Game Preview Article: Los Angeles Clippers @ New York Knicks
This is a game immediately conditioned by the Winter Storm Nemo, as both teams only got to New York on Saturday, when in normal conditions they would arrived on Friday Night. With the Knicks forced to stay in Minnesota for an extra night, Coach Mike Woodson met with players at the team hotel to watch film and hold a walk-through for their game against the Clippers. Eventually, the Knicks arrived to their city at 2PM EST on Saturday.
The Clippers "chose" the wrong time for their key starts to get injured all at the same time, but they all came back in the game at Miami, Chauncey Billups included! He was immediately a starter and this makes me wonder if everybody is really 100% healthy right now, while Chris Paul really looked far from his best against the Heat. Then, there's a chemistry problem with so many returns at the same time. It's not easy to take conclusions of the problems in resetting the Clippers's rotation just from their game against the Heat, they were completely destroyed by Lebron James. However, with so many returns, of course the rotations need to be reset and it takes time to redevelop the team's chemistry as well. After today's game, the Clippers will play in the following game at Philadelphia, then they host Houston on Wednesday and finally, they will end the first half of the season with a back to back game against the Lakers, on their fourth game in five nights! Just to think that they will play at New York City this Sunday and they will be playing at home next Wednesday really shows how this final week of the first half of the season will be very tough for them, especially with so many banged up players.
The Knicks are coming from a win at Minnesota, where they defeated the Timberwolves in a close game. I took the Wolves +6.5 in that game, as I believed that the Wolves's backcourt would have an edge on this matchup against the slow footed guards of the Knicks.
“I've been liking the Wolves's backcourt dynamic, as they put a lot of pressure on the opposing ball handler and they are very aggressive on offense. On their last game against San Antonio, Minnesota scored 18 fast break points with 7-11 FG and 1.40 PPP on transition plays!”
"Of course the Wolves don't have anybody with the speed of John Wall, but still Ricky Rubio, J.J. Barea and Alexey Shved are all quick speed. With this new configuration, Minnesota has been playing very well on transitions and cuts, with these two areas being the Knicks's main two defensive problems this season, as they are #23 on cuts defense with 1.21 PPP allowed and #22 on transition defense with 1.16 PPP allowed!”
This edge existed indeed, as the Knicks allowed easy penetrations from the Ricky Rubio/Luke Ridnour duo. The Knicks's transition defense was horrible, as their guards kept failing at pick up Rubio in transitions, so he would run freely to the rim, where a Knicks's frontcourt player would inevitably foul him in the act of shooting. Even though Ridnour and Rubio aren't known for having great skills on offense, they combined 38 points and 14 assists! Minnesota only wasn't more competitive because of their 1-13 on 3pts shots! Offensively, the Knicks had a great game from Carmelo Anthony, especially down the stretch. The NY team wasn't very sharp on 3pts with 8-26 (39.8%), but this has been normal for them on the road: 39.9% 3pts at home this season vs 36.4% 3pts on the road.
The key for the Knicks in here will be stopping the dribble penetrations from the Clippers's guards, especially on their second unit that worked so well early on the season, and of course their perimeter shooting against a Clippers's defense that gambles too much.
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