New York Claws Past Memphis

(*T*M*C) Back in November the Knicks visited the Grizzlies with a 6-0 record. There was a buzz in NYC that this year would be like none other. So while New York was walking in Memphis, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol helped to run the Knicks out-of-town 105-95. The rematch was tonight at the “World’s Most Famous Arena”, Madison Square Garden. New York comes in winners of 5 straight which included 3 important divisonal victories. Memphis arrives 47-23 on the season and are currently the 5th seed in the Western Conference. Head Coach Mike Woodson shared some insight. “The adjustments we’ve made on defense have been big. Pablo (Prigioni) likes to extend out wide on the ball which is what we need. Kenyon Martin is a defensive-minded individual on the blocks. Therefore, the tone has been set by the way we play defensively.” The Knicks exemplified that mindset and much more as they held off the Grizzlies 108-101.

New York was sparked by the brilliance of JR Smith who stole the show with 35 points(10-18 FGs, 3-7 3-PTs, 12-13 FTs), 7 rebounds and 2 assists. Carmelo Anthony, who thankfully shot better than last night, had 22 points(8-20 FGs, 0-2 3-PTs, 6-6 FTs), 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Iman Shumpert scored 16 points(6-10 FGs, 4-6 3-PTs), 3 rebounds and 3 steals. Raymond Felton tallied 13 points(5-6 FGs, 2-3 3-PTs, 1-2 FTs), 4 assists and 3 rebounds. Steve Novak continues to be solid off the bench collecting 9 points(3-8 FGs, 3-8 3-PTs). Memphis was powered by Mike Conley’s 26 points(6-16 FGs, 2-8 3-PTs, 12-14 FTs), 6 assists and 4 rebounds. Jerryd Bayless was strong off the bench with 24 points(8-17 FGs, 4-7 3-PTs, 4-4 FTs). Tony Allen scored 18 points(7-10 FGs, 4-5 FTs), 10 rebounds and 2 steals. Marc Gasol showed a ton of heart playing through an abdominal tear added 13 points(4-7 FGs, 5-7 FTs), 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Quincy Pondexter, another bench contributor, had 10 points(4-7 FGs, 0-2 3-PTs, 2-2 FTs) and 5 rebounds.

The Iman Shumpert Show dominated the 1st Quarter. Knee injury? What knee injury? Shumpert was on fire scoring 13 of New York’s first 15 points. The Stat Line: 5-5 FGs and 3-3 from downtown. Carmelo Anthony flowed with the rhythm, 11 points(4-6 FGs, 3-3 FTs). JR Smith launched from the bench with 11 points(3-5 FGs, 1-2 3-PTs, 4-4 FTs), 4 rebounds and 2 assists. A 19-6 run gave the Knicks an early 19-9 lead with 5 minutes remaining. Tony Allen engineered the resistance with 10 points(5-6 FGs) and 5 rebounds. Mike Conley scored 8 points(3-6 FGs, 2-2 FTs) and 3 assists. New York shot 72.2% for the quarter and snatched a 37-25 lead.

Madison Square Garden exploded in the 2nd Quarter. New York mauled Memphis 32-16. The Knicks were letting it fly leading by 30 at one point. JR Smith was rolling with 12 points(5-9 FGs, 2-4 3-PTs). Steve Novak scored 9 points(3-7 3-PTs). Memphis was 5-11 from the field but committed 8 turnovers. The Knicks took a commanding 69-41 advantage at the break and another standing 8-count. This game is wrapped up at Halftime since the Grizzlies are showing little fight, right?

Wrong! Memphis charged in the 3rd Quarter with a 19-4 run and cut the deficit to 73-58 with 6:30 remanining. Mike Conley fought throw adversity with 9 points(2-6 FGs, 1-3 3-PTs, 4-4 FTs). Marc Gasol battled through pain adding 6 points(1-2 FGs, 4-5 FTs). The Grizzlies were getting to the line and the calls seemed to break the focus of the Knicks. Marcus Camby argued a foul, received 2 technicals and was ejected from the game. New York shot only 41.2% from the field and committed 10 fouls. The Knicks showed some sign of life with a 7-2 boost that took us to the 2:45 mark and a 80-60 lead. Memphis squeezed in a 10-4 spurt just before New York took a 86-70 lead into the 4th Quarter. Raymond Felton bought the Knicks some time with 7 points.

Here come the Memphis Grizzlies!!! For the first 5 minutes of the 4th Quarter is was Jerryd Bayless(9 points) vs JR Smith(8 points), NY 94-MEM 79. Bayless finished with 12 points in the quarter while Smith had 10 points. Over the next 4 minutes the Knicks survived the Grizzlies 10-6 push, NY 100-MEM 89. Memphis produced a critical 6-0 run over the next 1:30, NY 100-MEM 95. Jason Kidd makes his only shot of the game for the Knicks, a huge 3-PT at the 1:15 mark, NY 103-MEM 95. Over the next 45 seconds, Memphis would not die as they mustered one last 4-0 run, NY 103-MEM 99. New York finally closed the door with 5 straight free throws and the Knicks have won 6 in-a-row!!!

Head Coach Lionel Hollins was humble in defeat. “Obviously, we didn’t play well being down by 30 points. I’m proud of our guys showing character in the 2nd Half.” The mystery here is Zach Randolph barely played in the 2nd Half, stay tuned folks. Head Coach Mike Woodson basked in the sunset. “Games happen in spurts. If you can win the game going away, that’s fine. It doesn’t always go that way. What I like about it is we didn’t crack. That’s what I’m taking from it. The New York Knicks maintained their 2.5 game lead over the Brooklyn Nets who defeated the Portland Trailblazers. Next up on this home stand, the Charlotte Bobcats. New York is currently the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference and the feeling of this being a season like none other has captivated all Knicks Fans.(*T*M*C)

Written by Shelby Spencer

New York Brews Fresh Coffee In Beantown

(*T*M*C) On the road again. Going places the Knicks have often been. Seeing things that I may never see again. I can’t wait to see New York on the road again. After roasting the Raptors Saturday at Madison Square Garden by 26 points, the Knicks journeyed to Boston for another important divisional game against the Celtics. New York comes in winners of 4 straight and a 2 game lead over the Brooklyn Nets. Head Coach Mike Woodson has stated recently that the Knicks should look to win their remaining games at home and have at least a .500 record on the road. New York answered the call to duty by smashing Boston 100-85.

The Knicks were paced by JR Smith who scored 32 points(13-24 FGs, 5-5 FTs), 7 rebounds and 3 steals. Carmelo Anthony dropped 29 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals but he was disgusting from the field shooting 10-30 FGs and 2-8 3-PTs. I understand his V.I.P. clause on New York’s roster but that’s not team basketball. Kenyon Martin continued to anchor the Knicks with 9 points(4-7 FGs, 1-2 FTs) and 5 rebounds. Once again, Steve Novak was solid off the bench with 9 points(3-6 3-PTs). The Celtics had good balance in defeat playing without Kevin Garnett(ankle) and Courtney Lee(ankle). Jeff Green had 19 points(6-14 FGs, 6-6 FTs), 10 rebounds and 6 assists. Paul Pierce added 16 points(5-10 FGs, 5-7 FTs), 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Jordan Crawford produced 14 points(5-11 FGs, 2-2 FTs), 6 assists and 4 rebounds. Brandon Bass collected 11 points(5-6 FGs, 1-1 FTs), 7 rebounds and 3 blocks.

The 1st Quarter started slowly for both teams. New York was 1-6 and Boston 1-4 from the field. At the 7:00 mark, the Celtics floated to an 8-4 advantage. The Knicks answered with a 6-2 spurt to tie the game at the 5:00 mark. The action picked up substantially and New York closed out the quarter with a 28-24 lead. The Knicks scored the last 5 points of the quarter in 45 seconds. JR Smith emerged off the bench with 10 points(3-3 FGs, 4-4 FTs). Carmelo Anthony did have 11 points but was 4-10 from the field. Yes, Carmelo Anthony leads the NBA in 1st Quarter scoring with 9+ points/game. Feed the post! Kenyon Martin is on the blocks and Boston didn’t have a shot blocker on the court. For Boston, Jordan Crawford tallied 9 points(4-5 FGs) and Jeff Green added 6 points(2-7 FGs).

Jason Terry went on a 7-0 run to kick-start Boston in the 2nd Quarter. At the 7:47 mark, we had a 35-35 tie. New York sprinted to a 14-0 run and a 49-35 lead with 4:00 remaining. Boston was playing uphill for the rest of the game, a true standing 8-count. Fortunately, Carmelo Anthony only took 6 shots for 7 points. This time JR Smith was a shoddy 4-10 from the field and had 11 points. The Knicks’ defense took over the 1st Half. The Celtics were held to 41% shooting in the 2nd Quarter and committed 9 turnovers in the first 24 minutes. New York had a commanding 58-44 lead at the intermission.

Head Coach Mike Woodson was satisfied with his team’s early performance. “I believe you should hold a team under 25 pts in a quarter”. New York completed that goal in both quarters. “Boston doesn’t have a shot blocker in there so we must continue to mix-up our shot selection.” Head Coach Glen “Doc” Rivers was frustrated. “We’ve got to play with pace! We’ve got to get pace in the game! We need more fight, more pace! They are playing through us! We’ve got to take it back at them!”

The Celtics responded to the alarm with an 8-2 run in the first 2 minutes of the 3rd Quarter, NY 60-Bos 52. The Knicks countered with a 7-2 run over the next 2 minutes, NY 67-Bos 54. Boston pushed back with an 8-2 edge, NY 69-Bos 62. New York finished the quarter strong with a 14-7 blitz which included a huge buzzer-beating, 3-PT by JR Smith, NY 83-Bos 69. That was the beginning of the end. Boston committed 6 more turnovers. Jeff Green scored 9 points(3-4 FGs, 1-1 3-PT, 2-2 FTs). Paul Pierce, 6 points(2-4 FGs, 2-2 FTs). New York’s JR Smith scored 7(3-7 FGs). Kenyon Martin had 4 points(2-2 FGs). Along with 2 senseless fouls early, Carmelo Anthony was a despicable 1-8 FGs, 0-3 3-PTs and 4-5 FTs for 6 points. It’s totally unnecessary for Anthony to try and get “his” at the expense of the team. That’s right, I said it!

As the 4th Quarter arrived. The Knicks seemed to put it on auto-pilot while The Celtics raised the White Flag. Carmelo Anthony had 5 points while JR Smith added 4 points for New York. Terrence Williams scored 5 points for Boston. The Knicks were dominant with 2nd-Chance points 29-6 while winning the turnover battle 8-19. The Celtics have now lost 5 games in-a-row slipping 7.5 games behind the New York in the Atlantic Division. Boston will visit Madison Square Garden on Sunday 3/31 for their final meeting this season. Tonight, the Memphis Grizzlies visit the “World’s Most Famous Arena” with a 47-23 record at 7:30pm. Good to the last drop.(*T*M*C)

Written by Shelby Spencer

Lob Angeles Coasts By Old York

(*T*M*C) When you talk about NYC and LA, the red carpet is soon to follow. The biggest and brightest tend to dominate the stage. Lights, cameras,  and not enough action as the Los Angeles Clippers smacked the New York Knicks 93-80. Chris Paul guided the Clippers with 20 points, 8 assists and 4 rebounds and their balance was the story of the game. Caron Butler produced 15 points and 5 rebounds. Blake Griffin added 12 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks. One-time Knick, Chauncey Billups dropped 12 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds. DeAndre Jordan contributed 8 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks. Another one-time Knick, Jamal Crawford came off the bench with 12 points.

The Knicks were led by Raymond Felton 16 points(2-4 3-pt), 9 assists and 3 rebounds. Chris Copeland had a nice game with 13 points(3-4 3-pt), 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Jason Kidd was solid off the bench with 11 points(3-5 3-pt), 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Steve Novak provided 9 points(3-3 3-pt), which ended a streak where he missed 12 straight. JR Smith did have 17 points but he was absolutely horrible shooting 4-20(20%) from the field which included 1-7(14.3%) from long distance.

The 1st Quarter started with New York sprinting to a 13-5 lead. The Knicks made 5 of 7 FGs and were 3-3 from deep. Felton along with Copeland set the pace notching 6 & 5 points, respectively. New York followed that with a 2-14 drought and finished shooting at 33.3%. Los Angeles was lifted by the energy of DeAndre Jordan with 6 points as they closed the 1st Quarter up 21-18.

The 2nd Quarter was marred by the Knicks shooting 6-22(27.3%). JR Smith had 10 of the 19 points for New York. Now, even though they were atrocious over the last 12 minutes, “I liked the way we got out and defended, ” said Head Coach Mike Woodson. That was key in  producing a 31-31 tie at the 6:35 mark. Los Angeles looked to Jamal Crawford(7 points) and Chris Paul(6 points) to re-establish the tempo that makes the Clippers so dangerous. New York fought hard but a 13-6 run by Los Angeles enabled a 44-37 halftime advantage.

Both teams shot well in the 3rd Quarter, Knicks 44.4% and Clippers 48%. Los Angeles was on the verge of blowing out New York with a 16-7 run as the tempo matched their personality. Blake Griffin & Caron Butler each scored 8 points while Chris Paul added 7 points. Jason Kidd kept the Knicks around with 9 points, hitting 3 straight from downtown but still trailing 65-53. Chris Copeland scored 5 points but the Clippers ended the quarter leading 72-60.

Los Angeles began the 4th Quarter on a 7-0 run. New York shot 8-20(40%) down the stretch. Chauncey Billups & Ryan Hollins each had 5 points to help keep the Knicks at bay. Raymond Felton scored 8 points & Steve Novak contributed 6 points as New York continued to fight. The Clippers sealed the deal by forcing JR Smith to shoot 0-8 in the quarter as the Knicks went up in flames.

This road trip cannot end soon enough. New York has lost their last 4 games by an average of 20 points. If the Brooklyn Nets defeat the Atlanta Hawks at the Barclays Center tonight, there will be a tie atop the Atlantic Division. Just what New York City needs, more drama. (*T*M*C)

Written by Shelby Spencer

Noche De Nueva York, Muy Bien

(*T*M*C)On Saturday, March 9, 2013, The World’s Most Famous Arena was the sight of Noche De Latina. A time to celebrate Spanish Heritage Month. The New York Knicks were the life of the party crushing the Utah Jazz 113-84. JR Smith led all scores with 24 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. Steve Novak was clutch with 20 points and 2 assists. Raymond Felton added 15 points and 4 assists. They were a combined 10-21 from long distance. New York was without their stars Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire due to knee injuries. Anthony continues to be day-to-day but Stoudemire will be missed for at least 6 weeks.

The Utah Jazz were paced by Alec Burks 14 points, Gordon Hayward 13 points and Enes Kanter 11 points. None of the starters scored in double figures and were missing Paul Millsap with a knee injury as well. This was the end of a 4-game road trip for Utah where they lost the previous 3 games by a combined 5 points. Unfortunately for them, the worst was yet to come.

Utah jumped out to a 11-4 lead with 9:14 left in the 1st Quarter. The Jazz hit their first 3 shots from downtown. New York answered with a 15-0 run and a 19-11 lead. Overall it turned into a 21-10 run as the Knicks ended the 1st Quarter up 25-21. Felton & Hayward led their teams with 6 points each. The 2nd Quarter saw a healthly exchange between both squads early. Later, Steve Novak started to light it up by hitting 3 of the 4 Knicks 3-pointers. A 10-0 run made it 41-29 Knicks. It transformed into a 21-2 run which gave New York a 52-31 lead. The Knicks defense was impressive holding the Jazz to 7-20 from the field and a 55-38 advantage at the half.

After the first 8 minutes of the 3rd quarter, the Knicks went on a 20-9 run to go up 75-47. JR Smith paced a balanced attack with 7 points. Kenyon Martin, fresh off another 10-day contract, scored 4 of his 10 points. The Jazz finished the quarter on a 12-3 run just to be down 78-59 at the end of the 3rd. New York closed the door in the 4th. The Knicks enjoyed their biggest lead at 101-71. Chris Copland scored all of his 12 points in the quarter while JR Smith added another 10.

The Knicks have a dangerous 5-game road trip ahead of them. They better pack this type of effort with them.(*T*M*C)

Written by Shelby Spencer