New York Knicks vs Portland Trail Blazers: Preview, predictions, injury report and TV info

Thursday, 14 March 2024 at 22:00

The last of six game scheduled for this NBA Thursday will be the showdown between Anfernee Simons' Portland Trail Blazers, receiving the visit of the New York Knicks, led by All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson. A rather unequal matchup regarding both teams record in this regular season.

The Knicks, after winning their last game, will visit the Moda Center sitting currently in 4th place in the Eastern Conference with a 38-27 record. The fight for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs is getting very interesting, with the Orlando Magic very close, 5th with 38-28. The good news for NYC is that they got OG Anunoby back since their last game, and he will be available tonight as well.

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The Blazers, meanwhile, are second-to-last in the Western Conference with a 19-46 record. Tanking more than they are doing right now is virtually impossible, and with the San Antonio Spurs in last place at 14-52, there is no point to continue losing games. The odds of getting the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft will be the same for both teams whether they finish last or second-to-last.

Expert predictions (Possible starting lineups and winner)

The main predictions for tonight's game place the New York Knicks as the clear winner of the game. Although Portland Trail Blazers are coming off a win in their last matchup, the Knicks have a lot at stake, they simply cannot afford to stumble against one of the worst teams in the NBA.

In addition, the potential starters will be:

Blazers: Dalano Banton, Anfernee Simons, Kris Murray, Toumani Camara, DeAndre Ayton.
Knicks: Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, Isaiah Hartenstein.

Schedule and TV

The game will be played at 09:00 pm ET, and can be followed on the NBA's official website and app with a League Pass subscription.

Injuries

Blazers: Jerami Grant (hamstring), Malcolm Brogdon (elbow), Jabari Walker (hip) and Shaedon Sharpe (abdominal) ruled out. Robert Williams (knee), out for the season.
Knicks: Julius Randle (shoulder), out. Mitchell Robinson (ankle), out for the season.