Knicks seek to make it two in a row with a statement revenge victory against a very good Thunder team
One week. That’s the amount of time that has elapsed since these two teams last met exactly one week ago. Yet, it feels like it’s been longer. Perhaps it’s because people are adjusting to their first full week back at work, or maybe it’s because the first few weeks of the new year always seem like a slog. For Knicks fans, the most prominent reason is likely neither of the aforementioned. The recent struggles and results of the Knicks are probably the culprit. In just seven days, fans have experienced the agony of rooting for a team with expectations. Last Friday afternoon, they believed this team, which was in the midst of a nine-game winning streak, was a contender on the same level as teams like the Thunder and Cavaliers. In the days that followed, they saw the Knicks drop a game to the Bulls, then inexplicably lose to a Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner-less Magic team in what might be the latest contender for the worst loss of the season.
But New York has the opportunity to erase all that tonight with a rematch against the Thunder—this time at home. Another loss would mark three losses in their last four games and would all but confirm to everyone in the basketball world that the Knicks are not contenders right now. However, a win, especially in a dominant fashion, would do wonders. It would instantly become the Knicks’ most impressive win of the season and put them back on the map as a team to watch out for going forward. For the fans, it would give them a reason to overreact once again, but this time in favor of their favorite team.
That’s contingent on a shaky and inconsistent Knicks team beating what many consider to be a top-two team in the league, though. And as last week showed, it will not be an easy task. The Thunder, unlike the Knicks, have started the new year in an exceptionally impressive manner. After rallying at home to beat the Knicks last Friday, they went on to defeat the Celtics in Boston by completely taking them out of their offense, and then they narrowly lost to the Cavaliers in Cleveland in an exciting back-and-forth game that pitted the league’s best against each other. While New York spent the last few days tanking their stock, Oklahoma City did the exact opposite, impressing many around the league with their depth and defense.
Everything that has happened in January, and really the entire season, will lead to the Thunder being clear favorites tonight. But the Knicks, evident by the first three quarters of last Friday’s matchup, have a clear lane to winning this game. The Knicks were able to attack MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on offense, mainly through the stellar play of Mikal Bridges, while OG Anunoby also punished the Thunder. If the Knicks can get more from Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 17 points on just 13 attempts, and get a much cleaner game from Jalen Brunson, who had one of the worst decision-making quarters of his season, they do have a shot.
Projected Starters
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has become the definition of consistency. His season game log lacks the massive explosions that often come in the shape of 50, and sometimes even 60-point performances. But he’s scored 40 or more four times, 30 or more points 21 times, and 20 or more points a whopping 35 times in 36 games this season. And last week, we saw him do what he’s done all season. Unless he has an uncharacteristically bad game, he’ll likely put on a show at The Garden and go for another cool 30-point performance.
As Knicks fans saw last week, Cason Wallace rarely puts up eye-popping numbers. However, his impact on the floor cannot be measured by his box score. On a nightly basis, he is tasked with tough matchups, and playing an incredibly disruptive brand of defense for 30+ minutes, and he’s very good at it.
Most Knicks fans know about Jalen Williams. It’s hard not to after he averaged 34.5PPG in the two games against New York in the 23-24 season. But for those of you who somehow do not know, Williams is the real deal. He’s only a sidekick because he plays with one of the best players in the world, but Williams’ elite skill set, and versatility on both sides of the ball is a large part of what makes the Thunder so damn good.
Lu Dort’s offensive game is mediocre and doesn’t create advantages for his team. He isn’t flashy on either side of the ball. And a lot of people dislike him. But he is exactly what this Thunder team needs. He is a physical defender, who doesn’t back down from anyone and is never afraid of doing the dirty work.
Knicks fans need no instruction to Isaiah Hartenstein. But if you’ve been living under a rock, or chose to forget about him and his time in New York after he left, here is a quick rundown. He’s an excellent rebounder, and screener, who is a great weakside helper, and rim protector, especially against less athletic players. Oh, and he’s also probably a top-three passing big man in the league. There’s a reason the Thunder are 19-2 since Hartenstein returned to the lineup.
Prediction
The Knicks will be major underdogs tonight, and rightfully so. The 30-6 Thunder have the second-best record in the league and, as mentioned above, are just a few days removed from incredibly impressive and convincing wins against both the Knicks and the Celtics. And they accomplished all this while the Knicks stumbled and struggled against much worse teams. That’s not to say that if everything clicks, New York can’t come away with a win. If Brunson and Towns both explode like we’ve seen them do at times this season, while Bridges and Anunoby get it going from three, their offense can beat anyone, even the Thunder’s. And while it doesn’t seem likely, if their defense can miraculously start stopping opponents from getting wide-open threes, then their chances of winning will only increase. But that seems like a lot of ifs to depend on, especially against an elite team that is so good at taking away what teams like to do. I hope, and think, that the Knicks can have a great half and stick with the Thunder. We saw them do it not too long ago. But I think the Thunder are just too good right now. I have the Thunder winning 114-110 in Hartenstein’s first game back in New York, and that’s not even because of the Knicks. It’s more so a testament to just how good the Thunder are right now.
Game Details
Date: Friday, January 10, 2025
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Place: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
TV: MSG, NBATV
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