PG: Thibs runs team into the ground, wonders why we are short handed, lose to the Fake Allstar and Pacers

[Clyde_Style]

i think seeding is important to avoid boston. and while i do expect us to lose more with og, randle and maybe both centers out we might be able to hold onto 3rd with around a .500 record for a month.

the bucks went .500 in january and are 2-3 so far this month
and the sixers are 5-13 without embiid this year
the pacers went 10-7 last month and are .500 so far this month. they went 2 games over .500 for oct/nov/dec. the pascal deal doesn't seem to have made them much better. i don't think they'll play much better than slightly over .500 from here on out.

so that's the goal. can the knicks play .500 for around the next 30 days. you'll have the all-star break in there too which helps.

The two teams we have to worry about bumping us out of the top 4 seeds are the Pacers and the Magic.

I'm not sure the Cavs will sustain their current pace and I think we might still climb over the Bucks even playing around .500 for the short term

With a 30 game stretch after the ASG I'd say our goal should be to go at least 5-5, then get rolling the last 20 games to cinch our Top 4 position.

If we do that, then the Pacers or Magic would have to blazing hot the rest of the season to displace us.

I like our odds

[Fat Kat]

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[Clyde_Style]

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As long as Burks passes intelligently instead of forcing shots he can help us. My concern is his decision making skills are sometimes very dodgy which is why I don't like relying him as our backup PG.

He's useful as a shotmaker getting the ball in flow, but that should emphasize his off the ball action more than his on the ball handling chores. When he sticks to that, then those efficiencies will be fruitful.

We still need to put the ball into someone else's hands when Brunson sits.

[god shammgod]

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[god shammgod]

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[cgmw]

Really though, what happened to Josh’s jumper?

He’s been getting wide open looks all season, and doesnt even pull the trigger most of the time now. Shooting only 42% from the field and 31% from 3, for a paltry 51% TS.

How could he go from being lights out last season to this? I knew he would come back down to earth a bit, but he’s shooting way worse than his career averages too (46% FG, 35% 3P, 58% TS). I keep waiting for him to get back on track which is why I haven’t gone in on him too much.

I like the boarding, vibes, and attitude he brings, but come on bro. I dont know how hard he works, but maybe use less time on a podcast and making jokes and put more time in the gym with a shooting coach. Do whatever Donte did.

We brought in Bojan and Alec who could cut into Josh’s time at least. He’s making damn near 20 million a year though and I doubt he gets completely Evan’d. He does bring some unique skills to the table that I want to get right, but this is getting ridiculous.

Contract year superstar. I fully expect Hartenstein to regress if/when he gets paid.

Eh I dont think the contract has much to do with it because Josh is still hustling out there. Had some triple doubles recently too.

His shot is just broken. It was never pretty and has a hitch, but it obviously went in more than this. Jalen is creating so many open looks for him and he’s giving us no spacing.

Isaiah also doesnt strike me as a guy who will fall off after he gets paid. Who knows what we’re going to do with him and Mitch though. Lots of time left.

Human nature is human nature. I don’t think guys like Hart consciously try less once they’re paid, I just think the pressure and intrinsic motivation to prove yourself during a contract year can’t be duplicated.

Hart is definitely the type of dude who locks in and performs better in high pressure situations. Nobody’s ever offered to pay me $80m if I did my job well, but I certainly imagine it would be highly motivating.

Hartenstein is clearly battling through some serious sh*t. IMO he doesn’t risk his longterm health like that any other time except during a contract year. Once he’s paid, he’ll listen to the doctors and scale it back.

[Fat Kat]

Contract year superstar. I fully expect Hartenstein to regress if/when he gets paid.

Eh I dont think the contract has much to do with it because Josh is still hustling out there. Had some triple doubles recently too.

His shot is just broken. It was never pretty and has a hitch, but it obviously went in more than this. Jalen is creating so many open looks for him and he’s giving us no spacing.

Isaiah also doesnt strike me as a guy who will fall off after he gets paid. Who knows what we’re going to do with him and Mitch though. Lots of time left.

Human nature is human nature. I don’t think guys like Hart consciously try less once they’re paid, I just think the pressure and intrinsic motivation to prove yourself during a contract year can’t be duplicated.

Hart is definitely the type of dude who locks in and performs better in high pressure situations. Nobody’s ever offered to pay me $80m if I did my job well, but I certainly imagine it would be highly motivating.

Hartenstein is clearly battling through some serious sh*t. IMO he doesn’t risk his longterm health like that any other time except during a contract year. Once he’s paid, he’ll listen to the doctors and scale it back.

My take is that Hart plays at 100mph, and that’s effective for 20-25 minutes a game. When asked to do more, he’s a lot less effective. When he’s starting and game-planned against, he’s even worse.

3/5ths of our lineup is backups forced into starter's roles. They’ve performed admirably, but they’ll look a lot better against other backups and when no one is preparing for them.

[Fat Kat]

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[Clyde_Style]

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Good

Don't play him again until after the AS break

I'll be pissed if he comes back for the last game

[Chanel Bomber]

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Just rest this mf

[F N 11]

They tryna rush back bigs lol. Let Hartenstein get well. I want the 2nd seed too but are we going to limp into the playoffs?

[Clyde_Style]

They tryna rush back bigs lol. Let Hartenstein get well. I want the 2nd seed too but are we going to limp into the playoffs?

Healthy with the 4th seed is better than limping into the playoffs as a 2nd seed.

Trying to win every regular season game is a Thibs obsession. The man is very short-sighted about this in particular.

The irony is you probably lose more games in the regular season by gassing everyone out to get one or two extra wins right now.

If we have to sacrifice a handful of games to get guys rest then that's the only sane thing to do

[nedleeds]

I was told we're a finals team. That requires a finals coach.

[Fat Kat]

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[nykballa2k4]

Eh I dont think the contract has much to do with it because Josh is still hustling out there. Had some triple doubles recently too.

His shot is just broken. It was never pretty and has a hitch, but it obviously went in more than this. Jalen is creating so many open looks for him and he’s giving us no spacing.

Isaiah also doesnt strike me as a guy who will fall off after he gets paid. Who knows what we’re going to do with him and Mitch though. Lots of time left.

Human nature is human nature. I don’t think guys like Hart consciously try less once they’re paid, I just think the pressure and intrinsic motivation to prove yourself during a contract year can’t be duplicated.

Hart is definitely the type of dude who locks in and performs better in high pressure situations. Nobody’s ever offered to pay me $80m if I did my job well, but I certainly imagine it would be highly motivating.

Hartenstein is clearly battling through some serious sh*t. IMO he doesn’t risk his longterm health like that any other time except during a contract year. Once he’s paid, he’ll listen to the doctors and scale it back.

My take is that Hart plays at 100mph, and that’s effective for 20-25 minutes a game. When asked to do more, he’s a lot less effective. When he’s starting and game-planned against, he’s even worse.

3/5ths of our lineup is backups forced into starter's roles. They’ve performed admirably, but they’ll look a lot better against other backups and when no one is preparing for them.

Hart's knee is injured. He is playing through it, but a lot of those super athletic plays he used to do he simply can't. Also if you watch his jump shot two things -- one: his motion is extremely unreliable two: it's strongly reliant on his lift which is currently compromised. In summary, he is going to be mediocre until next year when his knee gets some time to heal and even then he will always be a streaky rhythm shooter rather than a reliable 3-D guy.

[thebuzzardman]

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And somehow, the Knicks still lose

[Jalen Bluntson]

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And somehow, the Knicks still lose

Thibs will throw a steady diet of the same 7 players at them for 48 minutes!!

[stuporman]

People can talk about the guards and wings all they like but the fact remains there are 96 mins of center and power forward minutes in every NBA game when the Knicks have only Precious, Taj, Hart and Bogs to play those 96 minutes this game and every game until the Knicks get someone back healthy or from wherever.

There are 5 players that are 6-8 and taller injured right now, the fact that the FO didn't think it was an important enough need to address at the trade deadline seems a bit short-sighted. They did alot in trades this season, but this one miscalculation might lower this team's ceiling for this season.

This tells me that Mitch's comeback is a lot closer than we anticipate.

Let's not forget the last time he had an injury that prevented him from running during rehab it took him half a season to et back into game shape but the Knicks won't have that luxury of time.

Although, to be fair that was also the off season he bulked up so was too heavy when he returned and is slimmer than that season now, it may not take quite as long.

The Knicks only really need him to come off the bench for 20-25 mins to wreak havoc on opposing benches anyway because iHart has solidified himself as starter when he also returns from injury.

We'll see how Mitch looks when he gets back, let's hope it's soon enough to get into a rhythm in the regular season before the playoffs, though.

[louisorr]

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Just rest this mf

Dude on the 49ers greenlaw just blew out his achilles. He'd been dealing with achilles tendonitis throughout the playoffs. It's the body saying rest me. just give the kid a mandatory rest.

[Chanel Bomber]

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Just rest this mf

Dude on the 49ers greenlaw just blew out his achilles. He'd been dealing with achilles tendonitis throughout the playoffs. It's the body saying rest me. just give the kid a mandatory rest.

That's also how KD tore his achilles.