Game Thread: New York Knicks vs Golden State Warriors 3:30 pm 3/5/2017 [Game#63]

NEW YORK -- With their NBA record of 146 straight regular season games without back-to-back losses snapped Thursday, the Golden State Warriors (50-11) are hoping to get back on track when they face the New York Knicks (25-37) at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

The 94-87 loss to the Chicago Bulls marked the first time the Warriors dropped consecutive games in the regular season since April 2015.

The Warriors will need better performances out of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, who have been cold from long range in the first three contests of this five-game road trip. The "Splash Brothers" are shooting a combined 17 percent on their 3-pointers as Curry is 4 for 31 while Thompson is 7 for 33.

Curry is two 3-pointers from tying Chauncey Billups (1,830) for 10th place all-time.

Golden State, which leads the Western Conference, managed a season low in points and field-goal percentage (38.6 percent) in the 94-87 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Thursday.

"You are not always going to shoot well," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "When that happens, the ball is gold. You have to value each possession. Our intensity and focus was not there."

Kerr's team is first in the league in scoring, point differential, field goal percentage, assists, fastbreak points, steals and blocked shots.

Warriors forward Matt Barnes made his debut Thursday after signing with Golden State earlier in the day. He scored two points in 12 minutes. The 36-year-old Barnes was signed after Kevin Durant was lost with a sprained left MCL and bone bruise.

Barnes, who played for the Warriors from 2006-08, appeared in 54 games with Sacramento this season before being released.

"I love his competitive desire," Kerr said. "He's crazy in a good way."

The Knicks are 12th in the Eastern Conference, trailing the Detroit Pistons by five games for the eighth and final spot. New York is 2-3 since the All-Star break and after Sunday, it plays the next four games on the road as the Garden hosts the Big East tournament.

New York is coming off a 105-102 loss in Philadelphia on Friday in which they led going into the fourth quarter. Carmelo Anthony scored 18 points, but was 5 of 18 from the floor.

"This is a game we should've won," he said. "But on to the next one now."

New York is one of the better rebounding clubs in the league, but it's also one of the poorer shooting teams. The Knicks are 21st in field goal percentage (44.7 percent) and 16th from beyond the arc (35.8).

Anthony is averaging 24.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 32 games against Golden State. The Warriors are 8-2 against the Knicks over the last 10 meetings, including a 103-90 victory in December when Thompson scored 25 points.

Knicks reserve rookie center Willy Hernangomez is a pleasant surprise, averaging 6.8 points and 6.1 rebounds, but is expected to miss his third straight game with a sprained left ankle.

(cbssports.com)

Thanks for the game thread rady. Its a nationally televised game on ABC. 20 games left, the boys would have to go 20-0 to get to my preseason prediction of 45 wins, go 12-8 to get to Espn prediction of 37 wins.

Why even bother to bust your butt to only win 37, just tank. Rest Melo, Drose, CLee play Randle and Baker exclusively in the back court.

Sloppy start to this game both sides. It's sad to see Javele McGee execute post moves better than #kporzee

tiger0330 said:

Thanks for the game thread rady. Its a nationally televised game on ABC. 20 games left, the boys would have to go 20-0 to get to my preseason prediction of 45 wins, go 12-8 to get to Espn prediction of 37 wins.

Why even bother to bust your butt to only win 37, just tank. Rest Melo, Drose, CLee play Randle and Baker exclusively in the back court.

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The only reason I'm watching this game, hope to finally get a chance to see this kid play

It figured GSW the 1 team who doesn't score 30 in the first quarter.... only b/c Curry is 0-6. Still, didn't take long to fall behind by double digits.

Thanks for the great game thread, Rady.

We were on our way to getting blown out, but then this 2nd quarter lineup of Baker, Holliday, Kuz, O'Quinn, and Porzingis has brought us all the way back to down only by 1

Broadway said:

Sloppy start to this game both sides. It's sad to see Javele McGee execute post moves better than #kporzee

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Ahhhh #kporzee like "are you sure about that Broadway"...lol

What's the deal with turning the MSG music off?


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rady said:

What's the deal with turning the MSG music off?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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They're going for a more natural and pure fan experience. I kind of like it actually

Damn Porzingis, dribble, crossover, dribble all the way from the 3 pt line, finish on the other side of the rim. Thats why he's special.

Great 2nd quarter effort by our guys after a poor 1st quarter. We inexplicably lead by 1 at the half

Great Game Thread Rady .... A national televised Knicks Game vs the NBA top winning GS Warriors team

htr10 said:

Thanks for the great game thread, Rady.

We were on our way to getting blown out, but then this 2nd quarter lineup of Baker, Holliday, Kuz, O'Quinn, and Porzingis has brought us all the way back to down only by 1

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Great come back lineup .. we should play like this in the 2nd half of the game

Knicks take the lead at the half on KPs semi fadeaway on one leg 2. KP came alive in the 2nd qtr blocking shots, snatching RBs and showing those AS weekend ball handling skills.

Thought it was just me being disappointed that KP hasn't developed more quickly but the ABC crew talked about it also. Lot of guys Stanley Johnson, WCS, Mudiay, Hezonja, Russell all high draft picks that have disappointed more than KP.

Jeff is right terrible shot by Melo, esp by an avg 3 pt shooter like Melo. Knicks have to put maximum effort on trading him this off season.

tiger0330 said:

Jeff is right terrible shot by Melo, esp by an avg 3 pt shooter like Melo. Knicks have to put maximum effort on trading him this off season.

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Melo hitting the next 3 doesn't change my mind, Knicks haven't won with him and aren't going to win in the future with him. CLE is our best bet to get KLove but they have to start losing with him in the lineup for that to happen.

2nd unit got us back in the game; I love Baker in the lineup and moving Drose to 2 guard esp against a smaller team. Defensive effort has been there up by 1 at the half, gotta keep it up. KP6 got going, now we need Melo to get going as well

Melo starting to get going

tiger0330 said:

Knicks take the lead at the half on KPs semi fadeaway on one leg 2. KP came alive in the 2nd qtr blocking shots, snatching RBs and showing those AS weekend ball handling skills.

Thought it was just me being disappointed that KP hasn't developed more quickly but the ABC crew talked about it also. Lot of guys Stanley Johnson, WCS, Mudiay, Hezonja, Russell all high draft picks that have disappointed more than KP.

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Some guys haven't been given near the opportunity as #kporzee has. Take for instance Bobby Portis is playing lots of minutes for the Bulls, he looked like he would never play another minute for the Bulls pre-trade. He looks really good now, because of forced circumstance. Now #kporzee deserves criticism where due and compliments where due. He hasn't been that good this yr overall period regardless of what his draft class is doing.

To me it's not really about his draft class vs his generation of competition, meaning players that are a couple yrs older and younger in this league as time goes on. He needs to be incredibly better than he is now and do moves like we see today on a game-to-game basis and not once in a blue moon qrt or small stretch of a game in a collection of games.

1st unit defense just awful

Broadway said:

Some guys haven't been given near the opportunity as #kporzee has. Take for instance Bobby Portis is playing lots of minutes for the Bulls, he looked like he would never play another minute for the Bulls pre-trade. He looks really good now, because of forced circumstance. Now #kporzee deserves criticism where due and compliments where due. He hasn't been that good this yr overall period regardless of what his draft class is doing.

To me it's not really about his draft class vs his generation of competition, meaning players that are a couple yrs older and younger in this league as time goes on. He needs to be incredibly better than he is now and do moves like we see today on a game-to-game basis and not once in a blue moon qrt or small stretch of a game in a collection of games.

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I'm starting to wonder if the Knicks don't get their front office together, will K.P sign with the knicks long term or will he go to another franchise.