The last two games have been nothing but painful for the New York Knicks.
First, a home matchup with the Warriors ended in heartbreak. Despite being down only 94-93 halfway through the fourth quarter, the Warriors cranked out an 11-0 run en route to an eight point victory. New York looked lost down the stretch, and as per usual, everyone not named Jalen Brunson couldn’t get anything going when it mattered most.
verall, it wasn’t a bad showing, but the Knicks ultimately faded down the stretch of a winnable game.
Last night’s matchup at Los Angeles fell into the same mold.
New York was up double digits (90-80) with just under seven minutes left in the game. The duo of Lebron and Luka were at arm’s length.
Instead, the Knicks offense fell flat, and it was Gabe Vincent of all people who stepped up, hitting three key triples down the stretch to propel the game into overtime.
Once again, in OT, Jalen Brunson was keeping the Knicks afloat. He had all eight points for the squad in extra time when this happened.
Brunson left the game. He’s expected to miss some time. And New York was outscored 6-2 in the final 90 seconds of the game without him, as Lebron and Luka did their thing down the stretch.
Things might not be much easier tonight against a Clippers squad fighting for a playoff spot in the West.
While they’re only 4-6 in their last 10 games, LA is still a force to be reckoned with. James Harden is fresh off of his first 50 point outing as a Clipper, Kawhi Leonard is getting back into game shape, and Ivica Zubac has begun to really emerge as a high-level center in the NBA.
When they take on the Knicks tonight, they’ll be without Norman Powell, their leading scorer. Norm is averaging 23.8 points per game on 49/42/82 shooting splits, and was nearly named an all star. The Clippers will miss him dearly.
Also sidelined is former number one overall pick Ben Simmons, hampered by a knee injury.
For New York, Ariel Hukporti is out, while Jalen Brunson, Mitchell Robinson, and Precious Achiuwa all remain game time decisions. Expect Robinson to appear, while Brunson and Achiuwa may both err on the side of caution. You never know with the Knicks, though… so it’s something to monitor.
Prediction
The Knicks need to focus on getting healthy more than anything else.
The Clippers are hungrier, well rested, and have more defined roles. New York is beat up, tired, and on the second leg of a back to back. Take into account that Jalen Brunson is expected to miss the game tonight, and, well… you get the picture.
Give me the Clippers by 8 tonight.
I hope I’m wrong.
Don’t forget - it’s a late tip tonight. Get your naps in this afternoon. Go Knicks.
Game Details
Date: Friday, March 7, 2025
Time: 10:30 PM ET
Venue: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA
TV Broadcast: MSG
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