Game Thread: New York Knicks vs Orlando Magic 7:30pm 12/21/2015

rady

Administrator
Staff member

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(15-12) -- (14-14)

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


Possible starters:


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Injury Report

Orlando Magic
New York Knicks
C.J. Watson ? Sore left calf (OUT)- No injuries to report
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Game Preview

The message was simple early in the New York Knicks' latest win.

"Wake up, basically," coach Derek Fisher said.

Those words can be applied to the last week-and-a-half as the Knicks seek their fifth straight victory when the Orlando Magic visit Madison Square Garden on Monday night.

New York (14-14) fell behind Chicago 12-2 in the first quarter on Saturday but regrouped and rolled to a fourth straight win, 107-91. Not only are the Knicks in line to record their longest winning streak in nearly two years, but it comes on the heels of a 2-8 stretch.

The offense had stalled with 93.5 points per game during the 10-game lull, but it has perked up with an average of 108.3 in the last four.

Carmelo Anthony is averaging 25.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists during the streak, and Arron Afflalo has averaged 23.0 points while shooting 63.4 percent in the last three games. The pair have combined to make 13 of 28 3-pointers in the four wins and have helped put the Knicks in position for their first five-game winning streak since an eight-game run from March 5-21, 2014.

Still, a second look reveals a soft schedule. New York's streak started with wins over Portland (11-18), Minnesota (11-16) and Philadelphia (1-28) before Saturday's win over the Bulls, who had lost a four-overtime game the night before and played without Pau Gasol.

The real struggle for New York this season is sustaining success. Prior to their winning streak, the Knicks rattled off streaks of four losses, two wins, four losses and four wins. They follow Orlando with a tough three-game road trip against Cleveland, Atlanta and Boston, opening a stretch of seven of nine games away from home.

"I just think we have to find a way to become more consistent," Fisher said before Saturday's game. "We don't want that pattern and I think that starts with winning games here at Madison Square Garden on a regular basis."

The Knicks are 7-7 at home but have won four of five games there. They have taken five of the last six against Orlando at MSG, but the Magic have won four of six in this series overall.

A 100-91 win over New York on Nov. 25 was the first of five straight for the Magic (15-12), starting a 9-3 stretch. Their three-game winning streak ended on Sunday, however, with a 103-100 loss to Atlanta.

Orlando scored 24 points off 20 Hawks' turnovers but allowed them to shoot 50 percent overall and from 3-point range. Magic opponents shot just 42.7 percent in the previous three games.

"Overall, our defense was terrible to the point of being laughable almost," coach Scott Skiles told the team's official website. "We just had a very high-mistake game. We only had 13 turnovers, but we had a lot of busted plays."

Anthony made 3 of 4 3-pointers and finished with 28 points and 12 rebounds in the first meeting between these teams. Victor Oladipo scored 24 for the Magic, while Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and 12 rebounds.

(nba.com)
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Rady .. Thanx for the Game Thread

Are our $124M Melo and company capable of beating teams Magic, Boston, Pistons, and Hornets in the regular season to gain the 8th spot? I believe they can .. taking one game at a time
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Lopez with the hook shots for 4 pts
KP.Zingis with 2 blocks

Afflalo Melo n Calderon are moving slow at the start of the game
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Melo hit his lat 3 shots to keep Magis early lead at 1 pt .. Calderon defense is killing us early, n Afflalo is high on something
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Just got word no Quinn tonight against his previous team
I hate the way Seraphin plays D
Gonna miss KOQ tonight.
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Big loss with Quinn out. Saw that with the way Seraphin played. Fish needs to play Zinger big minutes and keep Lopez out there longer if ZP needs a breather.
Seraphin just watched Hezonja grab a rebound and put it back in.
Seriously, bench Seraphin and trade him.
 

Kiyaman

Legend
KP's shot (which looked so solid early in the season) appears to have deserted him. Is he tired or just not as good an outside shooter as we originally envisioned?
 

mafra

Legend
Calderon just passes the ball right to an ORL player, then races back on defense and tries to block a shot by a guy 6"9'... Fouls him... And-1... Terrible swing for no particular reason other than our PG stinks.
 

Kiyaman

Legend
If we lose blame it on .. Fisher luv for a horrible backcourt of Calderon n Afflalo playing no D from beginning to end

Sir Lance Thomas the Saviour
 

mafra

Legend
Lopez channels his Star Wars... Uses the Force... Jedi mind trick to alter a shot. I would prefer he actually contest a layup instead of conceding the bucket.

ORL can score at win against our team... 99 out of 100 games...
 

mafra

Legend
Thomas is doing a little bit of everything. He's insane! Hard to fathom losing to ORL at home (with them leading wire-to-wire).
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Calderon just passes the ball right to an ORL player, then races back on defense and tries to block a shot by a guy 6"9'... Fouls him... And-1... Terrible swing for no particular reason other than our PG stinks.

Calderon trade value is droppin super low in this game
 

mafra

Legend
Grant is clueless. Coach should've called a TO. Instead of holding for last shot, he pushes up the court and turns the ball over with a bad pass. ORL has closed out all 3 quarters... And this is why they have the lead.
 
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