POST GAME THREAD: Knicks | Celtics

[HEZI]

Want to dive in a little more on Frank and our offense. Here's why he works better with the younger guys, because they are springy and energetic and like to move off the ball. I saw some things last night in his extended minutes and it really changed my mindset about him some. You know how we said he was drafted to play triangle? Well he's actually been thriving this year pushing pace and it's very interesting to me. He's looked bad when guys like Randle are featured on the block, when he dumps it to Morris and overall when the offense just stagnates and we don't have movement. Last night I saw Frank make quick bursts up the floor, zip passes to shooters, the ball swung around the perimeter, we kept getting good looks when we pushed the pace. It reminded me of the Phoenix Suns this year. Frank, kind of like Rubio, should have shooters and slashers, not iso reliant post players. He plays well with Knox because Knox moves around a lot. Even Ellington, yeah I know he's a gunner but at least he does some work off the ball and doesn't stand around, he tries to work the defense out. Portis works with him well also because Portis is our best stretch big and he's nowhere near the blackhole that Randle is. Portis plays within himself for the most part and that works well with Frank. We should look to use RJ as an off the ball slasher a little more or at least get him working off some pin downs and curls and attacking the middle with shooters spaced out so he has more room to get to the paint.

But yeah, I wanted to talk about our pace and how well Frank has done pushing the pace and looking for our shooters in transition. My biggest complaint with him right now is that he gets up the floor and has opportunities to attack a 1 on 1 matchup and transition but passes out. Look, sometimes that's good, but sometimes you just have to attack that matchup. Even if you don't finish, draw a foul and get to the basket. He had so many opportunities to do so last night but didn't capitalize. This is where we need a guard to know how to do that. I do like a lot of stuff I'm seeing from Frank, if we had a PG that could push the pace like he's done, find the shooters in transition, move the ball and don't just settle for Iso's, but also have the skills and the mindset to know when to attack in transition, it would be very beneficial.

[Clyde Frazier]

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It's plays like these that give you hope fiz will finally just let go and still give frank PT when DSJ/Payton are back. We already know RJ is for real, but the potential combo of frank/Mitch on defense is scary. We could see so many of these stops on one end/finish in transition on the other by *either* guy.

[3toheadmelo]

thats what im saying though..."he puts up empty stats translating too much wins" and you had him in the star tier...that seems like playing the fence to me. Almost the entire league thinks he's a bonified stud and your saying he puts up empty stats not leading to wins...but you have him in a star tier?

I don't see how that makes much sense, personally?

Is LeBron not a star because Luka dropped a triple double on him?

He’s def a stud but I think some of those stats are fool gold. When i watch him I don’t feel his impact. It’s like Demarcus Cousins to me at times.

You sure your not talking about Deandre Ayton not Luka my man?

Nope. Mavs had the second worst record in the league in the second half of last season. And for what it’s worth, Ayton is 2-1 against Doncic. Lol

[mpharris36]

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this was the move he was talking about...killer crossover in clutch time.

[j4remi]

Want to dive in a little more on Frank and our offense. Here's why he works better with the younger guys, because they are springy and energetic and like to move off the ball. I saw some things last night in his extended minutes and it really changed my mindset about him some. You know how we said he was drafted to play triangle? Well he's actually been thriving this year pushing pace and it's very interesting to me. He's looked bad when guys like Randle are featured on the block, when he dumps it to Morris and overall when the offense just stagnates and we don't have movement. Last night I saw Frank make quick bursts up the floor, zip passes to shooters, the ball swung around the perimeter, we kept getting good looks when we pushed the pace. It reminded me of the Phoenix Suns this year. Frank, kind of like Rubio, should have shooters and slashers, not iso reliant post players. He plays well with Knox because Knox moves around a lot. Even Ellington, yeah I know he's a gunner but at least he does some work off the ball and doesn't stand around, he tries to work the defense out. Portis works with him well also because Portis is our best stretch big and he's nowhere near the blackhole that Randle is. Portis plays within himself for the most part and that works well with Frank. We should look to use RJ as an off the ball slasher a little more or at least get him working off some pin downs and curls and attacking the middle with shooters spaced out so he has more room to get to the paint.

But yeah, I wanted to talk about our pace and how well Frank has done pushing the pace and looking for our shooters in transition. My biggest complaint with him right now is that he gets up the floor and has opportunities to attack a 1 on 1 matchup and transition but passes out. Look, sometimes that's good, but sometimes you just have to attack that matchup. Even if you don't finish, draw a foul and get to the basket. He had so many opportunities to do so last night but didn't capitalize. This is where we need a guard to know how to do that. I do like a lot of stuff I'm seeing from Frank, if we had a PG that could push the pace like he's done, find the shooters in transition, move the ball and don't just settle for Iso's, but also have the skills and the mindset to know when to attack in transition, it would be very beneficial.

Great post and I just want to add to the bold that there was a midrange jumper in the fourth quarter where Frank did just that. He took matters into his own hands knowing that the D would drop and he was able to hit from around the elbow. That may be his path to starting to attack north/south more often because right now defenders are content to give him space but if he can force them to take even one or two more steps up than the ability to force a defender onto his hip will open up. I'm speculating though and that runs the threat of him settling too often from midrange as opposed to collapsing the defense properly any way.

[mpharris36]

He’s def a stud but I think some of those stats are fool gold. When i watch him I don’t feel his impact. It’s like Demarcus Cousins to me at times.

You sure your not talking about Deandre Ayton not Luka my man?

Nope. Mavs had the second worst record in the league in the second half of last season. And for what it’s worth, Ayton is 2-1 against Doncic. Lol

you will die on that sword...

[3toheadmelo]

You sure your not talking about Deandre Ayton not Luka my man?

Nope. Mavs had the second worst record in the league in the second half of last season. And for what it’s worth, Ayton is 2-1 against Doncic. Lol

you will die on that sword...

What sword? Lol. He’s a really good player but he gets overhyped a bit. That’s it.

I said the same thing about Jokic last season and people didn’t wanna hear it. Now they starting to see it...

[mpharris36]

Nope. Mavs had the second worst record in the league in the second half of last season. And for what it’s worth, Ayton is 2-1 against Doncic. Lol

you will die on that sword...

What sword? Lol. He’s a really good player but he gets overhyped a bit. That’s it.

I said the same thing about Jokic last season and people didn’t wanna hear it. Now they starting to see it...

thinking ayton is even in the same stratosphere as Doncic

[Garbagelo]

Frank forced the mighty Brad Stevens into an iso offense in the 4th of a close game. They literally spent half the shot clock to force a switch on Frank on Kemba every trip down. Not everything can be seen in the box scores.

[god shammgod]

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It's plays like these that give you hope fiz will finally just let go and still give frank PT when DSJ/Payton are back. We already know RJ is for real, but the potential combo of frank/Mitch on defense is scary. We could see so many of these stops on one end/finish in transition on the other by *either* guy.

damn, i might have to watch the replay to see this mitch block. that was so quick that mitch didn't even need to jump much.

[3toheadmelo]

you will die on that sword...

What sword? Lol. He’s a really good player but he gets overhyped a bit. That’s it.

I said the same thing about Jokic last season and people didn’t wanna hear it. Now they starting to see it...

thinking ayton is even in the same stratosphere as Doncic

You’ll see eventually. Suns will have a better record than the Mavs.

[robillionaire]

Frank should be starting at PG the rest of the season barring injury. He scored 10 pts (should have been 12, missed the layup) and hit 2 3's on 4 attempts. he's shooting 3s with confidence to keep the defense honest and his D next to RJ is top tier. We just need to ride with him and keep building his confidence and hope he breaks out. If Payton and DSJ come back and they nail Frank to the bench the whole regime should be fired.

[god shammgod]

so mitch hurt his hand and it wasn't fiz being a d*ckhead with those limited minutes ?

[jvsimonetti0514]

We held them 4 points below their average. Not sure what you were expecting.

This... we shoot under 40% as a team and 67% at the line. Not going to win too many games shooting like that.

Did y’all watch the game? Every time we needed a momentum stop we switched and they took advantage. Stop it..

Of course I watched the game, I just disagree with you. I mean even Brad Stevens said all the switching bothered them. So I think I’ll take his word on it. It took a game winning shot to beat us and we shot like crap. Like I said before, I just don’t think you can do that with Portis but overall I thought the defense was good.

[Clyde Frazier]

I have no idea what we’ve been doing with Randle but he’s never been this bad.

His whole career he comes off curls and attacks but only here he handles behind the 3 point line and post up.

I'm getting so frustrated with fans destroying him who clearly never watched him play before this season. Yes he can handle the ball, but even then he's best on the move catching defenders off balance and finishing strong inside. When he holds the ball too long, that's when things get messy and why these post ups aren't effective. As a downhill scorer with the ball in his hands he's just relentless and they haven't figured out how to implement that yet. Am i disappointed so far? Sure, but people need to be patient with a guy that talented.

[Clyde Frazier]

so mitch hurt his hand and it wasn't fiz being a d*ckhead with those limited minutes ?

2 quick fouls in 1st qtr, sprained finger start of 2nd half, got x rays and eventually came back.

[mpharris36]

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It's plays like these that give you hope fiz will finally just let go and still give frank PT when DSJ/Payton are back. We already know RJ is for real, but the potential combo of frank/Mitch on defense is scary. We could see so many of these stops on one end/finish in transition on the other by *either* guy.

damn, i might have to watch the replay to see this mitch block. that was so quick that mitch didn't even need to jump much.

Read on Twitter

[mpharris36]

Read on Twitter

It's plays like these that give you hope fiz will finally just let go and still give frank PT when DSJ/Payton are back. We already know RJ is for real, but the potential combo of frank/Mitch on defense is scary. We could see so many of these stops on one end/finish in transition on the other by *either* guy.

damn, i might have to watch the replay to see this mitch block. that was so quick that mitch didn't even need to jump much.

Read on Twitter

[Fat Kat]

so mitch hurt his hand and it wasn't fiz being a d*ckhead with those limited minutes ?

Yeah. Sprained ring finger.

[mpharris36]

so mitch hurt his hand and it wasn't fiz being a d*ckhead with those limited minutes ?

2 quick fouls in 1st qtr, sprained finger start of 2nd half, got x rays and eventually came back.

but then late for no reason mitch got an offensive board and and-1 and then he brought in Randle (who was garbage all night).