Knicks at Nets Preview: How, Who to Watch in Road Game at Home
There's no place like home ... even when you're on the road.
The New York Knicks will continue a lengthy homestand away from Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night when they hit up Barclays Center to face the Brooklyn Nets. It's part of a 14-game stretch where only a single contest will be held outside New York State.
Four games into that stretch, things are trending in the right direction: the Knicks have won three in a row and sit at a season-best nine over .500 entering Tuesday's game. New York is coming off a 126-100 win over the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night, offering a warm yet cold welcome to former compatriots RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.
The Nets are in the midst of a nightmare after Christmas: since sweeping a back-to-back from woebegone Detroit on Dec. 26, Brooklyn has dropped 10 of 12, including two of three on a recent Western Conference swing. Sunday's defeat might've been the most painful yet, as the Nets endured a 41-15 shellacking in the fourth quarter en route to a 124-115 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers.
This will mark the second get-together between the Knicks and Nets this season, as the former took part one by a 121-102 final on Dec. 20. New York has won three in a row over Brooklyn after ending a nine-game losing streak to their neighbors last season.
What: New York Knicks (26-17) @ Brooklyn Nets (17-25)
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
When/Watch: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Who's Favored: NYK -4
Keep An Eye On: Precious Achiuwa
The Knicks have responded brilliantly to Mitchell Robinson's long-term absence thanks to the efforts of Isaiah Hartenstein, but the basketball gods have been merciless: super sub Hartenstein was forced to leave Saturday's game early with ankle soreness, giving way to Achiuwa, one of the side courses of the OG Anunoby trade. In his most prominent showing as a Knick to date, Achiuwa pulled in a season-best 11 rebounds and helped the Knicks maintain a plus-30 advantage on the boards. As of press time, Hartenstein is listed as questionable to partake in Tuesday's game. Head coach Tom Thibodeau has hinted that tenured Knicks Jericho Sims might get the starting nod if Hartenstein is forced to miss any time, but Achiuwa has a prime opportunity to prove his value to management in a contract year.
Brad Penner, USA TODAY SPORTS
Net to Watch: Mikal Bridges
For better and worse, Bridges is the new face of Nets basketball until further notice. Until Brooklyn opts for a full-on tear-down, it'll be up to him to dive into the cesspool and get the team back on track. Perhaps facing his old friends from Villanova will light a fire under the 83-game participant from last season, as his first full season as a Net has been a struggle. He has, to his credit, found some semblance of stability in the new year, averaging 22.6 points in nine games, though the fact he's losing nearly three turnovers a game in that span is certainly troubling.
They Said It
"Mitch goes out and everyone thinks what’s going to happen and (Hartenstein) stepped right in and it was good and very positive. Jericho did a good job filling in, as well and he got injured. Now Precious is in there. It’s next guy, just be ready. If you are not in the rotation, you never know when that time comes. When it comes, you have to be ready to go and perform well.”-Thibodeau on the injuries in the Knicks' interior (h/t Peter Botte, New York Post)
Prediction
Weird things happen in rivalry games, but as long as the Knicks keep up the same brand of intensity that has sustained them in the second halves of their recent endeavors, they should be able to pull away here. Angsty Brooklyn, desperate to cling to any form of postseason, likely won't make it easy, so it'll be imperative for the Knicks to get off to a good start to kill off any hope of an upset early.
