GustavBahler wrote:

EwingsGlass wrote:

GustavBahler wrote:

EwingsGlass wrote:I’m channeling that 2004 Detroit Pistons mojo.

Brunson vs Billups
Grimes vs Rip
Barrett vs Prince
Randle vs Sheed
Robinson vs Wallace

That Pistons TEAM which had the better D beat the better team on paper

Payton (HOF)
Bryant (HOF)
George
Malone (HOF)
O’Neill (HOF)

Can’t say this is the 2004 Pistons, but man, if they make a run they gotta challenge defensively. They aren’t gonna have the best player on the floor, but they could have the best team.

Brunson/IQ
Grimes/Hart
Barrett
Randle/Toppin
Robinson/Hart

We could really use another SF to help with Foul trouble. Not sure if any help shows up on the waiver wire.

Brunson vs Billups
Grimes vs Rip
Barrett vs Prince
Randle vs Sheed
Robinson vs Wallace

The numbers might be comparable IDK, but I dont think you can compare RJ/Grimes to Rip/Prince. The latter's respective games were a lot more polished, at that point in time.

I mean, the game has also changed since then. My point is more about them needing to be the better team since they won’t have the top rated player on the floor. But I think this team could go on a run. If we get prime Barrett together with the Randle/Brunson tandem, we are winning games against good teams by 20. Maybe Toppin channels his inner Corliss Williamson and gets some defensive toughness. Those long arms were meant to be blocking fools.

20 games left and I kind of expect us to win all of them. Yeah I’m crazy but this team has me feeling positive.

One thing we shouldnt leave out is Larry Brown, who was the elite of the elite NBA and NCAA coaches.

I'm feeling positive as well. Where I disagree, is the players I named, were already showing in the regular season, the game they needed to win it all. We would have to see RJ and Grimes elevate their games to a level we havent seen yet. Sustained anyway.

Thats why my enthusiasm is tempered about a Finals run. Im not saying that Barrett and Grimes arent capable of elevating their games. Maybe not that far, that fast.

I'd be happy getting past the first round and building from there. See how the playoff roster did.

That’s certainly the more realistic approach. I could sub Hart for Grimes and argue he is more “ready”. Barrett is more inconsistent, but his best self might be higher than Prince’s. It’s never gonna be a 1 to 1 correlation, but I could see this team click over the next 20 and roll into the playoffs in the 4th or 5th seed. Nets appear to be done. Cavs could be collapsing.

I like our position. I like a first rd matchup vs the Cavs.

GustavBahler wrote:

HofstraBBall wrote:

GustavBahler wrote:

HofstraBBall wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:

jaydh wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:It might not sound right it might sound hyperbolic but in reality this team now with hart is f good

not even close. i'd be shocked if they get out of the 2nd round.

This is different team than we can understand. We’ll see where we are over the next week. With Robinson inside and hart off the bench with two legit stars a third and fourth scorer and a 3d we have almost all components

I am with you Briggs!
Positive thinking.

These naysayers need to stay off the thread.

However, in the spirit of reverse jinx...
Thibs is a terrible coach that does not know how to distribute minutes and never plays the yoot.
Randle is not worth his huge contract, only does spinovers and can't play in the 4th.
JB is a ball heavy PG who never passes and won't be the same in NY spotlight. (Mea culpa)
RJ should be on the bench.
Grimes forgot how to shoot.
MR can't stay on the court.
Our second unit needs a lot of help.
Obi is a soft three point shooter. We need a back up PF (may have started that one as well)

No they shouldnt. They should aritculate why they disagree. Its called a "discussion" .

Bull****! We taking this! Lol.

Good luck with that strategy

Don't need luck. Just a Briggs guarantee.

Panos wrote:we need a reverse jinx to reverse this jinx

Got one! Courtesy of BRIGGS:
http://www.ultimateknicks.com/forum/topic.asp?t=65312

Isn’t this season fun guys? Forget jinx, forget who is on the hill, and regrets of the past. enjoy each game. Some will hurt, others will be great. Making the playoffs in top 6 would be a huge accomplishment! Especially when most pundits thoguht we’d struggle for play in game.

I offer suggestion that “it don’t mean anything unless we win a series” is the next step but c’mon now, why keep raising the anger level when one can just take in the current success. WE doing all this starting two 22 year olds and IQ, our 23 year old is a major piece of the team. Either on the floor or trade fodder its a nice thing to happen!

Team has a chance if Giannis gets hurt. After that Briggs is right the team can compete. Thibs is doing a great job beyond expectation.

Now, if we can get Obi to play like Kuzma that would be something!!!!

Panos wrote:

GustavBahler wrote:

EwingsGlass wrote:I’m channeling that 2004 Detroit Pistons mojo.

Brunson vs Billups
Grimes vs Rip
Barrett vs Prince
Randle vs Sheed
Robinson vs Wallace

That Pistons TEAM which had the better D beat the better team on paper

Payton (HOF)
Bryant (HOF)
George
Malone (HOF)
O’Neill (HOF)

Can’t say this is the 2004 Pistons, but man, if they make a run they gotta challenge defensively. They aren’t gonna have the best player on the floor, but they could have the best team.

Brunson/IQ
Grimes/Hart
Barrett
Randle/Toppin
Robinson/Hart

We could really use another SF to help with Foul trouble. Not sure if any help shows up on the waiver wire.

Brunson vs Billups
Grimes vs Rip
Barrett vs Prince
Randle vs Sheed
Robinson vs Wallace

The numbers might be comparable IDK, but I dont think you can compare RJ/Grimes to Rip/Prince. The latter's respective games were a lot more polished, at that point in time.

This may be true, but Randle is also on a different level than Sheed was. Likewise, Bruson might also be bringing more than Billups did.

Brunson is a better pg than Billups. Rasheed was a headcase but he was an incredibly talented player. Randle has had an excellent season but he’s not as good as Rasheed Wallace was in his prime. We can get into stats but Wallace played in a different era. Rasheed Wallace in his prime almost eliminated Kobe and Shaq

They really do have a chance. I know Boston wasn't 100% last night, missing guys and maybe not being focused.

But, thinking about the East, the way teams are playing, the way we've come together and the way Thibs is managing things, the Knicks have maybe as good a chance as any team- and that is all any fan can ask for.

The most important task for this organization is, besides staying healthy, getting RJ right in the head and able to produce. He's shown flashes of being a contributor and impact player.

I think he has struggled with the contract he signed, and maybe being stressed by living up to it, or sleeping on his need to invest in his game to be the best player he can be.

martin wrote:I think the Knicks have a team that can be scary and the team no one else wants to play because of their style. It's gonna be a fun run.

I do think the Knicks need one more ball handler/play maker type or just get IQ/RJ type locked into that role more. Playoffs will tighten things up.

Interestingly, I think this year is more about RJ than any other player. Brunson and Randle are the 1-2 punch that is carrying us, but we thrive when RJ is also thriving. As you mentioned in the game thread, Barrett is putting his head down and dribbling the air out of the ball when the other two are off the court. I think he needs to embrace the facilitator role more than the scorer role. The turnovers and bad shots are holding the team back. I'll acknowledge that he matched up with Tatum, but he also somehow managed to be the only player with a negative Plus Minus on the floor. The 5 turnovers were a direct result of the dribbling into triple coverage with his head down. Knicks need a passing coach. Maybe they can bring in Nash, the GodFather, to work on that with Rowan on that.

franco12 wrote:

martin wrote:I think the Knicks have a team that can be scary and the team no one else wants to play because of their style. It's gonna be a fun run.

I do think the Knicks need one more ball handler/play maker type or just get IQ/RJ type locked into that role more. Playoffs will tighten things up.

IQ definitely has to perform like he did last night for us to make noise - and IQ is the kind of player that can get anywhere he wants on the court with the dribble. And that is huge in the playoffs when things tighten.

Brunson too- but I think he does it with Savvy & Guile - IQ has the physical talent to do it. If he (IQ) ever picks up moves and vision that JB has, forget it.

100% I can't wait to see how Brunson's game comes out with IQ's play going forward

Nalod wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:I’m thinking good chance to win 50 now
Our differential has gone off the wall. We’re not the same team. Expectations need to b much higher

This how it works? Raise expectations until they lose and get frustrated and do the blame thing?
Right now we are kicking teams asses. Way too much fun to waste time worrying about or convincing others if its sustainable.

Briggs is right- expectations are raised for sure.

I think we have to win a play off series baring injury, etc.

Funny- I knew we were better than we were showing in the beginning of the year- part of why I was on the fire Thibs train.

But I had no idea we could play this level of basketball. Josh Hart clearly raises the level of play from everyone.

If we don’t advance, we’ll have to burn those bridges after we watch what happens and how we came up short or who failed to perform.

The biggest issue for me is I have never had a Knick team like this that is playing this well. Maybe the Melo/Kidd Knicks? But the Riley Knicks were just a grind it out monster that never dominated games like this group is doing.