It has been a year of making runs for the Spurs, who already own 2 double-figure runs, which are fortunately filled with victories than losses. The Knicks are not so enthusiastic with the run they are creating.
Following dropping by 13 at MSG previously this month, the League - finest Spurs are trying to increase their most recent winning run to 8 while handing the visiting Knicks a 5th consecutive defeat Friday evening.
There have been 5 winning runs of a minimum of ten matchups within the NBA, & Spurs ( 36 - 6 ), having a run of 12 from November 1st to 24th & 10 from December 3rd to 22nd, has 2 of them. The Spurs are are close to accomplishing a 3rd, erasing an eleven point half-time disadvantage during the 3rd period on their way to a 104 - 95 victory against the Raptors on Wednesday. San Antonio's run started 2 weeks ago versus the Pacers as they rebounded back from their only straight defeats of the year.
The 1st of those had been the outcome of some horrible defending January 4th at Madison Square Garden. New York ( 22 - 19 ) put in 54.9 % during a 128 - 115 win, the most points Spurs permitted during a regular time matchup since March 1993, & an effort that Popovich called .
The Spurs, although, have not been lazy on the defensive end on their home court versus the Knicks in recent seasons. They have kept New York to 85.7 Points per game in picking up the previous 7 matchups at the AT&T Center.
The Knicks have permitted 114.3 Points per game within their losing stretch, & Amare Stoudemire appeared frustrated following the most recent loss. Houston started hot with a 36 - 27 advantage following 1 quarter Wednesday & did not look back, out-scoring New York in each quarter of a 104 - 89 victory. Since December 15th, New York's only victory in ten matchups when permitting 100 points came versus San Antonio. It's 5 - 1 when keeping the competitor under the 100-point threshold in that period.
One thing New York will want to do Friday is defend the three point arc. The Spurs are 24 - 1 when they make a minimum of 37.5 % of their beyond the arc shots, a % 4 of New York's previous 6 competitors have gone past.
Manu Ginobili has put in 20.0 points within San Antonio's most recent run, however the Spurs' balance beyond Richard Jefferson, Ginobili, Tim Duncan & Tony Parker, keeps showing up.
A minimum of one Spurs player out-side of those best 4 scorers has put in thirteen points or more in every matchup within the run.
The 2nd year center DeJuan Blair, has gotten it done within 2 of the previous 3 contests having eighteen points & thirteen boards during a 101 - 89 victory against Dallas previous Friday, then had eighteen points & thirteen boards versus the Raptors. The Spurs are 7 - 0 when Blair records a double - double.
Containing Tony Parker is a concern for many teams including the Knicks, ahowever they'll additionally be anxious to get Felton in the groove and hitting his shots again. Felton, who'd twenty-eight points during the victory against the Spurs, has totaled twenty-seven points & put in 23.8 % during his previous 3 matchups.