Game Thread: New York Knicks @ Denver Nuggets 5/5/2021 9:00 pm [Game #66]

rady

Administrator
Staff member

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(37-28) -- (43-22)

VenueTVTIME
Pepsi Center, Denver, COMSG9:00 PM EST



Probable starters:

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Injury Report

New York KnicksDenver Nuggets
Alec Burks - Bruised left knee (PROB)Nikola Jokic - Sore toe right foot (PROB)
Norvel Pelle - Sprained right ankle (QUEST)PJ Dozier - Right adductor strain (OUT)
Nerlens Noel - Sprained left ankle (QUEST)Zeke Nnaji - Sprained right ankle (QUEST)
Mitchell Robinson - Foot surgery (OUT)Will Barton - Right hamstring strain (OUT)
-Monte Morris - Right hamstring strain (OUT)
-Jamal Murray - Left knee torn ACL (OUT)


Game Preview

Arguably the favorite for NBA's Most Valuable Player award will face off against a surprise contender for the honor Wednesday night when the New York Knicks visit the Denver Nuggets.

Nikola Jokic is making a push for league MVP, trying to become the first Denver player to accomplish the feat.

Jokic leads the team in points (26.3 per game), rebounds (10.9), assists (8.5) and steals (1.4). He has also carried the Nuggets (43-22) through devastating injuries to sit near the top of the Western Conference standings.

One of the players making a late case for MVP is New York's Julius Randle. In the midst of his first All-Star campaign, he has comparable averages -- 24.2 points, 10.3 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game -- and has played the most minutes in the league this season. Second on that list is Jokic.

Randle has led the Knicks on a rousing stretch to vault themselves up the Eastern Conference standings. New York (37-28) has won 12 of its past 13 games to leap into the fourth playoff position on the conference, in large part due to Randle's play. He is averaging 31 points in the past 11 contests.

"People don't understand how tough it is to play in New York, and he's bringing a winning mentality back to the Knicks," teammate Taj Gibson said. "You got to give him his credit. Julius has earned his credit for being in the MVP race. He deserves it."

Jokic has taken on even more responsibility since Denver guard Jamal Murray was lost for the season with a torn ACL in his left knee 11 games ago, and the injury list keeps growing. During the Nuggets' 93-89 road loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, Denver guard PJ Dozier left late in the game with a right adductor strain.

He grabbed at his inner thigh after going down to the court and had to be helped off. Dozier's injury further depletes Denver's backcourt, as Monte Morris and Will Barton are still out due to right hamstring injuries.

"I don't know if this team is cursed," Nuggets coach Michael Malone said after the game. "We've got to bring in some kind of high priest to rid the team of any bad omens."

Dozier underwent an MRI exam Tuesday and was ruled out for Wednesday.

Malone said Monday night that Morris is close to returning and should be back in the "next couple of games."

Even with the injuries, and the loss to the Lakers, Denver has clinched a top-six playoff seed in the West, meaning it will avoid having to take part in the play-in round. The Nuggets finished 13-3 in April, which was the best record in the NBA, and earned Malone coach of the month honors.

It will be tougher for Denver to continue that run of success over the last seven games of the regular season. The Nuggets' only home game after Wednesday night is against the Brooklyn Nets, and Denver plays its last four games on the road.

A win against New York would give Denver the season sweep. The Nuggets won the first meeting, 114-89, at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 10 despite 29 points and 10 rebounds from Randle. Jokic had 22 points and 10 rebounds in that game.

--Field Level Media

(STATS / cbssports.com)
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Thanks for the Game-Thread Rady .... I been trying to chill, but I'm really excited bout this stretch!
So many Knicks players has been stepping-up for the Knicks 12-1 WINNing run .. Taj Gibson's 12 rbs, and 5 blocks in the last Knicks win over the Grizz upset the young star Ja Morrant chances of staying a 8th seed team. Plus D.Rose has been adding a 2-Way performance every night adding high scoring nights & defending tough on the defensive end for the Knick WIN. And Bullock's 2-Way performance has been given the Knicks offense & defense the extra push to WIN games we would've loss. And our 2nd season Barrett has been developing a nice consistent 2-Way performance throughout the 2nd half of the season to give the Knicks an above .500 record. And I'm excited every time our two rookies are on the court.
Randle .. I have to apologize to for all my previous comments before this amazing Knicks season.

Jokic without a backcourt tonight ........
 

tiger0330

Legend
Nugs are 8-2 over the last 10 even with the injuries so Thibs is going to harp on it, saying a wounded animal is still dangerous. We meet our old friend Austin Rivers who is playing heavy minutes because of their injuries. I like our chances tonight with the Nugs minus Jamal though.
 
Jokic with 26 points in the 1st half. We trail by 21 at the half. 2nd quarter wasn?t bad but that 1st quarter beating was insane.
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Half-Time .. Knicks 43 - Nuggets 64
Jokic has 26 pts on 9-10 FG shooting, plus 8 rb, and 2 blocks.
Nuggets shot 51% from FG, and Knicks shot 34% from FG.
Yes Yep Yeah, Fizdale coach the first half of the game for the Knicks!
 

Kiyaman

Legend
End of the 3rd quarter .. Knicks 69 - NUGS 89
The Nuggets are still holding on to their first quarter 20 pt lead.
Randle's aggravated, so Thibs should let Obi Toppin play the entire 4th quarter.
 

mafra

Legend
We were due for a stinker, and it occurred during the battle of the 4 seeds.

.5 game lead for 4th, but more importantly is that we have a 2 game lead on both BOS and Mia.

6 games remain...

Pho just got shellacked in ATL. They have to fly home but will be out for blood. Then comes Clipper and Lakers.

We could lose all 3. We should hope for 1-2.

Then, we come home to face SA, CHA, BOS.

The key is we can?t drop 4 straight. Must win 1 more game in this road trip.

Go 3-3 on trip... and come home and beat SA/CHa...

If we win 3 of next 5, we?ll be 40-31 going into that BOS game.

Celtics have CLE, CHI, MIN and 2 games vs MIA. But say they go 4-1 and are 39-32... that means if they beat us that final game, they jump us.

So, all we need is to have BOS lose twice or we must beat them.

However, if we go 2-3 next 5, I fear both ATL and BOS pass us... then, in that scenario, we?ll need to beat BOS that last game to finish 4-5 seed.

Buckle up.

Let?s brush this off and shock PhO.
 

Kiyaman

Legend
The 34-12 first quarter leaves a lot of skepticism bout our starter lineup .. Payton & RJ were supposed to control the flow and tempo of the game having Murray, Dozier, and Barton out with injury. Instead our two guards kept letting Randle run the point, which is really Jokic's Game! Randle had more turnovers than the 5 the game stats recorded. And Payton had 4 turnovers in 17 min of playing-time.
At the start of the game I thought the Knicks would only have problems with Denver Nuggets forwards Milsap, Gordon, and Porter. But Denver guards Campazzo, Harrison, and Rivers put it on the Knicks by out playing us on both sides of the court. Wake-Up Call !!!
 

mafra

Legend
Game was t too complicated. Jokic outplayed Randle, RJ was off, Rivers nested our bench IQ/Rose advantage....

DEN wanted it more, had more energy.... look at all the FTs and offensive boards.

EP, Burks and Toppin were awful.
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Game was t too complicated. Jokic outplayed Randle, RJ was off, Rivers nested our bench IQ/Rose advantage....

DEN wanted it more, had more energy.... look at all the FTs and offensive boards.

EP, Burks and Toppin were awful.

The 34-12 first quarter .. Showed all the Knicks starter 5 were awful on both sides of the court, especially when 5 of the 12 points were scored by bench-players Taj Gibson and D.Rose 3-ball shot.
I hope after the game Thibs put it on hard to all 5 of the starters (Noel, Randle, Bullock, Barrett, and Payton) bout their poor chemistry on both side of the court, and then put it on the 5 starters again before tonight game against the new and improve Phoenix Suns .. fighting Utah Jazz for the West #1 seed.
 
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