Knicks at Nets
The New York Knicks hope to have star forward Kristaps Porzingis back in the lineup when they visit the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. Porzingis (illness) was a late scratch prior to Tuesday's 117-101 loss at Washington, joining guard Derrick Rose (ankle) among the sidelined New York starters.
Their replacements, Willy Hernangomez and Brandon Jennings, combined for 36 points and 19 rebounds but the weary Knicks - who played a quadruple-overtime game at Atlanta two days earlier - shot 36.6 percent. The Nets dropped their final six games in January and finished the month 1-15, recording the most losses in a single month in franchise history. Bojan Bogdanovic led five players in double figures with 16 points in a 104-96 loss at Miami on Monday as Brooklyn fell to 0-16 on the road against the Eastern Conference. One of those 16 defeats came at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 9, when Carmelo Anthony scored 22 points and Porzingis added 21 in New York's 110-96 victory.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), YES (Brooklyn)
ABOUT THE KNICKS (21-29): Anthony scored a team-high 26 points in the loss to the Wizards and has elevated his game on the offensive end while trade rumors swirl around him. He is averaging 30 points and 7.4 rebounds over the course of the last seven games while shooting 48.8 percent from the field and 40.4 percent from 3-point distance. Backup forward Kyle O'Quinn has quietly been a big contributor over the past week with averages of 9.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in a three-game span.
ABOUT THE NETS (9-39): As it searches for positives in an otherwise dismal campaign, Brooklyn may have found one in the improving play of rookie guard Isaiah Whitehead, who is averaging 12 points in just under 24 minutes over his last five games. "I'm thrilled with the way he’s attacking the basket," coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters. "Isaiah has a good grasp on what we want to do. I like his presence on the floor. I think he can be a leader." Reserve big man Justin Hamilton has also provided some quality play off the bench of late, averaging 10 points and five boards while shooting 14-for-23 from the floor in a three-game stretch.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Rose has missed two straight games and is not expected to suit up for this one.
2. Brooklyn C Brook Lopez missed all six of his 3-point tries against Miami on Monday, just five days after making a career-high seven - also in a loss to the Heat.
3. Anthony needs 19 points to move past Hall of Famer Earl Monroe (9,679) and into seventh place on the Knicks' all-time scoring list.