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NBA title contenders Brooklyn Nets have won both their games since the All-Star break and host the New York Knicks next. The Brooklyn Nets had initially hoped for Kevin Durant to return straight after the NBA All-Star game. However, he has suffered a hamstring injury that is set to rule him out for another week or more.
James Harden has been sensational in recent weeks, while Kyrie Irving has supported him to the best of his ability. This has been enough for the Brooklyn Nets to amass victory after victory as they set their sights on the New York Knicks next.
The New York Knicks have a run of difficult fixtures and registered a victory in their last game against the Detroit Pistons. They will be taking on the Philadelphia 76ers after their visit to the Barclays Center.
Julius Randle produced a triple-double while RJ Barrett has also seen improved form of late. The New York Knicks will need multiple big performances if they are to get a victory against the offensively stacked Brooklyn Nets.
New York Knicks vs Brooklyn Nets: 3 key matchups
#1 RJ Barrett vs James Harden
James Harden is a player who is widely considered to be one of the best offensive players in NBA history. He is in especially scintillating form, and has been the major reason for the Brooklyn Nets’ huge success in the absence of Kevin Durant.
Meanwhile, RJ Barrett has been the second-best player for the New York Knicks this season. But he might have to work hard defensively to stop an offensive juggernaut that is averaging close to a triple-double this season. Harden has 25.3 points, 11,2 assists and 8.8 rebounds per game, and containing him will be the biggest job of the night for the New York Knicks.
#2 Elfrid Payton vs Kyrie Irving
Considering the offensive depth and the absence of two bonafide stars in the form of Blake Griffin and Kevin Durant, the fact that the Nets still have two of the best players in the league means that the New York Knicks will probably have their task cut out on Monday. Irving has also found form in recent weeks despite a couple of matches he has had to sit out of.
But Payton has done a job defensively in multiple games for the New York Knicks, and he might spend most of the night trying to guard Kyrie Irving. He is averaging 12.6 points per game, and much of game’s outcome might depend upon whether Kyrie Irving’s impact can be limited. Needless to say, that is another huge task.
#3 Julius Randle vs Joe Harris
Whether the New York Knicks can end up victorious will have a lot to do with Julius Randle’s performance. The 2021 NBA All-Star has been the best player for the New York Knicks, and is producing 22.9 points and 11 rebounds per game. He ran riot in their last game against the Detroit Pistons but now has a huge task at hand.
Meanwhile, Joe Harris is part of a talented supporting cast that is set to see the addition of Blake Griffin once he recovers from injury. Harris is averaging 14.6 points per game but might have to do a job on the other end of the court. The Brooklyn Nets have looked unreachable in recent games, and a monster Julius Randle performance might be the need of the hour for the New York Knicks.
