Knicks-Rockets PG: Who didn't see this coming?

[HKSVIP]

What games are you watching? EVERYTHING in the halfcourt has been triangle.

I'm not seeing triangle. Last year I saw 95% triangle because Fisher/we committed to it -- this year I'm not seeing triangle much at all. We may be running it but it is NOT even close to the crispness we were running it at last year. Triangle is one of those things you have to be either all in or all out and right now we are just in nowhere land.

Last 2 games we ran nothing but triangle

The problem is that Melo can't make reads out of it. He is awful at making decisions out of triangle sets, you need guys with quick reaction and Melo is slow in his reaction. You notice how he never gives the ball back to the guard out of the pinch post? Never!

Maurice NDour and Ron Baker had way more fluidity when they ran it because NDour actually knows how to make a quick decision with the ball, he doesn't hold it.

I'm not knocking on Melo I'm just saying he is not a triangle type of player, especially now in this stage of his career where he looks slow and takes way too much time to make a decision with the ball. We need to be running an offense that suits the players we have.

We ran the triangle about 3 plays the past 2 games. I'm not sure what offense you are watching.

[el13adnino]

isnt the schedule the same every year, only dates change

[HEZI]

I'm not seeing triangle. Last year I saw 95% triangle because Fisher/we committed to it -- this year I'm not seeing triangle much at all. We may be running it but it is NOT even close to the crispness we were running it at last year. Triangle is one of those things you have to be either all in or all out and right now we are just in nowhere land.

Last 2 games we ran nothing but triangle

The problem is that Melo can't make reads out of it. He is awful at making decisions out of triangle sets, you need guys with quick reaction and Melo is slow in his reaction. You notice how he never gives the ball back to the guard out of the pinch post? Never!

Maurice NDour and Ron Baker had way more fluidity when they ran it because NDour actually knows how to make a quick decision with the ball, he doesn't hold it.

I'm not knocking on Melo I'm just saying he is not a triangle type of player, especially now in this stage of his career where he looks slow and takes way too much time to make a decision with the ball. We need to be running an offense that suits the players we have.

We ran the triangle about 3 plays the past 2 games. I'm not sure what offense you are watching.

How many times did we see Melo in the pinch post in Isolation? Do you watch to see how that play develops?

Melo becomes the fall back option because nothing else develops on the other side, so we keep seeing the same Melo Iso play over and over and over again. It's all coming out of the attempt to run triangle.

[HKSVIP]

Lance needs his minutes cut, and you want to start him?

Why does he need his minutes cut? Technically they were because he played 10 minutes last night and we still got embarrassed so I hope all those saying he's the problem realize he's not. He's the best defender on the team and he hit his only three point attempt last night.

It's all about matchups. Porzingis cannot defend out to the perimeter all the time. He is a center on defense and a Face-up 4/5 on offense. He can't even get position on Trevor Ariza down low.

He has been brutal - often out of place defensively, shooting like poo and passing the ball to the opposition.

We all loved what Lance brought last year but he has been a fish out of water this year on both sides of the court.

He is another guy that fit the triangle perfectly -- now he is out of his element at least to start the season.

Sounds like you just described Porzingis last game.

[ChilledAlex]

Also 1 thing I have noticed, that when Melo gets the ball everyone freezes and waits if Melo is isoing or is it worth to get open.
No...? Thats just me?

[HKSVIP]

Last 2 games we ran nothing but triangle

The problem is that Melo can't make reads out of it. He is awful at making decisions out of triangle sets, you need guys with quick reaction and Melo is slow in his reaction. You notice how he never gives the ball back to the guard out of the pinch post? Never!

Maurice NDour and Ron Baker had way more fluidity when they ran it because NDour actually knows how to make a quick decision with the ball, he doesn't hold it.

I'm not knocking on Melo I'm just saying he is not a triangle type of player, especially now in this stage of his career where he looks slow and takes way too much time to make a decision with the ball. We need to be running an offense that suits the players we have.

We ran the triangle about 3 plays the past 2 games. I'm not sure what offense you are watching.

How many times did we see Melo in the pinch post in Isolation? Do you watch to see how that play develops?

Melo becomes the fall back option because nothing else develops on the other side, so we keep seeing the same Melo Iso play over and over and over again. It's all coming out of the attempt to run triangle.

The Big at the top dishes it to Melo on the elbow and evrybody stays still. What is supposed to happen is they screen so the shooter and go to the three point line and melo can drive and dish or shoot. Nobody is getting the shooter open on the weak side. It isnt the normal pinch post you would see in the triangle. Just the type of set they were standing in. You could see them do it in the 4th when Ron Baker checked in.

[K_ick_God]

Also KP has 79 possible games to get better this year lol.

But nope it won't happen overnight. Santa Claus isn't real either.

The same can be said for the team as a whole, but that's not stopping the over the top reactions or the tank rhetoric. KP will improve and the team will improve. Let's just not pick and choose who can be criticized. KP is a big reason this team is struggling.

Well his excuse is he's young and not there yet. I'd generally agree with sham that he's not going to be Dirk. But who cares really. That was never likely, nor is it really the type of player he projected to be in his rookie season. He never took over games offensively. He can do a lot out there. You take it.

Of course it's preferable for him to be all things in all ways (like Santa) but if not, it's not that we're "nowhere" if he turns out to be just a good scorer and really good all around big. That is, of course, not true.

There's no 2nd year player who is anything close to a lock. Town is not that either.

[JXL]

Also 1 thing I have noticed, that when Melo gets the ball everyone freezes and waits if Melo is isoing or is it worth to get open.
No...? Thats just me?

Didn't I say this exact same thing 3 days ago?

[HKSVIP]

Also 1 thing I have noticed, that when Melo gets the ball everyone freezes and waits if Melo is isoing or is it worth to get open.
No...? Thats just me?

Yeah that's suring the pinch post play. He's by himself on one side of the court. Supposed to screen shooter on weak side and melo will either shoot or pass to open shooter for three if screens are effective. Warriors do this with Durant all the time now.

[thebuzzardman]

Except Rose Noah Melo and the other vets are largely already playing at the highest or close to it level they are capable of at this point in their careers... they wont get much better.. this team is what theyre showing us they are. Ass

As is KP. At least the other players have shown us they are capable of playing at a high level on playoff teams. Porzingis is playing like a biatch. Let's not deflect from that point.

What do you mean paying like a biatch? Did you see the other 3 games where he scored 21, 18 and 16? He had a freaking bad game against the Rockets. Whooptiedoo

He only played well in the Memphis game. The other games he got points, but was largely passive. His points came in bunches and he would disappear for huge stretches of the game in the other 2 bad games (Cleveland and Detroit).

[thebuzzardman]

Lance should start in Porzingis' spot. That way we have a 5 off the bench who can be the focus of the offense and he can protect the paint and not have to be out on shooters. This might reduce O'Quinn's minutes but that is something we will need to do even though he is playing well this season

Rose/Jennings
Lee/Baker
Thomas/Holiday
Melo/O'Quinn
Noah/KP

Lance sucks. Someone can start in KP's spot, but not Lance. Anyone but Lance.


Was I the only one who let a YESSSS!!! (Marv Albert style) when it looked like Thomas sprained his ankle. I was like "YESSS!!! Maybe he's out for the game. Maybe a few games!"

[whocares1]

I thought Melo tried to move the ball. Even when he was backing down it seemed as if he was trying to find people. Rockets were actually playing good defense.

[3toheadmelo]

Courtney Lee says the Knicks should "practice against more game-like situations" rather than practicing against the triangle offense. "We run the triangle, we practice against it a lot. I think we need to practice against pick and rolls, practice against other looks and whatnot and get comfortable with that because that's what other teams are run

[thebuzzardman]

I love the fantastic logic this board applies that Phil talking to players at practice is the reason we lost this game... get real.

The reason we lost this game is because we gave up 118 points and give up wide open 3's as if it's a philosophy of ours to do so. Our offense isn't great but, that will fix itself. There's too much talent on that end to not be at least average. It's the defense we should all be concerned with especially KP"s. If he continues to struggle covering stretch bigs then it's going to be a long season.

Our defense sucks because of this guy



He's got us practicing defense against the triangle, even though nobody runs the triangle except us

The players don't even respect this dude and we saw it last year when he was interim head coach. He shouldn't be an assistant coach, I don't even think Hornacek wanted him but we all know Phil Jackson insists he stays.

Another problem. Why is the coach u went up against in interviews on the bench with you. Sad organization i swear.

I don't get what this guy brings to the table.

I mean, lots of porn is free, so it's not that.

[whocares1]

Lance should start in Porzingis' spot. That way we have a 5 off the bench who can be the focus of the offense and he can protect the paint and not have to be out on shooters. This might reduce O'Quinn's minutes but that is something we will need to do even though he is playing well this season

Rose/Jennings
Lee/Baker
Thomas/Holiday
Melo/O'Quinn
Noah/KP

Lance sucks. Someone can start in KP's spot, but not Lance. Anyone but Lance.


Was I the only one who let a YESSSS!!! (Marv Albert style) when it looked like Thomas sprained his ankle. I was like "YESSS!!! Maybe he's out for the game. Maybe a few games!"

Wishing injuries on players lol. Only Knicks fans

[The Infamous1]

Every year we hear this "but but its too early" speech and then at the end the team turns out to be crap just like we predicted

[WesleyExChiFan]

He gets killed at the rim constantly but no call. Last night on one particular drive he got sandwiched by 3 Rockets defenders and they still didn't call a foul. I think if the Knicks actually played better as a team he would have gotten the call, however the entire Knicks team was playing like trash and the refs didn't give them any favors. We were getting blown out, had we actually competed then the refs might have given him those calls but we didn't .

I mean it's happening all game, he should be living there the way he's attacking people are talking about him blowing layups but it's probably because he should be at the line most times. Him and Porzingis need to develop some chemistry no idea why Noah always sets the screen no one will defend him to Roll or pop

I ask myself the same question

He doesn't flop his head around. Refs haven't given Rose respect for years now. People jerk their head back and its two shots. Rose goes to the rack and gets hit in the air and it's a clean play every time. Ridiculous

[thebuzzardman]

I looked at the schedule. This team isn't winning more than 20-25 games.

Well, the whole schedule is playing the entire league, so you could have just said "My win total projection for the season is 20-25 games"

[HEZI]

We ran the triangle about 3 plays the past 2 games. I'm not sure what offense you are watching.

How many times did we see Melo in the pinch post in Isolation? Do you watch to see how that play develops?

Melo becomes the fall back option because nothing else develops on the other side, so we keep seeing the same Melo Iso play over and over and over again. It's all coming out of the attempt to run triangle.

The Big at the top dishes it to Melo on the elbow and evrybody stays still. What is supposed to happen is they screen so the shooter and go to the three point line and melo can drive and dish or shoot. Nobody is getting the shooter open on the weak side. It isnt the normal pinch post you would see in the triangle. Just the type of set they were standing in. You could see them do it in the 4th when Ron Baker checked in.

It actually is the triangle, the problem is that Melo never makes this type of read and pass to the cutting guard

Watch on YouTube

You see how quickly Gasol gave the ball back to the cutting guard, Melo NEVER does that. He waits for the guard to cut then he turns around and faces the basket, looks to see what develops on the other side, sees nothing happening and he proceeds to go into his 1 on 1 offense.

[thebuzzardman]

Lance should start in Porzingis' spot. That way we have a 5 off the bench who can be the focus of the offense and he can protect the paint and not have to be out on shooters. This might reduce O'Quinn's minutes but that is something we will need to do even though he is playing well this season

Rose/Jennings
Lee/Baker
Thomas/Holiday
Melo/O'Quinn
Noah/KP

Lance sucks. Someone can start in KP's spot, but not Lance. Anyone but Lance.


Was I the only one who let a YESSSS!!! (Marv Albert style) when it looked like Thomas sprained his ankle. I was like "YESSS!!! Maybe he's out for the game. Maybe a few games!"

Wishing injuries on players lol. Only Knicks fans

Only for Lance Thomas. For whom the term "player' only loosely applies