7:00 PM EST | Amway Center TV: MSG Network Radio: ESPN NY 98.7 FM
5 Things To Know:
1. The Knicks engaged in another thriller on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. Following a clutch bucket from Carmelo Anthony in the final seconds of the contest, DeMar DeRozan answered with a turnaround jumper over Derrick Rose for the game-winner. DeRozan scored 37 points in the win while Anthony registered a team-high 24 points. Toronto captured its third victory over New York in the four-game season series.
2. Kristaps Porzingis participated in Tuesday’s practice session at MSG Training Center before the team departed to Orlando. After missing his previous two games with a sprained ankle, Porzingis is expected to return to action on Wednesday night against the Magic.
3. Joakim Noah underwent anthropic knee surgery to move a loose body on Saturday. He’s out for the next 3-4 weeks and Noah’s back-up Willy Hernangomez suffered a sprained ankle in the contest against Toronto. Hernangomez is out for tonight’s game in Orlando.
4. Orlando was busy prior to the trade deadline as it sent Serge Ibaka to Toronto for Terrence Ross and a 2017 first-round draft pick. The new-look group is 1-1 thus far as head coach Frank Vogel has placed Ross in the starting lineup in the frontcourt next to Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic. Most recently, Orlando cruised past the Hawks 105-86 behind Ross’ 24 points. The Magic improved to 22-38 on the season and currently the club sits in the second to last spot in the latest Eastern Conference standings.
5. In the first meeting between the two teams, Derrick Rose scored 19 and six Knicks registered double figures in a 106-95 win on December 22 at MSG. The second matchup also took place in New York but the January 2 contest resulted in a win for the Magic. Porzingis did not suit up for the game and Jodie Meeks posted 23 in the victory. These two squads will hit the floor for the first time tonight in Orlando and will return in five days for the season series finale on March 6.