#2 - The game Rose played. What a HUGE matchup in our favor on paper going in yet we didn't win it. All due respect to George Hill but Rose should've eaten him alive today. Shelvin Mack too, more so even...Gotta give the Jazz credit for shutting off his driving opportunities but not too much credit -- we still need to find a way to exploit matchups we need to win in our favor, even if we need to work a little harder than normal to do so. Rose overall was lackluster today--sloppy with the ball at times early, uninvolved and taken right out of it at other times...Just disappointing. We really needed that one more guy to step up today and assume a bigger role... I can't believe it wasn't Rose.

Courtney Lee was very quiet again. That bother's me too. Can't understand why they don't look to get this guy more involved. He's a quality offensive player--takes good shots, high %, looks like he can even handle the ball a little...We just need to utilize him more. Much more.

These are the games that will bother me about Noah. I hate to pin blame on him because he generally plays hard and had a good one in Chicago, but today he had nothing. He generally doesn't score but today even his intangibles--rebounding, defense, toughness--weren't really there either... Passing the ball out while you're right under the basket (and he threw it away)?!!? Come on, really Jo?? Gotta go up strong there! Didn't Gobert wind up fouling out today? Well maybe if we had a little more post offense we could've gotten him out of the game sooner or at least had him in foul trouble throughout. Maybe this is where Willy could help. We really need some reliable post offense in the worst way. And I'd like to activate Plumlee just to see what he could give us down there. As usually, KOQ and LT were OK, nothing great, and I suspect we're gonna see more of the same out of them the rest of the way. Meanwhile, I've been calling for Plumlee for over a week now -- I know he's not necessarily a post up threat, but just give me a few games with Plumlee and let me see his intangibles at work and see what type of affect he can have on the game. It could wind up being pretty substantial, esp. when we're really counting on similar intangibles from Noah but then he doesn't deliver... Up to me, even though he's been decent, I'd sit O'Quinn and go with a steady diet of Willy/Plumlee at backup 4/5, depending on what's needed--offense or defense/rebounding. I'm thinking Willy/Plumlee together might add up to more than what KOQ brings to the table. I feel the same way about LT -- thinking a steady diet of N'Dour/Kuz might outweigh what LT brings to the party.

Melo was pounding the ball a lot early but it's hard to get on him when he's effective with it as he was today. Expect to keep seeing Melo ISO--he's even added a new little wrinkle to it with some new fancy stutter hesitation dribbling he broke out in the Chicago game (maybe before that) and we saw it again today. He must be practicing that. LOL. Again though, he was doing his thing out there. Can't really pin this on him. I think he even had 10 rebs. today. Melo did his job.

Just so hard to put your finger on what's wrong:

• Uninspired ball overall. Nothing like our effort in Chicago. That cost us as much as anything today. If this was a constant, we win today despite the other issues. Beyond disappointed in the effort and energy we showed today.
• No third guy stepped up in a big way.
• Nothing going inside (we might have to try Willy and see if we can get some interior scoring and some help on the glass. Maybe some Willy over KOQ just to see).
• Need more out of Courtney Lee. Not sure if it's him not engaging like he should or Jeff/the system/his teammates not involving him enough. This has got to change. The 2 games he stood out, we won.
• I've always HATED all the incessant switching on D--we switch ourselves right into mismatches in the opposition's favor over and over and over. Been going on for years no matter who the coach has been..
• We're not getting consistent rim protection once guys get beaten. I say try some combination of Willy/Plumlee to see what they can bring--could be a combined upgrade over KOQ. After that, if there's still an issue, they should be on the lookout for a decent bench big that can add some combination of post scoring/shot-blocking/rebounding (via trade, a smart DL signing, etc.).
• Bench has been quiet but unlike some, I actually think there's some good potential there. Still, we could really use a STANDOUT bench player. A real 6th man. I think some guys have the potential to assume that role but haven't stepped up yet.

A couple of good signs:

• Jennings played well and showed some real PG play out there today. I saw we went with Rose/Jennings late but then he pulled Jennings. Maybe we need to try that more. Esp. in a game like today where we couldn't get ANYTHING going in transition. Either we weren't looking for it enough or we just let the Jazz completely control the pace out there--prob. a combination. I don't think we got one transition bucket today.

• And I thought Kuz looked real good for that quick stretch toward the end of the 1st half. Take a look at his Youtube Lithuanian clip against team USA. He's not some stiff--he can play. He's got some real offensive talent and I liked the effort he showed on defense. He might have to start playing more. If I'm Jeff I'd be looking for better options than KOQ and LT. I don't think those two are good enough myself. I understand you can't play all 6 of these guys, but who out of Willy/Plumlee and N'Dour/Kuz can step up and start bringing it on both ends? I feel like we're settling going with KOQ and LT. They may not be our best options.

There were times when KP was standing directly under the rim, watching his man make an easy layup. Near the end of the game, KP looked gassed, would have been a good time to let him go back to shooting threes to close the deficit, and to spread the floor. They're getting better at using him, but he still is winding up being used the wrong way at times IMO.

CrushAlot wrote:Lots of rumors about the Sixers looking to trade Noel. I think he would be a great get and would help a lot to improve the defense.

He would be a pretty good fit, all considering. He's not perfect but he'd be an upgrade over KOQ off the bench. He'd up the athleticism off the bench up front, he'd also rebound and protect the rim. Looks like they want a 1st round pick back. Supposedly they're considering Cory Joseph + a 1st rounder from Toronto, as long as they got that pick. What about Brandon Jennings + a future 1? We get Noel then go out and sign Spencer Dinwiddie or Yogi Ferrell to be our backup PG. I think the team would be better but enough to warrant trading away another 1st round pick?

How about a smaller trade for Richaun Holmes? Jennings for Holmes/cash, no picks involved?

Finestrg wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:Lots of rumors about the Sixers looking to trade Noel. I think he would be a great get and would help a lot to improve the defense.

He would be a pretty good fit, all considering. He's not perfect but he'd be an upgrade over KOQ off the bench. He'd up the athleticism off the bench up front, he'd also rebound and protect the rim. Looks like they want a 1st round pick back. Supposedly they're considering Cory Joseph + a 1st rounder from Toronto, as long as they got that pick. What about Brandon Jennings + a future 1? We get Noel then go out and sign Spencer Dinwiddie or Yogi Ferrell to be our backup PG. I think the team would be better but enough to warrant trading away another 1st round pick?

How about a smaller trade for Richaun Holmes? Jennings for Holmes/cash, no picks involved?

I doubt they want an expiring contract or Jennings at all if he was on a longer deal. If the Knicks through in a top 10 protected 2018 1st and one 2017 2nd order plus filler maybe they get it done. I doubt it but it's possible.

One team that I think should go after Noel is GSW. Imagine him coming off the bench in the Ezili role.

CrushAlot wrote:The Knicks can't trade their 2017 first round pick because they traded their 2016 pick. The rumors are coming from philly and apparently they want Joseph and a first round pick from the raptors. I do like Holmes a lot but Noel could be a rotation guy for the next 5-8 years.

I seriously doubt they give up Joseph he is too valuable for them with his ability to back up Lowry plus he has great defensive skills at both guard positions and is good lowry insurance in case he leaves.

Sometimes things in the box score cant be ignored.

Knick starters: all +
Knick bench: all -

holfresh wrote:

fishmike wrote:This is a work in progress. Friday up, Sunday down.

Sometimes things in the box score cant be ignored.

Knick starters: all +
Knick bench: all -

I usually don't pay attention to +/- but this was huge and in the other games as well..The other win starters was a huge +, and bench was -...

fishmike wrote:

holfresh wrote:

fishmike wrote:This is a work in progress. Friday up, Sunday down.

Sometimes things in the box score cant be ignored.

Knick starters: all +
Knick bench: all -

I usually don't pay attention to +/- but this was huge and in the other games as well..The other win starters was a huge +, and bench was -...

I think its a talented SL that is coming together. We arent getting much from the bench. Lance's nice offensive pop from last year is gone. He cant hit anything. Holiday and KOQ look decent, but we arent getting enough, plain and simple and cant sustain leads once the SL starts subbing.

Funny but I think Phil is hoping Kuz develops into a scorer off the bench like we had with DWill, but so far he's not really been ready for that. DWill took to the role like a fish in water 💦 and we miss that aggressive scoring punch.