Game thread: New York Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers 7:30 4/9/2018 [Game #81]

rady

Administrator
Staff member

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(49-31) -- (28-52)

VenueTVTIME
Madison Square Garden, New York, NYMSG7:30 PM EST


Probable starters:


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Injury Report

Milwaukee BucksNew York Knicks
Jose Calderon - Left hamstring soreness (QUEST)Emmanuel Mudiay - Concussion (OUT)
George Hill - Left ankle sprain (QUEST)Joakim Noah - Personal reasons (NWT)
Rodney Hood - Sore left Achilles (QUEST)Kristaps Porzingis - Torn Left ACL (OUT)
-Ron Baker - Right shoulder injury (OUT)
-Enes Kanter - Sore Lower Back & Right Wrist (DOUBT)
-Tim Hardaway Jr - Sprained left ankle (DOUBT)
-Troy Williams - Fractured Jaw (OUT)




Game Preview

A game behind the Philadelphia 76ers in the race for the third seed in the NBA Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers long ago received a gift from the schedulers: home-and-home matchups against the woeful and wounded New York Knicks to end the regular season, starting Monday night at Madison Square Garden.

Whether the Cavaliers can catch the scorching 76ers remains to be seen. Philadelphia is the NBA's hottest team with a 14-game winning streak -- including a 132-130 victory over Cleveland on Friday -- and with games at Atlanta and at home against Milwaukee still on the schedule.

But the Cavaliers have their eyes on that crucial prize, made even more crucial by No. 2-seed Boston's injury problems. A third seed would ensure a second-round matchup with Boston or the No. 7 seed. A fourth seed could mean a meeting with the No. 1 seed Toronto Raptors.

"I always think you try to take the easy way out, it's always going to come back and bite you," Cleveland's Kevin Love said after losing to Philadelphia. "Both teams played extremely hard tonight, we both wanted to get the higher seed no matter who we're playing. Some matchups work in your favor, I guess, but I just think taking the easy way out in some cases is not the way to go."

The Cavaliers' loss to the 76ers revealed a glaring weakness that seemed to have been cured. Cleveland gave up 132 points.

The Cavs entered that matchup on a five-game winning streak and with wins in 10 of 11. The first five wins were scary -- the Cavaliers allowed an average of 113 points per game -- but in the six games before the loss to Philadelphia, Cleveland had allowed 102 points per game.

"We're a prideful team, and the only way to get back in was be scrappy, play a little bit more physical and hit more shots," James said. "We were down 30, and for us to come all the way back shows what were capable of doing. But every offensive rebound here, every missed shot. ... We turned the ball over, they made us pay, and they were flying."

Luckily for the Cavs -- at least for the next two games -- the Knicks are one of the worst offensive teams in the NBA.

The Knicks have gone 4-16 in their last 20 games, averaging 105.5 points per game, and that includes 128-, 124-, and 122-point nights. Remove those and New York averaged 102.

Hurting the Knicks: Tim Hardaway Jr. (ankle) remains out.

Solution for New York: The emergence of rookie second-round pick Damyean Dotson, a two-way player with the G-League's Westchester Knicks. Dotson had 30 points and 11 rebounds in 36 minutes in the team's surprising 122-98 win over the Miami Heat on Thursday.

"It's amazing. Just trying to stay the course, keep believing, keep working hard," Dotson told reporters after becoming the first Knicks rookie to put up a 30-10 game since Patrick Ewing in 1985-86. "Eventually something good will happen. It's playing the right way, believing in myself, believing in the development, coming from the G-League, coming from back and forth, playing."

(STATS / cbssports.com)
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Thanks for the nice Game-Thread Rady .... The Lebron Cavs may have to accept being a 4th seeded team getting the Pacers in the first round and Raptors in the 2nd round .. for some unknown reason I see the Knicks beating the Cavs one of the two remaining games .. It would be nice to watch rookie Dotson have another high scoring game, plus watch Frank Nitty create dimes n steals for a Knicks win vs Lebron !!!
 

tiger0330

Legend
Nits aggressive to start the game, mentioned I saw glimpses of an NBA game in the Bucks game and it continues today. Layup with his off-hand after a faking a handoff. Don't know why he waited until the 81st game but better late than never.
 
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Kiyaman

Legend
Beasley gives the Knicks second thoughts with games like these ..
This is when he is supposed to step up, if he wants a big payday.
 

tiger0330

Legend
Trey feeds a cutting Nits who dunks it for his 17th pt. I had questions whether the kid could handle the speed of the NBA but that was an NBA play.
 

mafra

Legend
Knits with a solid game (according to the box score).... nice to see....

Crazy.... there could be 4 teams tied for 6th worst record.
 

Broadway

All Star
Melo and OKC gonna clinch tonight...suck it Broadway:) Thunder will be nightmare first round WC matchup

They shouldn't be a nightmare first round matchup, they should be a premier Top 4 team guaranteed to make it to the 2nd round. Portland swept them, I think they split with Spurs. They better hope they get the 4 spot and I guess play the dangerous Jazz. Took them 81gms to secure a playoff spot pathetic and Melo stunk it up last 2mos with exception to some hot 3pt shooting past week or so.
 

jimkcchief88

All Star
They shouldn't be a nightmare first round matchup, they should be a premier Top 4 team guaranteed to make it to the 2nd round. Portland swept them, I think they split with Spurs. They better hope they get the 4 spot and I guess play the dangerous Jazz. Took them 81gms to secure a playoff spot pathetic and Melo stunk it up last 2mos with exception to some hot 3pt shooting past week or so.

Well right now the Thunder are in the 7 spot so they would draw Golden State minus Steph Curry in the first round. You don?t think that?s a nightmare match-up for Golden State without Steph?
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Well right now the Thunder are in the 7 spot so they would draw Golden State minus Steph Curry in the first round. You don’t think that’s a nightmare match-up for Golden State without Steph?

NO!
Houston or Portland's rotation-depth yes.
Poor Westbrook will have to set a steady FIRE under P.G n Melo career poor postseason performance.
 
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