PG: why are you still watching the Celtics pound the Knicks at MSG?

[K_ick_God]

On the legit bright side:

- Knicks not getting good games from MB or KAT - or Deuce - and still had cut it to 3 in closing minutes of the third

- Thibs mindlessly doesn't challenge

- MB mindlessly fouls Tatum and then, shook, gives him too much space on the other side

- Knicks intimidated by Boston for no real good reason (another coaching fail?)

We can beat them but we need the coach to run plays for KAT ... or just run plays ... and we somehow are going to need MB to just make shots. None of that is so unlikely actually.

[GEOLINK]

Tired of losing to Boston.

[HEZI]

Why did KAT only get 8 shot attempts? Normally that would only be the case if the rest of the team was shooting and scoring well but that doesn’t seem to have been the case. He got less shot attempts than Cam Payne. That’s an issue

[Enzo954]

Why did KAT only get 8 shot attempts? Normally that would only be the case if the rest of the team was shooting and scoring well but that doesn’t seem to have been the case. He got less shot attempts than Cam Payne. That’s an issue

Because Thibs doesn't draw up plays for the most talented player on the team. It's been an ongoing problem with him.

[HEZI]

Why did KAT only get 8 shot attempts? Normally that would only be the case if the rest of the team was shooting and scoring well but that doesn’t seem to have been the case. He got less shot attempts than Cam Payne. That’s an issue

Because Thibs doesn't draw up plays for the most talented player on the team. It's been an ongoing problem with him.

Yeah that’s a problem, KAT shouldn’t be averaging 9 ppg on 8 shots a game for the season. Damnit Thibs

[Fat Kat]

Why did KAT only get 8 shot attempts? Normally that would only be the case if the rest of the team was shooting and scoring well but that doesn’t seem to have been the case. He got less shot attempts than Cam Payne. That’s an issue

Because Thibs doesn't draw up plays for the most talented player on the team. It's been an ongoing problem with him.

Correct culprit - wrong reason.

By starting Precious, we basically eliminated KAT’s paint and driving opportunities. His defender can guard against the 3 and not worry about the drive, because Precious’s defender is in the paint. Precious was absolutely useless last night. Should not have started. Should not ever start. Thibs corrected it in the second half. It was already too late.

[3toheadmelo]

Why did KAT only get 8 shot attempts? Normally that would only be the case if the rest of the team was shooting and scoring well but that doesn’t seem to have been the case. He got less shot attempts than Cam Payne. That’s an issue

Because Thibs doesn't draw up plays for the most talented player on the team. It's been an ongoing problem with him.

Yeah that’s a problem, KAT shouldn’t be averaging 9 ppg on 8 shots a game for the season. Damnit Thibs

He can’t score on teams that switch.

[Orange Mamba]

Why did KAT only get 8 shot attempts? Normally that would only be the case if the rest of the team was shooting and scoring well but that doesn’t seem to have been the case. He got less shot attempts than Cam Payne. That’s an issue

He was getting aggressively doubled while they were sagging off of Hart and Precious

[HEZI]

Read on Twitter

Oh this was brutal to watch. It’s why I don’t believe in a switch defense with KAT, he just can’t defend the perimeter. He also can’t defend the rim. You have to just be willing to accept that. So it’s hard to take this team serious as a contender when you got Brunson and KAT out there getting hunted like this. There is a cap on the ceiling of this team. It’s a good team but still a lot of weaknesses

[BrOnXKing1]

This team just doesnt have a great flow or chemistry we had last year. We can beat less talented teams based on talent but struggle against good teams.

Its basically JB trying to create and everyone standing around and watching. We also missing having a deadly shooter like what Divo provided last year.

[3toheadmelo]

Read on Twitter

Oh this was brutal to watch. It’s why I don’t believe in a switch defense with KAT, he just can’t defend the perimeter. He also can’t defend the rim. You have to just be willing to accept that. So it’s hard to take this team serious as a contender when you got Brunson and KAT out there getting hunted like this. There is a cap on the ceiling of this team. It’s a good team but still a lot of weaknesses

People using the injury excuse on KAT but they literally hunted him the same way on the opener. He’s a cone.

[K_ick_God]

If the NBA is going to call that foul on Deuce ... even after the guy lost the ball ... they're not going to have defensive intensity or comebacks

Without defensive intensity or comebacks, you're going to lose rivalries

It is compounded by the fact that if you give shooters this much comfort, they're not rushed, they're confident, and they can hit even deeper 3's and even more consistent 3's, making the games a snooze

[KOA]

Read on Twitter

Oh this was brutal to watch. It’s why I don’t believe in a switch defense with KAT, he just can’t defend the perimeter. He also can’t defend the rim. You have to just be willing to accept that. So it’s hard to take this team serious as a contender when you got Brunson and KAT out there getting hunted like this. There is a cap on the ceiling of this team. It’s a good team but still a lot of weaknesses

KAT just looks slow and lost on defense.

I would love to see Thibs try a zone to mix things up when teams are hunting KAT and Brunson successfully. Feels like every team has it in their arsenal to throw opponents off.

Guys like Bridges, OG, and KAT have crazy length that can disrupt passes and create deflections and turnovers in a zone defense

[KOA]

If the NBA is going to call that foul on Deuce ... even after the guy lost the ball ... they're not going to have defensive intensity or comebacks

Without defensive intensity or comebacks, you're going to lose rivalries

It is compounded by the fact that if you give shooters this much comfort, they're not rushed, they're confident, and they can hit even deeper 3's and even more consistent 3's, making the games a snooze

That’s on Thibs. You don’t gift your opponent 3 FTs when you could easily get it overturned with a challenge and regain momentum

[K_ick_God]

Further to the above, I suggest three possible rules changes:

1. If you are fouled on a 3, you get 3 FTs only if you hit the first 2. Miss the first, second is the last FT. Make the first, guys can get in the lane pending a make or miss. Put more pressure on the FT shooter. Make defenders slightly less worried about fouling and shooters a little less comfortable.

2. If you lose balance in a situation that is not off an offensive jump to the rim (the final jump), you're getting one FT UNLESS an exception applies. If a guy knocks you over intentionally, that's not a basketball play and they can get a flagrant so it's a shot and the ball or two shots and the ball or whatever the rule is now. No change on flagrants here. But if a guy falls down other than being tripped OR knocked down after he's already in the air, that's one FT and you lose the ball. No stumbling down or falling to the side or all this weak crap. The flop enforcing has been a total failure. Give offensive players an incentive to stay on their feet - that's important and regulates flopping in an effective way. This needs fine-tuning but is workable. Doesn't need to be reviewed by the ref, which would create more reviews and BS (unless it's a review on a flagrant). Ref judgment on whether a guy fell in the process of a basketball bump. If he stays up, he's getting two shots (assuming he got off a shot or you're in the penalty). If he's intentionally knocked over, he's getting two shots and the ball or whatever applies by way of flagrant (I've lost track).

3. If a defender claims a spot on the floor, like Deuce did on White's shot, at least from 3, no foul if his arms are straight up or like a little leeway with the hand bent toward the shooter -- not the arms, but the hand. Give the defender a modified offensive type call. Shooter can't lean into a space and get a call. I'm not even sure that this IS NOT ALREADY the rule, but give defenders the ability to plant one or two feet and claim space in the shot motion process.

[K_ick_God]

If the NBA is going to call that foul on Deuce ... even after the guy lost the ball ... they're not going to have defensive intensity or comebacks

Without defensive intensity or comebacks, you're going to lose rivalries

It is compounded by the fact that if you give shooters this much comfort, they're not rushed, they're confident, and they can hit even deeper 3's and even more consistent 3's, making the games a snooze

That’s on Thibs. You don’t gift your opponent 3 FTs when you could easily get it overturned with a challenge and regain momentum

Agreed but it's the call too

[HEZI]

Read on Twitter

Oh this was brutal to watch. It’s why I don’t believe in a switch defense with KAT, he just can’t defend the perimeter. He also can’t defend the rim. You have to just be willing to accept that. So it’s hard to take this team serious as a contender when you got Brunson and KAT out there getting hunted like this. There is a cap on the ceiling of this team. It’s a good team but still a lot of weaknesses

People using the injury excuse on KAT but they literally hunted him the same way on the opener. He’s a cone.

He’s always been terrible

[HEZI]

Read on Twitter

Oh this was brutal to watch. It’s why I don’t believe in a switch defense with KAT, he just can’t defend the perimeter. He also can’t defend the rim. You have to just be willing to accept that. So it’s hard to take this team serious as a contender when you got Brunson and KAT out there getting hunted like this. There is a cap on the ceiling of this team. It’s a good team but still a lot of weaknesses

KAT just looks slow and lost on defense.

I would love to see Thibs try a zone to mix things up when teams are hunting KAT and Brunson successfully. Feels like every team has it in their arsenal to throw opponents off.

Guys like Bridges, OG, and KAT have crazy length that can disrupt passes and create deflections and turnovers in a zone defense

I’ve suggested that before too, mix in some zone for a few stretches but that doesn’t really fix the long term problem since the zone can also be broken easily especially by the Celtics

[K_ick_God]

And by the way, my number 2 above would make drives more controlled. These guys go at full speed because they know they're getting a call.

[KnixinSix]

Read on Twitter

Oh this was brutal to watch. It’s why I don’t believe in a switch defense with KAT, he just can’t defend the perimeter. He also can’t defend the rim. You have to just be willing to accept that. So it’s hard to take this team serious as a contender when you got Brunson and KAT out there getting hunted like this. There is a cap on the ceiling of this team. It’s a good team but still a lot of weaknesses

People using the injury excuse on KAT but they literally hunted him the same way on the opener. He’s a cone.

Thibs is the bigger issue. Finch had Towns playing much better defensively.