Knicks pursue season sweep of Nuggets in opener of 5-game trek
After outlasting the Nuggets in double overtime four weeks ago, the New York Knicks will vie for the season sweep when they visit Denver on Friday night.
Jalen Brunson collected 42 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in New York's 134-127 victory over Denver on Feb. 4.
He is coming off a tough shooting night in a loss to Oklahoma City on Wednesday night in a rare home game for the Knicks in the second half of the season.
The game in Denver will kick off a five-game road trip for New York, and it will be part of a stretch of 10 of 14 games away from home. The Knicks reside in third place in the Eastern Conference, one game ahead of Cleveland with 19 games remaining.
New York bolstered its backcourt at the trade deadline by acquiring Brooklyn native Jose Alvarado from New Orleans. He is averaging just 7.5 points in 11 games since coming over from the Pelicans, but he has given head coach Mike Brown another point guard to use when Brunson rests on the bench.
"The energy on top of the quickness that he brings to the table, every time we step on the floor, is irreplaceable," Brown said of Alvarado on Wednesday. "At least with the guys that we had, or the guys that we have. Just different."
Alvarado won't be able to match up with Denver big man Nikola Jokic; Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson will be the primary defenders on the three-time MVP. The duo has an advantage over Jokic because the Nuggets are on the second night of a back-to-back.
Denver won the first leg by posting a 120-113 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. Jokic recorded his 23rd triple-double of the season in the win but tied a season high with nine turnovers.
Jokic, who is averaging 28.6 points, 12.6 rebounds and 10.4 assists, has been facing extra defensive pressure with several of his frontcourt teammates sidelined. Aaron Gordon has not played since Jan. 23 due to a hamstring strain but could make his return against the Knicks.
Peyton Watson, Spencer Jones and Cameron Johnson are all expected to be sidelined Friday night.
Jones, who recently had his two-way contract converted to a standard NBA deal, is dealing with a shoulder injury sustained on Feb. 27 in a game at Oklahoma City.
"The rest of his body is fine. I think it's just a comfort-level thing and each day it's going to improve," head coach David Adelman said. "It could be next week, it could be tomorrow. That's what this has been like."
Jamal Murray has picked up even more of the scoring load with several teammates out. He had 45 points in a win at Utah on Monday night and scored 20 of his 28 points in the first half of the win over Los Angeles.
Murray took a knee to his right thigh in the third quarter and missed all four of his shots in the fourth but did make two key free throws to help seal the win.