Game Preview

Jonah Ballow

7:30 PM EST | Madison Square Garden TV:  MSG Network Radio: ESPN NY 98.7 FM

1.  The Knicks completed the seasons series sweep of the Bulls on Tuesday night at MSG.  Carmelo Anthony returned to the lineup after missing two games to help ignite New York’s offense in the 100-91 victory.  The Knicks outscored Chicago 25-16 in the second frame to create the necessary separation and notch the win that improved their home mark to 18-20 on the season.  In the win, Courtney Lee scored 14 points, Justin Holiday added 12, and Kyle O’Quinn ripped down 12 rebounds.

2.  Kristaps Porzingis did not suit up for Tuesday’s contest against the Bulls.  The second-year man was sidelined due to a sore back and his status is unclear for tonight’s game.  Yesterday, Derrick Rose underwent uncomplicated left knee arthroscopy for a medical meniscus tear.  The point guard is expected to have a full recovery and begin basketball activities in approximately 3-6 weeks.  Chasson Randle’s minutes were limited due to a sprained left ankle on Tuesday.  He is unlikely to suit up tonight.

3.  Head coach Jeff Hornacek adjusted his starting lineup on Tuesday to counter Porzingis’ absence.  Maurice Ndour earned the starting nod with a special guest watching from the stands.  For the first time in the United States, Ndour’s mom was able to attend a game live and she was treated to a standout performance from her son.  Ndour registered 33 minutes, hit 5-of-9 shots from the floor, scored 13 points, and grabbed 12 boards.      

4.  Two nights ago, John Wall and company lifted the Wizards to a 118-111 win to effectively snap a three-game slide.  Thursday’s tilt at the Garden is a crucial contest for Washington as it attempts to tie Toronto for the third spot in the Eastern Conference.  The Wizards have clinched the division title and will now fight for playoff positioning with four games remaining in the regular season.  While Washington owns one of the best records since the All-Star break, the team has struggled on the defensive side of the floor with the 27th ranked defensive rating in the league.

5.  The Wizards are 3-0 against the Knicks this season.  The two meetings to start the year were close in the final box score as Washington won the first game 119-112 before a three-point win in the second matchup.  The final score in the meeting was a bit skewed considering New York scored a remarkable 47 points in the fourth quarter.  In the second contest, the Knicks were narrowly defeated after posting 40 points in the second period and outscored Washington 24-13 in the final quarter.  On January 31, the Wizards cruised to a 117-101 win behind Bradly Beal’s 28 points on 12-for-18 shooting from the floor.  Tonight’s game is the final meeting between the two teams this season. 

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5 Things to Know: Knicks Look for 3 Straight Wins at MSG

8:00 PM EST | Madison Square Garden TV:  MSG Network Radio: ESPN NY 98.7 FM

1.  The East’s best team cruised to a 110-94 win over a shorthanded Knicks squad on Sunday afternoon at MSG.  Boston scored 34 points in the first quarter and eventually built a 27-point lead in the wire-to-wire victory.  Courtney Lee scored 16 points, Kristaps Porzingis added 14, and Kyle O’Quinn grabbed nine boards off the pine. 

2.  On Sunday, the Knicks announced that Derrick Rose would miss the remainder of the season after an MRI of his left knee revealed a torn meniscus that will require an arthroscopy.  In his first year in New York, Rose played in 64 games and averaged 18 points, 4.4 assists, and 3.8 rebounds in 32.5 minutes per outing. 

3.  Carmelo Anthony has missed the last two games with a sore back.  On Monday afternoon, Anthony returned to practice and confirmed he will suit up for Tuesday’s contest against the Bulls at The Garden. 

4.  The Bulls have won four straight games, leaping to the seventh spot in the latest Eastern Conference standings.  At 38-39, Chicago holds a one game lead over the Heat and trails Atlanta by one game with five contests remaining in the regular season.  Jimmy Butler is behind the Bulls surge as he just captured the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, averaging 32.5 points and six assists in his last three games.    

5.  New York owns a 2-0 record against Chicago in the season series.  In the first matchup in Chicago, the Knicks earned a 13-point win before a 104-89 home win on January 13.  In that victory for New York, Anthony hit 10-of-19 shots from the floor for a team-high 23 points.  Mindaugas Kuzminskas dropped 19 points off the bench in the win.

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5 Things to Know: Knicks Face Surging Bulls at MSG

1:00 PM EST | Madison Square Garden TV:  ABC Radio: ESPN NY 98.7 FM

1.  Two days after suffering a home defeat to the Heat, the shorthanded Knicks marched into Miami and toppled the home squad 98-94.  A balanced effort of 25 team assists, five players in double figures, and holding the Heat to under 100 points led to the victory.  Kristaps Porzingis dropped a team-high 22 points, Courtney Lee added 20, and Willy Hernangomez snatched 12 boards.  With the Friday night win, New York captured the season series over the Heat and are now 2-1 in its last three outings.

2.  Derrick Rose (sore knee), Carmelo Anthony (sore lower back), and Lance Thomas (sore hip) were all sidelined on Friday night in Miami.  The status of the three players is unclear heading into the home contest against Boston on Sunday.  On Friday, head coach Jeff Hornacek placed Ron Baker, Lee, Sasha Vujacic, Porzingis, and Hernangomez in the starting group.

3.  Avery Bradley (illness) will not travel to New York for the matinee tilt against the Knicks.  Head coach Brad Stevens will most likely start rookie Jaylen Brown in the backcourt, creating a big starting lineup aside from All-Star Isaiah Thomas.  Brown, Thomas, Amir Johnson, Jae Crowder, and Al Horford started on Friday night against the Magic.

4.  The Celtics 8-2 surge over their last 10 games has launched them past the defending champs in the Eastern Conference standings.  Boston’s slight lead over the Cavaliers is worth watching as it could set them up for home court advantage throughout the playoffs out East.  While Thomas is the key cog offensively for the Celtics, the squad is well rounded by ranking in the top 10 in net rating, No. 3 in assist-to-turnover ratio, and No. 13 in pace. 

5.  Boston won the first two games of the series before New York topped the Celtics 117-106 on January 18.  Rose scored a team-high 30 points on 13-of-24 shooting from the floor in that victory.  In the win, the Knicks were incredibly efficient by connecting on 50.5 percent from the floor and 40 percent behind the arc. Sunday marks the season series finale between the two teams.

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5 Things to Know: Knicks Square Off Against Celtics in Sunday Matinee

8:00 PM EST | American Airlines Arena TV:  MSG Network Radio: 1050 AM

1.  Two days ago, the Heat cruised to a 105-88 victory over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.  Goran Dragic posted 20 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds to power Miami’s attack in the second matchup against New York this season.  Kristaps Porzingis finished with 20 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the floor. 

2.  Head coach Jeff Hornacek said Derrick Rose (knee) and Carmelo Anthony (back) will go through shootaround and then a final decision will be made on their availability for tonight’s contest in Miami.    

3.  The Heat enter Friday’s tilt following back-to-back victories after losing two straight to Toronto and Boston.  Every win is essential for Miami with seven games remaining in the 2016-17 regular season.  Currently, the Heat sit in seventh place, tied with Indiana and just one game ahead of Chicago for a spot in the postseason.  If the playoffs started today, Miami would face Cleveland in the first round as the No. 2 vs. the No. 7 matchup.

4.  On the defensive side of the floor, the Heat excel at an elite level.  This year, Miami ranks in the top five in defensive rating and points allowed per game.  With Hassan Whiteside manning the middle, the Heat can lockdown the opposing team inside the paint as seen in Wednesday’s contest when the road team held New York to just 88 points and 37.1 percent from the floor.

5.  The season series is locked at 1-1 heading into the finale between the two teams on Friday night.  In the first matchup, Carmelo Anthony dropped 35 while the Knicks knocked off the Heat in Miami 114-103 on December 6.  As mentioned above, the Heat exacted revenge by earning a win at MSG on Wednesday to set up the rubber match tonight at American Airlines Arena.

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5 Things to Know: Knicks Conclude Season Series Against Heat in Miami

1.  The Knicks returned home on Monday night and delivered a resounding 109-95 victory over the Pistons.  In the third quarter of action, New York created significant separation on a 15-0 run to start the period, which led to a 20-point advantage.  The home team never looked back while snapping a five-game losing skid in the first contest back from the west coast trip.  Derrick Rose was the offensive catalyst with a game-high 27 points.  Kristaps Porzingis dropped 25 points, eight rebounds, three blocks, and two steals in the win.

2.  Carmelo Anthony returned to the lineup on Monday after a two-game absence to close the west coast trip.  The All-Star scored 21 points on an efficient 8-of-15 shooting from the floor and 3-of-5 behind the arc. 

3.  Heat shooting guard Dion Waiters is out for Wednesday’s contest due to an ankle injury.  An MRI was negative but the productive 2-guard did not make the road trip for games against the Pistons and Knicks.  This year, Waiters is averaging 15.8 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game.  Head coach Erik Spolestra has featured a three-guard lineup with Waiters in street clothes.  Goran Dragic, Rodney McGruder, and Josh Richardson start next to Luke Babbitt and Whiteside in the five-man opening group. 

4.  Last night, Miami escaped Detroit with a narrow 97-96 victory behind Hassan Whiteside’s tip-in at the buzzer.  Whiteside finished with 17 points and nine boards, Dragic registered a career-high 28 points, and James Johnson posted 16 off the pine.  Every win is critical for the Heat as it holds a slight one-game lead over the Bulls for the eighth and final spot for the postseason in the Eastern Conference.  Miami owns a 36-38 overall mark heading into Wednesday’s contest against the Knicks. 

5.  In the first and only meeting between the two teams this year, Anthony scored 35 points in leading New York over the Heat 114-103 on December 6.  The Knicks posted 61 points in the second half in Miami to secure the road win.  The two teams will face off twice in two days with the season series final set for March 31 in Miami.

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5 Things to Know: The Knicks Square Off Against Heat at MSG

1.  On Saturday night in San Antonio, the Knicks fell behind by 20 points but managed to fight back and cut the deficit to just three in the fourth quarter.  The Spurs eventually pulled away behind a 13-4 run late in the contest to secure the 106-98 victory in front of the home crowd.  Kawhi Leonard registered 29 points as San Antonio evened the season series in the Knicks west coast trip finale. 

2.  Derrick Rose returned to the lineup on Saturday after missing Thursday’s game with a sore foot.  New York’s point guard posted 24 points, five assists, and five rebounds in the defeat.  Carmelo Anthony missed his second straight game with a sore knee and Lance Thomas was sidelined with a sore hip. 

3.  Willy Hernangomez earned the starting nod on Saturday and delivered a career performance against a formidable Spurs frontline.  The Knicks rookie recorded his eighth double-double of the season, a career-high 24 points, and a team-high 13 boards.  In the 24-point performance, Hernangomez hit 11-of-16 from the floor and is now averaging 11 points and 9.4 rebounds over his five outings.   

4.  Detroit is in desperate search of a victory while in the midst of a three-game slide and six losses in its last seven contests.  Currently, the Pistons are a game behind the Heat for the coveted eighth spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race.  Detroit suffered a 115-87 defeat to the Magic, dropping its overall record to 34-39.  Head coach Stan Van Gundy has altered his starting group by replacing Reggie Jackson with Ish Smith at the point guard spot over the Pistons last two games.

5.  Detroit grabbed the 2-1 season series lead in the previous matchup by topping the Knicks 112-92 at The Palace.  Tobias Harris scored 23 of his 28 points in the first half to lead the Pistons to the home victory.  In the November 17 contest at MSG, Kristaps Porzingis exploded for a career-high 35 points in New York’s 105-102 win.

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5 Things to Know: Knicks Return Home for Season Series Finale Against Pistons

8:30 PM EST | AT&amp;T Center TV:  MSG Network Radio: ESPN NY 98.7 FM

1.  On Thursday night, the Blazers scored 37 points in the first quarter and never looked back in a 110-95 victory in Portland.  Damian Lillard scored a game-high 30 points to lift Portland to a win that evened the season series between the two teams.  Kristaps Porzingis dropped 18 points, nine rebounds, and swatted three shots in the defeat.

2.  New York featured a shorthanded lineup on Thursday as Carmelo Anthony (sore left knee), Derrick Rose (sore right foot), and Lance Thomas (sore right hip) were unavailable.  To counter the loss of two starters, head coach Jeff Hornacek started Ron Baker, Courtney Lee, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, Porzingis, and Willy Hernangomez.  

3.  Thomas will not suit up tonight in San Antonio, missing his second straight game due to the sore hip.  Rose said he’ll test his sore foot at shootaround but the point guard is expected to return to the lineup.  Anthony will most likely be sidelined for the road trip finale. 

4.  The Spurs won their third straight game on Thursday with a 97-90 victory over the Grizzlies.  San Antonio improved to 55-16 on the season while it chases the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.  Currently, the Warriors hold the top spot with a 58-14 mark, 2.5 games over the Spurs heading into Saturday’s contest.   

5.  On February 12, the Knicks recorded arguably their best victory of the season by knocking off the Spurs 94-90 at Madison Square Garden.  With Latrell Sprewell in the house, New York clamped down on the defensive of the floor, limiting San Antonio to just 36 percent shooting from the floor.  Anthony scored a team-high 25 points in the win, Porzingis hit 3-of-5 from the 3-point line, and Rose recorded 18 points.

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5 Things to Know: Knicks Conclude West Coast Trip in San Antonio

10:00 PM EST | Moda Center TV:  MSG Network Radio: ESPN NY 98.7 FM

1.  Last night, the Knicks built a 13-point lead early in Utah before the home team staged a late rally.  The Jazz overcame the double deficit by reeling off an 11-0 run deep into the fourth quarter.  Rudy Gobert spearheaded Utah’s 108-101 win by scoring a career-high 35 points on 13-of-14 shooting from the floor.  Kristaps Porzingis posted a team-high 24 points and seven boards in the defeat.

2.  Derrick Rose was forced to the sidelines late in the third quarter with a foot injury.  New York’s starting point guard returned to action in the fourth and X-rays were negative following the contest.  The availability for Rose, Carmelo Anthony (sore left knee), and Lance Thomas (sore right hip) are in question for tonight's game against the Blazers.

3.  On Wednesday night, the Bucks marched into the Moda Center and knocked off the Blazers 93-90 in a stellar defensive effort.  Portland was held to just 4-of-21 shooting behind the arc while Damian Lillard (31 points) and C.J. McCollumn (21 points) were really the only productive offensive weapons.  For the Bucks, Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo combined for 48 points in the win. 

4.  In an effort to reach the postseason, the Blazers shook up the roster with a trade for Jusuf Nurkic.  Portland acquired the intriguing big man by shipping Mason Plumlee to the Denver Nuggets.  Nurkic has started 14 of his 15 contests for the Blazers while averaging a solid 14.2 and 9.9 rebounds per game.  The big man has provided a jolt of productivity to Portland’s group that has reeled off a 7-3 record in its last 10 outings.  In the latest Western Conference standings, the Blazers trail Denver by 1.5 games in their pursuit for the final spot in the playoff race.

5.  On November 22, the Knicks earned a 107-103 victory over the Blazers at Madison Square Garden.  Porzingis poured in 31 points to go along with nine rebounds to fuel New York’s early season win.  The Knicks outscored Portland 26-22 in the crucial fourth quarter where Rose delivered clutch buckets and six of his 18 points to push his squad to the win.    