Knicks Week Preview

December 16th- December 21st

Monday 16th: vs. Washington Wizards- 7:30 PM

Wednesday 18th: @ Milwaukee Bucks- 8:00 PM

Saturday 21st: vs. Memphis Grizzlies- 12:00 PM

Matchup of the Week

This weeks matchup is the Saturday game against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Knicks have struggled in afternoon games and with this game on a Saturday afternoon, they could be in trouble. But this is the matchup of the week simply because the Grizzlies are a solid defensive team. They will challenge the Knicks and make it difficult to run their offensive sets. If the Knicks can play a hard game and get consistent offense, they could walk away with a good win over a Western Conference opponent.

Player to Watch This Week

This weeks player to watch is JR Smith. Having a very disappointing season and struggling to find any success it will be very important for Smith to help the team this week. None of the teams the Knicks face this week have dominating benches, so Smith should be able to score more easily.

Last week Smith really hit the bottom of his season as he struggled to score and play defense. His knee has been bothering him, but his attitude and lack of effort really have made for a poor stretch. The Knicks need Smith to score. That area really has been a struggle for the team this year and has resulted in losses.

This could be a redemptive week for Smith and could give him some confidence. If he continues to struggle, like in the last game when Mike Woodson sat him in the fourth quarter, Smith will continue to lose playing time.