Game thread: New York Knicks vs Oklahoma City Thunder 12:30 1/21/2019 [Game #45]

tiger0330

Legend
MLK Day matinee game at MSG.

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(27-18) -- (10-34)

VenueTVTIME
Madison Square Garden, New York, NYMSG12:30 PM EST



Probable starters:


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Injury Report

Oklahoma City ThunderNew York Knicks
Alex Abrines - Personal reasons (OUT)Trey Burke - Illness (QUEST)
Andre Robertson - Left patellar tendon (OUT)Kristaps Porzingis - Left knee (OUT)
-Kadeem Allen - G-League assignment (NWT))
-Isiah Hicks - G-League assignment (NWT)


Game Preview

Knicks resume MLK Day tradition by hosting Thunder

The New York Knicks suffered a familiar result in unusually agonizing fashion and in a different locale Thursday. Perhaps a return home to a nearly annual tradition will help the Knicks snap out of their slump Monday afternoon, when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Knicks have been off since Thursday, when Allonzo Trier was whistled for goaltending with four-tenths of a second left to give the Washington Wizards the winning basket in a 101-100 decision in London. The Thunder last played Saturday, when Paul George converted the game-winning four-point play with five seconds left in a 117-115 victory over the host Philadelphia 76ers.

The loss to the Wizards was the fifth straight, the 13th in 14 tries and the 18th in 20 games for the Knicks, who are in a race with the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns for the worst record in the NBA and the best chance to win the lottery and the opportunity to select Duke freshman Zion Williamson in the June draft.

Of course, the Knicks can't say that, and so head coach David Fizdale continued to toe the company line following Thursday's defeat.

"As much as we try to win games, and winning is a priority every night, we still have to keep in mind our player development," Fizdale said. "And we're still getting all our young talent out there to get reps."

The focus is much more urgent and short-term for the Thunder, which leads a gaggle of eight teams vying for the final six playoff spots in the Western Conference. Oklahoma City will enter Monday third in the West but just 3 1/2 games ahead of the 10th-place Sacramento Kings.

As a result, Thunder players and coaches were aware the win Saturday - just the team's second in the last seven games - could have ramifications months down the road, especially given how Oklahoma City earned the victory. The 76ers took the lead with six seconds left on a layup by Jimmy Butler and had a chance to win the game at the buzzer, when Butler missed a contested 3-pointer.

"We found a way to regroup after Butler scored (in) transition on that layup and found a way to make a play and get up by two," Thunder head coach Billy Donovan said afterward. "I thought a big play in the game, personally, was when Butler came off, we didn't jump, because he shot fake twice and you get vulnerable fouling him and he's behind the three-point line. So I think for us it was good we didn't foul him, we made him shoot the ball."

The Knicks will resume a tradition when they take the court on Martin Luther King Jr. Day afternoon. Last year marked the first time since 1987 they didn't host a Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinee. New York was on the road because Madison Square Garden was being prepared for the Grammy Awards.

The Knicks are 19-12 all-time at home on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

--Field Level Media

(STATS / cbssports.com)
 
Last edited by a moderator:

rady

Administrator
Staff member
Just in time to fill in the details, thanks for starting it, tiger!
 

tiger0330

Legend
Knits is showing a little spunk early, although it's probably all we'll see from him for the rest of the game. It's bad
He's probably heard all the trade rumors. Even Clyde mentioned the trade him for DSJ rumor on the broadcast. Harlow interviewed Fiz about him and it was hardly a glowing endorsement of him.
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Knicks 11 man rotation shot 40%, and OKC 10 man rotation shot 60% in the first half .. the Knicks offense/defense looks embarrassing in MSG.
I guess its hard on the Knicks players when the coach system and substitution are design to TANK the game.
 

Broadway

All Star
Fizdale is so lame, he decides to tinker once more with lineup rotations and makes a change to start the half and instead of putting "The PG Ball Stopper" Knits in to start the 2nd half he puts in Kanter

lol I think Fiz is further behind as a coach than Knits is as a player
 

rady

Administrator
Staff member
Yeah, saw it. But he went scoreless in the first half and already has 5 personal fouls
 

tiger0330

Legend
I see improvement in Nits. He's keeping his dribble longer and reading the D for openings. Hahn mentioned the rest of the season should be to get the young guys experience, that applies to Nits Double.
 

tiger0330

Legend
Yeah, saw it. But he went scoreless in the first half and already has 5 personal fouls
He's got one of the worst RPM in the NBA despite him winning the rook of the month. Probably one of the reasons is inconsistent play and his defense, he's a -22 +/- this game.
 

Broadway

All Star
I see improvement in Nits. He's keeping his dribble longer and reading the D for openings. Hahn mentioned the rest of the season should be to get the young guys experience, that applies to Nits Double.

Definitely see him exploring his offense a little more and guess what he's cutting back on...shooting 3s. I thin he's not settling on the perimeter as much anymore. I applaud this, if by design
 
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