The Knicks enter the holiday week with little time to catch their breath, facing a stretch of familiar faces and balding foes. I count four plane rides, to-and-from arenas; one early game and one at noon . . . on Christmas, no less; and one contest that feels like a scheduled loss. This year, our heroes are asking Santa for extra sleep.
Enjoy the week. And cast your All-Star votes.
Sun, Dec. 21 — Heat at Knicks (6:00 PM ET)
The fast-paced Heat surprised everyone with a 13-6 record to start the season. Everyone was crediting Erik Spoelstra for
changing his coaching style to match his personnel. They beat the Knicks two out of three times, and each game was decided by eight points or less. Of late, the laudatory squawking has quieted. The Day-Glos have dropped seven of their last ten and slid down to seventh on the conference pole. Their latest loss, 129-116, came at the hands of the Celtics on Friday night. Multiple Heaters are banged up: Wiggins (back), Herro (toe), Jovic (elbow), and Mitchell (ankle) are all game-time decisions. When healthy, this team plays sticky defense. We’ll see who suits up on Sunday.
Watch the game on MSG. You may have heard grumblings about the Knicks’ compressed schedule and the fatigue it brings. This game tips off at 6 PM, not even 48 hours after the last one. Then they’ll pack their bags and jet to the hinterlands for the next one. . . .
Tue, Dec. 23 — Knicks at Timberwolves (8:00 PM ET)
Cripes, it’s cold in Minnesota. Imagine being tired, sore, and having to fly there to play basketball? Torture!
The Timberwolves rank sixth in the West. Their size, physicality, and interior defense make them a tough matchup. How tough? On Friday night, they handed the Thunder their third loss of the season. (OKC has lost two of its last three. Hit the panic button!)
Chris Finch’s club has won eight of their last ten, starting with a five-game win streak. The one-two punch of Anthony Edwards and OAKAAKUYOAK Julis Randle is formidable; Donte DiVincenzo and Jaden McDaniels are a solid pairing; Rudy Gobert is good for a 10-10 double-double; and then Naz Reid comes off the bench to club you some more. In November, the Knicks beat this squad by 23 at home, spoiling Anthony Edwards’ return–he had (perhaps) rushed back from a hamstring strain to play in the hallowed halls of MSG. Sorry, fans: this time out, with the Knicks fighting fatigue and having to jet to Minny and back for a single game, this feels like a trap game—a scheduled loss, if you will.
Mail your complaints about the schedule to:
Adam Silver
c/o NBA Headquarters
645 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10022.
Watch this game on MSG.
Thu, Dec. 25 — Cavaliers at Knicks (12:00 PM ET)
Bah humbug, I hate matinee games. Christmas Day at MSG brings the Cleveland Cavaliers (15-14) to town. The team that won 15 straight to start last season (and then went 49-18 after that) is slightly less concerning this time out. As of this writing, they have lost seven of their last ten. They still play at a decent pace, but their offensive rating has dropped from first (2024-25) to 11th, and their defense has slipped from eighth to 15th. Last season, they were the league’s second-best three-point shooting team; currently, they rate 27th (34%). Part of the problem is Darius Garland having a career-worst shooting season (38% and 32%) and Evan Mobley underwhelming overall. Apparently not part of the problem: Mr. Met, Donovan Mitchell, hitting a career-high four triples per game and averaging almost 31 points.
The Knicks already beat Cleveland once this season, by eight on opening night. This time out, look for the Ohio Players to have a strong game, though, with Mitchell wanting to impress in front of his hometown on Christmas. Betcha he goes for 40. Watch it on ESPN or ABC, your pick.
Sat, Dec. 27 — Knicks at Hawks (8:00 PM ET)
More travel. Before the Knicks have time to sweep up the shredded wrapping paper and find places to put all their new Christmas toys, they’ll be back on a plane–again. This time, they’re heading to Georgia for the first of three seasonal games against the Hawks of Atlanta (15-14). Their next encounter is slated for January 2 at MSG.
That dicey Trae Young suffered an MCL sprain in October and was sidelined until December 18. Perhaps he returned too soon, because the knee kept him out of the next game. We’ll see how he feels, but it’s likely this villain will at least TRY to play against one of his biggest foes.
Jalen Johnson is having an excellent year, averaging 23.3 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 8.2 APG, and 1.5 STL, while shooting nearly 40% from three. He and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (20.7 PPG, 38% 3PT) have helped to keep Quin “One N” Snyder’s club afloat while Young and Porzingis have missed extended time. And Dyson Daniels might not be able to put the basketball into the Indian, Pacific, or Southern oceans, but he’s my kind of thefty pest.
Watch this one on Amazon Prime Video.
Go Knicks.
