blkexec wrote:

BMart wrote:Not convinced that Obi will get the start, which would be his first.

It appears thibs is listening to his analytics team. That alone will force thibs to start Obi just like it forced thibs to drop Kemba.

I think the measuring stick for these next 3 games is not wins or losses. But the chemistry in the 1st unit. It doesn’t matter who we play, the starting unit with Randle has been atrocious and sometimes embarrassing. Let’s see how we start with Randle out, as a team. Let’s see if Obi impacts the game more with more playing time.

I doubt RJ plays the 4 but I can see him doing it with no problem, depending on the matchups. Green is 6’7 playing center for GS and dude from Miami Tucker? is 6’6 playing PF. So It’s not about the height, it’s about defensive IQ. But that doesn’t matter right now cause Obi will start.

Thibs could get tricky and don’t want to mess with 2nd unit. But thibs and FO needs to see how Obi handles the starter roll in case they want to pull the trigger on a Randle blockbuster trade.

jskinny35 wrote:

NYKMentality wrote:The hatred for Julius Randle is disgusting.

Led us to the playoffs for the 1st time since 2012-2013.

NBAs most improved player.

NBA All-Star.

But yet some of you guys are "celebrating" his covid protocol and quitting on him only 35 games into the season?

Some of you Julius Randle critucs are too clueless to comprehend NY was 17-18 after 35 games last year and also only 25-27 after 52 games last year.

(thnx God coach Thibs didn't quit on Julius Randle like you guys do).

Thankfully the only games we'll be without Randle are against 3 crap teams OKC/Toronto/Indiana/.

So even if we go 3-0 without Randle it means absolutely nothingness in regards to "proving NY doesn't need him".

I'm expecting time needed to adjust as the offense will be totally different. Everyone aside from the 2nd unit has been standing around trying to play off of Randle - now it will have to shift somewhat. Good ball movement, faster switching on defense, increased tempo, more cutting and passing would be my way of evaluating the difference. Will RJ assume Randle's roll or will Thibs allow a more free-flowing type of offense?
3 games probably won't say too much IMO. And despite not being a Randle fan - we will likely miss him when the game slows down and against higher quality opponents. Best case is Randle stays well/healthy but needs 2-3 weeks to test negative so we can see what the neighbor's lawn actually looks like. Randle then returns off the bench and wins 6th man of the Year :)

Agree with the bolded. We might stumble at first as guys are adjusting to new roles and play-style. But I am definitely looking for more player and ball movement, more energy throughout on both sides of the ball.

In the meantime we will likely be better with Obi in at the 4. Not because Obi is better or more talented. Because he will move the ball on offense and not stop it with overdribbling. At the moment both Randle is not making his 3s or jumpers so he is indecisive and dribbling around too much and it's stopping the offense

knicks1248 wrote:

Philc1 wrote:Oh no what are we going to do without Carmeloball for a couple games

Who's better on this team than Randle, and it's not even close.

He leads the teams in Points, Rebounds Assist, double doubles.

But we'll see what OBI does with the extra min, his perimeter game is super suspect

When 50% of the offensive possessions are the team running ISO for you to score you better lead in points and assists

Sambakick wrote:Pointing it out doesn't equate to crapping on Randle.

It’s the typical internet messageboard false dilemma fallacy

If you think the Knicks can still compete and win games without Randle — it’s because you think Randle sucks

NYKMentality wrote:The hatred for Julius Randle is disgusting.

Led us to the playoffs for the 1st time since 2012-2013.

NBAs most improved player.

NBA All-Star.

But yet some of you guys are "celebrating" his covid protocol and quitting on him only 35 games into the season?

Some of you Julius Randle critucs are too clueless to comprehend NY was 17-18 after 35 games last year and also only 25-27 after 52 games last year.

(thnx God coach Thibs didn't quit on Julius Randle like you guys do).

Thankfully the only games we'll be without Randle are against 3 crap teams OKC/Toronto/Indiana/.

So even if we go 3-0 without Randle it means absolutely nothingness in regards to "proving NY doesn't need him".

The Knicks have gone 1-4 so far vs. Toronto and Indiana so let's not pretend like the Knicks have been a better team. No nights off in the NBA.

How well will the Knicks do without their 40 minute all-star player on the court in the up coming games?
Head coach Thibs has been giving Randle 40 minutes of playing time in every game since coach Thibs got the Knicks job, plus Randle only missed 1 or 2 games in two seasons.
What will become of the Knicks without their all-star?
Do Thibs know how to WIN without his FAV Randle in the rotation?

Will coach Thibs go back to his old ways and run a short rotation of players (7 to 9 man rotation) to struggle to win but lose each time. Or will Thibs put a player that hasn't been in the rotation as a starter like he did Frank last season?
Will Knox replace Randle in the starter lineup?
Will Obi Toppin get his first chance to perform for 30 min a game?

Truth be told, the Knicks with or without Randle are a 10 Man rotation team that wins 70% of their games, plus stay above the .500 record.
The Knicks have a group of exciting potential players in the young-core group:
PG-Deuce, SG-Grimes, Combo-Quickley, SF-Knox, PF-Toppin, and C-Sims.
All play winning hustle B.ball, and need playing time in the rotation to start JELLIN with teammates.
The Knicks new starter lineup should be ..
Kemba, Fournier, Barrett, Taj, and MitchRob for the next couple of games (OKC & Raptors).
Yes, Taj belong on the 2nd unit lineup, but the Starter-lineup desperately need Taj Gibson leadership to get out a lot of the kinks in their performance.

I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of the Deuce-Deuce, Quickley, Burks, Obi, Taj Gibson Lineup throughout the rest of the season !!!

NYKMentality wrote:

MS wrote:

Hes been disengaged this year, is struggling with his shot and isnt the same player is a big reason why we are out of the playoffs.

Big reason why we're out of the playoffs?

We're 1.5 games back of the 6th seed and also 1.5 games back of the NBAs 10th best record.

]Was Julius Randle the reason we were out of the playoffs last year @ 25-27 and 2.0 games below .500 after 52 games?!?

Oh how quickly this fan base has already forgotten.

Knicks wouldn't even have 5 wins this year without Julius Randle. 7-9 max.

You've written this a hundred times.
How exactly do you know the dominoes that would fall if the Knicks didn't have randle this year?
Obi would have more minutes, you'd have $20m to spend on another FA, and who knows how other players might step up.
I get it. Let's be compassionate to the guy that showed a lot of heart, effort and skill last year (a year better than Melo have us IMO) but you repeating we wouldn't win 5 games without him doesn't make it fact.