What to Watch For: New York Knicks vs. Brooklyn Nets December 11

Tuesday, December 11^th, 2012

Pre Game News and Notes

New York Knicks vs. Brooklyn Nets

The Knicks will look to get some revenge in round two of the Battle of the Boroughs as they travel to Brooklyn to take on the Nets.  The first time around, the Nets won a hard fought overtime game 96-89.  In the first meeting, it was the Knicks who were not at full strength; tonight it will be the Nets who will be playing short-handed.  Here are some things to watch tonight:

-Jason Kidd in the Lineup

In the first matchup of the season, the Knicks were without guard Jason Kidd.  Thankfully, this time they will have Kidd at their disposal and he should assume his regular role in the starting lineup. 

Without Kidd in the lineup, the Knicks offense struggled; the ball movement was stagnant and the offense was over reliant on isolations, especially with Carmelo Anthony.  With Kidd in the lineup, the ball movement is crisper and everyone is on top of their game.

Kidd also brings veteran intangibles that are irreplaceable for the Knicks.  He is 39 years old, but he has the hands of a 24 year old and can still make things happen on the defensive end of the court and still makes precision passes not every point guard is capable of. 

-Attack the Paint

The Nets this time will be the team without a key piece in their lineup, as starting center Brook Lopez will miss the game with a foot injury.  It will be the sixth straight game that Lopez misses, meaning Andray Blatche will take over at center for the Nets tonight again.

The Nets are 1-4 without Lopez in the lineup, with their only win coming against a lowly Orlando Magic squad.  The Nets will also have Reggie Evans in the starting lineup, replacing Kris Humphries to try and replace the defense lost with Lopez sitting out.

Without Lopez in the lineup, the Nets are allowing 11.5 more points per game; 102.2 without Lopez compared to 90.7 with him.  The shooting percentages also see a drastic change without Lopez in the lineup, as the Nets are allowing teams to shoot 50.7 percent from the field without him compared to 44.9 with him. 

Blatche has filled in admirably for Lopez, scoring 17.2 points per game to go along with 9.8 rebounds, but he leaves a lot to be desired on the defensive end, blocking only 0.4 shots per game compared to the 2.5 Lopez provides.

-Bench Play

With the injuries the Nets have, their starting lineup will be shifted around much like the Knicks in the first meeting.  That means that their bench is weakened, meaning the Knicks have to take advantage.

Since Lopez has been out, the productivity of the Nets bench players has suffered as well.  Jerry Stackhouse has been shooting 30.4 percent from the field and C.J Watson is averaging only 1.5 assists and shooting 37.5 percent.

The Knicks bench has been coming alive of late, with Steve Novak finding his touch and Rasheed Wallace giving strong minutes as well.  J.R. Smith has struggled with his shot recently, but the effort he gives on defense and how he fills other stats still helps the Knicks.

With the Nets lineup change, the Knicks now have the superior bench and will have to take advantage as they cannot rely on Carmelo Anthony, Raymond Felton and Tyson Chandler solely to carry the offense.  

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. 

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 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. 

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. 

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. 

Knicks Start Road Trip Throttling Hornets

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: New York Knicks: 102 New Orleans Hornets: 80

Knicks Start Road Trip Throttling Hornets

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With the win tonight, this Knicks team became the fourth team in franchise history to start with an 8-1 record.  Tonight was the start to a stretch of five games in seven nights and it could not have started better for the Knicks. Tonight was also the third 20+ point victory for the Knicks on the season.

Tonight the starters were also able to get extended rest, something that is very important as the Knicks have a quick turnaround with a game in Dallas against the Mavericks Wednesday night.

Tonight, the Knicks got rolling right from the start behind a smoking start from Carmelo Anthony.  Anthony set the tone early for the Knicks, outscoring the Hornets by himself with 19 first quarter points; the Hornets scored only 17.  Anthony finished the half with 23 points, dominating a depleted Hornets squad.

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Anthony added six rebounds and got his teammates involved, handing out four assists in a game that he was able to take it easy for the most part, playing only 28 minutes in the game.  Anthony also only had one turnover on the night.

Raymond Felton continued his hot start, knocking down five three pointers in the game en route to 15 points.  He dished six assists and only had one turnover, running the offense to perfection.  Felton is starting to become a very reliable threat from deep for the Knicks and that will make life easier for Anthony to patrol the middle.

The ball movement for the Knicks was good again, as they had 19 assists on 37 made shots.  They also did a good job on the boards, as the Knicks had a season high 49 rebounds and outrebounded the Hornets by 13.

The ball security has also been at a premium this season, as tonight was the sixth time this season the Knicks had 10 or less turnovers in the game in nine games.  All of last season, the Knicks only did that five times.

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Again, the Knicks defense was stifling as well.  After a lackluster second quarter in which the bench played big minutes, the defense was outstanding.  The Knicks held the Hornets to 17 points in the first quarter and 16 in both the third and fourth quarters. 

The bench recovered in the second half, but one glaring blemish is the play of Steve Novak.  Novak set a bad career high tonight, missing eight of the 10 three pointers he attempted, dropping his season shooting percentage to 37.8 percent. 

Novak has brought nothing else to the game when he steps on the court either, as he put up zeros across the board tonight in every other statistic.  Novak might start to have his minutes cut if he does not step up his play, as he is a liability on the defensive end and offers very little help outside of outside shooting.

The Knicks continue their road trip with a visit to Dallas to play against the Mavericks Wednesday night.  It is the second night of a back-to-back, but with no one playing over 30 minutes tonight the team should be fresh and ready to go.