<div align="center"> vs. Knicks 2-6 / Nuggets 4-5</div> <font size="3"> Date: 11/18/05 Time 9:00 (Eastern Time) TV: MSG, NBALP</font> <font size="4">Season Stats</font> Previous Games: Knicks: 97-92 L @ Lakers Nuggets: 91-81 W @ Hornets Knicks: Record: 2 - 6 (.250) Standings: Fourth, Atlantic At Home: 0-2 At Road: 2-4 PPG: 86.6 Opp PPG: 89.8 FG%: .427 Opp FG%: .408 RPG: 45.4 Opp RPG: 42.6 Nuggets: Record: 4-5 (.444) Standings: Fourth, Northwest At Home: 3-1 At Road: 1-4 PPG: 94.7 Opp PPG: 92.0 FG%: .446 Opp FG%: .435 RPG: 45.8 Opp RPG: 41.4 *BOLD* indicates leads team in particular stat. <font size="4"> <font color="DarkOrange">Knicks Starters</font></font> PG: Stephon Marbury 40.0pg 15.3ppg 3.4rpg 5.8apg SG: Quentin Richardson 25.1mpg 7.5ppg 3.8rpg 1.6apg SF: Trevor Ariza 22.4mpg 6.3ppg 3.9rpg 1.6apg PF: Antonio Davis 25.4ppg 4.3ppg 5.9rpg 0.9apg C: Eddy Curry 26.0mpg 14.1ppg 7.5rpg 0.4apg <font color="Blue"><font size="3">Knicks Bench:</font></font> Matt Barnes David Lee Malik Rose Channing Frye Nate Robinson Jackie Butler Jamal Crawford Complete Knicks Stats <font size="4"> <font color="DeepSkyBlue">Nuggets Starters</font></font> PG: Andre Miller 34.0mpg 11.7ppg 5.3rpg 7.7ppg SG: Voshon Lenard 22.8mpg 9.5ppg 2.8rpg 2.0apg SF: Carmelo Anthony 35.7mpg 20.1ppg 5.3rpg 3.6apg PF: Marcus Camby 34.7mpg 15.4ppg 13.7rpg 1.9apg C: Francisco Elson 16.3mpg 3.0ppg 3.3rpg 0.5apg <font color="deepskyblue"><font size="3">Nuggets Bench</font></font> Earl Boykins Earl Watson Eduardo Najera DerMarr Johnson Greg Buckner Julius Hodge Linas Kleiza Complete Nuggets Stats <font size="4"><font color="Red">Inactive:</font></font> <font color="DarkOrange">NYK:</font> 1. Penny Hardaway 2. Jerome James 3. Maurice Taylor <font color="DeepSkyBlue">DEN:</font> 1. Kenyon Martin 2. Nene <font size="4"> <div align="center"><font color="Navy">Matchups:</font></font> Backcourt vs. </div> PG + SG: Stephon Marbury and Quentin Richardson face off against Andre Miller and Voshon Lenard. With the my boy, Marcus Camby, playing like a beast and averaging close to 3.5 blocks per game, the Knicks will need to take anything they can get from Marbury and Richardson. Well, anything efficient. The last thing the Knicks need is inefficiency from the backcourt; that?s exactly what George Karl?s defensive powerhouse wants. If the Knicks have any hopes of stealing a road game, they will need Richardson to step up. So fat he?s not even shooting above 40% and isn?t playing consistent basketball. Hopefully today will be one of his better games. He might struggle, though, with the Nuggets? swarming defense. We?ll see what happens. <div align="center"> Frontcourt vs. </div> SF + PF + C: Trevor Ariza, Eddy Curry, and Antonio Davis go head-to-head against the frontcourt of Anthony, Elson, and Camby. This will be key for the Knicks. Anthony, a low percentage shooter, can get easily frustrated and start to take bad shots. If Trevor Ariza contests him and makes him take silly shots, the Knicks already have done their damage against the Nuggets? leading scorer. Just as important as Anthony, is Camby and his defense. The ex-Knick has been dubbed the NBA?s player of the week averaging about 15/14/2 to go with 3.5 blocks. He?s getting it done on both ends of the court. It will be key for Curry or whomever, really, to get him into some early foul trouble because Kenyon Martin and Nene, the Nuggets? defensive stopping big men, are both injured. If Camby?s sitting on the bench, the Knicks can penetrate easily and create open shots. Getting Camby out and frustrating Anthony will be key to the Knicks? success. <font size="3"><font color="DarkOrange">Knicks Bench Summary</font></font> We need the bench squad with the rookies to continue their energy tonight. They?ve been absolutely sensational for us and really kept us in games this past season. When we get lethargic, they will need to wake us up. I also look forward to seeing Nate post up for the very first time against Boykins! Prediction: Looks like the Nuggets are pretty solid, but since Kenyon and Nene are out, I?ll take them 90-80.
http://www.nba.com/games/20051118/NYKDEN/boxscore.html Knicks lose another road game. Melo and Camby dominated while Steph has seem to lose his offensive touch. Curry went out in the 1st half with a problem in his foot. I hope he's alright. Its weird that LB only played Ariza and Q 7 minutes a piece. Another strong effort for Frye and Crawford. Frye has been the knicks mvp so far and crawford has limited those bad shots and has become a good offensive weapon.
Channing Frye is doing great, I've seen two big games from him thus far and I think he can keep it up, and he seems to have a pretty good jumper, but as you guys call him 'soft' I dont know what to expect from him because I havent been able to catch a NY game that Frye's played in so far.
I'm not sure how we lost this game although I'm pretty sure our defense had something to do with it. Carmelo had 25 points on over 50% shooting. And when guys like Francisco Elson score 12 points there is a problem with the defense. I dont think I've ever heard of this guy before and he's scoring double digits on us. Needless to say we should not have lost this game. Martin and Nene were both out so there really is no excuse. On the brightside our rookies played well. David Lee is rebounding like Jeff Foster, Nate Robinson looked like Earl Boykins and Frye is making me look bad. Curry has a problem with his hamstring so I'm not sure if he'll be able to play this weekend. If he doesnt we are in a world of trouble against the Trailblazers. Anyway I think Isiah Thomas should be fired.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Tribute to H2O:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm not sure how we lost this game although I'm pretty sure our defense had something to do with it. Carmelo had 25 points on over 50% shooting. And when guys like Francisco Elson score 12 points there is a problem with the defense. I dont think I've ever heard of this guy before and he's scoring double digits on us. Needless to say we should not have lost this game. Martin and Nene were both out so there really is no excuse. On the brightside our rookies played well. David Lee is rebounding like Jeff Foster, Nate Robinson looked like Earl Boykins and Frye is making me look bad. Curry has a problem with his hamstring so I'm not sure if he'll be able to play this weekend. If he doesnt we are in a world of trouble against the Trailblazers. Anyway I think Isiah Thomas should be fired.</div> Doesnt matter Tribute. We have Jerome James.
