The backward slide continues for the New York Knicks, who dropped another game to the cross-town Nets on Wednesday. As a result, the team has now lost 13 of its last 16 games and looks to be closer to locking up a spot in the draft lottery than the Eastern Conference play-in tournament.
Point guard play has been a recurring issue throughout the stretch — not to mention the season as a whole — and it reared its ugly head again versus Brooklyn.
In 21 minutes of play, starting point-man Kemba Walker scored nine points and had three assists for the Knicks, who were outscored by nine points when he was on the court. It’s a line the likes of which has become commonplace for Walker, who was once considered one of the steals of the offseason.
Although Alec Burks and Immanuel Quickley were on the right side of the plus/minus ledger in the game — and both have had their moments this season — neither are true point guards. So, handing the reins over to one of them on a full-time basis probably isn’t going to save the Knicks’ season.
Thankfully, the team may be getting a big-time boost in the backcourt in just a matter of days.
Woj: Derrick Rose Is Nearing a Return
According to a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, former league MVP Derrick Rose, who played a key role in the Knicks’ playoff push last season, will likely be back on the court for the club sooner rather than later:
Rose has been progressing on the court for a return, and barring setbacks, there’s confidence he’ll be ready to face the Miami Heat on Feb. 25, when the Knicks resume the season’s stretch run with hopes of reaching the play-in tournament, sources said.
February 25, Knicks fans! Obviously, that’s huge news for the team, and Woj doubled down on the intel during an appearance on NBA Today.
“There’s a lot of optimism that Derrick Rose will be back after the All-Star break,” Wojnarowski said. “He’s been ramping up. He has not yet been cleared for contact, but that’s coming. And barring any setbacks, the expectation is he’ll be back.”
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D-Rose Was Making a Big Difference Before He Went Down
Rose hasn’t appeared in a game for the Knicks since a December 16 road win over the Rockets. After suffering an ankle injury during the game, the 33-year-old underwent surgery to remove a bone spur six days later.
Over 26 appearances with the Knicks this season, Rose is averaging 12.0 points, 4.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds per contest. He’s also shooting 44.5% from the floor, 40.2% from three-point range and a career-best 96.8% from the charity stripe.
When he has been on the court this season, New York has outscored opponents by 5.8 points per 100 possessions. In all the non-Rose minutes, the team has run at a deficit of 4.4 points/100 poss. and posted a lackluster defensive rating of 111.7.
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Knicks ‘Confident’ in Derrick Rose Return Date: NBA Insider