Game Thread: New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks 7:30 12/10/2017 [Game #26]

NEW YORK -- Just two weeks weeks after forcing the New York Knicks into 20 turnovers in a 12-point home win, the Atlanta Hawks travel to Madison Square Garden for a rematch with Kristaps Porzingis and Company.

This time, the Hawks bring a little momentum to MSG with them, or, at least as much momentum as one of the worst teams in the NBA can bring.

Atlanta (6-19) heads to New York on Sunday coming off splits in back-to-back back-to-backs: After splitting a home-and-home with the Brooklyn Nets to start the month, the Hawks split a home-and-home with the Orlando Magic, winning in Atlanta on Saturday night, 117-110.

The Knicks, meanwhile, enter the contest coming off a loss to the one team in the NBA with fewer wins than the Hawks. New York (12-13) allowed six players to score in double-figures in a 104-102 loss at Chicago on Saturday night.

The first time the two teams met on Nov. 24, the game may just have come down to the one statistical differential: turnovers. In fact, the Knicks outshot Atlanta from the field, 51.3 to 47.5 percent, and from the free-throw line, 85.7 percent to 75 percent in the loss. New York lost the rebounding battle by two, an insignificant margin, and both teams had 30 assists.

But the gaffes got to the Knicks, who had seven players with multiple turnovers and four players with three or more. Atlanta, which had just nine turnovers in the contest, attempted 21 more shots from the field than New York.

"We'd like to start better than giving up 39 in the first quarter, but defensively we found a way to get better," Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters after the win over the Knicks. "Guys played harder and competed better. The offense kind of maintained itself throughout the game. "

With Dennis Schroder becoming the team's top -- and often only -- scoring option, Atlanta has shown some life the last two weeks. The Hawks are 3-4 in their last seven games after starting the season 3-15 as Schroder has averaged 23 points per game over the stretch. The career 12 point-per-game scorer is averaging 20.5 on the season and no other Hawk is averaging more than 12.5.

Schroder got some help on Saturday against the Magic. Ersan Ilyasova was a perfect 9-for-9 from the field and 5-for-5 from 3-point range while scoring 26 points to lead the Hawks.

But with second-leading scorer Tim Hardaway Jr. sidelined indefinitely with a stress injury in his lower left leg, the Knicks have become a bit one-note as well. Porzingis had 23 points in the loss to the Bulls, but no other New York starter had more than 14 (Courtney Lee) and four players had 10 points.

Hardaway will be re-evaluated in two weeks, but his absence looms large.

"He's working hard with our medical team," Knicks GM Scott Perry told reporters before the game in Chicago. "We're going to re-evaluate it in two weeks. I'm optimistic that we're doing all the right things. It's good having him around and I think eventually he'll be OK."

(cbssports.com via STATS)

Thanks again, Rady.

Every game is another chance to change the culture. Let?s go Knicks!

Big game. If there?s to be any hope as 2017 morphs into 2018....
NYK can?t lose at home to a 6-win team, the day after losing to a 4-win team on the road.

I fully expect this team to come ready to play today.

Baker getting 1st quarter minutes with our 2nd unit alongside Ntilikina. Ntilikina is still working as our primary PG bringing the ball up.

Little different look today. KP takes his first shot 6 mins in and Baker is first G off the bench 6 mins in.

We lead 24 - 21 at the end of the 1st quarter. Scoring led by KP and Jack. Ntilikina with a nice sequence to end the quarter where he wreaked havoc at Atlanta?s attempts to attack our defense through their PG.

24-21 Knicks 1st qtr. After KP 3 on Frank assist.

Another telegraphed pass by Ntilikina for the turnover. Don?t care how well you play defense, can?t just keep giving the ball away.

Couple nice shots from Baker. Looking to seize his opportunity tonight.

Hate to say this but Quinn is as good a passer as Frank.

Nice steal by Ntilikina. He is disrupting everything Atlanta is trying to do on offense. He just needs to figure out how to kill us slightly less when we?re on offense.

tiger0330 said:

Hate to say this but Quinn is as good a passer as Frank.

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O?Quinn is one of the most underrated players in the league. Great passer.

Ntilikina comes out with 7 minutes to go in the 2nd quarter and a 7 point lead. I bet you Schroeder is real happy to see him go. Ntilkina had basically taken him out of the game. Ntilikina could grow into the Darrelle Revis of NBA guards.

In a matter of minutes, lead is trimmed to 2. Ntilikina is awful on offense, but is a stopper at the point of attack on defense. Not once did Ntilikina let an Atlanta guard switch him off on a screen. With Jack back into the game, Schroeder is immediately able to start forcing mismatches with switches on screens to being guarded by big men.

Bill Bradley getting interviewed at courtside. Says he loves the way Ntilikina moves and the way he sees the court.

We tried it briefly last night, I want to see Ntilikina and Jack on the court together. Let Jack run the offense and let Ntilikina smother the other team?s PG on defense.

Schroeder having no trouble running the Atlanta offense now that Jack is back in the game.

Dollar Bill just approved of Frank. I keep my mouth shut about the kid from here on out. Great story about his first year when they found out he was too slow to play guard and NY fans hated on him.

tiger0330 said:

Dollar Bill just approved of Frank. I keep my mouth shut about the kid from here on out. Great story about his first year when they found out he was too slow to play guard and NY fans hated on him.

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I?ll be honest, tig, you and me are in here watching this game and all I can think about is how once we get to the 4th quarter, a bunch of other people are going to show up to talk crap about this team. Shouldn?t bother me, but it does.

We trail 52 - 51 at the half. Need to step it up in the 2nd half. KP with 15 first half points, but we?re going to need even more from him if Kanter can?t get it going.

Too close for comfort and not enough urgency to get back to .500 in a game they should win. Hawks up 52-51 on a Babbit 3 at the half.

htr10 said:

I’ll be honest, tig, you and me are in here watching this game and all I can think about is how once we get to the 4th quarter, a bunch of other people are going to show up to talk crap about this team. Shouldn’t bother me, but it does.

We trail 52 - 51 at the half. Need to step it up in the 2nd half. KP with 15 first half points, but we’re going to need even more from him if Kanter can’t get it going.

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I wish I was 1/2 the Knicks fan you are. You bleed orange and blue, I do appreciate guys like Mafra, Broadway, Kiya et al though great knowledgeable NBA fans that know their stuff.

52-51 ATL at the half. KP has 15?(on 12 shots), McDerms with 20 and Jack with 9.