The New York Knicks stored one lengthy streak going Tuesday with their win at Toronto.
On Wednesday, the Knicks shall be trying to finish one other lengthy one once they host the Oklahoma City Thunder.
New York hasn’t defeated the Thunder at Madison Square Garden since Dec. 16, 2017, when Michael Beasley and Courtney Lee have been the Knicks’ main scorers.
For the Thunder, Wednesday’s recreation is following a trek by a few of the prime groups within the Eastern Conference.
Since the All-Star break, the Thunder have confronted Cleveland, Toronto, Detroit, Denver and now the Knicks.
Oklahoma City is 6-1 because the break, dropping to solely Detroit on Feb. 25.
The Thunder are coming off a 116-108 win in Chicago on Tuesday regardless of taking part in with out Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Isaiah Hartenstein, along with the lengthy-time period absences of Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell.
Gilgeous-Alexander and Hartenstein determine to return for Wednesday’s matchup.
Like the Thunder, the Knicks are on the second night time of a again-to-again and come on a 3-recreation successful streak.
The Knicks knocked off Toronto 111-95 on the street Tuesday, because of 26 factors from Jalen Brunson and 21 factors, 12 rebounds and six assists from Karl-Anthony Towns. New York held the Raptors to only 37 second-half factors en path to defeating the membership for the twelfth straight time.
“We’ve got to hang our hat on that end of the floor,” Knicks coach Mike Brown mentioned of his staff’s protection, “and our guys are doing it. They’re doing it with physicality first and then trying to get that ball off the glass second.”
The Wednesday recreation is the continuation of maybe the hardest stretch of the season for New York.
The Knicks, who’ve knocked off the San Antonio Spurs and Raptors in consecutive video games, will hit the street to play Denver on Friday and on the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.
While Brown did not wish to put an excessive amount of weight on Wednesday’s matchup with the defending champions, he mentioned it was one other recreation to measure simply the place his staff stands coming into the closing stretch of the common season.
“How are we going to be able to handle the stuff on both ends of the floor and if we get stuck here, we get stuck there. It’s an opportunity to continue to grow,” Brown mentioned.
Jared McCain continues to make a big impression for the Thunder since being acquired from the Philadelphia 76ers.
McCain scored 20 factors within the win on Tuesday, marking the third time previously seven video games that he has reached the 20-level plateau. The second-12 months guard hit that mark simply eleven in 37 video games with the 76ers this season.
“He plays a consistent game,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault mentioned of McCain. “He would not play exterior of his recreation, ever. He’s all the time able to play.
Gilgeous-Alexander continues to shut in on Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA document for many consecutive video games with 20 or extra factors.
The reigning Most Valuable Player has reached the mark in 123 consecutive video games, simply three away from tying the mark set by Chamberlain from 1961-63.
–Field Level Media
