Jazz at Knicks
The New York Knicks are stumbling along with a six-game losing streak but figure to have a good chance to end the skid on Friday when they host the Utah Jazz. New York has rattled off six consecutive victories against Utah, a team playing the fourth contest on a five-game road trip. The Jazz lost 100-97 to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday while the Knicks were suffering a 97-95 home loss to the Orlando Magic.
New York is last in the NBA in scoring offense (91.6) and has yet to score 100 points in a game. “Guys aren’t trusting that they know how to win right now, and closing games out,” first-year coach Derek Fisher told reporters. “We have to find a way to break through that, break through that fear of failing, fear of not succeeding.” The Jazz had fourth-quarter issues in the loss to the Hawks, scoring only nine points on 4-of-17 shooting.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ROOT (Utah), MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE JAZZ (3-6): Utah was crisp and proficient on offense with 88 points over the first three quarters before the final-quarter meltdown led to the loss. “I don’t think it was some egregious mistake that anyone made,” Jazz coach Quin Snyder told reporters. “At the end of the game you have to be tougher, stronger.” Guard Alec Burks scored 22 points to bounce back from a nine-point effort in Monday’s loss to Indiana, while power forward Derrick Favors scored 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting for his third straight double-digit effort.
ABOUT THE KNICKS (2-7): Forward Carmelo Anthony scored 27 points on 10-of-17 shooting against Orlando as he attempts to find his shooting stroke. He shot just 33.9 percent from the field in the first five games of New York’s losing streak and he is struggling to deal with the slow start. “Losing is tough,” Anthony told reporters after the loss to the Magic. “I thought this was a game we could have went out there and gotten, kind of get that monkey off our back. So this is a tough one to swallow.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Utah has lost nine of its last 10 road games against the Knicks.
2. New York G Tim Hardaway Jr. had just two points on 1-of-8 shooting against Orlando after averaging 16.5 points over the previous four games.
3. Jazz C Enes Kanter is averaging 17 points on 14-of-19 shooting over the past two games.