Knicks host Cavs in Christmas Day matchup at the Garden

New York Post

Watch Knicks host Cavs in Christmas Day matchup at the Garden - New York Post on Dailymotion

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00:00Are y'all ready for some Christmas basketball at the Garden?

00:03We got Knicks, Cavs, Christmas Day.

00:05I got my guy Dexter Henry, host of New York, got game on,

00:08so we can talk about this holiday matchup.

00:11Dex, when you looked at when the schedule first came out

00:14and you saw Cavs, Knicks, Christmas Day,

00:17we were going to think is what two of the top teams in the East.

00:20The Cavs are currently sitting at seventh.

00:23The Knicks are on a heater right now.

00:25So preview this game for us.

00:26What you're going to be watching

00:28and what should we be keeping our eye out on?

00:31Yeah, well, the thing I was going to be watching, Brandon, for this one,

00:34obviously Christmas Day is always special at the Garden

00:36and happy holidays to you, but how motivated are the Cavs going to be?

00:40They've been struggling lately.

00:41This is a big-time game for them.

00:43They are sitting at seventh in the Eastern Conference.

00:45As you mentioned, they have won two in a row.

00:48Granted, the opponents have not been great.

00:50It's been Charlotte and New Orleans,

00:51so two of the worst teams in the NBA.

00:54So this is a much stiffer challenge for them,

00:57playing the Knicks here.

00:58And look, the Knicks are going to want to bounce back

01:00after last night in Minneapolis where they fell to the Timberwolves.

01:03But they were without Jalen Brunson.

01:05They were without OG Ananobi.

01:06So you understand that.

01:08Listen, the Knicks, I think, are going to be motivated at home.

01:10They want to get back on the winning track.

01:11They've been dominant at home.

01:12They've only lost two games there all season.

01:15So this is a game where I'm really looking to see who comes out strong.

01:20I think you're going to get that from Donovan Mitchell on the Cavs side.

01:23They're a little bit banged up.

01:24But Donovan Mitchell, you know, likes to play at the Garden.

01:26He always loves to perform.

01:28He is a Mets fan.

01:29He likes being in New York.

01:30He's from New York.

01:31He's going to look to try to perform big time.

01:33And then, you know, Jalen Brunson,

01:34he's always going to want to give you a big performance on Christmas Day as well.

01:38So that's what I'm looking for,

01:39because I know the Cavs are going to come out with good energy in this one.

01:42I really do expect that.

01:44How do the Knicks match that energy, counter it,

01:46and try to get a win at home on Christmas Day?

01:48Let's stay on this Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell matchup.

01:51I guess I get a two-part question.

01:53Who has the most pressure on them to kind of come out,

01:57put on a show on the national level and on the other side of that?

02:01Who would you say is going to win this matchup?

02:05I think the pressure is more on Donovan Mitchell

02:08just because of where his team is at

02:10as opposed to where Jalen Brunson's at.

02:12Jalen Brunson right now, in my eyes, is a top-five MVP candidate.

02:15We've seen the performances that he's done.

02:18He just had a 47-piece on Sunday against the Heat.

02:21So he's fine in his standing where he is.

02:23Donovan Mitchell, the pressure is on him

02:25to get his team back up in the standings

02:27as they try to get healthier.

02:29So he, coming in as the road team and the road star,

02:32he's got more pressure on him, I think,

02:34to perform big time on Christmas Day.

02:37As far as who gets the better of this matchup,

02:40you know, I think it's just the Knicks.

02:41I just think the Knicks are healthier.

02:42I think they're a more complete team.

02:44I think you'll see the guys like Jalen Brunson and OGN,

02:46and they'll be back in the lineup.

02:48The Knicks have had a brutal schedule

02:49following the NBA Cup, winning that over the Spurs.

02:53So now they have a lot of games.

02:54They've got a bunch of road tests coming up.

02:56I think they know they need to get this one at home as well.

02:59So I'm going with the Knicks.

03:00I think Jalen Brunson has a big-time performance.

03:02Don't be shocked if there's an unsung hero here for the Knicks.

03:06Tyler Colick's been balling.

03:08He's been playing really well.

03:10Mikkel Bridges, we saw last year,

03:11he had a 41-piece on Christmas against the Spurs.

03:14So don't be surprised if you see somebody else

03:16step up on Christmas Day.

03:18But I like the Knicks to come out on top at home over the Cavs.

03:21I'm glad you brought up Tyler Colick

03:22because, you know, I try and play the stock market a little bit.

03:28This kid is trending in the right direction.

03:31Deuce McBride's been out with an ankle injury.

03:34He could be coming back as early as Christmas Day,

03:37some reports out there.

03:38When Deuce McBride comes back,

03:41is that going to cut into Tyler Colick's minutes,

03:44or has he earned big-boy minutes?

03:48I think he's earned big-boy minutes.

03:50I think he's earned the right,

03:52and I think the Knicks are going to want to see this too, Brandon.

03:54What more can he do at the backup point guard spot?

03:57This is what the regular season is for.

03:59This is something I've been talking about.

04:01Tyler, the creator, he's been created.

04:03He's been dropping dimes.

04:05He's been a little bit more aggressive with the scoring.

04:06We saw 22 shots last night,

04:08attempted against Minnesota in his first career start

04:12out there in Minneapolis.

04:14So he's been more aggressive,

04:15and I think the Knicks have to find out

04:17what they have in him at the backup point guard spot,

04:21and if they are going to make a move

04:22and try to upgrade that spot before the trade deadline.

04:25So right now, he's been getting minutes.

04:26Mike Brown has been trusting him with those minutes.

04:30I think when Deuce McBride comes back,

04:32you feel more comfortable playing him in lineups

04:34with Tyler Colick in the backcourt,

04:36along with Deuce McBride.

04:37I think you can see more of that.

04:38I think the player who may see their minutes reduced a bit

04:41is Jordan Clarkson,

04:42because I just think Tyler Colick is a steadier ball handler.

04:47You can see that Mike Brown has valued that a lot.

04:49We've seen lineups with Colick, Brunson, and Clarkson,

04:51and I think you can see that even with Deuce.

04:53That's very small,

04:54but having that extra ball handler out there

04:57has gone very well for the Knicks in a bunch of games.

05:00So I think you can see more of that.

05:01So yeah, if you're talking about big boy minutes,

05:03and just to be clear on that, when we get there,

05:05I think you can see about 14 to 16 minutes a game

05:08consistently for Tyler Colick.

05:10I think he's earned that for sure.

05:12And as long as he continues to play well,

05:13doesn't turn the ball over.

05:15And I think the big thing is people are going to look at two things.

05:17It's a three-point shooting, Brandon.

05:19Can he continue to shoot the ball well from downtown?

05:21Can he be aggressive in picking his spots when he wants to shoot?

05:24And then also, to me, the biggest thing is,

05:27can he hold up on defense?

05:28That's where he's gotten better to me in the last couple of weeks.

05:31I think a lot of people look at the offensive numbers,

05:33but can he hold up on defense?

05:35And can you trust him against big-time teams

05:38in playoff situations?

05:39We saw this during the NBA Cup run.

05:41If he can do that, he's going to earn those minutes

05:44and probably be a mainstay and stay there

05:46as the back-of-point guard for the New York Knicks.

05:48Knicks at the Garden on Christmas, primetime TV.

05:53We're all going to be sitting around the TV with our families,

05:57sipping coquito, a little spike eggnog in there,

06:00whatever floats your boat.

06:02How big is this, one, for the city,

06:04and two, for just New York basketball overall?

06:08You know what?

06:09I will say this.

06:10Listen, Christmas Day is always special at the Garden.

06:13For anybody, if you haven't had a chance to go,

06:15it's always dope to get to the Garden on Christmas Day

06:17and see a game.

06:18The energy is always great.

06:19Early crowd, matinee, whole thing.

06:21You're right.

06:21If you're at home, you can watch this with your family

06:24and, you know, do whatever it is that you do

06:26when you're watching these games.

06:27As far as being big for the city,

06:29look, I think it's always good vibes when the Knicks play well.

06:33I think the Knicks have been playing really good basketball.

06:36I know they've lost two out of their last three games since the Cup,

06:39but there's some schedule losses in there,

06:40and then they didn't have their full complement of players,

06:42so I wouldn't read too much into that.

06:45But I just think in terms of bouncing back,

06:46they'll be on a three-game road trip after that.

06:48I think it's big to get a win there

06:51and get ready to head out on the road

06:53where you have Atlanta and San Antonio and New Orleans coming up next.

06:57It is big to get that before you get on the road,

06:59you know, build some good habits there.

07:01You know, if the Knicks lose this game, is it the end of the world?

07:03No, I don't think so.

07:05But I just think the Knicks really want to keep playing good basketball.

07:09The compete level for this team has been really good.

07:12I think you saw that even last night in Minnesota as well.

07:15They competed.

07:16This is a team that doesn't give up.

07:17I never feel like they're out the game,

07:19even if they don't have their full complement of players.

07:22So I just think to continue to play good basketball,

07:24obviously it's a national TV game.

07:26Brandon, you know that.

07:28You always want to show out on national TV,

07:30and it's the showcase games.

07:32The Knicks are leading off the day on Christmas.

07:33So, you know, it's a good one.

07:35I wouldn't call it, you know, big time like it's a must-win or anything.

07:38We are talking about a game in December,

07:40but it would be a good look if you win this game

07:42before you head back out on the road,

07:44and the Knicks have a lot of road games coming up.

07:46So they want to get this one.

07:48Great for the brand, too, man,

07:49because it's a chance for them to show,

07:52I guess, everybody outside of New York that they're for real.

07:55You know, New York basketball is back.

07:57My man, Dexter Henry, happy holidays, merry Christmas, man,

08:02and I appreciate you coming on, bro.

08:04Thank you, brother.

08:05Happy holidays, merry Christmas to you, too.

08:07Definitely enjoy it.

08:07Thanks, man.

08:08Thanks, man.

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