Knicks at Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers routinely dominate the New York Knicks and look to make it 10 consecutive wins in the series when the teams meet Thursday in Cleveland. The Cavaliers won this season's first three meetings by an average of 22.7 points, including wins by 29 and 32 points.
Cleveland is atop the Eastern Conference standings by three games over the Boston Celtics as play resumes after the All-Star break and is feeling good about repeating as conference champs. "We've stayed the course and understood that everything that happens in this locker room all matters to us and we're completely honest and trust each other," All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving told reporters. "When we're playing at a high level, we're tough to beat." New York dropped five of its last six games and stands four games behind the eighth-place Detroit Pistons in the hunt for the final playoff berth in the East. Rumors persist that the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers are hopeful of landing Knicks All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony prior to Thursday's trading deadline.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE KNICKS (23-34): Anthony knows the team is shopping him around the league but he has a no-trade clause and doesn't expect to be on the move. "I don't think that's something that I'm worried about or thinking about at this time," Anthony said told reporters on Wednesday. "If something is going to happen, it's going to happen. I haven't heard anything as of right now, so that's not something that I'm concerned about." New York is also reportedly shopping point guard Derrick Rose, with one possibility being the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are coached by Tom Thibodeau -- Rose's former coach in Chicago.
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (39-16): Cleveland is shopping guard Iman Shumpert and has reportedly targeted feisty Houston guard Patrick Beverley. The Rockets, however, informed the Cavaliers they would prefer to retain Beverley so it is unclear if the teams can find a different way to make the deal work prior to the deadline. Meanwhile, veteran swingman Kyle Korver recently became the seventh player in NBA history to top 2,000 career 3-pointers and is a superb 52-of-101 from 3-point range in 19 games since joining the club.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Cavaliers are 51-of-115 from 3-point range in this season's three victories over the Knicks.
2. New York C Joakim Noah (hamstring) will sit out his sixth consecutive game.
3. Cleveland signed F Derrick Williams to a second 10-day contract.