Game Preview: New York Knicks vs Brooklyn Nets, April 12, 2024

Last night, the New York Knicks (48-32) crushed the Celtics 118-109, in a game that was much more of a blowout than the score suggests. On Wednesday, the Brooklyn Nets (32-48) squeezed by the Raptors 106-102. Tonight, the Knicks host their NYC counterpart in their penultimate regular season game.

The Knicks have beaten the Nets three times this season, taking the last game 105-93 on March 23. In the win, New York shot 97 field goals to Brooklyn’s 76 and limited the Nets to 16 fourth-quarter points.

For their game on Wednesday, Brooklyn started rookie forward Noah Clowney, Cam Thomas, Dennis Schröder, Nic Claxton, and Mikal Bridges. Expect the same tonight, methinks.

Playing for his seventh team, 11-year-veteran point guard Schröder has averaged 14 points, six assists, and three rebounds in 80 games this season. He’s having his second-best season as a three-point shooter, making 38% on 4.6 attempts.

Former Wildcat wing Mikal Bridges has averaged 23 points, 4.7 rebounds, and four assists in his last three games against the Knicks. Brooklyn Bridges has taken a higher volume of threes–1278 attempts this season, 7.3 per game–and made 37% of them.

In his third season, shooting guard Cam Thomas has seen the most usage of his career, averaging 31 minutes, 22 points, and 18 field goal attempts per game. His shooting splits are 44%/36%/85%.

Rounding out the starters, freshman Clowney (6’10”, 210 lb) has averaged 12 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks in his last 5 games, and center Claxton has averaged 12 points, 9.9 rebounds, and two blocks this season.

Prediction

ESPN.com gives the Knicks a 71% chance to win but beware of the trap game. Brooklyn will be playing for pride, and the Knicks will be playing the second game of a back-to-back. Will Donte DiVincenzo’s legs be tired after playing 41 minutes last night? How does Jalen Brunson’s wrist feel after appearing to injure it while taking a charge at TD Garden? The Knicks are motivated to win out and secure a top spot in the Eastern Conference, and the Nets might do their best to spoil their party.

I suspect that the playoffs have already started in the minds of Thomas Thibodeau, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, et al. Look for them to be a little loosey-goosey early on but lay down the hammer in the second half. Knicks by +12.

Game Details

Who: New York Knicks (48-32) vs Brooklyn Nets (32-48)

When: 7:30 pm EST, Friday, April 12, 2024

Where: Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, NYC

Watch: MSG

Follow: @ptknicksblog