Jordan Clarkson’s new band is facing his old one when the New York Knicks engage in an interconference showdown on Friday night.
The Knicks will play the middle portion of a three-game homestand against the Utah Jazz, who hosted the last six seasons of the new Manhattan reserve’s career, to start the weekend at Madison Square Garden. Clarkson has become one of the Knicks’ first men off the bench and is averaging 10 points a game in 21 appearances to date.
A return to MSG was exactly what the doctor ordered for the Knicks, who recovered from Tuesday’s loss in Boston with a 119-104 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night. Karl-Anthony Towns put up a 35-point, 18-rebound double-double with five assists while Jalen Brunson recovered from a tough shooting night in Beantown with a sterling second half. The win improved the Knicks to 11-1 at home, the first time they’ve won all but one of their first dozen Garden dates since the 2011-12 campaign.
Working its way through the city, the Jazz have won three of four after a slow start, including Thursday’s 123-110 win over the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Lauri Markkanen scored 30 points while Keyonte George paired 29 points with 10 assists.
This will be the first meeting between the Knicks and Jazz this season, as the two sides split their annual interconference couple last time around. New York successfully defended MSG with a 121-106 victory on New Year’s Day, one that featured a triple-double from Josh Hart as well as a 31-point, 21-rebound showing from Towns. A rematch is set for late winter when the Knicks make their annual March road trip enforced by the Big East Tournament’s descent at MSG.
What: Utah Jazz (8-13) @ New York Knicks (14-7)
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG
Who’s Favored: NYK -15.5
Keep An Eye On: Tyler Kolek
The Knicks got a little good news on the injury report, as OG Anunoby was labeled as questionable with a hamstring strain. That’s not a guarantee of his participation and there’s no use rushing him back against the rebuilding Jazz, especially considering his health issues. It does hint, however, that the Knicks’ experimentation may be coming to end.
With Anunoby and Landry Shamet out, the sophomore Kolek has gotten an extended opportunity. He has taken advantage to the tune of an improved defensive game and maintaining his offensive facilitation. But everything Kolek does until Anunoby and Shamet return will feature a greater spotlight considering he’s one of the Knicks’ most attractive trade assets and Giannis Antetokounmpo could be on the block. Whether he’s showcasing his value for Manhattan or elsewhere remains to be seen.
Utahn to Watch: Svi Mykhailiuk
It’s unlikely that Mykhailiuk gets a tribute video upon his return to MSG, as he played but 40 minutes with the Knicks before he was traded to Portland in the Josh Hart deal at the 2023 trade deadline. He has since moved onto Salt Lake City, where he’s a staple in the starting five as the Jazz seek some long-sought post-Donovan Mitchell traction.
At 28, Mykhailiuk’s ultimate destiny is perhaps lasting role player in the modern NBA but he can certainly change a game if he finds his shooting touch (trying five threes a game). With the Knicks’ defense prone to lapses at the top of the key, they can’t get Mykhailiuk get hot with the Jazz seeking a statement victory.
They Said It
“Not just in the full court with his ability to run, but in the half court, his ability to cut and being a long, big target and finishing quickly is going to be second to none in my opinion. You couple that with his ability to shoot the ball, he’s a high, high, high-level shooter, he’s got to let it fly. We’re excited offensively … On the flip side, defensively he’s one of the best chasers that I’ve been around. … His will to want to pursue, especially as a rearview challenger, contesting from behind, at that length, is extremely, extremely impactful. I think those are the areas you should see him shine in this year.” —Knicks head coach Mike Brown on Mikal Bridges (h/t Jared Schwartz, New York Post)
“It would mean a lot to see this rebuild through. For me, the journey of getting better and better as a team and then finally breaking through means a lot to me. I would love to be a part of the next great Jazz team. Being from Finland, not much is expected from our national team. So, I want to put hoops on the map there. I have that same mindset here as well. I want to get better as an individual and as a team.”—Markkanen (h/t Tony Jones, The Athletic)
Prediction
Evidenced by a productive quartet, Utah is inching toward something better, especially with the Finnish duo of George and Markkanen in tow. Asking them to beat this Knicks group that has shown a special prowess at home, however, feels like a little much, and New York has handled regular business exceptionally well. It’d be fair to say that the Knicks probably won’t make it easy on themselves, but expect them to take care of what’s necessary in front of a supportive home crowd.
