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When: 8 P.M.
Where: OKC
Watch: MSG
Starting Lineups:
Thunder (4-30)
PG- Russell Westbrook
SG- Desmond Mason
SF- Kevin Durant
PF- Jeff Green
C- Robert Swift
Rest of rotation: Chris Wilcox, Joe Smith, Earl Watson, Johan Petro
Knicks (13-19)
PG: Chris Duhon
SG: Quentin Richardson
SF: Wilson Chandler
PF: Jared Jeffries
C: David Lee
Rest of Rotation: Nate Robinson, Tim Thomas, Al Harrington, Eddy Curry (maybe)
Injuries:
Thunder: N/A
Knicks: OUT: Danilo Gallinari (back)
GAME NOTES
As I wrote earlier, this is a must win for the Knicks. Coming off a spirited victory over the Celtics, they have to beat the lowly Thunder, who are possibly the worst team in the league this year.
Keys to this game include stopping Kevin Durant from lighting us up; look for Wilson Chandler to get that assignment. But a bigger key appears to be stopping Russell Westbrook, the young star point that Donnie Walsh probably would have drafted if available at #6. Westbrook’s speed and quickness are similar to Rajon Rondo’s, so I wonder if D’Antoni will stick Jared Jeffries on him tonight.
Regardless of the matchups, the Knicks must win this game if they have serious thoughts of making a playoff run. I hate putting such an onus on one game, but this is the first of a four game road swing and is against an easily beatable team. Let’s come out on fire and “run them out the building.”



Possibly the worst team is an understatement, this is one of the worst teams ever. You’re right, Chris, this is an absolute must win before we embark on three tough road games.
Secondly, I’ve been watching tons of Thunder games because I love Durant, and this guy is a freak. His skill set for his height is unheard of, and he’s 22. Jeff Green is also much improved and he can kill you on any given night. If the Thunder can lock up those 2 guys, and bring something in around them, implement some teamwork and get a point guard, because they’re going to have Blake Griffin, they’ll be beastly. Griffin, Durant, Green,.
a BARONS picture? Dude, that’s cold.
Durant, Green and Westbrook have been ballin’ lately. I can easily see Chandler having a 5-14 performance from having to D up Durant all game…
But yeah Knicks need a nice blowout win. I want to see TRASHBAG and ‘Peeps’ (what the hell kind of nickname is THAT) get some garbage time minutes.
Okay people interesting day for this blog. Let;s go Knicks.
I will say this about the situation: Frank Isola a professional, his post about the three-way was meant to mean that the knicks want Camby but that three-way was the eye grabber.
I wish he talked to me first and for the person who made the comment, you’ve made a bit of journalism history, congrats on the end of your supposed writing career.
Go Knicks…
What I’m looking forward to is 2 things:
#1) Do the Knicks continue their spirited effort on defense which won them the game vs the world champs?
#2) Will Chandler put up 20+ and show some consistency and another positive sign of things to come?
Nice job Giaps-
I’m looking for the same defense from jefferies as well.
Let’s go
Wow, they are flat….
Let down city…..
NY – 15
OKC – 29
Beat the best team in the league (by record)…
Next game, lose to the worst team in the league (by record)…
Is this seriously happening right now?
This game has been quite a let down thus far… One can only hope D’Antoni is ripping them a new one in the locker room right now.
This is pathetic…… get the ball inside…. they throw up bad shots when bad shots are not going in…. then the Thunder goes down for a lay up.
Pathetic.
Duhon looks asleep out there. Get him a backup….. PLEASE!
Al is keeping us in it…… now lets D up and get to within 12
I was just cursing so loud after that foul that my mom came running downstairs to check if I was ok….. she did not believe that I was yelling t the Knicks
That Brooks clip with Clyde was hysterical.
Green is a good player.
The Thunder have probably circled this game on their schedule all season knowing that us at home was one of their few winnable games.
Please bring in some reserves
Nate is one of the stupidest players in the NBA. They can’t play him down the stretch of close games.
The Knicks have to play the rest of this gam like they are down only 6, not like they are on a massive comeback. Offensively at least.
I hate it when I’m right about Chandler; however, he was on the end of two bullcrap foul calls guarding Durant.
Duhon REALLY overdribbing… he’s trying to go 1-on-1 vs Durant.
These refs have absolutely killed the Knicks.
Where the hell has the ball movement gone?
I do not want to hear a thing about a good comeback.
This was a must have for this team. They should have never been down that much in the first place.
There are no moral victories in this league, let alone against the worst team in the league.
Pathetic.
What the hell is Robinson doing there……. he can never be a point guard because his decisions with the ball are so inconsistent. What an awful game.
Pathetic. This is not a playoff team. Chris Duhon needs to learn how to make a 3. When this team starts to make a comeback they start shooting 3s like there is 10 seconds left. Pathetic.
Nate needs to be put in D’antoni’s dog house, he owes the team an apology he is the stupidest more selfish player I have ever seen, who in addition can’t play defense.
Jeez, it says something about the Thunder how close this game is and how bad the Knicks have played.
They look absolutely DEAD out there. Someone take the hint already that we are losing games through fatigue. Winnable games are being lost because of the players fatigue, and there is nothing else to say. It’s ridiculous. These guys are just standing around at there, not moving, just dribbling. Like the whole team has become Jamal Crawford.
It’s sickening seeing Nate flick up three long floaters in MUST SCORE situations.
Hey Donnie, wake up tomorrow and do something. Get on the phones. There are two options: Sign some more players, pull the trigger on some moves to make us better if they are out there and lets push for a playoff spot. If not, then trade Lee and Nate get us some picks and lets try to rebuild like a normal team. This team just lost to the Thunder, a team whose name has already come up in debate of the worst team of all time. This current roster is going nowhere. We will end up with the 13th pick or something and get channing frye. If we’re losing to the Thunder and not competing for a playoff spot, lets get a top 5 pick out of it.
Sorry for the rant, that game was just hard to watch.
Wow overreact much? THis team will only go as far as their D will take them, and they aren’t a good defensive team.
When you are a young, inconsistent team with little D and a few players on your rosters there ARE no should’ve-won games on the schedule. Reality bites…
Duhon looked tired at points during the game. Another 40 minute effort will do that.
I have said this before, but when the Knicks dealt Crawford and Randolph, they traded their two prime time players. Right now, the only guy we have like that is Al Harrington. It is time to stop this bench experiment with him. He has to be out there as much as possible. He is no star, but he is the closest thing we have.
OKC shot 64% and our defense was horrid..
Chandler was 4-12 with 4 rebounds..
more ping pong balls in the lottery..
Such is the life of a mediocre team..
Hate to say I told you so.. but this team has no business sniffing the playoffs.
I need a quick sound off after this mess of a loss.
1) Al Harrington’s brief absence this season may have caused some to forget that he only has one move to the basket, the behind-the-back dribble drive. Harrington is in love with this move even though it has not been as effective since it has been exposed after his Player of the Week honor. Al loves the three and the mid-range fade away, but he needs to work on his drives to the basket. Maybe a cross-over, or a quick pull up shot, or maybe a tear drop or floater. He cannot live on the perimeter if winning is the goal.
2) Wilson Chandler needs to have the ball in his hands. I do not understand the move by D’Antoni to remove him from the game after he picked up his fourth foul. Let the kid play and learn. He showed that he can come up big, especially against the Bobcats a few games ago. There is no reason to shy him away fromm the fire. The true stars shine brightest in the heat of the moment.
While WC was benched, Nate Robinson was the Knicks go to guy down the stretch and he could not get it done tonight. During those last five minutes, Chris Duhon took way too many unreasonable threes while Al Harrington failed in his attempts to spin and win into the lane. The Knicks need to organize their crunch time game plan. Someone needs to step up, have the ball in his hands to perpetuate the offense during every possession.
I believe Wilson Chandler will be that player.
The Knicks need a leader to control the offense and gather the morale. When no leader is identified, the NY Mets happen.