Event of the Day: New York Knicks versus San Antonio Spurs
Our event of the day is the NBA game between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Knicks are just outside of the playoff zone in the Eastern Conference, in ninth position with an equal share of wins and losses – 18-18. The Spurs are third in the Western Conference with a 25-12 record. New York ended a series of four defeats with a tight 105-103 win away to the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday. San Antonio were on a run of three victories in a row, before falling to the Detroit Pistons in a 93-79 away loss, in a game that saw them score their least number of points in a game this season. The sides met for the first time this season last Thursday, when the Spurs took advantage of playing on their home court to record a 119-107 win.
However, the Knicks are also very strong as hosts – they have a 15-6 record at MSG. In this game they will have to minimize the efficiency of Spurs’ power forward LaMarcus Aldridge who leads the team with 22 points and 8.4 rebounds on average per game. Also the Spurs’ star player, small forward Kawhi Leonard, is showing signs of his best form after a lengthy absence due to injury, as he scored 18 points against Detroit. The Knicks have their own force in the lane in power forward/center Kristaps Porzingis who scores 24.5 points per game, while center Enes Kanter records 10.3 rebounds per game and has a field goal percentage of 59.2% - the fifth best in the league. It should be a thrilling game at Madison Square Garden.
Honourable mentions around the globe go to the start of Leg 4 of the 2018 Volvo Ocean Race in Port of Melbourne. The leg is 6,000 nautical miles and will finish in Hong Kong, while the current leader with 29 points is team MAPFRE from Spain, skippered by Xabi Fernández. Also in the NBA there is another big match between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail Blazers at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. In the Big Bash League, the Melbourne Stars take on the Brisbane Heat at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The Premier League delivers a duel between Manchester City and Watford at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester and the clash of Swansea City and Tottenham Hotspur at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea. There are many big games in the NHL, with the Toronto Maple Leafs up against the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, while the St. Louis Blues face off with the New Jersey Devils at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis. The Vegas Golden Knights play the Nashville Predators at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and the Dallas Stars host the Columbus Blue Jackets at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. It’s Day 3 at the Brisbane International ATP and WTA tournament at the Queensland Tennis Centre in Tennyson.
Whatever you’re watching, enjoy!
Fixture
Photos by NBA