What’s up with the Knicks?
The New York Knicks started their five-game Western road trip in deflating fashion, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in overtime, 122-115. The Knicks were up by 21 points before surrendering to the also-struggling Lakers.
Despite a career-high 36 points from RJ Barrett and a huge double-double performance of 32 points and 16 rebounds from Julius Randle, the Knicks couldn’t get the victory. They dropped 42 points in the opening quarter but didn’t have the same juice after halftime, sputtering just 13 in the third to allow the Lakers to come roaring back.
From bursting into the playoffs a season ago, the Knicks (24-29) find themselves grappling to make it to .500. If they can somehow string a few wins against tough competition in this road trip (versus Denver, Golden State, and Portland), maybe they can turn their season around and have a shot in the Play-In Tournament.
What’s up with the Jazz?
The Utah Jazz are coming off back-to-back wins but have had their fair share of rocky moments this year. Injuries and COVID-19 related absences have plagued this team, including a season-ending knee injury to Joe Ingles.
The good sign for Utah is the return of its star, Donovan Mitchell. After missing the last eight games due to concussion protocol, Mitchell showed no rust against the Brooklyn Nets, scoring 27 points on 8-for-10 shooting from the field. He remains the team’s engine, leading the way with averages of 25.5 points, 5.2 assists, and 1.6 steals.
Mitchell and the Jazz (32-21) are hoping for a better month after winning just four games and losing 12 in January.
Where to watch
Catch the Knicks taking on the Jazz at 10:00 AM on NBA TV Philippines, available on Smart’s GigaPlay app and Cignal TV.
In case you want to catch some early East coast battle, conference leaders Miami Heat face the Washington Wizards, at 8:00 AM on NBA TV Philippines. The Heat boast a 34-20 record and look very much the contenders they sought to be before the season started. On the flip side, the Wizards may have had a ton of head-scratching losses but are well within striking distance of the 10th seed.
If you have NBA League Pass, make sure to check out two of the best teams in the league as the Phoenix Suns test the mettle of the Chicago Bulls at 9:00 AM. The Suns have the best record in the NBA at 42-10 while the Bulls are 33-20, good for second in the East.
