Knicks (3-7) v. Kings (3-6) Preview and Analysis
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KNICKS
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Overall Analysis and Expectations This is the Battle of Losing Streaks as the Kings, with its five game decline, hosts the Knicks, who lost its sixth in a row last night to Denver. Kings started season 3-1 but have been held in check due to poor shooting from the arc, 29.5% this season. They went 2-18 against Detroit in most recent loss. Also suspected that youth and immaturity of stars DeMarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans impacting team. Cousins very immature on court. -- he has bad habits and bad body language. . . .Team that takes it to the basket is probably the favorite in this contest. |
KINGS
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PG
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Tyreke has five twenty point games so far this year. He goes strong to the hoop. Although he can over-dribble, he can also fake out his defender at will to free himself up. Susceptible to getting blocked on the right side -- left needs to improve. . . .Udrih someone to watch as pick and roll guard for Stoudemire. Primarily a shooting guard he has been playing point to good effect. His assist are at a career high of 6.0 per year and he had nine assists and 1 turnover against Pistons. Has been horrific from three (17.4%) but a sure thing from mid-range and with pull-up Js. A lefty he may give Knicks defenders a little problem early on. . . . Douglas and Felton have been taking open threes which the defenses have been willingly giving them. D'Antoni needs to figure out that his guys need to manage the game and not just shoot because it's there. |
PG
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SG
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Fields, 21 points and 17 boards against the Nuggets, seems to be improving by the game. He gravitates towards the ball and makes smart decisions with or without the ball in his hands . . .Walker has disappeared a bit but he can still be counted on for hitting a couple of tres and earning a charging foul or two. . . . Garcia has been a bit tentative offensively but averages 11.9 pts in 25.3 minutes. He shoots at a 45% clip. He does a little of everything with 1.3 assists, 2.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. . . .Luther Head primarily scores but has not been overly efficient so far this season. |
SG
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SF
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Danilo tries. He was better last night with 21 pts, 10 rebbies and 3 assists, but he was 2-10 from arc and his clutch shooting was abysmal. Guarding Carmelo seemed to keep him engaged longer but he still was ineffective at key points. . . Poor Randolph. How can you dislike a kid with such potential. He is a summer league away from being a consistent contributor and sporting a better jumper and decision-making with the ball. . . .Wright is a defensive baller who wants to shoot but really can't. |
SF |
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PF
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Landry is a scorer largely from the post and mid-range (55% accuracy from field). Averages 14.6 pts and 5.6 boards per game. Tough cover. . . . DeMarcus Cousins is all tude and was recently fined for conflict with coaches and sent to bench in favor of Dalembert. Can play, but will he. Had 6 pts and 7 boards in 25 minutes against Detroit. Immature. . . . No match for Stoudemire. Should see fewer minutes this game if coach does not want to overwork him. Studdy still needs that pick and roll. He must also pass out and not work with ball from key. Susceptible to turnovers against long team if he is creating shot's from 11 feet out. . . . Chandler needs to be aggressive to draw fouls and get off arc. Great help defender and turning into a blocking machine. His game is developing multiple facets. The key is that he has become more aggressive than in past years. |
PF
Landry
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C
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Sam Dalembert leads team in rebounds and blocks. Expect him to have good rebounding game against Knicks. He can run the floor and if Kings decide to run, which they don't, he will have easy scoring opps . . . Paul Westphal still figuring out what to do with Thompson who had DNP?CD against Suns but then had 10 pts and 5 boards in 17 minutes against Pistons. . . .Knicks glad to have Turiaf back. Turiaf's presence in any unit improves productivity and defensive presence. . . . Mozgov takes up space and can make a few plays with blocks and movement to basket for easy scoring opps, but overall does not impact the game with rebounding and high volume scoring. Seems lost out there really. |
C
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Thompson
