling from the line, going 36 for 27, they made more free throws than the Nuggets, who went 21 for 29.  If the Knicks had knocked down more free throws, the end of the game would not have been so close and in question. 

Ball security was at a premium for the Knicks coming into the game, as the Nuggets thrive in the open court and on fast breaks.  The Knicks were able to limit those opportunities by turning the ball over only nine times. 

When the Knicks turn the ball over 12 times or less, they are now 13-0; but when they turn it over 13 times or more they are 2-5.  The Knicks shot poorly from the field, at only 43 percent, but was able to make up for that by not turning the ball over. 

They also made up for it with their hustle on the boards.  The Nuggets came into the game as one of the top rebounding teams in the NBA with players like Kenneth Faried and JaVale McGee in the middle.  Without Rasheed Wallace tonight and Marcus Camby, the Knicks were dangerously thin up front with only Tyson Chandler and Kurt Thomas, equaling a potentially disastrous situation on the boards. 

The Knicks weren’t having any of that though, as they were outrebounded by the Nuggets by only one, 40-39, thanks to a dominant performance by Chandler with a game high 12 and a surprising nine from J.R. Smith.

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Chandler continued his spirited play Sunday night, playing with tenacity and energy knowing the Knicks really needed him with Wallace and Camby both sitting out; he responded with another double-double, his eighth of the season.  Chandler finished with 15 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks, changing the Nuggets shots on numerous occasions.

The Knicks were able to pull the game out night, but it should not have been this close.  The combination of poor defense (the Nuggets shot 55.6 percent from the field) and poor shooting (43.0 percent from the field for the Knicks) goes together like oil and vinegar.  Nonetheless, the Knicks scored when they needed to and got the stops that were necessary in picking up the victory tonight.

Jason Kidd was amazing for the Knicks tonight, showing that age is just a number once again.  As Alan Hahn has said plenty of times, Kidd’s body is 39 years old but his hands are still 24.  Kidd was instrumental in the Knicks coming back tonight and holding onto the lead.  He made timely baskets and led the Knicks with seven assists.  The Knicks look much better on the court when Kidd plays.

This opinion of mine has a chance to be proven correct soon, as next up for the Knicks is round two in the Battle of the Boroughs as the Knicks head to Brooklyn to take on the Nets Tuesday night and will look to exact some revenge from the loss earlier in the season the Nets handed them.  Kidd sat out the first meeting this season and I firmly believe that if Kidd had played the Knicks would have come away with the victory.

What to Watch For: New York Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls December 8th

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Pre Game News and Notes

New York Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls

After winning in Charlotte Wednesday and Miami Thursday, the Knicks look to finish their road trip strong and undefeated with a victory over the Bulls tonight.  Tonight will be another tough task for the Knicks, as the Bulls have played well in winning four of their last five games and are sitting atop the Central Division.  Here are some things to watch for in the game tonight:

-Carmelo’s Status

After sitting out Thursday night’s win over the Heat, Carmelo Anthony’s status for tonight’s game is up in the air again.  Once again, he is questionable and will be a game time decision with the laceration to the middle finger on his left hand. 

While testing the injury Thursday against Miami, Anthony was able to shoot the ball well but was unable to catch the ball cleanly, using mostly his one good hand.

The Knicks proved that they can play without Anthony if players like Raymond Felton, J.R. Smith and Steve Novak step up, blowing out the Heat by 20.  Tonight may be a different story though, as the Bulls are much stronger on the defensive end than the Heat, having the top-ranked defensive efficiency in the NBA compared to 23^rd for the Heat.

-Contain Joakim Noah

Joakim Noah is in the middle of a career year for the Bulls, being a driving force behind the Bulls being a top ranked rebounding team. Noah is playing a career high 39.6 minutes and making the most of them, putting up career numbers across the board with 10.8 rebounds, 13.9 points, 4.3 assists, 2,2 blocks and 1.4 steals per game.

The onus will fall upon Tyson Chandler, who is having a career year in his own right, to slow down Noah.  Chandler will need to make his presence felt on both sides of the court as he has been recently, averaging 15 points and 11.4 rebounds in his last five games.

Chandler will need help in the paint tonight though, especially is Anthony doesn’t suit up, as the Bulls employ a much bigger team than the Heat did.  Rasheed Wallace will need to use his veteran savvy and stay closer to the basket and not gravitate towards the three point line.  Look for Kurt Thomas to again start if Anthony is out and get some minutes against a team whose main focus is defense and rebounding.

-Can Felton Keep it Up?

Raymond Felton has been having a nice bounce back season, highlighted by the amazing performance he put on against Miami Thursday with Anthony absent.  If Anthony sits out again, look for Felton to be the vocal point of the offense once again. 

The Knicks have the advantage at the point guard spot with Derrick Rose being out combined with Felton’s red hot play.  Felton is averaging 22.3 points and 7.7 assists per game, hitting 11 of 24 three points in the Knicks last three games; all Knicks wins.

Throw in Jason Kidd and the Knicks have a major advantage in the backcourt over the Bulls combination of Kirk Hinrich and Nate Robinson.  The Knicks should be able to control pace and tempo, a must in a game their star player might sit out and against a team that is as dominant in one area as the Bulls are.

No Melo, No Problem

Thursday, December 6^th, 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: New York Knicks: 112 Miami Heat: 92

No Melo, No Problem as Knicks Blow out Heat

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No Melo, no problem for the Knicks tonight in Miami as they blew out the Heat 112-92.  It is the second time this season the Knicks beat the Heat by 20 points.  The win by the Knicks gives the Heat their first home loss this season and biggest loss at Miami since Lebron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwayne Wade in South Beach; leaving the Knicks as the last team in the NBA without a home loss.

Just like the first time around, the Knicks beat the Heat by putting on a show from the three point line, knocking down 18 of their 44 attempts.  This is the second time they made 18+ three pointers in a game, with the other time being the first defeat of the Heat; this time around they did it without the help of Carmelo Anthony, who was sitting out with a laceration on his left middle finger that required five stitches.

In his place, Raymond Felton picked up the slack as the go-to scorer.  Felton played by far his best game of the season given the circumstances.  Knowing Anthony would sit, Felton took it upon himself to carry the Knicks and responded with a monster game.

Felton did everything tonight, running the pick-and-roll to perfection with Tyson Chandler and even taking over some of Anthony’s isolation sets; on one occasion Felton cooked Udonis Haslem with a crossover reminiscent of Allen Iverson, taking it to the rack for a layup. 

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Felton attacked the basket with fearless abandon and precision tonight, always making the right move to counter whatever the Heat were doing on offense.  Felton actually shot the ball better from deep, going six of 10 from the three point line and four of 10 inside of it.  He finished the game with a season high 27 points in addition to seven assists, four rebounds and two steals.  The Knicks needed him to step up tonight in Anthony’s absence and he did that and more.

Chandler continued his great play tonight, finishing around the basket and controlling the paint on both sides of the court.  Chandler’s stats are not as eye popping as some of his recent performances with 13 points and nine rebounds tonight, but his presence alone made a difference.  The Heat shooting 42.1 percent from the field shows just how tough the defense was tonight, led by Chandler in the middle.

The Knicks defense was on point tonight and was the driving force behind the building of the big lead.  The perimeter rotations were crisp and came out strong in the second half, limiting the Heat to only one basket the first six minutes of the third quarter.  Without that effort on the defensive end, the Knicks would have gotten hammered tonight.  They allowed only 39 points in the second half and 12 in the fourth quarter.

With Anthony injured, the Knicks were in need of people stepping up and that is exactly what they got; under the bright lights of a nationally televised game the whole team shined in picking up the slack left by Anthony’s absence. 

The bench played outstanding, as they outscored the Heat’s bench 57-19.  Steve Novak led the way on the bench, with 18 points.  Rasheed Wallace chipped in 12 of his own and the same good defensive effort he has been giving all season to go along with seven rebounds.  J.R. Smith struggled with his shot again, going four of 15, but he made timely baskets and made contributions in other parts of the game, grabbing six rebounds, handing out four assists and getting one steal. 

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Pablo Prigioni did his thing as the backup point guard, chipping in seven points of his own and grabbing a career high six rebounds.  James White was forced into duty because of injuries and responded as well as Mike Woodson could have hoped for, not missing a shot en route to scoring seven points. 

The Knicks came into the game with supreme focus and an understanding of what they had to do to get the victory without their star player.  Not only were they on point with the defense, they put in a concerted effort to protect the ball, turning the ball over a season-low tying seven times. 

Next up for the Knicks is a visit to Chicago to end a three game road trip Saturday night, the third game in a stretch of four games in five nights for the Knicks. 

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.

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.

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.