by Peter Botte
The Knicks and the Nets were supposed to compete for basketball supremacy in New York this season, and they are separated by just two games in the standings — with Brooklyn ahead — entering their MLK Day matinee Monday at the Garden.
But as Carmelo Anthony noted, few would have expected the two locals to sport a combined record of 31-47 as the midway point of the season approaches.
“If you would have said both teams would have had these records at this point in the season at the beginning of the season, I would have put any amount of money on that. I would have bet against that,” Anthony said after Knicks practice Sunday in Greenburgh. “Right now, their situation, our situation, it’s two different situations, but record-wise, we’re not where we wanted to be at this point, we’re way behind that. I don’t really know what their problem is. I can only focus on our problem over here and try to get better at that.”
Anthony scored 19 points in three quarters in the previous meeting between the teams on Dec. 5, a 30-point blowout win at Barclays Center.
RELATED: LAWRENCE: NOT TOO LATE FOR MELO & CO. TO TURN IT AROUND
But the Knicks (15-25) have lost three consecutive games following a season-high five straight victories. That slide includes a shaky loss to the Clippers on Friday night to open a critical eight-game home stand, dropping New York to 7-13 at MSG this season.
“It’s very important. We got seven games left here on this stretch, and starting (Monday), we really gotta buckle in and concentrate on what’s at hand,” Mike Woodson said. “This could really make our season if we take care of business, like I know we’re capable of doing. It’s been a rough start the way we’ve played here at home, but we got to put all of that behind us and really focus in and concentrate on these next seven games at home.”
The Knicks are expecting Pablo Prigioni (broken toe) to return after missing 16 games, and Woodson indicated the veteran point guard might start alongside Raymond Felton in the backcourt. A return to that smaller alignment likely would push Andrea Bargnani to the bench, with Anthony manning the power forward spot.
The Nets (16-22), who might get back All-Star point guard Deron Williams, have won six of seven while similarly playing Paul Pierce at power forward in recent games. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do yet, in terms of who’s going to start. We’ve had some success, as you recall last year, with playing (Prigioni) and Raymond both and Melo back at the four,” Woodson said. “I’m not opposed to going back small based on what other team’s do. (Brooklyn has) been going small-ball lately... That was kind of us last year with all the shooters and how we spread it and had Melo at the four. So we’ll see how it goes.”
METTA COMPLICATIONS
Metta World Peace predicted he’d miss two weeks when he underwent blood-spinning procedures on both knees on Jan. 6, but Woodson indicated the veteran forward might require another platelet-rich plasma injection before he’s ready to return.
Source:- http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/new-yuck-knicks-nets-dud-matchup-article-1.1585068
The Knicks and the Nets were supposed to compete for basketball supremacy in New York this season, and they are separated by just two games in the standings — with Brooklyn ahead — entering their MLK Day matinee Monday at the Garden.
But as Carmelo Anthony noted, few would have expected the two locals to sport a combined record of 31-47 as the midway point of the season approaches.
“If you would have said both teams would have had these records at this point in the season at the beginning of the season, I would have put any amount of money on that. I would have bet against that,” Anthony said after Knicks practice Sunday in Greenburgh. “Right now, their situation, our situation, it’s two different situations, but record-wise, we’re not where we wanted to be at this point, we’re way behind that. I don’t really know what their problem is. I can only focus on our problem over here and try to get better at that.”
Anthony scored 19 points in three quarters in the previous meeting between the teams on Dec. 5, a 30-point blowout win at Barclays Center.
RELATED: LAWRENCE: NOT TOO LATE FOR MELO & CO. TO TURN IT AROUND
But the Knicks (15-25) have lost three consecutive games following a season-high five straight victories. That slide includes a shaky loss to the Clippers on Friday night to open a critical eight-game home stand, dropping New York to 7-13 at MSG this season.
“It’s very important. We got seven games left here on this stretch, and starting (Monday), we really gotta buckle in and concentrate on what’s at hand,” Mike Woodson said. “This could really make our season if we take care of business, like I know we’re capable of doing. It’s been a rough start the way we’ve played here at home, but we got to put all of that behind us and really focus in and concentrate on these next seven games at home.”
The Knicks are expecting Pablo Prigioni (broken toe) to return after missing 16 games, and Woodson indicated the veteran point guard might start alongside Raymond Felton in the backcourt. A return to that smaller alignment likely would push Andrea Bargnani to the bench, with Anthony manning the power forward spot.
The Nets (16-22), who might get back All-Star point guard Deron Williams, have won six of seven while similarly playing Paul Pierce at power forward in recent games. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do yet, in terms of who’s going to start. We’ve had some success, as you recall last year, with playing (Prigioni) and Raymond both and Melo back at the four,” Woodson said. “I’m not opposed to going back small based on what other team’s do. (Brooklyn has) been going small-ball lately... That was kind of us last year with all the shooters and how we spread it and had Melo at the four. So we’ll see how it goes.”
METTA COMPLICATIONS
Metta World Peace predicted he’d miss two weeks when he underwent blood-spinning procedures on both knees on Jan. 6, but Woodson indicated the veteran forward might require another platelet-rich plasma injection before he’s ready to return.
Source:- http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/new-yuck-knicks-nets-dud-matchup-article-1.1585068
