The New York Knicks do not have to fret about dealing with the Oklahoma Town Thunder once more anytime quickly however two double-digit defeats to the most efficient crew within the Western Convention have raised some questions.
The Knicks will glance to get again not off course Sunday afternoon, after they host the Milwaukee Dollars in a struggle of Japanese Convention contenders.
Each groups had been off Saturday after taking part in Friday evening, when the Knicks had been routed 126-101 by means of the visiting Thunder and the Dollars edged the host Orlando Magic 109-106.
The Knicks’ loss was once their fourth in 5 video games following a nine-game profitable streak. The skid started Jan. 3 with a 117-107 loss at Oklahoma Town.
The losses to the Thunder is also indicative of a larger drawback for the Knicks, who’re in 3rd position within the Japanese Convention with a 25-14 file however haven’t begun to fare smartly in opposition to the NBA’s elite.
The Knicks are winless in 5 video games in opposition to the Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets, who’ve the 4 very best information within the NBA. New York’s reasonable margin of defeat within the 5 losses is 15.2 issues.
An early defensive struggle devolved right into a rout Friday, when the Knicks and Thunder had been tied 11-11 greater than seven mins into the primary earlier than Oklahoma Town took regulate by means of scoring 14 unanswered issues bridging the quarters. The Thunder led by means of as many as 28 issues in the second one quarter and by means of as many as 30 issues within the fourth.
“I felt like we did not do what we had been intended to do,” mentioned Knicks ahead Josh Hart, who had 16 issues and 13 rebounds within the loss. “Whether or not that was once power, consideration to element, focal point, no matter it was once, we did not do it. We have were given to construct from it, now we have were given to be told from it.”
The restoration procedure seems to be nearing of entirety for the Dollars, who moved right into a digital tie for fourth position within the East with Friday’s win over the Magic. Milwaukee has long gone 18-8 since a 2-8 begin to transfer share issues forward of Orlando, with each 12 1/2 video games off the Cavaliers’ tempo.
The Dollars are 2-0 this season in opposition to the Magic, who they host once more Wednesday evening.
“Nice win — we for sure wanted this win,” mentioned Dollars megastar ahead Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had 41 issues and 14 rebounds Friday. “It is a win that counts for 2, clearly.”
A final-minute defensive stand supplied the completing kick for the Dollars who’re 1-6 in reliable video games in opposition to the Thunder, Cavaliers, Celtics and Rockets. Milwaukee’s 97-81 win over Oklahoma Town within the NBA Cup championship sport Dec. 17 isn’t counted as a regular-season contest.
The Dollars led by means of 8 issues Friday with somewhat greater than 4 mins left earlier than the Magic inched inside 104-102 with 1:20 closing.
Orlando’s Tristan Da Silva neglected a possible go-ahead 3-pointer 30 seconds later and Milwaukee was once 5-of-6 from the loose throw line earlier than Brook Lopez grabbed the rebound of Cole Anthony’s practical free-throw pass over with 5 seconds left.
“We hung in there defensively to win the sport, and we will take that,” Dollars trainer Document Rivers mentioned. “All day.”
–Box Stage Media
