Game Thread: New York Knicks @ Cleveland Cavaliers 7:00pm 12/23/2015

Kyrie Irving's return has the Cleveland Cavaliers largely healthy and close to peak form nearing their most anticipated game of the season.

The New York Knicks, meanwhile, are holding their breath over Carmelo Anthony's new injury.

Anthony's availability for Wednesday night's road game against the rolling Cavaliers is in question after he sprained his right ankle in the Knicks' last outing.

New York (14-15) was outplayed down the stretch of Monday's 107-99 home loss to Orlando that snapped a four-game win streak, but the greater concern lies over Anthony's status. The star forward did play most of the fourth quarter after getting hurt late in the third, but attempted just two shots while clearly affected by the injury.

Anthony said following the game he plans to play Wednesday, though it was too early to know for sure.

"It's hard to gauge right now," he said.

Cleveland (18-7) is heading toward full strength for its NBA Finals rematch at Golden State on Christmas night now that Irving is back from a fractured kneecap suffered in Game 1 of June's championship series. The playmaking point guard scored 12 points in 17 minutes to help the Cavaliers extend their win streak to five games with Sunday's 108-86 rout of lowly Philadelphia.

"Kind of been a long, long road, but finally getting out there with my teammates was a pleasure," said Irving, whose career average of 26.0 points versus the Knicks is his highest against any opponent.

Irving is the second key Cavalier to return in the past two weeks, with former Knick Iman Shumpert having played in three of the last four games after missing 21 with a wrist injury. His addition is a welcome one for a team that's been increasingly dependent on LeBron James' production.

James is averaging 29.2 points during the win streak and had 31 in a 90-84 road win over New York on Nov. 13, Cleveland's fourth straight in the series and second this season.

The Knicks have scored 87 or less every time during that four-game skid. They could have trouble generating offense again with the Cavaliers having held opponents to averages of 84.8 points and 37.9 percent shooting over their last four.

New York has been getting contributions from sources other than Anthony. Lance Thomas was 9 of 9 from the field in matching a career high of 24 points against the Magic, his sixth straight game in double figures. Arron Afflalo averaged 23.0 points on 63.4 percent shooting over a three-game stretch prior to Monday's four-point effort.

Both have been needed with Kristaps Porzingis going through a prolonged slump. The impressive rookie is 3 of 21 from 3-point range and shooting 29.0 percent overall in his last seven after finishing 3 of 12 against Orlando.

"My shot is feeling fine. I don't know, it's just not falling," he said. "Maybe I need to take my time a little more. Maybe I need to be focused a little more, maybe all those little things add up. Sooner or later they will start to fall again. I'm not too worried about that."

New York has won its last two road games but is facing a Cleveland team which is 12-1 at home.


(nba.com)

Rady .. Big Thanx for GAME-THREAD

I will miss this game have to travel to NJ .. I hope O'Quinn is healthy to play.
The Cavs big men will probably own this game with Fisher small-ball thinking.

The conversation could start here .. KP is not a NBA star player! And KP is not a NBA starter!
I dont care what all the sports writers and announcers are paid to say.
The first pick Towns all around 2-way game is not a Star or starter!
Both players make several rookie mistakes in the starter lineup to prove my point every game.

Rady the 7pm start time is correct. The 7:30 thread title is wrong.

Melo and Quinn look like game time decisions.

Melo and Quinn both out. AA and kp6 are going to have to show a lot more than against Orlando.

Boys are hanging in only down by 4 in the 2nd. Dwill is the leading scorer off of FTs on his usual drives to the bucket.

LT doing a nice job on Lebron, made him miss a layup with some tight D.

We're hanging around minus Melo and KOQ but we need to step it up out there--we're not getting nearly enough rebounding, not getting anything out of Afflalo and we're getting caught on way too many defensive switches (guards like Galloway repeatedly switching off trying to cover bigs down on the block). All correctable.

AA still ice cold. Going to be hard to win w/o him.

Shumpert with 8 first half points (Affalo, Galloway, Grant have combined for 6 points and 3 assists; although Calderon has 7 points and 4 assists himself).

Of all the games not to bring it, right? Desperately need AA tonight...KP for 3!!! Only down 5 at the half.

KP6 nails a 26ft 3 at the buzzer. He's been great with his all around game though I'd like to see his shooting % a little better.

KP trying to shoot his way out of his slump at least, so that's good.

Have to stop those easy buckets in transition the Cavs got in the first half. I think we'd be up if we did that in the game.

Is there an uglier shot than Rolo, both his hook shot and his push shot.

Kp6 with his 4th 3 and then a put back slam off LT miss. Now if AA can get untracked.

Gritty game by the Knicks, tie score w/o your 1st scoring option. Props to Rolo and JC and holding Lebron to 0 pts this qtr.

This unit Lou, DWill, JG, Gallo and Early scares me. I hope they don't lose that lead with them in and Fish only has them in for a couple of minutes.

Stop bitching Lebron.

Nice dish by kp for an easy 2:by AA and then changing Lebrons shot on the other end for a miss on his layup.

Affalo is awful in the 4th... The box score won't reflect how pathetic he was down the stretch... Wow. Turnover by Thomas after a TO didn't help either... Not the fact that refs but Love and James on the line but allow CLE to play physical vs us...

PORZ was great but we ignored him entire 4th...

Again... Affalo was downright awful... Brick, brick, turnover, turnover, Brrick...