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Despite sitting in the fourth seed in the Western Conference, there must be a vibe in the mile high city front office that they can't compete with the upper echelon clubs in the NLL because GM Rootsey has been slicing and dicing up his roster to find the right
combination for success. Moving the likes of Derrick Favors, JJ Riddick and Alex Len for Enes Kanter, Eric Gordon and Markieff Morris may seem like a sideways move for some but this trade may be looked back upon as a stroke of genius come the end of the season. Marcin Gortat v Dwight Howard Dwight Howard continues to do what Dwight Howard does best. Not needed to be an offensive threat in the New York system anymore, Howard's focus can now be directed on other areas like rebounding and contesting shots. Howard is ranked in the top 10 for both rebounding categories and is one of the premier shot blockers in the league with 1.4 swats per game. The Polish Hammer is an integral part of the Denver Nuggets success in my opinion. Gortat isn't overly dominate in any one category but he does many things well. Gortat rebounds, sets solid screens for guards, plays exceptional defense, uses his size to box out efficiently... Gortat does everything that you want your starting Center to do. Howard and Gortat are very similar in a lot of ways, so i believe its going to come down to raw physical attributes. Athleticism vs strength. Markieff Morris v Paul Millsap The recently aquired Markieff Morris was completely shun by the league last season due to his poor attitude and constant outbursts but one year on, everyone is back in love with Markieff. Starting the season on fire, filling up both the offensive and defensive stats, Morris has cooled off but has become ultra consistent. Morris' versatility will come in handy when it comes to replacing Derrick Favors in the Denver starting line up because they are big shoes to fill but he is very capable of stepping up. When you look at New York's roster, there are a number of names that bounce off the page but for some reason, Millsap continues to slide under the radar but he most certainly shouldn't because he is a star in his own right. Averaging 19 points and 10 rebounds per game, Millsap complaints Howard's game perfectly, with the ability to spread the floor and allowing Howard to dominate the paint. As reliable as Morris is, Millsap is on a completely different level. If Markieff can slow, if not stop Paul, it will go a long way to Denver taking the win on the road. Otto Porter v Luc Mbah a Moute Are we potentially looking at the most improved player in the NLL? Otto Porter has taken his game to another level this season, averaging 14 points, 5 boards and 2 assists, while also becoming extremely lethal from beyond the arc where he is hitting 40 percent of the time. Porter alwayd had the physical characterics to be a solid contributor in the league, but it is great to see potential translate in actual wins for the Nuggets. With so much offense in the New York starting line up, a lock down defender is a must for a championship winning side right? That's where Luc Mbah a Moute comes into play. The veteran isn't so much relied upon to stuff the stats, averaging 10 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists, but more so to play his role which is to stop the opponents best scorer getting off the leash. I would like to say Otto Porter has the edge in this match up but I'm hesitant because I've seen Mbah a Moute do a number on many great players. If Mbah a Moute is playing a lot of help defense and leaving Porter open behind the arc, it may get a little messy but if he focuses in on Porter, it will be hard to get away from 'the glove' like figure. Normal Powell v James Harden It looks as though Eric Gordon will replace JJ Riddick as the sixth man for the Denver Nuggets so that means Norman Powell will draw another start in week 15. Powell is as honest as they come, a solid on ball defender, a willing passer and has the ability to knock down open threes. As a starter, Powell is averaging a well rounded 10 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists per contest but in week 15, his worst nightmares have come to life when he faces The Beard. James Harden is the definition of offense. He has the skill set to light you up in a variety of ways, whether it's using pace to catch you off guard and getting to the basket to either score or get to the line or whether it's his limitless range from anywhere on the court. The MVP candidate is having a stellar season, averaging 22 points, 5 rebounds and 9.5 assists per contest. Unfortunately for Powell, this may be an all you can eat buffet for James Harden John Wall v Kyrie Irving This is the money match up the everyone came to see. John Wall in my opinion is the definition of a pure point guard. Wall uses his electric pace to beat his opponent off the dribble, he has the ability to play lock down defense, can bury buckets from beyond the arc and most importantly, Wall places a high emphasis on getting his teammates involved in the offense. With 17 points, 11 assists, 4 rebounds and a steal per game, Wall could make an argument that he should be in the MVP discussion. After a lack luster campaign last season to Kyrie standards, Uncle Drew is out to prove a point this season and he hopes to bring the Larry O'Brian trophy to New York City. A combination of precision passing and laser-like shooting has Kyrie right in the mix as a MVP candidate and the with averages of 24 points, 4 rebounds and 10 assists a contest, he may very well take it out if he can remain healthy and the Knicks continue to win games. In a bit of an upset, I'm taking John Wall to win this match up. I feel as though he is a better passer than Irving and he is also a better on ball defender. With his bull like attitude towards driving it to the rack, Wall will still get his points but i have faith that he can keep Irving below his season averages. Sixth man Eric Gordon v Joe Ingles The recently aquired Eric Gordon should rightfully be starting ahead of Norman Powell for the Nuggets but that offensive punch off the bench seems crucial for Denver's success as he has slotted right into where JJ Riddick left off. This is the third team for Gordon this season and he has been playing this role for the majority of the season, only starting 13 games out of a possible 49. Gordon is a fantastic scorer and is lethal from beyond the arc, averaging 13 points per game but besides from that he doesn't off a heap of other stats. In week 14, Marcus Thornton was manning the sixth man role for the Knicks but since being waived in the NBA, Thornton packed his bags and was shipped to Washington, which saw Joe Ingles come into New York and slot straight into their sixth man role. Ingles is deceptively well rated and in quite consistent. Averaging 7.2 points, 2.7 boards, 1.2 assists and shooting the ball well from inside and outside the arc, Ingles shall help the Knicks production once the starters step out for a rest. |
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I know everyone believes John Wall should be in this position but i want to look at it from a different angle. If Marcin Gortat is aggressive on the glass and on the defensive end of the court, restricting their second chance point opportunities, that will go along way to Denver taking this one in The Mecca
9th in points per game, 4th in assists per game, 11th in three point makes per game, Uncle Drew looks like nothing will stop him this season on the offensive end of the court. He, along with James Harden are keys to this team's success.| X-Factor |
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| Denver key Markieff rebounding New York are the best rebounding team in the league, pulling down 54 rebounds per game, behing Dwight Howard and Paul Millsap's dominance on the glass. Marcin Gortat uses his size and rebounds well but Markieff Morris is starting to look like the weak link. The more aggressive Morris is on the glass and boxing out, the less chance New York will have on the offensive boards and second chance points, where they also lead the league in that area. Knicks key Shoot out As mentioned earlier in the article, New York have offense coming out of every orifice so they need, as they have all season, use this to their advantage. The Knicks defense leaks points so to give themselves the best chance to win, they need to run this game at a high pace and turn this game into a shoot out. |