The Golden State Warriors head to the big stage at Madison Square Garden for the second game of a back-to-back on Saturday, looking to erase memories of a 124-116 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday with a bounce-back win over the New York Knicks.
New York has gone 5-5 in its last ten games after an abysmal 5-35 start to the 2014-15 NBA campaign. They also come into Saturday looking to salvage game two of a back-to-back, after falling in Brooklyn to the Nets on Friday, 92-88.
Projected Starting Lineups
Golden State Warriors (39-9)
G Stephen Curry – 23.7 ppg, 8.1 apg, 4.7 rpg
G Klay Thompson – 22.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg. 3.0 apg
F Harrison Barnes – 10.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg
F Draymond Green – 11.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg
C Andrew Bogut – 6.5 ppg, 8.4 rpg
New York Knicks (10-40)
G Jose Calderon - 9.4 ppg, 4.6 apg
G Langston Galloway – 11.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.2 apg
F Carmelo Anthony – 24.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 3.0 apg
F Jason Smith – 7.6 ppg, 3.5 apg
C Louis Amundson – 6.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg
What to watch for:
Steve Kerr takes a look into what could have been..
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr will lead the Western Conference-best Warriors into a matchup with Derek Fisher's Eastern Conference-worst New York Knicks knowing full well that it could have been him struggling to make headway on the other side of the court. Kerr was targeted by Knicks president Phil Jackson this past offseason to take over the team, but opted to head to a more ready-made situation by the Bay.
Can New York match Golden State drive for drive?
Perhaps the most troublesome statistic from the Knicks' struggles to learn Phil Jackson's triangle offense this year is the 17.3 free throws that New York is attempting per game - good for dead last in the NBA. For New York to have a chance against a Golden State team adept at both jump shooting and slashing to the rim, the Knicks will have to find a way to get consistent penetration and draw some early whistles along the way.
Prediction: Warriors win 108-93
Amar'e Stoudemire will likely sit out and Carmelo Anthony could too for the Knicks. Even if both players were in the lineup along with two or three members from the Harlem Globetrotters, there's just too much talent on this Warriors squad to lean New York's way. Upsets can happen, but the young legs of the Dubs seem poised to take this one going away at Madison Square Garden.
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