Game 56: Knicks @ Cavs 2/21/2025

[JujitsuFlip]

First team to 100. Cavs up 30 points on a Strus all alone break away slam.

[ijspeelman]

6th 10 points was mostly easy. Doesn't seem the Knicks watched any film on the Cavs offense.

Not just the Cavs. Defense has been a problem for us all year. We look like a G-league team next to you. It doesn't help that you have all these long players who can shoot and we have all these small guards.

We're dead last in 3 pts attempted against and like 5th from last in 3 pt percentage against. Thibs doesn't seem to understand defense. We have as good a starting 5 as anyone, but we look like trash against the top teams. Celtics, OKC, You guys.

Knicks have some stuff to figure out. A lot of fans think Thibs is the problem. I think a lack of depth and lack of a balanced team are the core issues more than Thibs. But, who knows. This is still one of the best teams we've had in 25 years, so even with the warts, it's not all bad.

The Knicks have just been weird this year (and not all bad). They go through weeks of their previous year's lock-down defense and then go into rotating door mode. I think KAT has a lot to do about that (and also the lack of center depth). He's turned your offense into a top 2 one, but with this roster is it worth the cost?

[KazuoOda]

Lol. Honestly think playing OLR and ATL in the first round will be more competitive than playing against the Knicks.

[JujitsuFlip]

Alright, Cavs up 35 with the deep bench in.

I'm calling it a night, was a fun game to watch, i picked a good one.

[JujitsuFlip]

That Allen hand injury kind of worries me.

X-ray was negative, so that's good. I hope the MRI is clean.

If this is a repeat of 2022, might be a wrap on the season. He fractured his finger March 6th that time and didn't play again until April 15th and he wasn't very effective.

I guess it's good we still have spot 15 open. It would make the need for a 5 even more critical, for the playoffs.

We can see what else shakes loose via buyout but I'd want McGee, he plays similar to Allen and already knows some of the guys.

[JujitsuFlip]

[ijspeelman]

Shoutout Sam Merrill and his defense

[JujitsuFlip]

Shoutout Sam Merrill and his defense

Strus and Merrill picking up Brunson 94 feet, even when he didn't have the ball was a nice touch.

That is only possible because of our depth. Like play out, all your minutes because 10 guys are in the rotation.

[toooskies]

Shoutout Sam Merrill and his defense

Strus and Merrill picking up Brunson 94 feet, even when he didn't have the ball was a nice touch.

That is only possible because of our depth. Like play out, all your minutes because 10 guys are in the rotation.

Strus/Okoro/Green will give us 48 minutes of fresh legs out at the point of attack when we need it.

[JonFromVA]

6th 10 points was mostly easy. Doesn't seem the Knicks watched any film on the Cavs offense.

Not just the Cavs. Defense has been a problem for us all year. We look like a G-league team next to you. It doesn't help that you have all these long players who can shoot and we have all these small guards.

We're dead last in 3 pts attempted against and like 5th from last in 3 pt percentage against. Thibs doesn't seem to understand defense. We have as good a starting 5 as anyone, but we look like trash against the top teams. Celtics, OKC, You guys.

Knicks have some stuff to figure out. A lot of fans think Thibs is the problem. I think a lack of depth and lack of a balanced team are the core issues more than Thibs. But, who knows. This is still one of the best teams we've had in 25 years, so even with the warts, it's not all bad.

We've improved our length with the Hunter trade and Wade returning, but we still played Garland, Mitchell, Jerome, Merrill, and Okoro against you guys before garbage time and we lost Allen to that hand injury.

The Knicks just looked so utterly soft in the middle, except when you brought in Huk. I've got to assume at this point your players know Thibs is going to play them a ton of minutes and they're saving their energy for offense? Of course Mitch will help *if* he can actually get back to what he was and stay on the floor.

Over time you may be able to improve your depth, but you're up against the second apron and may not have any picks in the draft; so it won't be easy.

We'll see what happens come playoff time, but speaking as a fan of a team that went from a coach that overplayed his stars and ignored his bench except when forced by injuries to use them which resulted in players getting worn down and injured by playoff time and reserves unready to step-in; I suspect you guys have no choice but to move on from Thibs.

[Luv those Knicks]

We've improved our length with the Hunter trade and Wade returning, but we still played Garland, Mitchell, Jerome, Merrill, and Okoro against you guys before garbage time and we lost Allen to that hand injury.

The Knicks just looked so utterly soft in the middle, except when you brought in Huk. I've got to assume at this point your players know Thibs is going to play them a ton of minutes and they're saving their energy for offense? Of course Mitch will help *if* he can actually get back to what he was and stay on the floor.

Over time you may be able to improve your depth, but you're up against the second apron and may not have any picks in the draft; so it won't be easy.

We'll see what happens come playoff time, but speaking as a fan of a team that went from a coach that overplayed his stars and ignored his bench except when forced by injuries to use them which resulted in players getting worn down and injured by playoff time and reserves unready to step-in; I suspect you guys have no choice but to move on from Thibs.

I think Allen's injury was against us. Sorry about that. I dislike injuries, even on teams I root against. And I only root against the Cavs when you're playing us.

It's funny, most of the people on our board say it's Thibs fault, but you made a good point. putting less effort on defense makes sense when players play 40 minutes every night. I'm not sure what's going to happen going into next season. Huk looks like a keeper. Maybe Kolek too, though his defense is weak. Dadiet is young and NY could look to trade him. Kevin McCuller's only just come back from surgery and has played 2 games in the G league and NY has Oklahoma's 2nd round pick in 2025 - that's it for picks, unless they buy one, so not much help there.

Precious and Cam Payne are free agents this off-season, so I don't know where our bench is going to come from, unless they pull off another trade. But one thing at a time. It's still a fun year, even if we're not top tier. This is as close as we've been in a while.


How do you like your chances against the Celtics? It looks like it's you and them for the conference finals, and probably OKC for the finals, unless there's an upset.

I wish we'd been able to keep I-Hart. He was a great role player on our team. He could shoot a bit and passed the ball really well for a big man, and he'd rebound and defend a bit. He did a bit of everything. Mitch is good too, better on defense but much more limited on offense.

[JujitsuFlip]

We've improved our length with the Hunter trade and Wade returning, but we still played Garland, Mitchell, Jerome, Merrill, and Okoro against you guys before garbage time and we lost Allen to that hand injury.

The Knicks just looked so utterly soft in the middle, except when you brought in Huk. I've got to assume at this point your players know Thibs is going to play them a ton of minutes and they're saving their energy for offense? Of course Mitch will help *if* he can actually get back to what he was and stay on the floor.

Over time you may be able to improve your depth, but you're up against the second apron and may not have any picks in the draft; so it won't be easy.

We'll see what happens come playoff time, but speaking as a fan of a team that went from a coach that overplayed his stars and ignored his bench except when forced by injuries to use them which resulted in players getting worn down and injured by playoff time and reserves unready to step-in; I suspect you guys have no choice but to move on from Thibs.

I think Allen's injury was against us. Sorry about that. I dislike injuries, even on teams I root against. And I only root against the Cavs when you're playing us.

It's funny, most of the people on our board say it's Thibs fault, but you made a good point. putting less effort on defense makes sense when players play 40 minutes every night. I'm not sure what's going to happen going into next season. Huk looks like a keeper. Maybe Kolek too, though his defense is weak. Dadiet is young and NY could look to trade him. Kevin McCuller's only just come back from surgery and has played 2 games in the G league and NY has Oklahoma's 2nd round pick in 2025 - that's it for picks, unless they buy one, so not much help there.

Precious and Cam Payne are free agents this off-season, so I don't know where our bench is going to come from, unless they pull off another trade. But one thing at a time. It's still a fun year, even if we're not top tier. This is as close as we've been in a while.


How do you like your chances against the Celtics? It looks like it's you and them for the conference finals, and probably OKC for the finals, unless there's an upset.

I wish we'd been able to keep I-Hart. He was a great role player on our team. He could shoot a bit and passed the ball really well for a big man, and he'd rebound and defend a bit. He did a bit of everything. Mitch is good too, better on defense but much more limited on offense.

Most of us Cavs fans wish we would've kept Hartenstien too lol

We have not had a good back up 5 since we decline his $1 million team option.

[JonFromVA]

We've improved our length with the Hunter trade and Wade returning, but we still played Garland, Mitchell, Jerome, Merrill, and Okoro against you guys before garbage time and we lost Allen to that hand injury.

The Knicks just looked so utterly soft in the middle, except when you brought in Huk. I've got to assume at this point your players know Thibs is going to play them a ton of minutes and they're saving their energy for offense? Of course Mitch will help *if* he can actually get back to what he was and stay on the floor.

Over time you may be able to improve your depth, but you're up against the second apron and may not have any picks in the draft; so it won't be easy.

We'll see what happens come playoff time, but speaking as a fan of a team that went from a coach that overplayed his stars and ignored his bench except when forced by injuries to use them which resulted in players getting worn down and injured by playoff time and reserves unready to step-in; I suspect you guys have no choice but to move on from Thibs.

I think Allen's injury was against us. Sorry about that. I dislike injuries, even on teams I root against. And I only root against the Cavs when you're playing us.

It's funny, most of the people on our board say it's Thibs fault, but you made a good point. putting less effort on defense makes sense when players play 40 minutes every night. I'm not sure what's going to happen going into next season. Huk looks like a keeper. Maybe Kolek too, though his defense is weak. Dadiet is young and NY could look to trade him. Kevin McCuller's only just come back from surgery and has played 2 games in the G league and NY has Oklahoma's 2nd round pick in 2025 - that's it for picks, unless they buy one, so not much help there.

Precious and Cam Payne are free agents this off-season, so I don't know where our bench is going to come from, unless they pull off another trade. But one thing at a time. It's still a fun year, even if we're not top tier. This is as close as we've been in a while.


How do you like your chances against the Celtics? It looks like it's you and them for the conference finals, and probably OKC for the finals, unless there's an upset.

I wish we'd been able to keep I-Hart. He was a great role player on our team. He could shoot a bit and passed the ball really well for a big man, and he'd rebound and defend a bit. He did a bit of everything. Mitch is good too, better on defense but much more limited on offense.

Hartenstein was obviously a big loss which Robinson's injury compounded.

I like the Cavs chances .vs. the Celtics and the Hunter trade is what many of us were thinking we needed to push us from perhaps a little behind to a little ahead. But even assuming both teams are 100% which is unlikely and both make it to the ECF, I understand we have to ask ... are the Cavs actually ready for this?

The good news is I don't believe the Celtics were challenged last year, and while they have a playoff experience advantage over the Cavs, it's not as much as if they were a battle hardened champ with a coach that was forced to make adjustments to bring them back.

Of course Kenny hasn't coached a team in the playoffs at all, but he was on the bench as lead assistant when the Dubs beat the Udoka led Celtics so that's not all bad compared to Mazzoula's two playoff runs.

Either way, looking forward to finding out.

[JujitsuFlip]

We've improved our length with the Hunter trade and Wade returning, but we still played Garland, Mitchell, Jerome, Merrill, and Okoro against you guys before garbage time and we lost Allen to that hand injury.

The Knicks just looked so utterly soft in the middle, except when you brought in Huk. I've got to assume at this point your players know Thibs is going to play them a ton of minutes and they're saving their energy for offense? Of course Mitch will help *if* he can actually get back to what he was and stay on the floor.

Over time you may be able to improve your depth, but you're up against the second apron and may not have any picks in the draft; so it won't be easy.

We'll see what happens come playoff time, but speaking as a fan of a team that went from a coach that overplayed his stars and ignored his bench except when forced by injuries to use them which resulted in players getting worn down and injured by playoff time and reserves unready to step-in; I suspect you guys have no choice but to move on from Thibs.

I think Allen's injury was against us. Sorry about that. I dislike injuries, even on teams I root against. And I only root against the Cavs when you're playing us.

It's funny, most of the people on our board say it's Thibs fault, but you made a good point. putting less effort on defense makes sense when players play 40 minutes every night. I'm not sure what's going to happen going into next season. Huk looks like a keeper. Maybe Kolek too, though his defense is weak. Dadiet is young and NY could look to trade him. Kevin McCuller's only just come back from surgery and has played 2 games in the G league and NY has Oklahoma's 2nd round pick in 2025 - that's it for picks, unless they buy one, so not much help there.

Precious and Cam Payne are free agents this off-season, so I don't know where our bench is going to come from, unless they pull off another trade. But one thing at a time. It's still a fun year, even if we're not top tier. This is as close as we've been in a while.


How do you like your chances against the Celtics? It looks like it's you and them for the conference finals, and probably OKC for the finals, unless there's an upset.

I wish we'd been able to keep I-Hart. He was a great role player on our team. He could shoot a bit and passed the ball really well for a big man, and he'd rebound and defend a bit. He did a bit of everything. Mitch is good too, better on defense but much more limited on offense.

Hartenstein was obviously a big loss which Robinson's injury compounded.

I like the Cavs chances .vs. the Celtics and the Hunter trade is what many of us were thinking we needed to push us from perhaps a little behind to a little ahead. But even assuming both teams are 100% which is unlikely and both make it to the ECF, I understand we have to ask ... are the Cavs actually ready for this?

The good news is I don't believe the Celtics were challenged last year, and while they have a playoff experience advantage over the Cavs, it's not as much as if they were a battle hardened champ with a coach that was forced to make adjustments to bring them back.

Of course Kenny hasn't coached a team in the playoffs at all, but he was on the bench as lead assistant when the Dubs beat the Udoka led Celtics so that's not all bad compared to Mazzoula's two playoff runs.

Either way, looking forward to finding out.

Kenny coached the Nets in the first round in 2019.