Evolution

The Knicks kicked their KAT-centric offense into high gear.

Good morning! Keeping with the trend of weekend newsletters after big wins at MSG over disappointing central division teams. This one was too fun not to write about.

Game 8: Knicks 116, Bucks 96

• This one was a laugher, with the Knicks up by as many as 30 in the fourth

• New York came out making a concerted effort to move the ball (35 assists on 43 makes) and use their collective gravity to earn easy looks at the rim

• KAT dominated with Brook Lopez defending him, leading Doc Rivers to lament his decision to go with that matchup after the game

• Jalen Brunson excelled as a facilitator

• All five starters scored in double figures for a franchise record seventh consecutive game

• The defense did enough

On October 12, 1979, Boston Celtics guard Chris Ford converted the first 3-pointer in NBA history. I imagine it was like when some unsuspecting frontiersman was making his way towards the Pacific Ocean and tripped over a shiny yellow rock. They had changed the course of history forever, even if they didn’t know it yet.

Over the ensuing 45 years, the NBA has continued to evolve because of that one moment. Just like the modern NFL is unrecognizable from the era of three yards and a cloud of dust and golf was forever changed after Tiger Woods powered up his sport, our basketball forefathers wouldn’t recognize the game that is being played today. While this development has come much to the chagrin of some old heads, there are 30 teams who have no choice but to embrace it.

It has led us here:

No, this is not your father’s big man matchup.