There are only two games tomorrow in the NBA as the league celebrates the Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The Knicks, Pistons, and Warriors are all eager to get back on the winning track after losing their respective games in the last time out. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves are keen to gain more ground in the tough Western Conference as they’ll try to build a new win streak.
The Timberwolves visit the Knicks at the famed Madison Square Garden while the Pistons fly over to the Chase Center to take on the Warriors.
The NBA 2022 odds appear to be favouring the two Western Conference teams for these upcoming games, which should add motivation for both the Knicks and the Pistons.
Without further ado, let’s learn more about tomorrow’s two-game slate here in our SBOTOP preview.
Minnesota Timberwolves @ New York Knicks
Two teams in familiar situations face off in what might be a pivotal game for their 2021/22 campaign. The Knicks have a 22-22 record and are looking to sneak into the play-in picture in the East while the Timberwolves are placed eighth in the West with a 21-22 record.
New York are fresh from a defeat against Charlotte and this is the second consecutive night of their four-game home stand, so we wouldn’t be surprised if they’ll look a bit fatigued for this game. Minnesota, meanwhile, are fresh from a blowout win against the Warriors the other day.
The Knicks’ poor start is what cost them their previous match as they trailed by 18 points at halftime. They couldn’t contain Miles Bridges, who scored 28 of his 38 in the first half, and they couldn’t convert their free throws at an efficient rate (11-for-21).
RJ Barrett and Julius Randle had 18 points apiece in the losing effort. However, they couldn’t get enough production from anybody else, especially from their starting guards Alec Burks and Evan Fournier – who have combined for 12 points at a paltry 3-for-13 shooting.
On the other hand, confidence is at a high for the Timberwolves after they routed the Warriors – who are considered title contenders this season.
Karl-Anthony Towns produced a 26-point, 11-rebound double-double while Jaylen Nowell and Malik Beasley picked up the scoring off the bench with 17 and 16 each.
It was a much-needed win for Minnesota since they were on the back of a two-game losing streak against the Grizzlies and the Pelicans.
Since being cleared from COVID-19, KAT has been on fire in the Timberwolves’ last six games with averages of 25.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game while shooting 57.3-per cent from the field. So he’ll definitely be on top of the Knicks’ scouting report.
After their tough stretches in late December, both teams have improved in these past few days as the Knicks went 8-4 in their last 12 while the Timberwolves went 5-2 in their last seven.
Detroit Pistons @ Golden State Warriors
Steph Curry is expected to be available tomorrow which should give the Warriors a huge boost since they’ve had bad NBA 2022 results lately.
The two-time league MVP was unavailable due to a sore right hand and his absence was felt en route to their loss vs. the Timberwolves, making it their fifth in their last seven.
Curry fell on his right hand during the second quarter in the Warriors’ win over the Bulls last Friday. And since he was in considerable pain, the team decided to sit him in the Minnesota game.
Draymond Green remains out for at least a couple more games due to his lingering calf and back knocks – which means more opportunities for the likes of Otto Porter Jr., Juan Toscano-Anderson, and rookie forward Jonathan Kuminga.
With Curry available and Green out, this means that the Splash Brothers would have to be at their best and they are much capable of performing well against the Pistons – who are the second-worst team in the league with a 10-32 win-loss card.
Detroit have lost two of their last three via blowouts as their defence has been horrible, conceding at least 130 against the Bulls and the Suns.
In yesterday’s game vs. Phoenix, Devin Booker torched the Pistons with 30 points while Cameron Payne and JaVale McGee has 20 apiece.
Cade Cunningham did all he can to keep the Pistons afloat, but his ejection midway in the third period is what essentially cost them the game. He finished with 21 points in 25 minutes.
Look for the rookie to bounce back in tomorrow’s matchup, although his A-game alone won’t be enough to topple the Warriors.
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