Game thread: New York Knicks vs Boston Nuggets 7:30 12/5/2019 [Game #22]

One team coming off a disheartening defeat encounters another that's hit rock bottom when the Denver Nuggets visit the New York Knicks on Thursday night.

Both teams bring losing streaks into a meeting that tips off a four-game Eastern swing for the Nuggets while serving as the opener of a two-game homestand for the Knicks.

Each club stumbled in a brush with fame in its most recent game.

The Nuggets watched as LeBron James and Anthony Davis dominated them for 25 points apiece in a 105-96 home loss Tuesday night in a highly anticipated duel of Western Conference heavyweights.

The Knicks also ran face-first into an NBA superstar and got flattened by Giannis Antetokounmpo's 29 points in 22 minutes in a 132-88 road shellacking dealt by the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.

While the Nuggets had four hours in the air to replay what went wrong on their flight to New York on Wednesday, Knicks coach David Fizdale needed about five seconds after Monday's game to make his assessment of the debacle in Milwaukee.

"Personally, I think we didn't come in with an idea we could beat this team from the beginning,'' Fizdale told reporters. "That's what was most disappointing. They got whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. We never took a real stand.''

The Nuggets are 13-5, and the Knicks are 4-17, but the clubs have more in common than what the records might indicate.

Denver's trip continues to Boston, Brooklyn and Philadelphia, all teams that visited Colorado earlier this season and left with narrow defeats. The Nuggets beat the Celtics 96-92, the Nets 101-93 and the 76ers 100-97.

All will have revenge motivation when Denver hits town on this East Coast swing.

The Knicks have no such motivation, but they do have the knowledge that their past three home opponents have been those same three clubs -- Brooklyn, Philadelphia and Boston.

They were competitive against them all, losing 103-101 to the Nets, 101-95 to the 76ers and 113-104 to the Celtics.

If the Knicks have an advantage in what, on paper, appears to be a one-sided matchup, it's in bench play. Their reserves rank 13th in the NBA with 37.5 points per game this season, while their Nuggets counterparts rate just 22nd-best in scoring (33.7).

All five Nuggets reserves had negative plus/minus figures in the loss to the Lakers.

Another potential issue for Denver is center Nikola Jokic, who has averaged just 9.0 points in his past four games, shot just 7-for-23 in his past two and hasn't made a 3-pointer in his past five outings, missing all 10 attempts.

"Right now, I cannot make shots," Jokic said to reporters after Tuesday's game. "It is what it is."

The Nuggets have lost two straight after having won six in a row. The Knicks, meanwhile, have lost seven in a row, including four straight at home.

Denver has beaten New York in eight of their past nine meetings, including 111-93 at Madison Square Garden last March.

--Field Level Media

a smell a win.... just not sure if its uptown haze.... or denver og kush....

You know that sound someone makes when they get hit in the stomach real hard and can?t catch their breath? That?s the sound I make for two and a half hours straight having to watch this team play.

Pop pop Fiz Fiz .. get FIRED asap to show self & fans what a relief it is !!!
The Mills/Perry show need to be demoted to only selecting players/coaches for the Knicks G.League team.

Thanks for the Game-Thread Rady .. I only hope the Knicks performance tonight are worthy of your effort .. The Nuggets are playing above .500 b.ball.
Fizdale's lineups, substitution, and Game-Plan has become unwatchable .. the FO has become questionable !!!

I actually believe .. the Denver Nuggets coaching scouts are in the pre-game locker-room showing the Nuggets players how easy it is to blow-out the Knicks by 44 points SMH

Payton, Frank and Morris are all available

Common sense says that having Elfrid Payton back takes away the last of the possible excuses for Fizdale.

Lets see which Players set the best screens for their teammates .. Jokic, Milsap, Plumlee or Randle, Gibson, MitchRob ???

1 min left in first qtr .. Knicks & Nuggets matching scoring points 25-24 Knicks

MitchRob was bout to make another one of his silly fouls, and in jumps Portis to get in front of Mitchrob to take a foul from Grant shootin a 3 ball .. SMH

Knox wid a block then a 3-ball .. Denver's 2nd unit out-played our 2nd-unit DSJ Payton Knox Portis MitchRob
44-37 Nuggets .. 7 min left in 2nd qtr.

Knicks got their starters on the court vs Nuggets 2nd unit
50-38 Nuggets .. 5 min left 2nd qtr. SMH

Jokic gets plenty dimes cause he never force a shot .. I wish Randle was like that we probably have twice as many wins

Half-Time score .. Knicks 45 - Nuggets 67

The Knicks are down 22 at the half (Aint that half of 44!) .. These guys are not getting any better, the defense going backwards, and the offense is stagnant. Do u think the Knicks need a better Game-Plan ???

Maybe Dolan doesn?t watch the games anymore and Mills keeps telling him ?plenty of progress out there, sir?.

I honestly believe Fizdale has ruined some of these players

Unwatchable team. Nothing is being built here. No progress is being made.

Nugs have been in a 3 pt shooting slump in recent games. The Knicks are the cure for any shooting slump a team is in, Nugs are 14-23 from 3 so far 4 mins left in the 3rd.

If this game doesn't get Fizdale fired maybe a beating by the Warriors will next Wednesday, they've been playing without DLo, Dray and have been terrible. If the boys can't beat them, I'd pull the plug on Fizdale when your healthy team can't beat a team of rejects and G leaguers.

I know the talent is different between us and Denver - but it is remarkable how much better the Nuggets team-offense are running on the Knicks.
The Knicks are doubling and running 10 ft to block opponent open jumpers.
It really has nothing to do with talent and everything to do with our coach and how the staff is drawing up the Knicks game plan.