Knicks-Spurs Preview
By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
The San Antonio Spurs may be without Tony Parker again, but Carmelo Anthony's potential absence for the woeful New York Knicks may be even more damaging.
With their top scorer potentially out for a third straight game, the Spurs attempt to continue their success at home and send the Knicks to their longest road losing streak in almost nine years Wednesday night.
Parker averages team highs of 16.6 points and 5.5 assists, but may not get a chance to improve on those numbers due to a hamstring injury.
San Antonio (15-6) has split its last two games without the All-Star guard, but fell 100-96 at Utah on Tuesday in one of its worst defensive performances of the season. The Jazz shot 50.0 percent from the floor, a mark the Spurs have allowed only three times.
"We hoped it would turn," Tim Duncan said. "Balls (were) bouncing the wrong way. We were just off all night. They brought a lot of energy and continued to make plays, and give them credit for that. They played better for 48 minutes than we did."
A return home should get San Antonio back on track since it's 7-1 there and has averaged 108.0 points during a five-game winning streak. The Spurs host the last-place Los Angeles Lakers on Friday after the Knicks' visit.
New York (4-19) has lost 10 straight road games, its longest since dropping 12 in a row from Jan. 15-March 1, 2006. That stretch of the calendar also includes the Knicks' last 10-game overall slide.
The Knicks got a bit closer to those dubious marks Tuesday, losing 104-93 at New Orleans to open this three-game trip with a ninth straight overall defeat.
Anthony, who had 17 points against the Pelicans, could be rested due to a nagging left knee injury that's hampered him for much of the season.
"At this point it's a matter of evaluating it and see. Some days are better than others," Anthony said. "At this point it's just a matter of sitting down with the training staff and coaches and seeing what's best for everybody.
"They're going to have to pull me out because I'm not going to make that decision."
Anthony had 27 points and 12 boards in a 105-101 win at San Antonio on Jan. 2 - the Knicks overcame a career-high 32 from Marco Belinelli - while Iman Shumpert matched Anthony's point total by hitting 10 of 13 from the floor, including six 3s.
Shumpert, though, is hitting 29.6 percent from the field - 3 for 25 from 3-point range - while averaging 6.2 points over the last nine games. He was abysmal again Tuesday, missing 5 of 6 shots and finishing with two points.
Amare Stoudemire, though, is looking to build on his season-high 26 points from Tuesday, nearly doubling his season average. However, he's totaled 23 points over the past three meetings with San Antonio, finding himself matched up opposite Duncan.
Duncan was held to 20 points on 4-of-12 shooting as the Spurs and Knicks split two games last season.
Like Stoudemire, Duncan is coming off his best offensive performance of the season, scoring 23 points with 14 rebounds, four blocks and three steals against the Jazz.