Pre-Game: Knicks vs. Hawks 7:30 PM

The New York Knicks will try to get another win tonight when they face the Atlanta Hawks. Jeremy Lin (knee) and Amare Stoudemire (back) will both be out tonight. Interim Head Coach Mike Woodson stated today that he is unsure if Lin and Stoudemire will return. But Woodson went on to say that Lin could be available next week when the Knicks have a two game road trip.

Tonight will be another moment the Knicks can move up in the standings. They have struggled on the road this season, but have played well since Mike Woodson has taken over. Carmelo Anthony will likely have to play through the pain as he fights through a groin strain. Anthony is coming off a very well played game on Wednesday night. Anthony was put in posting opportunities which create opportunities for himself or for his teammates. Leading the way for the Knicks Anthony scored 25 points. His shot seemed more under control and he really had a nice all around performance.

The team element will have to continue simply because the Knicks have thrived with everyone being involved. Steve Novak and JR Smith are quickly becoming the deadliest combination the Knicks have off the bench. Novak has been very effective either early on or late in games. Smith has been erratic with his shot, but still does other things that help the team.

Iman Shumpert played possibly his best game of his career against the Magic. Shumpert scored 25 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. He has played very well defensively for the Knicks this season, but he showed that he could score in a variety of ways. There are some reports that Shumpert has been working on his shot with Allan Houston. If that is the case Shumpert may soon be a threat from behind the arc. Tonight look for Shumpert to be on Joe Johnson for most of the night, simply because the Knicks need him to guard a very dangerous scorer.

The Hawks have a combination of Josh Smith and Joe Johnson that can be very dangerous if they are unaccounted for. Smith is having a great season and after he was snubbed from the All-Star team, Smith has been even better the second half of the season. And Joe Johnson has been up and down, but has been winning games for the Hawks with his late game heroics. The Hawks are a good team so the Knicks have to make sure they play a very strong defensive game.

Tonight the Knicks will have to play with energy and grab every rebound they can. As the season heads into the final month the Knicks need to continue to get wins. This game will be one the Knicks will want simply because they have to continue to win. If the Knicks can set the tone early with their defense they could possibly win tonight. This game can be watched on MSG at 7:30 PM tonight. Let’s go Knicks!