Knicks @ Nuggets

Who will WIN this matchup?

New York Knicks (9-28)

@ Denver Nuggets (23-11)

Current odds:

New York Knicks: (+800)

Denver Nuggets: (-1400)

• The line for this game is Denver by 13.5 points.

• New York lost by double figures in six of the last seven games and was crushed 129-97 at Utah on Saturday after trailing by as many as 46 points. “Force,” Knicks coach David Fizdale explained to reporters. “They came out with force. We came out dead. We just had no legs, no life, nothing. Couldn’t make shots. Couldn’t get stops. It was just a total avalanche.

• The Nuggets built up a 20-point lead after the first quarter on Saturday before holding off the Suns for a 122-118 victory at Phoenix – their sixth win in the last eight games. Denver is 14-3 at home but is only making a brief stop before playing three of the next four on the road, starting at Sacramento on Thursday.

• New York is firmly in rebuilding mode and Fizdale recently made the decision to bring veteran center Enes Kanter off the bench, a move that is not sitting well with the big man. “I don’t understand,” Kanter told reporters. “This is too early in the season to shut me down. My goal is to go out there and try to be an All-Star this year. That was my goal. But now, look at the situation. You can’t do anything about it. You’ve got to stay positive. Just got to stay positive.” Kanter, who averages 14.3 points and 10.6 rebounds, went scoreless on 0-of-6 shooting in 17 minutes off the bench while grabbing four rebounds at Utah.

• Denver point guard Jamal Murray led the way on Saturday with 46 points and eight assists while knocking down a career-best 9-of-11 from 3-point range. “Once he sees that ball going in, he starts shooting into a very big basket like he did tonight,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone told reporters of Murray after the victory. “Forty-six points, we needed every one of them. Terrific performance, but, once again, I can wait to watch film and learn and teach about all the things that we did wrong to not allow it to be a four-point game.” Murray is 13-of-18 from beyond the arc in the last two games after slumping to 3-of-18 in the previous three contests.

• Nuggets C Nikola Jokic handed out at least nine assists in each of the last three games and is averaging 7.4.

• Knicks PF Luke Kornet, who is starting in place of Kanter, averaged 18.5 points in the last two contests while going 11-of-17 from 3-point range.

• The teams split two meetings last season, with each protecting homecourt.