PG: Knicks-Hawks aka 1,2,3,Cancun! (Hawks win series 4-1)

[thebuzzardman]

KP effectively benched lol.

This is my playoffs.

[NewKnicks]

Like I said before the game.. there's confidence, and there's fake confidence. We know what category RJ is in now.

[GettinitDone]

If you don’t think are guys aren’t going to be locked in this summer and coming back stronger then you haven’t been watching.

This loss, might be better for their development in the long term

I know NBA presidents and GMs are crazy but they're still sane enough to NOT count on a player who laid eggs 5 playoffs games in a row to be their team's franchise player.

This series just confirms to all 30 teams Randle can't be that franchise guy. If he's still our no 1 player at next season's opening night, expect same damn result.

---

Funny thing is our season was going just fine, we were gonna get that top 5 pick (to replace Randle next season), then we killed it by bringing in DRose and it just went downhill from there. Our search for a true franchise player just gets dragged as long as we deny the importance of tanking to get that top lottery pick.

You are going to doubt the guy who just won MIP, to not comeback better and improve in a contract year?

It was Randle’s first time being the guy in the playoffs. No doubt in my mind he is better next year especially if we get him some help

Think of the playoffs debuts of top 20-30 players today, I guarantee you won't find/ think of ANYone who choked in their first 5 STRAIGHT playoffs games.

I was actually a fan of Randle in the season as he was playing like a mini LeBron out there. It was fun seeing him run the offense and we kept winning (I'd be ok with us losing our lottery position as long as we make deep playoffs run like ECF or NBA Finals, or at least Round 2, Game 7).

But these 5 playoffs games exposed him. It's not like Hawks played death suffocating D on him and he's still trying to figure out how to attack. In fact, he still got to his spots most of the time, but it's obvious when the pressure got up, he saw more defense, he lost composure and nerves as if he'd lost half his bball skills and ball IQ. He just showed from his body language during games he couldn't wait for games to end, like he wanted to quit mid game. He just has no clue how to play in playoffs.

Anyone can have a bad game under pressure when the stakes are raised, but if they do 5 games in a row, maybe it's them, and they just don't have it.

Note: RJ gets a pass because he's still 20, but not Randle.

---

I accepted Randle as our best player in a tank season, so the lottery pick rookie can replace him the following season as the player (along with RJ) we really build around. But really tough to swallow the fact that this horrible experiment may get dragged out for another year.

[K_ick_God]

I guess the Hawks are better by Trae alone but I still feel like it’s totally soft reffing and lame calls combined with Randle choking.

Collins and Huerter ... these guys are not tough lol. Bog comes and goes. It’s sort of crappy reffing and coaching and the total marshmallowing of real toughness.

Collins wanted to bitch because someone went after a ball with him and touched him! The dude should go into a non-contact sport. It’s pathetic. Kobe is rolling in his grave.

[RHODEY]

Trae is good but Luca still way better.

Fixed

[thebuzzardman]

Like I said before the game.. there's confidence, and there's fake confidence. We know what category RJ is in now.

He needs a software update

[GONYK]

it's actually silly to think we know exactly how many stars are in this draft. you know at least one of those dudes is going to be a bust if not more than one and that's who the knicks would have got. meanwhile there will be some steals later in the draft like there always is in every draft.

Did you see the word 'potentially' in there? And yes, all experts agree (and people with college bball knowledge on here) that this is one of the better drafts in a long time.

Although I do agree that there is ALWAYS a potential for busts. But, we're only talking about the top 5. In my opinion, there are several more players in the draft that have a chance to be really, really good. We'll see what happens. Either way it was a mistake to trade for Rose. Not sure how anyone could argue against that at this point. I'm not saying you are, robil

In my opinion, even if we did not trade for rose, we would have been a borderline playoff team, probably in the 9-10 range in the play-in game or the 10th pick at best. We wouldn't have been the worst team in the NBA which is the only way to guarantee the top 5 pick and I don't think we win the lottery obviously. Toronto has the 7th pick and they were 18 games under .500, would be tough to envision losing that much even without Rose. So then we don't get a playoff appearance and probably draft another bust anyway. There are too many vets on the team to lose as many games as necessary to properly tank and Randle played at an all-star level. The idea that we could have tanked just seems unrealistic to me with this personnel.

No team can tank with an All-NBA player

[NewKnicks]

Get Lillard somehow and bring melo home.

I think we’re going to give up the farm for Beal. That’s my guess

we dont have a farm

[Trademarkk]

Rooting for a clean sweep by Philly. This is what I’ve been reduced to. Hoping that the team that embarrassed us gets to feel the same when playing a real team. Get well Embiid.

[KnickLeDime]

I know NBA presidents and GMs are crazy but they're still sane enough to NOT count on a player who laid eggs 5 playoffs games in a row to be their team's franchise player.

This series just confirms to all 30 teams Randle can't be that franchise guy. If he's still our no 1 player at next season's opening night, expect same damn result.

---

Funny thing is our season was going just fine, we were gonna get that top 5 pick (to replace Randle next season), then we killed it by bringing in DRose and it just went downhill from there. Our search for a true franchise player just gets dragged as long as we deny the importance of tanking to get that top lottery pick.

You are going to doubt the guy who just won MIP, to not comeback better and improve in a contract year?

It was Randle’s first time being the guy in the playoffs. No doubt in my mind he is better next year especially if we get him some help

Think of the playoffs debuts of top 20-30 players today, I guarantee you won't find/ think of ANYone who choked in their first 5 STRAIGHT playoffs games.

I was actually a fan of Randle in the season as he was playing like a mini LeBron out there. It was fun seeing him run the offense and we kept winning (I'd be ok with us losing our lottery position as long as we make deep playoffs run like ECF or NBA Finals, or at least Round 2, Game 7).

But these 5 playoffs games exposed him. It's not like Hawks played death suffocating D on him and he's still trying to figure out how to attack. In fact, he still got to his spots most of the time, but it's obvious when the pressure got up, he saw more defense, he lost composure and nerves as if he'd lost half his bball skills and ball IQ. He just showed from his body language during games he couldn't wait for games to end, like he wanted to quit mid game. He just has no clue how to play in playoffs.

Anyone can have a bad game under pressure when the stakes are raised, but if they do 5 games in a row, maybe it's them, and they just don't have it.

Note: RJ gets a pass because he's still 20, but not Randle.

---

I accepted Randle as our best player in a tank season, so the lottery pick rookie can replace him the following season as the player (along with RJ) we really build around. But really tough to swallow the fact that this horrible experiment may get dragged out for another year.

LR needs to be shopping Randle's ass as hard as he can prior to draft...this guy is a 3rd banana looking to get paid like a franchise player.

[Stannis]

Reggie said it. We’re a superstar away. Been saying that.

Honestly thought he was being sarcastic. Half the league "is a superstar away".

Knicks been trying to get that "superstar" for like a decade now. Hasn't happened and never will.

[Iron Mantis]

Superstar Ja down 30.

Playing against the best team in the NBA will do that to you.

I'd trade any combination of players on this roster for a guard of his caliber.

[NoDopeOnSundays]

we are, this team is 100% going to the playoffs next year or at the very least the play in game. no way in hell are they tanking. 0% chance. you know that right? literally 0%

If Rose leaves we're in the top 10 of the draft.

I said it in another thread...the talent we have significantly overachieved in a covid year...this team will be in the lottery next season. This roster is still a complete abortion. There are like 2 potential starters on the roster, maybe 3 on a really good team and a bunch of role players like Q and Topin.

The people with blind optimism are really missing the big picture, which is the Raptors, Bulls, Hornets and Pacers all have more offensive talent than us, and all of them are in the lottery. The same growth people talk about happening with our players never seem to be brought up with other teams that have young players. Those teams aren't that far off from being better than us, the Hornets are a decent center away from being a big threat too.

[K_ick_God]

Like I said before the game.. there's confidence, and there's fake confidence. We know what category RJ is in now.

He needs a software update

Same with Ja who he thinks is great and is getting his butt shined.

[RHODEY]

I guess the Hawks are better by Trae alone but I still feel like it’s totally soft reffing and lame calls combined with Randle choking.

Collins and Huerter ... these guys are not tough lol. Bog comes and goes. It’s sort of crappy reffing and coaching and the total marshmallowing of real toughness.

Collins wanted to bitch because someone went after a ball with him and touched him! The dude should go into a non-contact sport. It’s pathetic. Kobe is rolling in his grave.

Mitch Robinson would have had a HUGE impact on this series...

[KnickLeDime]

I guess the Hawks are better by Trae alone but I still feel like it’s totally soft reffing and lame calls combined with Randle choking.

Collins and Huerter ... these guys are not tough lol. Bog comes and goes. It’s sort of crappy reffing and coaching and the total marshmallowing of real toughness.

Collins wanted to bitch because someone went after a ball with him and touched him! The dude should go into a non-contact sport. It’s pathetic. Kobe is rolling in his grave.

Mitch Robinson would have had a HUGE impact on this series...

Glorified Noel...still would have lost in 5...maybe 6. He's not offensive threat at all...and on that end we couldn't keep up.

[B8RcDeMktfxC]

Randle’s performance is sort of like Starks going 2-18, only he did it in five straight games instead of just one.

OP should consider a name change to JuliusRandleTheSpinMove imo

[GONYK]

If Rose leaves we're in the top 10 of the draft.

I said it in another thread...the talent we have significantly overachieved in a covid year...this team will be in the lottery next season. This roster is still a complete abortion. There are like 2 potential starters on the roster, maybe 3 on a really good team and a bunch of role players like Q and Topin.

The people with blind optimism are really missing the big picture, which is the Raptors, Bulls, Hornets and Pacers all have more offensive talent than us, and all of them are in the lottery. The same growth people talk about happening with our players never seem to be brought up with other teams that have young players. Those teams aren't that far off from being better than us, the Hornets are a decent center away from being a big threat too.

Do they also have cap space?

[robillionaire]

I know NBA presidents and GMs are crazy but they're still sane enough to NOT count on a player who laid eggs 5 playoffs games in a row to be their team's franchise player.

This series just confirms to all 30 teams Randle can't be that franchise guy. If he's still our no 1 player at next season's opening night, expect same damn result.

---

Funny thing is our season was going just fine, we were gonna get that top 5 pick (to replace Randle next season), then we killed it by bringing in DRose and it just went downhill from there. Our search for a true franchise player just gets dragged as long as we deny the importance of tanking to get that top lottery pick.

You are going to doubt the guy who just won MIP, to not comeback better and improve in a contract year?

It was Randle’s first time being the guy in the playoffs. No doubt in my mind he is better next year especially if we get him some help

Think of the playoffs debuts of top 20-30 players today, I guarantee you won't find/ think of ANYone who choked in their first 5 playoffs games, in consecutive games.

I was actually a fan of Randle in the season as he was playing like a mini LeBron out there. It was fun seeing him run the offense and we kept winning (I'd be ok with us losing our lottery position as long as we make deep playoffs run like ECF or NBA Finals, or at least Round 2, Game 7).

But these 5 playoffs games exposed him. It's not like Hawks played death suffocating D on him and he's still trying to figure out how to attack. In fact, he still got to his spots most of the time, but it's obvious when the pressure got up, he saw more defense, he lost composure and nerves as if he'd lost half his bball skills and ball IQ. He just showed from his body language during games he couldn't wait for games to end, like he wanted to quit mid game. He just has no clue how to play in playoffs.

Anyone can have a bad game under pressure when the stakes are raised, but if they do 5 games in a row, maybe it's them, and they just don't have it.

Note: RJ gets a pass because he's still 20, but not Randle.

---

I accepted Randle as our best player in a tank season, so the lottery pick rookie can replace him the following season as the player (along with RJ) we really build around. But really tough to swallow the fact that this horrible experiment may get dragged out for another year.

I like Randle but he isn't a 1st option on a team that realistically expects to win anything. He was carrying way too much of the load on his shoulders this year. Him being an all-star was likely a fluke, but he's still a solid player who dragged us to many regular season wins. Eventually we will have to bring in multiple players better than him, or trade him in a package for a superstar

[RHODEY]

I guess the Hawks are better by Trae alone but I still feel like it’s totally soft reffing and lame calls combined with Randle choking.

Collins and Huerter ... these guys are not tough lol. Bog comes and goes. It’s sort of crappy reffing and coaching and the total marshmallowing of real toughness.

Collins wanted to bitch because someone went after a ball with him and touched him! The dude should go into a non-contact sport. It’s pathetic. Kobe is rolling in his grave.

Mitch Robinson would have had a HUGE impact on this series...

Glorified Noel...still would have lost in 5...maybe 6. He's not offensive threat at all...and on that end we couldn't keep up.

Capela would have been stifled Trae's forays into paint would have been muted....many converted lobs and putbacks..., 3pt point attemps would have been blocked...we'd at least go to 7 games I think.