PG: Knicks vs. Kings: All Around Effort

[MrDollarBills]

I love how the word "dangerous" is used to describe this team until they face a top 4 team or a sleeper bottom team and get packed up early in the first quarter. This team is still suspect.

One thing that boggles my mind is how Bridges has so many offensive moves but yet he's timid offensively. It seems he's still trying to fit in. It's like he just moved into someone’s luxurious mansion, and three months later, he is still afraid to take a dump. Bro, it is your home now! Take the dump.

This made me happy to read for some reason

I think Tom needs to stagger Bridges and let him be a focal point offensively with the 2nd unit. His mid range game should be on full display when Brunson and KAT sit.

[BKlutch]

I love how the word "dangerous" is used to describe this team until they face a top 4 team or a sleeper bottom team and get packed up early in the first quarter. This team is still suspect.

One thing that boggles my mind is how Bridges has so many offensive moves but yet he's timid offensively. It seems he's still trying to fit in. It's like he just moved into someone’s luxurious mansion, and three months later, he is still afraid to take a dump. Bro, it is your home now! Take the dump.

This made me happy to read for some reason

I think Tom needs to stagger Bridges and let him be a focal point offensively with the 2nd unit. His mid range game should be on full display when Brunson and KAT sit.

That might really boost the 2nd unit, but he's probably gonna get T-ed up if he goes ahead and starts taking dumps on the Garden floor during games.

[MrDollarBills]

I love how the word "dangerous" is used to describe this team until they face a top 4 team or a sleeper bottom team and get packed up early in the first quarter. This team is still suspect.

One thing that boggles my mind is how Bridges has so many offensive moves but yet he's timid offensively. It seems he's still trying to fit in. It's like he just moved into someone’s luxurious mansion, and three months later, he is still afraid to take a dump. Bro, it is your home now! Take the dump.

This made me happy to read for some reason

I think Tom needs to stagger Bridges and let him be a focal point offensively with the 2nd unit. His mid range game should be on full display when Brunson and KAT sit.

That might really boost the 2nd unit, but he's probably gonna get T-ed up if he goes ahead and starts taking dumps on the Garden floor during games.

Eh he can just take a dump in his pants just like Paul Pierce did

[LFGK]

The players don't complain but the guys on the board do, it's truly amazing. You think Philly fans complain about maxey being second in minutes? Or any of the other guys in the top 15? It's nonsense people are complaining about what3 minutes here and there? The guys that wants Thibs gone, you guys deserve The Layden days of ineptitude. Side note this team will be a buzz saw come playoff time with Mitch back

I applaud the optimism and sheer masculine grit (stupidity), but my question is: Did you not see last year’s Thibs’ team fall apart after game 80? What’s changed that suddenly gives our guys the superpower to stay healthy and energized for games 82-100? I mean other than your brash manly optimism.

Blah Blah Blah that team last year had injuries happen if Randle Mitch and rest of guys were playing it would have been different, ppl complaining about a few extra minutes? A bunch of players around the league play minutes if Mitch were healthy everyone would be playing a bit less and then you'd be complaining about something else

[LFGK]

The players don't complain but the guys on the board do, it's truly amazing. You think Philly fans complain about maxey being second in minutes? Or any of the other guys in the top 15? It's nonsense people are complaining about what3 minutes here and there? The guys that wants Thibs gone, you guys deserve The Layden days of ineptitude. Side note this team will be a buzz saw come playoff time with Mitch back

I applaud the optimism and sheer masculine grit (stupidity), but my question is: Did you not see last year’s Thibs’ team fall apart after game 80? What’s changed that suddenly gives our guys the superpower to stay healthy and energized for games 82-100? I mean other than your brash manly optimism.

The team being decimated by freak and contact injuries having to play on a short rotation is just the team being decimated by freak and contact injuries. You’re rewriting last year when majority of our players weren’t in the top 10 in mins played yet we still caught the injury bug.

If anything the team last year being conditioned to play on a shorter rotation because of injuries helped their cause in the playoffs, they just ran into one injury too many.

Please don't write up stuff that makes sense. Let's just all complaining about minutes. If we get Mitch back with 20 or so games left and he gets his legs under him these guys will be conditioned to play the tough playoff series'. Everything is going to be fine

[LFGK]

The way people complaining about minutes our guys are playing 43-44 and everyone in the league is at 30, top 4 guys are all within a few seconds of each other. Brunson and KAT are 23 and 31 respectively. Durant's old a*s is top 15, grandfather LeBron is nearly at 35 a game. The sky isn't falling, Thibs is a good coach

[Iron Mantis]

Now I'm neither extremely pro or anti Thibs but how does this game serve as proof that the "minutes police" is wrong?

I mean players were rested due to having 3 days off and Thibs went 9 men deep early in the game and we had one of the best performances of the season, all while the starters played "moderate" minutes....if anything the 3 days off, the legs and energy and going 9 men deep would serve as a confirmation for the "minutes police", wouldn't it?

That is correct, sir. In fact, it's always been an open and shut case if we're being honest.

Thus, we will not stop in our efforts to prosecute the defendant until the rotation consistently enables our starting unit to play at a high-level for 4 quarters, matching or surpassing the opponents' intensity to open and close out games.

And we also will not passively accept lackluster or reckless coaching. If the players must be prudent in their approach to the game and execute at an elite level, then the coach must be equally prudent and also coach at an elite level.

If Thibs is willing to accept our terms and conditions, then we are willing to discuss dropping the case.

[KnixinSix]

Three days rest for overtaxed starters and this was not a surprise at all.

[ctorres]

Anunoby, Mitch and picks for Giannis

or Anunoby, McBride and picks for Booker

or Anunoby, Mitch, McBride and picks for Doncic

confirmed

Towns
Giannis
Hart
Bridges
Brunson

or

Mitch / Hukporti
Towns / Achiuwa
Bridges / Warren
Booker / Hart
Brunson / Kolek

or

Mitch
Towns
Doncic
Bridges
Brunson

which one do you prefer?

if it was possible I would prefer Melo lite, Tatum

If OG gets traded, I think it would be for a star with baggage like Zion, or for depth (2 or 3 high quality role players)

Giannis, Doncic, and Tatum don't have real baggage, lol

Towns had baggage, but he is proving people wrong

This won't be the year we trade OG, but everything is gonna ride on how well this starting lineup plays together in the playoffs and if it's worth investing in them staying together

[3toheadmelo]

jHart is everything that is beautiful about basketball.


we're blessed to watch him hoop.

Idk ball

Some people(meLo) really do want the worst for us.

You making it seem like I’m saying to trade hart for a scrub (and I was the first one saying for us to trade for hart when he was on the pelicans!!)

But Camara is legit the next Herb Jones. He’s already a top 10 defender in the league and his offense is coming along nicely. Portland obviously won’t trade him since he’s one of best defensive players in the league. I wanted us to buy low on him over the summer.

Look what he did against the best team in the west just now

Read on Twitter

[ctorres]

Now I'm neither extremely pro or anti Thibs but how does this game serve as proof that the "minutes police" is wrong?

I mean players were rested due to having 3 days off and Thibs went 9 men deep early in the game and we had one of the best performances of the season, all while the starters played "moderate" minutes....if anything the 3 days off, the legs and energy and going 9 men deep would serve as a confirmation for the "minutes police", wouldn't it?

Would make a massive difference if he keeps playing the 9 man rotation, but history says he won’t. One little hiccup and he’ll revert right back to the 6.5 man rotation.

A 9 man rotation on most nights will keep this team fresh. On B2Bs, stretch it to 10 or 11 and play the young boys.

Tom has plenty of talent on this team to where we shouldn't see KAT checking in during blowouts.

Maybe he doesn't

Thibs doesn't trust Sims backing up KAT on a consistent level. This is Sims' 4th season and I don't know how much better of a player he is compared to his rookie season.

Thibs trusted Mitch and iHart. Sims did not develop into being as good as them. I'll be shocked if we don't trade Sims. This was the year for Sims to show us that we gotta keep him on the floor every minute that KAT sits. Other than the occasional highlight play, Sims with all of his athletic gifts does not play with a sense of urgency. He should be playing like a guy who might be out of the NBA next season if he doesn't play hard.

Thibs trusts Precious' skillset and basketball IQ, but Precious cannot consistently overcome the height and size disadvantage he faces every night. I feel like Precious will have the same issue playing on other teams. If we could re-sign him to half the MLE for multiple seasons, that would be great value for him.

[HopelessKnick]

Would make a massive difference if he keeps playing the 9 man rotation, but history says he won’t. One little hiccup and he’ll revert right back to the 6.5 man rotation.

A 9 man rotation on most nights will keep this team fresh. On B2Bs, stretch it to 10 or 11 and play the young boys.

Tom has plenty of talent on this team to where we shouldn't see KAT checking in during blowouts.

Maybe he doesn't

Thibs doesn't trust Sims backing up KAT on a consistent level. This is Sims' 4th season and I don't know how much better of a player he is compared to his rookie season.

Thibs trusted Mitch and iHart. Sims did not develop into being as good as them. I'll be shocked if we don't trade Sims. This was the year for Sims to show us that we gotta keep him on the floor every minute that KAT sits. Other than the occasional highlight play, Sims with all of his athletic gifts does not play with a sense of urgency. He should be playing like a guy who might be out of the NBA next season if he doesn't play hard.

Thibs trusts Precious' skillset and basketball IQ, but Precious cannot consistently overcome the height and size disadvantage he faces every night. I feel like Precious will have the same issue playing on other teams. If we could re-sign him to half the MLE for multiple seasons, that would be great value for him.

Is that so?

Thibs was forced to play him when Mitch went down with that foot injury. Up until that point IHart was playing 16minutes a game. So in my opinion Thibs and his staff were NOT trusting IHart but had no choice but to play him. They trusted him once he played many more minutes and delivered superb performance after superb performance. It is reasonable to assume that without the Mitch injury IHart would have continued to be a 16minute backup player. Let that sink in.

[HopelessKnick]

The way people complaining about minutes our guys are playing 43-44 and everyone in the league is at 30, top 4 guys are all within a few seconds of each other. Brunson and KAT are 23 and 31 respectively. Durant's old a*s is top 15, grandfather LeBron is nearly at 35 a game. The sky isn't falling, Thibs is a good coach

Keep in mind the Suns not only had multiple injuries already, they are also struggling to stay in the play-in range so essentially they have no choice but to milk Durant. Same goes for Philly and Maxey. The Knicks actually do have a bit of wiggle room---especially since the first seed is out of range and the fourth seed may arguably put us in a much better position to reach the ECF than the third place. Let the Celtics face Giannis in the second round--maybe he goes into MVP mode against them.

To me, going through Indy/Orlando and then Cleveland in the second round is much more appealing than having to face the Celtics AND Cleveland while having no real benefit in the first round.

Put all that aside--I think what people just want is a more balanced approach. Payne has by and large played pretty well for us, yet he has broken the 20 minute mark only a few times this season (season average just below 15minutes a game). Precious may be sometimes undersized, but in the context of Mitch missing all games so far and KAT also missing a few games, it is odd to see him below 20 minutes a game. Then we do not like to see starters in the game in the closing minutes of blowout wins. What purpose does it serve? It only sends the bench players the message: "Hey guys, I don't trust you to preserve a 20 point lead for the final 3-4 minutes. That's not how you build trust and establish a confident bench.

[HarthorneWingo]

We smoked those boys.

[GettinitDone]

The way people complaining about minutes our guys are playing 43-44 and everyone in the league is at 30, top 4 guys are all within a few seconds of each other. Brunson and KAT are 23 and 31 respectively. Durant's old a*s is top 15, grandfather LeBron is nearly at 35 a game. The sky isn't falling, Thibs is a good coach

And where are the Lakers and Suns in the standing? 5th and 8th.

Look at the top 2 teams in the L: Thunder and Cavs, COMBINED have only 1 player in L's TOP 50 in mpg (SGA at #32 with 34.4mpg), and only 4 more players in top 100 (J-Will #56, DMitch #80, Garland #92, Mobley #96). DMitch leads Cavs with 31.4MPG !

There's a reason they're elite 4th q performers, and there's a reason why we looked fresh vs Kings after 3 days off.

Other than fatigue he also doesn't take out starters when games are well decided, why was KAT still on the floor with 3 mins in last game when Kings already pulled their starters out? The same KAT who hurt his hand vs Bulls STILL PLAYING WHEN THE GAME WAS OVER IN THE LAST MINS, causing him to miss few games, and causing him to take time (around 2 weeks) to get back his All Star form, and he's likely to play the rest of the season with bone chip in his right thumb because of that.

These are minor-medium injuries that are gonna affect the team months from now.

Wait until the REAL injuries come when our key players are not supposed to be on the floor, but they are.

---

And how's Thibs good again?? He's far removed from his defense years in Chicago. Teams have no problems scoring on us (46.8 FG% for 18th in the L, and 37.7 3P% for 3rd worst in the L). He's never been an offense coach, so how is good again??

Paul Westhead good? Lakers replaced him with no experience Pat Riley.

Doug Collins good? Bulls replaced him with no experience Phil Jackson.

Mark Jackson good? Warriors replaced him with no experience Steve Kerr.

You Thibs defenders are conservative thinking, afraid to take leaps necessary to be champions, and will stick to just "good".

Good is the enemy of great CHAMPIONS!

[thebuzzardman]

The way people complaining about minutes our guys are playing 43-44 and everyone in the league is at 30, top 4 guys are all within a few seconds of each other. Brunson and KAT are 23 and 31 respectively. Durant's old a*s is top 15, grandfather LeBron is nearly at 35 a game. The sky isn't falling, Thibs is a good coach

And where are the Lakers and Suns in the standing? 5th and 8th.

Look at the top 2 teams in the L: Thunder and Cavs, COMBINED have only 1 player in L's TOP 50 in mpg (SGA at #32 with 34.4mpg), and only 4 more players in top 100 (J-Will #56, DMitch #80, Garland #92, Mobley #96). DMitch leads Cavs with 31.4MPG !

There's a reason they're elite 4th q performers, and there's a reason why we looked fresh vs Kings after 3 days off.

Other than fatigue he also doesn't take out starters when games are well decided, why was KAT still on the floor with 3 mins in last game when Kings already pulled their starters out? The same KAT who hurt his hand vs Bulls STILL PLAYING WHEN THE GAME WAS OVER IN THE LAST MINS, causing him to miss few games, and causing him to take time (around 2 weeks) to get back his All Star form, and he's likely to play the rest of the season with bone chip in his right thumb because of that.

These are minor-medium injuries that are gonna affect the team months from now.

Wait until the REAL injuries come when our key players are not supposed to be on the floor, but they are.

---

And how's Thibs good again?? He's far removed from his defense years in Chicago. Teams have no problems scoring on us (46.8 FG% for 18th in the L, and 37.7 3P% for 3rd worst in the L). He's never been an offense coach, so how is good again??

Paul Westhead good? Lakers replaced him with no experience Pat Riley.

Doug Collins good? Bulls replaced him with no experience Phil Jackson.

Mark Jackson good? Warriors replaced him with no experience Steve Kerr.

You Thibs defenders are conservative thinking, afraid to take leaps necessary to be champions, and will stick to just "good".

Good is the enemy of great CHAMPIONS!

Not saying some of your points don't matter, but Knicks are #5 in the NBA in point differential, which is probably the stat that matters most.

OKC
Cleveland
Boston
Memphis
NY
Houston

I think every team on that list have better legit bench depth, but also Thibs doesn't play his bench that much when it's good, so there's that.

[Signature NYK]

Idk ball

Some people(meLo) really do want the worst for us.

You making it seem like I’m saying to trade hart for a scrub (and I was the first one saying for us to trade for hart when he was on the pelicans!!)

But Camara is legit the next Herb Jones. He’s already a top 10 defender in the league and his offense is coming along nicely. Portland obviously won’t trade him since he’s one of best defensive players in the league. I wanted us to buy low on him over the summer.

Look what he did against the best team in the west just now

Read on Twitter

Scopped him in my 9 cat fantasy BBall league and he saved me on Sunday lol

[HopelessKnick]

The way people complaining about minutes our guys are playing 43-44 and everyone in the league is at 30, top 4 guys are all within a few seconds of each other. Brunson and KAT are 23 and 31 respectively. Durant's old a*s is top 15, grandfather LeBron is nearly at 35 a game. The sky isn't falling, Thibs is a good coach

And where are the Lakers and Suns in the standing? 5th and 8th.

Look at the top 2 teams in the L: Thunder and Cavs, COMBINED have only 1 player in L's TOP 50 in mpg (SGA at #32 with 34.4mpg), and only 4 more players in top 100 (J-Will #56, DMitch #80, Garland #92, Mobley #96). DMitch leads Cavs with 31.4MPG !

There's a reason they're elite 4th q performers, and there's a reason why we looked fresh vs Kings after 3 days off.

Other than fatigue he also doesn't take out starters when games are well decided, why was KAT still on the floor with 3 mins in last game when Kings already pulled their starters out? The same KAT who hurt his hand vs Bulls STILL PLAYING WHEN THE GAME WAS OVER IN THE LAST MINS, causing him to miss few games, and causing him to take time (around 2 weeks) to get back his All Star form, and he's likely to play the rest of the season with bone chip in his right thumb because of that.

These are minor-medium injuries that are gonna affect the team months from now.

Wait until the REAL injuries come when our key players are not supposed to be on the floor, but they are.

---

And how's Thibs good again?? He's far removed from his defense years in Chicago. Teams have no problems scoring on us (46.8 FG% for 18th in the L, and 37.7 3P% for 3rd worst in the L). He's never been an offense coach, so how is good again??

Paul Westhead good? Lakers replaced him with no experience Pat Riley.

Doug Collins good? Bulls replaced him with no experience Phil Jackson.

Mark Jackson good? Warriors replaced him with no experience Steve Kerr.

You Thibs defenders are conservative thinking, afraid to take leaps necessary to be champions, and will stick to just "good".

Good is the enemy of great CHAMPIONS!

Not saying some of your points don't matter, but Knicks are #5 in the NBA in point differential, which is probably the stat that matters most.

OKC
Cleveland
Boston
Memphis
NY
Houston

I think every team on that list have better legit bench depth, but also Thibs doesn't play his bench that much when it's good, so there's that.

Playing a little devil's advocate here for the sake of the discussion: If you look at that list---in terms of talent---which roster would you be willing to do a complete swap?

OKC: For me I think OKC is overall more well-rounded and talented and I'd very likely swap rosters.

Memphis: Memphis has currently a slightly better record and Morant has missed 19 games! They are 19-8 with Morant. Their point differential is much better than ours. Are they clearly more talented though? I doubt it.

I personally would take our roster over Cleveland's and Houston's as well (especially Houston) and both teams are better.
On top of all that OKC, Cleveland, Boston and Houston have had a clearly tougher schedule than us. Ours has been pretty soft. If we had a tougher schedule there is every possibility we could be sitting at like 27-19 type of record.....keep that in mind. I will reserve judgement and am currently neither pro nor against Thibs, but there definitely are reasons to be concerned going forward....

SGA is playing less minutes than any of our starters---keep in mind OKC has missed IHart for the first 6 weeks and then Holmgreen since then....yet they are on top of the league while keeping SGA under 35minutes. That to me is a sound, sustainable model of success....Isaiah Joe, Caruso....and then Kenrich Williams, Jaylin Williams and Ousmane Dieng....is their bench truly THAT much better than ours? Or is their coach just trusting their bench more?

[mpharris36]

Read on Twitter

we are certainly lucky to have announcers like ours...how could you sit through this if you are a kings fan? Two people just complaining the entire game....

[Gravy]

Paul Westhead good? Lakers replaced him with no experience Pat Riley.

Doug Collins good? Bulls replaced him with no experience Phil Jackson.

Mark Jackson good? Warriors replaced him with no experience Steve Kerr.

You Thibs defenders are conservative thinking, afraid to take leaps necessary to be champions, and will stick to just "good".

Good is the enemy of great CHAMPIONS!

Magic, Jordan and Curry. Do we have an all greatest player or even a mvp? You proved Thibs non haters right

We also got Riley as coach, why didn't we win a championship?