New York Knickerbockers

[Guiness]

I'm pleasantly surprised with how the Knicks played against the Bucks. Langston Galloway was on fire in the 2nd half with the 3's. The Knicks bench picked up the slack. The starters were struggling, including Melo. But i like the hustle and energy the bench put up. If they play with this type of consistency and effort each night i think they would do fine this season. The effort the players put up in this game was a far cry from last year's team.

 

Melo had an off night, but was all smiles because the bench picked it up for him. He'll bounce back hopefully. They play the Hawks tomorrow. Hopefully they can show the same type of energy

[Eddy Syet]

First, congrats to the Knicks for beating my Bucks.

 

I'm happy with what I saw in Kristaps in Jerian. Jerian's slated to overtake Calderon some time this season I've been drafting him in the last rounds for my fantasy teams. Derrick Williams wreaked havoc and it's unfortunate that the player who I believe could have neutralized him was suspended. Damn you, Giannis!

 

I'm happy with what I saw with our rookie too. Vaughn was touted as a scorer and that's exactly what he did. He scored 10 points on limited minutes.

 

No excuses here, the Knicks played well, my team did not - specially in offense. I hope we'll win the next game.

[Guiness]

The real test is how they would do against the top teams in the league, Cleveland, Miami, OKC, Golden State. But i do hope they sustain this type of effort every game. Even if they struggle on offense, i like their effort on the defensive end. Your offense will have off nights but defense is all about effort. Hopefully they do that every game. We got a real test against Atlanta for their home opener later

[Guiness]

The only take away i can get from the Hawks loss. Porzingis still playing hard even if they were down. Good steal and throwing it down at the other end. Melo still struggled. But i hope he gets his legs under him soon and get in a good shooting rhythm as the season progresses.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svFBgwUuXM4

[Eddy Syet]

The only take away i can get from the Hawks loss. Porzingis still playing hard even if they were down. Good steal and throwing it down at the other end. Melo still struggled. But i hope he gets his legs under him soon and get in a good shooting rhythm as the season progresses.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svFBgwUuXM4

 

How can you not like a 7-footer who can move like that?

 

If this kid puts on more weight and gets stronger, watch out!

[Guiness]

At Last a great game from Melo. After 2 lackluster games. He exploded and dropped 37 pts on the Wizards. Hope he gets into a good rhythm in the upcoming games and continues this improvement back to form. One more thing, Don't talk trash to Melo because this is what happens. Ask Jared Dudley

 

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14023186/carmelo-anthony-new-york-knicks-responds-overrated-claim-scoring-37-points-washington-wizards

 

 

Carmelo Anthony scores 37 against Wizards after Jared Dudley's critique

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Saying he circled this game on his calendar, Carmelo Anthony had a point to prove to Washington's Jared Dudley that he is not the most overrated player in the NBA.

Dudley said back in May that the New York Knicks star was overrated because of his inability to go deep into the playoffs. He would later apologize but apparently that apology fell on deaf ears as Anthony exploded for a season-high 37 points to help the spoil the Wizards' home opener, 117-110, at the Verizon Center.

"Oh yeah, it got back to me," Anthony said when asked about Dudley's comments. "Definitely got back to me. I might not look at it and read all that stuff but it gets back to me."

Anthony came into this game struggling to find his rhythm, shooting just 32.6 percent from the field and making only 1 of 12 3-point shots in his first two games. But he got hot quickly against Washington, burying six of his first eight shots and scoring 18 by halftime.

With 4:58 left in the second quarter, Anthony and Dudley were assessed double technical fouls. And down the stretch, Anthony was clutch, scoring 11 of his points in the fourth including burying a go-ahead 21-footer on Dudley to give the Knicks a 108-106 lead with 1:35 remaining.

"I mean it becomes competitive at that point, you just want to go out there and show what you are made out of," Anthony said when asked about the technicals and Dudley guarding him late. "Tonight is one of those nights. It had nothing really to do with him but this was a game that I circled on my calendar. I'll see him three more times."

Appearing on ESPN radio back in late May, Dudley was asked who the most overrated player in the NBA is.

"The reason I say Carmelo is because Carmelo is viewed as a top-five player, he's viewed in the NBA as a top-five," Dudley said then. "Carmelo, he has the talent to be able to facilitate. The triangle should fit him to where he's got to make guys better, and defensively he's got to take it to the next level up."

"Carmelo, you gotta get out, you gotta get out the first, second round," Dudley added. "You gotta get your team to the playoffs. LeBron [James] with that [Knicks'] roster... he would have got them to the playoffs, he would have got them to at least the eighth seed. He's not LeBron, he doesn't have to be."

Dudley later apologized on ESPN radio and said, "I shouldn't have said that, that was my fault for saying that because it's not the truth."

Anthony, though, did not forget.

"It wasn't really nothing kind of personal against him," Anthony said when asked if he thought about the comment before making his go-ahead shot over Dudley. "I just knew what was said in the offseason. So that was in the back of my mind."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b29AKLcjd4

Edited November 2, 2015 by hahnz

[Guiness]

Even though the Knicks lost to the Cavs I like how they competed and played hard. Even though Melo is still struggling to find his rhythm his teammates are giving a very good effort. Galloway, Porzingis, O'Quinn, Derrick Williams even Robin Lopez. I love their effort. Hopefully they continue to improve each game and be able to get more players that will get turn them to championship contenders.

[Guiness]

Maybe Kristaps Porzingis will 'complete' Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks

 

Syracuse, N.Y. — It was only a few months ago, upon hearing the name of Kristaps Porzingis, that those New York fans in the NBA Draft house did what New York fans so often do.

They booed the then-teenager from Latvia. They booed him because he wasn't Emmanuel Mudiay or Willie Cauley-Stein or Justise Winslow. They booed him because they imagined that the Knicks might just have anointed the next Darko Milicic.

Ignorance can be bliss, sure. But sometimes ignorance is just that — ignorance. And those New York fans who jeered Porzingis, the fourth overall selection in the draft, seem now to have been immersed in just that. Ignorance.

Of course, it's early. We're only five games into the NBA's regular season. But so far, Porzingis is out-shooting Carmelo Anthony (.396 to .365), out-rebounding Robin Lopez (7.4 to 4.6) and out-performing everybody else on the Knicks roster.

Which only goes to show — at this point, anyway — that Phil Jackson, the Zen Master who'd chosen Porzingis, was right … and that Anthony, the Syracuse University Orange ex-pat who'd curled his lip at the thought of sharing his frontcourt with the kid, was wrong.

 

(Warning: These are the forlorn Knicks,

remember, so any faint ray of light can become an ocean sunrise for them.

This is New York City, remember, which means good becomes great on the overnight say-so of the tabs.

This is the franchise and the town and the fan base,

remember, that so quickly spawned the legend of Jeremy Lin, who was equal parts Bob Cousy and Thomas Aquinas. So be advised.)

OK, the Knicks, who next play on Friday night at Madison Square Garden against Milwaukee, are still only 2-3. And facing a remaining November schedule that includes bouts with Oklahoma City, Cleveland, Miami, Toronto, New Orleans and Houston (twice), their record is almost certain to have a bad whiff to it heading into December.

 

But this New York club, by Eastern Conference standards, looks to be one that bodes to be interesting (at least) … a fringe playoff contender (if Melo stays healthy and continues to actually pass the ball, if only bi-weekly) … and maybe even a nuisance to the Cavaliers and Bulls, the Hawks and Wizards, the Raptors and Heat (at best).

 

And why? Well, in large part (literally) because of the apparent promise that is Porzingis, the 7-foot-3, 240-pound honest-to-goodness athlete who just turned 20, should do nothing but improve and is already averaging 12.0 points, those aforementioned 7.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game in only 23.2 minutes of floor time.

"Seeing him, at 7-3, with the touch he has from the perimeter," mused Jerian Grant, another Knicks rookie, "there's a lot more to come."

 

The belief is that Porzingis is not Milicic, the hope is that he's more than Lin, the reality is he's a pretty good reason to watch the Knicks take on the Bucks on Friday. Five games in, that ain't bad.

[Guiness]

Building a Better Rotation for the New York Knicks

 

It's time for a shake-up in the New York Knicks' starting five.

There's talent to draw from on the team's bench, which has outscored opponents in every game. It's so strong some have asked whether the second unit is actually better than the starting one. It's at least maintained a positive +/-, which the starters have not.

While a strong second unit is awfully nice, it only plays together about half as many minutes as a starting five does. So changes must be made.

The problem (once again) lies in the backcourt. Since you can't really do a full five-for-five swap, and put the starters on the bench, maybe the fix is simply to wait for shooting guard Arron Afflalo to return from injury.

Or perhaps a better answer is to steal the second unit's backcourt of rookie Jerian Grant and second-year man Langston Galloway.

But do you really want to break up that high-performing B squad? Do you really want a starting lineup with two rookies and an undrafted guy you called up from the D-League last year?

Yes. Yes you do.

 

1. Point Guard

 

Hey, at least you've got to try it. Already Galloway and Grant are averaging more minutes per game than the starting guards, Jose Calderon and Sasha Vujacic—a sign that Knicks head coach Derek Fisher trusts them when it counts.

Galloway is a combo guard, but G2 (as I think of them) are a dynamic duo with Grant at the point and Galloway at the 2 spot. They're one of the best-performing two-man lineups on the squad, with a +/- of +5.0. (The only one better that's played more than a few minutes is Grant and Kyle O'Quinn.) They think and move alike, pushing in transition, driving the lane and creating for teammates. They increase the pace of the game.

So the goal should be to keep the two on the court together as much as possible. Galloway will also run some point in Grant's stead, alongside Afflalo or Vujacic, but Calderon (sigh) will still need to handle a sizable chunk of time.

I promised I would go easier on Jose Calderon this year. And indeed, he's not as awful as he was last season. Hardly any turnovers. And I can't recall a single shot clock violation. So he's less of a liability than he used to be.

But a starting point guard should do more than not screw up. Grant has simply outperformed him. You want numbers? Jerian Grant has the best +/- on the team right now (+6.0); Calderon one of the worst (-5.0).

 

The verdict:

Starter:

Jerian Grant, 26 minutes

Reserves:

Langston Galloway, 8 minutes as PG + 18 minutes as SG

Jose Calderon, 14 minutes or as little as possible

 

2. Shooting Guard

 

When you need the hustle play that completely turns the momentum around in the Knicks' favor, you put in Langston Galloway. He's the guy who nails the clutch three-pointer, scrabbles on the floor for a loose ball or orchestrates the fast break.

He's currently averaging 11.2 points, 2.2 assists and 4.8 rebounds, and he's the only one in New York presenting any threat from behind the arc (64.7 3FG%).

In comparison, Sasha Vujacic is a capable guard and talented team cheerleader. He does manage to swoop to the hoop and occasionally gets a hot hand, but for the most part he's tossing up bricks and is more appropriate as a reserve.

So what happens when Afflalo returns from the nagging hamstring strain that's kept him in a suit and tie so far this season? He is a strong, veteran two-way guard and may slide right into the starting lineup.

But if the starting lineup is really swinging with a new Gallo-Grant backcourt, then Afflalo could help toughen up the second unit again, which will need his typically strong defense once Galloway is gone.

Besides, with Galloway pulling double duty as PG, there will be room for both.

Starter:

Langston Galloway: 18 minutes as SG + 8 minutes as PG

Reserves:

Arron Afflalo: 20 minutes

Sasha Vujacic: 10 minutes

 

3. Small Forward

Surprise, surprise: Carmelo Anthony stays in the starting five and keeps cranking out 32 minutes per game. Even though Melo's stroke has been off—except the night of his 37-point Halloween show in Washington—he's still the man and still deserves the top spot, especially if he keeps bringing the tenacity on defense and banging the boards like he's been.

The reserve squad is where it gets tricky. After so cruelly stealing the second unit's backcourt from it, should Fisher leave the rest of it as is—Lance Thomas, Derrick Williams, Kyle O'Quinn—or make room for power forward Lou Amundson, who returned from an injury Wednesday?

That may depend on rebounds and defense. The B squad currently gets five bounds from Galloway and plenty of intangible defensive hustle. Make Gallo a starter and that squad may need a boost on the boards and an extra scrapper. Amundson can certainly be the man for that job. In that case, knock one of the rebounding slouches (Williams and Thomas) out of the way to make room.

In the immediate future, though, better to leave the trio as it is and tweak it if necessary. Thomas and Williams stay where they are...but they're on notice!

Then there's poor, oft-forgotten Cleanthony Early. He deserves some playing time. But when he's fighting for minutes with Carmelo Anthony, they're hard to come by, and Thomas's strong performances this season have made it tougher. Yet, the only way to develop Early is to regularly give him a solid chunk of non-garbage time and see what he does with it.

Starter:

Carmelo Anthony, 32 minutes

Reserves:

Lance Thomas, 11 minutes

Cleanthony Early, 5 minutes (in a row)

 

4. Power Forward

What more could we ask of rookie Kristaps Porzingis? He's logging 12 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.8 steals. Despite his spindly frame, he even managed not to get knocked around too badly by strongmen like LaMarcus Aldridge and Tim Duncan. His three-pointer isn't falling, but if he keeps blocking shots and cleaning up misses with put-back slams over the likes of Aldridge and Kevin Love, then who cares?

KP has earned his right to the starting job. The Knicks should be careful, though; he's still a growing boy, and they need to make sure they don't injure him with overwork.

As for Williams, he has not dazzled like he did in preseason. There's a new timidity that wasn't there before, almost like he's afraid of screwing up. Yet, he's adequate, still bringing 10.6 points in 15.2 minutes, and the memory of those blazing preseason performances are still fresh. Let him hang in there and see if he can get the magic back.

Amundson has not yet seen the floor. The best time to swap him in for Williams is when the team needs defense or an injection of energy. As the Knicks learned last season, Amundson's scrappiness is infectious.

Starter:

Kristaps Porzingis, 24 minutes, if he can stay out of foul trouble long enough

Reserves:

Derrick Williams: 14 minutes

Lou Amundson: 10 minutes, unless the team needs more D

 

5. Center

No need for change here. In Robin Lopez and Kyle O'Quinn, the Knicks are fortunate to have two centers who are contributing on both ends of the floor and giving them respectable rebounding numbers.

For no particular reason, RoLo likes to put his points up quick. He's been giving the Knicks an immediate burst and an early lead by knocking in a couple of buckets off the glass during the first minute or two. His hook shot is hit-and-miss, but he annoys opponents under the bucket, and he's helping on the boards.

O'Quinn's got a smoother jump shot than Lopez but otherwise is delivering much of the same and is a reliable backup. As for Kevin Seraphin, he's mostly just a big body when you need one (6'10", 278 lbs), but he also has a soft touch on the ball when he's down low.

Starter:

Robin Lopez, 26

Reserves:

Kyle O'Quinn, 16

Kevin Seraphin, 6

Edited November 6, 2015 by hahnz

[Guiness]

http://www.nba.com/knicks/news/preview-knicks-host-kobes-lakers-msg

Preview: Knicks Host Kobe's Lakers at MSG

Game Info:

New York Knicks (2-4) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (1-4)

Madison Square Garden (3:30)

TV: MSG; Radio: ESPN NY 98.7

Knicks Report:

 

Still in search of their first home win after three tries, the Knicks finally get a shot against a non-playoff team from a year ago. They've emerged with a 2-4 record after facing some of the NBA's best teams to start the season, and today they'll look to notch an MSG victory against the Lakers before they hit the road for a Tuesday/Wednesday back-to-back this week

 

The Knicks had a shot in Friday night's 99-92 loss to Milwaukee -- Carmelo Anthony spoke about missed opportunities in his post-game interview -- but couldn't get over the hump after clawing back from an early 11-point deficit and tying the game multiple times in the 4th quarter. Anthony scored 17 points, but struggled at times with the length of Giannis Antetokounmpo, who finished with 20 and 7 rebounds.

Kristaps Porzingis recorded his second career double-double, with 14 points and 13 rebounds, but he and his front-court mates weren't able to contain John Henson, who came of the Bucks' bench to lead all scorers with 22 points. Porzingis also added two more emphatic put-back dunks to his rapidly growing highlight reel.

News and Notes:

• Arron Afflalo spoke to reporters briefly after Friday's game, saying he would practice on Saturday (he did) and expects to make his season debut on the upcoming road trip, if not today. We'll keep you posted if Derek Fisher and the medical staff do decide to green light the shooting guard.
• Langston Galloway shot 3-for-9 against Milwaukee, but got to the free throw line seven times and finished with 13 points and 7 boards. His 32 minutes off the bench led all Knicks guards.
• Robin Lopez keyed the Knicks' offense early, scoring 10 of his 12 points in the first half, but played only 22 minutes in Friday's loss. His presence down low could be a key factor against Lakers center Roy Hibbert.
• After he missed the last two contests due to injury, Knicks fans will be excited to see future Hall-of-Famer Kobe Bryant play in L.A.'s annual appearance at Madison Square Garden. Bryant's 61 points were an MSG record until Anthony scored 62 two seasons ago, and the Black Mamba holds a handful of other free-throw related records at the Mecca. The 37-year-old has logged 20 NBA seasons and has not publicly announced if he'll continue to play after this season. He's averaging 16.2 points but shooting just 32.1 percent so far this year.
• The Lakers' future likely hinges on the growth of a trio of young players: 2014-15 1st team All-Rookie Jordan Clarkson, 2015 No. 2 overall pick D'Angelo Russell, and 2014 lottery selection Julius Randle. Clarkson (17.8 PPG) has emerged as arguably the teams's best player and Randle is averaging 14 points and 8 boards after breaking his leg in his first NBA game. Russell is still finding his way in a crowded backcourt rotation.

[Guiness]

I'm just happy the Knicks were able to win against the Lakers. Another poor shooting night for Kobe. Melo wasn't better either but his team won and KP had gotten key rebounds late in the game to preserve the win.

[Guiness]

Knicks ‘steal’ Kristaps Porzingis busting his biggest draft myth

Kristaps Porzingis could shoot. That much was clear heading into the NBA draft.

But hailing from Latvia, Porzingis was slapped with the potential to be too soft, his slim 7-foot-3 frame not helping to counter the claims the NBA’s physicality might be too much for him.

 

In the first seven games of his rookie season, however, Porzingis has crushed those concerns. Despite struggling at what he’s believed to do best — hitting under 40 percent of shots from the field and 22.7 percent on 3-pointers — the 20-year-old has made an immediate impact because of his energy and aggression, with Magic Johnson calling him the “steal of the draft” after the fourth-overall pick’s double-double helped the Knicks defeat the Lakers and No. 2 pick D’Angelo Russell on Sunday.

Entering Tuesday’s game in Toronto, Porzingis is the Knicks’ second-leading scorer (12.3 points per game), leader in rebounds (8.6) and steals (1.3) and tied for the team lead in blocks (1.3), despite playing less than 25 minutes per game.

 

“I think you have to give our management and our scouting department a lot of credit for really seeing the other parts of his game — the toughness, the willingness to throw his body in the paint — that a lot of people didn’t see,” coach Derek Fisher said. “A lot of people just saw the shooting and were kind of fascinated by that. We saw the length and the activity on the defensive end.

 

“Kristaps is learning where his offense is going to come from, where he’s going to be most effective. He hasn’t quite learned how to play on the post just yet. He obviously can shoot the basketball well, but most of his offense is coming from his activity, offensive rebounds, running the floor. You don’t have to be a guy the offense runs through in order to be effective, and that’s good to see.”

 

 

Carmelo Anthony was optimistic the rookie would be a key contributor based on what he’d seen before the season started, but Porzingis’ athleticism and size have allowed him to excel more than Anthony believed he could this early in his career.

“I don’t want to call him a freak of nature, but he’s 7-3, he’s a guy who can shoot the ball,” Anthony said. “At this point, to get a double-double, to get 10 rebounds, it’s kind of easy for him. … He’s taking the shots he’s supposed to take. He’ll get a better feel for the game as the season goes along.”

Porzingis, who has posted double-doubles in three of the past four games, has been most pleased with his consistency at this point, having been held under 10 points only once.

 

“I’m bringing the same numbers to the team every game, [and] I want to keep that. I want to raise that, obviously,” Porzingis said. “I’m going to have bad games, good games, but the thing I always want to bring is the energy and the intensity on the floor. That’s my main focus.”

That’s most important, especially as a rookie. Fisher knows an 82-game season ensures the shine won’t always remain so bright.

“I don’t think we could anticipate he’s been as good as he’s been, [but] there will probably be a stretch for two weeks where he looks bad and everybody’s questioning whether we should’ve drafted him,” Fisher said. “I just think it’s important that we continue to give him space to find out who he is, how he can help us.

“We don’t want to put him in a box where he’s supposed to get 12 and 10 or he’s supposed to do anything. He’s a rookie, and he has a lot to learn. His ceiling is a long way from where he is now, and we just have to be excited about the present, but also the future.”

[Guiness]

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/knicks-rookie-kristaps-porzingis-woking-post-up-game-article-1.2437288

 

Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis working on post up game, trying to become complete player

The Knicks were stomped out by the Cavaliers, rudderless on offense as the shot clock ticked toward the end of each disappointing possession. They made just two field goals in the opening seven minutes of the fourth quarter during that defeat last week, collapsing under stagnancy until Kristaps Porzingis backed down Kevin Love and banked in a hook shot.

It looked so easy for the 7-footer, so efficient, and then it disappeared. The Knicks returned to jacking up long shot attempts, and, for the most part, Porzingis abandoned the post over the next two games.

For whatever reason — and it’s safe to presume his lack of strength is a factor — backdowns aren’t Porzingis’ preferred style. But he’s trying to change that and is hoping for an opportunity to add what’s a staple in the repertoires of his two favorable comparisons — Dirk Nowitzki and Pau Gasol.

“That’s one of the things I’m working on. I want to play more in the post,” he said. “I’ve been adding some moves, adding some stuff to my post game. So the more comfortable I get, the more my teammates trust me and pass me the ball in the post and let me go to work then we’ll see.”

 

The post-up hook against Love was a “basic move” practiced over the summer with his brother, Porzingis said, and something “you’ve got to build on.”

But coach Derek Fisher isn’t pushing another task on his 20-year-old rookie.

“If the opportunities present themselves, sure. But you can’t conquer everything 11 games into your first season as a player,” Fisher said. “I think what’s allowing Kris to be successful is that he hasn’t tried to do some specific thing every night... His best offense has been offensive rebounding and running the floor. I think he should continue to focus on those things and his post game or post play will just develop over time rather than it being something that he needs to focus on.

“To me, post play is not necessarily just backing a guy down underneath the rim,” Fisher added. “I think Kris’ size and length and the fact that he could shoot the ball from wherever he is on the floor, you have to respect that. That sets up a lot of opportunities to make moves, countermoves, and he’ll develop those things as he matures and kind of learns how to play offense in the NBA.”

Fisher has already dropped enough on Porzingis as the go-to player for last-second shots in two of the previous three games. Tonight at the Garden is a rematch of last week’s game in Charlotte, where Porzingis nailed a potential game-winning 3-pointer just a split-second after the final buzzer.

In the subsequent defeat two days later to the Cavs, Porzingis was targeted for a lob that would’ve cut the deficit to 2 with 17 seconds left.

 

 

In both instances, Lance Thomas’ inbounds pass was off and the Knicks didn’t score.

“I had to catch the ball perfectly and shoot a little quicker,” Porzingis said of his 3-point hoist against Charlotte. “So I stumbled the ball a little bit and (the pass) came low, that’s why I couldn’t get the shot off. Stuff happens. The pass wasn’t great. The catch wasn’t great. It was a little too late.

“I shot it, and I made the shot. They didn’t count it but I could tell I like those moments and I want to take those important shots. That’s my mentality. Now I proved to the team I could do that if they need me to.”

Fisher is happy to have another option besides relying on Carmelo Anthony to take a contested jumper, even if Porzingis’ post game isn’t ready.

“His ability to shoot the basketball just opens up so many possibilities at the end of games. And then also his athleticism where you can run lob plays to the rim also opens up a lot of possibilities,” Fisher said. “Carmelo setting really good screens at the end of games is going to be challenging for opponents because his guy normally doesn’t want to leave him. So there’s a lot we’ll be able to do at the end of those games.”

Edited November 18, 2015 by hahnz

[Guiness]

Knicks hope spectator Kevin Durant is seeing their upgrades

When the Knicks kick off their four-game road trip and face Oklahoma City on Friday, Kevin Durant is expected to miss his fifth straight game with a hamstring strain suffered last week.

Durant has ramped up his activity, but Sunday appears to be a better bet for his return. As luck would have it, Durant is being inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in Tulsa on Thursday.

He missed both Knicks games last season with foot issues, so it would mark the third straight time they have faced the Thunder minus the 6-foot-11 superstar who will be a free agent this summer. The Knicks should have at least a puncher’s chance at him with all their Durant connections.

The Knicks were in Oklahoma City over last Thanksgiving, and Durant opened up his restaurant so the Knicks could have a private feast on their off day in town as a favor to his former Thunder teammate Derek Fisher and his former assistant coach Brian Keefe, known as Durant’s top workout guy.

Entering this season, the Knicks added developmental coach David Bliss, a video coordinator on Scott Brooks’ old Thunder staff. As the Knicks were on the verge of hiring Fisher, Durant gave glowing reviews.

Durant’s connection with Carmelo Anthony is strong. Anthony hails from Baltimore via Brooklyn. Durant grew up in Seat Pleasant, Md., just outside Washington.

When the Thunder were at the Garden in January, an injured Durant, dealing with foot issues, hung out on the court, mingling an hour before tipoff. Suddenly Anthony emerged. Durant’s face lit up and the two embraced and spoke animatedly on the court for 10 minutes — an unusual scene so close to game time.

The Knicks weren’t a hot ticket for free agents last season coming off a 17-65 record and with a European project first-round pick named Kristaps Porzingis. With a 6-6 start and Porzingis looking to be a potential cornerstone player, the Knicks could be an attractive destination if Durant decides to leave Oklahoma City.

 

Nevertheless, the Knicks are about $4 million short of having maximum cap space. They would need to have either Derrick Williams or Arron Afflalo opt out of their two-year deals, and that is hardly a given. Team president Phil Jackson can get very close to having max room if he uses a stretch provision on point guard Jose Calderon.

Lou Amundson has received medical clearance to practice Thursday after fears he suffered a concussion getting bashed in the head by Marvin Williams’ elbow in Tuesday’s win over the Hornets. Amundson passed Wednesday’s final concussion protocol tests. Williams, who was ejected from the game, was fined $15,000 by the league. Amundson was upset only because some of his hair had to be shaved to apply glue-based stitches.

Langston Galloway is starting to emerge as an early Sixth Man of the Year candidate. Galloway has played more fourth-quarter minutes than Anthony, leads the NBA in offensive rating (131) and is second in 3-point percentage. Galloway also could become a sought-after free agent in 2016 after being Second-Team All-Rookie last season.

Edited November 19, 2015 by hahnz

[Guiness]

Knicks 3rd straight win this time over the Rockets

Edited November 22, 2015 by hahnz