Knicksfan wrote:So, another “unacceptable game”, another poor performance, another embarrassing performance against another team that jumps over us in the standings on our “most important season in decades”.

Ok

It’s been two years of this. This team is what it is: not a traditional championship contender, but a wild card that could either randomly decide to beat anyone on their sight or simply decide they are not going to work harder than the other team on ANY given moment, regardless of reasons.

They truly have everything to power their way into the top, including finally having pieces on the bench. Yet it’s the same issues from time to time, no urgency to cover them and no commitment to a strong effort night in and night out.

Coaching is also an issue, but I still think that Brown is experimenting, so it could improve. But this team obviously runs at its best when the offense runs through Towns and Brunson is either a real distributor or just one of the options after moving the ball around. That third quarter was historically bad. Towns finishing the game with 5 field goals, to me, is the fault of Brown. How can the guy that has been improving on offense and with it the team has improved, how do you go back to ignoring him? Players can ignore him from time to time and that sucks, but when it’s the whole game, you as a coach did nothing to improve it. That is just a terrible non-strategy.

To say you live them when they win and hate everything when they lose is a very disingenuous oversimplification. The truth is that this is, on paper, the best Knicks team we’ve had in so many years, but while there are still some issues that can be fixed, there are many more serious ones up in their heads that just don’t seem to go, but just get good some nights and then revert to being bad.

The Pistons, Celtics and now Cavs are in front of them because, sadly, they are better. Not necessarily in the roster department, but in the execution, consistency and overall focus. The Knicks can beat Any one of them, but they often seem not to care, and that’s the farthest way to the top.

This team is very frustrating and while I normally hope to get some consistency and get a roster settled, this time I think the best for the franchise is a trade of one or two pieces from the top. On any night, this team can be IT, but overall, they are not IT.

Good post.

It's not bipolarity that causes Knicks fans to kick the team when they're down, it's just brutal honesty that this team is unreliable when it counts most and they lack any real identity.

Frankly, it is easier to root for a team with lesser talent that plays hard every night, win or lose.

This team is stacked on paper only, but not in reality. The lack of chemistry is palpable. I can pick at least a half dozen or more other teams I consider better bets to make the finals this year.

There was some expectation we'd be the team to beat in the East this year, but it is a lie. There is no substance to any of it.

We look like a top team when we bring our A game. We look like complete dogs when we don't. I don't recall any championship squad looking this awful on their off nights.

So, yeah, fans telling other fans they are fickle or emo or something like that is inaccurate. We're just being honest that this team both sucks and can be thrilling depending on which team shows up.

This is not the kind of squad I feel a deep connection to after 2/3rds way through the season. Being a fan does not mean being robotically loyal if the team can't bring their best effort consistently. Talent is overrated.

Dragon wrote:Is it traveling? is it conditioning? is it new players? why they sometimes looks very tired mentally and physically?

We have no shooters, or guys who can take the ball to the basketball. No coaching can help this..."You can't make a silk out of a sow's ear"

(16th-century proverb meaning
it is impossible to create something refined, valuable, or beautiful from poor-quality materials or a naturally inferior subject.)

Knicksfan wrote:So, another “unacceptable game”, another poor performance, another embarrassing performance against another team that jumps over us in the standings on our “most important season in decades”.

Ok

It’s been two years of this. This team is what it is: not a traditional championship contender, but a wild card that could either randomly decide to beat anyone on their sight or simply decide they are not going to work harder than the other team on ANY given moment, regardless of reasons.

They truly have everything to power their way into the top, including finally having pieces on the bench. Yet it’s the same issues from time to time, no urgency to cover them and no commitment to a strong effort night in and night out.

Coaching is also an issue, but I still think that Brown is experimenting, so it could improve. But this team obviously runs at its best when the offense runs through Towns and Brunson is either a real distributor or just one of the options after moving the ball around. That third quarter was historically bad. Towns finishing the game with 5 field goals, to me, is the fault of Brown. How can the guy that has been improving on offense and with it the team has improved, how do you go back to ignoring him? Players can ignore him from time to time and that sucks, but when it’s the whole game, you as a coach did nothing to improve it. That is just a terrible non-strategy.

To say you live them when they win and hate everything when they lose is a very disingenuous oversimplification. The truth is that this is, on paper, the best Knicks team we’ve had in so many years, but while there are still some issues that can be fixed, there are many more serious ones up in their heads that just don’t seem to go, but just get good some nights and then revert to being bad.

The Pistons, Celtics and now Cavs are in front of them because, sadly, they are better. Not necessarily in the roster department, but in the execution, consistency and overall focus. The Knicks can beat Any one of them, but they often seem not to care, and that’s the farthest way to the top.

This team is very frustrating and while I normally hope to get some consistency and get a roster settled, this time I think the best for the franchise is a trade of one or two pieces from the top. On any night, this team can be IT, but overall, they are not IT.

Some very good points, good post!

This is a tough stretch of road games for them. Some tough games.
Can we not give Cav's props? All fans do this, we lose and few give props to the other team for execution. They produced a well balanced attack. Impressive game and execution.
Harden played some decent defense at times and he and Donovan looked like the game was easier for them.

As for Kat? They played him well and denied him the ball or where he wanted to be. I was pleased he was not in foul trouble nor was forcing it out of frustration. He had some good blocks. Yes, KAT played defense!

OG? THat toe is an issue. It has to affect his lift.
I thought Mikal played a balanced game.
Brunson tried to get going? If he smiled I think he'd get more hate. He does complain a after most shots he gets contact on. He creates a lot himself. He's not wrong. HE gets to the line a lot though. Not sure why he is even answer questions about money and being here. Whats up with that??

Bad night for all knicks. Mo looked like a rookie on defense and when he could not connect he was pulled. Sochan has not had enough time to get chemistry with this group.
Shamet had a rare off night. We shot ourselves out of this one.

Reggie: He started off annyoying but then tempered it down. That Cavs made the moves to bring in Ellis, Schroeder and Harden were big mid season moves. They are responding very well. Its a big story. He could have laid into the knicks more but seemed to stay in the game. Noah Eagle? Kid is 29 and has a nice resume doing SEC, NFL, summr olympics, etc and now NBA on NBC. Ians kid. He called a solid game.

Bottom line: Despite improvements from last year and I do think the team is a better version with Brown we are still a second tier contender. Outside of the Celtics who are head scratchers Detroit and now Cleveland also improved. Either orgnaically or by trades.

IM not enthusiastic given our record heading into March but the pieces are there as is the talent. The minutes are reasonable and health is pretty good. Im not into second guessing but knicks standing pat wihout major moves was reasonable as is some level of hope things can still come together. We don't know what they are emphisizing internally so its hard to be overly critical. Seems like Kat and Brunson don't have an easy chemistry or 2 way game making it one or the other who carries the team. Mikal early season scoring is down but assists and rebounding is up. Defense has improved over the season. Reasons to be cheerful, but not exuberent.

I can accept losses but I cannot accept ignoring and not featuring KAT this late into the season. If I'm Leon, I'm scheduling a 8am meeting with Brown this morning to get some answers cause this is ridiculous and it cannot continue! Remember a big reason Brown was hired was because he was supposed to unlock and get the most out of KAT and he hasn't done that! How do you not get any shot attempts or opportunities for your All-Star big man in that 3rd quarter when the rest of the team was struggling?! And I know it's beating a dead horse but shame on KAT for not demanding the ball!!!

I also cannot accept Hart reverting back to hesitating shooting threes! He's shooting 40% from there this season so why the **** is he hesitating!! Dead serious I'm banning Hart from going on vacation ever again during the season at the All-Star break!! Every ****ing year it's the same ****!!! Dribbling the ball off his foot, not getting back on defense, arguing every damn call with the zebras and just not taking the game seriously!

OG and Mikal were awful. Entire team minus Mitch was awful. And can we please glue Sochan to the bench? I'm done watching Jared Jeffries 2.0!

I think this team just wants to get to the playoffs. They clearly do not value their record or where they will end up. And I predict it will come to bite them in the ass!

This seems like a dad coach (Rick Brunson) offense.
Tired of the Nova click.

Like WTF

Rookie wrote:You know what, I can’t even get pissed off enough to post about this **** show.

A meh post, but purposely so!

ccch wrote:

HofstraBBall wrote:

This seems like a dad coach (Rick Brunson) offense.
Tired of the Nova click.

Never did like this situation.

It was fine with Thibs. But we either start getting lots of assists in Browns system or we go home early again

martin wrote:

Knicksfan wrote:So, another “unacceptable game”, another poor performance, another embarrassing performance against another team that jumps over us in the standings on our “most important season in decades”.

Ok

It’s been two years of this. This team is what it is: not a traditional championship contender, but a wild card that could either randomly decide to beat anyone on their sight or simply decide they are not going to work harder than the other team on ANY given moment, regardless of reasons.

They truly have everything to power their way into the top, including finally having pieces on the bench. Yet it’s the same issues from time to time, no urgency to cover them and no commitment to a strong effort night in and night out.

Coaching is also an issue, but I still think that Brown is experimenting, so it could improve. But this team obviously runs at its best when the offense runs through Towns and Brunson is either a real distributor or just one of the options after moving the ball around. That third quarter was historically bad. Towns finishing the game with 5 field goals, to me, is the fault of Brown. How can the guy that has been improving on offense and with it the team has improved, how do you go back to ignoring him? Players can ignore him from time to time and that sucks, but when it’s the whole game, you as a coach did nothing to improve it. That is just a terrible non-strategy.

To say you live them when they win and hate everything when they lose is a very disingenuous oversimplification. The truth is that this is, on paper, the best Knicks team we’ve had in so many years, but while there are still some issues that can be fixed, there are many more serious ones up in their heads that just don’t seem to go, but just get good some nights and then revert to being bad.

The Pistons, Celtics and now Cavs are in front of them because, sadly, they are better. Not necessarily in the roster department, but in the execution, consistency and overall focus. The Knicks can beat Any one of them, but they often seem not to care, and that’s the farthest way to the top.

This team is very frustrating and while I normally hope to get some consistency and get a roster settled, this time I think the best for the franchise is a trade of one or two pieces from the top. On any night, this team can be IT, but overall, they are not IT.

Good stuff.

No identity. No leaders who really bring it all the time on both sides of the ball. Brunson and KAT, your best players, only play one side of the court and can get shut out. OG, Bridges, Hart, Mitch are supporting role players.

There is no defensive identity. And you can get the Knicks out of their offense: it may not be easy to do and you have to have the right personnel but put a hounding big win on Brunson and the same withe KAT.

Hello Giannis. It's like the last all in move by Leon.

You can feel it in the air. The conversation will continue to shift slowly and steadily in the direction of the question of:

Is Brunson as much of the problem as the solution?

It may take time to build steam in public, but the rumblings are there and it is just a matter of time that his game will be maybe the biggest question mark about the Knicks.

It is inevitable when your highest usage player does not significantly improve the players around them and they are only an impact player on one end of the court in one capacity only (scoring).

This is not a well-constructed team. You have lots of amazing talent to trade and refactor the whole mix.

Everyone but Diawara and Deuce and Shamet should be available to be traded. Seriously, it is probably going to happen, because this is not going to work with this starting lineup.