New Orleans @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 30, 2017 ) New York 105, New Orleans 103

The New York Knicks are stumbling of late and fell for the ninth time in the last 11 games with Friday's 118-108 setback at Minnesota. The Knicks are a much stronger team at home and will try to turn things around when they host the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.

The matchup with the Pelicans marks only a brief stop for New York, which fell to 4-15 on the road with Friday's loss and opens a seven-game road trip at Brooklyn on Monday. "We've played some good teams out on the road," Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek, who has guided his team to a 15-8 home record, told reporters. "These last five games we've played pretty decent on the road. We've got to find another level, another level of toughness, going after balls. If we can get that level, heck, we'll start winning these." One of New York's few road wins came at New Orleans 105-103 on Dec. 30, and the Pelicans are hoping some revenge will get them off on the right foot on a three-game trip. "Right before a road trip, to be able to have this confidence and win at home and go to another arena and feel like it's us against the world," New Orleans guard Jrue Holiday told reporters after Friday's 119-113 home win over Portland. "New York, Boston - that's a big game - and then Atlanta. They're all three big games. If we can win on the road, that would be awesome."

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, FS New Orleans, MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE PELICANS (21-20): New Orleans got forward Anthony Davis (ankle) back from a one-game absence on Friday and watched him score 36 points on 16-of-23 shooting in 41 minutes. "When we're missing any of our key guys, we're not the team we can be," center DeMarcus Cousins told reporters of Davis. "His presence was felt throughout the whole entire game. His play speaks for itself." Cousins' play speaks loudly as well, and he collected 24 points, 19 rebounds and eight assists in Friday's win to record his 31st double-double.

ABOUT THE KNICKS (19-23): New York forward Kristaps Porzingis will have to find a way to deal with Davis and Cousins after getting worked over by Minnesota big man Karl-Anthony Towns on Friday. Porzingis scored 17 points but was just 6-of-19 from the floor and is shooting 36 percent in six games this month. "We can't be too hard on (Porzingis)," Hornacek told reporters. "This is a learning process. Come five, six years down into his career those probably won't be problems. But right now, he's going to learn from it."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Knicks SG Tim Hardaway Jr. (leg) returned from a 20-game absence on Friday and scored 16 points in 25 minutes off the bench.

2. Pelicans SG E'Twaun Moore is 3-of-16 from 3-point range over the last four games.

3. New Orleans earned a 110-96 win in its trip to New York last season behind 40 points and 18 rebounds from Davis.

PREDICTION: Pelicans 120, Knicks 110