Game 17: Blazers at Knicks
When: 7:30 P.M.
Where:MSG
Watch: MSG
Starting Lineups:
Blazers (12-6, 5-6 on the road)
PG- Steve Blake (11 ppg, 4 assists)
SG- Brandon Roy (20.9 ppg, 5 assists, 46% FGs)
SF- Nicolas Batum (6.4 ppg, 2.8 rebounds)
PF- LeMarcus Aldridge (15.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.17 blocks)
C- Greg Oden (12 games 8.1 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.67 blocks, 53% FG )
Rest of rotation: Rudy Fernandez, Travis Outlaw, Joel Przybilla, Sergio Rodriguez
Knicks (8-8)
PG: Chris Duhon
SF: Wilson Chandler
PF: Al Harrington
C: David Lee
Rest of Rotation: Anthony Roberson, Malik Rose, Tim Thomas
Injuries:
Blazers: None
Knicks: OUT: Eddy Curry (conditioning); Danilo Gallinari (back); Jared Jeffries (leg); Cuttino Mobley (heart condition) QUEST: Nate Robinson (groin)
Keep an eye on: Oden Defending the Hoop
David Lee will have to prove to Greg Oden that he can make his 15 footer, because Oden will sit back in the pain and give it to him all night long. Don’t expect Oden to run around screens all night.
Keep an eye on: Brandon Roy
He’s just a great player to watch.
The Other Blog’s Take: From blazersedge
Keys to the Game
1. The Knicks shoot a ton of three-pointers. And by a ton I mean literally six dump trucks full. This is also the one area of the court from which they convert shots at a reasonable percentage. Portland should be able to depend on their interior defenders to handle any threat the Knicks might pose in the paint (which is minimal in any case). Portland’s perimeter players need to stay home and watch the Knick shooters. Cripple the distance shooting and you take away enough points to win.
2. Getting back in transition is key against any D’Antoni team. The Blazers did a good job of this against the Pistons. Repeat that performance here and you take away enough points to win.
3. The Knicks are lousy shot blockers. We’re not just talking run-of-the-mill lousy here. We’re talking porno-plot lousy. We’re talking Tim Donaghy’s integrity lousy. We’re talking “The Three Tenors cannot perform tonight so their places will be taken by Henry Abbott, Casey Holdahl, and Dwight Jaynes” lousy. We might even be talking Jason Quick: Chippendale Dancer lousy. (I’m not sure about that last one. I mean they are still an NBA team.) In any case, with no shot blocking and without any true big bodies, there is ZERO reason for the Blazers to avoid slamming the ball down into the paint tonight. Drive it. Post it. Dunk it. They’re going to have to put five people down there to stop one Greg Oden or Brandon Roy. That’s where your open threes come from. This is not the night for mid-range jumpers and soft dipsy-doodles.
4. One of the necessary cautions when playing against a D’Antoni-coached team is to avoid getting caught up in the YMCA-like offensive rhythm. When the shots are coming free and fast the temptation is to get yours and get it quick. I doubt the Knicks are capable of containing the first option on any given Portland play. There’s no doubt they’ll be lost if the Blazers look for the second option. This is one of those games where two passes get you any shot you want. Don’t be selfish. Don’t get rushed. Just play your game.
5. If you miss, they can’t stop you from offensive rebounding. Watch out for Blazer putbacks tonight.
6. On a related note, foul trouble is Portland’s ally with New York so short-handed.
(AP Photo/Greg Wahl-Stephens)
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Chris Alvino
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danisrob
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