Knicks Pull Away Late, Improve to 5-0

The Knicks came into tonight's game against the Orlando Magic riding a 4-0 record to start their season, All four wins came against playoff teams from the previous year, so what could we expect from the Knickerbockers against the young Orlando Magic who have lost four straight?

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The Knicks and Magic were neck and neck through the first three quarters of play before New York over powered the Magic and pulled out a 99-89 victory in Orlando on Tuesday night. 

Carmelo Anthony, who led all scorers with 25 points, and the Knicks could not shake the Orlando Magic early in the contest, and had to grind out the victory in the fourth quarter to keep the Knicks unbeaten this season. 

It wasn't a pretty first half for the Knicks who found themselves trailing in the first quarter, but they found a way back and eventually took the lead from the Magic late in the first. It continued to be a game of runs for the Magic who's late run in the second quarter gave them a 53-49 halftime lead. 

The Knicks J.R Smith sparked the Knicks offense with 13 points in the third quarter, and Raymond Felton hit timely shots to keep the Knicks right with Orlando. The Knicks would finish the third quarter on an eleven to seven run and take a 77-76 lead heading into the fourth quarter. 

In the fourth, the Magic offense went ice cold, shooting 5 for 16 from the field and scoring just 13 points for the quarter. The Knicks continued to get timely shooting from J.R Smith, who finished the game with 21 points, and Raymond Felton who also finished with 21 points. Tyson Chandler added 12 points and 6 rebounds for the Knicks.

J.J Redick was the high scorer for the Magic with 18 points, shooting 7-13 from the field. Redick also added seven assists and four rebounds to his solid scoring night. 

The Knicks struggled on the boards against the Magic, getting out rebounded by Orlando 42-31, but they made up for the lack of rebounding by taking care of the ball. The Knicks turned the ball over just 9 times tonight, and forced 20 Magic turnovers that led to 24 Knick points. 

The Knicks are now 5-0 with all five wins coming by ten points or better. The Knicks will continue their short road trip with contests against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night, and the Memphis Grizzlies Friday night, two more playoff teams from the previous season. 

Orlando Magic vs. New York Knicks Pre-Game News and Notes March 28

Wednesday March 28th 7:00 P.M. ET 
Orlando Magic vs. New York Knicks 

The Knicks look to continue their hot play and run their record with Mike Woodson to 8-1 against a tough Orlando Magic team. The Knicks currently sit 2 games ahead the Milwaukee Bucks entering a tough stretch of games. The first meeting of the season was a 102-93 victory for the Magic, with the Knicks blowing their lead in the 4th quarter. 

-Injury News and Notes 

It was found out today that Amar’e Stoudemire will be out for 2-4 weeks. He has opted for the non-surgical procedure to try and fix his bulging disk in his back. If he is able to return closer to the 2 week timeframe compared to the 4 week time-frame he should have about 9 games left in the regular season before playoffs start. 

As for tonight, Jeremy Lin will not be playing because of his sore knee. Baron Davis will again start in his place. Carmelo Anthony will be suiting up for the game tonight though and will be expected to pick up much of the slack. Expect a monster game for Anthony tonight as he will be the vocal point of the offense. 

-Contain the 3 Point Shot 

Last time the Knicks played the Magic, the Knicks struggled to defend the 3 point shot. The Magic shot 17-35 from 3 point range, led by Ryan Anderson’s 7-13. On the other side, the Knicks shot 5-20 from 3 point range. The Knicks cannot get into a 3 point shootout with the Magic or they will struggle to keep up. Along with Anderson, the Knicks have to worry about Hedo Turkoglu and J.J. Redick shooting from deep. The Knicks have to keep up their defensive intensity they have been bringing since Woodson was hired as interim coach. 

-Bring the Kryptonite 

The Knicks will have their hands full tonight with Dwight Howard, but they were able to hold him in check in the last meeting allowing him to score only 8 points and grab 10 rebounds. Granted, the Magic lights out shooting from 3 point range played a role in Howard’s diminished stat line, but the Knicks defense needs some credit. This is where Tyson Chandler comes in handy because he is capable of guarding Howard in single coverage for stretches of the game. The Knicks will again miss Jared Jeffries versatility on the defensive end, who would be capable of guarding every player on the Magic roster. The Knicks also cannot be shy about using their fouls on Dwight Howard, who shot 2-9 from the foul line in the first season and has shot poorly from the line this season going for 48.8%. 

-Picking up The Slack 

With Amar’e Stoudemire set to miss a few weeks and Jeremy Lin nursing his own injuries, Carmelo Anthony needs to pick up the slack. Monday night he did just that, scoring 28 points, his most since Woodson was hired. The Knicks are going to count on Anthony to carry the team for the time being, which he is more than capable of doing. Anthony was brought here because he wanted to shine on Broadway; there is no better time for him to showcase those talents than now.