New York Knicks

The New York Knicks announced Wednesday that star Derrick Rose will be sidelined for at least eight weeks after undergoing right ankle surgery.

While the team gave an eight-week timeline, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported there is "optimism" that Rose could be back before then:

The 2010-11 MVP signed a three-year, $43.6 million contract with the Knicks after enjoying a strong spell following his return to the Big Apple midway through last season.

Rose continues to be a valuable member of New York's backcourt. Through 26 games, he's averaging 12.0 points and 4.0 assists while shooting 40.2 percent from three-point range. The 33-year-old has been one of the anchors for a bench unit that is exceeding expectations.

Unfortunately for the Knicks, the success of their reserves is inversely related to the return they've gotten from their starters so far. Kemba Walker fell out of the rotation altogether following a disappointing start.

New York is 14-17 and 12th in the Eastern Conference as a result of its uneven play. A return to the playoffs is far from guaranteed for head coach Tom Thibodeau.

The Knicks should have the reinforcements to account for Rose's injury for the time being. Immanuel Quickley has shown promise through his first two years, while this could be the impetus for Walker's role to increase after having already returned to the lineup.

But this injury is undoubtedly another setback for Thibodeau.

New York Knicks guard Kemba Walker turned back the clock during Saturday's 114-107 loss to the Boston Celtics. 

Playing in his first game since Nov. 26, Walker dropped a season-high 29 points in 37 minutes. 

"I know I should be playing," Walker told reporters after the game. 

He added to having a "rough couple years" because of injuries and "it's been a tough time" so far this season, but "I feel like I'm built for any situation."

The Boston Celtics traded the four-time All-Star to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but he became a free agent after Oklahoma City bought out his contract.

Walker's two-season tenure with the Celtics was a disappointment in part because of injuries. He only appeared in 99 games from 2019-20 to 2020-21, averaging 19.9 points on 42.3 percent shooting from the field.

A Bronx native, Walker chose to sign with the Knicks as a free agent. He began the season as their primary point guard, but things didn't go well for him or the team. The 31-year-old averaged 11.7 points on 41.3 percent three-point shooting but had just 3.1 assists per game in 18 starts.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters on Nov. 29 that Walker was no longer going to be in New York's rotation and Alec Burks would move into the starting lineup at point guard.

"I could be pissed. I could be upset," Walker told reporters about Thibodeau's decision. "But at the end of the day, there's some young guys here who look up to me. I'm pretty sure they wanted to see how I reacted to the situation. Anybody on my team down the line can be in the same situation. Maybe I can be a role model in that aspect."

Walker got the start Saturday night because the Knicks currently have six players in health and safety protocols. Derrick Rose was also unavailable to play with a right ankle injury.

Even though the Knicks came up short against the Celtics and are now a season-high four games under .500 (13-17), Walker's effort in the game at least provides some optimism that things could turn around.   

The New York Knicks announced guard Immanuel Quickley will miss Saturday's road game against the Boston Celtics after being placed in the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols on Friday. 

Quickley has averaged 10.2 points, 2.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds across 29 appearances (one start) for the Knicks in 2021-22, his second NBA season.

The 2020 first-round pick played a key role in New York's 116-103 win over the Houston Rockets on Thursday night. He tallied 24 points on seven three-pointers along with four boards and four dimes in 32 minutes.

Afterward, the University of Kentucky product joked about taking extra precautions as COVID-19 cases started to mount within the team's roster.

"I've been showering with my mask on," Quickley told Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.

It wasn't enough to keep him off the Knicks' protocol list, which now stands at five players. He joins RJ Barrett, Quentin Grimes, Kevin Knox II and Obi Toppin.

Quickley was voted to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team last season following a debut campaign where he averaged 11.4 points in 64 games.

No timetable was provided for his return.

The Knicks will have to use a makeshift rotation until players clear protocols. Miles McBride and Wayne Selden could see a significant uptick in playing time in the short term.

In addition, Derrick Rose left Thursday's game with ankle soreness to further New York's depth issues. It could pave the way for Kemba Walker to rejoin the rotation for a bit.

After Saturday's clash with the Celtics, the Knicks open a three-game homestand Tuesday night when they host the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden.

New York Knicks point guard Derrick Rose has been ruled out for the second half of Thursday's game against the Houston Rockets because of a sore right ankle.

Rose had zero points (0-of-2 shooting), one assist and one rebound in 12 minutes of action prior to exiting.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft, Rose provides the Knicks with a veteran presence off the bench. The floor general averaged 12.4 points and 4.1 assists through his first 25 appearances this season.

The Knicks acquired Rose in February for his second run with the team after he spent the 2016-17 season in New York. After emerging as a key contributor in 35 games last year, he was signed to a three-year contract extension worth $43.6 million this past offseason. 

Rose has also played for the Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons in his career. 

The Knicks have struggled to find consistency this season. After starting the year with a 5-1 record, they entered Thursday at 12-16.

Without the three-time All-Star, the Knicks will be denied a player who provides stability off the bench.

Second-year point guard Immanuel Quickley is likely to see more minutes in Rose's absence. The Kentucky product entered Thursday averaging 9.7 points and 2.5 assists in 21.5 minutes per game. Veteran shooting guard Alec Burks also could take on more of the ball-handling duties.

Of course, veteran Kemba Walker—who was removed from the team's rotation last month—is also an option.

As the New York Knicks look for answers to fix their struggling offense, one potential trade option is Eric Gordon of the Houston Rockets. 

Per Marc Berman of the New York Post, Gordon is "on a long list of potentially available players the Knicks have talked about internally" in a trade.     

Berman noted that in 2016, shortly after Derrick Rose was traded to New York by the Chicago Bulls, the three-time All-Star spent the offseason trying to recruit Gordon to the Knicks. 

Gordon ultimately signed with the Houston Rockets. 

Rose and Gordon have a relationship that dates back to their time as AAU teammates in 2006. They will be on the court together again on Thursday when the Knicks play the Rockets in Houston. 

According to Berman, Thursday's game could serve as Gordon's "audition for Knicks brass" before they decide how aggressively to pursue him. 

The Rockets are in an interesting position. They are clearly rebuilding around a young core that includes Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr. and Alperen Sengun, but their veterans have ignited a recent stretch of good play. 

Since losing 16 of their first 17 games, the Rockets are 8-3 in their last 11. Gordon has been instrumental in that turnaround. He is averaging 18.3 points per game on 52.2 percent shooting (48.1 percent from three) in nine appearances since Nov. 24. 

Per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, the Rockets "appear willing to be patient" with Gordon. 

He has one more guaranteed season on his contract, plus a $20.9 million non-guaranteed salary for 2023-24, per Spotrac. 

The Knicks are in last place in the Atlantic Division with a 12-16 record. They rank 19th in offensive rating (109.0) and 23rd in defensive rating (110.9), per Basketball Reference. 

Gordon is averaging 15.1 points per game and is shooting 44.8 percent from three-point range in 23 games this season.    

The New York Knicks announced forward Kevin Knox II will miss Thursday's road game against the Houston Rockets after being placed in the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

The fourth-year player is averaging 4.1 points and 1.8 rebounds in eight appearances so far in 2021-22.

Knox was limited to just 42 games during the 2020-21 season with an average of 11 minutes per game. A knee injury slowed him down earlier in the year, but he's failed to secure a regular spot in the rotation even when healthy.

The 22-year-old finished last season with an average of 3.9 points and 1.5 rebounds per game, although he did hit 39.3 percent of attempts from beyond the arc.

After a quality rookie season, Knox has seen his role reduced each year in New York.

The Knicks would typically feature enough depth to handle Knox being out, but several COVID-19-related absences have depleted the rotation recently.

For the second year in a row, the New York Knicks are the NBA's most valuable franchise.

Sportico's Kurt Badenhausen released the list of NBA valuations Thursday, and it saw the Knicks maintain their place at the top with a value of $6.12 billion, followed by the Golden State Warriors at $6.03 billion.

Here is a rundown of the top 10, courtesy of Sportico:

1. New York Knicks: $6.12 billion
2. Golden State Warriors: $6.03 billion
3. Los Angeles Lakers: $5.63 billion
4. Brooklyn Nets: $3.61 billion
5. Chicago Bulls: $3.53 billion
6. Boston Celtics: $3.44 billion
7. Los Angeles Clippers: $3.16 billion
8. Houston Rockets: $2.79 billion
9. Toronto Raptors: $2.74 billion
10. Dallas Mavericks: $2.72 billion

The top four spots from last year's list remain the same this year, although the Knicks increased their worth from $5.42 billion to $6.12 billion and the Warriors did the same from $5.21 billion to $6.03 billion.

Fittingly, the Knicks and Warriors faced off Tuesday at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Golden State won 105-96, and Warriors star Stephen Curry set the NBA record for career three-point field goals made.

The Warriors have had significantly more on-court success than the Knicks in recent years. Golden State went to five straight NBA Finals from 2015 to 2019 and won three titles, while the Knicks missed the playoffs in seven consecutive seasons before finally making it back last year.

This season, the Warriors are the class of the NBA at 23-5, and the Knicks are struggling to build on last season's success, as they are 12th in the Eastern Conference at 12-16.

One thing both the Knicks and Warriors can hang their hats on is the fact that they are two of the most valuable sports franchises in the world.

Per Badenhausen, the Knicks and Warriors are two of only four sports franchises worth at least $6 billion, joining the Dallas Cowboys ($6.9 billion) and New York Yankees ($6.75 billion).

Badenhausen also noted the Knicks experienced the biggest leap in value from last year among NBA teams, rising 13 percent by virtue of a playoff appearance and the renewal of several significant sponsorships.

Overall, NBA teams are worth an average of $2.58 billion, which is a 9 percent increase from last year.

Kemba Walker has reportedly not drawn any trade interest from other teams since he was taken out of the New York Knicks' rotation.

Matt Moore of The Action Network reported teams are too wary of Walker's knee problems to make an offer for the four-time All-Star.

Walker hasn't played in a game since Nov. 26 after Tom Thibodeau chose to insert Alec Burks into the starting lineup. The move was designed to help spark a scuffling Knicks team, but it hasn't led to any success. The Knicks have lost seven of the nine games Walker has sat out.

"I could be pissed, but at the end of the day, there are some young guys here who look up to me. Maybe I can be a role model. I love being around my teammates, and I'm going to cheer them on until I can't anymore," Walker told reporters last week.

The Knicks signed Walker to a two-year, $17.9 million contract this offseason after he reached a buyout with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Boston Celtics sent Walker to Oklahoma City after a failed two-year tenure with the franchise, thanks in large part to his ailing knee. 

While it's clear he doesn't fit with Thibodeau's preferred playing style, Walker was far from the biggest problem with the Knicks. He was shooting a career-high 41.3 percent from three-point range, and the rest of his per-minute offensive splits weren't marked departures from his career numbers.

It's clear Walker will probably never return to All-Star form, but he's 31 and on a manageable contract. It's surprising teams haven't reached out about buying low and inserting him as a high-leverage bench player. 

Golden State Warriors star point guard Stephen Curry etched his name in history in Tuesday's 105-96 win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, becoming the NBA's all-time leader in three-pointers made.

Curry, who entered the game two triples away from breaking Ray Allen's record of 2,973, finished with 22 points and shot 5-of-14 from beyond the arc, upping his career total to 2,977.

The Warriors improved to 23-5 after their fourth win in their last five games. Jordan Poole added 19 points and nine rebounds.

The Knicks fell to 12-16 and have now lost five straight games at home. Julius Randle led New York with 31 points and seven rebounds. The Knicks were without key rotation players RJ Barrett and Obi Toppin, who are both in the NBA's health and safety protocols.

Notable Player Stats

G Stephen Curry, GSW: 22 points

G Jordan Poole, GSW: 19 points, 9 rebounds

F Andrew Wiggins, GSW: 18 points

F Julius Randle, NYK: 31 points, 7 rebounds

Warriors Overcome Emotion, Ugly Shooting to Earn Victory

Golden State was uncharacteristically off throughout the majority of Tuesday's game. The emotion of Curry breaking the three-point record may have caused an adrenaline dump for the Warriors, as they weren't as efficient as we've grown accustomed to seeing.

But it seemed like an inevitability that Golden State would eventually wake up and put the game away, and that happened in the third quarter. After an ugly stretch that saw both teams struggle to make shots, the Warriors were able to get back on track by scoring in transition.

The Warriors ended the third quarter on a 15-5 run to take a seven-point lead heading into the fourth, and they never looked back. New York was unable to take a lead in the final frame.

Golden State's supporting cast helped put the game away in the fourth quarter. Poole finished 13-of-13 from the free-throw line. Andrew Wiggins had 18 points and came up with timely shots to help secure the win. Nemanja Bjelica added 14 off the bench on 4-of-4 three-point shooting. Even Damion Lee got in on the action and ended his shooting slump.

The Warriors were able to use their defense and a late offensive burst to overcome a 35-of-77 (45.5 percent) shooting night. They also finished 15-of-40 (37.5 percent) from beyond the arc. It wasn't pretty, but Golden State showed its ability to grind out wins even when its offense isn't clicking.

Knicks Fail to Take Advantage of Warriors' Slow Start

Making the game ugly could have been exactly what a short-handed Knicks team needed to do to steal a win. But New York couldn't take advantage of an off night by one of the best offenses in the league.

After shooting 45.5 percent from the floor in the first quarter, the Knicks made just six of their 18 field goals in the second quarter. Golden State wasn't much better, shooting 40.5 percent in the first half as the Knicks took a one-point lead into halftime. Derrick Rose was a lone early bright spot, scoring 12 of his 15 points in the first half.

Both teams struggled to start the third quarter but eventually woke up. Randle did his best to spark New York with 25 of his 31 points in the second half.

In last year's surprisingly successful season, the Knicks were known for being able to use their gritty offense and defense to grind out wins. That hasn't been the case this year, as New York just lacks the offensive firepower to keep up with most of the top teams in the league. The Knicks shot 30-of-83 for a shooting percentage of 36.1.

When the Knicks watch film of Tuesday's game, they will be kicking themselves for letting the Warriors off the hook. New York had the chance to upset a title contender, but it was let down by struggles on offense that have plagued the team throughout this season.

What's Next?

The Warriors will play the fourth contest of a five-game road trip on Friday against the Boston Celtics. The Knicks will look to bounce back on Thursday in a road matchup against the Houston Rockets.