GT: ECF: GAME 2 @Knicks vs Pacers: Fri: 5/23/25: TNT; 8pm

[Spida888]

Tough loss on game 1, but not all is lost. The silver lining is it may be a blessing in disguise, honing your mental focus for the future. Got to play smart and play hard for the entire game.

I recall in 2018-2019, when the Raps were down 0-2 to the Bucks in the ECF, many fans thought it was over but we stormed back. You're only down 0-1, still lots of games to play.

Good luck in game 2.

[MrDollarBills]

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Unbelievable

I'm about to ask a dumb question. Please humor me.

Do we have an analytics team??

I'm dead ass. Do we? Because fans shouldn't be the only ones looking at this and realizing that the starting unit as constructed hurts this team?

And yes, I absolutely think Josh needs to come off the bench.

[sol537]

We should start Mitch / KAT / OG / Bridges / JB.

Hart and Deuce should come in for KAT and Bridges after 4 minutes of game time.

Then KAT and Bridges should return for Mitch and JB after 6 more minutes of game time.

You stagger KAT and JB as much as possible.

Thibs gonna Thibs tho.

[MrDollarBills]

no bird bath is crazy. you from the hood fr.

Make a quick stop at the bathroom sink in her mama's house and be on your way.

jesus.

remember: fresh soap on just the junk fails the taraji test too.

Sometimes you gotta get to your next location in a hurry after handling business and you can't have her scent markers on you.

....is what 20 year old MDB used to think.

We don't condone bird bathing in 2025. We grown. We adult. We don't whore* anymore.

*by whore, I am talking about myself, not a woman.

[Context]

I trust what comes out of Mikal's mouth regarding Defense. Mikal said that they relaxed with the lead and stopped communicating.
This team needs to hang their hats on defense. We have that edge vs Indy and we need to use it. No relaxing-- suffocate Indy.

[Jeff Van Gully]

I’ve been preaching it
Since Mitch came back
Bench Hart
Play Mitch

Mitch KAT og Mikal jb

Deuce and hart off the bench and if u want a back up big, play precious. With Delon

This POS coach doesn’t deviate and it’s maddening. He is the weakest link of the team

start that lineup and get shot out of the gym in the first quarter

We almost got shot out the gym in the first quarter without it

turn that almost into a definite.

you think the perimeter rotations would be better with mitch instead of josh?

[Jeff Van Gully]

I trust what comes out of Mikal's mouth regarding Defense. Mikal said that they relaxed with the lead and stopped communicating.
This team needs to hang their hats on defense. We have that edge vs Indy and we need to use it. No relaxing-- suffocate Indy.

until the final horn

[MrDollarBills]

I trust what comes out of Mikal's mouth regarding Defense. Mikal said that they relaxed with the lead and stopped communicating.
This team needs to hang their hats on defense. We have that edge vs Indy and we need to use it. No relaxing-- suffocate Indy.

This is a reoccurring issue. The communication is GREAT after we get our asses embarrassed. But before that? Dudes shut their mouths and look at each other confused when someone's assignment slips open.

[MrDollarBills]

start that lineup and get shot out of the gym in the first quarter

We almost got shot out the gym in the first quarter without it

turn that almost into a definite.

you think the perimeter rotations would be better with mitch instead of josh?

I would start Deuce tbh. Mitch isn't playing more than 20 mins anyway.

[mpharris36]

It's the 3 wings, they are all + when the other 2 are off the court. Looking at the numbers more, it's specifically Mikal and OG are actually deeply in the negative when it's just them and no Josh, while the 2-man groups including josh are +30-35. But weirdly enough, when they're all on their own we are between +10-16 net rating, with Mikal having the highest number oddly enough.


Eye test has been correct too, Deuce has been better than both Mikal and OG so far, we're +10 when he's on the court and -5 when he's off. So, more Deuce.

Why is it too late to change it...honestly I feel a big reason is because Duece plays alot of his minutes with Mitch and vice versa. I think the knicks have proven we play better when we stagger Brunson/KAT.

Just look at the lineups.

Brunson/KAT 2-man -3.4

Brunson/Mitch 2 man +12.5
McBride/KAT 2 man +14.9

Its a lot to ask of the wings to defend at a high level trying to cover up for 2 bad defenders.

Lets say for optic reasons...you don't want to change the lineup to upset anyone...you don't have to play them 7 straight minutes to start the game and you certainly don't have to have that group finish the game when it's our worst NET rating group.

Our worst 2-man defensive rating lineup in Brunson/KAT at 116.2

Brunson with Mitch moves our DEF rating all the way down to 107.6

KAT with Mcbride move out DEF rating all the way down to 98 (which is wild).

What I can't understand is how bad of a pairing Mikal and OG are together for whatever reason the OFF goes to **** with both of them...and the defense isn't super impactful but I think that has a lot to do with most of the time when they are playing together they are playing with Brunson/KAT.

I think it's too late, he won't bench Josh and he doesn't have the courage to sit Mikal or OG, because Deuce has been better than both throughout the playoffs.

Realistically, Wright should be part of the rotation, if it's even just for 5 minutes. The numbers have been saying this starting 5 is cooked since January, they should start Mitch but he doesn't trust Precious and doesn't really stagger lineups well either.

But you see what other teams are doing. They are either screening Mikal or OG off the ball and then taking the the play because both brunson and KAT are being targeted. So there defensive value isn't impacting as we have to switch or we have to deal with brunson hedge and recover or KAT drop which we know is a disaster.

Look at the 3-man groups. Even Mitch can't save the Brunson/KAT combo. Mcbride is actually one of the few positives with Brunson and KAT but it's much lower than his other lineups.

[NoDopeOnSundays]

start that lineup and get shot out of the gym in the first quarter

We almost got shot out the gym in the first quarter without it

turn that almost into a definite.

you think the perimeter rotations would be better with mitch instead of josh?

I'd start Mitch over Bridges at this point, the on/off net ratings are not kind to him, he is the sore thumb out of all the guys. And if they're afraid to start Mitch, I'd go with Deuce over Bridges as well.

[Jeff Van Gully]

We almost got shot out the gym in the first quarter without it

turn that almost into a definite.

you think the perimeter rotations would be better with mitch instead of josh?

I would start Deuce tbh. Mitch isn't playing more than 20 mins anyway.

that makes way more sense to me.

double big works really well against second units. we stagger the bigs a bit.

[Jeff Van Gully]

We almost got shot out the gym in the first quarter without it

turn that almost into a definite.

you think the perimeter rotations would be better with mitch instead of josh?

I'd start Mitch over Bridges at this point, the on/off net ratings are not kind to him, he is the sore thumb out of all the guys. And if they're afraid to start Mitch, I'd go with Deuce over Bridges as well.

the double bigs is my concern. i feel like having kat chase wings around more often instead of keeping him on opposing bigs more would lead to a lot of open perimeter looks.

[MrDollarBills]

Why is it too late to change it...honestly I feel a big reason is because Duece plays alot of his minutes with Mitch and vice versa. I think the knicks have proven we play better when we stagger Brunson/KAT.

Just look at the lineups.

Brunson/KAT 2-man -3.4

Brunson/Mitch 2 man +12.5
McBride/KAT 2 man +14.9

Its a lot to ask of the wings to defend at a high level trying to cover up for 2 bad defenders.

Lets say for optic reasons...you don't want to change the lineup to upset anyone...you don't have to play them 7 straight minutes to start the game and you certainly don't have to have that group finish the game when it's our worst NET rating group.

Our worst 2-man defensive rating lineup in Brunson/KAT at 116.2

Brunson with Mitch moves our DEF rating all the way down to 107.6

KAT with Mcbride move out DEF rating all the way down to 98 (which is wild).

What I can't understand is how bad of a pairing Mikal and OG are together for whatever reason the OFF goes to **** with both of them...and the defense isn't super impactful but I think that has a lot to do with most of the time when they are playing together they are playing with Brunson/KAT.

I think it's too late, he won't bench Josh and he doesn't have the courage to sit Mikal or OG, because Deuce has been better than both throughout the playoffs.

Realistically, Wright should be part of the rotation, if it's even just for 5 minutes. The numbers have been saying this starting 5 is cooked since January, they should start Mitch but he doesn't trust Precious and doesn't really stagger lineups well either.

But you see what other teams are doing. They are either screening Mikal or OG off the ball and then taking the the play because both brunson and KAT are being targeted. So there defensive value isn't impacting as we have to switch or we have to deal with brunson hedge and recover or KAT drop which we know is a disaster.

Look at the 3-man groups. Even Mitch can't save the Brunson/KAT combo. Mcbride is actually one of the few positives with Brunson and KAT but it's much lower than his other lineups.

If we can't win this year we may seriously need to explore breaking JB and KAT up.

[MrDollarBills]

turn that almost into a definite.

you think the perimeter rotations would be better with mitch instead of josh?

I would start Deuce tbh. Mitch isn't playing more than 20 mins anyway.

that makes way more sense to me.

double big works really well against second units. we stagger the bigs a bit.

Yep. Play 5 out and let the double bigs punish their 2nd unit

[Jeff Van Gully]

I think it's too late, he won't bench Josh and he doesn't have the courage to sit Mikal or OG, because Deuce has been better than both throughout the playoffs.

Realistically, Wright should be part of the rotation, if it's even just for 5 minutes. The numbers have been saying this starting 5 is cooked since January, they should start Mitch but he doesn't trust Precious and doesn't really stagger lineups well either.

But you see what other teams are doing. They are either screening Mikal or OG off the ball and then taking the the play because both brunson and KAT are being targeted. So there defensive value isn't impacting as we have to switch or we have to deal with brunson hedge and recover or KAT drop which we know is a disaster.

Look at the 3-man groups. Even Mitch can't save the Brunson/KAT combo. Mcbride is actually one of the few positives with Brunson and KAT but it's much lower than his other lineups.

If we can't win this year we may seriously need to explore breaking JB and KAT up.

we just put them together. we are in the ECF immediately.

[NoDopeOnSundays]

I also just don't understand why we will not give Wright a chance, he played in the playoffs last year with Miami. The Pacers have more trust in a 2nd year random guy like Ben Sheppard, it's ridiculous.

They put Sheppard on the court simply to make Jalen work, nothing else, anything else he gave them was gravy.

[MrDollarBills]

But you see what other teams are doing. They are either screening Mikal or OG off the ball and then taking the the play because both brunson and KAT are being targeted. So there defensive value isn't impacting as we have to switch or we have to deal with brunson hedge and recover or KAT drop which we know is a disaster.

Look at the 3-man groups. Even Mitch can't save the Brunson/KAT combo. Mcbride is actually one of the few positives with Brunson and KAT but it's much lower than his other lineups.

If we can't win this year we may seriously need to explore breaking JB and KAT up.

we just put them together. we are in the ECF immediately.

I know, and it sounds as crazy as saying we should fire Tom right now.

But I'm just thinking about how we can really sustain this with our 1 and 5 being negatives defensively.

[RHODEY]

It's the 3 wings, they are all + when the other 2 are off the court. Looking at the numbers more, it's specifically Mikal and OG are actually deeply in the negative when it's just them and no Josh, while the 2-man groups including josh are +30-35. But weirdly enough, when they're all on their own we are between +10-16 net rating, with Mikal having the highest number oddly enough.


Eye test has been correct too, Deuce has been better than both Mikal and OG so far, we're +10 when he's on the court and -5 when he's off. So, more Deuce.

Why is it too late to change it...honestly I feel a big reason is because Duece plays alot of his minutes with Mitch and vice versa. I think the knicks have proven we play better when we stagger Brunson/KAT.

Just look at the lineups.

Brunson/KAT 2-man -3.4

Brunson/Mitch 2 man +12.5
McBride/KAT 2 man +14.9

Its a lot to ask of the wings to defend at a high level trying to cover up for 2 bad defenders.

Lets say for optic reasons...you don't want to change the lineup to upset anyone...you don't have to play them 7 straight minutes to start the game and you certainly don't have to have that group finish the game when it's our worst NET rating group.

Our worst 2-man defensive rating lineup in Brunson/KAT at 116.2

Brunson with Mitch moves our DEF rating all the way down to 107.6

KAT with Mcbride move out DEF rating all the way down to 98 (which is wild).

What I can't understand is how bad of a pairing Mikal and OG are together for whatever reason the OFF goes to **** with both of them...and the defense isn't super impactful but I think that has a lot to do with most of the time when they are playing together they are playing with Brunson/KAT.

I think it's too late, he won't bench Josh and he doesn't have the courage to sit Mikal or OG, because Deuce has been better than both throughout the playoffs.

Realistically, Wright should be part of the rotation, if it's even just for 5 minutes. The numbers have been saying this starting 5 is cooked since January, they should start Mitch but he doesn't trust Precious and doesn't really stagger lineups well either.

Wright was lucky to get 5 seconds last night...Thibs better wake up.

[Jeff Van Gully]

If we can't win this year we may seriously need to explore breaking JB and KAT up.

we just put them together. we are in the ECF immediately.

I know, and it sounds as crazy as saying we should fire Tom right now.

But I'm just thinking about how we can really sustain this with our 1 and 5 being negatives defensively.

don’t give away 17-point 4th quarter leads