Knicks’ stout defense has chance to prove itself against Stephen Curry test
NY Post
SAN FRANCISCO — The Knicks suddenly juggernaut defense is taking the Stephen Curry test.
Riding a stretch of five consecutive games holding teams to under 94 points — a stat that is more impressive in today’s run-and-gun NBA — the Knicks will try to stay stingy against not only the top 3-point shooting team in the Western Conference, but the top long-distance shooter in league history.
Curry, already two seasons removed from setting the all-time 3-point record, blasted the Knicks less than three weeks ago at MSG, dropping 31 points on eight treys with 11 boards.
He went off in the first quarter while building the Warriors a 20-4 advantage after just seven minutes, and the Knicks never recovered in their blowout defeat.
But that was also before the Knicks, boosted by the return of OG Anunoby and a league-wide trend of referees allowing more contact since the All-Star break, began applying clamps to the opposition. With Saturday’s 98-91 triumph over the Kings, they became the first team in six years to allow under 422 points in any five-game span.
And Anunoby, who is 15-2 with the Knicks, understands he’ll be matched up with Curry at some point Monday. That’s also assuming Curry, who returned from an ankle injury to beat the Lakers on Saturday, is available.
JUPITER, Fla. — A.J. Minter isn’t prepared to declare himself ready for the Opening Day roster, but he took a significant step in that direction on Wednesday.
Patrick Mahomes’ contract continues to provide valuable salary cap relief.
We’ll soon learn how much Falcons owner Arthur Blank values $10 million in cold, hard cash.
TAMPA — Add one more quirk to a Yankees rotation that has become quirky: Without their No. 1 starter, their No. 2 starter likely will not shift ahead in the order.
The Jets were quiet on Day 2 of free agency after adding a new quarterback Monday.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Brett Berard has displayed both a fiery passion and an admirable patience in the last six months of his hockey career, which reached the NHL level for the first time at the end of November.
PORT ST. LUCIE — The baseball calendar says the Mets have about two weeks until Opening Day, but Francisco Lindor’s mind is on another timetable as these dog days of spring training pass.
The man with the best nickname on the team is one of the few Knicks who has made it this far relatively unscathed in the court of public opinion.
For a guy who seemingly is always headed out the door, Darius Slayton has a way of never leaving.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The Rangers stood by their defensive structure in the immediate aftermath of their Weekend of Missed Opportunities, in which they had two chances to capture the top wild-card spot in the East and failed to do so in such disappointing fashion.
PORT ST. LUCIE — Luis Torrens helped inject life into the Mets’ season last year but now faces even larger responsibilities with the team.
The Jets are having a Fields Day.
SACRAMENTO — P.J. Tucker understands his reputation as a hard-nosed player who is willing to vocalize displeasure.