Cavaliers at Knicks
The marquee matchup is between LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, but rookie forward Kristaps Porzingis is beginning to steal some of the spotlight. Porzingis will be on display again when he and the New York Knicks host James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
Porzingis is becoming known for his highlight-worthy putback dunks and nearly added another highlight to his resume before a game-winning 3-pointer was ruled after the buzzer by officials in a 95-93 loss at the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday. The 7-3 Latvian finished the night with 10 points and a season-high 15 rebounds to mark his fourth double-double in the last six games. The Cavaliers are riding a seven-game winning streak that includes a 96-86 home triumph over New York on Nov. 4, and they just finished torching the league’s best scoring defense in a 118-114 win over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday as James came through down the stretch. “(James) took over the game and lifted the rest of the guys with him,” Cleveland coach David Blatt told reporters. “He did the things that a great, great player like only him could do.”
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN Ohio (Cleveland), MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (7-1): James himself can take the team only so far, and the recent winning streak has featured standout performances from several members of the supporting cast. Mo Williams is filling in nicely for Kyrie Irving (knee) and went for a season-high 29 points on 8-of-9 shooting on Tuesday to mark his third 20-point performance in the last five games. Kevin Love has posted five double-doubles during the winning streak and is averaging 17.6 points and 12 boards on the season as he continues to grow more comfortable with his role on the team.
ABOUT THE KNICKS (4-5): Porzingis was in position to attempt the game-winner on Wednesday in part because Anthony missed badly on his own go-ahead attempt seconds earlier, clanging a jumper off the side of the backboard. The star forward is averaging 22.7 points but shot 50 percent or better from the field in only one of New York’s first nine games. Arron Afflalo, who made his team debut on Wednesday after sitting out the first eight games with a hamstring injury, should take some of the scoring pressure off Anthony and delivered 12 points in 28 minutes in his first game.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Anthony scored 17 points on 6-of-18 shooting in the first meeting but grabbed a season-high 12 rebounds.
2. Cavaliers SG and former Knick J.R. Smith, who missed the Nov. 4 meeting due to a knee contusion, returned to the lineup on Tuesday and scored seven points in 22 minutes.
3. Cleveland F Tristan Thompson is shooting 64.3 percent from the field and averaging 9.6 rebounds in 25.5 minutes off the bench.