Rockets Visit Knicks in Jalen Green’s MSG Debut
Garden Debut. Time that Kills. Electric Environment.
The lights don’t get any brighter than at Madison Square Garden, aka the World’s Most Famous Arena. And for the first time in his career, Jalen Green will play in the building that houses some of the greatest memories from the game’s icons. Michael Jordan’s favorite arena to play in was MSG. The same with Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and countless others. Something about the Garden brings out the best in superstars on the road. It’ll be very interesting to see how Jalen Green performs in his first game at MSG.
Houston is desperately searching for a win. The Rockets ride into the Big Apple on a 13-game losing streak, tops in the league. Every team in the league besides Houston has won at least 3 games, and 28 teams have won at least 4 times. The Rockets are falling behind the entire pack, and need a win soon to stop this horrific start. A renewed sense of urgency has to kick-in for Houston, or the losing streak will continue to hang over this Rockets team. The Knicks are 8-7, and in a time with unforeseen parity in NBA history, Knicks fans are in a frenzy over their team’s potential this year. The atmosphere will be electric tonight in NYC, and the Rockets will have a raucous crowd to deal with along with a solid opponent. Julius Randle continues to power the Knicks offense, and they have a plethora of young players who are starting to find their groove. Veteran point guard Kemba Walker is the most notable off-season addition to this Knicks team, and he has yet to provide the sort impact New York is looking for from the former All-Star. The Knicks dropped their last game to the Magic in a loss at home. There’s no doubt New York’s coach Tom Thibodeau will have his team ready to bounce back. Houston hopes Kevin Porter Jr. returns to the lineup, as the Rockets will need all the help possible to pull off the upset.
Jalen Green and company have had two off-days since their last game. Which is usually a promising time for NBA teams. But those days-off have been in the Big Apple, as Houston arrived early on Thursday. With plenty of sights to see, that resting time might come back to bite the Rockets. Hopefully the team has stayed disciplined, but there’s no doubt the group had fun in NYC. Hopefully, it doesn’t factor into their performance on the court this Saturday evening. I can’t remember the last time a rookie put on a show at Madison Square Garden. Jalen Green has an opportunity to do something special tonight and end Houston’s skid, leaving Knicks fans with a bad taste in the Big Apple… and the most famous upset of this young NBA season.
Madison Square Garden: New York City, New York
Jersey Colors:
Houston Rockets (1-14): Red
New York Knicks (8-7): White
TV: 4 PM CT – AT&T Sportsnet SW, NBA League Pass