All Knicks

Knicks vs. Rockets: How & Who to Watch as NY Tries to Get Things Right

The New York Knicks have a huge opportunity to get things right ... or sink even further ... when the lowly Houston Rockets come to Manhattan on Monday night.

Geoff Magliocchetti

In this story:

Houston, we have a problem.

The New York Knicks are threatening to limp into the NBA postseason. A berth seems relatively assured but any threats of noise appear to be going by the wayside thanks to a three-game losing streak to teams removed from the current six automatic playoff spots in each conference. New York will have a chance to close in on postseason assurance and try to get things right on Monday night when the woebegone Houston Rockets come to visit.

Entering what's become a vital week of action, the fifth-place Knicks are two games ahead of both Brooklyn and Miami with a vital matchup against the latter landing on Wednesday. In the meantime, the grounded Rockets stand in the way. Houston is involved in a different kind of race, namely for the top odds at the upcoming NBA Draft Lottery. They're currently a game and a half worse than Detroit for the top spot, those odds bolstered by a five-game losing streak where only one defeat has come by a single digit.

Having previously triumphed in Texas back on Dec. 31, the Knicks are going for their third consecutive sweep in their yearly pair against the Rockets. New York has won six in a row overall against Houston, the streak dating back to March 2020.

What: Houston Rockets (18-57) @ New York Knicks (42-33)

Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

When/Watch: Monday, 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG/MSG Go

Who's Favored: NYK -13.5

Keep an Eye On: Julius Randle

There's no doubt that Randle has been a key cog in the Knicks' machine this season. For most of the trek, last year's disappointing follow-up to his metropolitan breakout, one defined by inconsistency and attitude issues, laid forgotten but things have dangerously re-surfaced since Randle's magnificent breakout against the Minnesota Timberwolves last Monday, one that tipped this dubious streak off in the first place.

The stats from the immediate aftermath of his 57-point showcase are alarming enough: in further losses to Miami and Orlando, Randle shot below 39 percent from the field and lost five turnovers. But the defining image of this recent scary stretch has been Randle engaging in a civil war of words with Immanuel Quickley as frustrations mounted in Thursday's loss to the Magic. Each leg of the dreary trio has also seen Randle get charged with a technical foul, giving him 11 this season (tied for the second-worst rate in the Eastern Conference).

Randle apologists could perhaps brush the incidents off as Patrick Ewing-style passion, but Randle hasn't accomplished nearly enough in New York to earn such immunity. The Knicks will need Randle to be on his best behavior from both a box score perspective and beyond. A golden opportunity for both awaits against a Rockets team with nothing to play for.

Rocket to Watch: Jalen Green

As the Rockets play out the stretch, they can at least take hope in the progress of the sophomore Green, who has improved in nearly every major statistical category from his rookie season. The second overall pick from the 2021 draft seems hardly aware that the Rockets' games are increasingly meaningless, as he's averaging 27 points over his last five games, which includes a 40 eight days prior against New Orleans.

"He’s a great player," playoff-bound opponent Evan Mobley said of Green after his Cleveland Cavaliers bested Houston 108-91 on Sunday, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. "His shot is great from 3, (he's) athletic, he gets to his spots. He’s definitely getting better. I enjoy watching him.”

If a Monday night trap awaits the Knicks at The Garden, Green will undoubtedly be responsible.

Prediction

Even if there's some upset magic left over on the MSG floor from Florida Atlantic's memorable Manhattan stay, this should be something the Knicks can handle. The Rockets are long removed from any sort of postseason consideration and are coming into New York fresh off a back-to-back. Monday's hosts are also expected to get Jalen Brunson back in the lineup, further strengthening the Knicks' already sizably favorable odds. 

That's a long way of saying that the Knicks will probably make this one harder than it has to be, but they should be set to move back into the right direction.

Knicks 114, Rockets 99 

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Knicks? Click Here.

Follow AllKnicks.com on Twitter.

Published
Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks

Home/News