Portland Trail Blazers vs. New York
Knicks
Pre-Game News and Notes
 |
| Bruce Ely/The Oregonian |
The Knicks and Trail Blazers will go up
against each other for the second time this season tonight at Madison Square
Garden. The Knicks will be looking to exact some revenge on the Blazers, who
beat the Knicks earlier in the season 102-91 at the Rose Garden in Portland. The
Knicks are currently riding a two game losing streak and could use a win in the
worst of ways. With things starting to look bleaker and bleaker for Head Coach
Mike Woodson after yet another player called him out this past week changes
could be on the horizon for the Knicks. If Woodson wants to save his job
putting forth the necessary changes tonight to get a victory over a strong
Blazers team would be a good start. Here are some things keys to the game
tonight between the Knicks and Blazers.
The Knicks are relatively healthy right
now, something that hasn’t happened much this season. But they will still be
without a key piece tonight in Kenyon Martin. Martin returned from his ankle injury
Saturday but will not be able to get on the court tonight against the Blazers.
Martin hasn’t stayed healthy all season and the soreness that keeps popping up
will continue to put him in suits on the bench.
Beno Udrih has already missed five
straight games with what the Knicks are calling an ‘illness’ and his status has
not been updated since. It is likely that he will miss a sixth consecutive game
but it is looking more and more like a coach’s decision than an illness.
The Blazers have no reported player
injuries and will have their full allotment of players to use Wednesday night.
-Woody’s Last Stand?
With Amar’e Stoudemire joining the list
of players to call out Woodson about how he makes decisions coaching, this may
be the last chance Woodson has to save his job. Stoudemire has voiced his
displeasure with how he is being used recently, saying its Woodson, not
doctors, that are keeping him from seeing the court. Stoudemire is currently
playing a career-low in minutes per game at 18.9 aside from his injury riddled
2005-2006 campaign when he got in only three games. Stoudemire says he feels great
and wants more minutes. It is up to Woodson if he feels Stoudemire can help
this team out; at this point Woodson needs to break his character and start
using the players that produce results not that are paid the most.
If the Knicks lose tonight to the Blazers
it would give them a three-game losing streak following a four-game winning
streak. That kind of inconsistent consistency is something that gets a coach
canned. With a lose tonight look for the hot seat to get even warmer for
Woodson, if that is even possible.
-Perimeter Defense
The Knicks were torched Monday night by
an underwhelming group of perimeter players the Bucks employ; if they come out
with the same defensive intensity against this group the Blazers have the game
will be over before halftime. The Blazers are the highest scoring team in the
NBA, which could spell trouble for the ever-giving Knicks defense. The Knicks
should make it a priority to lock down the three-point line where Wesley
Matthews and Nicolas Batum can hurt them.
Reigning Rookie of the Year Damian
Lillard will also cause a problem for the Knicks. Raymond Felton has to put on a good
performance on both ends of the court, more so on the defensive end. Throughout
the season Felton has been a revolving door at the point of attack for opposing
teams and he has done little to act as resistance. Teams are game planning to
attack Felton because they know that is the weakest part of the Knicks defense
and they are exploiting it. Felton needs to show improvement starting tonight
or it will be a long night at Madison Square Garden.
-Battle on the Boards
The Blazers are not only the best
scoring team in the NBA, they happen to be the best rebounding one as well. The
Blazers average 46.4 rebounds per game, compared to only 40.5 for the Knicks. It
will be imperative for the Knicks to gang rebound tonight to try and control the
paint as much as they can. Tyson Chandler and Carmelo Anthony will have their hands
full throughout the night trying to slow down All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge and
Robin Lopez but we have seen each of them capable of dominating the rebounding
department. It would be nice to see J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert get in on the
rebounding action; both rebound well for guards and will help offset the strong
all-around games Matthews and Batum are capable of putting together.
Matchup of the Game: Raymond Felton vs.
Damian Lillard
Another game, another day the Knicks are
outclassed at the point guard position. The Knicks have struggled mightily all
season because of poor point guard play and Felton being exposed nightly as a
poor defensive player. Tonight Felton will once again have his hands full as
Lillard has been solid against the Knicks in his short career, averaging 23.3 points
on 50.9 percent shooting.
Felton and the Knicks may be catching
Lillard and the Blazers at a good time though. The Blazers have lost five of
eight, averaging 100 points per game and shooting 28.8 from the three point
line, well below their season average of 38.2 percent. The Blazers are playing
better than anyone expected them to be playing and could be coming back down to
earth or could just be hitting a lull in a long season. Whatever the reason may
be the Knicks need to take advantage and get back on track against a team in a
little bit of a tail slide.
No comments:
Post a Comment