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The San Antonio Spurs will be eyeing a win as they finish their season series with the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. The Spurs are looking to bounce back from a 128-116 loss to the Brooklyn Nets just 24 hours earlier. They could have clinched a play-in berth with a win, but they have a chance to make up for it with a victory in New York.
In their first meeting of the season, the San Antonio Spurs routed the New York Knicks 119-83 in Texas back in March. It snapped the visitors’ three-game winning streak at the time. The Spurs, who had six players score in double-figures, used a balanced attack to stifle the Knicks.
Immanuel Quickley led New York with 26 points while RJ Barrett had 15. The Spurs’ stingy defense was able to hold Julius Randle to just 14 points on 6-of-16 shooting.
Match Details
Fixture - San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks | 2020-21 NBA Season
Date & Time - Thursday, May 13th, 7:30 PM ET (Friday, May 14th, 5:00 AM IST)
Venue - Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
San Antonio Spurs Preview
The San Antonio Spurs’ magic number to make the play-in tournament is one. If they secure a win or if the Sacramento Kings suffer a loss, the Spurs will be through. Instead of waiting for the Kings to falter in one of their final three games, coach Gregg Popovich’s squad would rather determine their fate themselves.
Their game against the New York Knicks presents another opportunity. At 33-36, the San Antonio Spurs can reach .500 with three straight wins but that’s easier said than done.
Key Player - DeMar DeRozan
DeMar DeRozan had 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, a subpar performance considering the stakes. He and Dejounte Murray needed to step up, but they were unable to keep up with the Nets’ barrage of points in the third quarter that ultimately led to the loss.
The Spurs will face a determined New York Knicks squad on Thursday and DeRozan will be seeing tougher defensive coverage. He will have to bounce back with a stronger performance if he wants the San Antonio Spurs to come away with a victory.
San Antonio Spurs Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Dejounte Murray l Shooting Guard - Lonnie Walker IV l Small Forward - DeMar DeRozan l Power Forward - Keldon Johnson l Center - Jakob Poeltl
New York Knicks Preview
The New York Knicks are assured of a playoff spot but they would like to enter the postseason with a higher seeding. They are currently sixth in the East with a 38-31 record, the same as the Miami Heat, who are sitting at No. 5 in the conference. A win against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday would go a long way in helping the Knicks achieve their goal.
The 101-99 loss in overtime to the LA Lakers on Tuesday dropped them to their current sixth position. It was the Knicks' third loss in their last four games after coming off a three-game winning streak.
The San Antonio Spurs game will be their first time at home since going on a six-game road trip. The Knicks will be playing their last three games at Madison Square Garden.
Key Player - Julius Randle
Julius Randle likely remembers the New York Knicks loss to the San Antonio Spurs last March and how poorly he played. He will no doubt be motivated to make up for that substandard outing during the rematch.
The first-time All-Star didn’t shoot the ball particularly well against the Lakers (11-of-26) in their most recent match, though he scored 31 points. But he made clutch baskets that nearly gave them the win. Anthony Davis’ defense definitely bothered him, but he will have an easier time against the San Antonio Spurs, whose defensive rating has plummeted to 26th since their recent slump began late last month.
Randle, however, is capable of playing at a higher level. The 31-point output was the fifth time the New York Knicks forward has scored at least 30 in their last 10 games.
New York Knicks Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Elfrid Payton l Shooting Guard - RJ Barrett l Small Forward - Reggie Bullock l Power Forward - Julius Randle l Center - Nerlens Noel
Spurs vs Knicks Match Prediction
Both the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs are desperate to win on Thursday but only one of them will be successful. Considering how both teams have been in a mini-slump lately, the game may be decided by the better defensive squad.
That’s why the New York Knicks are the most likely team to win and hand the San Antonio Spurs their second loss in a row.
Where to Watch Spurs vs Knicks?
The San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks game will be shown locally on Bally Sports Southwest and MSG. For international viewers, the game will be livestreamed on NBA League Pass.
Also Read: NBA Playoffs 2020-21: Analyzing LA Lakers' postseason scenarios
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