New York Knicks Announce Summer League Roster and Schedule

Written by Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Garrett Ellwood/NBA

The New York Knicks will be participating in the 2014 Las Vegas Summer league yet again this season. The league will run from July 11^th-July 21^st, and will be the first opportunity to see the new rookie class and some of the young players with bright futures. The Knicks, like all other teams, will play at least five games in the tournament-style format that will be held at the Cox Pavilion on the UNLV campus.

The Knicks will be bringing a loaded backcourt to the summer league, which should prove positive results as the summer league is more about showcasing offense than defense. They have a number of young players that fans will be seeing in action for the first time, including second round draft picks Cleanthony Early and Thanasis Antetokounmpo. This will also be the first time Knicks’ fans can see Shane Larkin in action, and 2013 All-Rookie First Team selection Tim Hardaway Jr. Here is the rest of the Knicks roster for the summer league.

Three other Knicks from last season, Jeremy Tyler, Cole Aldrich and Shannon Brown, will join the four players mentioned above, in addition to Langston Galloway, Jordan Henriquez, Zane Johnson, Cameron Moore, Will Sheehey, Brandon Triche, and Jordan Vandenberg.

The scheduled Knicks games right now will be:

July 11^th: 1 PM ET vs. Dallas Mavericks

July 12^th: 1 PM ET vs. Portland Trailblazers

July 14^th: 1 PM ET vs. Charlotte Hornets

The next games the Knicks play will be determined by how well they perform in the three games scheduled.

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Knicks Defeat Raptors to End Season on High Note

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Wednesday, April 16^th, 2014

Toronto Raptors vs. New York Knicks

Post Game Recap

In the last game of the season for each team, the New York Knicks were able to end the season on a high note, defeating the Toronto Raptors 95-92. It was a strong finish to a disappointing season for the Knicks, who won four straight to end the season, even though they had been eliminated from the playoffs prior to the last three. It was nice to see the Knicks play with some heart and pride, as all four games they won to end the season came against playoff teams that were still playing for seeding. Here are some takeaways from the last game of the season for the Knicks, who will be watching the playoffs from home like the fans.

Player of the Game: J.R. Smith

Jim O'Connor-USA TODAY Sports

With absolutely nothing to play for but stats, this is the type of game you would expect Smith to take an absurd amount of shots. Instead, he showed a lot of leadership in not only playing, but playing within the flow of the game. Smith knocked down 13-19 from the field, including 2-5 from deep and 2-4 from the foul line, en route to a game-high 30 points. Smith was a terror on the defensive end, getting five steals in the game as well to go with four rebounds and one assist. It was encouraging to see Smith finally get going for the Knicks the last quarter of the season, but it was too late for the team to turn it into a playoff appearance.

-Positives

The fact the Knicks had nothing to play for, while the Raptors did speaks volumes to just how hard they played. The Raptors led by as many as 19-points in the first half, yet the Knicks kept at it, keeping the energy level high. In a surprise, the Knicks actually dominated the third quarter, winning 30-17 to tie the game heading into the fourth quarter. The defense in the second half was outstanding, as the Raptors were held to 35 points. It speaks volume to the character of the players the Knicks used tonight that they were able to battle back in the fashion they did.

Jim O'Connor-USA TODAY Sports

Amar’e Stoudemire was able to play and make it through the game unscathed. It was encouraging to see Stoudemire choose to play, showing leadership that even he, king of the knee injury, could go out there and suit up for the fans in a meaningless game. Stoudemire was a bright spot for the Knicks this season, and looks to be a piece that can help them next season.

Cole Aldrich played heavy minutes with so many players sitting this one out, and he put together a monster game. In 40 minutes, Aldrich recorded his second consecutive double-double, scoring 13 points with 16 rebounds. He was a presence on the defensive end all night, accumulating two steals and five blocks. Aldrich has shown time and time again this season he is a competent rim protector and can grab rebounds in bunches. He should be given every opportunity to be the backup big next season for the Knicks.

Toure’ Murry was given extended minutes once again, and looked much more comfortable than he did against the Brooklyn Nets the previous night. Against the Raptors, Murry scored 15 points, making 6-12 from the field and knocking down both his three point attempts. He also added two rebounds and two assists. Whenever Murry is on the court he has shown the ability to be a lockdown defender, and with consistent minutes useful offensively. He is something the Knicks should keep around and continue to develop as his defensive prowess is a weapon they can use to their advantage.

Jim O'Connor-USA TODAY Sports

-Negative

Iman Shumpert’s final game of the season epitomized his whole season. He finished the game 1-10 from the field, showing the maddening inconsistency he has had throughout the whole 2013-2014 campaign. He was able to help out in other areas, as he grabbed four rebounds, handed out two assists, swiped two steals and had one block. It is nice that Shumpert can impact the game in other ways, but his inconsistent play on the offensive end hurt the Knicks.

This is the last time we will see the Knicks this season. It is disappointing that is coming to an end, especially with how well they finished out the season. It makes you think what could have been, as the Knicks ended the game with a four game winning streak, and all the wins coming against playoff teams. The Knicks were never able to shake their poor play from the beginning of the season, and in the end have no one to blame but themselves for missing the post season.

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W2W4: Toronto Raptors vs. New York Knicks; April 16th, 2014

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Wednesday, April 16^th, 2014

Toronto Raptors vs. New York Knicks

Pre-Game News and Notes

The New York Knicks will play their regular season finale Wednesday night against the surprising Atlantic Division champion Toronto Raptors. There is a good chance this one, like last night against the Brooklyn Nets, will resemble something closer to a preseason game as the Knicks prepare for the offseason and the Raptors get ready for the playoffs. Here are some things to keep an eye on for the game tonight.

Photo Credit N/A

-How Bench Players React

The Knicks are sure to use plenty of their deeper reserves and young players tonight, as they do not have anything to play for. Carmelo Anthony will not dress with his partially torn labrum, and there is a good chance Amar’e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler will also sit this one out. If that happens, there will be a lot of minutes to soak up for other players.

One player who stands to receive a ton of playing time is Cole Aldrich. Aldrich played 26 minutes last night, and will more than likely top that tonight. He performed well last night, and has throughout the season in spot duty, raising the question of should he have been playing all season.

Another player to keep an eye on is Toure’ Murry. The Knicks like the intangibles he brings defensively, but he has not been given constant minutes all season. He should be given the opportunity to shine tonight with Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni’s minutes being held to a minimum.

The last player to keep an eye on is Jeremy Tyler. He should be in line behind Aldrich for minutes tonight. He had been in the rotation for parts of the season, but fell out of favor for some reason, even with Andrea Bargnani and Kenyon Martin missing big chunks of the season. Like Aldrich and Murry, he has a good chance tonight to make a lasting impression on new President Phil Jackson.

-Raptors Seeding

Unlike the Knicks, the Raptors do have something to play for tonight. Currently, they are sitting in the third seed, tied with the Chicago Bulls. If they win tonight, they will hold onto the third seed and more than likely face the Washington Wizards. If they lose, they will more than likely play against the Nets.

That means the Raptors will most likely be using their regulars full time tonight. Head coach Dwane Casey has said that his players would be monitored tonight, but they will play if need be. The Raptors are not as talented, or experienced, enough to turn the switch on and off nightly. They need to keep their foot on the gas and stay sharp for the playoffs.

-Woodson’s Last Game

This could very well be Mike Woodson’s last game as head coach of the Knicks. He had a successful tenure as coach before this season, but he seems to have worn out his welcome. Jackson very likely will name a new head coach this offseason to go with a new general manager, as he will bring his people into the organization. It has been a quick turn on Woodson, who the fans were behind just a season ago.

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Knicks Defeat Nets, Win Season Series 3-1

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Tuesday, April 15^th, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Brooklyn Nets

Post Game Recap

The New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets finished up their disappointing season series Tuesday night, as the Knicks defeated the Nets 109-98. It was the third win in the series for the Knicks, who defeated the Nets by 30 and 29 points earlier in the season, while the Nets lone victory came by 23. There was plenty of players not suiting up tonight, and veterans who did played very little as both teams had nothing to really play for. The play resulted in a game that looked more like a preseason game than a regular season meeting. Both teams will be playing their regular season finales Wednesday night, as the Knicks will take on the Toronto Raptors, and the Nets will be going against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Knicks Perspective:

It was yet another solid performance for the Knicks tonight, even though they were eliminated from playoff contention Saturday night. Tonight they were without Carmelo Anthony, who it turns out, is suffering from a torn labrum. Several other veterans, such as Tyson Chandler, Pablo Prigioni, J.R. Smith, Raymond Felton and Amar’e Stoudemire came nowhere near to their regular minutes, as head coach Mike Woodson rolled with the reserves and younger players.

The player who performed best tonight in the extended minutes once again was Cole Aldrich. Aldrich came down with a season-high 13 rebounds to go with 13 points, one steal and one block. Aldrich has shown all season that he is capable of producing when on the court, and tonight was no different. He definitely deserves a shot at being Chandler’s backup next season, as he has proved himself a capable backup and spot starter when needed.

Another player who looked good tonight was Iman Shumpert. The much maligned shooting guard has had his struggles this season, but has been coming on since being moved to the bench. His defense has started resembling more of the lockdown performer he was before the knee injury and what he showed during last season’s playoffs.

Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

He also had two highlight plays tonight, breaking Paul Pierce’s ankles with a crossover into a jump shot in the third quarter that he nailed, and finishing in transition with a dunk off a pass off the backboard from Toure’ Murry. Phil Jackson mentioned Shumpert as one of the players he was impressed with, and he has done nothing to change that thinking.

Tim Hardaway Jr. continued to score well off the bench for the Knicks. Tonight he scored a team high 16 points, making 5-12 from the field and 4-4 from the foul line. Hardaway Jr. looks like he is going to be a great weapon off the bench for the Knicks as a wing scorer. It would not be shocking to see Hardaway Jr. push his per game scoring up to the 12-13 point range as he becomes more accustomed to the NBA game. Where he needs to improve still is on the defensive end, as he offers very little outside of a scoring punch at this time.

Nets Perspective:

It was a letdown of sorts for the Nets, who still had something to play for in the game, but did not look like it from how they played. The Nets still have not locked up the fifth seed, and do not look like they want to as it will result in a matchup with the Chicago Bulls in the first round.

Mason Plumlee was a bright spot for the Nets tonight. With Kevin Garnett missing so much action this season, Plumlee has really grown as a player. He now looks like an important piece for the Nets heading into the post season. He is a big that is active and can keep up with the talented front lines of teams like the Bulls and Raptors, something Garnett does not look like he will be able to do any longer. Tonight Plumlee finished with an impressive 16 points and nine rebounds off the bench.

Marcus Thornton looks to have been a steal for the Nets and real weapon for them off the bench. Tonight he poured in 24 points, and has been much more successful and productive off the bench than Jason Terry was. He gave the Nets a little more youth, and at this stage of their careers, a more dangerous player. He may lack the experience Terry has, but he makes up for it with his explosiveness. It is possible he could lead the Nets in scoring any night off the bench, as he is capable of filling it up from beyond the three point line.

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Knicks Have Solid Bounce Back Effort to Defeat Kings

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Wednesday, March 26^th, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Sacramento Kings

Post Game Recap

Kelly L. Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Knicks made it a lot more difficult than it had to be Wednesday night, but they were still able to pull out a much needed victory over the Sacramento Kings by the score of 107-99. The Knicks and Kings have a history of roller coaster games in Sacramento and tonight was no different. The Knicks led by as many as 24 points but the Kings were able to get it as close as three in the fourth quarter. Nonetheless it was a nice, and necessary, bounce back win as the win puts the Knicks three back in the loss column and two in the standings with 10 to play. The Knicks will continue their west coast trip Friday with a visit to the Phoenix Suns.

Player of the Game: J.R. Smith

Smith was huge for the Knicks tonight, as he caught fire right from the beginning and never slowed down. Smith tied the Knicks franchise record for three-pointers made in a game, draining nine of his 12 attempts from deep en route to 29 points. Smith made timely basket after timely basket in the fourth quarter for the Knicks to help them bring home the victory. When the Kings cut the lead to six with about 9:30 remaining Smith nailed a three pointer to get the lead back to nine. After they got it to four with about seven minutes remaining Smith knocked down yet another three. Finally, with just over four minutes remaining and the Kings on another run knocking the Knicks lead to just two, Smith knocked down his ninth and final three of the game to put the Knicks up five. Smith was very vocal after the Los Angeles Lakers game last night, and he came up big time for the Knicks, backing up everything he said. He also added four rebounds, four assists and a block to round out his stat line.

Erza Shaw/Getty Images

Match-up of the Game Recap:

The center match-up highlighted before the game was dominated tonight by DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins was unstoppable tonight as the Knicks had little answer to slowing him down. With Tyson Chandler dealing with foul trouble Cousins had his way offensively, dominating in the paint and showing off an impressive jump shot. Cousins finished the game with a monster stat line of 32 points, 15 rebounds, a season-high eight assists, two steals and two blocks. Chandler was hampered with foul trouble, but still managed to put up a respectable line with 10 points, eight rebounds and one block in only 29 minutes.

-Positives

Carmelo Anthony put up a solid effort tonight to help get the Knicks a victory. Anthony finished the game with a game-high 36 points on 12-21 from the field, knocking down 5-8 from three point range and all seven of his free throw attempts. Anthony added five rebounds in the process, to go along with two assists, one steal and one block. Anthony had a monster third quarter, scoring 12 points to make sure the Knicks did not have a repeat of the last two games to start the second half.

Seemingly every game this season the Knicks have been at a disadvantage at the point guard position, but tonight they caught a break with Isaiah Thomas being injured, and they were able to take advantage. Rookie and second round pick Ray McCallum got the start for the Kings tonight and the Knicks were able to rattle him early on. He got it going a bit in the second half, but it was too little too late for the Kings. On the other hand, Raymond Felton put together a strong game, handing out 10 assists with zero turnovers and pulling down seven rebounds.

The Knicks got much better results from their bench tonight. They were still outscored by the Kings bench, but they got positive contributions from the players who came into the game. Pablo Prigioni delivered seven assists in 16 minutes, while Iman Shumpert provided some solid defense and Tim Hardaway Jr. provided a dagger basket on the last possession. Cole Aldrich should also be applauded for being ready to play once Amar’e Stoudemire and Chandler got into foul trouble.

Erza Shaw/Getty Images

-Negative

While the Knicks were able to pull the victory out tonight, they made it much more difficult than it had to be. Once again this team lacked the killer instinct to put away a team, as the Kings bounced back from a 24-point deficit they faced halfway through the third quarter. If not for the sharp shooting of Smith and timely baskets from players like Anthony and Hardaway Jr. this would have once again been an embarrassing and disaster of a loss for the Knicks.

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W2W4: New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers; March 21st, 2014

Written By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Friday, March 21^st, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers

Pre-Game News and Notes

The New York Knicks are in the midst of playing their best basketball of the season, reeling off seven straight wins. They will look to continue the good play and winning streak tonight against the Philadelphia 76ers, owners of their own lengthy streak. The 76ers are currently riding a franchise long 22-game losing streak and do not look like they will be ending it any time soon. The Knicks have to come in and handle business against a team that is more concerned with getting a top draft pick than winning games at the end of the season. Here are some news and notes to help get the Knicks the victory tonight.

Match-Up of the Game: Carmelo Anthony vs. Thaddeus Young

http://www.morningpickup.com/76ers-drop-pair-games-weekend/

When the 76ers started moving players at the trade deadline, Thaddeus Young was one expected to go. The versatile forward would have fit nicely in almost any front court in the NBA, but he was the one player the 76ers decided to keep. Even though the expectations for the team were rock bottom right from the start of the season, Young has played well, averaging career-highs in points, rebounds, assists and steals. He will be matched up throughout the night with Anthony, being tasked with slowing down the Knicks best player.

Carmelo Anthony has played well all season and has continued it throughout the winning streak. He will give Young everything he can handle tonight. Look for Anthony to come out aggressive early and often as the Knicks will try and put the 76ers away early and cruise to a victory.

Pre-Game News and Notes:

The Knicks still have no timetable set for the return of Kenyon Martin or Andrea Bargnani. Martin seems to be closer and more likely to return of the two. He would have be a seamless addition to the rotation as his main job would be playing defense and rebounding while Bargnani was a big part of the Knicks offensive plans and had trouble fitting in with some players. Cole Aldrich should continue seeing time as the reserve big man with the positive results he has produced recently.

For the 76ers, James Anderson will be a game-time decision. If he is unable to go, expect to see a lot more of Tony Wroten. Wroten, who gave the Knicks problems in their last meeting, is an athletic wing who likes to get to the basket. He is far more explosive and aggressive than Anderson and would give the Knicks a lot more problems; Anderson is more of a three-point specialist.

-Control From the Start

It is imperative for the Knicks to get off to a strong start. If they are able to take the lead early on and build on it they can take the 76ers out of the game right away. The 76ers are a young team that cannot be given hope; the longer they are in the game the more dangerous they will be. It would be best for the Knicks to take them out early and not let them build any confidence. On a 22-game losing streak they will grab onto the faintest of hopes and try to ride that to a victory.

-Strong Guard Play Continuing

The Knicks guard play improving has coincided with the winning streak. Since J.R. Smith has been inserted into the starting lineup everything seems to be clicking. He has begun shooting the ball better and everyone now knows their roles. Tim Hardaway Jr. looks much more comfortable as the only scoring guard off the bench and the intangibles that Iman Shumpert brings fits in better with the second unit.

Also playing better throughout the streak is Raymond Felton. He will have his hands full tonight against potential NBA Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams. Carter-Williams is having a solid season for the 76ers, but is turnover prone and struggles to shoot the ball at times. If Felton and the rest of the guards can slow him down they will have a much easier time taking down the 76ers.

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Knicks Blow Celtics Out For 5th Straight Win

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Wednesday, March 12^th, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics

Post Game Recap

The Knicks were able to go into Boston and handle business Wednesday night, coming away with a 116-92 blowout victory over the Celtics. It was a total team effort tonight from the Knicks on both ends of the court overall as they took control of the game right from the start. The victory tonight moves the Knicks to three games behind the Atlanta Hawks for the final spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs and alone in ninth place. The Knicks will take their five game winning streak into a matinee with the Milwaukee Bucks Saturday night and look to inch closer to the playoffs.

-Player of the Game: Cole Aldrich

Jared Wickerham-Getty Images

With Tyson Chandler and Amar’e Stoudemire both sidelined for tonight, the Knicks needed someone to step up and try filling the void. That person tonight was Aldrich, who made his first NBA start and put together a great game in the process. Aldrich recorded a double-double, scoring a career-high tying 12 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. He also brought intensity and production to the defensive end, blocking three shots. Aldrich knows his role with the team and that he probably will not play much, if at all, when all the regulars come back, but for one night Aldrich was called upon and he showed up. This is a good thing all around as the Knicks now know what Aldrich can give them in a pinch and Aldrich now has the confidence that he can come in and produce.

-Positives

EPA/CJ Gunther CORBIS OUT

Carmelo Anthony led the way scoring 34 points. He set the tone early on for the Knicks, scoring 13 points in the opening quarter to open up a lead that the Knicks would never relinquish. Anthony had it going from deep, knocking down 4-7 from beyond the three point line and making all eight of his free throws. He also grabbed nine rebounds, handed out two assists and getting one steal.

The bench tonight provided a lot of positives for the Knicks. With Stoudemire and J.R. Smith being inserted into the starting lineup the bench recently has lacked punch but tonight they did well. Tim Hardaway Jr. poured in 22 points as he was on fire from the field all night, knocking down 7-11 from the field, 3-5 from deep and 5-6 from the charity stripe. Pablo Prigioni provided timely baskets with his two three point makes and veteran leadership while on the court with four assists, two rebounds and three steals. Jeremy Tyler gave energy and a presence on the boards for the Knicks, grabbing seven rebounds. The biggest surprise was Earl Clark, who was inserted into the rotation tonight with all of the injuries. Like Aldrich Clark made the most of his chance, scoring six points to go with six rebounds, two blocks, an assist and steal.

The offense was clicking all night for the Knicks from the opening tip through the final whistle. It was a wire-to-wire victory for the Knicks, the second time they have accomplished such a feat during the winning streak. Tonight they lit the Celtics up from deep, shooting 11-19 from the three point line and from the field overall, going 42-80 on the night. They also made the most from their trips to the charity stripe, something that has plagued them at times but not tonight, making 21-24 free throws.

-Negatives

Jared Wickerham-Getty Images

The Knicks showed a little bit of a letdown in the third quarter. After opening up a 20 point lead going into the half, the Knicks saw that lead cut in half when the fourth quarter started. A big reason for that was Jeff Green, who scored 17 of his 27 in the third quarter. That combined with a poor shooting quarter got the Celtics back into the game going into the fourth quarter. It was a short lived comeback though, as the Knicks ended the game strong, outscoring the Celtics 31-17 in the fourth quarter to come away with the easy victory.

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W2W4: New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics; March 10th, 2014

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Wednesday, March 12^th, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics

Pre-Game News and Notes

The Knicks and Celtics will be facing off for the fourth and final time this season in Boston. The Knicks will look to even the season series up at two, as the Celtics won the first two meetings pretty handedly and the Knicks won in blowout fashion in the most recent meeting. This is an important game for the Knicks as they continue their playoff push, as they cannot afford to lose to teams below them in the standings to move up. The Knicks will look to continue their four game winning streak and here are some news and notes for them to do so.

-Player News and Notes

The Knicks will be extremely short-handed in the front court tonight. Tyson Chandler will not be with the team for the second consecutive game as he deals with a personal problem. The Knicks will also be without his frontcourt mate in the starting lineup in Amar’e Stoudemire. Stoudemire will miss tonight’s game for precautionary reasons; he has played 56 minutes in his last two games after being on a strict minutes limit throughout the season.  One of Jeremy Tyler or Cole Aldrich will most likely find themselves in the starting lineup and both getting increased minutes tonight. Earl Clark will more likely find his way into the rotation tonight as the backup big man off the bench.

For the Celtics, Rajon Rondo will not be suiting up. Rondo played 41 minutes last night against the Indiana Pacers and will be held out. Rondo is still not playing back-to-backs for the Celtics, who have very little to play for so pushing Rondo makes little sense. The Knicks catch a break as the inexperienced Phil Pressey will take over the starting point guard duties.

-Match-Up of the Game: Carmelo Anthony vs. Jeff Green

NBA.Com

With Rondo out, Green is the best player the Celtics have and will be the vocal point of their offense. Green has had some success in guarding Anthony this season as well. Anthony struggled in the first two meetings, both Knicks losses and did well in the third meeting, a Knicks win. The Knicks fortunes tonight will hinge on the performance of Anthony and if he can take advantage of his match up with Green tonight. Anthony has struggled a little offensively recently dealing with an illness and will look to get back on track tonight.

-Who Steps Up Tonight?

With Stoudemire and Chandler out the Knicks are missing key pieces to their recent turnaround; an extremely efficient scorer who has been a presence rebounding, and the heart and soul to their defense. Who picks up the slack tonight for the Knicks will be the most intriguing thing to watch tonight. Tyler has played well in limited minutes, but is foul prone at times. Aldrich hasn’t been a constant contributor at any point in his career, but has shown the ability to rebound and play some solid defense when given a chance. Clark, who was cut from the Cavaliers, is probably the x-factor tonight in the front court. If he can give the Knicks anything tonight it will go a long way, but it is going to be a group effort to replace the production of Stoudemire and Chandler.

-No Let Down

The Celtics are coming off a hard-fought game against the Pacers last night in Indiana. The Knicks, on the other hand, are coming off a game that took them three quarters to get going, but ended up winning comfortably. Tonight they have to come out with the same intensity they did the fourth quarter Monday against the 76ers and take the Celtics out early. The Knicks have a tendency to let teams stick around far too long and it has hurt them throughout the season. Tonight, especially without 2/3 their starting front court, they need to come out early and take control. Expect a lot of Carmelo Anthony early and often as the Knicks will lean on their leading man with key pieces missing the game. If the Knicks can get on the Celtics early they can put this game away early as the Celtics will be a little fatigued and without their best player, even post ACL-injury, in Rondo. 

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Knicks Downed At Buzzer by Dirk Nowitzki Jumper

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Monday, February 24th, 2014

Dallas Mavericks vs. New York Knicks

Post Game Recap

Grass is green, the sky is blue and the Knicks suffered yet another disappointing loss. Tonight the Knicks suffered the tough loss at the hands of the Mavericks by the score of 110-108 by the way of Dirk Nowitzki buzzer beater. The Knicks fought back and came up short like they have so many times this season, wasting yet another outstanding performance from their leading man Carmelo Anthony. As the losses continue to pile up, the reality is beginning to set in that the playoffs will be out of reach. With the loss tonight the Knicks record drops to 21-36 and six games out of eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

Player of the Game: Carmelo Anthony

EPA/Jason Szenes Corbis OUT

For a player who has a reputation of being a gunner and nothing else, Anthony has disproved that all season. He has continued to put up the monster scoring numbers but he is the only Knick player you can honestly say has shown up night in and night out during this forgettable season. Tonight Anthony did it again, pouring in 44 points on 14-29 from the field (7-12 3pt, 9-9 FT) as he was on fire all night. He kept the Knicks in the game single handedly multiple times throughout the night as the offensive side of the ball looked to be the only place anyone looked interested in playing. Anthony added nine rebounds, four assists and one block to round out his stat line for the night. It has been nice watching Anthony throughout the season as he has proven time and time again he is one of the best players in the NBA and with every passing loss not only do the Knicks playoff hopes diminish the likelihood of Anthony staying seems to go with them.

-Positives

The Knicks shooting percentages were through the roof all night. Overall they shot 52.6 percent from the field and an impressive 14-33 from the three point line, good for 42.4 percent. They assisted on 23 of their 40 made baskets as the Knicks offense clicked whenever they were able to hold onto the ball.

Stan Hondastan Honda/AFP/Getty Images

The Knicks were able to hold Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks leading scorer, relatively in check. Nowitzki hurt them in the end with a buzzer beater to win the game but outside of that he struggled for the most part. Nowitzki didn’t score for the previous 18 minutes before the buzzer beater and ended with only 15 points on the night, below the 21.8 he is averaging on the season. Nowitzki shot 6-13 from the field overall, struggling with his jump shot as he missed all three of his three point attempts.

Cole Aldrich has seen as little playing time as anyone on the Knicks this season but tonight he was pressed into duty with Tyson Chandler, Amar’e Stoudemire and Jeremy Tyler all getting into foul trouble. Aldrich responded well with his eight minutes, as the finished with a +12, grabbing three rebounds and making his only shot attempt. Aldrich responded as well as you could have hoped with what was asked of him out of nowhere tonight.

-Negatives

Stoudemire drew the start tonight alongside Anthony and Chandler and it was not pretty. The three are a poor mix together as Stoudemire and Chandler looked lost on multiple occasions on both ends of the court. Chandler and Stoudemire get in each other’s way more than help each other because they are both comfortable in the same areas on the court. Neither player put up bad stats, as Stoudemire finished with nine points, two rebounds and one block while Chandler had 12 points, 12 rebounds, one steal and two blocks. The problem was the Knicks just weren’t very good when either player was on the court; Stoudemire finished -8 and Chandler finished -14.

The Knicks offense was not running as smoothly as it could have because of the pressure the Mavericks put on them. The Mavericks force 15.3 turnovers per game, sixth best on the NBA and they showed why tonight. The Knicks finished with 21 team turnovers on the night, resulting in 25 points for the Mavericks. On the other hand the Knicks were only able to force 10 Mavericks turnovers and scored 17 points off of them.

Stan Hondastan Honda/AFP/Getty Images

At this point in his career Vince Carter knows as well as anyone he is not the high flyer he once was. He is more than content in his role as a secondary player that can still knock down a jump shot. Someone forget to pass the memo along to the Knicks, who left Carter open throughout the night. Carter went off, scoring a season-high 23 points on 8-17 shooting, making 7-12 from behind the arc.

The Knicks didn’t defend the three-point line or anywhere while the Mavericks played offense for that matter. The Mavericks shot 47.7 percent on the night and 41.7 from the three point line. The Knicks were unable to get a stop whenever they needed it most, as the Mavericks were able to get a basket whenever they needed. The Knicks also struggled to stop Monta Ellis and Jose Calderon, as they scored 22 and 20 points respectively, knocking down 7-14 combined from the three point line.

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Knicks Steamroll Cavaliers For 4th Straight Win

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Thursday, January 30^th, 2014

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks

Post Game Recap

The Knicks were able to keep the good times rolling Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, blowing out the Cavaliers 117-86. The Knicks offense was clicking and they got out to an early lead on the Cavaliers and never let up off the gas; they never were in real danger of losing the game. More importantly the shorthanded Knicks, who had only 10 able bodied players available, were able to get some rest for their starters tonight heading into a big match up with the Miami Heat Saturday. It was nice to see the Knicks come out and handle business against a team they have routinely struggled against in recent seasons as they could have easily looked past this game to the weekend. The win tonight also clinches a .500 home stand at worst, something that did not look remotely close to happening after the first three games. The Knicks will look to keep their winning streak in tact Saturday in the final game of the home stand against the reigning champion Heat.

Player of the Game: Tim Hardaway Jr.

New York Knicks

Hardaway Jr. got extra minutes tonight because of the shoulder injury plaguing Iman Shumpert and he made the most of it. Hardaway Jr. lit up the Cavaliers from all over the court, finishing the game with a career high 29 points. He shot an efficient 11-17 from the floor and a solid 6-12 from the three point line, tying the Knicks franchise rookie record for three pointers in a game. Hardaway Jr. is continuing to grow with the Knicks and is looking more and more like the steal of the draft. On the contrary, the Cavaliers so far have hit a lame with first overall pick Anthony Bennett, who had another underwhelming game, shooting 1-6 from the field for four points and grabbing only two rebounds. Hardaway Jr. made his points count tonight, as he made three of his shots from deep after the Cavaliers cut a 29 point lead to 14 in the fourth quarter.

-Positives

With Shumpert sidelined, someone needed to step into the starting lineup and that someone was J.R. Smith; he stepped up in a big way. Smith got off to a hot start, scoring 11 points in the first quarter on 4-5 shooting and 2-3 from deep and never cooled off. He finished the game with 19 points on 8-16 from the field (2-5 3pt, 1-3 FT), adding four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. Smith also delivered a highlight dunk in his hot first quarter, as he finally looks to be rounding into shape after off-season knee surgery. Smith is starting to get things going, as he has shot 50 percent or better from the field in five of eight games since his last benching.

Raymond Felton put together a solid game in his 36 minutes on the court. He shot 5-10 from the field for 12 points, handed out nine assists, grabbed five rebounds, and had one steal and two blocks on the night. Felton finished with the highest +/- ratio in the game with +33. Felton was able to get into the paint at will and cause havoc, making his own shots and hitting Tyson Chandler with lob passes.

With the game well in hand Carmelo Anthony’s scoring heroics were not needed but he still delivered them. He tied Hardaway Jr. for team high in scoring with 29 points, going 8-17 from the field (3-5 3pt, 10-12 FT), grabbing five rebounds and having one assists, block and steal. On the night the Knicks were all on fire from the field offensively, shooting a scorching 56.6 percent and impressive 46.2 percent from long range. In the last four games, all wins, the Knicks have shot 50, 42.3, 51.9 and 46.2 percent from the three point line.

Anthony Gruppuso/USA TODAY Sports

With so many injuries ravaging the front court, Jeremy Tyler and Cole Aldrich have been pressed into duty and both have responded well. Tyler gives the Knicks a spark off the bench, delivering the scoring punch from the front court missing with Amar’e Stoudemire injured. Aldrich you could then say replaces what is missing with Kenyon Martin sidelined, as he isn’t the scoring threat Tyler is but he grabs rebounds and intimidates in the paint. The two are giving the Knicks good minutes right now and look like they will provide much needed depth as the Knicks continue their push to erase the first half of the season mistakes.

The defense for the Knicks was outstanding throughout the night, especially on Kyrie Irving. Irving has gone off on the Knicks multiple times in his short career but he was held in check tonight. Irving shot 10-25 from the field for 24 points in 39 minutes. Irving looked disinterested at times and will need to improve his demeanor on the court as his teammates feed off of what he does. On the night the Knicks held the Cavaliers to 35.6 percent shooting.

-Negatives

There were really no negatives in the game, but there are some concerns going forward. The Knicks got lucky they were able to give some rest to their starters tonight because they will need them against the Heat Saturday night with so many players injured. The Knicks had only 10 healthy players for the game tonight and they all appeared in the game tonight. How long they will be able to go forward with this little amount of depth will be something to keep an eye on as the injury bug has seemed to take up a permanent residency within the Knicks roster.

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W2W4: Los Angeles Lakers vs. New York Knicks; January 26th, 2014

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Sunday, January 26^th, 2014

Pre-Game News and Notes

Los Angeles Lakers vs. New York Knicks

The Knicks and Lakers will be playing a Sunday matinee at Madison Square Garden as the Knicks will continue their eight game home stand. This will be the Lakers sole visit to New York this season and the first time the two teams meet this year; the second will be in late March in Los Angeles. Here are some things to keep an eye on for this afternoon.

-Player News and Notes

The Knicks front court will be in dire straights once again as Amar’e Stoudemire, Kenyon Martin and Andrea Bargnani will all be out again. Metta World Peace will not suit up tonight either, leaving the Knicks with only 11 healthy bodies heading into the game and a dearth of depth at the forward spots. Jeremy Tyler expects to see minutes again, as should Cole Aldrich.

For the Lakers, Kobe Bryant will obviously not be gracing Madison Square Garden with his presence today, at least on the court as he recovers from knee surgery. He is expected to return before the All-Star break. It would have been quite intriguing to see what Bryant would have done after Carmelo Anthony broke his MSG scoring record Friday night. Xavier Henry, Steve Nash and Jordan Farmar will all also miss the game today as well.

-Melo Encore?

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

After having the greatest scoring night in MadisonSquare Garden history Friday with 62 points, what can we expect from Anthony today? Maybe another Bryant record, say 81 points?

Following Friday’s scoring barrage, Anthony said he was going for 81 with a smile on his face in a post game interview. He may not hit 81, but there is a chance Anthony could have a big scoring night. Since Mike D’Antoni has left the Knicks, Anthony has averaged an astounding 46.5 points per 48 minutes against the D’Antoni led Lakers. We could be in for another scoring show from Anthony with how everything is lining up.

-An Emerging Presence

Lost in the shuffle of Anthony’s big scoring night was the play of Tyler Friday night. Being pressed into action because of all the injuries up front, Tyler responded well with a solid 22 minute performance against the Bobcats. Tyler had eight points and five rebounds in his time on the court, shooting 50 percent and crashing the offensive glass with three offensive rebounds. He also provided some solid defense, blocking two shots.

Tyler will be a part of the rotation for the time being with all three out but could make an impression to get some playing time even once they return. The goal this season was to make sure everyone was healthy heading down the home stretch of the season and having a player like Tyler available on the bench will make things much easier on the team.

-J.R Breaking Out?

Smith has had a tumultuous season but recently he has put together some solid performances. Friday he scored 14 points on 5-9 shooting in 31 minutes, a very efficient shooting night the Knicks had hoped they would see more of this season from the reigning Sixth Man of the Year; he also added four assists.

The shooting numbers are something we could get used to seeing in the foreseeable future with Bargnani sidelined. When Smith is on the court without Bargnani this season, he is shooting 42.9 percent, which is actually above his career average of 42.3. While sharing the court with Bargnani, Smith is shooting a putrid 31.9 percent. It could just be a coincidence but hopefully that kind of shooting numbers can continue with Bargnani out if there actually is anything to them.

Match-Up of the Game: Pau Gasol vs. Tyson Chandler (Honorable mention; Nick Young vs. J.R. Smith)

Gasol is the best player on the Lakers and when he plays well the Lakers usually do as well. He has been the center of trade rumors seemingly his whole Lakers tenure but he has continued to come out and play well when he is on the court. It will be up to Chandler to slow him down tonight as Gasol is a perfect fit in a D’Antoni led offense as a big man capable of passing out of the high post, knocking down a jump shot or causing problems on the block.

Chandler has been making headlines more recently for things he says in post game interviews than his play on the court, so hopefully he can start to turn things around. His biggest problem or complaint is the constant switching the Knicks do on the defensive end, putting him and the team in general in bad positions trying to slow down opposing teams while out of position. If Chandler is just asked to do what he does best, protect the rim and rebound, the Knicks fortunes will surely turn around.

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