Clippers at Knicks
The Los Angeles Clippers got Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups and Blake Griffin back on Friday, but it did not do much good at the Miami Heat. Those three will try to break the Clippers out of their current funk when they visit the New York Knicks on Sunday afternoon. Los Angeles has lost four of its five games this month as Paul (bruised knee cap) and Griffin (hamstring) have struggled to stay on the court.
The Knicks had to wait to get back into New York thanks to the blizzard that snowed under much of the Northeast on Friday and Saturday. But after finishing a two-game road trip with a win in Minnesota, New York managed to land safely on Saturday afternoon and should be all set to take on the stumbling Clippers. Los Angeles ran into the LeBron James freight train on Friday and not even the presence of Paul and Griffin could keep the game from turning into a rout.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, ABC
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (35-17): Paul had missed 12 of the previous 14 games due to the injured kneecap and Billups has played in only four games this season after recovering from surgery and battling past a foot problem. Los Angeles fell into a big rut in the games Paul missed and has lost eight of its last 11 overall to fall from the top of the Western Conference into third place behind San Antonio and Oklahoma City. While scoring had been a problem with Paul on the shelf, the Clippers showed the various defensive holes that have developed in the 111-89 setback at Miami on Friday. The Knicks don’t have anyone like James on the roster, but Carmelo Anthony is certainly capable of taking advantage of Los Angeles on the wings and in the post like James did on Friday. The Clippers are down to the last two stops on the Grammy-demanded eight-game road trip before a stretch of five straight at Staples Center.
ABOUT THE KNICKS (32-16): Only the brilliance of James has kept New York out of the top spot in the Eastern Conference, and Anthony is not all that far behind in terms of MVP-type impact. The All-Star forward went for 36 points and nine rebounds in the 100-94 win over Minnesota on Friday and has put up 31.3 points in the last three contests. The Knicks have won six of their last seven games overall and have held opponents under the century mark in each of the victories. New York relies plenty on the 3-pointer for offense and is shooting 41 percent from beyond the arc over the last seven games, despite a slight dip (8-for-26) against the Timberwolves on Friday.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Knicks have won five straight at home and are 19-6 at Madison Square Garden.
2. Paul has averaged 21.3 points and 10.3 assists in 11 career games against New York.
3. Los Angeles F Matt Barnes suffered a finger injury on Friday but is expected to play Sunday.