gradyandrew wrote:

BlueKnickers wrote:

nyvector16 wrote:All our young talent went from being liabilities under Thibs to big assets under Brown.
This is the way forward with the new 2nd Apron limitations.
Knicks specifically quoted player development in new CBA era as a reason for moving on from Thibs and they were spot on!

We are in such a good place because Knicks mgmt saw through the overplaying starters routine and actually understand how basketball works both on the court and managing a roster.
We have two weak links at the moment taking a roster spot, but that will be handled as well.
Great time to be a Knicks fan!!!

That's really the key point: management saw the need to replace Thibs. I hold this front office's management abilities in way higher esteem than I do Thibs coaching abilities. And good management decided it was time to upgrade the coach.

When we drafted Kolek, we set a new NBA record for the highest guaranteed multi-year contract ever awarded to a 2nd round player coming out of the draft. Another team eclipsed that record right afterwards, but how often do you see a FO going all in on a 2nd rounder from the get go like that?

That kind of commitment was not carried through by Thibs. Kolek needed to upgrade his defense of course, but seeing how well he has done that it is not like he couldn't have been coached up during the previous season too and he would only suddenly turn into a viable defender a couple weeks ago. IMO, Brown pushed Kolek in ways Thibs did not do.

Thibs was one of those coaches who would go months without talking to bench players. There are numerous accounts of former players who say Thibs never talked to them more than once or twice while they were a Knicks. I don't know how that is going to work, but I think the FO saw the way he would completely block out players they drafted to be developed and had enough of Thibs pig headed ways. You don't see that now. Brown is talking to everyone on the roster. They clearly hired Brown in part because of this and it is showing results.

And it is probably true Bridges didn't want Thibs back. Coming from one of the iron men of his era, for Bridges to publicly challenge Thibs for his minutes managements was the writing on the wall.

When your FO and starters don't want the coach back, I'm pretty sure I'm not making up reasons for Thibs failure to stick as a coach. Rose thought it was serious enough an issue to fire Thibs just a year into a new extension.

I was really surprised to see Kolek out there for the final defensive possession against the Hawks. Brown subbed Brunson out to put him in. Says a lot about Brown's trust.

Not like Brunson is all defense team! Also, Jalen had 4 fouls and in the event knicks go to OT that could factor.
Bottom line was Thibs for all his warts won a lot of games and knicks I'd say 4 of his 5 years outperformed expectations. While in hindsight we punch holes in the job he did one has to look at the start of each season and the ceiling.
That said, Leon in hindsight saw there was some issues and potentially Thibs personality and manner had reached the level where it was time. Larry Brown long ago said 5 years was the time a team gets tired of its coach and stops listening.
That, and the minutes thing (Hart) and MIkal not being happy all made for many reasons to not fire him for cause or doing a bad job, but simply it was time to elevate beyond his scope with this team. Yes, it was super important for this team to need a bench which got elevated but the younger guys actually contribut. Thibs had trust issues and wanted to win like every game. For this team to succeed its coach needed to build thru the season. Brown was a good choice.

martin wrote:

Knixkik wrote:Diawara’s upside is real. Didn’t realize he’s only been playing basketball for 4 years. He is big, has really good defensive instincts and is starting to show some offensive flashes with the shooting and attacking the paint. He won’t be a consistent rotation player this year but he’s only 20. He’s looking like a real 2-way player and possible starter down the road as long as the shooting (and rest of his game) continues to develop.

Wow didn’t know about the 4 years thing.

Gotta finish better at the rim and pass better to teammates. He’s a willing passer but they are just off enough.

But if that e point shot is real, that’s gold

Momo with 18 points in 18 mins with 4-4 from 3pt, and 2 steals. Keeps upping his outlook!

Panos wrote:All the yoots contributing except Pacman. There must be something about his game Brown just doesn't like.

Maybe, but not everyone develops as fast as others. They extended his deal right ? They must believe in him.

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://www.twitter.com/SNYKPodHarlem/status/2005691265963442426

I still got my eye on 19 year old Dink Pate down in our G-League
Dink Pate tonight

🗽 Pate vs Birmingham back to back games this week

🏀 24 Points (6/9 from 3)
🏀 10 Rebounds
🏀 4 Assist
🥷🏾 2 Steals

🏀 22 Points (6/13 from 3)
🏀 11 Rebounds
🏀 8 Assists
🚷 3 Blocks
🥷🏾 1 Steal

🍳 Dink Pate this season:

⏱️ 34.8 Minutes per game
🏀 19.3 Points per game (10.7 last year)
🏀 16.1 Field goal attempts
📉 36.4 Field goal %
🏀 8.7 Three-point attempts (29.5%)
🏀 79.3 Free throw % (72.7 last year)
🏀 8.0 Rebounds per game
🧠 4.8 Ast per (up from 1.5 last year)
⚠️ 3.8 Turnovers
Per 🥷🏾 1.1 Steals

🧠 Playmaking growth:
🎯 Assist %: 23.3% (13.6 last year)
🔁 Ast to turnover: 1.26 (0.73 last year)
📈 Assist ratio: 18.2 (11.1 last year)
📉 Turnover ratio: 14.4 (15.3 last year)

martin wrote:Didn't connect the 51 jersey number cause I'm so numb these days.

And he worked out for 13 teams and still fell to 51. Drafting is a wild science and we got some of the best scientists. Super kudos to Walt Perrin and crew.

Still can't believe Brock traded DOWN from 50 to 51 to pick up some cash and whatever 2nd round pick pick who is over 30yo.

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://www.twitter.com/JLEdwardsIII/status/2005993370544705924

If you’ve ever wondered why Knicks rookie Mohamed Diawara wears No. 51 (which, if we’re being honest, is an ugly number), it’s simple. That’s where he was picked in last June’s NBA Draft.

Going into that life-changing night, Diawara had no clue if he’d ever get a phone call telling him he’d achieved his dream.

“I didn’t know at all,” Diawara told The Athletic. “I was hoping to get drafted but I had no clue if I would at all.

“I worked out with 13 teams. The feedback was pretty good. I did a lot of good workouts. I feel like I showed a lot of stuff to other teams. I felt confident that I wouldn’t regret anything.”

The French-born, 20-year-old Diawara has been a pleasant surprise for New York. He’s appeared in 23 games and started his third against New Orleans. Diawara more than tripled his previous career high with 18 points in 18 minutes. The Knicks don’t win if not for Diawara’s 16 first-half points. He also had two steals.

Diawara is one of several examples of how life in New York with Brown as head coach has changed. The young players on a veteran-heavy squad have had been handed opportunities here and there throughout the course of the season. Second-year point guard Tyler Kolek has emerged as a regular rotation player. Second-year forward Kevin McCullar won New York a game against Atlanta over the weekend with a career-high 13 points and eight rebounds. Second-year center Ariel Hukporti has filled in when Mitchell Robinson is out.

Brown is allowing his young players to sink or swim while simultaneously preparing the Knicks for a championship run. The Knicks are winning games while experimenting. Brown played 12 players in Monday’s back-and-forth contest against the Pelicans.

It’s the best of both worlds for the Knicks’ young players and veterans, with Diawara emerging as someone Brown wants to see more of.

“In the summer time, you started to see his feel,” Brown said of his second-round rookie. “His feel for the game is uncanny for someone his size and how young he is. Everything you try to teach him, he tries to absorb it. He works extremely hard. He’s long and a pretty good defender. He’s getting better. There are a lot of little things you watch and go, ‘Wow, oh my gosh.’ All of those things, when they add up, it gives you more confidence as a coaching staff to throw him out there and see what’s going to happen.”

The Knicks' Mohamed Diawara drives on Miami's Simone Fontecchio.

Rookie Mohamed Diawara has made an impression for the Knicks.Evan Bernstein / Getty Images

Diawara, a 6-foot-9 forward who is built like a ball-winning NFL receiver, said that when he found he was going to the Knicks during the draft that there wasn’t ever any consideration, to his knowledge, of him being stashed overseas. He thought, at the very least, he would spend most of the season in the G League. Yet Diawara has primarily been with the main ball club, even without playing significant minutes.

That’s not a surprise to some of his veteran teammates.

“He has this mindset of just attacking,” Miles McBride said. “It kinda reminds me of myself, just attacking. You trust your preparation and results will end up in your favor. (Watching him the first few times) just reminded me of myself. You’re young and don’t know anything. You just go attack.”

Brunson admitted that he wasn’t familiar with Diawara when he joined the Knicks last summer. However, when the team got together in the offseason for the first time since the draft, New York’s star walked away impressed.

“Honestly, I didn’t know Mo when he was drafted,” Brunson said. “I’m not going to lie. When he came to summer league and I came to New York before preseason, I got to work with him and see him. He’s very confident, and the way we play, it’s great for the way we play. Did I do intel? No. But when I got to know him, I knew he’d be an asset for us.”

He traded down just to pick up a draft rights guys. It’s his weird thing that no one understands but people who caught on to it really appreciate.

Philc1 wrote:

Knixkik wrote:Diawara’s upside is real. Didn’t realize he’s only been playing basketball for 4 years. He is big, has really good defensive instincts and is starting to show some offensive flashes with the shooting and attacking the paint. He won’t be a consistent rotation player this year but he’s only 20. He’s looking like a real 2-way player and possible starter down the road as long as the shooting (and rest of his game) continues to develop.

The guy has length for days and can shoot the 3. Can play 4 positions on the floor. How he fell to pick 51 is mind boggling.

Is it really that "mind boggling"? I know your boggled more than most but if your follow this team so much has been presented. Even Mo admitted he thought he would NOT be drafted as a distinct possiblity.
What you should also understand by now is even 1st round players are not locks to succeed. What we have is one game where he scored 18 pts. We are not yet into "A Star is Born" territory. So many players can put up numbers in a few games then become obscure memories. That he is playing with two first team NBA players and two borderline allstars matters.

That said, there are 29 other teams that on occasion insert rooks when injuries mount and some deliver, and most don't. I don't know this kids future but any notion that our future is set is premature. No downside here to these kids delivering and perhaps can be trade assets this year or in the future and it all aggregates nice.

Thank you for sharing your boggle'ness. We are all here for you.