Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks – Game #35
Keldon Johnson leads the Spurs against the Knicks (Photo via Twitter)
The San Antonio Spurs (11-23) take on the New York Knicks (18-17) tonight in the AT&T Center. The Spurs have the second worst record in the Western Conference, while the Knicks are the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.
San Antonio has lost three of their last four games. In their latest outing, they fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder by a final score of 130-114. The Spurs got 20 points from Devin Vassell and all five starting scored in double figures — but it wasn’t enough (see the Grades).
After an eight-game winning streak, New York has now lost their last four games. Their latest loss was against the Dallas Mavericks. In that memorable game, Mavs superstar Luka Doncic finished with 60 points, 21 rebounds and ten assists.
This will be the first game of the season between the Spurs and Knicks. The two teams will meet for the second and final time next Wednesday.
San Antonio Spurs Injury Update
More bad news on the injury front for the Spurs: Devin Vassell will miss tonight’s game due to left knee soreness. Vassell has missed multiple games this season due to knee soreness. It’s unknown how long he will be out. On the season, Vassell is averaging 19.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 31.5 minutes per game.
Three players will miss the game due to being in the G League with the Austin Spurs: Charles Bassey, Dominick Barlow and Blake Wesley.
Yesterday, Keldon Johnson and Doug McDermott were listed as questionable. Today, the Spurs say both will be able to play. Johnson is dealing with lower back stiffness, while McDermott — who missed the Thunder game — is dealing with right knee soreness.
New York Knicks Injury Update
The Knicks are also dealing with injuries. RJ Barrett will miss tonight’s game with a finger laceration. Jalen Brunson, who is dealing with a hip injury, is listed as questionable. Barrett and Brunson are two of the Knicks top three scorers on the season.
Obi Toppin, who hasn’t played since Dec. 7, is still out with a lower leg injury.
San Antonio Spurs Starting Lineup
We can confidently say that Tre Jones will start at point guard, Keldon Johnson will start at small forward, Jeremy Sochan will start at power forward and Jakob Poeltl will start at center. Who will start in place of Devin Vassell at shooting guard? The most likely candidate is Josh Richardson. Another possibility for head coach Gregg Popovich is rookie Malaki Branham.
Betting Guide: Spurs vs. Knicks
The Knicks are favored to win by five points and the over/under is at 224.5. The smart money tonight is taking the over. Vassell is one of San Antonio’s better defenders. Without him, the Spurs defense could really struggle. The Knicks should be able to put a lot of points on the board, even without RJ Barrett and Jalen Brunson.
On the other end of the court, the Spurs have averaged 118.8 points in their last five games. They should be able to score around that amount, even without Vassell.