Attention to Detail

Going back and rewatching Sunday's loss, it's clear the Knicks have no one to blame but themselves.

Good morning! The Knicks are off tonight but back in action tomorrow against the Sixers, who exist to make 29 other fan bases feel better about their life choices. Thanks Philly.

Attention to Detail

Before we dive into today’s newsletter, I want to take a moment and thank all of our commenters, regular and otherwise.

I was reading through the comments on yesterday’s newsletter, and they stand in such stark contrast to what’s out there on social media. I might be biased as the proprietor of this little outpost, but I can’t get over the thoughtfulness of all who share their opinions here. There are so many different viewpoints on the current state of the Knicks, some of which I may not be on board with, but all of which warrant respect - not despite the fact that they passionately argue for different sides of these issues, but because of it. It’s nice to know that sort of thing is still possible in the year of our Lord 2025.

On that note, the major takeaway I had from reading those comments is that we (I include myself) are viewing this team and it’s flaws from a 10,000-foot vantage point.

This isn’t abnormal, nor it is unwarranted. I find that the larger the loss, the longer the view, and whereas a one-possession game often yields a dissection of individual plays that could have swung the result, a big loss brings an examination of big-picture problems - the coach, player-fit, roster balance, etc.

Again, this makes perfect sense. When a team gets blown out, they must be far away from winning, and thus a play here or a play there matter less.

And yet, going back and rewatching this game, I found myself drawn not to the big picture stuff, but to the smallest of details, exemplified by mistakes made on two of the most notable baskets.