The problem with Randle is that he isn't doing the things that help the team the most and he isn't doing a very good job of the things he's choosing to do. The crazy shooting that carried him last year isn't back and instead of finding another way to help he's actually helping even less in terms of blocking out and defense. He can handle, drive and do anything on the court but he isn't elite at everything on the court and the big improvement we saw last year from so many players on the team was cutting out the things that don't work and repeating the things that do work. Randle seems to be doing the opposite.
Every way you look at this team screams to play more guys for fewer minutes. Everything about the post covid reality says you should be playing more guys for more minutes. Everything about player development and even getting to and going further in the playoffs is best served by playing more guys fewer minutes in the regular season.
Randle shouldn't be playing more than 20-25 minutes a night at this point. When he starts shooting better or at least figures out how to help when he isn't shooting he can increase a little but we shouldn't have guys on the floor for any longer than they can play hard both ways. He might be able to play at top speed for 40 minutes but he sure hasn't been. You can't tell me that the extra 10 minutes from Randle every night isn't better used on Grimes, Duce & Obi. In a playoff game I get it but what are we even trying to achieve? Creepy stuff like a thibs battle with the front office or Randle being a bad teammate are the only things that really fit what were seeing on the floor.
You can grasp at straws like "guys learn in practice" and thibs must be trying to do this or that but thibs is simply refusing to look at any of the players the front office brings in unless he's forced to by several layers of injury. Even Quickley and Obi had to wait for injury and or play so well they make it impossible for thibs to hide them. Even then they get pigeonholed into roles from which escape is virtually impossible.
I think Dolan prefers an organizational style that promotes conflict and that Thibs has power he shouldn't. Defense is great but what I see is that Randle and RJ are really good players when they hit 3's at over 40% and if they don't Thibs doesn't have anything else in his bag.
Rose, Taj, Bullock, Elf and Randle aren't the core of anything. They are all valuable pieces and Randle is a nice third piece on a championship team if he's willing but I don't think we want to build a team around Randle and I know we don't want to build a team around Thibs. I don't object to hard nosed players who defend but I do object to a coach who can't or won't perform when he doesn't get his way.
The problem as you have eloquently detailed and I have been spouting for weeks is Thibs insistence in making Randle the next Lebron James. The offense cannot continue to be led by Julius point blank end of story
Growing up in Knoxville, Tennessee, my dad and I used to go walk to visit my Uncle Mike who had a version of cable tv, even though we lived only a few miles away, that carried MSG where our cable didn't. Williams and Richardson were about the most athletic and exciting backcourt the Knicks ever had. I remember a lot of alley oops to Williams and Richardson was a kind of Magic Johnson type player. This combo was my first taste of success as a knick fan having started following them at age 8 in 1974 and I was bummed about him being traded for Maurice Lucas who was over the hill at the time. My whole family eventually left Tennessee and we've landed back in New York where my parents both grew up. I think Williams could be compared a bit to Starks. A bit smoother with a good mid-range game and less tenacity on defense (but there was a lot less defense in those days anyway).
There are few things more depressing than who should play drama around a mediocre team. That being said, I'm hooked on the Knicks so we continue to pontificate. Here's what I learned from this game. #1 Fournier can be good when we he cares to be. If he drives the basket, gets to the line and becomes more than a stand behind the 3pt line and wait for a kickout...he can be an interesting piece. The observation begs...why doesn't he care to be? #2 Randle can be an impact player when he does things without the ball. That is on defense (play with energy, keep your man close, remain active after the ball is in the air and help) and offense (set good screens, make cuts to allow others to be opened). This also begs...why doesn't he care to be? #3 I love Thibs and absolutely want him as our coach but he needs to evolve a bit and find a way to use the pieces he has better. He's capable, but...you guessed why doesn't he care to be?
Thanks, KFS! Merry Christmas to all who observe and all who don't. Peace to all. Don't want to discuss the present, want to make an observation about Ray Williams and that era. Willis Reed put together a very talented, young squad. Sugar, Ray, Lonnie Shelton... but, through knocks, immurity, and the New York nightlife-sex, drugs,etc-they never coalesced. Cost Reed his run. You have to be special to win in New York. Talent and ability just isn't enough.
The problem with Randle is that he isn't doing the things that help the team the most and he isn't doing a very good job of the things he's choosing to do. The crazy shooting that carried him last year isn't back and instead of finding another way to help he's actually helping even less in terms of blocking out and defense. He can handle, drive and do anything on the court but he isn't elite at everything on the court and the big improvement we saw last year from so many players on the team was cutting out the things that don't work and repeating the things that do work. Randle seems to be doing the opposite.
Every way you look at this team screams to play more guys for fewer minutes. Everything about the post covid reality says you should be playing more guys for more minutes. Everything about player development and even getting to and going further in the playoffs is best served by playing more guys fewer minutes in the regular season.
Randle shouldn't be playing more than 20-25 minutes a night at this point. When he starts shooting better or at least figures out how to help when he isn't shooting he can increase a little but we shouldn't have guys on the floor for any longer than they can play hard both ways. He might be able to play at top speed for 40 minutes but he sure hasn't been. You can't tell me that the extra 10 minutes from Randle every night isn't better used on Grimes, Duce & Obi. In a playoff game I get it but what are we even trying to achieve? Creepy stuff like a thibs battle with the front office or Randle being a bad teammate are the only things that really fit what were seeing on the floor.
You can grasp at straws like "guys learn in practice" and thibs must be trying to do this or that but thibs is simply refusing to look at any of the players the front office brings in unless he's forced to by several layers of injury. Even Quickley and Obi had to wait for injury and or play so well they make it impossible for thibs to hide them. Even then they get pigeonholed into roles from which escape is virtually impossible.
I think Dolan prefers an organizational style that promotes conflict and that Thibs has power he shouldn't. Defense is great but what I see is that Randle and RJ are really good players when they hit 3's at over 40% and if they don't Thibs doesn't have anything else in his bag.
Rose, Taj, Bullock, Elf and Randle aren't the core of anything. They are all valuable pieces and Randle is a nice third piece on a championship team if he's willing but I don't think we want to build a team around Randle and I know we don't want to build a team around Thibs. I don't object to hard nosed players who defend but I do object to a coach who can't or won't perform when he doesn't get his way.
The problem as you have eloquently detailed and I have been spouting for weeks is Thibs insistence in making Randle the next Lebron James. The offense cannot continue to be led by Julius point blank end of story
Growing up in Knoxville, Tennessee, my dad and I used to go walk to visit my Uncle Mike who had a version of cable tv, even though we lived only a few miles away, that carried MSG where our cable didn't. Williams and Richardson were about the most athletic and exciting backcourt the Knicks ever had. I remember a lot of alley oops to Williams and Richardson was a kind of Magic Johnson type player. This combo was my first taste of success as a knick fan having started following them at age 8 in 1974 and I was bummed about him being traded for Maurice Lucas who was over the hill at the time. My whole family eventually left Tennessee and we've landed back in New York where my parents both grew up. I think Williams could be compared a bit to Starks. A bit smoother with a good mid-range game and less tenacity on defense (but there was a lot less defense in those days anyway).
There are few things more depressing than who should play drama around a mediocre team. That being said, I'm hooked on the Knicks so we continue to pontificate. Here's what I learned from this game. #1 Fournier can be good when we he cares to be. If he drives the basket, gets to the line and becomes more than a stand behind the 3pt line and wait for a kickout...he can be an interesting piece. The observation begs...why doesn't he care to be? #2 Randle can be an impact player when he does things without the ball. That is on defense (play with energy, keep your man close, remain active after the ball is in the air and help) and offense (set good screens, make cuts to allow others to be opened). This also begs...why doesn't he care to be? #3 I love Thibs and absolutely want him as our coach but he needs to evolve a bit and find a way to use the pieces he has better. He's capable, but...you guessed why doesn't he care to be?
Thanks, KFS! Merry Christmas to all who observe and all who don't. Peace to all. Don't want to discuss the present, want to make an observation about Ray Williams and that era. Willis Reed put together a very talented, young squad. Sugar, Ray, Lonnie Shelton... but, through knocks, immurity, and the New York nightlife-sex, drugs,etc-they never coalesced. Cost Reed his run. You have to be special to win in New York. Talent and ability just isn't enough.
Great as always -- much appreciated!