I tried to step in against the Knicks with the Hornets on Monday. It was a mistake. The Hornets are an immature, gutless team. The Jazz aren't. They are well-coached, have a deep rotation and are below-the-radar with a 10-5 record this month.

Both teams carry high fatigue ratings having been in action last night. Utah is finishing its six-game road trip with this game. New York is in action for the fourth time in six days.

The Knicks have won a season-high seven in a row. They were in a flat spot against the Hornets on the road after satisfying home victories against the Heat and Nuggets. The Hornets, though, were too pathetic to even hang close. Now the Knicks return to Madison Square Garden for this matchup. The Jazz actually had the shorter distance to travel having lost to the Nets in Brooklyn last night.

The Nets humiliated the Jazz, 147-114. That was Utah's second most lopsided loss of the season. I trust Will Hardy to have his Jazz motivated and ready to play much better against the Knicks, who played their first game of the season without Julius Randle last night. Randle is out with a dislocated right shoulder. New York center Mitchell Robinson is out for the season. Randle and Robinson are the Knicks' two top rebounders.

The Knicks also didn't have OG Anunoby against the Hornets. He sat out with elbow inflammation. Randle and Anunoby are New York's second and third-leading scorers.

The Knicks are fat, happy and saddled with key injuries. That's a combination for a letdown.