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By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)
Friday, April 12th, 2013
Pre-Game News and Notes
New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Knicks will look to bounce back from
their streak ending loss against the Bulls last night and start a new one
against the Cavaliers tonight in Cleveland.
The Knicks and Cavaliers have faced off twice previously this season,
with the Knicks winning both matchups. The first two games were hotly contested
games, as the Knicks won by one in the first matchup and five in the
second. Tonight will not be any easier
for the shorthanded Knicks playing on the second night of a back-to-back, even
though the Knicks are a very good in the second game of such situations, going
11-6 thus far on the season.
-Rotation Changes Again?
With the Knicks being so short-handed
because of the injuries that have befell the front line; the Knicks dressed
only nine players last night with eight seeing the court. That should be the same number dressed
tonight, unless Solomon Jones, the new Knicks free agent not James Singleton
who was unable to get clearance from his Chinese league team, suits up.
They might not reach the same amount of
players seeing the court though, as Raymond Felton injured his knee in the
overtime period last night against the Bulls.
Felton told Tina Cervasio well after the game last night that he would
suit up and play tonight, but you never know with injuries how they will
respond the next day after the adrenaline stops flowing from playing in the
game. The Knicks would be better suited
to make sure that Felton is healthy heading into the playoffs as we have
witnessed previously this season how much the Knicks can struggle without their
starting point guard.
-Containing Kryie
The Knicks have struggled with stopping
opposing point guards all season, even ones off the bench like last night with
Nate Robinson. Tonight they will have
their hands full with All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving.
Irving is by far the Cavaliers best
player and the Knicks have to slow him down if they are to beat the Cavaliers
tonight as the Cavs go as Irving does. It
is easier said than done to slow down Irving, who has become one of the better
point guards in the NBA in only his second season in the league.
It will be interesting to see how the
Knicks matchup with Irving, as Felton struggles to stay in front of opposing
point guards normally when he is not dealing with a knee injury. Pablo Prigioni should see his fair share of
time trying to slow the dynamic Irving. The
Knicks would love for Iman Shumpert to shadow him all game long, but with the
depleted front line Shumpert will most likely be guarding wings and possibly
some big men throughout the game.
-Melo Continue Scoring?
Carmelo Anthony did not have as
efficient of a night against the Bulls Thursday as he had been having previously,
but he did manage to score a team high 36 points. The Knicks will once again rely heavily on
Anthony on the offensive end tonight, but he will need someone to step up and
help.
J.R. Smith has been playing a good
supporting role for Anthony throughout the 13-game winning streak that was just
snapped, so seeing him continue his hot play would be nice. What really hurt the Knicks last night though
was the play of the bench. The bench was
outscored badly by the Bulls last night when they entered the game as the
Knicks were unable to hold onto two big leads in both the first and second
halves.
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