Hawks (5) @ Knicks (4) - Playoffs Round 1 - Game 1 - SUNDAY May 23 - 7:00pm

[HarthorneWingo]

So we don’t play until May 22 or 23. This is good to nurse some nagging injuries and give Thibs and the staff plenty of time to come up with a solid game plan for the series.

[Chanel Bomber]

As a former partisan of tanking, I must admit that the Knicks making the playoffs and restoring the reputation of the franchise is far more valuable than any high draft pick. I just didn't believe they would be able to make it, but they did, so kudos to them.



This season would have been insufferable with the "lol Knicks" and all the Nets hype with KD, Kyrie and Harden had we been miserable again.

[makeitstop]

So we don’t play until May 22 or 23. This is to nurse some nagging injuries and give Thibs and the staff plenty of time to come up with a solid game plan for the series.

They have to hit the floor with 4th quarter defense and not let up.

And run Trae to death. Wear his azz down.

[ForzaMetro]

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Right now on Fanduel and Draftkings, I’m seeing the Knicks as a slight favorite (-115 to -125 range)

I guess early money came in on the Knicks

I think it’s a 50/50 series, but I’ll say for the Knicks:

1) we have the best player in the series
2) we have home court advantage
3) we have the better coach
4) our lack of playoff experience/pedigree is negated by the fact that we’re playing a team in the same boat

[NY_Comeback]

Dang it, I voted Hawks in 5 instead of Knicks.

The week break will help tremendously. Not worried about Trae much, either; Bogdanovic, and Capella must be contained tho.

[cgf]

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Makes sense, we have home court, but Atlanta has more wepaons. Feels like there will be money to be made on some friendly spreads.

[K_ick_God]

First GT ever where the day / time will be unknown for a little bit.

[prophet_of_rage]

who would we play in the next round should we get past the hawks?

We play 5th winner of 1/8 and then the ultimate winner of the 2/7 3/6 bracket.

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[prophet_of_rage]

Aww what's the matter KD? A little salty that BK isn't the talk of the town? FOH.

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Can't believe he's stealing from Randle.

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[prophet_of_rage]

I think for game 1 I'm mostly concerned with the defensive rebounding. We've been getting killed there the last few weeks and Capela is such a hard cover for Noel (way stronger) and Taj (way bigger). Hopefully we can clean that up or its going to be a LONG series

I think this team is gassed. Been playing must win for a month and their stretch schedule was brutal. I submit that no team (other tha maybe Brooklyn) will benefit fro the week’s rest. I think a lot of the ragged edges have been from flat out exhaustion and nagging injuries. Knicks will be primed after the layoff. Enjoy the play ins. Our boys will be in suspended animation hyperbaric chambers.

We aren't spectacular defending bigs. Atlanta can send two at us. Box outs will be key to the series. Good thing we're used to playing at a slow pace because we can't afford transition.

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[prophet_of_rage]

More like, think about it this way. Who's making the decisions in Georgia vs. New York.

Besides, they can fill out their arena more, but it still will not feel like the Garden does - even at 10% capacity.

do you guys not think we wont have a presence in ATL for the road games???

My guess its probably close to a 50-50 split in ATL between knicks and hawks fans.

There is a big knicks presence down south when we play ATL/Mia/Cha...I would guess since we haven't been in the playoffs since 2012-2013 season there will be a big presence down there on the road.

Its probably actually cheaper to get a flight to ATL and by a post season ticket for the game there then buy a playoff ticket at MSG

That and there are so many NY transplants in the south. ATL and Miami games are damn near home games.

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[prophet_of_rage]

Trae Young when guarded by Payton this season

January 4th: Trae Young 4-10

February 15th: Trae Young 2-6

April 21: Trae Young: 1-5

Total combined for the season: 7-21 (33% FG)


This is basically the only matchup Payton is good at defensively apparently. So maybe we can survive this with Payton starting. Just trying to be positive here.

I have such a difficult time believing this stat. Payton is such a pathetically weak defender off the PNR - he literally never fights over a screen. We both watch all these games Melo, we had to have missed something lol

Elf's defense is the biggest lie and I will fight anyone to the death who thinks otherwise.

i actually remember him giving Trae a hard time in one of those games to be honest. i hate Payton as much as you do but he actually defends Trae pretty well. it’s the only player I’ve seen him actually lock up on defense. will it translate over to the playoffs? i don’t know but I hope so.

I can't see Payton playing in the playoffs. And certainly not like this.

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[cgf]

Capela is definitely scary, but I think Julius is more of a problem for them. I feel like this could well come down to whose secondary scorers come through more between Rose / Barrett / Burks / Quickley / Bullock / Toppin and Bogi / Hunter / Collins / Lou / Gallo / Huerter

[prophet_of_rage]

50 percent of the barclays is capacity. they're gonna have a full house.

True.

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[prophet_of_rage]

they're gonna give us a 1 pm start, aint they ?

We've been good at 1, no?

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[jvsimonetti0514]

I wonder if the best way to deal with Capella's offensive rebounding is not having RJ leak out after getting stops and bringing him in to try to help with bounding. We probably lose some fast break opportunities but it be less back breaking than giving up open threes after offensive rebounds

[prophet_of_rage]

Maybe because we've been out of the playoffs so long people aren't confident in our team, but we're playing a team we swept during the regular season, and we'll have home court advantage.

Knicks in 5.

Playoffs change everything. Because the talent is the difference. Every scheme and gimmick will be adjusted for. But you can't overcome talent and experience.

The Hawks still have the ability to trot out big lineups that bother us and Nate is a very good defensive coach.

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[prophet_of_rage]

I think for game 1 I'm mostly concerned with the defensive rebounding. We've been getting killed there the last few weeks and Capela is such a hard cover for Noel (way stronger) and Taj (way bigger). Hopefully we can clean that up or its going to be a LONG series

I think this team is gassed. Been playing must win for a month and their stretch schedule was brutal. I submit that no team (other tha maybe Brooklyn) will benefit fro the week’s rest. I think a lot of the ragged edges have been from flat out exhaustion and nagging injuries. Knicks will be primed after the layoff. Enjoy the play ins. Our boys will be in suspended animation hyperbaric chambers.

Yeah the guys have been tired to end the season, but Capela does pose schematic challenges either way. Capela averaged 20 rebounds vs us this year and also led the league in offensive rebounds. With our c rotation, he’s going to be a problem

I would love to see the Knicks have some 1-2-2 zone sets to clog the middle and get out on shooters. It will distort us into 1 on 1 defence if the Hawks get to the high post but we also won't have to rotate too too much against the drive.

If Noel can't stay home on his cover we're I trouble.

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[prophet_of_rage]

Really? Thanks for the correction; espn had him as -11 both times

I saw it was -13 on basketball reference too. Guess either way still pretty bad for his 17 min or whatever.

I dont even pay too much attention to +/- or small sample sizes but with Payton its just hard to ignore how we are always worse with him on the floor. Last game is the one I can remember, and from what I recall he seemed to be constantly losing Trae around the floor.

I think individual game +/- is a pretty useless stat, and a lot of advanced stats don't work over a 3 game sample, either

But talking about +/-, Elfrid was by far the worst on the team with -98 total (which was 446th in the NBA)

Next worse was Frank at -34, and our only other starter in the negatives was Noel, at -2

Every other starter (Bullock, RJ, and Randle), as well as Burks, Rose, Taj, and Quick (who actually led the team with +182), were all at least +107. Even Obi was overall a +25. Elfrid (-98), Mitch (-17), and Noel (-2) were the only 3 players with more than 500 minutes played this year to have less than a +25.

Can't play without a jumper. These stats show we have flawed talent.

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[The Lamma]

Aww what's the matter KD? A little salty that BK isn't the talk of the town? FOH.

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Can't believe he's stealing from Randle.

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Mannnn I wish they were the projected Round 2 matchup. I would love for us to get a crack at those smarmy fcks. The intensity would be insane/there would be ejections at some point.