OG is the best one-on-one defender the Knicks have had since Dave DeBusschure. His ability to take away the opponents best offensive player is incalculable.
That 2nd half. That was the team we love. That was the team that can STILL win multiple rounds. That was the team that EVERYONE should fear.
Entering the 4th quarter, I noticed that I was not nervous whatsoever. Why? Because we have a guy in Brunson who will carry the team across the finish line night in night out, regardless of context and opponent. And the everything else just clicked into place so well. The 3 things that specifically stood out to me were OG’s defense (wow), Mitch having his best game since his return, and the bench unit. If these 3 things are signs of what is to come, this team will be dangerous.
Great call Jonas. I also found myself oddly not nervous with a few minutes to go. What a testament to this team that we both felt that way going against 2 all time great players, including one of the best clutch guys in NBA history.
Giannis was OG and others showing. It is. It like we shut him down entirely but he also could not just do anything he wanted and we have seen him get anything he wanted in the past.
A great win, where perhaps outside of Precious, everyone who played had signature moments. I’ll still feel better when we actually clinch a top 6 spot, but beyond that, it’s nearly impossible to know what to root for, as a higher seed could result in a first-round matchup with Philly or the Heat.
I also can’t help but think that our protected FRP from Milwaukee is looking more valuable. That team’s future seems a bit shaky.
Great points. I was lamenting the two ref-aided losses to San Antonio and OKC… then I realized we’d be the two seed and likely facing Miami or Philly in the first round. Hard to know what to root for with those two teams in the 7 and 8 seeds right now.
And yeah that Milwaukee pick is looking mighty interesting. Have to think Milwaukee is in for an interesting summer. Dame does not seem happy there. Which raises the Giannis question. That team is out of moves.
Really liked that second unit last night. Insulating Bogey with OG, Deuce and a center. Have a feeling that'll be the lineup in the playoffs. That was the Bogey we traded for.
I'd love nothing more than for Bogey to make me eat a whole bunch of crow the rest of the way. Crowjan Bogdanovic
Rewatching now and this feels like about as good of a team effort as I've seen all year. They are just humming on both ends in the 2nd half and literally everyone on the floor has clutch moments. For sure OG's defense is an anchor. He's like the silent assassin.
What an incredible win. I’d be curious to rewatch what we did different on Giannis in the second half. That guy is so freakin incredible I truly don’t understand how they lose games.
Slight correction from the postgame last night. Our magic number is one *win*. Sixers can still technically pass us.
Good pull - it does seem to be an anchoring issue. Giannis would have to be playing badly to reverse positions in addition to JB playing out of his mind. Would bet that his “talent” ratings jump into the top 15 or even 10 for next year. But even the in-season revised estimates have him well outside his range if judged solely by performance. Almost like he’s being penalized for “failing the eye test” or “not being tall enough to ride this ride”.
Weird moment watching the crowd reaction in the 4th quarter during a time out on league pass. The Bucks were down 6 and there were still about five minutes left. Most of the grownups in the crowd were stone-faced. I thought “they know they’re going to lose.” That Bucks team is shaky as hell. I would love to get them in the second round.
Also, Doc pulling all his starters after his team made two 3s in a row to cut it to 10 with a minute left. Breen was shocked. That Bucks team is a mess.
Feels like Doc is playing a bad mind-game trying to get the team revved up and angry. Like he’s putting their backs to a wall from the travel managers on up. He can’t be this much of a putz accidentally, has to be a strategy. Or I’ve given him too much damn credit bc I liked him as a PG on our team decades ago…
OG performed a master class on defending Giannis that was one for the ages. He kept stripping Giannis when he held the ball low and stuffing him when he went high. Impressive. I don’t recall any team having as many “where would they be without that guys”. A very special season that I personally won’t consider a failure no matter how the postseason goes. I simply love watching this team and the only disappointment involved with wherever their playoff run stops (including a championship) is that I won’t get to watch them anymore. Love this f-ing team.
Feeling it too. This team really represents the NY vibe. Work hard, struggle through and win no matter the adversity. Also, we can’t/won’t keep all these guys and it will be sad to see them on other teams.
Great win last night - it was great to see meaningful contributions up and down the lineup.
This got me thinking:
What was the ceiling for this team if Randle managed to come back but was never able to get to 100%? (Past postseason struggles would also need to be factored in here.) And now, what’s the recipe for this team sans Randle to maintain the same ceiling?
Because while the loss of a 100% healthy, regular-season Randle is a major blow (any team losing 25/10/5 would of course be worse), losing playing-hurt, playoff Randle might not be the end of the world. Why can’t we still win two non-Celtics series?
I ask/say all this to say: if
- Mitch gets back to close to 100%
- McBride shoots it well
- Bogey brings value like he did last night
- etc.
I think we are still an opponent to be reckoned with.
(Note: this isn’t meant to take shots at Randle or diminish his value. It’s really just looking for hope that this team can still achieve what it set out to, but with a different formula.)
Considering Randle's high ball usage rate and his physical playstyle, it would be better to allow him to rest until he reaches at least 85% fitness. In the last playoffs, Randle had a poor performance due to an injured ankle that required surgery. If he plays at less than 50% fitness, it could negatively impact him physically and mentally, as we have seen in the past when he didn't get back on defense or got frustrated. Moreover, it could also hurt the team's performance, as other players may perform better than an injured Randle.
Also, what are the different ways to stagger Brunson and non Brunson minutes? You mentioned this a bit with OG, but what about Hart, DDV, or others. Trying to understand what staggering means for different combinations
Hey Ganesh, just want to make sure I understand your question...are you asking basically what are the different lineup combos we are likely to see (or should see) in the playoffs, both that include Brunson and that don't?
Almost. I'm interested in the non-Brunson lineups, specifically lineups that carry some starters (Hart, DDV, OG, iHart) that are staggered into the bench line up.
Rationale: The non starter bench line up has been non performant lately (Mitch, Bogey, Deuce, Precious, Burks). Staggering starters can help reduce this non performance.
Question: So which staggered combination is the “best”, maybe qualified by +\- lineup ratings to help offset the lack of Brunson and even Randle? And should a bench lineup ever be non staggered and for how long? (considering minutes restrictions of iHart, OG, And Mitch)
TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HARTS!!!
OG is the best one-on-one defender the Knicks have had since Dave DeBusschure. His ability to take away the opponents best offensive player is incalculable.
That 2nd half. That was the team we love. That was the team that can STILL win multiple rounds. That was the team that EVERYONE should fear.
Entering the 4th quarter, I noticed that I was not nervous whatsoever. Why? Because we have a guy in Brunson who will carry the team across the finish line night in night out, regardless of context and opponent. And the everything else just clicked into place so well. The 3 things that specifically stood out to me were OG’s defense (wow), Mitch having his best game since his return, and the bench unit. If these 3 things are signs of what is to come, this team will be dangerous.
Great call Jonas. I also found myself oddly not nervous with a few minutes to go. What a testament to this team that we both felt that way going against 2 all time great players, including one of the best clutch guys in NBA history.
Yes! This team feels sturdier than many Knicks teams before it. Confident and relentless no matter the deficit or time remaining.
I think the answer to what we did to
Giannis was OG and others showing. It is. It like we shut him down entirely but he also could not just do anything he wanted and we have seen him get anything he wanted in the past.
Good call. They have so much more speed and length now with OG out there.
What a fun year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A great win, where perhaps outside of Precious, everyone who played had signature moments. I’ll still feel better when we actually clinch a top 6 spot, but beyond that, it’s nearly impossible to know what to root for, as a higher seed could result in a first-round matchup with Philly or the Heat.
I also can’t help but think that our protected FRP from Milwaukee is looking more valuable. That team’s future seems a bit shaky.
Great points. I was lamenting the two ref-aided losses to San Antonio and OKC… then I realized we’d be the two seed and likely facing Miami or Philly in the first round. Hard to know what to root for with those two teams in the 7 and 8 seeds right now.
And yeah that Milwaukee pick is looking mighty interesting. Have to think Milwaukee is in for an interesting summer. Dame does not seem happy there. Which raises the Giannis question. That team is out of moves.
Really liked that second unit last night. Insulating Bogey with OG, Deuce and a center. Have a feeling that'll be the lineup in the playoffs. That was the Bogey we traded for.
I'd love nothing more than for Bogey to make me eat a whole bunch of crow the rest of the way. Crowjan Bogdanovic
Rewatching now and this feels like about as good of a team effort as I've seen all year. They are just humming on both ends in the 2nd half and literally everyone on the floor has clutch moments. For sure OG's defense is an anchor. He's like the silent assassin.
What an incredible win. I’d be curious to rewatch what we did different on Giannis in the second half. That guy is so freakin incredible I truly don’t understand how they lose games.
Slight correction from the postgame last night. Our magic number is one *win*. Sixers can still technically pass us.
good call!
If the Knicks finish with a similar record or within one game of the Bucks, I don’t know how one could put Giannis ahead of Brunson on the MVP ballot.
What’s it called? anchoring bias? Giannis was ahead on ballots earlier, but if you look objectively at the entire season, you have to put JB ahead
That's what Redick mentioned on his pod yesterday.
You can make the same argument about Thibs and COTY voting.
Good pull - it does seem to be an anchoring issue. Giannis would have to be playing badly to reverse positions in addition to JB playing out of his mind. Would bet that his “talent” ratings jump into the top 15 or even 10 for next year. But even the in-season revised estimates have him well outside his range if judged solely by performance. Almost like he’s being penalized for “failing the eye test” or “not being tall enough to ride this ride”.
I'd even say that Brunson needs to be ahead of Lillard in All NBA voting too. Afraid anchoring bias for all star voting will happen again
he will be ahead, I can guarantee you that
Weird moment watching the crowd reaction in the 4th quarter during a time out on league pass. The Bucks were down 6 and there were still about five minutes left. Most of the grownups in the crowd were stone-faced. I thought “they know they’re going to lose.” That Bucks team is shaky as hell. I would love to get them in the second round.
Also, Doc pulling all his starters after his team made two 3s in a row to cut it to 10 with a minute left. Breen was shocked. That Bucks team is a mess.
Feels like Doc is playing a bad mind-game trying to get the team revved up and angry. Like he’s putting their backs to a wall from the travel managers on up. He can’t be this much of a putz accidentally, has to be a strategy. Or I’ve given him too much damn credit bc I liked him as a PG on our team decades ago…
I like Doc, but I'm not sure how much of a handle he has right now.
It’s just hard to believe. He isn’t that old. Has a kid the age of the players. Not sure how he’s lost so much ground but this looks awful.
OG performed a master class on defending Giannis that was one for the ages. He kept stripping Giannis when he held the ball low and stuffing him when he went high. Impressive. I don’t recall any team having as many “where would they be without that guys”. A very special season that I personally won’t consider a failure no matter how the postseason goes. I simply love watching this team and the only disappointment involved with wherever their playoff run stops (including a championship) is that I won’t get to watch them anymore. Love this f-ing team.
I have a funny feeling this will go down as my favorite Knicks team from my adult life. Crazy, I know, but I've latched onto these guys.
Feeling it too. This team really represents the NY vibe. Work hard, struggle through and win no matter the adversity. Also, we can’t/won’t keep all these guys and it will be sad to see them on other teams.
Great win last night - it was great to see meaningful contributions up and down the lineup.
This got me thinking:
What was the ceiling for this team if Randle managed to come back but was never able to get to 100%? (Past postseason struggles would also need to be factored in here.) And now, what’s the recipe for this team sans Randle to maintain the same ceiling?
Because while the loss of a 100% healthy, regular-season Randle is a major blow (any team losing 25/10/5 would of course be worse), losing playing-hurt, playoff Randle might not be the end of the world. Why can’t we still win two non-Celtics series?
I ask/say all this to say: if
- Mitch gets back to close to 100%
- McBride shoots it well
- Bogey brings value like he did last night
- etc.
I think we are still an opponent to be reckoned with.
(Note: this isn’t meant to take shots at Randle or diminish his value. It’s really just looking for hope that this team can still achieve what it set out to, but with a different formula.)
The way I've thought about Randle is that without him, the ceiling is lower but the floor might be higher.
Considering Randle's high ball usage rate and his physical playstyle, it would be better to allow him to rest until he reaches at least 85% fitness. In the last playoffs, Randle had a poor performance due to an injured ankle that required surgery. If he plays at less than 50% fitness, it could negatively impact him physically and mentally, as we have seen in the past when he didn't get back on defense or got frustrated. Moreover, it could also hurt the team's performance, as other players may perform better than an injured Randle.
If I had to guess, final standings would look something like this:
1 Celtics 66 Wins
2 Magic 49 Wins
3 Knicks 49 Wins
4 Bucks 48 Wins
5 Pacers 48 Wins
6 Cavs 48 Wins
7 76ers 46 Wins
8 Heat 45 Wins
Does Clearing The Glass have a statistic for wanting it more? Go ahead Knicks opponents hit your 3's, in the long run Thibs has your number!
Also, what are the different ways to stagger Brunson and non Brunson minutes? You mentioned this a bit with OG, but what about Hart, DDV, or others. Trying to understand what staggering means for different combinations
Hey Ganesh, just want to make sure I understand your question...are you asking basically what are the different lineup combos we are likely to see (or should see) in the playoffs, both that include Brunson and that don't?
Almost. I'm interested in the non-Brunson lineups, specifically lineups that carry some starters (Hart, DDV, OG, iHart) that are staggered into the bench line up.
Rationale: The non starter bench line up has been non performant lately (Mitch, Bogey, Deuce, Precious, Burks). Staggering starters can help reduce this non performance.
Question: So which staggered combination is the “best”, maybe qualified by +\- lineup ratings to help offset the lack of Brunson and even Randle? And should a bench lineup ever be non staggered and for how long? (considering minutes restrictions of iHart, OG, And Mitch)