That being said the biggest part in losing Tatum IMO for Boston is it totally frees up OG. Who guards him? Also if/when Boston goes 2big with Tingus and Al together it lets us guard one of those stiffs with OG on a perimeter where he will gobble them old turkeys up.

fishmike wrote:IDK why we start games so slow. To me this is Brunson's biggest area of growth and will be yet another level to his game. Not a blame thing but attacking more early just to get guys going would really help us. It's missing. Obviously other guys hitting shots would help, its not all on him but he's got the ball a lot.

Surely some on Thibs as well as every team every game throws the sink at Brunson, and it often works... for a bit then he figures it out or they get tired and he cooks you in the 2nd half. Maybe we need to get Mikal going early (although he's missed a ton of early good looks) so what the phuck do I know.

A good start would be nice for once. Maybe give the bench more time also also being up a few an not always in "dont let this slip away" mode

I'll take a guess. It's the lack of on court Kobe mentality from both KAT and Brunson from the get-go. Brunson ABSOLUTELY got it as a closer but I just don't see it early in games. Like they immediately want to put their foot on the throats of teams from the get go, that's gotta come from your alpha leaders and the Knicks just don't have that quality on their team.

Brunson and KAT are more understated, get along with everyone type personalities. Leaders, yes, but not outward killa's; they won't necessarily get in your face. Josh is a goof. Mikal and OG are understated and quieter dudes and play within themselves.

And thus PJ Tucker IMHO. Literally that is what he is on the roster for. Just for his personality.

I'd guess it's part of the growth process for Brunson.

martin wrote:

fishmike wrote:IDK why we start games so slow. To me this is Brunson's biggest area of growth and will be yet another level to his game. Not a blame thing but attacking more early just to get guys going would really help us. It's missing. Obviously other guys hitting shots would help, its not all on him but he's got the ball a lot.

Surely some on Thibs as well as every team every game throws the sink at Brunson, and it often works... for a bit then he figures it out or they get tired and he cooks you in the 2nd half. Maybe we need to get Mikal going early (although he's missed a ton of early good looks) so what the phuck do I know.

A good start would be nice for once. Maybe give the bench more time also also being up a few an not always in "dont let this slip away" mode

I'll take a guess. It's the lack of on court Kobe mentality from both KAT and Brunson from the get-go. Brunson ABSOLUTELY got it as a closer but I just don't see it early in games. Like they immediately want to put their foot on the throats of teams from the get go, that's gotta come from your alpha leaders and the Knicks just don't have that quality on their team.

Brunson and KAT are more understated, get along with everyone type personalities. Leaders, yes, but not outward killa's; they won't necessarily get in your face. Josh is a goof. Mikal and OG are understated and quieter dudes and play within themselves.

And thus PJ Tucker IMHO. Literally that is what he is on the roster for. Just for his personality.

I'd guess it's part of the growth process for Brunson.

Getting KAT scoring early is not hard. But Brunson/Bridges/KAT surely look like 2nd half players in this postseason. Josh specifically shouted out to PJ Tucker for getting their minds right

The Celtics definitely have their back against the wall - we're the healthier team and without Tatum, the talent arrow definitely points in our direction. Any team can win on any given night, but given the state of the rest of the Celtics (the obvious ones: KP's mono or whatever energy-sapping illness he has; Brown's knee; Holiday's hamstring.) they'll need some extra output from unusual sources.

And with Tatum out, it allows us to keep switching looks on Brown between Bridges and OG.

I just hope the Knicks manage to avoid new injuries this series.

Brunson, after reaggravating his sprained ankle a few times vs the Pistons, has had a relatively non-physical series vs the Celtics - no long exits to the locker room. It seems as if he's the healthiest he's been in a month or two.

Things are looking pretty good for us.

nycericanguy wrote:

martin wrote:Anyone up for signing Al Horford to that $5M exception next year? He’ll be an UFA

Allows you to comfortably start KAT Mitch if you want.

Huk mentor, maybe help KAT with some defense.

That would put the icing on Boston cake during the summer.

Al and KAT can do the Dominican dinner night on team get togethers.

absolutely, tho i think he'd command more. he'd be a dream get though. Perfect 20-25mpg high IQ floor spacer, defender.

Teams would have to use their MLE on a 39yo. Tough decision for others but a perfect fit for Knicks on a 1 year with absolute title contention aspirations. I don’t know where else he would fit but really hadn’t thought on it much.

Even 10-15 minutes a game for like 40 games would be AOK with me. He’d be insurance with late year playing time.

Hauser is probably tonight. You lose Tatum, but you're adding another volume shooter who hits at a high clip. Pritchard will play more, and in some ways has been one of the toughest guys on their team for us to guard.

That said now that OG doesn't have to guard Tatum, you can put him on Brown and now they have a very limited amount of shot creation. Tatum also was a versatile defender who can guard 1 to 5 and switch, and if you swap him for Pritchard or Hauser that's a clear decline.

Matchups are in our favor, but we have to stay locked in, maintain or discipline on defense and continue to lean into what started to work offensively in Game 4.

DLeethal wrote:Brown has been banged up for awhile, he is not at his best and now OG will get to guard him all game. Just stay at home on everyone else, continue to switch everything please. If they want Brown to hunt KAT in iso all game let em do it. He's also not the same pull up 3 shooter than Tatum is.

For christ sakes don't leave White, Pritchard, KP wide open tonight - everyone in everyones shorts likes flies to a rib roast.

Win tonight and you are off until Monday at the earliest and potentially next Wed.

Just win baby.

SergioNYK wrote:Today is the 28 year anniversary of the Ward and PJ Brown fight. I hope it's a lesson to never assume a series is over and realize a series can change in the blink of an eye. Everyone will always remember that fight but we were up 3-1 and played like total **** in that Game 5.

Yep - I'm scared going into this one and if we win I'll be scared going into next series and every game of that one.

Again - just win by whatever means necessary (and stay healthy).

LivingLegend wrote:Would really suck to lose this one tonight - we don't need that.

Win tonight and you are off until Monday at the earliest and potentially next Wed.

Just win baby.

Yeah but then the Garden party on Friday would be insane in the membrane