Magic at Knicks
The New York Knicks look to record their fifth straight victory and move over the .500 mark for the first time in almost a month when they host the Orlando Magic on Monday. The Knicks are averaging 108.3 points during their winning streak after Carmelo Anthony scored 27 in a 107-91 triumph at home against Chicago on Saturday.
Arron Afflalo, who played with Orlando from 2012-14, told reporters there is a positive energy around the team and they are playing with pride. “We are becoming a team,” Knicks coach Derek Fisher said after Saturday’s win. “I think we are realizing the answers lay inside the locker room, not anywhere else. They deserve a lot of credit for staying together.” The Magic have also had an uplifting first third of the season, but saw their three-game winning streak come to an end with a 103-100 loss to Atlanta on Sunday. Orlando leading scorer Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and hauled in 12 rebounds in the 100-91 victory over the Knicks on Nov. 25.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Orlando), MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE MAGIC (15-12): Tobias Harris and Victor Oladipo, two of Orlando’s top offensive players, combined to shoot 4-of-20 from the field Sunday in the home loss. However, Oladipo has been a big part of the Magic’s improvement on the other end of the court where they are among the league leaders in field-goal percentage defense. “He’s a first-team All-Defensive player,” Orlando coach Scott Skiles told reporters of Oladipo. “I don’t see any perimeter player playing any better than him on the defensive end in the league right now.”
ABOUT THE KNICKS (14-14): Afflalo has played a lead role during the winning streak, averaging 21 points on 59.6 percent shooting – including 9-of-15 from 3-point range. Anthony leads the team in scoring (21.7) and Fisher told reporters, “I think he’s getting more comfortable with his teammates where his opportunities will come from.” Rookie center Kristaps Porzingis is third on the team in scoring overall (13.1), but struggled over the last six contests while shooting 29.8 percent from the field (2-of-15 from 3-point range).
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Magic G Evan Fournier dislocated a pinkie finger in Friday’s game, but returned to score 17 two days later on 5-of-8 shooting.
2. Knicks reserve F Lance Thomas is averaging 12 points and shooting 51.7 percent from the field over the last 11 games.
3. Orlando PG Elfrid Payton, who played Sunday despite a sore ankle, is averaging 15.5 points and 5.8 assists in the last four games.