They’re solely 7 video games in, however the Knicks’ season has been a little bit of a rollercoaster already to start out the 12 months. Returning a lot of the identical roster from final season’s squad that fell to the Miami Warmth within the second spherical, the continuity one would anticipate hasn’t actually been seen. Their two principal shot-takers from final season, Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle, have struggled capturing the ball within the early going. This has been very true of Randle, who’s capturing simply 29% from the ground and is already drawing the ire of the notorious New York tabloid press. Unsurprisingly, that poor capturing has trickled down all through a lot of the roster, as simply 3 of their principal rotation gamers are capturing higher than 40% from the sphere.
It’s not all unhealthy, although. The Knicks have the league’s 2nd greatest defensive score by way of 7 video games and have been probably the greatest rebounding groups to start out the 12 months, particularly on the offensive glass. With Randle and Brunson scuffling with effectivity early on, fifth 12 months beginning ahead RJ Barrett has picked up the slack and has shot the ball nicely. They’re coming off a 111-97 victory over the new-look LA Clippers on Monday night time.
The Spurs come into the Large Apple coming off one other massive early season defeat, a 152-111 street SEGABABA drubbing to the Indiana Pacers. Tonight’s sport represents a few of the brightest lights rookie Victor Wembanyama and the younger Spurs will step into as a crew, as there isn’t any basketball venue extra well-known than Madison Sq. Backyard. Hopefully a time off and a movie session after Monday’s disasterous outing in Indiana has them refocused and prepared for the present tonight.
November 8, 2023 | 6:30 PM CT
Watch: ESPN | Pay attention: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs Accidents: Devin Vassell (groin – uncertain), Keldon Johnson (wrist – possible)
Knicks Accidents: None
What to look at for
Michael Jordan famously referred to Madison Sq. Backyard as, “the Mecca,” and it has lengthy been a favourite place to play for most of the very biggest gamers within the historical past of the league. The Spurs’ personal Tim Duncan was named the Finals MVP for the primary time throughout his illustrious profession and helped lead San Antonio to their first championship on its hardwood all the way in which again in 1999. Now, 24 years later, Victor Wembanyama takes his first steps onto the world’s most well-known area, hopefully with the primary of many dynamic performances. A particular second certainly!
The Knicks’, “Villanova Trio,” of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and free agent acquisition Donte DiVincenzo have all struggled with their pictures out of the gate. Of that trio, All Star Brunson leads them in makes an attempt by far, however is capturing simply 40% from the sphere. Hart and DiVincenzo play primarily as secondary ball handlers and don’t take close to the quantity of shot makes an attempt Brunson does, however they’re each capturing underneath 40% from the sphere. DiVincenzo is at the least flattening 38% of his seems from outdoors, however there’s quite a lot of work to be finished for two guys which are a key a part of the New York rotation.
New York has been robust on the boards general to start out the season, with a powerful emphasis on the offensive glass. They’ve pulled down double-digit offensive rebounds in every of their first 7 video games and are +53 over their opponents in that span.
Like everybody on the Knicks, Immanuel Quickley has struggled along with his lengthy ball, however he’s nonetheless been productive and one in all New York’s most constant gamers to this point. The speedy 4th 12 months guard (who has by no means been shy about his shot choice) additionally occurs to be the kind of participant who can get sizzling in a rush and switch a sport round. Limiting Quickley’s manufacturing could be an enormous plus for San Antonio tonight.
The Knicks as a crew are making simply 33% of their 3PA per sport, however that doesn’t imply that they’ll’t get sizzling towards this Spurs protection. San Antonio clearly must do a a lot better job guarding the perimeter to forestall the Knicks from going supernova towards them like Indiana did. Hopefully a few of these slumping Knicks can assist them out a bit by holding off at the least yet another sport earlier than regressing to the imply.
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