Game Preview: Knicks at Sixers, 11/20/2019

The Knicks (4-10) shoot down to Philadelphia tonight where they’ll face the pinkies out, Bellini-sipping 76ers (8-5). Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, the oysters and crackers of the NBA, will look to get their team very on track against a New York team that is a mere two games away from the eighth seed Hornets, who stole an entire game of separation last week at the Garden.

Making his return home, Marcus Morris is set to have a bad game because too many people want tickets and he will be unable to keep them all straight, because Markieff has been fielding a lot of the calls and texts and he has been really angry with Marcus for not getting out in front of it this time. Marcus apologized, but Markieff had already blown a gasket. Now every call is another wound. A reminder of the whisper that turns to a bellow. You shouldn’t ignore your responsibilities, folks.

Both teams pounded out the Cavs in their respective last games, so this is a rubber match of sorts. I wonder how bad Julius Randle will be today against a huge team with a top 10 defense. My guess is he’ll spin into a hilarious amount of extra defenders and we’ll have a turnover rover on our hands.

Projected Starters

The Knicks are relatively healthy. RJ Barrett is listed as probable with a bum thumb on his left hand. Mitchell Robinson has been given full clearance from the medical staff which means David Fizdale will generate his own medical report that limits Mitch to seven minutes per half so that Bobby Portis can get right annihilated by Joel Embiid. The evaluations for Elfrid Payton (10 days) and Reggie Bullock (early December) are not far off.

Total health for Philly. I just don’t know how teams do it, but I’m so thankful for the point guard rotation being figured out vis-a-vis the Woodson method. It is worth noting that Ben Simmons’ ailing jump shot is broken and everyone has been urging him for years to seek a second opinion.

Key Matchups and Predictions

Can’t wait for the return of Kyle O’Quinn!

Yea whatever bro man who cares. Trey Burke will be back as well.

Looks like Julius Randle’s favorite player.

So uh... it’s gonna be rough stuff but with any luck Frank Ntilikina can go 20 feet under screens on Simmons and cause havoc in passing lanes or pick his big old pockets. The Knicks are going to have negative answers for Embiid sadly. Taj Gibson will try. Randle won’t. Bobby Portis will be in all the right places but on a seven-second delay. Big Bobby Broadcast Delay Portis. Fuck....... ____. Maybe Mitchell Robinson can stay down and not get in foul trouble?

The only thing I know for certain is that Furkan Korkmaz is gonna bang back-to-back-to-back triples on Kevin Knox, then drive and whip a behind-the-back pass to a corner three shooter. That shot is going in. A relatively close game will suddenly be a Sixers blowout.

Knicks by -16.

Warm Up Music

Werr geddin chizsteks at Subways after da gam.