5 Things To Know:
1. Derrick Rose returned to the Knicks on Friday and participated in a film session with head coach Jeff Hornacek to go over the offense and defensive schemes. Despite missing five preseason games, the coaching staff is pleased with Rose’s conditioning and over the past three days he has worked with the team on the floor to prepare for tonight’s season opener. Hornacek expects to start Rose at the point guard position next to Courtney Lee, Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis, and Joakim Noah.
2. The new-look Knicks were prolific in the preseason. New York finished third in the league in points per game at 108.8 and posted a 4-2 record without Rose for five of those outings. While starters and rotation players do not play significant minutes, the focus on ramping up the pace and seeking easy buckets early in the shot clock was clearly evident from this group. The Knicks also shot a solid 36.4 percent from downtown (average of 27 attempts per game) in the six contests.
3. Keep an eye on New York’s rotation tonight in the opener. Jennings will jump off the pine as the first reserve at the point guard spot but we may see Rose and Jennings share time in this contest or in the near future. Hornacek could also utilize Porzingis at the center position, sliding him to the 5 when Noah is resting on the bench. With Lance Thomas replacing Melo in most cases, we could see Kyle O’Quinn and Willy Hernangomez split time as the frontcourt players in the second unit. Keep in mind, Mindaugas Kuzminskas was extremely impressive in the final two preseason contests and his versatile skill-set could lead to minutes early in the season.
4. The Cavaliers ended a 52-year championship drought in Cleveland by becoming the first team in NBA history to battle back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals. King James delivered on his promise and tonight, Clevelanders will launch into celebration mode with the ring ceremony and banner unveiling planned for the pregame festivities. The NBA moved the tipoff time to 7:30 PM so the local fans could watch the ring ceremony before Game 1 of the World Series begins right next door between the Indians and Cubs. For the most part, the Cavaliers remain the same from a roster standpoint. Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith, and Iman Shumpert all return for the 2016-17 season. Cleveland lost Matt Dellavedova and Timofey Mozgov but added Mike Dunleavy this summer. The Cavaliers are strong on both sides of the floor and were considered one of the best offensive teams in the NBA a season ago. They are a slow team in terms of pace but will take advantage of transition opportunities when LBJ and/or Irving decide to step on the gas pedal. Limiting turnovers and a strong defensive effort will be key in halting the Cavs efficient offensive attack.
5. For the first time in his career, Melo will play a game on a ring ceremony night. Over the past couple of weeks, Melo has expressed excitement for the challenge of playing the defending champs in one of the league’s showcase games on opening night. For James, tonight’s game marks the third opener at home for the Cavaliers. He is yet to record a victory in those games. Melo and James will tangle for the 26th time in their storied careers and Knicks fans fondly remember the contest two years ago when No. 7 and the Knicks spoiled the King’s homecoming game in Cleveland.
