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All eyes are on the NBA on Saturday as we have a primetime matchup on ABC between the New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors. Both teams are in the thick of the playoff race, so this makes for an enticing matchup. We are going to break down each of these two teams’ seasons thus far, along with a game pick from this hot contest.
The Knicks have had a good season thus far, currently sitting as the third seed in the Eastern Conference. However, they have had to deal with turmoil over the last week with Jalen Brunson going down with an ankle injury. The Knicks have gone 2-1 without him in the lineup and the biggest reason why has been Mikal Bridges.
In the win over the Portland Trail Blazers, Bridges went for 33 points, four rebounds and four assists. OG Anunoby also had 23 points in that game and Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 21 points. Towns has had a great season for the Knicks since being acquired in the offseason from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Towns is averaging a 24-13 double-double while shooting 42% from behind the three-point line. But what really sets this Knicks team apart from the rest is their multitude of great wing defenders they can throw at other teams’ best players. With Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges all on the court, other teams have trouble matching up with them. Plus, with Mitchell Robinson back in the lineup, they now have some rim protection. If this Knicks team gets healthy, they have the talent to make a run this year.
The Golden State Warriors have been catching fire as of late. A major reason for this surge is the growing chemistry between Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler, who have both been playing at a high level. Curry has been especially impressive, averaging nearly 30 points per game during the streak and just going bananas from beyond the arc. Despite their ages, Curry and Butler show no signs of slowing down and remain two of the league’s top players.
Adding to the Warriors’ recent success is the return of Jonathan Kuminga, who made his return on Thursday night. He has been out since early January with an injury. Before he went down, Kuminga was having a breakout season, averaging almost 17 points and five rebounds per game. His return not only boosts the offense but also strengthens the defense, as Kuminga has been one of Golden State’s best defenders. With Butler, Curry and Kuminga all playing together, plus the veteran leadership of Draymond Green, this team may be able to make a run at things when the playoffs start.
We saw this matchup just a few weeks ago and the Warriors took care of business, winning 114-102. The Knicks were missing Karl-Anthony Towns in that one and were actually led in scoring by OG Anunoby, who had 29 points. Jalen Brunson had 25 points, but like we mentioned above, he will not suit up in this one. Steph Curry led the Warriors in that game, finishing with 28 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Jimmy Butler chipped in with 19 points, four assists and four rebounds in that matchup as well.
Jimmy Butler has been doing it all for the Warriors, contributing significantly on both ends of the floor. While his scoring has been impressive, he’s also been active on the boards, especially in the absence of other key players. Given the physical nature of the matchup against the Knicks, who are strong in the paint, Butler will need to be aggressive on the glass to help his team control the rebounding battle. With the Warriors relying on his all-around game, look for Butler to crash the glass. Our Warriors @ Knicks pick for this matchup is for Jimmy Butler to grab 6+ rebounds.
Dylan has had a love for sports since he was a kid. Four years ago, he decided to dive into the sports content-creating industry specializing in Fantasy Football, NFL and NBA. He has since had his work published on sites that include Fantasy Alarm, Fansided, and Fantasy Six Pack.