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The Knicks get their first repeat offender tonight taking on the Indiana Pacers for their 2021 debut. So far both games have been in Indianapolis but the Pacers have yet to be gracious hosts. This game comes on the heels of longtime Pacers front office man, and short time Knicks front office Man, Donnie Walsh officially retiring from the game.
Basketball never stops though and the Knicks youth movement might get a kick start from impressive youngster, Immanuel Quickley potentially returning to the mix.
Injury Update: Immanuel Quickley (sore left hip) has been upgraded to probable for tonight’s game at Indiana.
— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) January 2, 2021
As of now no word on Julius Randle, Alec Burks or Frank Ntilikina.
Projected Starters
Major alteration for the Pacers today with TJ Warren possibly done for the season after having surgery to repair a stress fracture in his right foot. The Knicks should trot out the same group they put together on opening night.
Elfrid Payton v. Malcolm Brogdom
Reggie Bullock v. Aaron Holiday
RJ Barrett v. Victor Oladipo
Julius Randle v. Domantas Sabonis
Mitchell Robinson v. Myles Turner
Despite no major changes to the starting lineup for Tom Thibodeau there has been plenty of mixing and matching. Partly injury trouble has pushed him to try some special herbs even though he’s still running the team with a metal fist, keeping an 8-man rotation since Immanuel Quickley went down with a hip pointer right here in this damned Indiana town!
Maybe there’s something in the water. What it means for how things change tonight remains to be seen but here’s something to keep your brain in a fizz.
Another note on workload: If Oladipo takes on increased usage from Warren, he already leads team in usage rate while managing his own injury history.
— Caitlin Cooper (@C2_Cooper) January 2, 2021
Brogdon, meanwhile, ranks 6th in the league in time of possession while once again running PnR on over 40 percent of his poss.
Keys & Predictions
RJ Barrett has been so impossibly off since leaving Indiana, he has to go back to the source to regain his composure. With Randle notably slower due to his leg cramp, RJ will have to say fuggit and throw his whole weight behind this punch. The Knicks need a breakout game from someone if they plan to even the season series with Indy.
RJ may go off, but if it isn’t sanctioned by Randle, the Knicks will still have a bunch of immovable parts and they’ll suffer as a result. So they’ll need to play team ball with passion. Something they just spent a year and half with David Fizdale learning how to ignore.
Knicks by -19
Warm Up DOOM
If you want more about the holder of a boulder, Money Folder DOOM, I went a little more in detail at Dot Land. Here I’ll just toss out a couple b-sides and rarities for ya. Rappers are Impostas!
This one always stuck with me. Long time and big time fan of the Micranots and I-Self-Divine, so when this one hit I was ready!
Hardly came sloppy on this here Retarded Hard Copy. I remember when I heard the official release and I was so put off by what became “Figaro”. I like less polish. Add some dust and pops. I wanna hear DOOM and Dumilé! Same situations from the Fondle ‘Em singles into Operation: Doomsday.
Always loved the loose screw more than the mask. We lost one of the greatest of all time, so twirl a L and follow the light. The light will be your guide.
RIP DOOM.