Gamethread - Cleveland Cavaliers @ New York Knicks: Let's get a W for Melo!

[29$JerZ]

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2012
7:30 PM ET - Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

New York Knicks Stats

Points Per Game
103.2
4th

Rebounds Per Game
39.4
28th

Assists Per Game
20.2
25th

Points Allowed
95.8
10th

Cleveland Cavaliers Stats

Points Per Game
93.7
25th

Rebounds Per Game
42.7
13th

Assist Per Game
19.7
27th

Points Allowed
99.6
22nd

Rebounds!

Cavaliers-Knicks Preview

The New York Knicks own the best record in the Eastern Conference, and are the NBA's only remaining unbeaten team at home.
They may have to withstand another absence by Carmelo Anthony to continue that run.
With Anthony's status unclear, the Knicks will try to improve to 10-0 at Madison Square Garden for the first time in 21 years as they face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night.
New York (17-5) has opened the season with nine wins in a row at home, averaging 106.6 points while hitting 43.0 percent from beyond the arc - a staggering 12.2 3-pointers per game.
The Knicks haven't enjoyed a better start at MSG since beginning 11-0 in 1991-92.
Anthony has been the catalyst, scoring 29.0 points per game at home while averaging 36.3 in New York's current three-game win streak - including 45 across the river in Brooklyn on Tuesday.
He scored 22 of his 30 points in the opening quarter Thursday before spraining his left ankle in the third of New York's 116-107 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, which opened this season-high six-game homestand.
"He's fun to watch when he's playing like that," said center Tyson Chandler, who had 18 points. "He's pretty much unstoppable when he's playing that way."
It's uncertain if Anthony will be playing at all Saturday.
That could leave the Knicks without the league's second-leading scorer for the third time in six games. They split visits to Miami and Chicago without him last week before he returned from a cut on his finger with 34 points in Sunday's win over Denver.
Raymond Felton picked up the slack in his absence last week, scoring 27 apiece in the win against the Heat and the loss to the Bulls.
Felton is second on the team with an average of 15.9 points and its leader with 6.8 assists, but he's struggled with his shot lately. He's shooting just 30.2 percent since Anthony's return against the Nuggets.
One of Felton's worst performances last season came against Cleveland in a win with Portland on Jan. 8. He was 1 of 9 from the floor and finished with two points.

The Knicks have averaged 111.3 points while winning three in a row against the Cavaliers (5-19) at MSG.
Cleveland, 2-12 on the road, has dropped seven of eight this month while scoring 89.8 points per contest behind 38.5 percent shooting.
The Cavaliers' struggles continued with Friday's 90-86 loss to Milwaukee, as they committed 27 turnovers - their highest total since having 28 in an overtime win against Golden State on Jan. 20, 2007.
Coach Byron Scott was left searching for answers.
"I have no idea," Scott said. "If I knew that I'd bottle it up and make a lot of money because I have no idea."

The Cavaliers are also dealing with a pair of banged-up stars in Kyrie Irving and Anderson Varejao.

Irving, the team leader with 22.5 points per game, is expected to accompany the team to New York after taking a nasty fall in the first quarter Friday. He returned to the game and finished with 26 points, and underwent a precautionary examination.
Varejao was also knocked out of Friday's win after sustaining a lower left leg contusion, but X-rays were negative and he returned to compile eight points and 18 boards.
The center leads the NBA with an average of 14.9 rebounds to accompany his 14.0 points.
Injuries have forced Varejao to miss six of the last seven meetings with the Knicks, while Irving scored 21 points in a 98-90 win against them at home April 20.

[NYKnickFanatic]

Melos out? ****

Andy V will have 25+ rebounds alone tonight

[29$JerZ]

As of now I do not know if Melo has been ruled out for the game.
Just going by what is being reported from yesterday.

[#knickstape]

I hope 'Melo is good to go. This Cavs team worries me.

[Kashmir13579]

I will be at the Syracuse game

[Kashmir13579]

lol good job on the gamethread, JerZ...

Sideshow Bob.

[knicks_champ]

I'm always nervous when we face the Cavs lol.

Na but seriously this is a bad matchup for us.. Irving is fast and previous games has showed us that similar PG's like that usually kill us.. add in that Andy V is a rebounding machine is not good for us due to our lack of rebounding.

I see a close game to be honest.

[Knick4Knack]

Irving has a broken jaw. Will play in a face mask.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports...b4e_story.html

[flimflamman]

We win even if we dont have Melo.

[Tysons_Beard]

lI'll be at the game look for me in my Clyde jersey

[flimflamman]

JR and Novak will be shooting.

[flimflamman]

White plays 20 minutes Copeland too.

[latinofire21]

We got this by 20. Cleveland has always been a thorn in our side but I dont see how effective Irving is going to be with a fractured jaw and a face mask. You know Woody is going to tell whoever is on him to overplay him. Varejao may get his rebounds but he may have a hard time guarding our lineups when we are opening the floor. Rasheed is going to eat him up if Varejao has a lingering leg injury.

Even without Melo we have shown our ball movement is still great and others have stepped up. Look at the Miami game.

I see great ball movement and a three point barrage that will cripple the cavs early and make them play comeback ball for the whole game.

[noodle]

Copeland and White hardly ever play in the same game together, I think White will get some mins but Copeland sits. Also, I actually like Kurt in the starting lineup to help Tyson keep Varejao off of the boards. Don't think the Knicks are going to blow them out though, regardless of Kyrie's mask.

[still a fan]

thanks Jerz,

I think Melo will be a game time decision but most likely Woody will take no chances.

I want to see JR and Felton step it up, and i think Sheed needs to be on the court more than Thomas for offense if Melo is not going.