[9:10 PM] Knicks @ Suns

Who will WIN this matchup?

New York Knicks (14-10)

@ Phoenix Suns (7-17)

 

• New York’s offense is constantly under scrutiny by fans, media and team president Phil Jackson, who isn’t shy about advocating for his preferred triangle offense or taking subtle shots at star Carmelo Anthony for his role in helping that attack. Anthony went 4-of-16 from the field on Sunday but the Knicks still managed to pull off a 118-112 win over the Los Angeles Lakers to improve to 2-0 on the five-game trip.

• The Suns narrowly missed out on their first back-to-back wins since the first two games of November on Sunday, when they squandered a 15-point lead and suffered a 120-119 overtime home loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.

• New York coach Jeff Hornacek is returning to the place he coached for 2 1/2 seasons before being fired on Feb. 1, 2016, and he has his new team humming along in high gear. Kristaps Porzingis (26 points, 12 rebounds) and Derrick Rose (25 points on 12-of-16 shooting) picked up the slack for Anthony in Sunday’s triumph.

• Phoenix received several impressive individual performances in Sunday’s loss, including 14 points and 21 rebounds from 34-year-old center Tyson Chandler. The veteran grabbed double-digit rebounds in each of the last three games and is shooting 70 percent from the field on the season. Point guard Eric Bledsoe averaged 31 points and 8.5 assists in the last two games while shooting 23-of-44 from the field, but second-year shooting guard Devin Booker is 16-of-45 from the floor in the last three contests.

• New York took the two meetings last season by an average of 24.5 points.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: New York Knicks

Confidence: 5/10

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