Game Thread: New York Knicks vs Houston Rockets 8:00 11/1/2017 [Game #7]

NEW YORK -- New York Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said he didn't bother showing his players film of their ugly loss in Boston on Oct. 24.

A week after getting handed a 110-89 loss to the Celtics, the Knicks are on a three-game winning streak and Kristaps Porzingis is creating all sorts of highlights.

Porzingis and the Knicks seek a fourth straight win Wednesday night when they host the Houston Rockets.

The Knicks are on their third three-game winning streak since Hornacek took over before last season. New York is seeking its first four-game streak since Nov. 30-Dec. 6.

New York followed up its first win of the season Friday against Brooklyn by getting a double-digit win at Cleveland Sunday. Then the Knicks swept their first back-to-back set by building a 23-point lead in the third quarter and holding on for a 116-110 win over the Denver Nuggets Monday.

"I'm very happy with the way they've responded, 0-3 you can duck your head, but I think that says something about these guys," Hornacek said. "They kept working. I think they have the belief that we're going to get there."

The Knicks also hold the belief Porzingis is going to get them wins, especially after he showcased a dominant mid-range game and tied a career high with four 3-pointers on the way to scoring a career-high 38 points on 14-of-26 shooting against the Nuggets.

Porzingis entered this season with three 30-point games in his first 138 games. After finishing off Denver with two key mid-range jumpers down the stretch, he is up to eight career 30-point games, making the 7-foot-3 forward as the first Knick to get at least five 30-point games in the first six games of a season.

"He's 7-3, what can you do?" New York forward Tim Hardaway Jr. said. "Really, he's 7-3, can handle the ball, run the wing. You can't really do much. We'll give the ball to the big man all the time as long as he's producing like this. It's great to watch and be on the floor the same time he's doing it."

Porzingis, who averaged 14.3 points as a rookie and 18.1 points in his second season, is averaging 29.3 so far by thriving in numerous areas on the floor thanks to improved strength. He is shooting 47.8 percent overall and on shots 10 to 15 feet from the basket, the Latvian is shooting 62.5 percent (20-of-32).

"I think my strength is helping my game a lot, just having my balance on all those shots, even though a lot of these shots are contested," Porzingis said. "I'm just more comfortable in the post with guards trying to get at my legs."

In three games against the Rockets, Porzingis is averaging 15.7 points and shooting 55.2 percent (16-of-29). He scored just three points nearly a year ago when Houston rolled to a 118-99 win at New York.

In his rookie season, Porzingis totaled 24 points, 14 rebounds and seven blocks in a 107-102 win at Houston on Nov. 21, 2015.

The Rockets will try to contain Porzingis after losing consecutive games for the first time this season. After dropping a 103-87 decision at Memphis on Saturday, Houston was handed a 115-107 home loss by the Philadelphia 76ers Monday.

While James Harden rebounded from shooting 6-of-19 Saturday and scored 29 points, Houston trailed by 10 after the first quarter and the lack of energy annoyed the guard.

"Terrible, terrible," Harden said. "We allowed too many easy points (in the) first and third quarter. We can't have those mental lapses on the defensive end."

"It's just like we're playing in spurts," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said. "There's just not an overall theme of being gritty and grinding, figuring out ways to win until we get it straight."

The Rockets are shooting 38.7 percent (62-of-160) in their last two losses. It is the first time since D'Antoni took over before last season that they have shot under 40 percent in consecutive games.

It is not just shooting plaguing the Rockets in their last two games. Turnovers and interior defense also are troublesome areas as Houston allowed 45 points off 34 giveaways and was outscored 98-64 in points in the paint during the last two games.

Those issues are resulting in a problem with picking up the pace. Last season the Rockets ranked third at 100 possessions per game but this year they are slightly below the league average at 97.5 possessions.

"We haven't done it," D'Antoni said. "We've been working at it and talking about it, trying to get better. That's the key. We can't do it otherwise."

The Rockets are 12-1 in their last 13 meetings with the Knicks. They have scored at least 100 points in each of those games.

(cbssports.com via STATS)

We need to capitalize this month, from the upcoming 11 games only two of them are on the road and January will kill us.
No Chris Paul for Rox, let's become a winning team tonight!

Tonight?s game is the ESPN early game

nice thread!
if we keep the TOs down to a minimum and beast on the boards like we've been doing, we have a chance of pulling this one out.
we're going to need a lot of help from our 2nd unit guys and i expect KP to completely dominate over Ryno.
speaking of ryno, it seems his 3 point shooting has been kind of sharp lately so we have to watch for that.
hopefully we had another good practice yesterday and the results will show tonight.
win or lose, i want to see wire to wire competitiveness and minimal sloppiness.
let's go knicks!

We must defend the 3-point line. Continue to rebound and bring energy on defense.... need to hit 10+ threes as well

Can't stand THJR's shot selection

I don?t know what it is exactly, but this game has the feel of a preseason game so far. We lead 14 - 12 halfway through the 1st quarter.

Man stuck at work selling a car but checking on the game we survived the initial push and are hanging around; I?m a little torn because I?m a Harden fan but GO KNICKS!!!

Just tuning in but this second unit sucks, Beasley won't be here next year. Frank looked slow trying to drive the basket for his layup, not going to beat anyone if his top gear is that.

Why are they talking about this decision to keep Jack like eating a min contract like Sessions or Beasley is a big deal for the Knicks. They're still paying DFish and Phil, the Knicks aren't worried about the money.

Thanks for the Game-Thread Rady .... This game will be the Knicks big test.

Half-Time Rox 60 - Knicks 48 .....
The Rox are to much for the Knicks .. Ariza orchestrate the defense n Harden orchestrate the offense .. Ryan Anderson must have been listening to all the Knicks fans say NO! to Anderson for Melo trade bc Anderson scored 16 pts in the first half.
We looked sloppy throughout the entire 2nd quarter. The Rox has been scoring inside easy on the bench players n the starters.

Kanter's D...hmmmmmmmm

tiger0330 said:

Just tuning in but this second unit sucks, Beasley won't be here next year. Frank looked slow trying to drive the basket for his layup, not going to beat anyone if his top gear is that.

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He never showed anything prior to drafting him, he was fleet of foot or quick in any kind of way. He's a safe play type player

Rox didnt waste any time building a 21 pt lead in less than 5 min at the start of the 2nd half .. Knicks are tired and ready for bed

Kiyaman said:

Rox didnt waste any time building a 21 pt lead in less than 5 min at the start of the 2nd half .. Knicks are tired and ready for bed

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I hate the way the Rockets play, it's really disgusting to watch

Broadway said:

He never showed anything prior to drafting him, he was fleet of foot or quick in any kind of way. He's a safe play type player

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Listening to Breen and JVG they talk about the kid like he's going to be the Knicks starting PG for the next 10 years. I get he's only 19 and he's green but I'd like to see more than long arms and 6'5" before proclaiming the guy the answer at PG for the Knicks, now if he was playing like Simmons I could see all the hype. Jury is still out on him for me.

tiger0330 said:

Listening to Breen and JVG they talk about the kid like he's going to be the Knicks starting PG for the next 10 years. I get he's only 19 and he's green but I'd like to see more than long arms and 6'5" before proclaiming the guy the answer at PG for the Knicks, now if he was playing like Simmons I could see all the hype. Jury is still out on him for me.

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He hasn't really disappointed(not me at least) although I was never high on him period. I was okay with the pick in the sense I knew he could potentially solve a long standing issue, he's a good kid, and has some intangibles. There's nothing really IMPRESSIVE about him that sets him apart other than his length(and this is being over sold)

Meanwhile who's slept on is Markannen from the Bulls, he's a problem. I knew he could shoot but he's a multi dimensional player

Broadway;308197[B said:

]He hasn't really disappointed(not me at least) although I was never high on him period. [/B]I was okay with the pick in the sense I knew he could potentially solve a long standing issue, he's a good kid, and has some intangibles. There's nothing really IMPRESSIVE about him that sets him apart other than his length(and this is being over sold)

Meanwhile who's slept on is Markannen from the Bulls, he's a problem. I knew he could shoot but he's a multi dimensional player

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Hasn't played enough to disappoint or get me excited. He had 8 assists and 5 steals but he only made one shot. I'd like Horn to bring him along faster, let him play along side the starters and not the second unit. If not now, the sooner the better.