New York Knicks vs. Brooklyn Nets: How and what to watch for

Key Point of Emphasis: Making Size An Advantage

The Brooklyn Nets have a solid group of blue collar players, but a lack of size is the roster’s most glaring flaw. 7’1″ center Timofey Mozgov, 7’0″ backup Tyler Zeller, and 6’11” rookie Jarrett Allen may combat that belief, but they’re all limited to playing the 5.

The next tallest players on the roster are 6’8″ forwards Trevor Booker and DeMarre Carroll, which means the New York Knicks should be able to exploit a significant size advantage down low.

Mozgov is averaging just 15.4 minutes per game, Allen is averaging 14.5 minutes per contest, and Zeller has yet to play a game. Brooklyn could adjust on the fly, but the odds are heavily in favor of the Knicks having multiple advantages to exploit against the Nets.

If that proves to be the case, then Kristaps Porzingis should have another monster scoring performance, and the centers should impose their will on the low block.

The New York Knicks need their perimeter players to step up in any way possible, but playing through the interior makes more sense than ever. Brooklyn’s defenders will be committed to the cause, but New York’s size should be a decisive edge.

If the Knicks’ bigs play with confidence, physicality, and precision, it should at least be a close game come the fourth quarter.