Three Bold Predictions for Knicks vs. Thunder

The New York Knicks will come into this game with something to prove. After seven straight wins, they stumbled badly against the Charlotte Hornets, losing 114-103 and exposing real problems. Now they travel to Oklahoma City to face the best team in the NBA, and the timing could not be worse.

The Thunder are an absolute machine right now. Sitting at 58-16 and first in the Western Conference, they already handed the Knicks a 103-100 defeat earlier this season. SGA, Chet Holmgren, and the rest of the OKC roster are locked in, and Paycom Center is one of the toughest buildings to win in right now.

Mitchell Robinson Will Come Out Fired Up

After the Charlotte loss, Robinson did not hide. In one of the Instagram comments he wrote: "Don't even matter unless we change our approach we ain't doing shit special. Keep that bullshit up myself included."

Against‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ the Thunder, Robinson will probably be super motivated and will want to start the game strong in order to set the tone. Since he blamed himself and his teammates after the Charlotte defeat, he now has a definite goal to achieve. His desire to make a difference will be evident in his defense and offense. He will be very physical when rebounding, work hard to get offensive boards, and provide the Knicks with important second-chance scoring opportunities.

Don't be shocked if Robinson throws down a few spectacular alley-oop dunks that could change the momentum of the game in favor of New ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌York.

Jalen Brunson Will Not Be At His Best

Brunson‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ is the Knicks' powerhouse, scoring an average of 26.2 points per game in this season. However, he was unable to save New York from defeat against Charlotte; he scored 17 in the first quarter, but the team still fell apart.

While facing OKC's top-notch defense, Jalen will still be able to work for around 20 points, but he won't get his usual flow. The Thunder are very aggressive on ball handlers and lead the league in forcing turnovers after the Pistons. It would not be surprising if JB has a quiet game, enough to be the Knicks' top scorer, but not enough to bring a ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌victory.

If Miles Plays, He Will Hit Around 10 Points Off The Bench

There is positive news on Miles McBride ahead of the Thunder game. If Deuce suits up, expect him to make an immediate impact off the bench; his ability to hit big threes and score in bunches could give the Knicks a much-needed spark.

If he plays, a quiet 10-point night off the bench is very realistic

Final Score- Thunder: 115, Knicks: 108

Make sure you bookmark Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!