PHILADELPHIA vs NEW YORK
When: 12/26/2020 7:30 PM
Where:

TV: 7:30 PM
LINE: 7.5
PREDICTION: NEW YORK , PHILADELPHIA

Oddsmakers currently have the NEW YORK listed as 7.5 point favorites versus the PHILADELPHIA, while the game’s total is sitting at 219.

The New York Knicks spent two-plus quarters exceeding expectations Wednesday night before looking like a team in the beginning of yet another long rebuild.

The Philadelphia 76ers waited until the fourth quarter Wednesday to fully perform like a perennial contender with its rebuild in the rearview mirror.

Both the Knicks and 76ers will be looking to establish more consistency Saturday night when they face off in New York in the second game of the season for both teams.

Each squad was off Christmas Eve and Christmas Day after opening the season at home Wednesday night. The Knicks faded in the second half of a 121-107 loss to the Indiana Pacers and the 76ers stormed back from a double-digit, second-half deficit to edge the Washington Wizards, 113-107.

The Knicks, whose seven-season playoff drought is the longest among Eastern Conference teams and the third-longest in the NBA, offered some signs of progress Wednesday night.

Fueled by RJ Barrett, who drained his first eight shots, and Julius Randle, who flirted with a triple-double before finishing with 17 points, nine assists, and nine rebounds, New York led the Pacers for much of the game’s middle stretch before being outscored 47-30 over the final 18-plus minutes.

The decent start wasn’t enough to satisfy first-year head coach Tom Thibodeau, who arrived in New York with the reputation as a defensively-minded taskmaster. He directed the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves to six playoff berths in his previous seven full seasons as a head coach.

“Our schedule tells us we have to be ready to be better every day,” Thibodeau said. “We played about 24 minutes of good basketball. To win on the road, you have to do a lot better than that.”

The 76ers are no stranger to long processes — they’ve made the playoffs in each of the last three seasons following a well-documented five-year bottoming out — and are now at the point where they can get away with 24 or fewer good minutes.

Philadelphia led by 13 with five minutes left in the first half before the Wizards went on a 22-8 run to take a 59-58 lead at halftime. The 76ers were down by as many as 12 points in the third quarter and trailed 83-73 entering the fourth quarter before they outscored the Wizards 40-24 over the final 12 minutes.

“You know what I loved about the game is we didn’t play well,” 76ers head coach Doc Rivers said after winning his debut with Philadelphia.

“We had stretches that we played well. You can see in that little third quarter — body language is struggling, (they) caught themselves and they just find a way to win. The execution down the stretch of the fourth quarter for a team that hasn’t been together was unbelievable on both ends. So we love that part.”

The 76ers didn’t play on Christmas for the first time since 2016. The Knicks, who have played on Christmas Day an NBA-record 53 times, we’re off on the holiday for the second straight season.

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NEW YORK vs CHICAGO
When: 8:00 PM  ET, Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Where: United Center, Chicago, Illinois

TV: 8 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), NBCS Chicago
LINE: -6.5
PREDICTION: Bulls 103, Knicks 95

Oddsmakers currently have the CHICAGO listed as -6.5 point favorites versus the NEW YORK, while the game’s total is sitting at 212.5.

The New York Knicks are not off to the start the front office envisioned prior to the season and are coming off one of their most frustrating performances in a 108-87 home loss to Cleveland on Sunday. The Knicks will try to bounce back and live up to expectations when they visit the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday.

New York president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry held a press conference after watching their team get blown out at home by the rebuilding Cavaliers and addressed the team’s effort. “I think the lack of consistency, that for the most part we’ve seen it, but you see sporadic efforts, too,” Perry told reporters. “That’s what we talked about as we sat during this game and one of the reasons we wanted to come out and address you guys. Because we got to be consistent in all areas of the game, starting with the effort.” The Bulls are in a similar spot with losses in seven of the first 10 games and were blown out at home 117-94 by the Houston Rockets on Saturday. “When they’re scoring and we’re struggling to score, then we get a little bit stagnant,” Chicago coach Jim Boylen told reporters. “We get a little bit unsure and that’s happened a few times to us. It’s what we’ve got to work on.”

TV: 8 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), NBCS Chicago

ABOUT THE KNICKS (2-8): New York was encouraged by a 106-102 victory at Dallas on Friday and the players agreed with the team brass that the performance on Sunday was not up to standard. “(Mills and Perry are) right,” forward Marcus Morris Sr. told reporters. “We need to win. We got great players. We got great chemistry. We got great guys on this team. … If I was front office, I’d be upset, too. Our coaches are doing a great job. We just got to be better. They’re not the ones giving up 20-point leads in the beginning of the first half. That’s us. It’s all on us, and we have to own it.” Morris scored 29 points in the win at Dallas but was held to nine points on 3-of-12 shooting on Sunday.

ABOUT THE BULLS (3-7): Chicago is trying to run an offense that relies heavily on the 3-point shot but enters play on Monday 25th in the NBA in 3-point percentage (31.3 percent) and went 4-of-32 from beyond the arc on Saturday while the Rockets went 19-of-44. “We have guys shooting below their career averages by multiple points,” Boylen told reporters. “Will that turn? I think it will. It’s frustrating when it doesn’t. I get it, believe me. I’m sitting over there with it, too.” Forward Lauri Markkanen is shooting 27.9 percent from 3-point range and went 0-of-5 against the Rockets.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Bulls SF Otto Porter Jr. (foot) sat out Saturday and is questionable for Tuesday.

2. Knicks C Mitchell Robinson (concussion) will miss his third straight game.

3. F Bobby Portis led the way with 28 points against his former team when New York earned a 105-98 home win over Chicago on Oct. 28.

PREDICTION: Bulls 103, Knicks 95

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NEW YORK KNICKS vs NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
When: 8:00 PM  ET, Friday, November 16, 2018
Where: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana

TV: 8:05 PM
LINE: -10
PREDICTION: NEW ORLEANS , NEW YORK

Oddsmakers currently have the NEW ORLEANS listed as -10 point favorites versus the NEW YORK, while the game’s total is sitting at 227.

The New Orleans Pelicans have done nothing but streak this season and are hoping Wednesday’s setback at Minnesota doesn’t send the team into another tailspin. The Pelicans will try to avoid a losing streak when they host the lowly New York Knicks on Friday.

New Orleans, which began the season with four wins, followed that with six losses and then won three straight to pull above .500, fell into a 21-point hole in the second quarter against the Timberwolves and ran out of gas down the stretch. “You gotta start the game the right way, and we didn’t do it,” Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry told reporters. “We dug ourselves a hole and spent too much energy getting out. We talked before about everything, putting ourselves in a position where we can catch the lead.” New Orleans should be able to score early and often against the Knicks, who are allowing an average of 123.7 points during a three-game slide and dropped the first stop of a three-game trip 128-103 at Oklahoma City on Wednesday. “With young teams that’s just how it is,” New York coach David Fizdale told reporters. “If everybody was a complete player right now, I think we’d be in a lot different situation record-wise.”

TV: 8 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FS New Orleans

ABOUT THE KNICKS (4-11): Fizdale changed his lineup on Wednesday to get more offense in the starting unit with Emmanuel Mudiay and Kevin Knox replacing Frank Ntilikina and Damyean Dotson. Mudiay handed out five assists for a New York team that is last in the NBA in assist average (19) but combined with Knox to go 7-of-21 from the floor. “We have a microcosm of how I’d like our guys to play,” Fizdale, who remains optimistic about his young squad, told reporters of the new lineup and its intended results. “Fast, athletic, disruptive.”

ABOUT THE PELICANS (7-7): New Orleans fell in Minnesota but shooting guard E’Twaun Moore kept up his recent run of solid play with a season-high 31 points. Moore scored in single digits in back-to-back games before going for 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting in a win over Phoenix and following that up with 30 points on 13-of-18 from the floor in a victory at Toronto on Monday. The Pelicans could use more from the second unit, which combined for five points on 2-of-11 shooting on Wednesday as power forward Julius Randle slumped to three points – the first time this season he failed to reach double figures.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Pelicans PF Nikola Mirotic (ankle) returned from a two-game absence on Wednesday but will undergo an MRI on Thursday and is day-to-day.

2. Knicks rookie C Mitchell Robinson blocked three shots on Wednesday – his fifth straight game with multiple blocks.

3. New York dropped four of the last five meetings but earned a 105-103 win in its trip to New Orleans last season.

PREDICTION: Pelicans 130, Knicks 110

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ORLANDO MAGIC vs NEW YORK KNICKS
When: 7:30 PM  ET, Sunday, November 11, 2018
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

TV: 7:35 PM
LINE: -1.5
PREDICTION: NEW YORK , ORLANDO

Oddsmakers currently have the NEW YORK listed as -1.5 point favorites versus the ORLANDO, while the game’s total is sitting at 209.5.

The Orlando Magic are trying to move up in the Eastern Conference this season, and the team’s veteran leadership believes they can make it happen. The Magic will try to follow up one impressive win with another when they visit the New York Knicks on Sunday.

Orlando picked up its third win in the last four games with a 117-108 triumph at home over the Washington Wizards on Friday as 31-year-old point guard D.J. Augustin stepped up with a series of key plays down the stretch. “We know our ultimate goal is to make it to the playoffs this year,” Augustin told reporters. “We started off slow and everybody was saying, ‘What’s up with us?’ But it’s a long season. We know that inside this group and the coaches know that and we’re just working hard every day.” The Knicks are missing that sort of stable veteran hand to guide the team at the end of games and dropped three of its last four. New York had three rookies and two second-year players in the rotation on Saturday during a 128-112 loss to the Toronto Raptors.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Orlando), MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE MAGIC (5-7): Orlando’s reserves took some shots from coach Steve Clifford after combining for 20 points – 15 from Terrence Ross – in a 103-96 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday, and the bench responded on Friday. Ross proved steady once again with 12 points and seven rebounds, but the big changes came from rookie center Mo Bamba and point guard Jerian Grant, who combined for two points on 1-of-4 shooting against the Pistons. Bamba scored a season-high 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting against the Wizards while Grant went 5-of-5 from the floor en route to 13 points in 23 minutes.

ABOUT THE KNICKS (4-9): First-year coach David Fizdale is trying to mold his young roster into a winning team and was happy with the effort against a top-notch team like Toronto. “It’s good for us,” Fizdale told reporters. “This is a good lesson for us going up against the No. 1 team in the East on their turf. I thought we really competed hard. But we didn’t do the things necessary to beat a good team on the road.” Shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr., 26, continues to lead the team in scoring and poured in 27 points on Saturday.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Knicks C Enes Kanter recorded his fourth consecutive double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds on Saturday.

2. Magic PF Aaron Gordon is averaging 21 points in the last four games.

3. The visiting team took the last three in the series, with Orlando earning a 97-73 victory at New York in the most recent meeting on April 3.

PREDICTION: Magic 117, Knicks 112

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NEW YORK KNICKS vs TORONTO RAPTORS
When: 3:00 PM  ET, Saturday, November 10, 2018
Where: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario

TV: 3:05 PM
LINE: -13.5
PREDICTION: TORONTO , NEW YORK

Oddsmakers currently have the TORONTO listed as -13.5 point favorites versus the NEW YORK, while the game’s total is sitting at 217.

The Toronto Raptors look every bit the contender in the Eastern Conference with or without Kawhi Leonard, but the presence of the superstar power forward might make them the best team in the East. Leonard and the Raptors will try to run their latest winning streak to six in a row when they host the New York Knicks on Saturday.

Leonard sat out wins at the Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz in the last week with an ankle injury but returned on Wednesday and collected 25 points and 11 rebounds in 31 minutes at Sacramento on Wednesday to help Toronto sweep the four-game trip with a 114-105 triumph. “I think we can still get better,” Leonard told reporters. “This isn’t our ceiling, with me not even knowing some of the offense. We have Kyle (Lowry) in the game most of the time. He’s controlling the ball and the tempo. Once I start learning the offense, I can even give him a little break and let him get some easier shots, even though he’s playing well right now.” New York’s biggest star, forward Kristaps Porzingis, is not on the court while recovering from knee surgery but found himself in the headlines while publicly countering coach David Fizdale’s perception of his rehabilitation. “I’m looking at these guys right now,” Fizdale told reporters of his young team. “I’m not even planning on (Porzingis) at all. I can see instantly how he fits, but I’m just trying to keep my mind focused on them.”

TV: 3 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), Sportsnet One (Toronto)

ABOUT THE KNICKS (4-8): With Porzingis away from the team while rehabbing, shooting guard Tim Hardaway is taking over the bulk of the shot attempts and managed 34 points in Wednesday’s 112-107 win at Atlanta to lead the way. Hardaway went 16-of-20 from the free-throw line in the win to make up for a rough 8-of-22 shooting night and logged 37 minutes after sitting out Monday’s 116-115 overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls. Rookie shooting guard Allonzo Trier scored 21 points while starting in Hardaway’s spot on Monday and managed 16 on 5-of-9 shooting in his return to the bench at Atlanta.

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (11-1): Toronto is off to the best 12-game start in franchise history and just wrapped up the first perfect road trip of four or more games in club history, but the players still believe there is plenty of room to grow. “We still have a lot of potential,” Leonard told reporters. “We can be confident of where we are, but we still have to have a sort of fear of us knowing that guys can beat us. Just have the mindset of wanting to get better because this is not where we want to (top out). We want to be the best team.” Power forward Serge Ibaka is getting better and averaged 19.8 points while shooting 74.5 percent from the floor on the road trip.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Raptors SF CJ Miles (hip) sat out Wednesday’s win but is expected to play on Saturday.

2. Knicks SF Lance Thomas underwent left knee surgery on Thursday and is out indefinitely.

3. Toronto took 10 of the last 11 in the series.

PREDICTION: Raptors 125, Knicks 113

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NEW YORK KNICKS vs ATLANTA HAWKS
When: 7:30 PM  ET, Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Where: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia

TV: 7:35 PM
LINE: 1
PREDICTION: ATLANTA , NEW YORK

Oddsmakers currently have the ATLANTA listed as 1 point favorites versus the NEW YORK, while the game’s total is sitting at 222.5.

The New York Knicks are finding victories hard to come by under first-year coach David Fizdale. New York has dropped eight of its last 10 as it begins a two-game road trip with a contest against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.

The Knicks squandered chances at securing a victory on Monday before falling 116-115 in double overtime to Chicago. “Tough one to take on the chin. Tough way to end the game,” New York rookie guard Allonzo Trier told reporters. “Those are games you want to win. We were right there. I guess we’ve had a lot of moral victories, but we have to find a way to get over the hump.” The Knicks posted a 126-107 win over Atlanta in the season opener, but the Hawks have lost five of six entering the rematch after dropping a 113-102 decision to Charlotte on Tuesday. “It (stinks) on nights when you feel you’re in the game and have a chance to win and the shots just aren’t falling,” rookie point guard Trae Young told reporters after missing all seven of his 3-point attempts. “We know it’s all part of the process.”

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FS Southeast (Atlanta)

ABOUT THE KNICKS (3-8): Center Enes Kanter isn’t happy about coming off the bench, but the results were there Monday as he recorded 23 points and a career-best 24 rebounds in the loss to the Bulls. “It’s definitely been an adjustment for him,” Fizdale told reporters. “I think in his heart of hearts, he really had his heart set on starting. That’s a good thing, that he wanted that, and I just think for our team and our future, what we’re trying to do, the way we’ve got it right now, I think, is the right way to go.” Kanter has posted seven double-doubles while averaging 15.3 points and 11.7 rebounds.

ABOUT THE HAWKS (3-7): Young recorded 18 points and 10 assists for his third consecutive double-double of the season as he penetrated well on a night his outside touch was off. “I think I’m being good at finishing at the rim,” Young said of his 8-of-19 shooting effort. “I can always get better, but I think I’ve been pretty solid.” Young was one of three rookies in the lineup against Charlotte as guard Kevin Huerter scored seven points in his first start while forward Omari Spellman registered just two points in his second start.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Knicks have won two of the last three meetings after the Hawks captured the previous four.

2. Atlanta G Jeremy Lin recorded 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting in Tuesday’s setback.

3. New York SG Tim Hardaway Jr. (back) is expected to return after a one-game absence.

PREDICTION: Knicks 108, Hawks 104

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CHICAGO BULLS vs NEW YORK KNICKS
When: 7:30 PM  ET, Monday, November 5, 2018
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

TV: 7:35 PM
LINE: -2.5
PREDICTION: NEW YORK , CHICAGO

Oddsmakers currently have the NEW YORK listed as -2.5 point favorites versus the CHICAGO, while the game’s total is sitting at 212.5.

The New York Knicks hope to get much more out of their starting five – or perhaps go with a new one – when they host the Chicago Bulls on Monday. Leading scorer Tim Hardaway Jr. was held to a season-low seven points on 2-of-10 shooting and the other four starters combined for just 29 as the Knicks fell 108-95 at Washington on Sunday.

The Wizards entered with the worst scoring defense (123.9 points allowed per game) in the league but had no issues stifling a New York team that managed to make only 5-of-27 from 3-point range. Hardaway, who entered the game averaging 25.1 points, also took a knee to the back in the first half and ended his night early, leaving his status for Monday in question. The Bulls dropped four in a row at home to teams that entered Sunday with a combined 27-10 record – the last three by a combined 11 points. Zach LaVine continues to carry the load for a team playing without four injured starters, scoring 21 points while making 12-of-13 free throws in the 96-88 loss to Houston on Saturday.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE BULLS (2-8): While LaVine did a nice job getting to the line against the Rockets, he was 4-for-16 from the field and Chicago shot a season-low 38.9 percent. “We had one bad quarter and unfortunately it was a really bad third quarter,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters of a seven-point effort in the third. “We were settling for shots. In fourth quarter, we got back in it by attacking the rim and getting to the free throw line.” Rookie Wendell Carter Jr. had 14 points and a season-high 13 rebounds for his second career double-double.

ABOUT THE KNICKS (3-7): Enes Kanter had 18 points and 12 rebounds off the bench at Washington and fellow reserve Allonzo Trier provided a nice spark with nine points in 22 minutes while mixing it up multiple times with Wizards star guard John Wall. “I want our whole team to be that way,” coach David Fizdale told reporters of Trier’s toughness. “That’s Knicks DNA. Every player when you go back through the history with those teams, the toughest teams, that’s the attitude.” The rookie is averaging 14.5 points on 71.9 percent shooting over his last four games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Knicks PG Frank Ntilikina is 0-for-10 from 3-point range over his last three games.

2. Thirty of Bulls SF Justin Holiday’s 42 baskets have come from beyond the arc.

3. Chicago won three of four meetings last season with the victories coming by a total of 10 points.

PREDICTION: Bulls 106, Knicks 104

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NEW YORK KNICKS vs WASHINGTON WIZARDS
When: 6:00 PM  ET, Sunday, November 4, 2018
Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, District of Columbia

TV: 6:05 PM
LINE: -7.5
PREDICTION: WASHINGTON , NEW YORK

Oddsmakers currently have the WASHINGTON listed as -7.5 point favorites versus the NEW YORK, while the game’s total is sitting at 225.

The Washington Wizards were booed off their home floor on Friday and are hoping to find things a little more accommodating when they host the New York Knicks on Sunday. The Wizards are struggling through a five-game losing streak and are last in the NBA in scoring defense at an average of 123.9 points allowed.

Washington returned from a five-game road trip on Friday and was pummeled 134-111 by the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the team is trying not to get down on itself. “I’m not hitting the panic button,” shooting guard Bradley Beal told reporters. “I’m not hitting it and I don’t think we are either as a team. We understand it’s early. It’s not perfect and patience is running low from everybody, from ourselves. Nobody is more disappointed than us.” The Knicks are familiar with being booed by their own fans, but the 2018-19 team is beginning to show some promise. New York picked up the win in two of its last three games with some of the younger players on the roster stepping forward.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), NBCS Washington

ABOUT THE KNICKS (3-6): Rookie center Mitchell Robinson recorded his first double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds on Friday while fellow rookie Allonzo Trier scored 23 points on 8-of-10 shooting in 24 minutes off the bench to lead New York to a 118-106 win over the Dallas Mavericks. “I’ve been here, what is this, 10 games now?” Trier asked reporters. “It’s been a lot of fun and I’m learning more each and every day, and we’re learning more about everybody on this team and how to use everybody, not just me.” Shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr., 26, is one of the few veterans around and leads the team in scoring at an average of 25.1 points.

ABOUT THE WIZARDS (1-7): Washington center Dwight Howard (buttocks) made his season debut on Friday and collected 20 points on 7-of-8 shooting and three rebounds in 23 minutes. “Obviously, Dwight was the bright spot,” Wizards coach Scott Brooks told reporters. “He played extremely well for his first game. It’s good to see. We were hoping that he would come in and set the tone, and I thought he did.” John Wall scored 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting on Friday but also committed seven of the team’s 19 turnovers, giving him a total of 16 in the last two games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Knicks C Enes Kanter began the season with four straight double-doubles but managed one over the next five contests.

2. Wizards SG Austin Rivers scored in single digits in each of the last six games and went scoreless on 0-of-3 shooting Friday.

3. New York snapped an eight-game losing streak in the series with a 101-97 win at Washington on March 25.

PREDICTION: Wizards 122, Knicks 119

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INDIANA PACERS vs NEW YORK KNICKS
When: 8:00 PM  ET, Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

TV: 8:05 PM
LINE: 5.5
PREDICTION: NEW YORK , INDIANA

Oddsmakers currently have the NEW YORK listed as 5.5 point favorites versus the INDIANA, while the game’s total is sitting at 210.5.

The Indiana Pacers are trying to build some consistency on offense and stumbled at home in a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday. The Pacers will try to bounce back and move the ball more when they begin a two-game trip by visiting the New York Knicks on Wednesday.

Indiana averaged 117.5 points in wins at San Antonio and Cleveland last week but was held to 41.1 percent shooting in a 103-93 home loss to the Trail Blazers. “You’re playing against a really good defensive team and they’re making you move with their actions,” Pacers point guard Darren Collison told reporters. “We’re getting there, we’re starting to become a really good offensive team and (coach) Nate (McMillan) has done a good job telling us to continue to move the ball. We just missed some easy shots, sometimes nights are going to be like that and it just wasn’t our night.” The Knicks are trying to build a winning culture with a young team and snapped a five-game slide with a 115-96 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. “Just to keep your guys encouraged that’s what they’re doing, there’s some fruits to that labor — you want them to feel that joy of victory,” New York coach David Fizdale told reporters. “For me, it’s just relief. But you want them to see that all the hard work they’re putting in is turning into something for them. We understand that this league is going to be unforgiving to us, but we want to try to get every win we can.”

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, FS Indiana, MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE PACERS (4-3): All-Star guard Victor Oladipo collected 21 points, nine rebounds and seven assists on Monday but was 9-of-24 from the floor after going a combined 17-of-27 at San Antonio and Cleveland. “We just missed shots,” Oladipo told reporters. “Even our open looks, we missed them. Just a tough night offensively.” The exception to that rule was Collison, who went 8-of-14 from the floor en route to a season-high 17 points and is 13-of-22 in the last two contests after shooting 3-of-13 in the previous two games.

ABOUT THE KNICKS (2-5): Shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. led the way with 25 points, eight assists and five rebounds on Monday and is impressing his coach with his growth. “I’m proud of him,” Fizdale told reporters of Hardaway. “He knows that this year is going to be an up and down year for us, a growing year. But his growth and what he’s trying to take to heart is, how do I become a star? How do I become a go-to guy? What’s the next step? What is the responsibility for that? That’s why I’m really on him about defending. I think you can see he’s competing.” Hardaway, 26, is averaging 24.4 points after putting up 17.5 in his first season with New York last year.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Pacers PF Domantas Sabonis is 15-of-21 from the field in the last three games.

2. Knicks C Enes Kanter recorded his fifth double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds on Monday.

3. Indiana is looking for its first win at New York since April 3, 2016.

PREDICTION: Pacers 112, Knicks 105

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BOSTON CELTICS vs NEW YORK KNICKS
When: 7:30 PM  ET, Saturday, October 20, 2018
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

TV: 7:35 PM
LINE: 9
PREDICTION: NEW YORK , BOSTON

Oddsmakers currently have the NEW YORK listed as 9 point favorites versus the BOSTON, while the game’s total is sitting at 211.5.

The Boston Celtics attempt to rebound from their first setback of the season when they visit the New York Knicks on Saturday. Boston was outclassed by the Toronto Raptors 113-101 on Friday in a battle between two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

Celtics coach Brad Stevens wasn’t about to feel too bad about the loss as he understands the nature of the NBA. “I mean, if you’re a really good team in this league, you’re going to lose 30 games,” Stevens told reporters after the loss. “If you’re a great team, you lose 22.” New York also suffered its first loss of the season on Friday when Brooklyn guard Caris LeVert hit the winning basket with one second left to send the Knicks to a 107-105 loss. “We’ve got to move on,” shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. told reporters afterward. “Bring that same intensity (Saturday). As long as we keep battling and learn from this and keep building, we should be fine.”

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCS Boston, MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE CELTICS (1-1): Small forward Gordon Hayward scored 14 points in 24 minutes against the Raptors and felt more comfortable in his second game since returning from last season’s badly broken left ankle. “There in the second half I was getting to some stuff that I normally do and I’m pretty good at,” Hayward told reporters afterward. “I haven’t felt that way. There were probably four or five minutes where I felt pretty good. So slowly I think that stuff’s coming back.” Point guard Kyrie Irving scored a team-best 21 points against Toronto after having just seven on 2-of-14 shooting in the opener against the Philadelphia 76ers.

ABOUT THE KNICKS (1-1): First-round draft choice Kevin Knox had a much better showing in his second game with 17 points, six rebounds and zero turnovers in 28 minutes after struggling in his debut (10 points on 4-of-16 shooting in 24 minutes versus Atlanta). The 19-year-old forward has put up 30 shots in two games and coach David Fizdale is encouraging Knox to keep firing. “I want him doing that,” Fizdale told reporters. “I want him thinking that way. I know people thought, ‘oh you didn’t start him,’ but he’s still got to play a lot of minutes right now until he earns his way to that spot. While he’s out there, I want him to be ultra-aggressive.”

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Celtics went 3-1 against the Knicks last season, including victories by 30 and 21 points.

2. Boston PG Marcus Smart is just 3-of-10 shooting over the first two games.

3. New York SG Courtney Lee (neck) will miss his third straight game and PG Emmanuel Mudiay (ankle) hopes to return after a two-game absence.

PREDICTION: Celtics 109, Knicks 103

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