Paladin55 wrote:You look at the play again and you can see that Walker was set up for an easy basket- probably a dunk. It really was a pretty play on our part. A great pass by Anthony (the right decision, IMO), and the right idea by Jeffries, who would have probably given us a Charles Smith flashback if he had attempted to shoot over KG. Unfortunately KG made a good defensive play.

If Jeffries makes the pass people are applauding Anthony, who had enough BB sense to understand that he was being TRIPLE TEAMED, and had to get the ball to the open man.

The Celts gambled- basically saying that they would do anything to keep Anthony from taking an open shot- and they won the gamble. Anthony tries to drive and he probably gets stripped- and do any of you think that the refs would have given Anthony a call that would have possibly given the Knicks the lead over Boston in Boston?

You are correct, the play was freaking awesome. Sub anyone else in there for Jeffries and it probably gets done. Can't fault MDA on that one.

I was screaming last night like why was JJ in there, but really everyone else who would have played was hurt. Can't expect him to bring in someone brand new with no burn and ask them to make that play. Guys are tight, Roger Mason airballed a 3 and he was wide open. Guys needs time to shake the rust off. With Ronnie and AMare hurt, JJ really was the only player with height. Man how cool would it have been for stat to limp out there and make the final basket.

D'Antoni lost the game same as he lost Game #1 not defending the Lob alley dunk by Garnett.

Here tonight in Game #2 D'Antoni did two horrific things to lose game.
1) As perhaps pointed out WHY Oh WHY ? not double Kevin Garnett or plan for it in the paint and force
Garnett to kick out ball for a jumper.

2) Last play where Jeffries fumbled ball on a pass to him under basket, Jeffries had no business being in game for
an offensive play despite Jeffries making a hoop earlier (bravo) and looking uncomfortable as he made basket.

You need 4 guys on that play with Carmello whom are offensive minded and can make a play to basket where driving OR jumper.

Coach D'Antoni last minutes adjustment failures are common and consistent ALL yr long in regular season
we see it again in playoffs.

-Later

ramtour420 wrote:Me and my friend were having this discussion after game 2, what lost us the game? He was like"JJ is a bum, straight up bum !" Me(please bear with me)I could not blame JJ. I told him that JJ played his heart out, he did a MJordanesque layup(for JJ that was spectacular, straight up ESPN highlight) on our second to last possession, then he played excellent M2M D on Garnett(or as close as he to excellent), and the last possession he was simply JJ that we all know, no big news there. Can't blame him, simple as that. What I told him was that Melo should have not passed him the ball to shoot a game winner or free throws if he gets fouled because JJ has about ZERO game winners for his career. Now Melo, on the other hand, had a career playoff scoring night and I would rather him shoot it, even double teamed and EVEN from behind the arc on a night like that, and if he missed I would have been happier than seeing him pass it to JJ.
Then I did some thinking, then some more thinking. Something just didn't add up. Yes, he had a career night, but he was doubled and he did have trust in his teammate and I am sure thats what the coach tells them, to trust their teammates. So then I was confused, I mean that was the absolute WORST scenario as our last possesion to score for the win. How could it happen if everything was "right" ? And thats when it hit me. WHY WAS JJ OUT THERE AFTER A TIME OUT? WHY? No, really, why the fork was JJ out there? MDA, this loss was your fault man. I don't care if we had no Billups nor Amare. We had a chance to win it and our chance was pooped on by MDA leaving JJ out there during a possesion where D was not needed at all and we just needed a score. JJ did what JJ does, can't fault him for that, the guy tried. But he shouldn't have been in the position to fail and MDA put him there. Simple as that.

Was Turiaf in? He is not the greatest of finishers at the basket, but he is a much better passer than Jeffries, and more used to going to the basket off a P&R than Jeffries. In the same situation I would have been much more confident having him pass the ball.

Don't know MDA's view on the issue of who should have been out there. Maybe he was not expecting the triple team scenerio?

Paladin55 wrote:You look at the play again and you can see that Walker was set up for an easy basket- probably a dunk. It really was a pretty play on our part. A great pass by Anthony (the right decision, IMO), and the right idea by Jeffries, who would have probably given us a Charles Smith flashback if he had attempted to shoot over KG. Unfortunately KG made a good defensive play.

If Jeffries makes the pass people are applauding Anthony, who had enough BB sense to understand that he was being TRIPLE TEAMED, and had to get the ball to the open man.

The Celts gambled- basically saying that they would do anything to keep Anthony from taking an open shot- and they won the gamble. Anthony tries to drive and he probably gets stripped- and do any of you think that the refs would have given Anthony a call that would have possibly given the Knicks the lead over Boston in Boston?

And there is no way they can pull that off if we had Amare on the floor along with Melo. Carmelo knew full well we would never get a call, the only thing that forced the result was anticipation on Garnett's part that JJ would pass rather than try to gp up with it.
I hate KG but he is just about the best defensive big man in the NBA.

League reviewed KG screen; West leaves bench again
http://www.newsday.com/sports/basketball/knicks/the-knicks-fix-1.812055/league-reviewed-kg-screen-west-leaves-bench-again-1.2829097

Thank you in advance!