JesseDark wrote:Knicks shouldn't feel good about this game. They couldn't stop Isiah Thomas and had to work for everything they got.

They could have won despite that. Boston got some uncommon 3pt shots and nearly lost. I think the Knicks LEARN from intense games like this. They hung in there with a top team that's been together longer!

Not just the Knicks players but also Jeff has things to fix with his coaching. Still tinkering with his rotations and the overall style of play. This is still A PROCESS.

knicks1248 wrote:

nixluva wrote:

JesseDark wrote:Knicks shouldn't feel good about this game. They couldn't stop Isiah Thomas and had to work for everything they got.

They could have won despite that. Boston got some uncommon 3pt shots and nearly lost. I think the Knicks LEARN from intense games like this. They hung in there with a top team that's been together longer!

Not just the Knicks players but also Jeff has things to fix with his coaching. Still tinkering with his rotations and the overall style of play. This is still A PROCESS.

kp, melo, and Rose combine to take 60 of the 87 shot attempts, they also had 5 measly assist between them, Thats street ball

Don't like that but great defensive teams do that to you. Despite all that the game was tied and it took a great 3pt shot and tough defense by the Celtics to win. Knicks almost won this against an Elite D and a playoff team that added an All Star big. #PROGRESS

nixluva wrote:I think it's such a mix of things with this team. They don't do enough screens to help slow down the defense and open up easy shots. If you watch Boston they screen ALL DAY which is why they get so many good shots. Isaiah is using screens to drive and shoot and our top guys tend to go SOLO for points as opposed to using screens for Catch and Shoot looks or to penetrate and kick.

Another thing I feel is KP has to stop passing up open shots he can make! KP should be getting more screens so he can take more open catch n shoot looks. Watching today you would think we don't really have shooters. Melo had too many tough shots when a simple screen could get him clean looks.

I agree. Jeff somehow needs to be the one coach that gets through to him that he needs to change up his game against certain teams and defenders. He basically needs to play a lot like he did in the second half. He was moving a lot without the ball and when he did have the ball he was the ball handler in the PnR game. Actually, I think Jeff needs to do away with the two PG line ups to close and just use Melo as the other primary ball handler that way they can space the floor with Lee and Holiday f he wants to go small.

Caseloads wrote:

MS wrote:It's not a talent issue.

Today came down to effort. Boston fights through screens, makes you uncomfortable and cuts hard on every possession.

Isiah Thomas might be the toughest cover in the league and his guys know if they cut hard they are going to get the ball. Which happens to be the opposite with Rose and Melo when they have the ball. Heads down far too often looking to get theirs.

Noah would and should get easy buckets if these guys were looking for the bigs cutting.

Crowder and Smart just hit you and hit you and Melo tried to body them and took a lot of tough shot he didn't need too.

There isn't trust out there.

The ball hogging and iso is there.

If you replace Melo with some lesser but 2-way player like for example Igudala, D Green, Crowder and this team is an instant contender.
Everyone knows this and there is no way out of this situation.
It is not just no-trade but also this kind of players are very difficult to come by.
Melo still can give you a couple of great performances here and there but it is not enough to lift the status of the team out of mediocrity.

*The Knicks stopped passing because the Celtics were jumping the passing lanes and the Knicks made some bad turnovers. So it led to Rose and Melo passing less. Not good, but to my mind understandable. They need some counters to that sort of defense. The Celtics play that style particularly because they're kinda small and quick as a team.

*KP was amazing in the 4th quarter. Loved the way he stepped up. He was the best player on the floor in the 4th quarter and he's ours and he's 21.

*The refs were overall pretty fair, but some key plays in the fourth quarter really stick out in my mind - the Horford block on Rose that was clearly a goal tend. It was so bad that ESPN wouldn't even show the normal replay, only an above view replay. Then later KP had a block that was somehow called a jump ball, even though the Knicks were at halfcourt on a fast break by the time the refs blew their whistles. That stopped a Knicks fast break and the Celtics recovered the jump ball and score. Two huge calls in a 4pt game.

*Kuz came into the game in the 4th and the Celtics went RIGHT at him five plays in a row - I believe they scored on 4 out of 5 possessions going RIGHT at Kuz - they frickin' went ISO-Kelly Olenyk on him and it worked. Bad move by Hornacek to keep Kuz in or not switch up the D.

*Celtics are a good defensive team... but to me the Knicks lost this game. I'm actually fine losing this game, because I want the players to be pissed off and learn from this one. It feels like the next developmental step.

*F those evil little Green goblins. I hate the Celtics so much. Particularly Marcus Smart.

crzymdups wrote:Frustrating to lose because they were right there and made some annoying mistakes. Some thoughts:

*The Knicks stopped passing because the Celtics were jumping the passing lanes and the Knicks made some bad turnovers. So it led to Rose and Melo passing less. Not good, but to my mind understandable."