New York @ Brooklyn preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 14, 2017 ) New York 111, Brooklyn 104

The New York Knicks must heal their mental wounds from another demoralizing loss quickly as they return to the court less than 24 hours later to face the host Brooklyn Nets on Monday afternoon. New York coughed up a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter on Sunday and suffered a 123-118 overtime setback against visiting New Orleans for its sixth loss in seven contests this month.

The Knicks have allowed an average of 121 points in losing their last three contests, and things don't get any easier as they begin a season-high seven-game road trip with a 4-15 record away from home. The Nets, who have lost both meetings with New York this season, have dropped four of their last five overall and three in a row at home. Brooklyn battled back after falling behind by 15 points after one quarter and 20 at halftime before losing 119-113 in overtime at Washington on Saturday. “We had a good second half, fought hard, but we can’t come out the way we did to start,” Nets guard Caris LeVert told reporters after recording 12 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in the loss. “We just came out sluggish, not cutting hard on offense, not fighting through screens on defense. The score got out of hand early.”

TV: 3 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), YES (Brooklyn)

ABOUT THE KNICKS (19-24): Tim Hardaway Jr. poured in 25 points off the bench Sunday in his second game back from a leg injury and Kristaps Porzingis matched him, but the 7-3 Latvian is shooting just 37 percent this month. Enes Kanter recorded his third double-double in four games on Sunday (18 points, 10 rebounds) and the 6-11 Turkish center has made 65.7 percent of his shots in January. Jarrett Jack scored a season-high 22 points against the Pelicans and is averaging 17 - more than double his season average - over the last four games.

ABOUT THE NETS (16-27): Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is averaging 16.3 points over his last four games while Spencer Dinwiddie has scored 18.7 per contest over his last six to become the team’s top two active point producers. Tyler Zeller, who averages 7.8 points and 4.9 rebounds, missed Saturday’s contest with a hip injury but could be back for the matchup with the Knicks. “It’s nothing major,” Zeller told the New York Post. “It’s just a lot of soreness, trying to move, not moving the way I want to. I just needed a day to hopefully get it to all calm down.”

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Brooklyn rookie C Jarrett Allen matched his season high with 16 points on Saturday and is shooting 67.6 percent this month.

2. New York officially signed Trey Burke on Sunday and released fellow G Ramon Sessions, who averaged 3.7 points in 13 games this season.

3. The Nets entered Sunday fourth in the NBA in rebounds per game (45.7), with Hollis-Jefferson and F DeMarre Carroll leading the way at 6.7 apiece.

PREDICTION: Knicks 108, Nets 100