New York @ Orlando preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 3, 2017 ) Orlando 105, New York 100

The New York Knicks' loss of All-Star forward Kristaps Porzingis to a season-ending knee injury and an eight-game slide going into the All-Star break altered the team's plans for the remainder of the regular season. The Knicks are expected to give younger players big roles the rest of the way, beginning with a visit to Orlando to face the similarly-sinking Magic on Thursday.

New York leaned hard on veteran point guard Jarrett Jack, 34, while attempting to make a playoff push before the break but is expected to replace him in the starting lineup with some combination of rookie Frank Ntilikina, recently-acquired Emmanuel Mudiay, 21, and Trey Burke, 25. Jack started 56 games before the break but is averaging just 7.6 points while shooting 29.6 percent from beyond the arc. The Magic are fighting to stay off the bottom of the Eastern Conference and come out of the break one game ahead of the last-place Atlanta Hawks after dropping three straight by single digits. That three-game slide comes on the heels of a three-game winning streak for Orlando, which is hoping to maintain a solid level of play while bringing center Nikola Vucevic (hand) and power forward Aaron Gordon (hip) back from injury after the break.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FS Florida (Orlando)

ABOUT THE KNICKS (23-36): Mudiay was the seventh overall draft pick by the Denver Nuggets in 2015 and was acquired by New York at the deadline. He delivered a double-double with 14 points and 10 assists off the bench in his team debut on Feb. 11 but totaled 15 points and five assists in the next two contests. "It's probably all three of those young guys (playing more) -- Frank, Emmanuel and Trey -- and we'll slide a couple of them in the two-guard spot," Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek told reporters of his plans for rotating the young guards. "Whether it's Trey and Emmanuel or some combination of those guys -- Emmanuel and Frank, as well."

ABOUT THE MAGIC (18-39): Gordon (18.4 points) and Vucevic (17.4) rank first and third on Orlando in scoring, with shooting guard Evan Fournier (17.9) sandwiched in between. Shooting guard Mario Hezonja was the beneficiary of extra playing time with the two out and is averaging 17.5 points in seven games this month, including three straight 20-plus efforts heading into the break. "It can go both ways. Those guys have been out for a long time and hopefully when they get back they stick to what we've been executing," Hezonja told the team's website of getting the injured players back. "If that's the case, we won't have any problems at all. ... Most of these guys who are out have been here for a long time and they know what's going on, so I don't think it will be a problem. They are some of our really good players and they are really going to be a boost for us."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Knicks reportedly signed SF Troy Williams to a 10-day contract.

2. Magic PF Jonathan Isaac (ankle) sat out the last 22 games and won't be ready to return by Thursday.

3. Orlando took the first two meetings this season, including a 112-99 home win on Nov. 8.

PREDICTION: Magic 106, Knicks 101