W2W4: Toronto Raptors vs. New York Knicks; April 16th, 2014

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Wednesday, April 16^th, 2014

Toronto Raptors vs. New York Knicks

Pre-Game News and Notes

The New York Knicks will play their regular season finale Wednesday night against the surprising Atlantic Division champion Toronto Raptors. There is a good chance this one, like last night against the Brooklyn Nets, will resemble something closer to a preseason game as the Knicks prepare for the offseason and the Raptors get ready for the playoffs. Here are some things to keep an eye on for the game tonight.

Photo Credit N/A

-How Bench Players React

Knicks Blow Out Nets To Reach 8th Seed in East

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Wednesday, April 2^nd, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. New York Knicks

Post Game Recap

In what is a stretch of important games to finish the season that the New York Knicks need to win, they came out with the effort and passion of team fighting for a playoff spot, blowing out the Brooklyn Nets 110-81. It was a decisive win for the Knicks, who moved into eighth place in the Eastern Conference with the victory over the Atlanta Hawks, who lost to the Chicago Bulls. The Knicks will look to continue their winning ways Friday night, when they take on the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden.

Player of the Game: J.R. Smith

William Perlman-The Star-Ledger

Since calling out the team for the lack of heart and urgency that a playoff team shows, Smith has turned things on. His game has improved immensely, and he continued that strong play Wednesday against the Nets. Smith was on fire shooting the ball, making 9-16 shots overall and 6-12 from the three point line. He stuffed the stat sheet everywhere else as well, grabbing eight rebounds and handing out six assists. Smith is dynamic with the ball in his hands when his head is on straight, and is a capable distributor when he wants to be. With Smith playing this way the Knicks are a dangerous team not only finish out the season but possibly in the playoffs as well.

Match-Up of the Game Recap:

Knicks End West Coast Trip On High Note, Defeat Jazz

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Monday, March 31^st, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Utah Jazz

Post Game Recap

The New York Knicks were able to handle business Monday night, beating the Utah Jazz 92-83. The Knicks knew before halftime that they needed a victory tonight to keep pace with the Atlanta Hawks, who defeated the Philadelphia 76ers earlier in the night. The Knicks were able to do so, and will head back home with a 3-2 west coast trip and one game behind the Hawks for eighth place in the Eastern Conference. It was also only the second time this season the Knicks picked up a victory after trailing at halftime. Things will get difficult from here on out for the Knicks, as the remaining opponents on their schedule all hold records above .500. They will get back on the court Wednesday night to take on the cross town rival Brooklyn Nets.

Player of the Game: Carmelo Anthony

Rick Bowmer/AP Photo

Amar’e Stoudemire was unable to go tonight because of a scheduled day off, so Anthony knew he had to carry the scoring load. Carry the load he did, as he poured in 34 points on 11-19 from the field. Anthony had his jump shot going throughout the evening, knocking down 4-7 from beyond the three point line and sinking all eight of his free throw attempts. Anthony also grabbed eight rebounds to go with three assists, three steals and one block.

-Positives

Knicks Pull Off Big Upset In Golden State Over Warriors

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Sunday, March 30^th, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Golden State Warriors

Post Game Recap

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Knicks were able to grind out a tough, hard earned victory Sunday night against the Golden State Warriors. The Knicks finally looked like a team fighting for their playoff lives as they put the effort and energy in to beat a superior team. The Knicks were able to take control of the game in the second quarter, and would not relinquish it throughout the second half. They bended but did not break as the Knicks were able to pull out the victory. With the win, the Knicks are now one game behind the Atlanta Hawks for eighth place in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks will look to finish the road trip 3-2 Monday night against the Utah Jazz before heading back home.

Player of the Game: The Bench

The bench has been much maligned for the Knicks recently, but tonight they were the catalysts to get the lead in the second quarter. Pablo Prigioni was inserted into the game and brought a different mentality to the team on both ends of the court. He was extremely aggressive and showed leadership by getting into his teammates when they were not in the correct positions. Prigioni wasn’t alone, as Tim Hardaway Jr. delivered a much needed scoring punch off the bench with 15 points. Iman Shumpert may not have shot the ball well, but he was able to stymie the Warriors explosive backcourt when he was in the game. Shannon Brown even gave the Knicks something without playing much in the game, getting the game sealing steal and knocking down two free throws after a clear path foul was called.

Knicks Routed By Suns in Phoenix

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Friday, March 28^th, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Phoenix Suns

Post Game Recap

For the second time on this west coast trip, the New York Knicks inexplicably no showed. This time it was against a team that had something to play for still in the Phoenix Suns, and the end result was a 112-88 massacre. The game was never really close, as the Suns got off to a scorching start and never let up on a Knicks team who just didn’t have it tonight on either end of the court. The Knicks once again lost out on a golden opportunity to close the gap between them and the Atlanta Hawks, now sitting two games behind them for eighth place in the Eastern Conference once again. The Knicks will be back on the court Sunday night against the Golden State Warriors.

Player of the Game: None

It is becoming a troubling trend that the Knicks are playing so poorly there is no player worth naming as the player of the game. It was a rough game for everyone on both ends of the court.

AP Photo/Matt York

-Positive

Knicks Have Solid Bounce Back Effort to Defeat Kings

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Wednesday, March 26^th, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Sacramento Kings

Post Game Recap

Kelly L. Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Knicks made it a lot more difficult than it had to be Wednesday night, but they were still able to pull out a much needed victory over the Sacramento Kings by the score of 107-99. The Knicks and Kings have a history of roller coaster games in Sacramento and tonight was no different. The Knicks led by as many as 24 points but the Kings were able to get it as close as three in the fourth quarter. Nonetheless it was a nice, and necessary, bounce back win as the win puts the Knicks three back in the loss column and two in the standings with 10 to play. The Knicks will continue their west coast trip Friday with a visit to the Phoenix Suns.

Player of the Game: J.R. Smith

Smith was huge for the Knicks tonight, as he caught fire right from the beginning and never slowed down. Smith tied the Knicks franchise record for three-pointers made in a game, draining nine of his 12 attempts from deep en route to 29 points. Smith made timely basket after timely basket in the fourth quarter for the Knicks to help them bring home the victory. When the Kings cut the lead to six with about 9:30 remaining Smith nailed a three pointer to get the lead back to nine. After they got it to four with about seven minutes remaining Smith knocked down yet another three. Finally, with just over four minutes remaining and the Kings on another run knocking the Knicks lead to just two, Smith knocked down his ninth and final three of the game to put the Knicks up five. Smith was very vocal after the Los Angeles Lakers game last night, and he came up big time for the Knicks, backing up everything he said. He also added four rebounds, four assists and a block to round out his stat line.

Erza Shaw/Getty Images

Match-up of the Game Recap:

The center match-up highlighted before the game was dominated tonight by DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins was unstoppable tonight as the Knicks had little answer to slowing him down. With Tyson Chandler dealing with foul trouble Cousins had his way offensively, dominating in the paint and showing off an impressive jump shot. Cousins finished the game with a monster stat line of 32 points, 15 rebounds, a season-high eight assists, two steals and two blocks. Chandler was hampered with foul trouble, but still managed to put up a respectable line with 10 points, eight rebounds and one block in only 29 minutes.

-Positives

Carmelo Anthony put up a solid effort tonight to help get the Knicks a victory. Anthony finished the game with a game-high 36 points on 12-21 from the field, knocking down 5-8 from three point range and all seven of his free throw attempts. Anthony added five rebounds in the process, to go along with two assists, one steal and one block. Anthony had a monster third quarter, scoring 12 points to make sure the Knicks did not have a repeat of the last two games to start the second half.

Seemingly every game this season the Knicks have been at a disadvantage at the point guard position, but tonight they caught a break with Isaiah Thomas being injured, and they were able to take advantage. Rookie and second round pick Ray McCallum got the start for the Kings tonight and the Knicks were able to rattle him early on. He got it going a bit in the second half, but it was too little too late for the Kings. On the other hand, Raymond Felton put together a strong game, handing out 10 assists with zero turnovers and pulling down seven rebounds.

The Knicks got much better results from their bench tonight. They were still outscored by the Kings bench, but they got positive contributions from the players who came into the game. Pablo Prigioni delivered seven assists in 16 minutes, while Iman Shumpert provided some solid defense and Tim Hardaway Jr. provided a dagger basket on the last possession. Cole Aldrich should also be applauded for being ready to play once Amar’e Stoudemire and Chandler got into foul trouble.

Erza Shaw/Getty Images

-Negative

While the Knicks were able to pull the victory out tonight, they made it much more difficult than it had to be. Once again this team lacked the killer instinct to put away a team, as the Kings bounced back from a 24-point deficit they faced halfway through the third quarter. If not for the sharp shooting of Smith and timely baskets from players like Anthony and Hardaway Jr. this would have once again been an embarrassing and disaster of a loss for the Knicks.

Knicks Playoff Hopes Delivered Big Blow With Embarrassing Home Loss to Cavaliers

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks

Post Game Recap

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

Mike Woodson's Poor Decision Making Almost Costs Knicks 8th Straight Win

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Friday, March 21^st, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers

Post Game Recap

The New York Knicks almost saw their playoff hopes dashed tonight in extremely embarrassing fashion. The Philadelphia 76ers cut a 15 point Knicks lead to 2 in the last four minutes of the game, making what should have been an easy victory into a nail biter. Both teams were desperate for a win for different reasons, and it showed the last couple minutes of the game. With the victory the Knicks winning streak reaches eight games, and with the loss the 76ers are closing in on the NBA All-Time record for losses in a row 23. The Knicks also move to three games behind the Atlanta Hawks for eighth place in the Eastern Conference, as the Hawks dropped their game against the New Orleans Pelicans tonight.

Player of the Game: Amar’e Stoudemire

 

Matt Slocum/AP Photo

Stoudemire continued his strong play for the Knicks since being inserted into the starting lineup. Tonight he led the way offensively for the Knicks, scoring 22 points on 10-15 from the field. He was also a force on the boards, grabbing 10. Stoudemire looks like a different person since being inserted into the starting five and the Knicks have benefited greatly from it. Stoudemire may have to sit a game now and then to rest his knees but if he keeps putting forth performances like tonight it is worthwhile.

Match-Up of the Game Recap

W2W4: New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers; March 21st, 2014

Written By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Friday, March 21^st, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers

Pre-Game News and Notes

The New York Knicks are in the midst of playing their best basketball of the season, reeling off seven straight wins. They will look to continue the good play and winning streak tonight against the Philadelphia 76ers, owners of their own lengthy streak. The 76ers are currently riding a franchise long 22-game losing streak and do not look like they will be ending it any time soon. The Knicks have to come in and handle business against a team that is more concerned with getting a top draft pick than winning games at the end of the season. Here are some news and notes to help get the Knicks the victory tonight.

Match-Up of the Game: Carmelo Anthony vs. Thaddeus Young

 

http://www.morningpickup.com/76ers-drop-pair-games-weekend/

When the 76ers started moving players at the trade deadline, Thaddeus Young was one expected to go. The versatile forward would have fit nicely in almost any front court in the NBA, but he was the one player the 76ers decided to keep. Even though the expectations for the team were rock bottom right from the start of the season, Young has played well, averaging career-highs in points, rebounds, assists and steals. He will be matched up throughout the night with Anthony, being tasked with slowing down the Knicks best player.

Carmelo Anthony has played well all season and has continued it throughout the winning streak. He will give Young everything he can handle tonight. Look for Anthony to come out aggressive early and often as the Knicks will try and put the 76ers away early and cruise to a victory.

Pre-Game News and Notes:

Strong 4th Quarter Pushes Knicks Past 76ers

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Monday, March 10^th, 2014

Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks

Post Game Recap

The Knicks were able to run their winning streak to four games Monday night with a 123-110 victory. It was a total team effort for the Knicks, who got a little something from all the players who stepped on the court tonight to help get the win. The Knicks are now sole owners of ninth place in the Eastern Conference, percentage points ahead of the Detroit Pistons. They now sit 3 ½ games behind the Atlanta Hawks, who were able to hold on and defeat the Utah Jazz tonight. The Knicks will look to continue their strong play Wednesday against another divisional foe in the Boston Celtics.

Player of the Game: Amar’e Stoudemire

 

Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Stoudemire has found his groove and is dominating for the Knicks. This is as close he has looked to the Stoudemire of his Phoenix Suns and first season with the Knicks days. Tonight he scored 23 points to go with six rebounds and one block. The impressive thing about his scoring output is that he did it on only 10 shots, making nine and connecting on five of eight free throws. Stoudemire is the most efficient scorer the Knicks have and he has shown time and time again when given the minutes he can still produce offensively. Recently Stoudemire has been playing better on the defensive end as well, enabling Mike Woodson to use him more minutes during the game.

-Positives

W2W4: New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers; March 8th, 2014

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Saturday, March 8^th, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

Pre-Game News and Notes

The Knicks will look to continue their winning streak in what is their biggest game of the season to date against the Cavaliers tonight. The Knicks, who enter the game 4.5 games behind eighth place in the Eastern Conference, have the Cavaliers right ahead of them in the standings. A victory over them tonight would pull the teams within a tie and that much closer to a playoff spot. The Cavaliers will be sure to get up for the game as longtime center Žydrūnas Ilgauskas will have his number retired prior to the game. Here are some things to look for in the game tonight.

Match-up of the game: Raymond Felton vs. Kyrie Irving

Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Felton has turned things around the last two games for the Knicks and not coincidentally both games have resulted in Knicks victories. Felton has done well getting into the paint and breaking down the defense, opening up easy scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. When Felton is causing havoc in the paint it opens up rolling opportunities for Tyson Chandler and Amar’e Stoudemire to the rim for alley-oops and open jump shots for Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith.

A key to slowing down the Cavaliers is containing Irving, which is easier said than done. When Irving shoots at least 40 percent from the field, the Cavaliers are 20-20 on the season; when he is below that they are 3-17 according to STATS LLC. The Knicks have struggled all season containing point guards, but have done a good job in the last two games against Ricky Rubio and Trey Burke. If they are able to contain Irving tonight in any capacity it would go a long way in picking up their third consecutive victory.

-Starting Lineup Clicking

Mike Woodson made yet another change to the starting lineup this week, inserting Stoudemire and Smith to go along with Felton, Anthony and Chandler. Since the change the Knicks have played much better basketball, getting out to strong starts and outscoring opponents 105-66 in the first quarters. The last two first quarters the Knicks have tied and set the highest scoring quarters for the season.

The change to the lineup has gotten the Knicks best players on the court to start the game and the results have been positive. The Knicks aren’t falling behind early, instead taking the control early on and forcing their opponents to climb out of deep holes. The cohesion in the starting lineup is something the Knicks have lacked all season but look to have gotten in the last week.

-Bench Play

With the changes the Knicks have made to the starting unit the bench has suffered. Tim Hardaway Jr. has become the biggest threat off the bench, a large drop-off from Smith and Stoudemire. It is hard to ask Hardaway Jr. to pick up the slack of both those players. One player who could help a lot if Iman Shumpert. He needs to pick things up and help carry the bench scoring load with Hardaway Jr. looking to slow down at times recently.

On the contrary, the Cavaliers have a strong option off the bench in Dion Waiters. Waiters is an explosive scorer and is capable of running the offense as well when needed. Anderson Varejao is also expected to return tonight. It will be in a limited basis, but his return to the court will give the Cavaliers a shot in the arm as he brings a lot of energy and intangibles fans of the Cavaliers have enjoyed watching over the past couple of seasons when he is healthy.

-Keep Momentum Going

The Knicks are in the middle of the softest part of the schedule. Eight of the next nine games the Knicks play are against teams with a combined record of 137 games below .500. If they are to climb into the playoff race and keep their slim hopes alive there is no better time than now to do so. The Knicks have shown under Woodson when things starting clicking they are capable of getting into a groove. If they are to sneak into the playoffs, no matter how undeserving or poor they have played this season, it has to start tonight. On the road in Cleveland is most likely the toughest task the Knicks will have in the next nine games outside a meeting with the Indiana Pacers.

Knicks Snap Losing Streak With Win Over Timberwolves

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Wednesday, March 5^th, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

Post Game Recap

The Knicks were able to get a much needed victory and snap their seven-game losing streak Wednesday Night in Minnesota against the Timberwolves 118-106. It was a great team effort put forth by the team tonight as they got going right from the start, never trailing in the game and being engaged from the opening tip through the final whistle. The victory moves the Knicks record to 22-40 on the season and moves them to within six games of the Atlanta Hawks, who play at the Portland Trail Blazers Wednesday, for eighth place in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks will look to keep the positive play going Friday night against the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden.

Player of the Game: Raymond Felton

Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Felton had his best game in a long time and arguably this season as he scored 18 points to go along with eight assists, three rebounds, four steals and one block. Felton played with supreme confidence and energy tonight as he attacked the basket and created easy opportunities for himself and his teammates. Felton’s aggressiveness makes things immensely easier for the Knicks as easy baskets and open jump shots become more readily available. As Felton goes the Knicks go and if they are to make a final push for the playoffs to close the season Felton needs to continue playing close to what he did tonight.

-Positives

Knicks Losing Streak Hits 7

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Monday, March 3^rd, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Detroit Pistons

Post Game Recap

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

This was a rough game to watch for fans of either team, but it hurt a little more for Knicks fans as they fell to the Pistons 96-85 Monday night. The Knicks didn’t not put forth the effort once again and were once again embarrassed by their opponent. The focus and attention to detail just are not there for this team as a playoff run looks as out of the question as ever now. They have completely collapsed after a strong January and look to just be going through the motions as the positives needed to win basketball games are coming far too sporadically for this team. The Knicks losing streak now hits seven as they have lost 13 of their last 15 games and fall to 21-40.

Player of the Game: None

There was no Knicks player that brought it on both ends of the court tonight. The closest person was Jeremy Tyler, who came in and continued to give the energy and competitiveness he has shown all season. With the season all but down the drain he should see his minutes increase. You could also say that Shannon Brown and Earl Clark were players of the game as they didn’t give any negative plays to the Knicks on the court being stapled to the bench and receiving DNP-Coach Decision.

-Positives

Raymond Felton Arrested

Written by Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports

It did not look like the season could get any crazier and disappointing for the New York Knicks but that managed to happen early Tuesday morning. Hours after losing to the Dallas Mavericks, starting point guard Raymond Felton has been arrested.

It was originally reported that Felton was brought in for questioning about an incident that he was involved in after he allegedly pointed a gun at a woman. He turned himself in for the questioning at the 20^th precinct on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

But things turned for the worst for Felton. The most recent news is that Felton has been arrested on three counts of criminal possession of a weapon according to a police spokesman. Felton has been charged with second and third-degree criminal possession of a firearm, both of which are felonies, and fourth-degree possession of a firearm, which is a misdemeanor the spokesman said. At this point that is all the details that have been released about the case, as Felton is expected to be appearing in criminal court later Tuesday morning.

What makes this even more difficult to comprehend what Felton has done is the fact it has happened before to another high-profile person in New York pretty recently. It was only five years ago that Plaxico Burress was sentenced to two years in jail via a plea deal after shooting himself in the thigh in a Manhattan night club. He faced a minimum of 3 ½ years in jail if convicted at trial prior to the plea agreement. New York City has some of, if not the most harsh gun possession laws as the penalties are well known.

Felton, who signed a three-year, $10 million contract with the Knicks prior to last season has struggled mightily this season on the court and has dealt with problems off it as well. In addition to the weight issues people harp on he divorced from his wife last week as well. He was also shopped around heavily by the Knicks at the trade deadline last week but they were unable to find any takers. At this point the on-court stuff is irrelevant; Felton is still a human being that has fallen on extremely tough times. Hopefully he is able to find the help that he needs to get his life back on track.

The information for this article came via ESPN.com and New York Post

Knicks Suffer Devastating Loss to Magic In Double-OT

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Friday, February 21st, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Orlando Magic

Post Game Recap

The Knicks have added yet another disappointing loss to this disappointing season in a game they probably should have won. Tonight the Magic joined the list of teams with poor records to hand the Knicks a loss, winning 129-121 in double-overtime. With the loss the Knicks have fallen 4.5 games behind in the race for eighth place in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks have lost seven of their last nine games with bad losses to the Milwaukee Bucks, Sacramento Kings and now the Magic part of them. The Knicks playoff chances are slipping away with every passing loss as they continue losing close games they should come out ahead in. The Knicks will be back at it tomorrow night in Atlanta to face the Hawks as they finish up their four games in five nights stretch.

Player of the Game: Carmelo Anthony

David Manning/USA TODAY Sports

Anthony did everything he could to get the Knicks a victory tonight but once again it was just not enough. Tonight he continued his scoring barrage, pouring in a game-high 44 points on 16-28 from the field. Anthony was on fire from deep, going 6-10 and making 6-7 from the foul line. At one point he even made nine straight shots as he was on fire. The Magic even started sending double and even triple teams at him but there was no stopping him. Anthony also added 11 rebounds, four assists and one steal to round out his stat line. Anthony also played 50 minutes tonight, which raises the questions of how he will perform tomorrow night with such a quick turnaround. He is doing everything he can to get the Knicks wins and they just keep coming up short. Knicks fans should sit back and just soak in what Anthony is doing recently and throughout the season as he could easily be doing this for another team next season.

-Positives

With the trade deadline passing Thursday, Raymond Felton finally can be at rest with where he is going to be the rest of the season. Tonight he played quite possibly his best game of the season, scoring 15 points, handing out eight assists, grabbing eight rebounds and playing decent defense with one steal and two blocks. He neutralized Magic starting point guard Jameer Nelson, who finished with three points, four assists and three rebounds. Felton has struggled mightily throughout the season with trade rumors swirling and injuries taking their toll, but he looked as good as he has all season tonight. If Felton is able to get things turned around it would help the Knicks immensely, especially with Iman Shumpert now sidelined.

David Manning/USA TODAY Sports

The perimeter shooting tonight for the Knicks was on point. They were efficient from the three point line all game and used that as the vocal point of their offensive attack. For the game the Knicks shot 15-34 from deep, good for 44.1 percent. Anthony led the way with six makes, while Pablo Prigioni and Tim Hardaway Jr. each made three. Through three quarters they Knicks shot 53 percent from the field and looked to be in control of the game.

The defense through the first three quarters of the game was solid. The point total was a little high at 79, but the Knicks had held the Magic to 40 percent shooting. They went into the fourth quarter up seven points and looked like they were well on their way to their second consecutive victory.

-Negatives

The fourth quarter and overtime were polar opposites for both teams from the first three quarters. The Knicks shooting percentage dropped to 47.4 percent as the offense began to stall at times and Anthony was routinely bailing them out. On the other hand the Magic’s shooting percentage rose all the way to 49.9 percent as the Knicks could not get needed stops. The Knicks went up by four points with under two minutes remaining and were unable to slow the Magic down no matter what they tried. The Knicks have lost games like this all season because they cannot lock down defensively consistently enough when they need to.

David Manning/USA TODAY Sports

The perimeter defense is usually the problem for the Knicks, but tonight they had trouble stopping the Magic from anywhere on the court. Tobias Harris, the Long Island native, was manned with guarding Anthony throughout the night. He lost his cool a little early in the game but locked in later and finished with 22 points on 7-11 from the field. Rookie Victor Oladipo destroyed the Knicks throughout the night, finishing one rebound short of a triple-double to go along with 30 points and 14 assists. Arron Afflalo, whose name was a part of some rumors before the trade deadline, hurt the Knicks as well scoring a team high 32 points along with three rebounds and assists.

Plays that would have changed with just a little more attention to detail tonight could have turned the game into a Knicks win. The first one came at the end of regulation, when Anthony stepped on the sideline while dribbling to the right corner for his patented pull-up jump shot. Harris stuck with him and needs to be given some credit for the defense he played. The other play came in overtime, when Tyson Chandler attempted to throw down a reverse dunk off an alley-oop pass from Felton and the ball didn’t make it through the basket as it hit off his head. The Knicks have proved time and time again this season that they do not possess the mental fortitude and attention to detail to pull out close games and they showed it once again tonight.

Knicks Comeback Falls Short in Memphis

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Tuesday, February 18^th, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Memphis Grizzlies

Post Game Recap

The Knicks started the second half of the NBA season much like they played throughout the first half; underwhelming with a heart breaking loss at the end. The Knicks had a poor first half against a strong Grizzlies’ defense but they were able to pick it up in the third quarter to make it a tie game going into the fourth. The Knicks picked up momentum and looked to be in control of the game but mental lapses swing the advantage back to the Grizzlies, who took advantage and came away with the win. The Knicks did everything they needed to do to win the game tonight and still came away with a loss. They are now 13 games under .500 and falling further and further behind in the playoff race. Is help on its way? The trade deadline is Thursday at 3 PM ET and the Knicks are apart of plenty of rumors. They will be back at it tomorrow night in New Orleans to take on the Pelicans a in the second game of their four game in five nights trip.

Player of the Game: Tim Hardaway Jr.

Justin Ford/USA TODAY Sports

The rookie put on a show during All-Star weekend during the BBVA Rising Star challenge and carried it into tonight’s game. Hardaway Jr. was the only Knick with a knack from long range, knocking down four of the six Knicks makes from the three point line. He finished with a team high 23 points on 7-15 shooting overall, scoring 14 of those points in the fourth quarter as the Knicks attempted to take over the game. The same story rang true tonight that has throughout the season though as Hardaway Jr. did not help anywhere else in the game outside of scoring, showing that the rookie still has a little ways to go before being a player the Knicks can count on night in and night out.

-Positives

Knicks Fall to Thunder Behind Near Triple-Double for Durant

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Sunday, February 9^th, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

Post Game Recap

The Knicks were outmatched in every facet of the game Sunday afternoon as the Thunder defeated them handedly 112-100. The Knicks had a strong first half but closed poorly and the poor play carried over into the second half when the Thunder took control of the game. A game that was billed as a battle between two of the top scorers in the NBA fell short of expectations and judging from the score you know which team’s big scorer it was. The Knicks will look to finish on a high note heading into the All-Star game Wednesday night against the Sacramento Kings at Madison Square Garden.

Player of the Game: Jeremy Tyler

Tyler saw his minutes cut from Friday night’s game but he still gave the Knicks some positive and productive play. Tyler saw only 11 minutes on the court but he made the most of them, scoring 10 points and grabbing five rebounds. He also recorded one block, as his activity on the defensive end is a nice thing to see. With how productive he has been in limited minutes it would be a good idea for the Knicks to start expanding his playing time and see what he could do with more time on the court. Right now he is one of the few bright spots in a dark season.

-Positives

Total Team Effort Results In Blowout Win For Knicks Over Nuggets

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Friday, February 7^th, 2014

Denver Nuggets vs. New York Knicks

Post Game Recap

The Knicks were able to ride the momentum from their tough game Wednesday night against the Portland Trail Blazers and turn it into a blowout victory over the Nuggets by a score of 117-90. Every Knick had the knack tonight as Walt 'Clyde' Frazier would say, as every player finished with a positive +/- ratio and brought something positive to the game tonight. The offense was rolling for the Knicks and the defense was on point as the Knicks made a very explosive Denver team look like they were stuck in the mud. This was an imperative game for the Knicks on their home court and they delivered a total team effort. The Knicks will look to keep the good play going Sunday afternoon when they travel to Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder in a matinee at 1 PM ET.

Player of the Game: Jeremy Tyler

Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports

With the Knicks looking like they were going to be blown out, the bench came into the game and got things going. One of the catalysts off the bench was Tyler, who recorded his best game statistically with the Knicks, finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Tyler brought the energy and spark to the team tonight that they needed to get going and he was rewarded by Mike Woodson with extended minutes in the first half. He looks like he has fun when he is on the court and it is something that is contagious for the rest of the team. Tyler also added two assists and one steal, which he finished with a highlight dunk to get the crowd into a frenzy. Tyler, along with Carmelo Anthony, Iman Shumpert and Pablo Prigioni, finished with a team high +18. He has filled in well with Martin absent and looks like he has earned playing time even once Martin comes back as a spark off the bench offensively and as a rebounding force.

-Positives

Knicks Topped By Blazers in Sloppy Game

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Portland Trail Blazers vs. New York Knicks

Post Game Recap

The Knicks suffered yet another tough home loss Wednesday night, falling to the Blazers 94-90. Execution for both teams was sloppy throughout the night but the Blazers were able to get it together a little more than the Knicks when it counted. During pre-game Wally Szczerbiak said it was going to be a game of shot takers and whoever was more of the makers would come out on top. That is exactly what happened as the Blazers made eight three pointers compared to four for the Knicks, a 12 point difference that ultimately proved to be the difference. What makes it worse is the Blazers were clearly not on top of their game but the Knicks were still unable to take advantage. There is no use for morale victories for this Knicks team, but hopefully they can take some of the positives from the game tonight and put them towards their next game Friday night against the Denver Nuggets at Madison Square Garden.

Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports

Player of the Game: Knicks Bench

The Knicks bench was outstanding tonight and is as responsible as anyone for the Knicks being in the game tonight. Jeremy Tyler, Amar’e Stoudemire, Tim Hardaway Jr. and J.R. Smith all gave the Knicks a spark and played well tonight. In only 11 minutes Tyler was extremely active, getting second possessions for the Knicks on the offensive end and playing with intensity. Stoudemire was on fire offensively, scoring 15 points in his 22 minutes and backing up his talk after practice Tuesday about warranting more playing time. He also grabbed seven rebounds. Hardaway Jr. and Smith were not knocking down their perimeter shots efficiently but they were able to score 12 and 18 points respectively and help in other areas; Hardaway Jr. grabbed five rebounds and Smith had three rebounds and six assists when given the chance to run the offense. They outscored the Blazers bench 50-20 on the night.

Matchup of the Game Recap:

Shockingly Damian Lillard did not go off on Raymond Felton like expected. Lillard, like his Blazers teammates and virtually everyone else in the game, struggled from the field going 4-12. Felton wasn’t much better going 2-6. They even had similar other stats, as Lillard had five rebounds and four assists while Felton had four rebounds and three assists. The big difference was the playing time, as Lillard was on the court in crunch time leading his team while Felton was stapled to the bench, not appearing in the fourth quarter. Lillard played 38 minutes while Felton garnered only 23.

-Positives

W2W4: Portland Trail Blazers vs. New York Knicks; February 5th, 2014

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

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.

-Player News and Notes