Knicks’ Upcoming Week, March 17-23

The New York Knicks will conclude their road trip this week with two Western Conference stops, then buzz home for a crosstown rivalry matinee on Saturday. So far, they are 2-0 on their West Coast swing, but two big opponents stand between them and a road sweep. Here’s the schedule.

New York Knicks at Golden State Warriors, 10 PM EST, Monday, March 18, 2024

Playing the third of a four-game road trip, the Knicks will face the Golden State Warriors (35-31) in San Francisco on Monday night.

Sturdy defense and Jalen Brunson’s 42-point performance lifted the Knicks over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. The Warriors, with a 17-17 home record, are led by Stephen Curry’s 27 points per game. They have the 11th-ranked offense and the 16th-best defense, and they play with pace.

The Knicks fell behind by a lot early and could never rally back when they last played the Warriors, losing 110 to 99 on February 29. Both teams shot the longball terribly, and Curry led all scorers with 31 points. Watch Monday’s rematch on ESPN.

New York Knicks at Denver Nuggets, 9 PM EST, Thursday, March 21, 2024

The defending champion Denver Nuggets are having another solid season, powered by the behemoth center Nikola Jokic. As of this writing, they have a record of 47-20 and sit tied atop the Western Conference. Led by Jokic (26 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists per game), Jamal Murray (20.9 points, 6.6 assists, 4.1 boards) and Michael Porter, Jr. (16.7 points, seven rebounds), they have the seventh-best offense and the tenth-best defense. They circulate the ball with ease and take more two-pointers than anybody.

The Knicks beat the Nuggets (at full strength!), 122 to 84, on January 25. This will be a massive test of New York’s defensive abilities.

New York Knicks vs Brooklyn Nets, 1 PM EST, Saturday, March 23, 2024

The Nets currently rank 20th for both offense and defense and are on the outside of the playoff picture, still trying to sneak in. The Knicks beat Brooklyn twice already this season. Most recently, they rallied with a 32-point fourth frame to win 108-103 on January 23. Mikal Bridges scored 36 points and Nic Claxton pulled down 17 boards for the losers, while Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle scored 30 apiece. Matinees always make me nervous, but New York should have enough firepower to hold off the Brooklynites on Saturday afternoon. I’ll be traveling, so you’ll have to let me know what happens.