PHOENIX — While the Knicks will be idle Saturday in San Francisco awaiting their Sunday match against the Warriors, they will be scoreboard watching again. The Hawks are keeping the Knicks’ playoff hopes alive despite their dispiriting West Coast trip, in which Mike Woodson’s club is 1-2 after being blown out 112-88 in Phoenix Friday. Woodson thought the Knicks needed a 5-0 trip to stay in contention.
The Hawks will face the Wizards on Saturday in Washington looking to break a five-game losing streak. Atlanta is 6-19 in its last 25 games. The Knicks fell two games behind Atlanta for the final playoff spot. They desperately need a Hawks loss Saturday.
Injuries have decimated the Hawks, and one wonders if management is as content being in the lottery for the superdraft as making the playoffs. Sharpshooter Kyle Korver, out with back spasms, has missed the last five games. Atlanta has been missing big man Al Horford much of the season and its starting center, Pero Antic, has been out recently with a mild right ankle sprain. Paul Millsap is back from injury, but Thursday blamed himself for the Hawks’ loss to the Blazers.
Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is overseas scouting former Knicks 2012 second-round pick Kostas Papanikolaou, a small forward who plays for Barcelona. The Knicks traded his rights to the Trail Blazers in the Raymond Felton sign-and-trade in the summer of 2012. Portland traded his rights to the Rockets, who expect him to play for them next season.
The Knicks have no draft picks this summer, and team president Phil Jackson indicated he’s not too keen on scouring the European bushes. Jackson made a joke of it in his introductory press conference, saying he’ll be involved in college scouting but believes there are gems on NBA benches to pluck. He then added, “Whether I fly to Serbia and watch somebody in Kiev … oh, that’s in Ukraine, maybe I won’t go there.’’
Jackson said because of his health issues, traveling overseas won’t be a big priority.
Suns coach Jeff Hornacek on Amar’e Stoudemire, who finished with 19 points: “When he was younger and didn’t have the knee issues, he’d get the ball anywhere within 10-12 feet on the move and somehow he was dunking it. His athleticism is not there, but just like any player who’s older, they learn different things. Jump hooks instead of dunks. He’s still an effective player.”