New York Knicks vs Brooklyn Nets Prediction & Match Preview - November 30th, 2021 | NBA Season 2021-22

Two of New York's finest will meet on Tuesday at Barclays Center as the New York Knicks battle the Brooklyn Nets. [Photo: amNewYork]

The New York Knicks will cross the Manhattan Bridge to Barclays Center for a matchup against fellow Big Apple team, the Brooklyn Nets. Despite being undermanned, New York managed to upend the Atlanta Hawks on the road. They’ll be looking to build on that against Kevin Durant and the Nets.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau recently gave the shocking news that Bronx native and New York basketball legend Kemba Walker has been removed from the rotation. Alec Burks, who played a season-high 39 minutes against the Hawks, will take Walker’s place in the New York Knicks’ starting five. It’ll be interesting to see how Thibodeau’s move will affect the team moving forward.

The Brooklyn Nets lead the Eastern Conference with a 14-6 record. They are, however, struggling against teams with above .500 records. Brooklyn’s loss to the red-hot Phoenix Suns is a reminder of how much they have to work on to become legit championship hopefuls.

Brooklyn Nets Kevin Durant Had 39pts 9 rbs 7 assists KD Shot 46% from the Field ..4 Threes 4 steals & a BLK ..In 45 min ..in loss to the Suns https://t.co/bagUzsQQfN

Head coach Steve Nash also made a very big move by taking Blake Griffin out of the rotation. After starting a majority of games this season, the former All-Star will have to earn his way back into the lineup. It’s yet another event that highlights the Brooklyn Nets’ headline-grabbing situation.

Match Details

Fixture: New York Knicks vs Brooklyn Nets: | 2021-22 NBA season

Date & Time: Tuesday, November 30th; 7:30 PM ET (Wednesday, December 1st; 6:00 AM IST)

Venue: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY

New York Knicks Preview

The New York Knicks have not won two straight games since last October. [Photo: Daily Knicks]

The New York Knicks' baffling ability to play so much better on the road than at home was on display again versus the red-hot Atlanta Hawks. Playing without Kemba Walker and Derrick Rose against a team on a seven-game winning streak, the Knicks played solidly all-around for the impressive win. They have an 11-9 record but are 6-3 away from Madison Square Garden.

Tom Thibodeau has decided to put Alec Burks in the starting lineup after seeing the activity and dynamism of the New York Knicks in their last game. He will replace Walker, who just seems like a shadow of his former All-Star self. The New York native had a fast start, but has since fallen apart and the team’s point guard minutes have been divided among Immanuel Quickley, Rose and Burks.

The New York Knicks also have to address franchise player Julius Randle’s middling performance in the last ten games. He needs to be the player he was earlier this season for the Knicks to be better.

Key Player - Julius Randle

Julius Randle averaged 21.6 points, 10.9 rebounds and 5.8 assists in the New York Knicks’ first ten games of the season. He shot 42.5% from the field including 33.9% from long-distance. In the team’s last ten games, his averages have considerably dropped. He is down to 16.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists. The field goal percentage has regressed to a terrible 39.6% and 32.1% from deep.

Happy 27th birthday to 2021 NBA MIP, NBA All-Star and All-NBA Knick Julius Randle @J30_RANDLE https://t.co/bhEdlZ2nZO

Despite the decline in performance, the All-Star forward continues to be the main hub of the New York Knicks’ offense. His ability to pass out of double-teams and create for teammates has been a big part of masking their lack of a pure point guard’s playmaking duties. New York desperately needs him to get back to his All-Star form.

New York Knicks Predicted Lineup

G - Alec Burks | G - Evan Fournier | F - RJ Barrett | F - Julius Randle | C - Mitchell Robinson

Brooklyn Nets Preview

The Brooklyn Nets have not given Kevin Durant enough support this season against elite teams. [Photo: NBA.com]

The Brooklyn Nets are making some significant moves heading into the game against the New York Knicks. They removed struggling Blake Griffin from the rotation and have rewarded LaMarcus Aldridge’s impressive play with a starting spot. The team also announced that starting shooting guard Joe Harris will undergo ankle surgery and will be out four to eight weeks.

With all the adversity and changes this season, Kevin Durant has remained the constant factor that the Brooklyn Nets have relied on. The Nets would be an absolute disaster if not for KD’s MVP-level performance this season.

The Brooklyn Nets’ shiny 14-6 record is a bit misleading. They are only 4-7 against teams with an above .500 record. Durant just has not gotten the type of support yet that will make the Nets a truly elite team. They've got to provide the former MVP with more support to win against the best teams in the league.

Key Player - Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant is neck and neck with Steph Curry for the scoring title and the league MVP award race. The Brooklyn Nets cannot ask for more from KD, given his mind-boggling performances since last season’s playoffs. He has put the team on his back with an absent Kyrie Irving, an out-of-shape James Harden and a revamped roster.

The four-time scoring champ’s shooting split of 54.8%FG, 41.1% 3FG and 85.4% FT is truly impressive given the team's struggles. Despite the double and triple teams he faces every night, the two-time MVP always gives the Brooklyn Nets a chance to win games.

Kevin Durant played the final 33 minutes tonight.

In a regular season game in November.

This man needs help. https://t.co/uBSUlnQlNg

With the way James Harden is playing this season, the Brooklyn Nets will be lucky to enter the play-in without Kevin Durant.

Brooklyn Nets Predicted Lineup

G - James Harden | G - Patty Mills | F - Deandre Bembry | F - Kevin Durant | C - LaMarcus Aldridge

Knicks vs Nets Match Prediction

The New York Knicks have not won any successive games since beating the 76ers, Bulls and Pelicans consecutively late last month. Kemba Walker and Julius Randle were playing their best basketball at the time. With Walker out of the lineup and Randle a little uneven in his performance, New York will need everyone to contribute to string together wins.

The Brooklyn Nets will be raring to prove that they can beat top-tier opponents despite being undermanned. They will need to rely on their top-ten defense to bounce back after the loss to the Phoenix Suns.

The New York Knicks' inconsistency and Brooklyn’s defense could be just enough to tow the Nets to a win in this matchup.

Where to watch the Knicks vs Nets game

TNT will cover the game between the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets live on national TV.