2020-2021 NY Knicks Season Thread

[shandeezy7]

Clyde, is that you?

Speaking of Clyde, he had a hilarious line last night. Kyle Guy came in the game toward the end. Drove to the hoop and took a wild shot, falling to the ground. Clyde quips "I thought this guy was a ball boy."

 

[Red Holzman]

Clyde, is that you?

Posting, but not Toasting!
Watching (and enjoying) lots of games for first time in many years.
Clyde and Breen are still a great duo!

 

[Red Holzman]

Speaking of Clyde, he had a hilarious line last night. Kyle Guy came in the game toward the end. Drove to the hoop and took a wild shot, falling to the ground. Clyde quips "I thought this guy was a ball boy."

YES! LMAO!

 

[cliftonparksufan]

How about make good draft picks, make smart signings, and develop your talent?

How many times has Utah picked first? Why are they usually good?

Starts with the owner all the way down: President, GM, Coaches, Scouts. How you treat your former players. Knicks have been bad for so long. Isaiah Thomas bad. Phil Jackson bad. Hopefully they are turning a corner. It would be a shame if the Nets won something before them.

 

[kirbivore]

generational talent.

 

[CuseRunner]

Another win. Randle and Barrett big games. We are now the 6th seed and rising.

Quickley still not starting. Toppin still not getting the minutes he should and Thibs promised. Thibs got us to be a playoff team please fire him after the season before he does more long term damage then short term good.

 

[Red Holzman]

Nice W to get to .500 BUT-
Down to 1 center if Taj out/ankle.
38" way too much for DRose -wont last.

RJ plays down stretch good to see.
Will be a weary starting 5 vs Pistons- good test for IQ and 2nd team.

 

[OrangeDW]

Another win. Randle and Barrett big games. We are now the 6th seed and rising.

Quickley still not starting. Toppin still not getting the minutes he should and Thibs promised. Thibs got us to be a playoff team please fire him after the season before he does more long term damage then short term good.

Shutup

 

[CuseRunner]

Shutup

DW. All the teams he has coached players star players eventually turn on him. Robinson before he got hurt was not happy with his playing time. His high school coach has a problem with Thibs too.

 

[OrangeDW]

DW. All the teams he has coached players star players eventually turn on him. Robinson before he got hurt was not happy with his playing time. His high school coach has a problem with Thibs too.

So let’s make the exact same post after all 82 games. Because that’s entertaining.

 

[shandeezy7]

Nice W to get to .500 BUT-
Down to 1 center if Taj out/ankle.
38" way too much for DRose -wont last.

RJ plays down stretch good to see.
Will be a weary starting 5 vs Pistons- good test for IQ and 2nd team.

Was Rose high today? I’m not sure what he was doing out there.

 

[Red Holzman]

How about Noel tonight -been doing a solid job for the Knicks. Hope knee not too banged up.
DRose had a couple bad TO's in Q4 -wonder how much fatigue was a factor.
Knicks held their own in Q3 for a change though!
Another entertaining game, especially statement Julius made going against Sabonis.

Noel playing 41" tonight and Sabonis falling on his knee, Thibs may need to do his best coaching to get a W. Randle and DRose were both gassed tonight. Time for bench guys to step up big.

 

[Red Holzman]

Was Rose high today? I’m not sure what he was doing out there.

It was weird -was surprised to see DRose totalled 38".
He did have some real bad TO's but was +11 with a full stat line incl 11 assists and 4 steals.
IQ's shooting was OK, but also had 3 TO's in 11" and was -6. Suppose that's why DRose got big PT(?)

Looking for IQ to bounce back big vs Pistons -DRose can't go big minutes again tomorrow night.

 

[MikeSU02]

Let’s go!!!

 

[OrangeFoo]

Anyone picture how much further along the Knicks would be if they had taken Halliburton instead of Toppin? Backcourt would be set for next 5 years or so.

I wonder if the plan going into the season was to trade Randle and insert Toppin into the lineup? But Randle got too good and Toppin not nearly good enough? Otherwise, I’m not sure why you draft Toppin if you have Randle starting at the 4 for the next several years or so.

 

[Red Holzman]

Anyone picture how much further along the Knicks would be if they had taken Halliburton instead of Toppin? Backcourt would be set for next 5 years or so.

I wonder if the plan going into the season was to trade Randle and insert Toppin into the lineup? But Randle got too good and Toppin not nearly good enough? Otherwise, I’m not sure why you draft Toppin if you have Randle starting at the 4 for the next several years or so.

Your analysis makes sense to me-
Rooting for Toppin, but he was supposed to be "ready" after 4yr of college and is certainly not where expected.
The Toppin pick would be getting a LOT more heat if Knicks wern't winning, Randle not an All-Star (or traded to start Toppin), and IQ not gold at #25.
Knicks recent history with 8-10 picks (Ntilikina, Knox, Toppin) not great.

Thought Knox and Ntilikina were parked awaiting a trade, but now with Payton out Frank has stepped up nicely and then Knox played over Obi last night (hopefully fired up Obi).

Look forward to tonight vs Pistons -Supporting Cast needs to step up big unless DRose/Noel/Randle put on their SuperMan capes after big minutes last night.
Big chance for Barrett/IQ/Frank/Knox/Burks-etc.
This game and following 2 may be good indication whether the wounded Knicks can stay in the hunt, and how far they may be able to rise over .500.

Also look forward to seeing DSJ start vs his old teammates, and of course Jerami Grant!

 

[OrangeFoo]

Your analysis makes sense to me-
Rooting for Toppin, but he was supposed to be "ready" after 4yr of college and is certainly not where expected.
The Toppin pick would be getting a LOT more heat if Knicks wern't winning, Randle not an All-Star (or traded to start Toppin), and IQ not gold at #25.
Knicks recent history with 8-10 picks (Ntilikina, Knox, Toppin) not great.

Thought Knox and Ntilikina were parked awaiting a trade, but now with Payton out Frank has stepped up nicely and then Knox played over Obi last night (hopefully fired up Obi).

Look forward to tonight vs Pistons -Supporting Cast needs to step up big unless DRose/Noel/Randle put on their SuperMan capes after big minutes last night.
Big chance for Barrett/IQ/Frank/Knox/Burks-etc.
This game and following 2 may be good indication whether the wounded Knicks can stay in the hunt, and how far they may be able to rise over .500.

Also look forward to seeing DSJ start vs his old teammates, and of course Jerami Grant!

Agree on recent picks... but the reality is Frank and Knox weren’t terrible picks at the time. Looking back, Knicks should have taken Donovan Mitchell over Frank. Mitchell was practically begging the Knicks to take him. I think that was Phil’s last year and biggest mistake in hindsight. But at the time it didn’t seem like an obvious mistake. Ironically, the Knicks were blasted for not taking Dennis Smith.

Looking back at Knox’s pick I think Shai was the pick but I’m sure Knicks felt they had just drafted Frank.

If I’m honest, I don’t have a problem with those picks, both guys have a lot of potential. I have a bigger problem with how both those players have been jerked around, how many coaches they have had to play with, how many systems, etc... Both those guys could be good players, but the world will never know because they are on the Knicks.

Obi is different... he seems like a player without a position. Not quick enough and not a good enough shooter to be a perimeter 3, not strong enough to be a stretch 4 because he would have to guard other 4s, not enough inside game to be a traditional 4. Knicks thought they were getting a Randle replacement, instead they got a less athletic, poorer shooting Knox. And then they threw him into a half court grinder offense where there is no space and no running.

Knicks have the same problem they always had... their player acquisition is more like a fantasy basketball strategy. They don’t seem to consider how well the players fit with each other or within the system the coach wants to play.

 

[Bayside44]

Ok...so why would you want to tank if that’s what you think is happening?

I also think the league would prefer to have their big market teams doing well, if anything.

Then they should've given Charlie Ward a medal after PJ Brown tried to break his neck. I am never coming off that mountain.

 

[Red Holzman]

Knicks have the same problem they always had... their player acquisition is more like a fantasy basketball strategy. They don’t seem to consider how well the players fit with each other or within the system the coach wants to play.

Agree, though nice that somehow the Knicks finally assembled a young group that's fun to watch and appears to have good chemistry and some upside.
Gone back/forth on Frank and Knox, wondering if Knicks should keep waiting on their potential.
You like both -do you think the Knicks should keep both, and that Knox has more upside than Obi?
Expect Knox or Obi will be traded, but at this point not clear to me which is the keeper.

 

[OrangeDW]

Then they should've given Charlie Ward a medal after PJ Brown tried to break his neck. I am never coming off that mountain.

Ha. If I recall, all those suspensions actually led to our guy John Wallace getting a playoff start the next game?

 

[Bayside44]

Ha. If I recall, all those suspensions actually led to our guy John Wallace getting a playoff start the next game?

Must've. They went in alphabetical order. I won't say another word about David Stern since he's no longer here.

 

[OrangeFoo]

Agree, though nice that somehow the Knicks finally assembled a young group that's fun to watch and appears to have good chemistry and some upside.
Gone back/forth on Frank and Knox, wondering if Knicks should keep waiting on their potential.
You like both -do you think the Knicks should keep both, and that Knox has more upside than Obi?
Expect Knox or Obi will be traded, but at this point not clear to me which is the keeper.

I don’t think Knicks have any interest in developing young players. They got lucky that Quickley came ready and Barrett has some legit talent. They might as well trade any young player who isn’t ready to play minutes for whatever washed up who they think will get them an extra win or two.

To answer your question... I think Frank has the most upside if he could stop renting space in his own head. If nothing else his D is already a plus skill, neither Obi nor Knox can say they have a plus skill yet. I think they should trade Knox and keep Obi and Frank for a year or two to see what they can do. But the needs minutes otherwise whats the point.

I predict nothing happens this year.. They let Frank walk this off season and flip Knox.

 

[Red Holzman]

I don’t think Knicks have any interest in developing young players.

Hope you're wrong! I'd be content to watch these young guys develop while hoping the Knicks draft smart to have realistic expectations to eventually make the Finals. Heck, it's been 48 years -I'd be OK waiting 2-3 more watching a promising young team develop to win another title!

Watching the improvement in Mitch and RJ, the New Julius, the surprising IQ, and the much-improved defense, assumed the Knicks were rolling with developing their promising young guys and filling most remaining needs through the draft. Wasn't expecting core guys or 1st round picks to be traded, but if "Win Now" vs developing players is the plan, then guess that can happen to make a blockbuster trade or two.

MSG would be packed and rocking this season for this exciting .500 team with a many promising young players. If Rose blows this up to unload promising guys and 1st rd picks to Win Now, he better not mess up!

 

[shandeezy7]

I don’t think Knicks have any interest in developing young players. They got lucky that Quickley came ready and Barrett has some legit talent. They might as well trade any young player who isn’t ready to play minutes for whatever washed up who they think will get them an extra win or two.

To answer your question... I think Frank has the most upside if he could stop renting space in his own head. If nothing else his D is already a plus skill, neither Obi nor Knox can say they have a plus skill yet. I think they should trade Knox and keep Obi and Frank for a year or two to see what they can do. But the needs minutes otherwise whats the point.

I predict nothing happens this year.. They let Frank walk this off season and flip Knox.

It shows how bad Frank’s offensive game is when he can’t even get any run for one of the most defensive-minded coaches in the game.

 

[Red Holzman]

Character Test: Passed Flying Colors. Knicks played a great game.
Don't get Thibs playing Rose/Noel/Randle toward end when W secured -big minutes again after last night. Need to preserve all 3 as much as possible with Mitch and Payton out already.

Clyde's line of the night after Breen mentioned only friends and family in attendance at Detroit:
"That's all you get when you're 9-25!"