SergioNYK wrote:I think some of you severely overrate Hartenstein. He was and is a good and solid player but I don't think he's this floor raiser. He was pretty awful too in that 2024 series against the Hicks.

Not to mention dominated and obliterated by Joel Embid.

KEEPCAMBYNY wrote:

SergioNYK wrote:I think some of you severely overrate Hartenstein. He was and is a good and solid player but I don't think he's this floor raiser. He was pretty awful too in that 2024 series against the Hicks.

Not to mention dominated and obliterated by Joel Embid.

Correct. He would work well next to an offensive minded PF, or to replace Mitch as defensive backup

martin wrote:

KEEPCAMBYNY wrote:

SergioNYK wrote:I think some of you severely overrate Hartenstein. He was and is a good and solid player but I don't think he's this floor raiser. He was pretty awful too in that 2024 series against the Hicks.

Not to mention dominated and obliterated by Joel Embid.

Some perspective. https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2024-nba-eastern-conference-first-round-76ers-vs-knicks.html

Joel Embiid shot 44% from the floor and 33% from downtown. Only got 11rpg. While averaging 40mpg.

Knicks won 4-2.

iHart won the matchup with Big Mitch over Embiid.

It’s not on iHart to dominate an MVP caliber level player. But by all practical purposes, iHart won that battle all things considered. He did his job while Embiid did not.

IHart was -50 for the series. Knicks get whooped without Mitchell, which is still mostly true.

gradyandrew wrote:

martin wrote:

KEEPCAMBYNY wrote:

SergioNYK wrote:I think some of you severely overrate Hartenstein. He was and is a good and solid player but I don't think he's this floor raiser. He was pretty awful too in that 2024 series against the Hicks.

Not to mention dominated and obliterated by Joel Embid.

Some perspective. https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2024-nba-eastern-conference-first-round-76ers-vs-knicks.html

Joel Embiid shot 44% from the floor and 33% from downtown. Only got 11rpg. While averaging 40mpg.

Knicks won 4-2.

iHart won the matchup with Big Mitch over Embiid.

It’s not on iHart to dominate an MVP caliber level player. But by all practical purposes, iHart won that battle all things considered. He did his job while Embiid did not.

IHart was -50 for the series. Knicks get whooped without Mitchell, which is still mostly true.

Would KAT have fared any better against that version of Embiid? Should we concern ourselves with this one-legged version of Embiid, on a fringe playoff team moving forward? It just sounds like you don't like iHart, which is fine. But iHart is one hell of a basketball player and fit for our franchise. Bring him back.

NardDogNation wrote:

gradyandrew wrote:

martin wrote:

KEEPCAMBYNY wrote:

SergioNYK wrote:I think some of you severely overrate Hartenstein. He was and is a good and solid player but I don't think he's this floor raiser. He was pretty awful too in that 2024 series against the Hicks.

Not to mention dominated and obliterated by Joel Embid.

Some perspective. https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2024-nba-eastern-conference-first-round-76ers-vs-knicks.html

Joel Embiid shot 44% from the floor and 33% from downtown. Only got 11rpg. While averaging 40mpg.

Knicks won 4-2.

iHart won the matchup with Big Mitch over Embiid.

It’s not on iHart to dominate an MVP caliber level player. But by all practical purposes, iHart won that battle all things considered. He did his job while Embiid did not.

IHart was -50 for the series. Knicks get whooped without Mitchell, which is still mostly true.

Would KAT have fared any better against that version of Embiid? Should we concern ourselves with this one-legged version of Embiid, on a fringe playoff team moving forward? It just sounds like you don't like iHart, which is fine. But iHart is one hell of a basketball player and fit for our franchise. Bring him back.

You should never construct your club's starting C role around countering Embiid. You put big bodies on him like Mitch.

If you meet Embiid in the playoffs the odds are it will be in the first two rounds, because by the time the ECF rolls around he will usually be on the injured list.

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401810342

NardDogNation wrote:

BlueKnickers wrote:

NardDogNation wrote:

gradyandrew wrote:

martin wrote:

KEEPCAMBYNY wrote:

SergioNYK wrote:I think some of you severely overrate Hartenstein. He was and is a good and solid player but I don't think he's this floor raiser. He was pretty awful too in that 2024 series against the Hicks.

Not to mention dominated and obliterated by Joel Embid.

Some perspective. https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2024-nba-eastern-conference-first-round-76ers-vs-knicks.html

Joel Embiid shot 44% from the floor and 33% from downtown. Only got 11rpg. While averaging 40mpg.

Knicks won 4-2.

iHart won the matchup with Big Mitch over Embiid.

It’s not on iHart to dominate an MVP caliber level player. But by all practical purposes, iHart won that battle all things considered. He did his job while Embiid did not.

IHart was -50 for the series. Knicks get whooped without Mitchell, which is still mostly true.

Would KAT have fared any better against that version of Embiid? Should we concern ourselves with this one-legged version of Embiid, on a fringe playoff team moving forward? It just sounds like you don't like iHart, which is fine. But iHart is one hell of a basketball player and fit for our franchise. Bring him back.

You should never construct your club's starting C role around countering Embiid. You put big bodies on him like Mitch.

If you meet Embiid in the playoffs the odds are it will be in the first two rounds, because by the time the ECF rolls around he will usually be on the injured list.

Let's not also forget that postseason-Embiid is VERY different than regular season-Embiid. Dude has had spectacular flameouts when it mattered and I suspect him being permanently hampered physically will not help.

Who concerns me is Jokic, as it does with 29 other franchises. If healthy, that Nuggets team beats whatever version of the Thunder that shows up in the playoffs. I'm no KAT fan (obviously) but that potential match-up is the only reason I'd want him on the team. The best moments of KAT's career defensively came with him guarding Jokic, and Gobert providing weakside help in 2024. We can replicate that with Mitchell Robinson playing the Gobert role and KAT working Jokic hard on both sides of the floor. Things are so muddled in the league though. I think I much rather turn that KAT contract into iHart and some depth, then deal with whoever comes out of the East-Semis and then Western Conference Finals.

I consider the Nuggets the kind of team that would be a heavy favorite if their stars align and they make it to the finals simply because that means they have their calibrations worked out and they are clicking with Jokic as their super nucleus.

They won the championship last time without the best roster in the league, just the MVP whose superpowers makes everyone around him better.

If Jokic had a better team around him he'd win it all every year, he's that good.

It is not really possible to build for a future finals match-up, but should we get that far and meet the Nuggets we'd have to play the best man to man defense Denver has faced all season because Jokic picks teams apart if your coverage isn't as tight as a condom on John Holmes.

That OKC is testing the market with Ihart has all to do with the business side. That contract vs. the notion they think they can win without him??
They being greedy? They have a very healthy Chet now which is very different than last year. Greed is good.
Reality.

ToddTT wrote:Mitch can help contain Embiid. He can also disappear against him. Like earlier this month.

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401810342

He played excellent defense against Embiid in the playoffs I’m not going to go ballistic over 1 regular season game in which the entire roster was in a slump.