Game 28: Wolves at Knicks

by Tommy Dee on December 26th, 2008 at 3:00 pm

UPDATE: Jefferies in the lineup; No Mike Miller/ No Q Rich

When: 7:30 P.M.
Where: MSG
Watch: MSG
Starting Lineups:
Wolves (4-23)
PG: Randy Foye
SG- Mike Miller
SF- Ryan Gomes
PF-Craig Smith
C- Al Jefferson
Rest of rotation: Kevin Ollie, Kevin Love, Rashad McCants, Sebastian Telfair, Brian Cardinal

Knicks (11-16)
PG: Chris Duhon
SG: Quentin Richardson
SF: Wilson Chandler
PF: Al Harrington
C: David Lee
Rest of Rotation: Nate Robinson, Tim Thomas, Malik Rose

Injuries:
Minnesota: Corey Brewer (out)
Knicks: OUT: Eddy Curry (Knee?) Danilo Gallinari (back) Jared Jefferies (day to day)

GAME NOTES

This is a critical juncture for the Knicks in the hopes of making a playoff push. They need to inch closer to .500 and MUST win at home against the 4-win Wolves. In their last game Minnesota pushed the Spurs but lost down the stretch playing without Mike Miller. Al Jefferson seems to be a tough matchup for the undersized Knicks, but if the Knicks can get out in the open court, they should be able to handle the Wolves’ size advantage. They also boast Alvino and Andrew’s main man Craig Smith, who starred at Boston College. The Wolves have dropped 13 straight.

EACH TEAM’S BEST 5-MAN UNIT
NYK: Duhon, Robinson, Chandler, Lee, Harrington (+ 17)
MIN: Foye, Miller, Gomes, Smith, Jefferson (-8)

The Other Blog’s Take: twolvesblog.com

Of the six teams that have fired coaches already — Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Washington, Toronto, Philadelphia and Sacramento — the Kings, Timberwolves and 76ers are expected to recruit Saunders the hardest.

What would make him come back this season? Saunders didn’t say, but he would be hard-pressed to turn down an offer to be both coach and general manager. The Timberwolves would be the one team that could offer that.

The Wolves wanted the tickets in order so they could fly in candidates to replace Ociepka. The demand is believed to be an NBA first. My Bulls source didn’t know if the team actually agreed to paying for the tickets.

From Don Seeholzer/Pioneer Press:
For the record, the Wolves’ next three games are at New York (11-16) on Friday, followed by home contests against Orlando (22-6) on Saturday and Memphis (9-19) on Monday before a Tuesday date against Dallas (16-11) to ring out the year.

Suffice to say there are no sure things in there for the Wolves, who haven’t won since a 105-103 victory at Oklahoma City on Nov. 28 and admitted that the streak is on their minds.
“I don’t want to set no record, especially a record like that,” Foye said. “I like setting records for rebounds.”
From Don Seeholzer/Pioneer Press:
With no practice Wednesday or today, rookie forward Kevin Love said he would fly to New York early to be with friends and relatives.
Going home to Oregon really wasn’t an option.

“I didn’t want to go all the way back to the West Coast and then have to make the trip, red-eye all the way back to the East Coast,” he said. “It would have just been too much.”
From Brian Hanley/Chicago Sun-Times:
A Bulls source confirmed to me a yahoo report that the Minnesota Timberwolves asked the Bulls up for five airline tickets in order to let Bob Ociepka become an assistant coach on Vinny Del Negro’s staff.
“Everyone expected the Wolves to give the blessing and let Ociepka go,” a league source told yahoo. “It was common courtesy.”

Leave the in-game banter in the comments section. Let’s go Knicks.
  • BluEandOrange

    Big Wil needs to start playing with confidence because his entire game has been off lately. His jump shot looks smooth but the result is not there and he seems to be uninvolved on the offense. I am waiting for the Knicks to have that home grown superstar and I am hoping that Chandler is it.
    Lets get it going WC!

  • Where expiring contracts happen

    See Harrington driving to the hoop and getting to the line, FINALLY.

    Lee just had a great offensive board, but hurried on the put back and threw up an awkward jump hook off the back rim. The story of his career thus far…

  • http://theKnicksBlog.com Tommy Dee

    Step up the D!

  • Where expiring contracts happen

    Seriously, Jared Jeffries has no value on anyone’s NBA roster. He doesnt have any hard basketball skills (shooting, dribbling, rebounding, or passing) and he can’t even hustle like a Lee or a Balkman.

    Put him in the bathroom.

  • Where expiring contracts happen

    58-42 against the Timberwolves. Kill me now.

  • Where expiring contracts happen

    Ah that’s right, he can take a charge. Paying him $6million per year for 6 fouls per game

  • http://theKnicksBlog.com Tommy Dee

    Duhon! Back with stitches…wow, a spike in the respect-o-meter.

    I was wondering if he was going to come back, love that he is.

  • chrischilds

    Can someone explain to me how Mike D’antoni is an offensive genuis? I’m not seeing it.

  • Knicksfan42793

    Jared Jeffries is the worst NBA player ever

  • http://theKnicksBlog.com Tommy Dee

    it’s ok to be low….