The New York Knicks will host the New Orleans Pelicans at Madison Square Garden on Sunday afternoon.

The Knicks (30-27) are undoubtedly on the rise and enter this game on a five-game winning run following their 117-109 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, and that means New York is now three games over the .500 threshold and getting more and more comfortable in the playoff zone with only a few weeks left in the regular season. The Knicks got a gem from Julius Randle in Friday's win against Dallas, as the All-Star power forward tallied 44 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists on 16-of-29 shooting. R.J. Barrett totaled 24 points, eight rebounds and two assists. Nerlens Noel had six points, 10 rebounds and three blocks before fouling out. Derrick Rose led the bench with 15 points and five assists. Aside from riding a five-game winning streak, it's also worth noting the Knicks have gone 6-4 in their last 10 games while posting a strong 17-10 record at Madison Square Garden. If anything, they have a strong shot to keep their winning run going based on numbers alone.

The Pelicans (25-31) are coming off a tight loss Friday since they were defeated by the Washington Wizards by a two-point margin (117-115), and that means New Orleans is now on a two-game losing run while going 3-2 in their last five games. Brandon Ingram led the Pelicans with 34 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals, in 42 minutes. Zion Williamson finished with 21 points, six rebounds, a steal and a block, while Naji Marshall totaled 16 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and two steals. The Pelicans shot 41 percent from the field, including 7-of-28 from deep. The inconsistencies have hurt the Pelicans badly but injuries have also taken their toll, as they've struggled to get healthy of late and it's impossible for them to compete with so many absences. Their road record doesn't do them any favors either, as the Pelicans have gone 9-17 when playing away from Smoothie King Center.