j4remi wrote:HEZI wrote:
That is let of it but also the fans know when somebody is playing like a selfish ball hog and is doing things that contribute to losing. They will go at Randle because he has the highest usage and the ball is in his hands the most plus he’s the highest paid and the fans see him playing like an idiot game after game after game of course they boo.
And no we don’t need Lebron James to build consistency as a playoff team, it doesn’t take that much to do it, but we have a terrible playoff track record so yeah fans are upset. We don’t mind losing if we are doing it through a rebuild and youth but don’t try to sell us on Julius Randle either
I'm glad you mention that we wouldn't mind losing if it was through a rebuild or youth. A sense of direction would go a long way to help the fans cool off. This team had a certain direction, switched courses because of surprise successes, and now it seems to be having a hard time going back to its original assessments (partially because of the contracts they obligated themselves to).
As much as NYC is uniquely a pressure-cooker because of the market size and attention; the fans do pay attention and value little things that other fanbases don't hype as much. You won't find bench players that average 15 mins or less a night getting their names chanted at away arenas for most franchises like Obi has gotten in a few spots. Fans still show love to Theo Pinson for christ's sake. When players prove they're trying, the fanbase is pretty damned forgiving.
Hell, KP had way more love and excuses than hate right up until he demanded a trade.
It’s not the fans.
It’s the owner’s need to feel accepted, cool, and like he’s not a loser. My “out there” armchair psychologist take on Dolan is that he wouldn’t get the same satisfaction drafting/developing a superstar as he would by purchasing one because he wants to feel accepted and loved by powerful people. He needs a big public figure like Lebron or Durant to validate his fragile little ego and show his siblings and his dead father that he’s not a loser.
Drafting and developing a superstar would feel like “work.” He doesn’t want that as much as he just wants to show the world what a big man he is.