Hot Topic - Quite Frankly; All Things Frank

[Spree2Houston]

Frank really needs to work on his handle this summer. He stops his dribble way too much for my liking. I never cared about his scoring as some do. What I do want from him is being the guy to initiate the offense and get guys the ball in their sweet spots ala Rajon Rondo. Rondo was never a scorer. But he's a great commander on the court. He makes the offense flow smoothly and that's what I want from Frank. A strong outside shooter with a strong command of the offense when he's on the court. By next year, we're probably adding another scorer from the draft along with a healthy KP. These guys will need their touches as well. It would be wise of Frank to work on his handle this summer and become a true ''Point Guard''.

[Thugger HBC]

Frank really needs to work on his handle this summer. He stops his dribble way too much for my liking. I never cared about his scoring as some do. What I do want from him is being the guy to initiate the offense and get guys the ball in their sweet spots ala Rajon Rondo. Rondo was never a scorer. But he's a great commander on the court. He makes the offense flow smoothly and that's what I want from Frank. A strong outside shooter with a strong command of the offense when he's on the court. By next year, we're probably adding another scorer from the draft along with a healthy KP. These guys will need their touches as well. It would be wise of Frank to work on his handle this summer and become a true ''Point Guard''.

Rondo despite not being a scoring guard still put up double figures averages in most of his NBA seasons, and that's without a three ball in his arsenal. Playoff Rondo certainly upped his offensive output.

If Frank turned into Rondo I think the whole board would be happy.

[prophet_of_rage]

Fizdale”yeah frank is our stopper Swiss Army knife..blah blah blah” knowing his offensive game is a huge work in progress then proceeds to hardly play him all season is hardly development. When it comes to basketball, It’s mistrust, it’s deception. You can hear it in Franks voice. If we were 26-9 fighting for a #1 seeed and frank was shooting 30% and dragging the team ,okay that’s one thing to slow down playing time but we are going to lose 60 games this year. No excuse.

Frank puts up games of 0 in every category. Think of that. He plays 30 minutes and will post a trillion (zero in every statistical category) What is the point of playing him if he is not aggressive. He will drive once a quarter. Your point guard drives once a quarter! Where can this guy be played if that's what he does when he's in his own head?

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THJ shooting since the POR game: 35% FG 33% 3PT

Frank shooting since the POR game : 35% FG 36% 3PT

THJ MPG since the POR game: 34.4 / 0 DNP-CDs

Frank MPG since the POR game 18.1 MPG / 4 DNP-CDs

It isn’t about the output. Stop using that as an excuse.

http://www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/4230547/frank-ntilikina
http://www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/2528210/tim-hardaway-jr

You really want to compare outputs? Stop cherry picking.

[Meat]

Frank really needs to work on his handle this summer. He stops his dribble way too much for my liking. I never cared about his scoring as some do. What I do want from him is being the guy to initiate the offense and get guys the ball in their sweet spots ala Rajon Rondo. Rondo was never a scorer. But he's a great commander on the court. He makes the offense flow smoothly and that's what I want from Frank. A strong outside shooter with a strong command of the offense when he's on the court. By next year, we're probably adding another scorer from the draft along with a healthy KP. These guys will need their touches as well. It would be wise of Frank to work on his handle this summer and become a true ''Point Guard''.

rondo did what he could because he could collapse defenses and get to the hole at will... something that takes balls. the one thing frank does not have. He's a momma's boy and it shows on the court,

[newyorker4ever]

I’m all for benching frank if he’s gonna respond the way he did last time. Hopefully this time it lasts. Everybody is making it about oh frank got benched again because he didn’t chuck shots. No, he was benched because he was being a net negative. His rebounding, defense, offense, everything took a dive. At the very least he has to find a way to stay aggressive on both ends if he wants to stay on the court. I hope he comes back hungry.


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I think what really bothers me is not playing the kid when his parents flew in from France and went to the game. I mean come on now. That's actually pretty bad on Fiz's part and Frank should be mad. 20 year old kid has his proud parents in for Christmas and to watch their kid play in the NBA and you can't play the kid on your losing lottery bound team.

[prophet_of_rage]

I’m all for benching frank if he’s gonna respond the way he did last time. Hopefully this time it lasts. Everybody is making it about oh frank got benched again because he didn’t chuck shots. No, he was benched because he was being a net negative. His rebounding, defense, offense, everything took a dive. At the very least he has to find a way to stay aggressive on both ends if he wants to stay on the court. I hope he comes back hungry.


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I think what really bothers me is not playing the kid when his parents flew in from France and went to the game. I mean come on now. That's actually pretty bad on Fiz's part and Frank should be mad. 20 year old kid has his proud parents in for Christmas and to watch their kid play in the NBA and you can't play the kid on your losing lottery bound team.

This isn't grade school, college or even a movie. So let's say he does play him and momma gets to see Frank's terrible play. Then what? Who cares? I'm sure she's fine with the cheque Frank gets. I'm pretty sure frank is more than content with the cheque he gets. He's not playing like he wants more.

[1999]

I’m all for benching frank if he’s gonna respond the way he did last time. Hopefully this time it lasts. Everybody is making it about oh frank got benched again because he didn’t chuck shots. No, he was benched because he was being a net negative. His rebounding, defense, offense, everything took a dive. At the very least he has to find a way to stay aggressive on both ends if he wants to stay on the court. I hope he comes back hungry.


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I think what really bothers me is not playing the kid when his parents flew in from France and went to the game. I mean come on now. That's actually pretty bad on Fiz's part and Frank should be mad. 20 year old kid has his proud parents in for Christmas and to watch their kid play in the NBA and you can't play the kid on your losing lottery bound team.

Lol, with all due respect this is ridiculous. Frank is not a child. This is a professional league not a rec league. Fiz doesn’t OWE Frank anything. This is the divide right here between us high on Frank and those of us not so high on him. Stop coddling him. Can you imagine how you would feel as a teammate who worked hard on his game all summer that you have to sit because your teammates family came to watch him play? Do you see how that sounds? Do you see the position that puts fiz in as coach? He’s the coach of the Knicks, not Franks personal coach. Therefore it is up to Frank to figure it out. Lastly, we can debate about whether fiz put Frank in the best situation to maximize his talent, I can respect that argument even if I disagree. However, even when Frank was getting 30 mins a game his play wasn’t all that inspiring. So that leads me to believe like many others that Frank just isn’t very good right now and I’ll trust the coach to do what it takes to reach him rather than expect him to give frank UNDESERVED minutes.


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[Thugger HBC]

I will admit, not playing Frank when Fiz probably knew his moms was in town is kinda foul. Maybe he was sparing both of them the embarrassment.

[Chanel Bomber]

Frank is a horrendous offensive basketball player right now. Both the eye test and advanced stats tell you that. Can he improve? Sure. But to what? Just bad? Average?

IMO the answer is to stop with the PG campaign- he doesn't have the explosiveness/ball handling needed to succeed at the role. No amount of growth or development will increase these traits to anything better than less than average.

Focus all energy on improving his outside shooting. There's good value in a knockdown shooter with defensive versatility. But with his current 35% from the field and 29% from 3point land he's unplayable.

I agree. Frank is not a point guard. He has none of the requisite skills. He doesn't make quick decisions with the ball, he has no creativity, he's afraid to make mistakes so he's reluctant to make plays, he's not a leader, his handle is weak and he can't blow past defenders because he lacks NBA athleticism. How some people still view him as a point guard is baffling to me. He's not a point guard, he just defers to his teammates because the NBA level is simply too high for him right now (and always will be in my opinion).

First priority should be teaching him how to cut to the basket. He does nothing off the ball right now. He just stands there hoping he won't have to shoot the ball. Have him watch tape of Toney Allen cutting to the rim. That skill alone is probably not enough to stick in the NBA long-term with the way the game is played, but it's a start. At least keep the defender on his toes. And then of course work on his jumpshot. The mechanics are fine. So it's on him to stay in the gym and work on that shot day in and day out. It's on him and no one else. I personally don't think he has the drive, but if he does improve his jumper, only he will deserve credit.

[1999]

I hate to break it to you but there are plenty of net negatives on this team....especially guys currently starting....

Ok, then my argument remains we continue to go in circles when it comes to blaming fiz (I’m not saying you specifically). The coach can only play who is on his roster and I trust him to make that decision. Everybody outside of Tim has been benched at one point this season. I agree, there is a lot of dead weight on the roster. Either way, Frank can’t have games where he’s literally filling up the box scores with zeros. We can agree to disagree about the effectiveness of the benching but I think/hope in the long run he will get the edge he needs. Otherwise, yes what’s the point in not playing him in the gleague. He needs reps. Let’s see how he responds.


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well to be fair the only lineup that he went away from that was playing defense was a NET positive lineup and that including Frank...so however you want to see it is fine but Fiz is all over the place right now.

This is fair. That lineup should’ve been given more time. Knicks played better as a TEAM. I still want to see more from Frank individually. When he surfaces from this benching it will be for the betterment of the team because we know he won’t just turn into Tim. That unselfishness is going nowhere. He has to just learn to be assertive and stay that way all game.


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[Chanel Bomber]

I’m all for benching frank if he’s gonna respond the way he did last time. Hopefully this time it lasts. Everybody is making it about oh frank got benched again because he didn’t chuck shots. No, he was benched because he was being a net negative. His rebounding, defense, offense, everything took a dive. At the very least he has to find a way to stay aggressive on both ends if he wants to stay on the court. I hope he comes back hungry.


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I think what really bothers me is not playing the kid when his parents flew in from France and went to the game. I mean come on now. That's actually pretty bad on Fiz's part and Frank should be mad. 20 year old kid has his proud parents in for Christmas and to watch their kid play in the NBA and you can't play the kid on your losing lottery bound team.

The NBA is a professional league. You can make the argument Frank deserves playing time, but not because Mom and Dad flew across the Atlantic to watch him play. That's their decision and not Fizdale's. That's not Fiz's responsibility. It's absurd how some people treat him like a child.

If Frank is mad, then good for him. I want him to be mad. He needs to work harder on his game to stay in the NBA, so if anger fuels him, we'll all benefit from it. Be mad. Show that you care. But this is on you.

[1999]

I’m all for benching frank if he’s gonna respond the way he did last time. Hopefully this time it lasts. Everybody is making it about oh frank got benched again because he didn’t chuck shots. No, he was benched because he was being a net negative. His rebounding, defense, offense, everything took a dive. At the very least he has to find a way to stay aggressive on both ends if he wants to stay on the court. I hope he comes back hungry.


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I think what really bothers me is not playing the kid when his parents flew in from France and went to the game. I mean come on now. That's actually pretty bad on Fiz's part and Frank should be mad. 20 year old kid has his proud parents in for Christmas and to watch their kid play in the NBA and you can't play the kid on your losing lottery bound team.

The NBA is a professional league. You can make the argument Frank deserves playing time, but not because Mom and Dad flew across the Atlantic to watch him play. That's their decision and not Fizdale's. That's not Fiz's responsibility. It's absurd how some people treat him like a child.

If Frank is mad, then good for him. I want him to be mad. He needs to work harder on his game to stay in the NBA, so if anger fuels him, we'll all benefit from it. Be mad. Show that you care. But this is on you.

He must be mad... He cut his hair for the big game and didn’t play. Let’s see how he comes back.


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[cuyankees]

Ok, then my argument remains we continue to go in circles when it comes to blaming fiz (I’m not saying you specifically). The coach can only play who is on his roster and I trust him to make that decision. Everybody outside of Tim has been benched at one point this season. I agree, there is a lot of dead weight on the roster. Either way, Frank can’t have games where he’s literally filling up the box scores with zeros. We can agree to disagree about the effectiveness of the benching but I think/hope in the long run he will get the edge he needs. Otherwise, yes what’s the point in not playing him in the gleague. He needs reps. Let’s see how he responds.


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well to be fair the only lineup that he went away from that was playing defense was a NET positive lineup and that including Frank...so however you want to see it is fine but Fiz is all over the place right now.

This is fair. That lineup should’ve been given more time. Knicks played better as a TEAM. I still want to see more from Frank individually. When he surfaces from this benching it will be for the betterment of the team because we know he won’t just turn into Tim. That unselfishness is going nowhere. He has to just learn to be assertive and stay that way all game.


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The anti Franks/Fiz want ISO Frank, ok fine but what happens when KP returns, wouldn't it make sense to try and install a team approach before he arrives? If not, you've got a Melo situation all over again but this time anyone of the court is a Melo.

[Spree2Houston]

I will admit, not playing Frank when Fiz probably knew his moms was in town is kinda foul. Maybe he was sparing both of them the embarrassment.

I have a feeling he didn't know and Frank probably didn't tell him. Now he'll feel guilty and probably give him minutes the next few games lmao

[mpharris36]

I will admit, not playing Frank when Fiz probably knew his moms was in town is kinda foul. Maybe he was sparing both of them the embarrassment.

damn thats cold blooded...

[Thugger HBC]

I will admit, not playing Frank when Fiz probably knew his moms was in town is kinda foul. Maybe he was sparing both of them the embarrassment.

I have a feeling he didn't know and Frank probably didn't tell him. Now he'll feel guilty and probably give him minutes the next few games lmao

That would be even worse if he didn't know considering how close the team appears to be.

[1999]

well to be fair the only lineup that he went away from that was playing defense was a NET positive lineup and that including Frank...so however you want to see it is fine but Fiz is all over the place right now.

This is fair. That lineup should’ve been given more time. Knicks played better as a TEAM. I still want to see more from Frank individually. When he surfaces from this benching it will be for the betterment of the team because we know he won’t just turn into Tim. That unselfishness is going nowhere. He has to just learn to be assertive and stay that way all game.


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The anti Franks/Fiz want ISO Frank, ok fine but what happens when KP returns, wouldn't it make sense to try and install a team approach before he arrives? If not, you've got a Melo situation all over again but this time anyone of the court is a Melo.

I don’t know why you bring up iso. What I want is for a pg to run the offense and set others up. How can frank do that if he is giving the ball up like a hot potato when he crosses half court. I thought this was the system until I realized he’s the only “pg” on the roster that plays like that. He’s just not comfortable with the ball in his hands currently which other posters already pointed out. So where does he play? Is he a pg, is he a Sg, is he a sf? What does he do well outside of defending? If he has to play sf his defensive abilities are nullified somewhat because we don’t have the personnel to switch on the man he could’ve been guarding if he was the official pg. There’s all these caveats involved with giving frank major time on the court now. But I guess it’s irrelevant. Knicks suck either way. Fiz just has to stay accountable to his locker room which is why I refuse to blame him. I hope Pills are very busy at the deadline.


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[cuyankees]

Fiz Bed Time Checklist:

1. Is your gaming system on?
2. Have you brushed your teeth?
3. Are family members and/or friends attending the game?

[cuyankees]

This is fair. That lineup should’ve been given more time. Knicks played better as a TEAM. I still want to see more from Frank individually. When he surfaces from this benching it will be for the betterment of the team because we know he won’t just turn into Tim. That unselfishness is going nowhere. He has to just learn to be assertive and stay that way all game.


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The anti Franks/Fiz want ISO Frank, ok fine but what happens when KP returns, wouldn't it make sense to try and install a team approach before he arrives? If not, you've got a Melo situation all over again but this time anyone of the court is a Melo.

I don’t know why you bring up iso. What I want is for a pg to run the offense and set others up. How can frank do that if he is giving the ball up like a hot potato when he crosses half court. I thought this was the system until I realized he’s the only “pg” on the roster that plays like that. He’s just not comfortable with the ball in his hands currently which other posters already pointed out. So where does he play? Is he a pg, is he a Sg, is he a sf? What does he do well outside of defending? If he has to play sf his defensive abilities are nullified somewhat because we don’t have the personnel to switch on the man he could’ve been guarding if he was the official pg. There’s all these caveats involved with giving frank major time on the court now. But I guess it’s irrelevant. Knicks suck either way. Fiz just has to stay accountable to his locker room which is why I refuse to blame him. I hope Pills are very busy at the deadline.


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Run what offense? There is no system and there's a reason that only ISO players are flourishing.

[1999]

The anti Franks/Fiz want ISO Frank, ok fine but what happens when KP returns, wouldn't it make sense to try and install a team approach before he arrives? If not, you've got a Melo situation all over again but this time anyone of the court is a Melo.

I don’t know why you bring up iso. What I want is for a pg to run the offense and set others up. How can frank do that if he is giving the ball up like a hot potato when he crosses half court. I thought this was the system until I realized he’s the only “pg” on the roster that plays like that. He’s just not comfortable with the ball in his hands currently which other posters already pointed out. So where does he play? Is he a pg, is he a Sg, is he a sf? What does he do well outside of defending? If he has to play sf his defensive abilities are nullified somewhat because we don’t have the personnel to switch on the man he could’ve been guarding if he was the official pg. There’s all these caveats involved with giving frank major time on the court now. But I guess it’s irrelevant. Knicks suck either way. Fiz just has to stay accountable to his locker room which is why I refuse to blame him. I hope Pills are very busy at the deadline.


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Run what offense? There is no system and there's a reason that only ISO players are flourishing.

What you want to see is a Spurs level offense I guess. Nothing we do looks any good because we don’t have the talent. GS has a system too but how much of that is due to the brilliance of their respective stars? Knicks have had an offensive system for the past 5 or so years? Our offense looks predictable because it is. We don’t have reliable shooters, reliable penetrators. We can’t get good spacing and our defense sucks. What I’m asking for is some creativity from the pg position. Maybe Frank could learn to break the defense down or learn to hit open shots. If he can do neither right now what is the debate?


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