Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs @ New York Knicks

San Antonio Spurs @ New York Knicks

Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
January 3, 2013, 6:30 PM Spurs Time
TV: FSSW - RADIO: 1200 AM WOAI

The San Antonio Spurs will travel to the Big Apple to take on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Game time starts at 6:30pm central time. Get your San Antonio Spurs tickets here!

The Knicks were a team on fire at the beginning of the season. They went on a 6 game tear that had everyone who followed the NBA at the time saying that these Knicks were for real. Their defense was great. Coach Woodson had them playing team defense and they were anchored by the Defensive Player of the Year, Tyson Chandler. They seemed unbeatable but when they visited San Antonio early in November, it appeared that their reign of terror might be stopped. This was not the case as a spry Jason Kidd connected on 4-6 from 3point land a couple of those were in the 4th. Ouch. Raymond Felton also led the Knicks in scoring going for 25. Our own Silver and Black shot a shoddy 27% from long range. Interesting because 27% is exactly what the Knicks shot from beyond the arc in their last game against Portland. They lost too.

Losing is what the latest incarnation of the Knicks seem to be doing the most of. They have lost 4 of their last 5 and 6 of their 9. Granted the Lakers, Bulls and Rockets are playoff capable teams but the Kings and then the Trailblazers in your own house? New York, what is happening to your Knicks? I'd say go grab a few Nets tickets but...

So the Spurs travel to New York to find some revenge on these defense-disappearing Knicks. Are you worried they will find their groove against these battle weary warriors in white, silver and black? I wouldn't lose too much sleep on it. The Spurs will stick to their system even on a SEGABABA in the final game of a FOGAFINI and should come out on top.

Of course the last time Pop faced a SEGABABA on the backside of a FOGAFINI he sent four of his troops home on a plane and it cost the Spurs a cool $250,000 from Stern. Perhaps Pop will do it again. Who knows for sure except for Pop? The Spurs will win if and only if Pop thinks this game is worth pushing his guys the distance to pick up the W from a non-Conference opponent. Even if he does, who knows for sure? The Silver and Black look like that they have the deepest bench in the league. Could the bench mob hand the defenseless Knicks their second straight home loss? The only thing for sure about this game is that Woodson has his hands full in teaching Apostrophe defense.

Lineups Starters PG: Tony Parker SG: Danny Green SF: Kawhi Leonard PF: Tim Duncan C: Boris Diaw Key Bench Players Manu Ginobili Tiago Splitter Stephen Jackson Head Coach Gregg Popovich			Lineups Starters PG: Jason Kidd SG: Ronnie Brewer SF: Carmelo Anthony PF: Kurt Thomas C: Tyson Chandler Key Bench Players J.R. Smith Amar'e Stoudamire Steve Novak Head Coach Mike Woodson

Knicks perspective can be found here: Posting&Toasting

Game Prediction: No Spur plays over 30 minutes and they give up the ghost at the very end. Knicks by 3. Vegas says Knicks by 1. It would be nice to pick up a game on the Thunder and Clippers but I just don't think Pop is going to push the guys this side of the All Star Break.

Game Previewers Prediction Records & points off per prediction

Wes Thorne 9-1* (-1, 0, 23, 2, -8*,1, 28, 10, 0, 2) *@MIA

Joe deLarios 7-2 (-1, 3, 5, 0, 1, 6,-11, -3, 16)

Fred 3-2 (3, -8, 20, 0)

Racm 3-3 (-25, -14, -5, 15, 12, 1)

Stijl 1-1 (-12, 11)

CapHill 1-0 (13)

As always Tony must dominate Fisher, and NBA league pass is recommended for those who are willing to pony up the cash. Almost every Spurs game will be broadcast there, which is especially helpful for those of us who aren't in the San Antonio area. Please don't post links to illegal game feeds in the game thread. Links to illegal feeds are not permitted on SBNation, but you can probably find them out there on the internets if you're resourceful and desperate.