Game Day: Knicks vs. Suns, 4/26/21

The Knicks are on the precipice of a 10-game win streak, but their path to double digits won’t be an easy one — they have the Phoenix Suns in town, the second seed in the West.

Ten straight wins in a row is in reach for the Knicks, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy in the slightest.

They get without a doubt the toughest test they’ve had yet on this nine-game win streak tonight at home, with the 42-18 Suns visiting Madison Square Garden, the first matchup between the two this season.

There’s plenty of subplots here, too — both teams have been absolute dumpster fires before a talent/coaching infusion this season sent them to the next level (the Suns haven’t made the playoffs since 2009-10 — Amar’e Stoudemire’s last season there before he joined the Knicks). Both teams feature a budding superstar (Devin Booker for the Suns, Julius Randle for the Knicks). Both teams have a great supporting cast made up of young players and veterans alike (for the Suns — Mikal Bridges, Deandre Ayton, Jae Crowder, Dario Saric, etc. against the Knicks’ Immanuel Quickley, Reggie Bullock, Nerlens Noel, Derrick Rose, et al). Dissimilarly, the second-best player on the Suns is their oldest (Chris Paul) while the second-best on the Knicks is their youngest (RJ Barrett).

All of that leads us to a marquee matchup in Madison Square Garden, a game with implications, in the 62nd game of a 72-game season. With a win, the Knicks would not only win their 10th straight, but also fend off the blazing hot Atlanta Hawks, who they’re currently in a dead heat with for the fourth seed. A win for the Suns would help solidify them as the second seed out West, where the Clippers are threatening to displace them.

This game is certainly winnable for the Knicks, too. The Suns are two time zones away from home, playing in the second game of a back-to-back after losing to Brooklyn in Barclays last night. It’s also the final game of a five-game road swing for them, which has seen them make stops in Milwaukee, Boston, Philly, and Brooklyn all in the last seven days. The Knicks, meanwhile, have been afforded plenty of rest between games lately, which is their reward for playing a very crammed schedule earlier this year.

In addition, two of the Suns’ key role players — Crowder and Saric — have been ruled out in advance of tonight’s game. The Knicks will still be without Mitchell Robinson and Alec Burks.

Seeing a team for the first time this late in the season is a little odd, so the Knicks will need to be well prepared for the dynamic backcourt duo of Paul and Booker. It might even behoove them to cut Elfrid Payton’s ceremonial start extremely short, so as not to get into too big of a hole vs. one of their most formidable opponents lately. If you give CP3 an inch, he’s surely going to take a mile.

Still, this matchup just screams that it’s going to be an absolute feast for Randle. Even when he’s been up against capable defenders during this run (look at poor OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam last game), he’s smoked them. Tonight, the Suns will have… Cam Johnson? Torrey Craig? Missing Saric and Crowder could prove the blow that wins the Knicks this game, because a 40-point game from Randle doesn’t seem all that difficult right now.

The game’s at 7:30 on MSG. Come hang with us on Twitter during the game if you want!