The last time that the New York Knicks (21-10) faced the San Antonio Spurs (26-8) on Nov. 15, the Knicks rallied late in the fourth quarter to beat the Spurs on the road, 104-100, in one of their most impressive wins of the season.
But the momentum has started to decrease from New York's once-hot start as of late, the Knicks currently on a two-game losing streak while the Spurs are on a seven-game winning streak as they mozy on into Madison Square Garden Thursday night.
Latinos Post breaks down the match-ups for tonight:
Center: Tyson Chandler, Knicks vs. Tiago Splitter, Spurs
Chandler was very effective the last time he played against San Antonio, the alley-oop dunking, rebounding center putting in 13 points and 12 rebounds. And he has continued to play effectively for the Knicks all season, providing a stabilizing presence in the middle and a fiery aura on the court.
The last time Splitter played the Knicks, he was a force late in the game, coming up with key baskets at critical moments in a game that came down to the wire. He's big and strong, but against the more athletic Chandler, Splitter might be in over his head.
Advantage: Knicks
Power forward: Kurt Thomas, Knicks vs. Tim Duncan, Spurs
Normally, Carmelo Anthony would be in the four spot, where he has been thriving all season. However, Thomas, who is a crafty and physical defender, can still play defense with the best of them, even at age 40.
He'll have to against Duncan, who has been peaking the last 10 games at 18.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 22.4 blocks per game. Interesting side note: these two are the only remaining starters from the 1999 NBA Finals where the Knicks and the Spurs met. Duncan was even more dominant back then, only in his third year in the league. But age has not made him any less dangerous than he was back then.
Advantage: Spurs
Small forward: Carmelo Anthony, Knicks vs. Kawhi Leonard, Spurs
Anthony was still showing some effects from that knee injury on Tuesday, visibly hobbling at times, but that still couldn't stop the No. 2 scorer in the league (29.2 points per game) from netting 45 points after a two-game layoff in a loss to Portland.
Leonard hasn't scored much in the last five games, only 6.0 points to his name, but against the Knicks, he had a solid night with 16 points on 50 percent shooting from the field. But he will have the unenviable task of trying to slow down the irresistible force that is Anthony from completely dominating the game.
Advantage: Knicks
Shooting guard: Ronnie Brewer, Knicks vs. Danny Green, Spurs
With Raymond Felton out, Kidd is at the point, leaving Brewer, who excels in defense, to likely fill in at the shooting guard role or at least with the role of guarding San Antonio's frontcourt, with the occasional help on backcourt.
Green, who is netting 10.9 points this season, is a key player for San Antonio, and has been lethal from the three-point line with a 66.7 percent mark in the last five games. Brewer has to deny Green the three-ball, or it could sink New York.
Advantage: Even
Point Guard: Jason Kidd, Knicks vs. Tony Parker, Spurs
Kidd and Parker are no strangers to each other, having met in the 2003 NBA Finals when Kidd was the star of the then-Brooklyn Nets and Parker was a wet-behind-the-ears newbie on the Spurs in what became a four-game sweep for San Antonio's second NBA crown.
Kidd may not have the same consistent pop he once had, but he has been crucial for the Knicks all season, providing cerebral defense and a knack for big shots. He'll need both against Parker, who in his 11th year, has been as dangerous as ever, averaging 20.0 points and 7.3 assists in the last 10 games. He scored 19 points with 12 assists in an effort that almost beat the Knicks in November until a late New York rally sunk those hopes.
Advantage: Spurs
Bench
Amar'e Stoudemire looked rusty in his return on Tuesday with only six points in 17 minutes, but he still provides a huge scoring threat off the bench. JR Smith can also ignite at any moment, if he has a good night, while Pablo Prigioni has been reliable at the point guard slot, Steve Novak is still a lethal three-point threat and Chris Copeland provides a big, athletic scorer off the bench.
Manu Ginobili's shooting gives the Spurs a nice weapon in reserve, while Stephen Jackson and Boris Diaw have proven capable defenders and Stephen Jackson provides quality minutes for San Antonio
Advantage: Knicks
Game time starts at 7:30 p.m. Look for the Live Stream of the Knicks vs. Nets game tonight at 7 p.m at NBA.com's official Live Streaming League Pass Broadband.
For more information on live scores, go to the NBA's official web site.
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