Game Thread: New York Knicks vs Philadephia 76ers 7:30pm 12/02/2015

rady

Administrator
Staff member

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(1-18) (8-10)

VenueTVTIME
Madison Square Garden New York, NYMSG7:30 PM EST


Possible starters:


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Injury Report

Charlotte Hornets
New York Knicks
Joel Embiid - Right foot injury (OUT)Carmelo Anthony - Illness (PROB)
Carl Landry - Right wrist injury (OUT)-
Kendall Marshall - Right knee injury (OUT)-
ony Wroten - Right knee injury (OUT)-


Game Preview

After finally ending their nightmare with an elusive first victory, the rebuilding Philadelphia 76ers are hoping they won't have to wait nearly as long for the next one.

As prized rookies Jahlil Okafor and Kristaps Porzingis meet for the first time, the visiting 76ers go after their first consecutive wins in 8 1/2 months Wednesday night against the New York Knicks.

Philadelphia (1-18), which hadn't won since March 25, snapped a 28-game slide that was the longest in major U.S. professional sports in Tuesday's 103-91 home victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

"Finally," said forward Nerlens Noel, who had 14 points and nine rebounds while coming off the bench for the second time this season.

Robert Covington led six double-digit scorers with 23 and hit 5 of 11 from 3-point range.

The third-year forward has found his rhythm after battling a knee injury earlier this season. He's averaging 18.8 points while hitting 21-of-47 (44.7 percent) from long range over his last six games.

Now Philadelphia can avoid the worst 20-game start in NBA history at 1-19, set by the 2009-10 New Jersey Nets, with its first back-to-back wins since March 18-20 versus Detroit and New York.

Noel led the way with 23 points and 14 boards in that 97-81 victory over the Knicks that marked the 76ers' only win over the last six meetings. They've lost three straight at Madison Square Garden.

"We're going to get greedy," coach Brett Brown told the team's official website. "We want a little bit more."

These once-proud franchises finished at the bottom of the Eastern Conference last season, netting the third and fourth picks in the 2015 draft. Okafor, who went third to Philadelphia, leads all rookies with 17.2 points per game but has totaled 32 while shooting 35.1 percent over his last three while dealing with some off-the-court issues.

The center has been cited for reckless driving and driving at an excessive rate of speed, and also was involved in two fights while leaving nightclubs. Okafor has apologized for his poor decision making and Brown said the 19-year-old will be accompanied by team security on public outings.

Porzingis, however, has become a fan favorite after he was booed by hundreds of frustrated Knicks fans on draft night when he was announced as the team's fourth selection. The 20-year-old leads all rookies with 9.4 rebounds per game and ranks third with 13.7 points.

He's been more productive of late, averaging 17.0 points and 11.6 boards over his last five games. He posted his eighth double-double Sunday with 20 and 13 in a 116-111 overtime loss to Houston.

After shooting 35.7 percent over its previous three games, New York (8-10) shot a season-high 57.7 percent Sunday but committed a season-worst 23 turnovers in its fourth straight defeat.

"If we just kind of stay in our roles and allow each other to do what we do best, we'll have more successful nights," veteran guard Arron Afflalo said.

With Carmelo Anthony sidelined due to illness, Afflalo had his best game as a Knick with 31 points against the Rockets.

Anthony, averaging a team-high 22.1 points, is expected to return against the 76ers. The All-Star totaled 52 points and 18 rebounds while playing in two of the four meetings last season.

Brothers Jerami (Philadelphia) and Jerian Grant (New York), sons of former 76ers forward Harvey Grant, will face each other for the first time in the NBA.

(nba.com)
 
The Sixers getting their first win at the expense of the Nets and Jahlil Okafor's team-imposed 2-game suspension sucks a lot of the drama out of this game. We have no excuse if we drop a game to the worst team in the league without their star rookie. Just need to get the job done tonight.
 

tiger0330

Legend
No Okafor, DFish has to be glad about that. One more thing Knick fans should like about kp6, he's not likely to be found at night clubs down in NY but up in the Westchester practice facility at 11PM at night and I wonder if his parents or brother gave him permission to buy that Benz he wanted. Can you imagine any NBA rookie asking permission to spend their first NBA check on a luxury car.
 
No Okafor, DFish has to be glad about that. One more thing Knick fans should like about kp6, he's not likely to be found at night clubs down in NY but up in the Westchester practice facility at 11PM at night and I wonder if his parents or brother gave him permission to buy that Benz he wanted. Can you imagine any NBA rookie asking permission to spend their first NBA check on a luxury car.

Okafor has made himself look real bad repeatedly recently, but you hope he gets his head out of his ass and that his troubles are only because he is still a teenager. Porzingis on the other hand does not seem to ever act his age.
 
I used to hate the 76ers, now I just feel sorry for them. Their coach, their young players, I can't imagine a worse way to be a professional athlete or coach than be a part of this franchise.
 

tiger0330

Legend
I used to hate the 76ers, now I just feel sorry for them. Their coach, their young players, I can't imagine a worse way to be a professional athlete or coach than be a part of this franchise.
Broadway probably likes the job Hinkie is doing but I think he's proven he sucks. Since he's been the GM they seem to have long losing streaks. That's got to get old for the fans.
 
Not sure what difference Okafor would be making right now, but Philly is just not an NBA team and we finish the half up by 15 at the half without anyone other than Afflafo really doing anything special in the first half.
 

tiger0330

Legend
Nice game by AA following up his great game on Sunday. Hard to watch this Sixers team esp w/o the drama of a kp6 vs. jahil matchup.

I hope they give a better show the 2nd half, I'd rather watch a DLeague game than the product they put out there today. Most of the team are border line DLeaguers anyway.
 
Our starters starting to show the true talent differential out there and we have extended the lead to 18 halfway through the 3rd quarter.
 
Porzingis with 12 points, 9 boards, 3 blocks, and 2 assists just halfway through the 3rd quarter. Not sure when we last had a guy who fills the stat sheet quite like this kid.
 
I know a lot of people continue to be very down on Calderon, but he continues to impress with his shooting and doesn't make careless plays with the basketball. He seems back to the player he was two seasons ago. We certainly have had worse stopgap starting PGs over the years.
 

tiger0330

Legend
Porzingis with 12 points, 9 boards, 3 blocks, and 2 assists just halfway through the 3rd quarter. Not sure when we last had a guy who fills the stat sheet quite like this kid.
I'm sure u read that PJ would not have passed on Okafor if both were available. I think that would have been the right move to take Okafor but Knick fans have to thrilled with kp6. I think you have to go back to Ewing to find a Knick prospect with the same potential.
 
Grant putting on a display late in the 3rd quarter. Couple big driving shots and a nice pass to setup Derrick Williams point blank. Lead is now up to 21.
 
I'm sure u read that PJ would not have passed on Okafor if both were available. I think that would have been the right move to take Okafor but Knick fans have to thrilled with kp6. I think you have to go back to Ewing to find a Knick prospect with the same potential.

Honestly, I don't think you can question Okafor off the board before what seemed like a much higher risk with Porzingis, regardless of how things turn out. Still would like to know what the Lakers (or anyone else) saw in Russell for him to go before both Okafor and Porzingis.
 
Start 4th quarter up by 23. The main question is whether the starters or the back of the bench will be finishing this game for us.
 
Porzingis is the toast of the town in NYC. Announcers talking about how every celebrity wants to meet him. Clyde contributes that when he was in his younger days, if he could have met any celebrity, 'it would not have been a dude'.
 

tiger0330

Legend
I know a lot of people continue to be very down on Calderon, but he continues to impress with his shooting and doesn't make careless plays with the basketball. He seems back to the player he was two seasons ago. We certainly have had worse stopgap starting PGs over the years.
I'm still for trading him and maybe than can now with his game coming around. Rumor is the Rox are shopping Ty Lawson for Jarret Jack and Bogie. Some Houston fans even said they'd take Calderon, Lawson is having a terrible year way under his career numbers but I think its a slump and would PJ pull off a trade to shed JC's contract. Lawson's contract expires the same yr as Calderon but his last year is a team option so you could part company this summer if it didn't work out.
 
I'm still for trading him and maybe than can now with his game coming around. Rumor is the Rox are shopping Ty Lawson for Jarret Jack and Bogie. Some Houston fans even said they'd take Calderon, Lawson is having a terrible year way under his career numbers but I think its a slump and would PJ pull off a trade to shed JC's contract. Lawson's contract expires the same yr as Calderon but his last year is a team option so you could part company this summer if it didn't work out.

I agree. Calderon for Lawson is a move that I'd make as well. Only potentially major downside is that young guys like Porzingis continue to cite Calderon as the guy who most helps them adjust to the NBA. Very high character guy. Lawson...not so much.
 
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