NY Knicks: Previewing The Upcoming Slate of Games
By Toby Jaffe
NY Knicks’ highly anticipated game vs. The Brooklyn Nets
The NY Knicks will play the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday, but will then resume basketball’s answer for the Subway Series on Monday, March 15th, and Monday, April 5th in Brooklyn.
As you surely already know, the Nets are the talk of the league in 2021. Their big 3 of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving may be the most talented offensive grouping in NBA history, and anything short of a championship will be viewed as a humiliation, fairly or not.
A big question for the two upcoming games against the Knicks will be whether or not Durant is back from his hamstring injury. As of March 11th, Durant is still sitting games out, and given the Nets’ focus on the postseason, the organization may continue to rest him.
Even without Durant, the Nets are a terrifying offensive team. Their overall offensive rating of 119 is tops in the NBA, and the team’s offensive rating without Durant is even better at 120, according to Statmuse. The combination of James Harden and Kyrie Irving would present a challenge to just about every backcourt defense in league history, and through their unique skills and talents are able to open things up for their 3 point shooting teammates.
The Knicks played the Nets at MSG back in January and the end result was a deceptive 116-109 loss made close by some garbage time baskets by New York. While Durant did play in that game, Kyrie Irving was on a sabbatical, and James Harden, who had not yet been officially traded, did not. The Nets rode Durant and a number of supporting players such as Jeff Green, Bruce Brown, Joe Harris, and Reggie Perry to an efficient three-point shooting and overall scoring night.
In the two upcoming matchups, Thibodeau will be forced to pick his poison. One can either focus on shutting down the stars — which is futile — or on slowing down the supporting cast, which leaves Harden, Irving, and potentially Durant to cook unabated.
The NY Knicks’ best hope may be on their own offensive end. The Nets defensive rating is presently 26th in the league. The Nets have played a number of wild games this year in which they and their opponents were well, and I mean well, into the triple digits in scoring.
To have any chance against Brooklyn, the Knicks will have to shoot the lights out and take advantage of open driving lanes when they inevitably present themselves. These will be highly publicized matchups. Win or lose, it will be fascinating and exciting to see which Knicks rise to the occasion.