W2W4: New York Knicks vs. Los Angeles Lakers; March 25th, 2014

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Tuesday, March 25^th, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Pre-Game News and Notes

espn.go.com

The New York Knicks will look to bounce back from a devastating loss Sunday to the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight. They will be opening up a five-game road trip against the Los Angeles Lakers and will look to get back on track with only 12 games remaining in the regular season. Here are some keys to tonight’s game for the Knicks to pull out a victory.

Match-up of the Game: J.R. Smith vs. Nick Young

The two enigmatic shooting guards have similar styles; they can shoot you into a victory as quickly as they shoot you out of one. This could possibly be the worst team in Lakers franchise history but Young delivers excitement for the fans almost as much as he delivers headaches. It sounds a lot like Smith, who has done the same for Knicks faithful this season. Both players will be matched up against each other through the night, and whoever plays better will give their team an edge. Both Smith and Young can be considered x-factors in the game tonight.

-Player News and Notes

There haven’t been any positive updates on Kenyon Martin or Andrea Bargnani for the Knicks. The only news coming from the Knicks is that neither player is close to retuning. It is safe to say the Knicks should not be counting on Martin or Bargnani for any contributions in the stretch run of the season.

For the Lakers, they will be without Pau Gasol again. Gasol has been in and out of the lineup all season, having one of the more difficult seasons in his career. With Gasol sidelined, Chris Kaman is expected to be inserted into the starting lineup. Xavier Henry should be back in the lineup for the Lakers tonight, giving them a little boost on the perimeter offensively.

-No Time for Letdown

The previous two games for the Knicks have been a microcosm of their season. They failed to put together a full game, resulting in an almost disastrous loss to the Philadelphia 76ers Friday and an embarrassing loss Sunday to the Cavaliers after being up by 15 at halftime. Tonight the Knicks cannot afford another letdown and need to take advantage of the opportunity given to them. The Atlanta Hawks lost again last night, leaving the door open for the Knicks to cut into their lead for eighth place in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks need to put together a full game on both ends of the court. It is imperative they get off to a good start on this west coast trip.

-Carmelo Getting On Track

The Knicks ultimately will go only as far as Carmelo Anthony can carry them. Unfortunately, Sunday he was unable to bring them to victory. Anthony started the game 6-7 from the field but missed 11 of his next 13 attempts, finishing the game 8-20. Tonight Anthony needs to shoot more efficiently and lead the Knicks offensively. The Lakers have no player capable of slowing down Anthony on paper, so getting off to a fast start would be nice. Anthony had a strong game in the first meeting with the Lakers, pouring in 35 points. An effort, near or matching, tonight from Anthony would go a long way in the Knicks getting a victory.

-Rebounding Battle

With no Gasol, the Lakers will rely on a perimeter attack to take down the Knicks. The Knicks have very little post game even when healthy, and let it fly from the perimeter as much as any team in the NBA. In the first meeting, both teams shot extremely well from the perimeter, combining for 22 three point makes on 49 attempts. Where the game was won was in the paint, where the Knicks outrebounded the Lakers 45-35. Without Gasol the Lakers will be thinner up front, and the Knicks must take advantage of the Lakers being without their best player. 

W2W4: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks; March 23rd, 2014

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Sunday, March 23^rd, 2014

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks

Pre-Game News and Notes

The New York Knicks will look to continue their winning streak Sunday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks are coming off of a semi-disaster from Friday night, as the bench squandered a 15-point lead in less than four minutes. The Knicks have to come in and handle business tonight against a Cavaliers team that has faded from the playoff race, losing their last four games. Here are some things to keep an eye on for tonight.

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Player News and Notes:

Nets Defeat Hawks in London

espn.go.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

January 16th, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. Atlanta Hawks

Final Score: Nets 127 Hawks 110

The Brooklyn Nets were able to pickup a nice win over the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday afternoon in London, as 2014 continues to be very good for the Nets. The win moves the Nets to (16-22) on the season, and they continue to gain ground in the Atlantic Division, as they are now just 3.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors.

Positives-

After spending about 10 thousand dollars in a London club Monday night, Joe Johnson played like a million bucks on Thursday afternoon. Johnson started the game with a 15-point first quarter, and never looked back after his hot start. Johnson finished with a game-high 29 points on 11 for 15 shooting, which included him going six for eight from three-point land. He only had three points in the second half, as the Hawks started to double-team him, but Johnson adjusted making some nice passes, which led to him having five assists. 

The main beneficiary of the double-teaming of Joe Johnson was Alan Anderson. Anderson found his groove with a few wide open looks, and finished with 15 points on five for nine shooting. He was great from behind the three-point line going four for six from deep.

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett both also had good games providing scoring help for Johnson. Pierce scored 18 points on eight for 16 shooting with six assists and Garnett scored 12 points on six for eight shooting in just 18 minutes, as Jason Kidd was able to rest Garnett a lot in the blowout.

Off the bench the Nets got a great game from Andray Blatche, who had his best game of the season so far. Blatche scored 20 points on 10 for 18 shooting to go along with a game-high 14 rebounds and six assists. 

On defense the Nets did a great job once again of stopping the Hawks three main guys, as Paul Millsap, Jeff Teague, and Kyle Korver all had bad games. Millsap only scored 13 points on five for 14 shooting with just three rebounds. Teague scored the most points in the starting lineup with his 16, but he also struggled shooting the ball going four for 13. Korver had a rare off night scoring just three points on one for nine shooting, but he was able to keep his consecutive game streak with a three-point alive.

The Nets will be heading back to the United States on Friday morning before a Monday afternoon game against the New York Knicks.

W2W4: Brooklyn Nets vs Atlanta Hawks in London

nydailynews.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

January 16th, 2014

W2W4: Brooklyn Nets vs. Atlanta Hawks

The Brooklyn Nets will be across the pond playing against the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday afternoon, as the Nets will be looking to bounce back after an exhausting loss in Toronto. Brooklyn is now (15-22) on the season, which is four games behind the Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

- London Calling

Thursday will be the first NBA game of the season in London between the Nets and Hawks, and with the game in London lots of difficulties for both teams. Although they haven’t played since Saturday night, the jet lag maybe in affect for Brooklyn, as traveling overseas and adjusting sleeping schedules is never easy. The Nets have also had to partake in a lot of NBA duties, as they try to build more of a following overseas, and of course the team has been doing sight-seeing. 

Nets Defeat Hawks Without Deron Williams

nydailynews.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

January 6th, 2014

Atlanta Hawks vs. Brooklyn Nets Post Game Recap 

Final Score: Hawks 86 Nets 91

The Brooklyn Nets for the second time this season are on a three-game winning streak, as on Monday night they were able to beat one of the few Eastern Conference teams over .500 in the Atlanta Hawks. The win moves the Nets to (13-21) on the season, which puts them four games back of the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

Positives:

- With Deron Williams missing his 12th game of the season due to his lingering ankle injury, Shaun Livingston stepped into the starting Point Guard role, and came through with a very nice game. Livingston played 34 minutes, scoring 12 points on six for 11 shooting. He also grabbed five rebounds, and had three steals in route to being +15 for the game.

W2W4: Atlanta Hawks vs Brooklyn Nets 1/6

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

January 6th, 2014

W2W4: Atlanta Hawks vs. Brooklyn Nets 

The Brooklyn Nets riding a two-game winning streak will be at home yet again looking to pick up a win over the Atlanta Hawks, who are one of the few teams above .500 in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn now sits at (12-21) on the season, and are gaining some ground on the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

- Deron’s Ankle

Quite possibility the deciding factor in this game will be the healthy of Nets Point Guard Deron Williams, who is a game-time call with a sore ankle. Williams missed the morning shoot around, and it is the left ankle that is giving him troubles, which has to be a bit concerning for Brooklyn. If Williams can’t go it would be a huge blow to Brooklyn, as he has been playing very well on the Nets two-game winning streak, averaging 25 points on 63% shooting.

Knicks Have Solid Bounce Back Against Hawks

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Saturday, December 14^th, 2013

Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks

Post Game Recap

What a difference a night makes. After losing in Boston last night the Knicks put in a great effort tonight at Madison Square Garden to defeat the Hawks 111-106. It was an outstanding team effort for a squad playing their fourth game in five nights and after looking so lackluster just 24 hours prior. The Knicks came into the game shorthanded with Kenyon Martin suffering an injury last night and Amar’e Stoudemire’s status up in the air up as a game-time decision but put together a great team performance to get the win. The Knicks moved to 7-16 on the season and will play again Monday night at the Garden again against the Washington Wizards.

Player of the Game: Pablo Prigioni

AP Photo/John Minchillo

Throughout the early part of the season head coach Mike Woodson had been hesitant to start Prigioni but it is becoming harder and harder for Woodson to keep him out of the lineup. Prigioni got the offense and defense going tonight as he had momentous play after momentous play. Prigioni righted the ship when the Hawks cut the Knicks 14-point lead to only four early on in the fourth quarter with his steady play. He nailed a three-pointer to put the Knicks up 10 and then got a steal and layup to put the Knicks up 12. To top it off he threw a beautiful behind the back pass to Andrea Bargnani, who subsequently knocked down a three-pointer to give the Knicks a 15 point lead. On the night Prigioni scored 11 points, had one rebound, six assists and four steals. He shot the ball efficiently, knocking down 3-6 from the three point line and 4-8 from the field overall. Prigioni played 30+ minutes on back-to-back nights, which could be a concern in the future with the heavy minute load but for now Prigioni looks ready and willing to play as many minutes as needed.

-Positives

Knicks Back Up Talk, Win in Atlanta

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Wednesday, November 13^th, 2013

New York Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks

Post Game Recap

The Knicks talked of a turnaround heading into Atlanta and that is what they delivered. Must win games in November are not something people take seriously but this was something of a game the Knicks needed to win. They have a daunting matchup with the Houston Rockets tomorrow night on the second night of the back-to-back and James Dolan opened his mouth once again promising the Knicks would win tonight. They did not put together a full four quarters but they had a dominating opening and final quarter to control the game. Overall it was a solid, not outstanding, team effort put forth by the Knicks tonight as they were able to keep Dolan’s promise and take a victory back to Madison Square Garden with them for tomorrow night’s matchup against the Houston Rockets at 8 P.M. ET on TNT.

Player of the Game: Iman Shumpert

Daniel Shirey/USA Today Sports

Shumpert has been part of a lot of trade rumors in his short career and they became very loud this week as the Knicks and Nuggets were supposedly engaged in trade talks revolving around a Shumpert for Kenneth Faried sway. The Nuggets rejected and Shumpert is still a Knick, which is a good thing and tonight’s final line epitomizes it. Shumpert had a tough shooting night, going two of eight from the field but he did not let that negatively affect his game in any way. He handed out a career high nine assists tonight, grabbed six rebounds and played his usual menacing and ferocious defense with four steals. Shumpert had a momentum swinging play in the fourth quarter as well, stealing an inbounds pass and hitting the slashing Raymond Felton for a layup. Shumpert is the exact type of glue guy the Knicks need as he doesn’t need the ball in his hands to impact the game and is more than willing to let the rest of his game do the talking.

-Positives

NBA: Eastern Conference Predictions

By Ryan McDonald (@RonnieMac90)

With the start of the NBA season just around the corner, it's time to play psychic with the regular season standings of the Eastern Conference.

The Miami Heat were the 1 seed last year, can they claim the 1 seed this year? Do they even care about being the 1 seed? I don't think so. Thus, this leads to the new 1 seed..

1. Indiana Pacers - (Last Season: 49-32) - Lost in the return of Derrick Rose is Danny Granger, who is returning to the Pacers after missing all but 4 games of last year. Once thought to be their franchise player, Granger will now hopefully come off the bench in a 6th man role.

In addition to Granger, they also added C.J. Watson and Luis Scola to their bench. Watson is the backup point guard the Pacers desperately needed in their series against the Miami Heat last year. Struggling to bring the ball up the court on numerous possessions, Watson looks to fix that problem and also bring some three point shooting as well. For Scola, he might not fit what they want in terms of defense, but he'll be able to replace the post scoring ability when Hibbert and/or West when they sit down.

Expect Paul George to continue to emerge as a star in this league. One of the best two way players in this league already, if he can improve his offensive game from last year, he can be one of those guys that fight for 2nd place votes in the MVP race (LeBron's winning again). And finally, one of the main reasons the Pacers only had 49 wins last year was due to Roy Hibbert's god awful play in the first half of the 2012-2013 season. Hibbert was shooting 41% from the field during that time. For a 7'2" center, that is god awful. It was mostly rectified in the 2nd half of the season, and especially during the postseason where he seemingly dominated a former defensive player of the year in Tyson Chandler. If Hibbert can average 48% from the field which is close to his career average, the Pacers should be able to attain the 1 seed with their top 5 defense.

Expected Record - 60-22

2. Miami Heat - (Last Season: 66-16) - The Heat didn't make any moves this off-season that improves their team unlike last season where they added Ray Allen. They'll have a full season of Chris Andersen instead of half, but everyone on this team is now a year older. Shane Battier and Ray Allen were considered old last year. As well as another year of wear and tear for Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.

They still have LeBron, whom I expect to somehow improve like he does every season. However, I think they'll take more of a San Antonio Spur approach to the season which means lots of rest. They may have taken this approach if not for that 27 game win streak with their other players, especially Dwayne Wade who looked gassed in the postseason.

The Heat are no stranger to the 2 seed, in the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 season, they finished in the 2 seed. They went on to the NBA Finals each year. They're an older team, they can't afford to exhaust themselves in the regular season when it's championship or bust.

Expected Record - 58-24

3. Chicago Bulls - (Last Season: 45-37) - The Bulls get their former MVP back in Derrick Rose. So clearly they're going to improve as long as he stays healthy.

The Bulls won the 1 seed when Rose was healthy the last two years, so why are they in the 3 seed now? Well, the other teams around them have improved since last Rose played. The Heat won 2 championships, and the Pacers who are in the Bulls division have gotten significantly better.

They'll still contend for the 1 seed, I just don't think they have enough to make it.

Expected Record - 55-27

4. Brooklyn Nets - (Last Season: 49-33) - This team improved the most this offseason with their blockbuster trade with Boston. Acquiring Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry, and signing Andrei Kirilenko. However, their seeding is the same, 4.

The reason for this is because the teams above them aside from the Heat improved as well. They lost to a Roseless Bulls team in the playoffs, which was an embarrassment. Rose is now back.

KG gives them a great interior presence and Brook Lopez did improve in his help defense, but their backcourt struggled last year keeping bodies in-front of them. Paul Pierce and Jason Terry will only add to that problem.

Furthermore, the Nets hired rookie head coach Jason Kidd to lead the team. I like Kidd, I think he'll be a great head coach someday. But with this roster, and this pressure filled situation where it's championship or bust, is not great to learn coaching on the fly.

KG and Pierce will probably only play 20-25 minutes a game. Infact, I expect Kirilenko to average more minutes a game than Pierce does.

Expected Record - 51-31

5. New York Knicks - (Last Season - 54-28) - Last year, they were the 2 seed. How did they fall 3 seeds in one season? Last year, for the first quarter of the season, Carmelo Anthony was on fire. An early MVP candidate, Melo led the Knicks on a hot start but fell back to normal later. He suffered injuries late in the year which plagued him in the postseason. Melo rehabbed and looks back to his normal self. But is it enough?

Amar'e Stoudemire will most likely be on a minute cap of 20 for the entire season. JR Smith will be out the first month of the season recovering from offseason surgery. They lost Jason Kidd to retirement (and to the Nets).

They gained Andrea Bargnani who will look to start at the power forward position, moving Melo back to the small forward position. They also signed Metta World Peace to backup Melo.

 Bringing in Bargnani spreads the floor on offense as he can shoot the 3, but he can't rebound or defend. Amar'e, another power forward, also can't really rebound or defend. Kenyon Martin can do both, but can he get the minutes he deserves with these two on the roster? I guess you could play Martin or Amar'e at center to backup Tyson Chandler, but Martin would be undersized and Amar'e is just awful playing defense at center (great offensively).

Coach Mike Woodson will have to find a good mix with this roster.

Expected Record - 50-32

6. Washington Wizards - (Last Season - 29-53) - The Wizards. 6th. Someone had to be I guess. There's 5 teams I see fighting for the last 3 spots. I look at the Wizards roster and I think it's the best out of these teams.

John Wall hopefully will stay healthy this season and finally live up to all that potential he has. Bradley Beal will continue to improve off a strong rookie campaign. The drafting of Otto Porter Jr. gives them a good wing player and moves Trevor Ariza to the bench where he most likely belongs. They also brought in Eric Maynor to be their backup point guard which is a good signing.

No more 50 win teams though, that stops here.

Expected Record - 42-40

7. Cleveland Cavaliers - (Last Season - 24-58) - Where to start? They signed Andrew Bynum, they drafted Anthony Bennett. They get back Anderson Varejao from injury last year. They're one of the youngest teams in the league. But injuries.

Bynum is a huge question mark but what goes under the radar is that Kyrie Irving has yet to play a full season. Granted, he's only been in 2 seasons, but he also had an injury at Duke. He's injury prone. This is really a hit or miss team. If they can stay healthy, they'll make the playoffs easily, but it's a big if.

People forget however that Varejao was a beast before he got hurt. So I expect Bynum to only play 20 games (I'm probably being generous), I still think they make the playoffs with Varejao. They have a good young core and I expect Kyrie to play at least 70 games.

That being said, doesn't take much to snag one of these lower seeds in the eastern conference. Guess Cavs should be happy they're not in the West.

Expected Record - 39-43

8. Atlanta Hawks - (Last Season - 44-38) - They lost Josh Smith to free agency, still don't know why they didn't trade him. To fill the void, they signed Paul Millsap. Certainly a different skill set, and you lose something on the boards and defensively, but Millsap is the better offensive player currently.

They still have Al Horford, who is one of the better centers in the league. Elton Brand was also signed who is a serviceable big man at this point in time to come off the bench. Jeff Teague is a young point guard who can still improve.

Louis Williams should return mid-season from an ACL tear as well.

The negative is they're probably going to start Kyle Korver at small forward. They don't really have anyone better for the position, but Korver should be coming off the bench.  

Expected Record - 36-46

As for the snubs,

Detroit Pistons - (Last Season - 29-53) - They signed Josh Smith. They're going to play him at small forward. They're going to play Stuckey at shooting guard. This means, out of their starters, only Brandon Jennings can shoot threes effectively and he sometimes shoots too much.

The floor spacing is going to be terrible. Their frontcourt seems dominate on paper, with Smith, Monroe, Drummond. It's monstrous, but how effective can it be when 4 defenders have a foot in the paint at all times?

Expected Record - 34-48

Toronto Raptors - (Last Season - 34-48) - They get Rudy Gay for a full season, he's a solid player. I don't think he's a franchise player though, nor can he carry a team. Jonas Valanciunas had a decent rookie year, but I can't see him emerging as a legitimate post threat which is what the Raptors need.

Perhaps their season rests on the development of DeMar Derozan who's better known for his athleticism. If he can improve his range on his jumper, they'll do better than I expect.

Expected Record - 34-48

As for the Charlotte Bobcats, Milwaukee Bucks,  Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic, and Philadelphia 76ers, they'll be competing for the number 1 pick.

NBA Taking Its Show on the Road Next Season

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725) 

The NBA has been attempting to build their product around the world by playing some exhibition games around the globe in recent seasons. This past season the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons played in London in front of a sold-out frenzy crowd. The NBA has a lot of events in China as well with the help of Yao Ming to help gain exposure there as well.

The NBA will continue having teams play abroad and will be adding another location for the 2013-2014. The Atlanta Hawks and Brooklyn Nets will play a regular-season game at the O2 Arena in London January 16^th as part of the NBA Global Games London 2014.

Nets Finish Regular Season with Win Over Pistons

nytimes.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 17th, 2013

Detroit Pistons vs. Brooklyn Nets

Final Score: Pistons 99 Nets 103

The Brooklyn Nets finished up their first regular season in their new home on a positive note by beating the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. The Nets finished their first season in Brooklyn with a (49-33) record, which gave them home court in the first round, as they are the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. 

Positives:

Interim Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo did a pretty solid job for Brooklyn after filling in for the fired Avery Johnson. Carlesimo finished the season with a (34-19), and that record is the best start for any coach in Nets franchise history. Carlesimo’s future with the Nets is unknown, as the Nets front office has made no commitment to him, but he’s got them ready to go for a big playoff series with the Chicago Bulls, and he’s done a great job getting the Nets to their regular season expectations.

Knicks End Regular Season on High Note, Drop Hawks

Jesse D Garrabrant/Getty Images

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Wednesday, April 17^th, 2013

Post Game Recap

Final Score: Atlanta Hawks: 92 New York Knicks: 98

The Knicks ended their most successful season in 16 seasons with a win against the Hawks Wednesday night giving them some momentum heading into the playoffs. It was a tough game to watch at some points as the Knicks only had seven players appear in the game tonight, ending with only six available. The Knicks finish the regular season with a 54-28 record, going 31-10 at Madison Square Garden.  The Knicks will head into the playoff series against the Celtics, which starts Saturday night, on a roll winning 16 of their last 18 games. 

-Positives

W2W4: Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks

www.goldstar.com

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Wednesday, April 17^th, 2013

Pre-Game News and Notes

Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks

Wednesday night will be the last regular season game for the Knicks and Hawks before heading into the playoffs, but will be taking different approaches into the finale.  The Knicks have literally nothing to play for, as their seed is locked in and are just looking to get to the playoffs without suffering anymore injuries.  As for the Hawks, they are playing for the fifth or sixth seed.  If they win tonight they will face off against the Nets in the first round, if they lose and the Bulls win they will face off against the Pacers. This will be third time that the Knicks and Hawks faceoff this season, with the Knicks winning the first two meetings.

-New Face, Same Place

Brooklyn Nets Monthly Report Card: March

　

By Ryan McDonald (@RonnieMac90)

March Record: 8-6

In the month of March, the Brooklyn Nets improved their record to 42-31. It was a tough month schedule wise which included a 6 game west coast road trip.

The West Coast Road Trip - The Brooklyn Nets 6 game road trip had them face off against some good and desperate opponents. The Nets managed to break even on the road trip, 3-3. They faced the Mavericks, the Clippers, the Suns, the Trailblazers, the Nuggets, and the Jazz. The only team out of the playoff picture out of these teams were the Phoenix Suns, whom they beat handedly. The Nuggets and Clippers are safely in the playoffs, while the Mavericks, 

W2W4: New York Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks

ESPN.go.com

Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Wednesday, April 3^rd, 2013

Pre-Game News and Notes

New York Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks

The Knicks will look to continue their nine game winning streak in Atlanta tonight against the Hawks on the second night of a back-to-back.  The Knicks have been very successful thus far this season in the second games of back-to-back, going 10-6 in the season so far.  The Knicks have some history in their favor going into the game tonight according to Elias Sports Bureau, as the Hawks are 2-13 over the past 18 seasons against teams playing against them with a nine-game or more winning streak.  Here are some things to look for in the game tonight as the Knicks will look to hold onto the second place in the Eastern Conference and cement their spot atop the Atlantic Division.

-Does Melo Continue His Hot Streak?