New York officially hopped off the shneid and now they get to land on a nest of gilded antlers. Tonight the Knicks (11-29) face the Bucks (35-6) who happen to be the NBA’s best team. They’ve played twice this year and it’s been an absolute slaughter fest.
Unfortunately for Milwaukee, this time the Knicks have signed Kenny Wooten. Although I don’t expect Wooten to play today, it’s one of the smartest things the front office has done this year. “Smart” is not something typically associated with “Knicks.” So in preparation of tonight’s appearance at the other Mecca, the top five smartest things the Knicks have done this season, ranked:
5. Sneakily signing Marcus Morris away from those nasty Spurs.
4. Playing Frank Ntilikina with Mitchell Robinson whenever possible.
3. Waiving Ivan Rabb, whom they prematurely signed.
2. Signing Kenny Wooten so that Frank can always have a pick-and-roll partner.
1. Firing David Fizdale.
Kenny Wooten with the let’s stop playing & call this dude what he really is... TRIPLE D!!!
— Mayar Zokaei (@ZokaeiWorld) January 12, 2020
DIMES✅ DUNKS✅ DAGGERS✅
this man is your favorite player’s favorite player & now we coming for his roster spot enough time has been wasted already man!!!@kennywootenjr pic.twitter.com/ybqviB9vYY
Wooten, twenty, thirty. He doin’ the rim dirty.
Projected Starters
Kyle Korver missed Saturday’s game for Milwaukee with a sore back. That was the second game in as many nights and it looks like Mike Budenholzer just wanted to give him some rest. The sharpshooter turned 41 years old last week* and the signs of aging are becoming evident.
On the New York side of things, Frank Ntilikina is doubtful, as his groin’s still tired. Marcus Morris will miss yet another game with his neck injury. We also got an update on Dennis Smith Jr., and his oblique injury. He claims to be progressing quickly, but that he re-aggravated it. It’s a tricky injury that Dennis heard has kept some people out for as long as two months.
If that were the case it may put a kink in the trade works for DSJ. To counteract that logic, the Knicks tweeted out a picture of Dennis awkwardly holding a box and a bag while grimacing.
*Korver turns 41 in like three years and a couple months. Seems believable tho. My kind of lie.
Keys & Predictions
First things first. Put Noah Vonleh in there and drape him over Giannis. Hit a ton of threes of your own. Somehow I don’t think this game is gonna have enough Wooten in it. Julius Randle will not know what to do with Giannis. The Knicks will try to protect the rim, as they are wont to do. They will not figure out how to keep the Bucks from bombing threes, though. Oh well.
Knicks by -33.
Warm Up Music
This gonna be a slaughter fest like the two previous meetings. Bang your head to it.
Just produce.