Post Game Recap
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| AFP Photo/Don Emmert |
The New York Knicks playoff hopes suffered a big blow Sunday
night, as they suffered an embarrassing loss at home to the Cleveland
Cavaliers, 106-100. A 15-point halftime lead was not enough for the Knicks, as
they imploded in the second half and reverted back to playing how they did
prior to their eight-game winning streak. It was a heart breaking loss for the
Knicks as the Atlanta Hawks had lost earlier in the day to the Toronto Raptors,
presenting an outstanding opportunity for the Knicks to climb closer to the
eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. The loss tonight ends the Knicks winning
streak at eight, with their next game being the start of their west coast trip
Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples
Center
Player of the Game: None
Throughout the game there were a couple Knicks that had some
positive plays, but nothing sustained through all four quarters.
Match-up of the Game Recap:
Tyson Chandler was a no show for the Knicks tonight. He
didn’t have an impact on either end of the court, finishing with only four
points, six rebounds and four turnovers; if anything he was hurting more than
helping. On the other hand, Spencer Hawes did not have much of an impact
either, but he did have a nice highlight with a left-handed floater driving
baseline. Hawes finished the night with seven points, five rebounds, one assist
and one steal. Hawes wins the match-up tonight because his team not only got
the victory, but also finished +7 while Chandler
registered a -17.
-Positives
Amar’e Stoudemire continued his strong play for the Knicks
tonight. He finished the game with 12 points on 6-10 shooting from the field,
adding six rebounds and one assist as well. Stoudemire has been on fire since
being inserted into the starting lineup, showcasing improved defense and
continuing to be the Knicks most efficient scoring option.
Offensively, the Knicks guards had a strong game. Raymond
Felton scored 14 points to go with eight assists, while J.R. Smith added 18 in
the starting lineup as well. Off the bench, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Pablo Prigioni
had strong games as well. Hardaway Jr. scored 12 points, while Prigioni made
both his three point attempts and handed out three assists as well.
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| AFP Photo/Don Emmert |
At the start of the game, Carmelo Anthony was on fire for
the Knicks. He started the game off knocking down 6-7 shots, as the Cavaliers
had no answers for him defensively. Anthony’s success early on was a big reason
why the Knicks built a 15-point lead going into halftime.
-Negatives
Anthony after those first seven shots struggled mightily. He
finished the game making only two of his last 13 attempts, going 8-20 overall
for the night. The Cavaliers ramped up their effort in the second half and took
Anthony out of the game offensively. The Knicks offense also became stagnant as
they became over reliant on Anthony, putting him into isolation situations he
was unable to take advantage of.
On the perimeter the Knicks reverted back to how they played
prior to the eight-game winning streak. Felton and Hardaway Jr. couldn’t stop a
cold and got torched by whoever they matched up against. Jarrett Jack feasted
off the poor defense, pouring in a season high 31 points to go along with 10
assists and 5 rebounds. They also had trouble containing Dion Waiters, who
scored 22 points of his own.
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| Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports |
Mike Woodson once again hurt the Knicks and showed why he
should not be retained beyond this season. Woodson, for the second consecutive
game, did not put the Knicks in a position to win with poor game management.
Tonight he stood idly while Jack torched Felton, and reverted back to his
isolation heavy offense. Woodson made no adjustments after halftime as the
Cavaliers came out in the second half determined to get back into the game and
the Knicks never mounted a response. It was an embarrassing lose for the Knicks
that could have been easily avoided with a little more leadership and smarts
shown by their head coach.
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