PG: KNICKS Maul The Grizzly Bears!!!

[thebuzzardman]

Precious a kind of a weird player. He's good, but not great.
He's been playing REALLY well last, what, 10 games?

Feels like he's more valuable to the Knicks than he is on another team. I think he stays and they find a way to give him some more $

One thing many have already noted that when Brunson sits there's a ton of ball advancement via passing instead of dribbling and Precious was a big part of that. We were great with Brunson on the court and off the court tonight which was pretty cool. Precious played a smart game + moved the ball very well + hustled + was a competent creator off the dribble as well. Sometimes, like OG, he starts feeling himself and tries to take on his man and he sort comes off the rails. But tonight he kept going and didn't fall into the usual traps and turn it over. This plus version of Precious was actually an offensive threat. If he can maintain that then Thibs will put a Precious poster over the ceiling mirror in his bedroom.

Precious needed to find his way. Hard to do that in 10 mins. He gets back to 20 even with Mitch adds to versatility. Likely 40% from 3 after tonight. Showing off handle and defense. Him along with the entire team wasn’t giving effort. Precious with effort helps us I remember last year.

Probably true for most (bench) players, but 20 mpg seems to be the Precious sweet spot of minutes.
Enough to get in the flow, not enough to get exposed.

[Clyde_Style]

Precious a kind of a weird player. He's good, but not great.
He's been playing REALLY well last, what, 10 games?

Feels like he's more valuable to the Knicks than he is on another team. I think he stays and they find a way to give him some more $

One thing many have already noted that when Brunson sits there's a ton of ball advancement via passing instead of dribbling and Precious was a big part of that. We were great with Brunson on the court and off the court tonight which was pretty cool. Precious played a smart game + moved the ball very well + hustled + was a competent creator off the dribble as well. Sometimes, like OG, he starts feeling himself and tries to take on his man and he sort comes off the rails. But tonight he kept going and didn't fall into the usual traps and turn it over. This plus version of Precious was actually an offensive threat. If he can maintain that then Thibs will put a Precious poster over the ceiling mirror in his bedroom.

Precious needed to find his way. Hard to do that in 10 mins. He gets back to 20 even with Mitch adds to versatility. Likely 40% from 3 after tonight. Showing off handle and defense. Him along with the entire team wasn’t giving effort. Precious with effort helps us I remember last year.

Precious and Bridges amping up the defense does work wonders

I am liking it when the team goes after the Point of Attack, though with Jokic that's a different strategy I think KAT will be up for

[Capn'O]

The FO may have crapped the bed there. They could have locked him up on a reasonable deal, but he could walk to the highest bidder next season

I'm fairly certain we keep his Birds because we've had him on consecutive contracts and signed him with Bird rights.

Very different scenario from iHart.

Yeah, we have his bird rights, I think if he's on the team after the deadline we resign him. He's valuable IMO, his ability to guard in the paint and on the perimeter is important.

I agree. Some team could still offer a big deal that we don't want to match but otherwise we're in the driver's seat.

[F N 11]

I know despite Thibs being one of the best coaches in Knicks history, how many people don’t trust that he knows what he’s doing, maybe just maybe Thibs and the front office preferred the starters playing huge minutes the first 40 games to speed up the gelling process, plus having a healhy deuce and healthy precious means thibs has not only the trust but the confidence in the bench..

Confidence or not he needs to play the guys. The evidence is showing back back 140 point games and playing with more energy.

[The KnicksFix]

Anti Thibs crowd when we win: see this is a championship contender!!

Anti Thibs crowd when we lose: we will never be a championship contender with Thibs

Make it make sense

Makes about as much sense as you all of sudden caring about defense after the 2024 off-season

Dude is mad that Thibs has you looking dumb

How bro? He went to the 9 man rotation that we have been asking for, and what’d ya know? It’s exactly what the anti-thibs crowd has been asking for!

[Clyde_Style]

Confidence or not he needs to play the guys. The evidence is showing back back 140 point games and playing with more energy.

That we have scored this much by expanding the rotation certainly validates our point

[NoDopeOnSundays]

I'm fairly certain we keep his Birds because we've had him on consecutive contracts and signed him with Bird rights.

Very different scenario from iHart.

Yeah, we have his bird rights, I think if he's on the team after the deadline we resign him. He's valuable IMO, his ability to guard in the paint and on the perimeter is important.

I agree. Some team could still offer a big deal that we don't want to match but otherwise we're in the driver's seat.

I think they have to make a decision on Precious vs Mitch, because if Precious does get an offer, I think it'll be similar to Jared Vanderbilt's.

[Clyde_Style]

Yeah, we have his bird rights, I think if he's on the team after the deadline we resign him. He's valuable IMO, his ability to guard in the paint and on the perimeter is important.

I agree. Some team could still offer a big deal that we don't want to match but otherwise we're in the driver's seat.

I think they have to make a decision on Precious vs Mitch, because if Precious does get an offer, I think it'll be similar to Jared Vanderbilt's.

We will still need additional size for certain matchups whether it is Mitch or Hukporti or someone we acquire

[thebuzzardman]

Yeah, we have his bird rights, I think if he's on the team after the deadline we resign him. He's valuable IMO, his ability to guard in the paint and on the perimeter is important.

I agree. Some team could still offer a big deal that we don't want to match but otherwise we're in the driver's seat.

I think they have to make a decision on Precious vs Mitch, because if Precious does get an offer, I think it'll be similar to Jared Vanderbilt's.

Bye Mitch!

[Capn'O]

Yeah, we have his bird rights, I think if he's on the team after the deadline we resign him. He's valuable IMO, his ability to guard in the paint and on the perimeter is important.

I agree. Some team could still offer a big deal that we don't want to match but otherwise we're in the driver's seat.

I think they have to make a decision on Precious vs Mitch, because if Precious does get an offer, I think it'll be similar to Jared Vanderbilt's.

Makes sense. I've oft compared those two players.

Hard to say until we see what we have with Mitch.

[F N 11]

Why is Memphis considered one of the better defenses in the league? What did I miss? I was also excited to see their offense after hearing about their new assistant coach's offense. I thought they were supposed to send waves of players at you with constant energy, movement, pace and just overwhelm you or something. They just looked sloppy at times.

We didn’t get to see it tonight we locked up. If we didn’t block their shot it got deflected.

[thebuzzardman]

How come the super modern extra special movement not Thibs offense took like 20 less 3 pointers than Dinosaur Thibs offense?

[snadler]

Confidence or not he needs to play the guys. The evidence is showing back back 140 point games and playing with more energy.

That we have scored this much by expanding the rotation certainly validates our point

Yes, but as i said maybe the first 40 was more about using the starters more for them to gel quicker, and now that they seemed to be clicking, thibs is using the bench more, AND having a healthy Deuce and healthy precious makes it easier to play the bench more, it’s all connected.

[F N 11]

What can you say about Kat. He's incredible!
Remember when people thought Kat was not an upgrade over Randle. Real talk there were reasonable people who legit thought that

Randle gone now 30 assist is normal. His leash was too weird here. Got better with a point guard was still weird.

[JayTWill]

The FO may have crapped the bed there. They could have locked him up on a reasonable deal, but he could walk to the highest bidder next season

I'm fairly certain we keep his Birds because we've had him on consecutive contracts and signed him with Bird rights.

Very different scenario from iHart.

Yeah, we have his bird rights, I think if he's on the team after the deadline we resign him. He's valuable IMO, his ability to guard in the paint and on the perimeter is important.

Honestly after seeing him benched last postseason then seeing him not re-signed almost a month into free agency he didn't seem like much of a priority to the team. I thought they were just looking for someone else to take the $5.2M taxpayer MLE and would offer Precious whatever was left under the apron but when they couldn't find any takers they just gave Precious a 1 year deal where he had to waive his no-trade clause basically making him a human $6M trade exemption they could use to get someone they really wanted.

Maybe that was never the plan or maybe the plan changed after they got KAT. I think the numbers show the team is performing well with him at the 4 next to KAT at the 5 but not so well with Precious at the 5. Maybe it is the lack of size or rebounding. I don't know. He was in Thibs trust circle last February too but out of the rotation by the end of the year. I'm curious how Thibs will use him if and when Mitch returns.

[HEZI]

If only we had a competent coach like the Grizzlies

[KnicksGadfly]

I can't believe we just beat a good team even though we were forced to give minutes to the worst bench in the world!

Worst? No.

Middling or like top of the bottom 1/3rd? Yes.

Yet it can still be true Thibs is a maniac for not playing them more minutes

Yea I was being a bit sarcastic here. I think there are some people who are so maniacal about defending Thibs that he can’t be wrong - it must be the bench that is historically trash

[F N 11]

One thing many have already noted that when Brunson sits there's a ton of ball advancement via passing instead of dribbling and Precious was a big part of that. We were great with Brunson on the court and off the court tonight which was pretty cool. Precious played a smart game + moved the ball very well + hustled + was a competent creator off the dribble as well. Sometimes, like OG, he starts feeling himself and tries to take on his man and he sort comes off the rails. But tonight he kept going and didn't fall into the usual traps and turn it over. This plus version of Precious was actually an offensive threat. If he can maintain that then Thibs will put a Precious poster over the ceiling mirror in his bedroom.

Precious needed to find his way. Hard to do that in 10 mins. He gets back to 20 even with Mitch adds to versatility. Likely 40% from 3 after tonight. Showing off handle and defense. Him along with the entire team wasn’t giving effort. Precious with effort helps us I remember last year.

Precious and Bridges amping up the defense does work wonders

I am liking it when the team goes after the Point of Attack, though with Jokic that's a different strategy I think KAT will be up for

Kat take matchups seriously. Does not look outmatched against Star centers.

[Clyde_Style]

Confidence or not he needs to play the guys. The evidence is showing back back 140 point games and playing with more energy.

That we have scored this much by expanding the rotation certainly validates our point

Yes, but as i said maybe the first 40 was more about using the starters more for them to gel quicker, and now that they seemed to be clicking, thibs is using the bench more, AND having a healthy Deuce and healthy precious makes it easier to play the bench more, it’s all connected.

Whatever logic you wish to justify anything, a 7 man rotation was never going to be sustainable. Expanding the rotation now is a big deal, so instead of flaming Thibs tonight I am actually saying this is the direction we needed to go. That is all. Don't overthink this. It had to happen or else the season would go into the toilet eventually. If Thibs can do this, then we'll contend if we can avoid any major injuries.

I've never crapped on the roster. I've defended OG when most of the board was raining hate down on him when he looked atrocious lately. I've defended Bridges when he had a short-term gas out to begin this month.

Know whom you're talking to. I'm not randomly hating on Thibs. Those players I defended need some rest to be effective, even Bridges the reigning iron man of the NBA. It's not a big deal if you're being sensible about it. You cannot have your starters be the top 5 in minutes played and not pay the piper eventually.

[Tron Carter]

good to see KAT’s 3 ball falling again. game back from boston..