Game 35: Knicks vs @OKC: 1/3/2025; 8:00pm NBA-TV

[NoDopeOnSundays]

We gotta look at what the Bucks did when they beat OKC in the tourney cup game. Bucks pounded them in the paint and hit timely threes. On the defensive end, they took away the open rim looks for SGA and Williams. Hopefully the other guys are cold from three...

You can't send help, most of SGA's offense is inside the three-point arc, you basically have to live with him scoring 1 v1 because he's not a volume scorer that goes for the kill like a Donovan Mitchell would. He's going to get his 30, but he's not going to get 50, once you start sending help and he swings the ball that's when things get dangerous. It's easier said than done though, which is why he's a star.

[thebuzzardman]

It should be a rock fight; their offense is good but not great, however their defense is bordering on historically great. They are a much deeper team though, and have 4 good to great perimeter defenders, but we've seen Brunson cook all of them before.

The Bucks beat the brakes off them though, I feel like Precious should play some more in this game with KAT because they're a small team without Chet.

NBA always afraid that the hayseeds will abandon the league so they'll have the refs have the Knicks starting 5 in foul trouble by mid 1st quarter.

OKC wins easily.

[spree2kawhi]

We gotta look at what the Bucks did when they beat OKC in the tourney cup game. Bucks pounded them in the paint and hit timely threes. On the defensive end, they took away the open rim looks for SGA and Williams. Hopefully the other guys are cold from three...

You can't send help, most of SGA's offense is inside the three-point arc, you basically have to live with him scoring 1 v1 because he's not a volume scorer that goes for the kill like a Donovan Mitchell would. He's going to get his 30, but he's not going to get 50, once you start sending help and he swings the ball that's when things get dangerous. It's easier said than done though, which is why he's a star.

Yeah, but what are they supposed to say?

[Montmorencie]

To me OKC is as legit as they come. If they are healthy come playoff time, no one in the west will beat them. SGA is to me the MVP so far this season.

Beating them on the road would be a massive accomplishment. If we potentially win without Brunson I would be shocked. If we can win on the road against such a formidable team, I would be much more confident we can truly win a title this season. Anyways going to be fun.

To me OKC and Boston are the two teams in the league I'm least confident in regards to a playoff series. Not saying we couldn't potentially beat them with a fully healthy team, but these two teams have the defense and offense in place.

They lost to a inferior Dallas team(compared to what they have this season) and never faced Denver. I doubt they can beat either of those teams so lets not worry about them. Celtics are the biggest issue because they are stylistically bad for us, no other reason

Denver lost two key rotational pieces with KCP and Bruce Brown and never replaced them in a any meaningful way and Murray has become wildly inconsistent. I'd take OKC over them any day of the week.

We will see. And they replaced them with Westbrook and Braun. They both gotta be in top 10 in most improved and sixth man of the year conversations.

Talking about OKC having tough times against big teams, do you forget the best player on the planet is a Nugget. Ihart was in foul troubles against one legged Embiid, do you know what prime Jokic in his best shape ever will do to him?

OKC is a barbecue chicken. We will start the discussion tonight, Denver will spread the word in 5 months, don't worry.

[NoDopeOnSundays]

It should be a rock fight; their offense is good but not great, however their defense is bordering on historically great. They are a much deeper team though, and have 4 good to great perimeter defenders, but we've seen Brunson cook all of them before.

The Bucks beat the brakes off them though, I feel like Precious should play some more in this game with KAT because they're a small team without Chet.

NBA always afraid that the hayseeds will abandon the league so they'll have the refs have the Knicks starting 5 in foul trouble by mid 1st quarter.

OKC wins easily.

Their defense is good, but it's not more physical than the Magic, I feel like the Magic's defense is closer to the Thunders than any of their recent opponent's offense is to ours. They smoked the Grizz who are a top 5 offense, but that was without JA or Edey, two starters. Common opponent is the Magic, we've played them with Franz and without, we had a 113 ORTG vs their defense, the Thunder had a 105 against the Franz-less version, we held them to 97 ORTG, the Thunder held them to 95. Their defense is a killer, but our offense is just as nasty, and our defense has been rounding into form.

I like our chances against them, we're bigger than them too which hasn't been the norm for us lately. Yeah, I'm about to start calling bad fouls KARLS, because he could be in trouble against them, but if he's not I think we get them.

[jvsimonetti0514]

Slow Shai down and win the game. They’re stacked but their mvp is the head of the snake. Jalen Williams is good but I don’t think he can carry them in the same way. Mikal has been a whole lot better lately but I think I’d start OG on him. He doesn’t do as well with ball handlers but Shai being 6’6” should make it a little easier for him to match up.

[TheGreenArrow]

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Honestly believe he’s played his last game as a knick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Fat Kat]

Slow Shai down and win the game. They’re stacked but their mvp is the head of the snake. Jalen Williams is good but I don’t think he can carry them in the same way. Mikal has been a whole lot better lately but I think I’d start OG on him. He doesn’t do as well with ball handlers but Shai being 6’6” should make it a little easier for him to match up.

Mikal on Shai. Brunson on Wallace. Hart on Dort. OG on Williams.

[2010]

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[HarthorneWingo]

I really wish a hamster would fart in Hartenstein's left ear canal.

You are like the Shakespeare of this place.

Do you do poems?

[Capn'O]

Damn Context. A PRO team deserves such PRO threads!

Biggest test of the season. OKC up there with some of the best SRS ratings EVER. I want to see a fight. Or blow them out, but I'm trying not to get greedy.

[HarthorneWingo]

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SGA pushes off with the right arm all the time. If he's not doing that, he's creating space with his shoulder. I hate that shyt ... when someone on the other team does that.

[Capn'O]

I like trying Bridges on SGA. We need OG for Williams and Bridges is good at staying out of foul trouble. Williams is a little stout for Bridges.

[G_K_F]

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Honestly believe he’s played his last game as a knick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We need to trade him. We're trying to win a championship. This isn't a charity.

[thebuzzardman]

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Honestly believe he’s played his last game as a knick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a shocking development

[Knick4Real]

Knicks are 14-1 in the last 15 games KAT played.

I'm starting to think he may be better than Bargnani :dontknow:

[HopelessKnick]

They lost to a inferior Dallas team(compared to what they have this season) and never faced Denver. I doubt they can beat either of those teams so lets not worry about them. Celtics are the biggest issue because they are stylistically bad for us, no other reason

Denver lost two key rotational pieces with KCP and Bruce Brown and never replaced them in a any meaningful way and Murray has become wildly inconsistent. I'd take OKC over them any day of the week.

We will see. And they replaced them with Westbrook and Braun. They both gotta be in top 10 in most improved and sixth man of the year conversations.

Talking about OKC having tough times against big teams, do you forget the best player on the planet is a Nugget. Ihart was in foul troubles against one legged Embiid, do you know what prime Jokic in his best shape ever will do to him?

OKC is a barbecue chicken. We will start the discussion tonight, Denver will spread the word in 5 months, don't worry.

You know what to me is a major red flag for Denver?

Jokic is averaging 31points/13rebounds/10assists/2steals and is shooting 49% from 3 on 5 attempts and they are at 19-13. They need Jokic to produce at more than historic levels to be able to target "just" 50 wins. On top of that they have Porter jr. healthy and producing career highs, they have Aaron Gordon shooting way above his career averages from 3 and they haven't really had bad injury luck. Murray is producing at about career averages. Is 49% for Jokic and 44% from 3 from Gordon sustainable? Yet all that is leading to a much worse record than OKC.

OKC was without Hartenstein the first 4-6 weeks and then without Holmgreen (both major players) and they are far more successful. You are right that this all may not translate to the playoffs but keep in mind that OKC was one bad play by SGA away from forcing game 7 on their home floor against the Mavericks and they added Hartenstein. They have improved much more than Dallas has IMO. Interestingly Hartenstein had his then career high of 20points/8rebouns in 26 minutes against Jokic last season. He did foul out though so there is that. OKC really came closest in the west to beating Dallas, not Denver or Minny. They are legit IMO but like you said---we shall see.

[Iron Mantis]

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Honestly believe he’s played his last game as a knick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mitch the "basketball player" is just an idea or a concept.

He should consider retiring and making a redneck reality TV show.

[KnixinSix]

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Honestly believe he’s played his last game as a knick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We need to trade him. We're trying to win a championship. This isn't a charity.

Kessler or Richards have small enough salaries that you could KEEP Mitch and still get them.

Poetl and Stewart and even possibly Valanciunus (who is not an ideal rim protector) would require Mitch to go.

In my opinion The ideal route is to go for Kessler. I am betting Kolek is gaining steam big time in the eyes of other teams evaluators. His game is quickly improving and he didnt look like toast out there on D vs Utah. Utah also had strong interest in Dadiet. From what I am reading, We have the abilty to trade 1FRP and multiple 2nd RPs. Ainge is tough to deal with granted but I think some combination of:

Kolek, Dadiet, Right to Rokas, 1FRP, Multiple 2nd Round picks would get it done for Kessler.

Utah is on a long term rebuild and getting super young cost controlled guys in Kolek and/or Dadiet and/or Rokas would fit their timeline.

The rim protecting 5 doesn't carry extreme value to the league like it once did as much as it does to Thibs defense. And Kessler is not some superstar player. He definitely has value but it isnt like some crazy 3+ FRP value either.

[RHODEY]

It should be a rock fight; their offense is good but not great, however their defense is bordering on historically great. They are a much deeper team though, and have 4 good to great perimeter defenders, but we've seen Brunson cook all of them before.

The Bucks beat the brakes off them though, I feel like Precious should play some more in this game with KAT because they're a small team without Chet.

NBA always afraid that the hayseeds will abandon the league so they'll have the refs have the Knicks starting 5 in foul trouble by mid 1st quarter.

OKC wins easily.

Their defense is good, but it's not more physical than the Magic, I feel like the Magic's defense is closer to the Thunders than any of their recent opponent's offense is to ours. They smoked the Grizz who are a top 5 offense, but that was without JA or Edey, two starters. Common opponent is the Magic, we've played them with Franz and without, we had a 113 ORTG vs their defense, the Thunder had a 105 against the Franz-less version, we held them to 97 ORTG, the Thunder held them to 95. Their defense is a killer, but our offense is just as nasty, and our defense has been rounding into form.

I like our chances against them, we're bigger than them too which hasn't been the norm for us lately. Yeah, I'm about to start calling bad fouls KARLS, because he could be in trouble against them, but if he's not I think we get them.

I'm just as curious to see our defense on them. Will Bridges be guarding SGA? SGA likely gets his but I like the fact that bridges has length on him, and SGA is more on the "skill" side than the athletic side. Perhaps he can be disrupted...