W2W4: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Brooklyn Nets

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

January 4th, 2013

W2W4: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets will be hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night in the Barclays Center. Brooklyn is coming off by far their best win of the season in Oklahoma City, where they best the Thunder on a buzzer-beater by Joe Johnson.

- No Uncle Drew

The Nets will be catching a big break on Saturday, as the Cavaliers best player and All-Star Point Guard Kyrie Irving will not be in the lineup due to a knee injury. The Cavaliers aren’t a great team even with Irving so this is a big opportunity for the Nets to build a little winning streak to start off the New Year. The Cavaliers will also be without Center Andrew Bynum, who has been suspended by the team, and they are actively trying to trade the Center.

Knicks Shoot Themselves in Foot, Houston Struggles Continue

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Friday, January 3^rd, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Houston Rockets

Post Game Recap

The Knicks played hard but once again were their own worst enemy as they dropped a heartbreaking thriller 102-100 to the Rockets. The Knicks outplayed the Rockets for three quarters tonight but fell apart down the stretch. Mental mistakes and poor execution doomed the Knicks as they once again showed that they are the lowest basketball IQ team in the NBA. With the loss their struggles against the Rockets and in Houston specifically continued; they have now lost 17 of 18 to the Rockets and nine straight in Houston. As Carmelo Anthony said in his post game interview, the Knicks gave the Rockets the game tonight. They will look to get back in the win column and wrap up the Texas Triangle Road trip on a positive note Sunday night in Dallas against the Mavericks.

Player of the Game: Iman Shumpert

George Bridges/MCT

For the second consecutive night Shumpert was on fire from beyond the arc. After going through the worst shooting stretch of his career that saw him go 6-42 from the field, Shumpert has found his stroke again in the new year. Against the Spurs and Rockets Shumpert has gone 19-27 from the field (12-14 3pt, 3-3 FT) to rebound from that rough stretch. Shumpert was one point shy of his career high that he set Thursday against the Spurs. The back-to-back 20 point scoring games is the first time Shumpert has accomplished that since March 28^th & 30^th, 2012. Against the Rockets Shumpert also added four rebounds, five assists and one steal. His defense one-on-one against James Harden was also outstanding throughout the night. Harden, who gets to the foul line as much as anyone in the NBA, did not attempt his first free throw until two minutes remaining in the first half. Shumpert playing smart defense against him was a big reason why. Shumpert looks to have turned the corner on his season which can only be a positive thing for the Knicks, especially with how poorly Tim Hardaway Jr. and JR Smith have performed recently.

-Positives

Tyson Chandler logged only 27 minutes but he made the most of them, registering a double-double. Chandler finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds on the night. He started the game off strong with five points in the opening quarter to get the Knicks going. Chandler also did a formidable job on Dwight Howard throughout the night, a tall task.

Anthony did not have as efficient a night as he did in San Antonio but he had a good game nonetheless. Anthony ended the game with 25 points and eight rebounds. He also added two assists and did a fine job defending Chandler Parsons throughout the night. Parsons shot 6-13 from the field for 17 points but did lead his team in rebounding with 11.

Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports

Amar’e Stoudemire did not have the big scoring night for the Knicks but he was able to help out on the glass and in help defense. Stoudemire pulled down seven rebounds and had two steals on the night as his play provided Mike Woodson a chance to give Andrea Bargnani, Chandler and Anthony some rest at points in the game. Stoudemire has obviously lost some because of all the injuries but you can count on him to give your team everything he has as long as he is on the court.

Toure’ Murry was inserted into a game as early as he has been in his NBA career and he made the most of it. Murry entered the game with barely five minutes gone in the first quarter and the Knicks went on a run right when he entered. The Knicks reeled off a 12-2 run as the Knicks turned a seven point deficit into a four point lead. When Murry plays in the backcourt with Shumpert or Hardaway Jr. it is a fun thing to watch as the athleticism is something the Knicks have lacked. Murry replaced Udrih in the first quarter and Udrih looked none too happy about it, but he bounced back nicely later in the game. Udrih finished strong and ended the game with 10 points, seven assists, four rebounds and two steals. What is making Udrih and Murry successful is that both are able to attack and get into the paint to put pressure on the defense.

-Negatives

JR Smith is hurting the Knicks more than he is helping. He augmented a poor game with a boneheaded play in the last 24 seconds of the game. Chandler was able to gain the Knicks another possession with the shot clock off and the ball was worked out to Smith. Smith inexplicably attempted a three pointer, almost a carbon copy of what Bargnani did against the Bucks a couple weeks ago. Udrih compounded the miss by fouling Aaron Brooks in the corner but Smith never should have attempted the shot, especially since Chandler is in his line of view telling him to slow it down and Udrih is doing the same. It was a icing on the cake for a poor game for Smith who is having more negatives than positives for the Knicks. Smith finished the game 3-13 (1-8 3pt, 2-2 FT), zero rebounds, two assists and two steals. It will be hard even for Woodson to show trust in Smith now with how he has been playing and the lack of basketball IQ and awareness he shows on the court. After the game he admitted to not knowing what the score and situation of the game was, just another reason he should be off the court in big situations.

Patric Schneider/AP Photo

With Shumpert starting to play well and round into shape it is disappointing to see Smith crater and give the Knicks negative minutes. He is not the only one doing so as Hardaway Jr. has joined Smith in giving the Knicks poor production. Hardaway has seen his minutes decrease with Shumpert playing well and has done nothing to show the coach he deserves those minutes back that he is losing. For the second consecutive game Hardaway was mostly invisible, playing 11 minutes and scoring only one point. He also added one rebound but finished with a game worst -14 +/- ratio.

Bargnani had been dealing with a stiff neck recently and it seems to be effecting his shooting. The injury has been affecting him for the past 8-10 days and over that span he has been shooting the ball at a 38.9 percent clip. He has shot even worse from the three point line, hitting only 25 percent of his deep shots. He did nothing to help those numbers against the Rockets, shooting 3-10 overall and 0-3 from the three point line. The Knicks need Bargnani to get back in a groove and shoulder more of the scoring load with Smith and Hardaway giving them ineffective minutes off the bench. He did a good job once again defending Howard and battled on the boards, pulling down eight rebounds.

After having Shumpert guard Harden for the better part of first half he went off in the second half with Shumpert no longer shadowing him. Harden scored 27 of his 37 in the second half, with 11 coming in the decisive fourth quarter that saw the Rockets outscored the Knicks 29-19. Harden missed only three shots the whole second half, finishing the game with 37 points (5-10 3pt, 10-10 FT), seven rebounds and six assists.

W2W4: New York Knicks vs. Houston Rockets; January 3rd, 2014

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Friday, January 3, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Houston Rockets

Pre-Game News and Notes

After pulling off a surprising win last night in San Antonio, the Knicks will get right back at it tonight in Houston against the Rockets. This will be the second and final time the two teams face off against each other, with the Rockets taking the first one at Madison Square Garden in thrilling fashion. The Knicks will look to exact some revenge and get a victory tonight on the Rockets home court. Here are some things to keep an eye on during the game.

-Player News and Notes

The Knicks are expected to again be without point guards Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni. Felton has been accompanying the team on the trip but Prigioni has not. Neither player has a definitive return date in place but Felton is aiming for Tuesday at home against the Detroit Pistons. Metta World Peace is preparing for treatment on his knee; in the mean time check out his twitter account to keep tabs on the eccentric forward who is always keeping his followers entertained.

The Rockets are dealing with injuries of their own to point guards. Starting point guard Patrick Beverley broke his hand and had successful surgery last week. He will be out for the foreseeable future. In the meantime former Knick Jeremy Lin and Aaron Brooks will run the offense for the Rockets.

-Going Streaking

Joe Johnson Buzzer-Beater gets Nets victory over Thunder

nydailynews.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

January 2^nd, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs Oklahoma City Thunder Post Game Recap

Final Score: Nets 95 Thunder 93

The Brooklyn Nets were able to pull off their best win of the season thus far on Thursday night in Oklahoma City with a comeback 95-93 victory over Kevin Durant and the Thunder. The win moves the Nets to 11-21 on the season, and are five games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

Positives:

- Nets Point Guard Deron Williams had a fantastic game in the Nets best win of the season, as he really carried the Nets for most of the game. Williams finished with a game-high and season-high 29 points on 10 for 17 shooting. Williams really was feeling it from downtown, as he had a season-high six three-pointers on nine attempts, which included a buzzer-beater at the end of the third quarter. If Deron Williams can play close to the way he did on Thursday night against the Thunder the Nets can certainly make a run in what is a wide open Atlantic Division even without Lopez.

- With no Russell Westbrook the Nets did a pretty good job keeping Durant's scoring to a manageable number, as he was held to 24 points. Durant was however very efficient shooting the ball going eight for 13 from the field, but he did have five turnovers, and a -6 +/- on the court. Overall Jason Kidd has to be happy with how his team did against the second best player in the NBA.

- Brooklyn saw some good production off the bench from two of their wing players, as Andrei Kirilenko and Alan Anderson lead the way for the Nets bench. Kirilenko in his second game back from the injury played 15 minutes, which was a little more than expected, but he looked good scoring nine points on three for three shooting, and three for four from the foul line. Anderson was the Nets leading bench scorer with 13 points on three for six shooting, and he also got to the free throw line a lot going seven for nine at the line.

- Joe Johnson was having a very quiet game up until the fourth quarter when like last season he was called upon to deliver a clutch shot with the game tied at 93. Johnson who had ice in his veins so many times last year did it again tonight with the buzzer-beater to shock the heavily favored Thunder as time expired. Johnson finished the game scoring only nine points on four for 11 shooting, and was one for six from three-point range.

Negatives:

- The only negative for the Nets in their best win of the season was the disastrous second quarter, which was the reason for the great come from behind win. Brooklyn was more than doubled in the quarter, as the Thunder scored 33 points to the Nets 15. In the quarter the Nets only had three field goals, as the lopsided quarter could have been even worse for Brooklyn. They however outscore the Thunder in every other quarter, but when a team has a quarter like the Nets did in the second it makes it tough to win, and is certainly a thing the Nets wont want to see moving forward.

Next up for the Nets will be a trip back home for a very winnable game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday January 4^th.

Knicks Upset Spurs Behind Shumpert's Career Night

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Thursday, January 2, 2014

New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs

Post Game Recap

The Knicks were able to pull off the upset and get their best win of the season in San Antonio, defeating the Spurs 105-101. The victory gave the Knicks their second consecutive game in San Antonio and the first against the Western Conference this season. It was an entertaining game that any fan of basketball would have enjoyed taking in, especially if you are a Knicks fan. The Knicks showed comradery and came together when they needed it most tonight, finally looking like a team that wants to get back into the playoff picture legitimately in the Eastern Conference, not just because of how bad it is this season. It was a career night for two players and an outstanding game played by both teams. The Knicks took everything the Spurs gave them and responded as well as they could. This is the kind of win that could jump start a team and gets them going in the right direction. A new year looks to have brought about a new Knicks team eve if it is just only one game.

Player of the Game: Iman Shumpert

AP Photo

Shumpert had a career night offensively in a game the Knicks needed it most. He put in 27 points on 10-13 shooting from the field (6-8 3pt, 1-1 FT). Shumpert scored 10 points in the first quarter alone as he came out with confidence and aggressiveness that he has seemed to lack in the recent weeks. He provided in other areas as well, as he recorded six rebounds, one assist and three steals. Shumpert had his biggest rebound with about 24 seconds remaining as he tipped in a missed Anthony jump shot to give the Knicks a two point lead. The three steals do not do justice to just how outstanding Shumpert was tonight on the defensive end. From the get go Shumpert was able to shut and slow down Tony Parker. Parker scored only 12 points and added seven assists. He was unable to get comfortable and dictate the game on the offensive end as basketball fans have come accustomed to seeing from Parker, who is deadly in the pick-and-roll. Tonight Shumpert was able to hold him to 5-13 shooting as he put together an outstanding game on both ends of the court.

-Positives

W2W4: New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs; January 2nd, 2014

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Thursday, January 2, 2014

New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs

Pre-Game News and Notes

The Knicks will embark on the dreaded Texas Triangle road trip starting Thursday in San Antonio. For a team struggling as much as the Knicks a road trip of this difficulty could spell disaster. It will be a tall task for the Knicks to pull the victory out tonight, but here are a few things to keep an eye on for the game tonight that will point them in the right direction.

-Player News and Notes

Mark Bonifacio/New York Daily News

The Knicks will get a big boost Thursday as Carmelo Anthony is expected to be back in the lineup. The Knicks have looked like a complete mess offensively over the last three games with Anthony sidelined. The Knicks have obviously struggled throughout the season even with Anthony in the lineup, evident by their 9-21 record, but having Anthony helps them out.

Some other injury news for the Knicks is that Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni will continue to be sidelined. Neither player made the trip to San Antonio nor both are expected to be out the whole road trip. Metta World Peace is dealing with a knee injury and his timetable to return is unknown at this time.

The Spurs on the other hand look to be heading into the game with a full complement of players. With them playing their last game New Year’s Eve there should be no shenanigans pulled by Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, who has notoriously gave players rest when he feels necessary.

-Lineup Changes

Knicks Release Chris Smith, Sign Jeremy Tyler

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

thatsenuff.com

In a move that should have never had to been made the New York Knicks recently released guard Chris Smith. Smith’s contract was guaranteed at $490,814 so the Knicks will not be saving any money in the transaction, just opening up a roster spot. Smith’s inclusion on the Knicks roster was not met positively by very many people. Many people believe Smith was added to the roster as a favor to JR Smith, the older brother to Chris.

Fans were not the only ones unhappy with Smith being on the Knicks roster as even an NBA player took notice and made his feelings known on twitter. Detroit Pistons point guard Brandon Jennings questioned Smith’s credentials compared to other players he felt were more deserving. The tweet drew the ire of JR, who was fined $25,000 for what many felt were threatening tweets at Jennings.