Game Thread: New York Knicks @ Los Angeles Clippers 10:30pm 3/11/2016

The Los Angeles Clippers struggled to contain one of the league's highest-scoring teams last time out but have been incredibly stingy in recent matchups with their next opponent.

The New York Knicks are hoping to change those woes against the Clippers following a season-high scoring performance on their lengthy road trip, though they'll face much stiffer competition Friday night.

The Clippers (41-22) have displayed fine defensive form for much of the past six weeks but lost 120-108 on Wednesday at Oklahoma City, the league's second-best offensive club.

Los Angeles had allowed an average of 97.3 points in its previous 18 contests - including a 103-98 win over the visiting Thunder on March 2 - and held 12 opponents to 95 or fewer.

"I thought our defense overall from the tip was bad. It was one of those rare games where we never established ourselves defensively," coach Doc Rivers said. "I thought we were horrible. It was one of those games."

After facing a team that's averaging 110.1 points, the Clippers will see an opponent that's scoring 99.3 per game. The Knicks (27-39) have also averaged 84.1 points in a seven-game skid against Los Angeles, including a 116-88 drubbing at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 22.

The Clippers' defensive effort is the NBA's best against one opponent in the past four seasons, edging San Antonio's 84.5 points per game allowed in eight matchups with Philadelphia.

The Knicks will seek to end that trend and earn back-to-back victories for the first time since Jan. 18-20 after a 128-97 win against Phoenix on Wednesday.

New York made a season-high 16 3-pointers on 24 attempts and shot 56.1 percent overall. Sasha Vujacic went 6 of 7 from beyond the arc and scored 23 points - two shy of matching his career best - while starting in place of an injured Arron Afflalo (abdominal).

"I just got into a game rhythm early. We played the right way. We were swinging the ball. We played as a team on both ends of the court. That helped everybody to have a good game," Vujacic said.

The Knicks got the benefit of facing one of the league's worst defensive teams in the second of six straight road games. The Suns, who are second-to-last in the Western Conference, are allowing 107.7 points per game while the fourth-place Clippers are giving up an average of 100.5.

Los Angeles has yielded 79.3 points per game and 37.5 percent shooting in three consecutive home wins against New York.

"We want to go (into Los Angeles) and build off this win," forward Carmelo Anthony said. "We want to go and try to play a different game than we played at (Madison Square Garden)."

Anthony was held to 16 points on 4-of-12 shooting in the matchup in January after averaging 28.5 points in his previous four games in the series.

DeAndre Jordan had 20 points on 7-of-7 shooting in the latest meeting and is averaging 19.5 while knocking down 26 of 34 shots in four games this month.

The Clippers also now have Jeff Green, who has averaged 20.2 points in his last five games against New York.

(nba.com)

Thanks for another great game thread, Rady.

Clippers tend to destroy us, so odds seem low of us getting our first back-to-back wins in almost 2 months. Still, you never know, maybe Vujacic will go berserk from 3 again. I believe I read that both Afflalo and Lance Thomas are out for tonight.

Better chance of beating the Lakers on Sunday but you never know with the NBA. I usually can't watch on Friday's but this is a late game so I may be home to catch it and join the game thread.

Rady .. Thanx for another swell Game-Thread .. u are right about the Clippers playing a much better Defense this season .. We scored a 128 points on the worst defensive team the league .. how many points we score tonight vs one of the league top 10 defensive teams will let us know a lot about our offense

Lopez again scores the first basket off a KP miss with a dunk

They had the lead by 6 early but LA now up 29-22 end of the 1st

Im still waiting for a lineup of Rolo N Quinn .... No hard feeling to some fans .. I seen enough of KP, he has talent but he dont have any Game.

KP got his 3rd PF 9 mins left in the 2nd. He's out until the 3rd.

Doc must have seen tape of the Denver game telling his guys to attack the basket with another layup drill against the Knicks by the Clips.

Those guys that want to see Melo gone are going to be disappointed. It wouldn't surprise me if Melo does an Alan Houston and becomes an exec with the team after his playing days are over.

So much for Sasha taking AA SG position, hasn't scored in the 1st half and didn't take a shot. Calderon has 2 pts, another game where the difference is the pts scored by the backcourt.

Grant is still improving on his transition-Game .. Grant's not letting the spot minutes of playing-time set him back.
CP3 n Reddick are to much for Calderon n Gallo to handle (im Happy defenseless Afflalo not playing).
D.Will need a steady-role at one position instead of switching from SF then PF each quarter.
Rolo performance has always deserve a 30 minute nite with 18 minutes in the 2nd half (especially with defenseless Melo).
Melo catch n shoot has been off for 3 season he need to stop.
KP still having his midseason blues at scoring inside so he settle for the 3
Sasha lighting it up from the 3 .. Knicks down by 7 in 3rd qtr.

Knicks finally have a solid third quarter... Melo playing well and finally KP scoring again.

Sasha has 7 points and 3 assists; calderon-Grant-Galloway combine for 7 points (3-17 shooting) with a combined total of 6 assists.

Hustle rebound by Gallo and gets the pass in the left corner and nails a 3 and the Knicks are only down by 2 76-74 end of the 3rd. They can actually win this.

Melo are still Dum-founded from the CLOCK !!!

Dag them boys are hanging in there

I used to think the best thing Phil did was draft KP. I now think its signing Rolo, this has got to be his best season.

Grant with the bucket... Stolen by Galloway but he dribbles out of bounds.

so far... 52 of 84 points from LAC from their top 4 guards.

Calderon finally makes a bucket but somehow it's an offensive foul. Lol. Not often do they call a offensive foul on a 6-footer when he is defended by a 7-footer. Terrible call.

Knicks take the lead on a Sasha 3.