PG: Knicks lose to Thunder

[WaltFrazier]

The bad news...we lost.

The good news.... OKC doesn't scare me anymore. As I was watching this game especially in the 1st half I was like ...they cant defend us. Ofcourse things changed later in the game but I attribute that more to attrition, the refs, and home crowd advantage.

Our bench was vapor thin. Brunson - who I initially thought would be fine- was still visibly bothered by that calf . They had no answer for towns or OG inside. Bridges was amazing on defense and unguardable in that first half. Og too.

We are right there... We just a need deeper bench and we need Thibs to utilize that bench so our guys are not running on vapor late in games. But yeah our starting unit is most definitely the most unguaudable in the league imo.

Great positive post.

But your line, "we just need a deeper bench and we need Thibs to utilize that bench..." . Neither thing feels like something we can expect to happen.

[Fury]

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[Fury]

Read on Twitter

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[thebuzzardman]

If only Thibs played Sims, Hukporti, Dadiet and Kolek, Knicks would have dominated

Maybe give them minutes when we're up 30 against bad teams, or play 1 or 2 of them meaningful minutes with 3-4 starters at a time so they aren't just out there playing as a 5 man bench unit getting stomped out.


We have the least played bench the NBA has seen in 20 years.

The bench kind of sucks. Knick homerism aside

[B8RcDeMktfxC]

I do wonder if they wind up moving Mitch for bench help before the trade deadline and address the backup center position in the offseason, we’ll find out in few weeks

I don't think the FO is going to do that. What they need is something that Thibs will put on the court. That's not a trivial requisite.

I think the best bench help available is TJ Warren. I have am absolutely no foundation belief that they went with Shamet because they had committed to him preseason before getting Warren into the fold and they have a firm committment to sign TJ on or about 24 February (that date for Apron-cap reasons). Idk, maybe Thibs prefers Shamet. Hardly would be visible.

[louisorr]

The Knicks are like the five people trapped in the house in the zombie movie. Slowly getting exhausted while putting up an exemplary fight.
Other teams are the zombie horde coming at us with an onslaught of fresh bodies.

We know how these movies end.

[thebuzzardman]

At least 2/5 starters will play 40 minutes tomorrow.

Knicks going to lose by 10+ tomorrow too.

[RHODEY]

I honestly didn't like the way Brunson just casually brought up the ball in the last few minutes of the game. We were down and it seemed like there was no sense of urgency. It reminded me of when Julius would run down the clock and other players were just standing around waiting for the drive into the paint. There was just no flow to keep the defense guessing. We're a very good team but at this point I don't see us taking out the top 3 or so elite teams in the league during a series. We need to find that next level and Thibs needs to get the bench involved.

He's not right physically.

Defer then

Everyone else was gassed. He did have what 9 assists.. Our Bench was lacking...but Benches are easy to bolster , so well be ok if thibs can trust them.

[Fat Kat]

Thunder have a better defense and a better offense and people are shocked the Knicks lost? Lolz.

Not shocked but losing a 14 point lead is disappointing

Yeah, but some of the bellyaching is over the top. Some folks are happy that the loss gives credence to their complaints. OKC is the best team in the league and they’re at home. Nothing that happened tonight is a referendum on the state of the team.

[G_K_F]

Wonder how the starters are going to look come playoff time playing 40 mpg. Need to consider some bench help. Can’t burn guys out.

[NoDopeOnSundays]

OKC developed their bench.

NYK have not developed their bench.

4th quarter it became iso hero ball.

We built the lead on unselfish team basketball.

OKC has a better benck because they have had a zillion 1st round picks. That's talent.

Knicks bench is all 2nd rounders, NBA castoffs and projects.

Ajay Mitchell played 13 minutes for them, he was the 38th pick by us


Their bench is castaways, Isaiah Joe was cut by the Sixers and Wiggins the guy that lit us up was the 55th pick.

[Clyde_Style]

Guard Kat with a wing and put your center on hart has been a strategy a lot of teams go to.

Forces thibs uncreative offense to just try posting towns the whole game.

Yeah, he falls right into the trap, and then he decides not to post KAT when they don't have a center on the floor


We lost this game almost exactly the same way we lost the Rockets game, same strategy by them and then we just eventually run out of gas.

Yeah, you gotta feed the KAT down low. Especially since he's such a good passer out of the post.

It's odd too, because Thibs used Noah as his point center while having Rose who was sort of like Brunson in temperament.

You'd think Thibs would recognize the value of running more plays through KAT

[thebuzzardman]

Knicks ain't it. There's your proof. Enjoy.

Weak. I'm not even sure you watched the game.

Getting outscored by 20 in the 4th isn't a top playoff team. The end.

[RHODEY]

The bad news...we lost.

The good news.... OKC doesn't scare me anymore. As I was watching this game especially in the 1st half I was like ...they cant defend us. Ofcourse things changed later in the game but I attribute that more to attrition, the refs, and home crowd advantage.

Our bench was vapor thin. Brunson - who I initially thought would be fine- was still visibly bothered by that calf . They had no answer for towns or OG inside. Bridges was amazing on defense and unguardable in that first half. Og too.

We are right there... We just a need deeper bench and we need Thibs to utilize that bench so our guys are not running on vapor late in games. But yeah our starting unit is most definitely the most unguaudable in the league imo.

Great positive post.

But your line, "we just need a deeper bench and we need Thibs to utilize that bench..." . Neither thing feels like something we can expect to happen.

Just adding Mitch and Deuce to our Bench tonight wins this game. And we may be able to add TJ Warren in February so I think well be fine eventually. Thibs already trusts Mitch and Deuce so theres that.

[robillionaire]

OKC developed their bench.

NYK have not developed their bench.

4th quarter it became iso hero ball.

We built the lead on unselfish team basketball.

OKC has a better benck because they have had a zillion 1st round picks. That's talent.

Knicks bench is all 2nd rounders, NBA castoffs and projects.

Precious, Shamet, Payne - castoffs. Trade throw ins. Not good players
Hukporti and Dadiet - never going to make it in the nba
Kolek - might be a backup somewhere one day? Not good on defense so prolly not.
McBride - He’s ok but he didn’t play. Plays hustle D but still a streaky scorer, don’t think he is the reliable bucket getter we need
Mitch - never plays, doesn’t contribute on offense
Sims - yes, the 1 dimensional vertical leaper who can’t do anything with that skill is still on the roster
Assorted other scrubs not worth even mentioning but for the sake of brevity, Toppin, Matt Ryan if that’s even his name. Boo Boobies

Consolidate please

[oldshoolballer]

+40 minutes for all starters and we wonder why we didn't have enough in the tank in the 4th...

Thibs hive stand up!!!! Mediocre ass coach.

Thibs is the weak link. The roster is capable of winning it all. The guys were gassed in the 4th quarter it was obvious. A coach that refuses to use the bench aint going to work. I don't hate Thibs he's a decent coach. A championship coach I just don't see it.

[Clyde_Style]

In Brunson's defense, before he was a shell of himself late in the game he was diming like a bandit earlier in the game.

For a stretch he was doing some of his best facilitating as a Knick.

But Father Potassium caught up with him in the end

[thebuzzardman]

Once OG got hurt, he started going up weak and getting blocked. Then started getting a lil tentative. Team kinda lost some intensity and then the offense stopped running cohesively.

OG hurt? Shocking development

[Guano]

We got this just need to fix that bench **** and balance out the shots a little more in big games

Brunson getting healthy will help a lot too

I can't be mad about that game. It's clear we can hang with anyone. We looked crazy good in that 2nd. I feel better about the team tonight than I did before the game.

Last year's Knicks had to play pretty perfectly to win. Especially two years ago Knicks.

This team can lapse against bad teams and win.

When they face the truly good top 3 or 4 teams and they aren't functioning at close to 100%, they lose.

Knicks aren't a top playoff team. They'll need luck. That's the bitter truth.

Brunson had a horrendous game and we almost won.

Be better Buzzzzzzz

Be better


This homer sht feels kinda gross tbh. I need you to stop. It's unbecoming of me.

[ezmoney707]

I do wonder if they wind up moving Mitch for bench help before the trade deadline and address the backup center position in the offseason, we’ll find out in few weeks

I don't think the FO is going to do that. What they need is something that Thibs will put on the court. That's not a trivial requisite.

I think the best bench help available is TJ Warren. I have am absolutely no foundation belief that they went with Shamet because they had committed to him preseason before getting Warren into the fold and they have a firm committment to sign TJ on or about 24 February (that date for Apron-cap reasons). Idk, maybe Thibs prefers Shamet. Hardly would be visible.

Yeah I’m more inclined to think they keep Mitch rather than sell at a deficit, but Leon and Co not making a midseason adjustment that we don’t see coming is probable as well.

And yes Warren is a likely bench candidate once the CBA allows it.