17 Comments
Apr 17, 2023Liked by Jonathan Macri

0 Rebounds, 1 Assist, 5 Turnovers and mostly relegated to a jump shooter in 43 minutes for Garland. RJ had bad shooting night yes but he was on Garland like glue defensively most of the night and had 4 Rebounds, 6 Assists, 4 Steals and only 1 (yes really bad) Turnover in just 31 minutes. I think he also had like 5 deflections. Do that again and, unless Mobley turns into Chris Bosh on offense, we have a good chance to steal game 2.

Expand full comment
Apr 17, 2023Liked by Jonathan Macri

If I didn't know better, I'd assume that was Josh Hart's 50th playoff game and he'd won 3 titles.

Expand full comment

Let them keep putting a bigger player on Brunson, all it does is create other matchups for us that can be exploited through ball movement, and the tactic really didn’t impede Brunson in the second half anyway.

We have the opportunity to for all effective purposes deliver the dagger Tuesday. Cleveland is obviously going to come out like a house on fire, playing like a desperate and hungry team, which they now are. All we have to do is withstand the initial rush, and stay in the game, then shorten the game.

If we can do that, the pressure is going to build on the Cavs, and they are going to get tighter. With the exception of Mitchell, none of them, their coach included, have playoff experience, and it showed on Saturday.

The fans were already booing them, then in the post game presser the coach basically threw his second unit under the bus. If we get a second half lead, it could very easily turn into a home court disadvantage for them.

We’re already playing with house money, just shorten the game and wait to see who steps up and takes the moment.

Expand full comment
Apr 17, 2023Liked by Jonathan Macri

Funny thing about the Hart shot: When I heard you talking about it on the post game show, I didn't immediately know what you were talking about. I went back and watched the replay and clearly remembered it in retrospect, but I think I was so sure it was going on -- this is a late game 3 by Josh Hart, after all -- that the magnitude of the shot didn't even register. What a game.

Expand full comment
author

52 percent from deep since he got to NY!

Expand full comment
Apr 17, 2023Liked by Jonathan Macri

Hart is such a pleasure to watch and root for 👌🏻

Expand full comment
Apr 17, 2023Liked by Jonathan Macri

Hart is a man for all NBA seasons.

Expand full comment
Apr 17, 2023Liked by Jonathan Macri

82 game players and 16 game players. I like that Dray. That's probably why we can do without LaVine, Towns, or other possible available 82 game players in the summer. That's probably the way one can really differentiate between a star and franchise altering star. Great write up once again Jon.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks Dom! And we know what they need, and it ain't LaVine or KAT

Expand full comment

🤣🤣🤣💯🔥

Expand full comment
Apr 17, 2023Liked by Jonathan Macri

Great stuff as always!

Expand full comment
author

Thanks Hek!

Expand full comment

Josh Hart is DOUBTFUL for Game 2 with a sprained left ankle, Knicks say

Expand full comment
Apr 17, 2023Liked by Jonathan Macri

Praying it's not too bad. We can beat the Cavs again with out Hart, but not 3 more times.

Expand full comment

I hope the Knicks are not feeling as cocky as their fan base is feeling, but I fear they are. And we have not seen Cleveland’s best. Not by a long shot. Like many young playoff teams with the home edge, the Cavs came out thinking they were going to win game one simply because they were at home and they are supposed to win game one.

Cleveland is going to come out guns a-blazing tomorrow night.

Cleveland will likely win game two but I’m hoping it’s not a blow out as I’d like the Knicks to have a puncher’s chance at stealing a close game in the closing seconds.

Also remember that NBA 101 states that the team with the superstar almost always beats the team without a superstar in a playoff series.

This series goes seven.

Expand full comment
author

Agree it goes to 7, but disagree that the Knicks players are reading the press clippings. That's the benefit of Thibs as the coach.

Expand full comment