Uphill battle in the Mile High City.
This season’s Knicks have had plenty of tests and difficult times stemming from injuries, and some bad luck with scheduling. Yet for the most part, they’ve answered the call in a way that only this team can. They’ve stuck together, stayed resilient, and have seemingly played better the more difficult the situation becomes. And tonight, they have another tough task as they head to Denver to take on a 48-21 Nuggets team to cap off what has thus far been a very successful west coast road trip.
The Knicks, as they have proven time and time again this season, are capable of coming away with a surprise victory. They beat the Bucks on Christmas Day, blew out a Sixers team with Joel Embiid, overcame the Cavaliers without Brunson, and even saw them dominate this Nuggets team just a couple of months ago. But a lot has changed since then.
First off, that Nuggets team that came in to The Garden was very clearly not the Nuggets that won the championship last year. Denver was on the last the stop of what was a grueling road trip and while the Knicks played a great game themselves, that game looked more like the result of the schedule and the Nuggets beating themselves.
Secondly, the Knicks will be without OG Anunoby this time around. The versatile wing defender who was instrumental in disrupting the Nuggets’ elite offense, will remain sidelined with what the team is currently calling injury management.
Thirdly, Denver is home. The Nuggets are a good team regardless of where they play, but with a 21-15 record away from home, it’s evident that they are much more formidable on the road. But at home, they’ve been exceptional all season long and it’s been very clear that they are much more difficult to beat there. They seem to be able to turn it up a notch when playing in Denver and with the home crowd and elevation factor behind them, they’ve been able to protect home court where they are 27-6, which is the second best home record in the league.
Prediction
Even with a fully healthy version of this team, one that includes Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, and the aforementioned Anunoby, defeating the Nuggets in Denver is a daunting task. Without all three, it will likely take both the Knicks playing out of their minds and the Nuggets being off their game. And that is certainly possible, for sure. We’ve seen this Denver team, especially this season, play with their food a bit and get out to slow starts with Nikola Jokic looking somewhat uninterested, Jamal Murray looking off rhythm, and Michael Porter Jr. not being able to find his shot. But there’s a reason they are who they are. As mentioned above, they have the second best home record in the league and with the Thunder just .5 games ahead of them for the first seed, and the Timberwolves just a game behind them for the third seed, I think they smell blood and come out with a little extra motivation against a team that blew them out not too long ago. Denver wins 120-105.
Game Details
Who: New York Knicks (41-27) at Denver Nuggets (48-21)
When: 9:00 pm EST, Thursday, March 21, 2024
Where: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Watch: MSG
Follow: @ptknicksblog