jskinny35 wrote:I really don't mind losing but can't stand that we don't seem to adjust or try something different. I get there is something about believing and sticking with your strategy but Brunson just couldn't get going vs Brown - it happens. So why not run more Deuce and use Brunson off the ball more... or bring in Shamet to try for some catch and shoot threes to space? Everything was spread the floor and ISO and it's clear that are personnel is better but the Celts honestly are tougher to defensd because they pass and cut and space. It's not like you could say any of the bench player's defense would be infinitely worse as we let White shoot about 5 step up threes without anybody really close. Pritchard has that nice deep step back so you have to live with some of those. Brown iso'ing is fine but just play him straight up (OG or Bridges) and don't let them drive and kick so much. Play Mitch back there and sub KAT off the bench so he can play like a slightly more graceful Felton Spencer. When he pump fakes it takes him like 9.5 seconds to take 2 dribbles and drive to the hoop. Put him on the block unless he's guarded by a C at the 3 pt line. Love Hart but maybe it's finally time to start Mitch so you take away the hack a Mitch (was great tonigth), offer some rim protection and rebounding opportunities from the start (instead of falling behind and needing him to help cut the defecits).

And despite the loss was kind of cool to see Kornet look like Mutombo and played the game of his life!

We will probably take Game 6 on Friday but it doesn't change the fact that our limitations are mostly self-imposed and correctable through coaching, ball movement and strategy.

Totally agree, especially with the conclusion.

ToddTT wrote:

Knicksfan wrote:

ramtour420 wrote:No Championship has been won without passing. Thibs cannot coach a team to do it. He is simply not a Championship coach. I'd rather lose to Boston and move on from Thibs. Brunson will not allow it tho

The thing is that we have done it for stretches this season, but for some ridiculous reason this team can’t have a full game of good defense and flowing offense. This team is such a freaking mystery from game to game.

No mystery to me. Every player on our team has significant flaws. Makes consistency difficult.

You can say that about every team. The difference to me is always coaching. For example, this team has played on a moving offense focused on passing and getting the best shot available, especially exploiting their sweet shooting starting center. But for whatever reason we seem to have decided that the playoffs are only won with a heavy dose of iso plays. Why? Who knows. Same with the switching defense after two games. We have pieces that provide interesting options, yet we don’t explore them because we don’t move the ball anymore. In a whole series of now 5 games, the Knicks have put up a commendable effort on both ends in only one half. Our players have flaws, but the coaching staff decides to play a certain way in spite of how it will deflate some key pieces. Like someone said earlier, many of our issues are self-inflicted.

Nalod wrote:We played a bad game.
Celtics played a really good one.
It happens.

It's not just about losing. When they play badly they don't look like a good team being beat, they look like they don't belong. The turnovers, not being able to even get shots (forget about making them) and not being able to counter Luke Fucking Kornet looking like Mutombo out there. They looked awful.
Tatum goes out and every other Celtic stepped up. JB fouled out and it was hopeless.

Panos wrote:

Nalod wrote:We played a bad game.
Celtics played a really good one.
It happens.

It's not just about losing. When they play badly they don't look like a good team being beat, they look like they don't belong. The turnovers, not being able to even get shots (forget about making them) and not being able to counter Luke Fucking Kornet looking like Mutombo out there. They looked awful.
Tatum goes out and every other Celtic stepped up. JB fouled out and it was hopeless.

Can't credit Boston's play? Im not saying your wrong but Celtics executed their plan.
Knicks went at Kornet and he responded. Its frustrating.

Its a miserable series. The wins are all comebacks which means good portion of the game is at a level of dysfunction. The variances by both teams are very wide. Boston fans can't be happy. Nobody is happy.

Brunson a bad game. Defense was stupid and he forced much on offense.

WE the same fanbase that railed on Randle and look at him this year? Im not saying any of us will change how we we view some players until they actually produce results yet team construction is about anticipation and vision. I think we had a great team last year with iHart and Randle. We all know what happend and at some point Randle gets an extension. We miss DDV but he might not ever reproduce that season again.
Knicks will get thru this. We are still up 3-2. That was no fluke.

Tip: to reduce stress and time spent use a DVR feature. I delay watching. Caught the first half which was great. Wife and I had dinner and caught an episode of "the last of us". Then went back and caught the rest of the game. It sucked. I fast forwarded when down 22. im not wanting to expose myself to bad games. Its lame but im under the weather this week with an ailment and in dire need of sleep. Really im miserable. I can take the lose but not the slow burn. I watch about 75% of the games this year but do DVR keep wife happy and really and keeps me from being grumpy. At he end of the day win or lose my life won't really change. I can celebrate success and feel when eliminated but these players are not doing it for me? Sure we put time and energy into this but its entertainment.

A piece of me died in 1994 in my fandom. Been watching knicks from 1971. I get it. Its not easy. But nobody puts a gun to my head and makes me do this.

Panos wrote:

Nalod wrote:We played a bad game.
Celtics played a really good one.
It happens.

It's not just about losing. When they play badly they don't look like a good team being beat, they look like they don't belong. The turnovers, not being able to even get shots (forget about making them) and not being able to counter Luke Fucking Kornet looking like Mutombo out there. They looked awful.
Tatum goes out and every other Celtic stepped up. JB fouled out and it was hopeless.

Well, you are talking about guys that won a chip last year. Not like it was Tatum plus a bunch of stooges who did so. White has been consistent all playoffs. Pritchard is sixth man and been solid from three. Horford is a proven winner. Brown is Brown and no secret. May agree with you that Kormet had an above average game but he has shown flashes in the past and had a great game.

Knicks just didn’t make shots and got into foul trouble. We had a decent half. Bad third quarter.
Turn things around game six and it will be forgotten.
OG, Bridges had bad games. We need them to show up to win.

VDesai wrote:I think the two things were at work.

Boston are the champs, and even though they are down their best man, they have other all star level players and pride. That was a team playing like they weren't going down without a fight. White, Brown etc. making hustle plays. Kornet playing the 2nd half instead of KP was a game changer.

The Knicks were....the Knicks. They have shown this uneven effort ALL YEAR. Every time things look up, they temper our expectations with a complete **** show. They did the exact same thing last round - had a team on the ropes and let them off a bit. When we acquired Karl Anthony Towns he came with a reputation...world class talent, unpredictable results, silliness....we're getting it all. Next game he'll show you why he's one of the most unstoppable players in the league at times too. I think this was an easy one to predict unfortunately.

I also feel pretty confident we win game 6, b/c bouncing back from losses is also a pretty consistent trait.

I don’t have the stat handy but the celts actually had a pretty crazy winning % WITHOUT Tatum

Personally I think it takes at least one year to see full potential of star acquisitions as guys develop the best way to gel. I’m still very frustrate w the way we’re using/misusing KAT on offense. His best skills are shooting and passing and we’re deploying him like a run of the mill banger. It’s like Thibs and/or Brunson don’t know how to leverage his talents. I say that realizing that he’s had a string of 20/10 games but the 20 was largely as a banger

I will say 20 FTs for Boston in that third quarter and five fouls on JB is fishy. Some of them were fouls, yes I agree, but others were very iffy and touch fouls you don't call on a star player in the playoffs. It's like Silver called his zebras at halftime and instructed them to do what it takes to extend the series. I hate this even creeps into my head but that's how it looked.

But the zebras alone weren't the only reason we lost. We sucked. We **** the bed. The transition defense was putrid and these mistakes should simply not happen in a game five of the playoffs. We have already played the Celtics 8 times and should know the scouting report and basic cardinal rules on defense. How many threes does White have to knock down before we make it a priority to not leave him open or lose him in transition?

I like KAT and I have his back and want him to succeed here so badly but I start to question his commitment when he plays like this with the silly fouls. It's like he doesn't have that hunger or urgency. I know not every player isn't going to be Ewing in terms of their hunger and fire for that ring but last night was unacceptable. KAT needs to stop smiling, stop committing silly fouls that hurt the team and start playing like we all know he can! OG was awful too. His inconsistency scoring and shooting the ball must get better or we are going home soon. We need these guys!

But give Boston credit. We all knew they would bring it and they did. Kornet was huge and they got lucky KP sat out so he can play big minutes. Brown was elite too and White couldn't miss. Shame on anyone who thought this series was already over! They ae the defending champs and won't roll over and quit! And just because we have a game six at MSG it doesn't mean they will get overwhelmed and quit either. It's been proven over the years MSG is no homecourt advantage. We're going to have to play a great game and get contributions from everyone if we are going to close this out! If we don't, we will be sent home.

The Knicks just played bad. Passing up open 3's to test Kornet in the paint (he passed). Guys standing around watching on offense while Brunson dribbles.

Celts won one for the gipper. Celts played small all night and we couldn't punish them with our size. It was a bad night for our style of basketball.

Chandler wrote:

VDesai wrote:I think the two things were at work.

Boston are the champs, and even though they are down their best man, they have other all star level players and pride. That was a team playing like they weren't going down without a fight. White, Brown etc. making hustle plays. Kornet playing the 2nd half instead of KP was a game changer.

The Knicks were....the Knicks. They have shown this uneven effort ALL YEAR. Every time things look up, they temper our expectations with a complete **** show. They did the exact same thing last round - had a team on the ropes and let them off a bit. When we acquired Karl Anthony Towns he came with a reputation...world class talent, unpredictable results, silliness....we're getting it all. Next game he'll show you why he's one of the most unstoppable players in the league at times too. I think this was an easy one to predict unfortunately.

I also feel pretty confident we win game 6, b/c bouncing back from losses is also a pretty consistent trait.

I don’t have the stat handy but the celts actually had a pretty crazy winning % WITHOUT Tatum

Personally I think it takes at least one year to see full potential of star acquisitions as guys develop the best way to gel. I’m still very frustrate w the way we’re using/misusing KAT on offense. His best skills are shooting and passing and we’re deploying him like a run of the mill banger. It’s like Thibs and/or Brunson don’t know how to leverage his talents. I say that realizing that he’s had a string of 20/10 games but the 20 was largely as a banger

The whole "Ewing Theory," exists for a reason, but good winning teams can withstand the losses of their stars because they develop winning habits and their secondary stars know how to step up. It's not really a sustainable thing, but we have seen time and again teams do some good things in the absence of their stars. Even our squad did fairly well playing without Brunson this year. We dug in and got pretty damn far without Randle last year. Teams that are well coached with winning culture and habits don't go down very simply.