Arron Afflalo lifts New York Knicks over Atlanta Hawks

Look for the Atlanta Hawks to come out with a great amount of energy on Tuesday night, as they will ring in the new year in the Highlight Factory for the first time. Knicks coach Derek Fisher was asked to elaborate about Saturday’s comment when he called the team’s defense in the last six games “horrendous” and he gave a vague response saying: “If we could pinpoint it, we would probably go out and do it”, while adding it was a combination of things…. His 82.4 field-goal percentage was his best when attempting more than six shots. The Hawks are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 vs. Eastern Conference and 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games following a ATS loss.

“For me, consistency is more important than great games and very bad games”, Afflalo said.

“When you’re playing against, at least record-wise and standings-wise, the kind of upper-echelon teams, you can’t afford to have as many breakdowns or mistakes because they’re capable of making you pay for it. That’s what we’ve run up against recently”.

Afflalo’s inconsistencies line up with the Knicks’ up-and-down season. The Knicks are 14-3 when they score 99 points or more and with more performances like this from Afflalo, they will easily achieve that mark.

Pau Gasol finished with a double-double of 19 points and 13 rebounds, while DeMar DeRozan top-scored for the Raptors with 24. Forward Paul Millsap has reached double figures scoring in 11 consecutive games, averaging 21 points on 49.4 percent shooting from the field in his past five contests.

I’m sure I speak for everyone, when I say, we all hope that Early makes a healthy and timely recovery. “If you’re going to have a player out there that long, he has to be effective”. The Knicks would block seven shots total in the game and add eight steals, three of which Anthony had while Jose Calderon and Jerian Grant had two each. The Knicks shot 50 percent overall from the field, and 42.3 percent from deep. Against the Hawks Sunday, Afflalo got back on track. Coincidentally, the Atlanta Hawks’ last home game came against the New York Knicks on December 26th.

But Atlanta continues to push as Kyle Korver sinks the three-pointer to cut the gap to single digits, and Dennis Schroeder and his blond streak waves the towel in approval.

“We just didn’t have our game (Sunday) and NY is part of the reason we didn’t have our game, ” coach Mike Budenholzer said. “We have them again on Tuesday”. New York Knicks won 111-97.