The Phoenix Suns (10-6) are competing in game two of their three-game road trip tonight against the New York Knicks (9-6).
The two teams are quite different stylistically – the Knicks’ attack is predicated on defense, while the Suns have boasted one of the elite offensive attacks in the NBA since Devin Booker’s return.
This promises to be an intriguing matchup in the most famous arena in the world regardless of Kevin Durant’s status (Durant is listed as questionable with foot soreness).
Three storylines/things to look for:
Knicks’ Three-Headed Scoring Attack
The Knicks are among the least-potent offenses in the league when measured by raw point totals.
Don’t let that fool you.
The Knicks are lead by three star-level players that average 19-plus points a game in Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, and R.J. Barrett.
Barrett is experiencing the best season of his career, with efficiency numbers at an all-time high and improved playmaking. Brunson is one of the quickest players in the league with the ball in his hands, and has proven to be worth every dime the Knicks dished out to him. Randle is still not having an amazing season, but he is still capable of having an occasional big game.
Surrounding those three with capable guards such as Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, and Donte DiVincenzo makes the offense an overall balanced attack that can win games with the three-ball, despite being relatively low-efficiency from the field compared to the rest of the league.
Suns Look to Extend League-Best Win Streak
The Suns are notably coming into Sunday tied for a league-best six-game win streak, which is currently being matched by the red-hot Orlando Magic.
Phoenix has rebounded and then some from a concerning 4-6 start, and a win tonight at MSG could springboard the squad into an even longer streak, as their next three opponents are the Toronto Raptors, the reeling Denver Nuggets, and the paper-thin Memphis Grizzlies.
The Suns need to focus on tonight rather than looking ahead, however, as the Knicks have proven thus far that last season’s run to the Eastern Conference Semifinals wasn’t a fluke. This is a deep, well-coached squad that focuses on balance/collectivism in all aspects of the game over individual-based game-plans.
Speaking of that, the Knicks are actually favored in tonight’s contest, according to ESPN’s BPI. New York is given a 58.2% chance to unseat Phoenix and send them to 10-7 by the end of the night.
Vogel vs. Thibodeau
Frank Vogel and Tom Thibodeau are seen as two of the better defensive minds of this generation, having coached a number of elite defenses and are both known for blending old and new philosophies into their sets/schemes.
Life will presumably be quite a bit easier for Vogel tonight, as Knicks’ star Julius Randle has rebounded quite nicely from a horrid start, but Randle still remains one of the easier star players to gameplay around. It would be wise for the Suns to force the ball into Randle’s hands as much as possible early on and force the Knicks to start out the game off-rhythm.
Thibodeau will have his agenda full whether or not Durant suits up tonight.
Booker has officially graduated the “among the best scorers” school and is now in the “among the best offensive players” conversations.
Booker has thrived on a primarily on-ball role, having consistently shown growth as a playmaker and as a three-point threat. Surrounding him with trusty shooters such as Grayson Allen and Eric Gordon has also made life easier for the superstar guard, and the Suns’ potent offensive attack will be tough for Thibs to prepare for.
The game is set to tip off shortly after 4 PM Arizona time today.
