PREMIUM
Rogers' *10* Friday Night ESPN WINNER >> Orlando (10*) Cashes Thursday!
(NBA) New York vs. Utah,
Point Spread: -6.00 | -110.00 Utah (Home)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: -6.00 | -110.00 Utah (Home)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The Utah Jazz put together a six-game winning streak to reach 13-11 at the end of play on Dec. 4 but have since won just five of 20 games to fall to 18-26. However, after Wednesday's 120-105 win at Sacramento, the Jazz have a chance for consecutive wins for the first time in over a month when they host the New York Knicks on Friday. The Kicks are coming off a 105-99 loss at Memphis on Wednesday that dropped them to 5-16 on the road for the season and to 20-25 overall, after losing 11 of their last 14 games.
NY Knicks: New York rallied from an 18-point deficit in the third quarter at Memphis to make it interesting but the Grizzlies held on, despite playing without three starters. New York head coach Jeff Hornacek indicated he wants more from his first five. "We're all frustrated," Porzingis told reporters. "We all want to win. We just need to understand in our minds what are the things we need to do throughout the game to be able to be in position to win late in the game. Not have all that pressure late in the game, and that's when we start playing and we turn it up. We need to have that early on and then we'll be fine." Porzingis (23.6 & 6.9) has at least 21 points in five of his last six games and is averaging 3.3 blocks and 2.5 steals over the last four outings. PG Frank Ntilikina, the Knicks' top choice in last year's draft, has gone scoreless in three of his last five games, shooting a combined 0-for-11 in those three contests (he's averaging just P5.4 PG and 3.6 APG). Porous defense has been a major obstacle for New York in turning things around. The Knicks have held just two opponents under 100 points over their last 14 games (winning just three) and they rank 20th among NBA teams with a 108.2 defensive rating in January.
Utah: Rookie guard Donovan Mitchell was 14-for-19 in a 34-point performance in teh win over teh Kings and is averaging over 25 points over an eight-game stretch (19.7 PPG on the season). Mitchell has shot 50 percent or better in each of the last three contests and is adding a highlight-reel play or two seemingly every night. Mitchell is an electrifying talent but has some work to do on the defensive end before he can be included with the league's elite players. "He played very well tonight," coach Quin Snyder told the media Wednesday. "There were a number of things on the defensive end that he's going to hear about. He's gotta keep getting better in every aspect of the game. That's what he wants to do." Rodney Hood (2nd-leading scorer at 16.7 PPG), who had 30 points in a loss at New York earlier this season, added 25 points while shooting 9-for-16 in the win over the Kings.
The pick: The Knicks were talking playoff at 17-14 but they are just 3-11 since. Their road woes are well-documented (see above) and while te heazz are also just 5-15 their last 20, they are getting some good news. Center Rudy Gobert (11.6 & 9.6), who sustained a sprained PCL in his left knee and bone bruise in his tibia while missing 15 games (Jazz are 4-11), is expected to return to action against the Knicks on Friday! Make Utah a 10* play.
NY Knicks: New York rallied from an 18-point deficit in the third quarter at Memphis to make it interesting but the Grizzlies held on, despite playing without three starters. New York head coach Jeff Hornacek indicated he wants more from his first five. "We're all frustrated," Porzingis told reporters. "We all want to win. We just need to understand in our minds what are the things we need to do throughout the game to be able to be in position to win late in the game. Not have all that pressure late in the game, and that's when we start playing and we turn it up. We need to have that early on and then we'll be fine." Porzingis (23.6 & 6.9) has at least 21 points in five of his last six games and is averaging 3.3 blocks and 2.5 steals over the last four outings. PG Frank Ntilikina, the Knicks' top choice in last year's draft, has gone scoreless in three of his last five games, shooting a combined 0-for-11 in those three contests (he's averaging just P5.4 PG and 3.6 APG). Porous defense has been a major obstacle for New York in turning things around. The Knicks have held just two opponents under 100 points over their last 14 games (winning just three) and they rank 20th among NBA teams with a 108.2 defensive rating in January.
Utah: Rookie guard Donovan Mitchell was 14-for-19 in a 34-point performance in teh win over teh Kings and is averaging over 25 points over an eight-game stretch (19.7 PPG on the season). Mitchell has shot 50 percent or better in each of the last three contests and is adding a highlight-reel play or two seemingly every night. Mitchell is an electrifying talent but has some work to do on the defensive end before he can be included with the league's elite players. "He played very well tonight," coach Quin Snyder told the media Wednesday. "There were a number of things on the defensive end that he's going to hear about. He's gotta keep getting better in every aspect of the game. That's what he wants to do." Rodney Hood (2nd-leading scorer at 16.7 PPG), who had 30 points in a loss at New York earlier this season, added 25 points while shooting 9-for-16 in the win over the Kings.
The pick: The Knicks were talking playoff at 17-14 but they are just 3-11 since. Their road woes are well-documented (see above) and while te heazz are also just 5-15 their last 20, they are getting some good news. Center Rudy Gobert (11.6 & 9.6), who sustained a sprained PCL in his left knee and bone bruise in his tibia while missing 15 games (Jazz are 4-11), is expected to return to action against the Knicks on Friday! Make Utah a 10* play.
