Game Thread: New York Knicks @ New Orleans Pelicans 8:00 pm 12/30/2016 [Game#32]

rady

Administrator
Staff member

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(16-15) -- (13-21)

VenueTVTIME
Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LAMSG8:00 PM EST


Possible starters:


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Injury Report

New York KnicksNew Orleans Pelicans
Courtney Lee - Sore right wrist (QUEST)Quincy Pointdexter - Sprained knee (OUT)
Maurice Ndour - Sprained right ankle (OUT)-
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Game Preview

NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Pelicans have spent most of the last seven weeks trying to atone for an 0-8 start, and could take another step up the ladder Friday night when they host the New York Knicks at the Smoothie King Center, capping a five-game homestand.

A victory over the Knicks (16-15) would give the Pelicans (13-21) four consecutive wins and a 4-1 record during the home stretch, which New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry described as critical in making up for their abysmal early-season play.

"I didn't know what to expect," Gentry said after practice Thursday following the Pelicans' 102-98 victory over the shorthanded L.A. Clippers on Wednesday night. "I just knew that this homestand was going to be very important, any way you look at it, for us to have any semblance of trying to work our way back in. When you start (0-8), and four of those games you lose are at home, you have to make them up on the road. ... I think we've done a pretty good job of starting to dig ourselves out."

The Pelicans have used a smaller starting lineup, with 6-foot-10 forward Anthony Davis starting at center, in their last two games, and figure to go small again despite the presence of the Knicks' 7-foot-3 center Kristaps Porzingis.

Davis averaged 24 points and 10 rebounds in the last two games -- slightly below his season averages -- but the Pelicans were able to hurt Dallas and Los Angeles with their running game. They held an enormous 29-2 edge in fast break points against the Clippers, and guards Jrue Holiday, Buddy Hield, Langston Galloway and Tyreke Evans combined to score 52 points on 21-of-42 shooting and dished out 14 assists.

One of the most encouraging signs was the play of Evans, who missed 11 months after undergoing knee surgery in early 2016. Evan played 16 minutes against the Clippers and looked decisive in his cuts to the basket, finishing with 12 points and five assists. He also made a pair of open 3-pointers, usually not his strong suit.

"It was good," Davis said of Evans. "He was getting back into the rhythm of things, and he made some big plays for us, some big threes. He made some right plays -- some great passes for our shooters. As he finds a way to get back into the rhythm of things and get his legs back, we're going to try to help him as much as possible."

The Knicks dropped consecutive games, the latest a 102-98 overtime loss on the road to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night. They played short-handed most of the night because Carmelo Anthony was ejected just before halftime when he committed a Flagrant 2 Foul by swinging his forearm into the jaw of Thabo Sefolosha while battling for a rebound.

At practice Thursday in New Orleans, Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek defended Anthony by saying the contact did not merit a flagrant foul.

"I don't blame him for what happened, honestly," Hornacek said. "Watch the replay, watch the action. The guy had his arms wrapped around his neck. It's like: I want to sometimes go up to a referee and wrap my arms around their neck. What are you going to do? Just stand there or you going to get the guy off you? It's a natural reaction. You're not going let a guy grab you around your neck. It's inadvertent and a reaction."

Anthony issued a challenge to his teammates to stop the two-game losing streak with a victory over the Pelicans.

"It's a game we have to win," Anthony said after practice. "We have to go get it. I thought we gave ourselves a chance to win (against the Hawks). (Friday) is something we have to go get."

This will be the first of two meetings this season. Each team won on its home court last season. Anthony averaged 25.5 points and 9.0 rebounds for New York. Davis posted 36 points and 11 rebounds in a losing effort at Madison Square Garden but did not play in the second game in March while rehabbing a knee injury.

(cbssports.com)
 

tiger0330

Legend
Thanks for the game thread Rady. Pels are playing a lot better with key guys like Holiday and Evans back so they're not the pushover team they were, I think the Knicks are back to a .500 record tonight.
 

and1

Rotation player
nice thread. people often scoff at the idea of a 'must win' game so early still in the season. i think this is a must win. either way, a loss or a win, it can and probably will drastically change the vibe about and around this team. we have a really nasty schedule coming up in january. we have to win games like this one if we want to stay afloat. most of our key players are still healthy. we have to take full advantage of that while we can because you know that's not going to last.
 

tiger0330

Legend
Pels are lighting up the Knicks behind the arc. 7-12 with 6 left in the 2nd. Melo said this game was a must win, they sure aren't showing it is.
 

and1

Rotation player
LMAO dRose with the crossover and dunk. KP with the behind the back. you gotta be kidding me :smokin:
 

tiger0330

Legend
Pels are lighting up the Knicks behind the arc. 7-12 with 6 left in the 2nd. Melo said this game was a must win, they sure aren't showing it is.
 

tiger0330

Legend
DRose takes Holiday off the dribble with a crossover and gets into the lane for a dunk. Followed by a KP steal and 2 FTs after getting fouled on his steal and the Knicks tie it 48-48.
 

tiger0330

Legend
Knicks took the lead after a BJ 3 but Pels end like they started beating the Knicks on PnR with AD and Holiday and Moore hitting a 3 and the Pels go into the locker room with a 55-51 lead at the half.
 

tiger0330

Legend
Zero from Noah. Horn still has faith in the guy probably in part to keep his confidence but if it was me I would have benched the guy a long time ago.
 

Playa2

Benchwarmer
I'm starting to believe with Melo leading the way we will never win big. His lack of effort is demoralizing to the rest of the team to look up to.

His best days are behind him and looks like he's broken down or just too old to play well consistently anymore.

He would play better coming off the bench playing with the 2nd unit who likes to pass the ball a lot.
 

and1

Rotation player
i'm getting a bad vibe from these guys. i don't know what happened, but the energy between these guys has changed.
 

mafra

Legend
Perhaps the worst case of officiating in NBA history, hothead Terrence Jones sets an illegal screen on Sasha, then hits him in the face.... refs don't call a foul.... then call a touch foulnon KP.... after play Jones shoves Sasha but refs call a double technical..... refs have also awarded 8 FTs already to NO in the 4th on touch fouls but allow NO to be physical in defense.

how the ref allows Jones to shove a player after the whistle and doesn't call a technical is worst call I've ever seen.

nBA is unwatchable this year with these new refs.

BJ looks awful. No bench. Melo and KP and rose justt meh. We've now flatlined.
 

tiger0330

Legend
Perhaps the worst case of officiating in NBA history, hothead Terrence Jones sets an illegal screen on Sasha, then hits him in the face.... refs don't call a foul.... then call a touch foulnon KP.... after play Jones shoves Sasha but refs call a double technical..... refs have also awarded 8 FTs already to NO in the 4th on touch fouls but allow NO to be physical in defense.

how the ref allows Jones to shove a player after the whistle and doesn't call a technical is worst call I've ever seen.

nBA is unwatchable this year with these new refs.

BJ looks awful. No bench. Melo and KP and rose justt meh. We've now flatlined.
BS no call on TJones. Should have been flagrant for that push.
 

tiger0330

Legend
Thanks for the game thread Rady. Pels are playing a lot better with key guys like Holiday and Evans back so they're not the pushover team they were, I think the Knicks are back to a .500 record tonight.
Should be a blowout by the Rox in Hou tomorrow and a disappointing road trip coming back under .500. Knicks need a spark and Phil needs to make some changes, trade Lance, bring up Randle, RJ Hunter was waived by the Bulls, DMo of the Rockets is a FA. Not saying these guys are the answer but PJ needs to do something.
 

Playa2

Benchwarmer
I didn't know that one player can get coaches fired, that one playr could make a defensive unit break down on defensive rotations with such regularity.

The coach has lost the team already, th players are not responding anymore. Some players are playing for a new team next year and others have guaranteed contracts.

What's the motivation ?
 

and1

Rotation player
Perhaps the worst case of officiating in NBA history, hothead Terrence Jones sets an illegal screen on Sasha, then hits him in the face.... refs don't call a foul.... then call a touch foulnon KP.... after play Jones shoves Sasha but refs call a double technical..... refs have also awarded 8 FTs already to NO in the 4th on touch fouls but allow NO to be physical in defense.

how the ref allows Jones to shove a player after the whistle and doesn't call a technical is worst call I've ever seen.

nBA is unwatchable this year with these new refs.

BJ looks awful. No bench. Melo and KP and rose justt meh. We've now flatlined.

i'm with you on this. i'm not afraid to call out suspicious uneven officiating. i don't think it's bad officiating as much as it is intentional. there's NO WAY it can be this obviously uneven game after game after game. knicks just aren't consistent enough to refuse to lose when this sort of thing is going on.
 
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