Knicks at Raptors
THE
STORY: The Toronto Raptors' first go-around with the New York Knicks
and Chicago Bulls earlier this week couldn't have gone much worse.
They'll get another crack at both teams, beginning with Friday's home
game against the red-hot Knicks. Toronto is coming off back-to-back
losses to the Knicks and Bulls, getting blown out at Madison Square
Garden before surrendering 20 straight points in a fourth-quarter
meltdown against Chicago. The Knicks are 5-0 under interim coach Mike
Woodson, moving within a game of the .500 mark.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (Knicks), Rogers Sportsnet (Raptors)
ABOUT
THE KNICKS (23-24): Everything is clicking in the Big Apple, with New
York flexing its offensive muscle while holding four of its last five
opponents to less than 90 points. The Knicks are coming off a gritty
82-79 victory over Philadelphia, a triumph fueled by Jeremy Lin's 16
fourth-quarter points. Lin has cooled off somewhat since coming out of
nowhere to post a 20.9-point scoring average in February. The Harvard
graduate is averaging 15.6 points through 11 March games while shooting
less than 41 percent from the field for the month.
ABOUT THE
RAPTORS (15-32): Andrea Bargnani pulled few punches when describing his
offensive struggles since returning from a calf injury. "Offensively,
I'm playing bad," he said moments after Toronto completed its
fourth-quarter implosion against the Bulls. "That's it. I'm trying to do
other stuff, play defense, make an extra pass." He went on to say his
calf feels fine, quelling suggestions he hasn't completely recovered
from the ailment that knocked him out of the lineup for 20 games.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. New York has won two of three meetings this season.
2.
The Knicks have outrebounded their opponents in each game during their
winning streak after failing to do so in any of their previous four
outings.
3. Bargnani is averaging 12.5 points in eight games since returning to action.