PG: First road loss in this playoff

[St Knick]

wasted a game where mitch hit every free throw

... and Hart couldn't miss from three.

argument can be made those opportunities were there b/c that what Boston wanted us to take. Leave Hart open. Hack-a-Mitch.
Rest of the team, particularly WingStop, needs to be more consistent on offense.

[2020]

The game was close until the refs decided to screw the Knicks in the 3rd quarter. We'll close it out tomorrow and convincingly.

I thought we had them on the ropes in the 2nd...we were up 9 later in that qtr...and we gave BOS all the momentum by letting them tie it going into half. I thought we played some really poor defense which really started in the late 2nd qtr and then just carried into the 3rd.

Yes the refs really start the onslaught in the 3rd with getting us into the penalty within a couple minutes. But there was also a lot of dumb fouls by both KAT and Brunson which were legit.

I do think we had a chance to regain control in the 3rd if Thibs just trusted his bench and went to Mitch/McBride earlier. He left the starters in way too long. Especially with KAT having 4 fouls

BINGO!

[Wildcat]

Hart is shooting 38% from 3 in the series and made more 3s last night than the other starters combined.

It would be nice if our actual shooters could shoot

Hart has more 3PTM than KAT has 3PTA.

There’s another starter who’s gotten plenty of attempts but he’s shooting only 25%

I wish that shot was more consistent, but at least he isn't dead weight on the other end. His 4th quarter efficient has been great to lean on.

[MrDollarBills]

Read on Twitter

Unbelievable.

[St Knick]

man we gotta have the most bipolar fanbase on here

-iHart should have been kept(he was AWFUL last playoffs defensively and been ok this year)
-KAT trade was awful(no it wasn't)
-OG is overpaid(no he isn't)
-5 pick not worth it again(yes they were)
-Brunson is to small to be a 1

the overreaction on the highs and lows of wins and losses are exhausting to read through on here, after boston gets blown out Friday everyone will be back on board, when they go up 3-0 vs IND everyone will be on a high, after a game 4 loss we will be choking a 3-0 lead.

BREATH man breath, refs handed the celtics a game in the 3rd, if you were watching that game objectively and can't see that idk what to tell you. Brunson 6 fouls in a quarter? Boston 20 FTA in a quarter? we will just have 2 less days off before indiana and that might not be the worst thing, Pacers going to be sitting around for an entire week waiting.

Amen to that.
Big picture: we're still up 3-2, there best player is out, and we got a golden opportunity to close out in 6. This Knicks team isn't a "sweep and mop the floor" with the other team outfit. We win close games better than anyone. Brunson has a habit of being brilliant after tough losses. I still love our chances

[Wildcat]

Read on Twitter

Towns should have been guarding Kornet

This is the **** he's subtly being called out for by his team. That was stupid.

[Jeff Van Gully]

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Towns should have been guarding Kornet

This is the **** he's subtly being called out for by his team. That was stupid.

i love thibs and hate seeing that. and if it does him in, we can't help him.

[Jeff Van Gully]

man we gotta have the most bipolar fanbase on here

-iHart should have been kept(he was AWFUL last playoffs defensively and been ok this year)
-KAT trade was awful(no it wasn't)
-OG is overpaid(no he isn't)
-5 pick not worth it again(yes they were)
-Brunson is to small to be a 1

the overreaction on the highs and lows of wins and losses are exhausting to read through on here, after boston gets blown out Friday everyone will be back on board, when they go up 3-0 vs IND everyone will be on a high, after a game 4 loss we will be choking a 3-0 lead.

BREATH man breath, refs handed the celtics a game in the 3rd, if you were watching that game objectively and can't see that idk what to tell you. Brunson 6 fouls in a quarter? Boston 20 FTA in a quarter? we will just have 2 less days off before indiana and that might not be the worst thing, Pacers going to be sitting around for an entire week waiting.

Amen to that.
Big picture: we're still up 3-2, there best player is out, and we got a golden opportunity to close out in 6. This Knicks team isn't a "sweep and mop the floor" with the other team outfit. We win close games better than anyone. Brunson has a habit of being brilliant after tough losses. I still love our chances

can't get too high or too low too soon.

it hurts when it hurts though.

[kNicksGmen]

Minimum salary player Kortney destroyed Max KAT

except Kornet guarded hart

[kNicksGmen]

Read on Twitter

KAT just doing KAT things on defense. He was supposed to roll back to Kornet so OG could stay on Brown. KAT just walking around aimlessly forcing OG to guard two guys. It's not the first time it's happened and it definitely won't be the last.

meh you don't know what the coverage is. to me the whole game they were doubling the ball handler on screens which had to have been the gameplan so that's on the coach. the 2nd screen was on Kat so Brunson should have dropped and got in front of kornet because at that point there was nothing Kat could do. Maybe Kat shouldn't have been up on the screen to begin with? we saw PLENTY of similar examples where Kat was not in the action and the celtics got a wide open 3 or drive to the rim. The defensive coverages were terrible all night.

[mpharris36]

Read on Twitter

KAT just doing KAT things on defense. He was supposed to roll back to Kornet so OG could stay on Brown. KAT just walking around aimlessly forcing OG to guard two guys. It's not the first time it's happened and it definitely won't be the last.

meh you don't know what the coverage is. to me the whole game they were doubling the ball handler on screens which had to have been the gameplan so that's on the coach. the 2nd screen was on Kat so Brunson should have dropped and got in front of kornet because at that point there was nothing Kat could do. Maybe Kat shouldn't have been up on the screen to begin with? we saw PLENTY of similar examples where Kat was not in the action and the celtics got a wide open 3 or drive to the rim. The defensive coverages were terrible all night.

they certainly look way to confused on coverages and matchups this late in the playoffs...its not just a KAT thing. I see Hart and Brunson confused a lot as well.

Its like they allow Mikal and OG to fight through screens if they can but if they can't the switch. Which I get that...its does leave some ambiguity for KAT to make last second decisions on if he has to switch or hedge and recover. In this instance how is he suppose to see the follow up screen...that is 100% on Brunson to start communicating that he is being backed screened.

[nykfan42]

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Exactly. How many times can this happen? It's got to stop. It's beyond frustrating to watch them shoot 3's every possession. Even worse when half of them are wide open.

[Jeff Van Gully]

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Exactly. How many times can this happen? It's got to stop. It's beyond frustrating to watch them shoot 3's every possession. Even worse when half of them are wide open.

the Celtics put you in sophie's choice.

if you fully commit to defending the three, and you somehow survive the barrage of screens... you probably die a death of 1000 back cuts.

so in SOME sense i understand living with the lower percentage shots. but... i got nothin right now.

[HEZI]

Hart has more 3PTM than KAT has 3PTA.

There’s another starter who’s gotten plenty of attempts but he’s shooting only 25%

I wish that shot was more consistent, but at least he isn't dead weight on the other end. His 4th quarter efficient has been great to lean on.

His shot is very inconsistent. He just can’t get hot from outside like he’s the only starter who hasn’t been able to make more than 3 3s in a game. Everybody else has had at least one game where they are on fire except him.

[sol537]

Stay at home on Smart and Prichard. Don't rotate off of them.

Instead, force Brown and Jrue to play 1-on-1 hero ball and force them to shoot the step back three. I don't have faith in those two to be consistent threats from deep all game.

[mpharris36]

Read on Twitter

turrable!!!!

this is the start of the game...everyone should be fresh...hart jogging back on defense...Mikal only one looking like he's communicating who has who. Hart just doesn't really make a move to anyone...KAT thinks no one has KP so he gets caught sinking into the paint too far and then a wide open corner 3 for there first shot.

just inexcusable stuff.

[Context]

The game was close until the refs decided to screw the Knicks in the 3rd quarter. We'll close it out tomorrow and convincingly.

It's interesting because I can admit that the Knicks were NOT playing their version of Elite defense from the beginning. YET, for the first time in the last
5 play-off games the Knicks were NOT trailing and were tied at the half. So, regardless of the fact that their defense was bad- their will had them in a good position.

Here is where the refs can change the momentum and make sure they give Brunson 5 fouls in one quarter. Just like they gave Flagg to Dallas after they TOOK Luka from Dallas. They can give the Boston fans game 5. This doesn't take anything away from how well the Celtics played. Two separate
events.

At this point all I want is a WIN. ANNNND... I know the Knicks will get one. I'm just hoping for Brunson to figure out (along with Thibs) how to put Kat in a position not to fail. Another separate point from Kat making himself a liability with his dumb fouls.

[spree8]

Thibs critics been saying since before day one:

1: switch heavy defense, no drop
2: bring Hart off the bench, start Deuce- go 5 out
3: take a lot more 3’s
4: put the ball in Mikal’s hands more
5: run more plays for KAT, get some 2 man game w Mikal/Jalen


Everything last night was the opposite of this. Still not adjusting to use Mitch at the right times either.

[nykfan42]

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Exactly. How many times can this happen? It's got to stop. It's beyond frustrating to watch them shoot 3's every possession. Even worse when half of them are wide open.

the Celtics put you in sophie's choice.

if you fully commit to defending the three, and you somehow survive the barrage of screens... you probably die a death of 1000 back cuts.

so in SOME sense i understand living with the lower percentage shots. but... i got nothin right now.

Good point. The three is what is killing them tho. Once they get 2-3 in a row game over. They have rhythm etc.

[MrDollarBills]

Read on Twitter

turrable!!!!

this is the start of the game...everyone should be fresh...hart jogging back on defense...Mikal only one looking like he's communicating who has who. Hart just doesn't really make a move to anyone...KAT thinks no one has KP so he gets caught sinking into the paint too far and then a wide open corner 3 for there first shot.

just inexcusable stuff.

I don't understand how they come out so unprepared.