The New York Knicks host a battered Golden State Warriors squad at Madison Square Garden.
With the Warriors missing Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford all at once, this game looks like a golden opportunity for the Knicks to make a real statement.
Let’s have a look at some bold predictions for this matchup.
KAT Is Set to Feast on a Depleted Warriors Defense
Golden State is walking into MSG without its Big Three and its two frontcourt reinforcements. That is not just depleted, that is a skeleton crew. And the man who stands to benefit the most is Karl-Anthony Towns.
Fortunately, KAT did not miss out on this game as he recovered from the knee soreness that had sidelined him during the Pacers game. He was amazing in his only encounter with the Warriors this season, scoring 17 points and grabbing 20 rebounds.
KAT has been dominating down the stretch, averaging 21.1 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game over seven games in March. Because the Warriors do not have an interior presence defender, even a 32-point performance would be Towns’ lowest expectation. If he faces the opponent’s defense without hesitation and also goes to the line multiple times, a 40-point game would be quite feasible.
This is exactly the kind of matchup that reminds everyone why New York made the trade for him.
Mikal Bridges Has the Perfect Shot at a Redemption Game
Mar 9, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) moves the ball up court against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Bridges really needs to get it done this game, and all the signs are indicating that it’s going to be him. He has had a pretty tough time in March in general, and that night he went 0-for-6 against the Lakers and only scored 5 points in Utah, his name has been getting more and more criticized at every game.
People have started wondering if the Knicks made a bad decision putting their offense on him.
The structure is pretty much set already. Bridges got 25 points off of 10-for-17 shooting from the field against San Antonio, looking exactly like the player New York paid for. That was only a couple of weeks ago. His efficiency and instinct for making shots haven’t gone anywhere. What he really needed was a pretty easy opponent to get back in the groove of performing, and Golden State, without Curry, Green, Butler, Porzingis and Horford, is just giving him that play on a silver platter.
If he scores at least 18 points this evening and does so on strong shooting, then Bridges would be benefiting from it far more than from any of his post-game press conferences.