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New York Knicks: Three players to watch against Spurs

By Rob Wolkenbrod

SAN ANTONIO, TX - OCTOBER 23: Dejounte Murray #5 shakes hands with Rudy Gay #22 of the San Antonio Spurs against the New York Knicks on October 23, 2019 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photos by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX - OCTOBER 23: Dejounte Murray #5 shakes hands with Rudy Gay #22 of the San Antonio Spurs against the New York Knicks on October 23, 2019 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photos by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The New York Knicks will return home to face a floundering San Antonio Spurs team. Who are the three players to watch?

Following a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, the New York Knicks will return home to complete their season series with the San Antonio Spurs. These teams played on opening night, marking the Knicks’ first loss and what became just San Antonio’s first of five wins to open 2019-20’s first month.

For their game on Saturday, Nov. 23, each team has players who need positive performances to ensure a victory. Who are the three that stand out?

Frank Ntilikina

Not known for his scoring, Frank Ntilikina‘s 6-for-8 shooting against the Philadelphia 76ers brought him a season-high 17 points, including two makes from behind the arc. A few of his passes to open players didn’t result in assists, thus the zero for this statistic.

Saturday night in the Frenchman’s encore, in front of a Knicks crowd that always supports him. He will look to cash in against an opponent that he barely played against in the season opener, looking to facilitate the offense and keep that offensive outpouring consistent.

Dejounte Murray

Turning to the Spurs, Dejounte Murray torched the Knicks on opening night, accumulating 18 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals. No one could stop him, but the Knicks also sparingly used Ntilikina in that game.

Murray followed that performance with three double-doubles over the next two weeks. But his production has slipped in recent games, with 8.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists in his last seven appearances. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich even removed him from the starting lineup in a six-point loss to the Washington Wizards.

Look for San Antonio’s point guard to try to regain the footing that made him electric to start the season. He could be the catalyst towards this team’s much-needed victory, or fall into the background of yet another loss.

DeMar DeRozan

DeMar DeRozan is a “yeah, no kidding” option for a player to watch. He still averages over 22 points, five rebounds and four assists per game, which is another All-Star-caliver stat line.

As Pounding the Rock called out, though, DeRozan is not known for his defensive play — at all, noting a clip of him watching Bradley Beal freely drive to the hoop for a score.

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If Popovich can’t receive even an average defensive game from his leading scorer, it could be RJ Barrett‘s night to shine, especially after four single-digit performances in his last seven games. He scored 21 points on 9-for-13 shooting in the season opener, too, so look for a standout game from the New York Knicks’ prized rookie.

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