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Knicks-Cavaliers Preview

Mar 1, 2010 - 7:12 PM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

New York (20-38) at Cleveland (46-14), 7:00 p.m. EDT

Saying LeBron James has dominated the Knicks would be a huge understatement. New York's plan to stop him, however, may not take effect until this summer.

The reigning MVP looks to help the league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers withstand Shaquille O'Neal's absence Monday night and extend their winning streak over the struggling Knicks to eight games.

James leads the league with 30.0 points per game, and is the biggest reason why the Cavaliers (46-14) own the NBA's best record.

On the way to becoming one of the most dominant teams in the league, Cleveland has become accustomed to getting outstanding performances from the six-time All-Star against the Knicks (20-38).

James is averaging 35.4 points, 7.9 assists, 7.1 rebounds and 3.1 steals during the Cavaliers' seven-game winning streak against New York, while scoring at least 50 points twice. He had 47 points with eight rebounds, eight assists and five steals to power a 113-106 win in Cleveland on Feb. 6.

That production hasn't been lost on the Knicks, who are hoping to make James their prized acquisition when he becomes a free agent this offseason.

New York has long been reported to be preparing for a free-agent spending spree this summer with James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh expected to headline the list.

The Knicks made it abundantly clear that's the plan before the Feb. 18 trade deadline, making three deals that would leave them with about $32 million in salary cap space in July. Players such as James, Wade and Bosh would each make a little more than $16.5 million in the first season of a new contract.

James hasn't indicated if he will test the market or remain in Cleveland.

Until then, he'll try to help the Cavaliers to a fourth consecutive win in the conclusion of the season series with New York, which has dropped nine of 10 overall and six straight at home.

James has scored 36 points with nine assists in each of the last two games, leading Cleveland to a 126-118 overtime win at Toronto on Friday, a night after a 108-88 win at Boston, during which O'Neal suffered a sprained right thumb.

O'Neal had surgery on the thumb Monday and is likely to miss the rest of the regular season.

The recovery timeline means O'Neal, who turns 38 on Saturday, may not be ready for the start of the playoffs April 17. The Cavaliers acquired him last summer with an eye toward the postseason, after Dwight Howard and Orlando eliminated them in the Eastern Conference finals.

"He feels like he let us down, but we understand injuries happen in the game," said teammate Jamario Moon, who got a text from the star center along with the other Cavs. "I think he's really down about being out. ... He let us know it's time to continue playing basketball and he's going to be all right."

In his absence, Anderson Varejao will likely start at center. He's averaging 13.0 points and 8.3 rebounds over three games.

James also appeared to hurt himself Friday, going down wincing after he was kneed in the thigh in a collision with DeMar DeRozan in the first half. He fell heavily again in the second half, landing on the ball.

"Not a good day for me," James said. "It's one of those things that won't go away for a while. It'll be a few days before I'll be 100 percent again."

The Knicks' newest star is also hurting, as Tracy McGrady is nursing a sore left knee that limited him to no points in 15 minutes of Saturday's 120-109 loss to Memphis. The swingman is averaging 14.0 points in five games since New York landed him in a deal with Houston at the trade deadline.

McGrady was acquired because his bloated contract expires after the season, and he's trying to prove he can come back from microfracture knee surgery that has limited him to 11 games since last February.