Though I don't blame you for the havoc the league has seen with Covid protocols, nor the inconsistencies of your starting line-ups, that doesn't mean as Knicks fans we should blindly overlook your faults as a coach.

Terrible play calls after timeouts.
Waiting too long to stop opponent runs until the damage is done.
Sticking with that flawed starting lineup.
Giving too much leeway to struggling vets because you trust them.
Refusal to get into players' faces instead of the refs.
Not sticking with the hot hands.
Ignoring the momentum builders.
Not forcing decision-makers to pick up a solid PG from free agency nor a trade.
Benching Kemba, then forcing him back into the starting lineup when barely healed.

Let's go over some of these points in-depth:
How many timeouts result in a turnover or last-second poor % shot? Way too many these days.
How many times do vets get to complain about non-called fouls on one end, half-ass it back on defense, then give up a layup or dunk? That is a 4 or 5 point swing.
How many offensive sets do we need to see over-passing, hesitation to shoot, then a low % forced shot with a few seconds?
How do we allow the lack of last-second shots to save FG% for players?
Pulling Obi because he makes an error or two, despite his +/- being solid when on the floor and getting the crowd charged.
Choosing an o-for shooter after 2 centers foul-out instead of letting Obi or Sims get those minutes to pick up the lacking pace they play at?
HUGE PROBLEM, not benching players who keep jacking up 3 pointers while shooting under 30%, Obi does fall into this category too.

Some in-house solutions:
1. Make players shoot free throws until their arms fall off. Teach Mitch proper form via Allan Houston or Quickley.
2. Use Kemba as a 2nd team guy until Rose's return or a trade is made.
3. Pick up a FA PG and start them. I know some will say you can't throw a PG in there without knowing the system, but seriously, could they do worse?
4. Trade for a clutch impact player. Derozan has been lethal, but he and Lonzo chose or weren't pursued hard enough, then went to Chicago.
5. Pick up the GD pace on offense, doesn't need to be D'Antoni pace, but this is painful to watch.
6. Call timeout every time a 5-8 point opposition-run happens.
7. Always use your best FT% guy on techs.
8. Reduce 3-point shots to only open looks. Tell Obi to stop shooting them altogether.
9. Attack the paint. Most times when we do, it is a short dish to Mitch for the dunk or Obi alley-oop.
10. Bench players who whine about the lack of foul calls and they are terrible I agree.
11. Instead use the fact that the refs are allowing more contact and ramp-up team toughness. Knock some opposing players on their arses.
12. Play with some GD pride. Last year's team did, this year's version doesn't GAF. Rather point fingers or look lost like deers.
13. Add an offensive coach to the team.
14. Don't sign oft-injured players to multi-year contracts unless it is a team option. Rose, Kemba, Noel, Taj.
15. Bench Burks. Despite his occasional defense, he has offered not much else, especially offense.

Except for the trade or FA pick-up, none of these potential solutions cost money.

Positives:
1. Despite a stinker here and there, the blame can't be put on RJ or Mitch. They have played well with their effort despite the lack of floor spacing.
2. Grimes has the confidence Ouickley has lacked this season.
3. Cam could be a solid pick-up after trades.
4. Despite offensive consistency, EF has played better defense and with energy. Spacing would fix his offensive stinker games.
5. Start McBride and let him find a rhythm, it doesn't have to be G-league level, just reliable starting minutes.
6. Increase Obi's minutes or start him to get a fire under Julius. How Randle reacts says if he is that guy long-term or not.

Players need minutes to establish any rhythm, with the carousel of Center availability, Sims should have got more run. Could have picked up Whiteside, Cousins, Monroe, others. Some of these other options might be injured or need a buyout, not sure. What is the issue with Khyri Thomas SG? Solid D and can shoot the 3. Jordan Burns PG? Sure, he is short and mainly offense, but so is Kemba.

So, make some of the 15 suggested changes or ship this season in, run the youngsters, and look toward the draft.

This is more observation than a rant, but I'll take what comes, haha.

P.S.1 I don't think Brunson is the guy to fix this, nor Fox depending on the cost. I'd like Haliburton, but probably off the table. Dame and Westbrook though fun, unless given to us makes no financial nor long-term sense. Beal might be a UFA this summer, you can wait for him. Harden is a head case, but talented. Spurs are not giving up Murray. Donovan Mitchell could be had if the issues continue in Utah. Zion is a year away from being an NBA player again. Towns would be nice with Beverly. Gordon or Ross are nice bench pieces. Turner no way I'm touching him now. Simmons cost too much and has head issues. No to Hield or Bagley. Trade a Burks to LA for THT or Nunn or a package for both. Trade Burks and a backup center for Nurkic. Tarde for Harrell and actually use him. Jalen Smith and Conley are interesting bench pieces, too. In a perfect world, we would have the Bull's moves, oh well.

P.S.2 Fix it, it is BROKE!

Anyway, didn't the Lakers cut Darren Collison? Why not pick him up on a 10 day? He shot over 40% from 3 his last 4 full seasons, gets about 5 to 6 assists a game with a 47% FG%. They offered Talen Horton, Nunn, 2027 1st pick, for Jerami Grant. Seems Randle would get the same, maybe an additional pick or player. Just have to wait until Feb 2nd. Thoughts? hehe

Vmart wrote:Tibs would be wise to get McBride into the rotation for 25-30 minutes. He is a pure point guard. That is what is lacking in this team. Also Kemba is a liability on defense so is Fournier. Thins whole plan is Rose bailing him out. If Rose isn’t there Thibs is mediocre coach. Anyways he would be wise to let McBride play more.

He has never been a pure PG. Know you Knicks players.

Vmart wrote:

martin wrote:

Vmart wrote:Tibs would be wise to get McBride into the rotation for 25-30 minutes. He is a pure point guard. That is what is lacking in this team. Also Kemba is a liability on defense so is Fournier. Thins whole plan is Rose bailing him out. If Rose isn’t there Thibs is mediocre coach. Anyways he would be wise to let McBride play more.

He has never been a pure PG. Know you Knicks players.

Yeah okay mr know it all.

I posted this in a different thread. Please tell me your take on his college career and what you saw of it. What did your homework on Deuce reveal? I'm interested in your take. I don't watch college ball at all.

This was the scouting report on Deuce coming out of college (and both seem like a consensus of other draft reports), someone who has watched more of his college ball please chime in:

https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2021/7/26/22592559/2021-nba-draft-scouting-report-miles-mcbride-west-virginia-analysis-breakdown-fit-atlanta-hawks

Miles McBride played point guard at West Virginia but it’s hard to imagine him playing that position at the next level apart from him being put into a situation built around a creator at another position, ideally being a center or power forward through which most of the offense runs.

He’s not a high-level passer and doesn’t do much with the pick and roll opportunities he gets. He’s very secure with the basketball but a part of his pleasing assist-to-turnover ratio (140 assists, 53 turnovers last season) is simply a result of him being enormously under control with the basketball and trying few passes beyond the basic ones.

There are almost no skip passes with McBride. Not a ton of hit ahead passes. The assists he generates almost always come as a result of a pass to a teammate one simple pass away from him that happens to generate a made shot.

But teams that are built around volume pick and roll through their leads guards are unlikely to see McBride as a fit.

He’s very good shooting off of the dribble, especially in the mid-range. He’s measured and confident lifting into dribble-handoff opportunities and using screens, in general, that allow him to relocate toward the top of the offensive half court with a bit of leverage.

Imaging him working with the Denver Nuggets in a Jamaal Murray type role (at an obviously lower volume and impact) or in Miami with Bam Adebayo, maybe even in Philadelphia being groomed to work with Joel Embiid. These are the kinds of fit situations that would be best suited for him.

https://zonahoops.com/2021/01/28/miles-deuce-mcbride-nba-scouting-report/

Offensive Breakdown

While McBride isn’t necessarily a pure point guard, he can absolutely handle sharing floor general responsibilities as a co-captain or secondary creator. Ideally he plays alongside at least one more shot creator to lessen the creation burden for him. His ability to score from all three levels cannot be overstated enough, as he operates comfortably out of the post and can finish through traffic.

The development of his off-the-dribble shooting has elevated his offensive ceiling quite dramatically and can offset some playmaking or lead guard concerns that many had about him entering college. He does need to improve on knowing when to be less aggressive on his drives at times, because he can force the issue which leads to a charge or wild shot at the rim. When he’s under control he’s at his best from a decision-making standpoint. His assist-to-turnover ratio is quite good at 2.3, but there are occasional mental errors that he can cut down on.

martin wrote:"I think Coach Thibs has done a really good job this season (thus far)." - NYKMentality, Thread only 3 days before this one

http://www.ultimateknicks.com/forum/topic.asp?t=64595

Man, your life must be a roller coaster day to day.

@Martin

What are you talking about?

What does my Coach Thibs thread have to do with NYStateOfMind's coach Thibs thread?

▪︎ Two completely different usernames.
▪︎ Two completely different people.
▪︎ Two completely different opinions on coach Thibs.

So I'm confused on what you meant when stating "Man, your life must be a roller coaster day to day"?

The Knicks have been inconsistent, underwhelming, and frustrating through 41 games this season and Tom Thibodeau’s lack of holding players to account has been a contributing factor.

blkexec wrote:Vmart I got your back on this one. And regardless of what Martin said, research he pulled up from scouts………and his lack of knowledge on deuce in college………under coach Wiggins I believe………you are absolutely correct and I agree 1000 percent. But IQ (who was not a PG in college btw) has something to say. And he may be the next man up with deuce as the 3rd option behind drose.

Mcbride is the only young PG on the team that actually played the point guard position in college. What Martin is revealing is the change in the nba from pass first to scoring PGs. Guess who else was a scorer in college and didn’t pass as much until he was in the nba. Majority of the greatest PG in the nba today and in the hall of fame.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1505978-how-scoring-point-guards-became-the-future-of-the-nba

From Steve Nash, to steph curry….there’s a laundry list of scoring PGs who was not a pure PG in college or during their rookie year. If Martin is hung up on the word “pure” in front of PG then let that be the argument. McBride can definitely play the point in thibs system where defense is the priority. News flash, cp3 may be the only pure PG left in the nba.

It’s time to remove Kemba via trade or remove from rotation a second time. And hand over the keys to IQ, DRose and Deuce

Outside of Deuce's ability to score points and play defense, what you can tell me of your observations on Deuce's ability to run a team in college? What was he doing and what is your assessment?

blkexec wrote:

martin wrote:

blkexec wrote:Vmart I got your back on this one. And regardless of what Martin said, research he pulled up from scouts………and his lack of knowledge on deuce in college………under coach Wiggins I believe………you are absolutely correct and I agree 1000 percent. But IQ (who was not a PG in college btw) has something to say. And he may be the next man up with deuce as the 3rd option behind drose.

Mcbride is the only young PG on the team that actually played the point guard position in college. What Martin is revealing is the change in the nba from pass first to scoring PGs. Guess who else was a scorer in college and didn’t pass as much until he was in the nba. Majority of the greatest PG in the nba today and in the hall of fame.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1505978-how-scoring-point-guards-became-the-future-of-the-nba

From Steve Nash, to steph curry….there’s a laundry list of scoring PGs who was not a pure PG in college or during their rookie year. If Martin is hung up on the word “pure” in front of PG then let that be the argument. McBride can definitely play the point in thibs system where defense is the priority. News flash, cp3 may be the only pure PG left in the nba.

It’s time to remove Kemba via trade or remove from rotation a second time. And hand over the keys to IQ, DRose and Deuce

Outside of Deuce's ability to score points and play defense, what you can tell me of your observations on Deuce's ability to run a team in college? What was he doing and what is your assessment?

The coaches system runs the teams now. RJ is not a PG but in coach K’s system, he put the ball in RJs hand. Your way of thinking is similar to coach thibs 1990s approach. These teams run sets and anybody that can handle the ball, runs the system. Deuce is not a pass first PG like the old days where PGs ran the team. Cleveland used 2 guards in their starting lineup, until the other dude got hurt and garland is the lone PG. charlotte uses 2 guards to run their system and both took turns.

1 player running a team period is rare in todays game. Steph is a shooting guard, dame is a shooting guard. Define for me what does running the team mean? Coaches control that now, because all 5 players want to dribble and shoot 3s. The question should be can deuce excel in thibs system as another ball handler. The starting lineup has 4 players that handle the ball. All 4 can run the team. But if you notice, the best offense for us is not for 1 player to run the team. It’s ball movement and player movement.

Deuce will move the ball…..bring the ball up…….shot when open……drive if there’s a lane…….and being defensive energy on defense. What else are you expecting from that position in TODAYS NBA. And of deuce helps us win games, does it really matter if or how he should or have run a team before? He brings defensive energy as a two way guard who also increases the pace and speed of the team.

You avoided everything I asked, they were very direct and simple questions. You are trying to define what the PG players are across several generations and what they are today and I have zero interest in that really and don't really find it pertinent to discussing what Deuce is about.

I am asking you and vmart what your assessment of Deuce's play was in college. Add in your observations of what you saw him do in GLeage play if you'd like.

Coaches do have set systems for their teams and most of them are PnR, Pistol and Horns with variations on each with some extra sets thrown in for most teams.

I'm asking you guys what you think of Deuces ability in those sets and what his ability is to make reads on them.

I already know Deuce can bring high level defense, repeating it doesn't help. Also, for this discussion, I'm not envisioning Deuce participating in an offense as a PG by just standing in the corner waiting for an outlet while RJ and Randle or AB actually runs the team.

And **** yes words always matter. Pure PG and combo guard have a wide birth, if you think they are the same, state it. And there are certainly a ton of players who can make reads and run an offense who can also score. Duh, right? And then there are high level players who manage a team's offense from a non PG position, like LeBron and The Joker and DeRozan etc.

martin wrote:blkexec, here is another direct question for you.

I think you mentioned you played D1 ball but correct me if I am wrong, so you would have experience in this area.

If a coach randomly decided to bench a starter for the 13th or 14th or 15th guy on the bench who has not earned his minutes, what does that typically do to the lockeroom and guys who that 13th-15th guy jumped over without earning those minutes?

You have repeatedly suggested that you would jump the 13th man on Knicks roster to the starting position in regards to Deuce.

What downward effect could that bring about if it doesn't work out?

Oh that’s easy. You wait until the following day, and pretend none of that ever happened. Constanza 101.

Outside of Deuce's ability to score points and play defense, what you can tell me of your observations on Deuce's ability to run a team in college? What was he doing and what is your assessment?

I already answered this and you concurred when you said coaches and systems run the team. Players like Deuce follows how the system should be run. He's a players coach, ready to learn and grow into whatever Thibs want out of him. But in order to answer your question, you need to explain what does run a team mean these days. I have several examples of PG that was successful, and did not run the team. Deuce falls into that category for me, initially. Down the road, who knows if he will be the same player he is today.

I put my trust in coaches thats been around coaching and respected by other coaches longer than we've been on this forum or some of us been alive. I place my trust in Coach Wiggins and Coach K. Two well respected coaches. And from the reports I've read from wiggins, and from what I've seen, Deuce is a players coach and Wiggins spoke highly of him. What that means is he's coachable enough to run a system that focus on defense and making the right plays. He's a sponge who will follow the plan and directions of his coach. He comes from a structured college experience with a blue collar approach. Doesn't mind getting dirty and has a football mentality. Kinda reminds me of me in my prime (did not play D1 but was invited to an NBA camp at 28 which I turned down...FYI), which is why I like him, to be honest. But I'm ok with IQ as well, who is an example of todays PGs.

Randle as an example, I'm sure coaches and staff have said stop with the ISO plays. And I can tell, Randle has been passing more and moving the ball more. But when he's pressured into a situation or in crunch time, he reverts back to his default which is ISO plays. The old saying of can teach an old dog new tricks. It will take him time, but Randle will either come around or get traded.

I'm not seeing that in Deuce. I'm seeing a player who by default, does exactly what the coach ask him to do (he's a rookie), nothing more nothing less. Blue collar hard nose defender (yes I said it the 100th time for a reason) My question to you which you haven't answered either, what does run a team mean? Kemba is a PG, does he run the team or does Randle / RJ? Rose is a PG, does he run the starting unit? Or maybe thats why he prefers the second unit, which is a unit he can run or lead. mmmmmmm

As far as the word "pure" PG, I will assume thats directed at Vsmart, since words matter lol. To me, in a forum type setting, words are critical but over blown. In person, words slip out, people question them and you have time to self correct in the following sentence (takes 2 mins). In a forum, words slip out, you self correct hours or days later. And by the time you make the correction, that person is now saying I'm back tracking lmao. But again, I never called Deuce a pure PG, but I agree that Deuce should get way more playing time than zero. I can only assume he meant Deuce actually played PG in college for a old school coach vs IQ was the off guard. So if anybody can run Thibs system, Deuce has the experience from a similar coach to Thibs and thats why Thibs wanted him in the draft.

Also, if you don't like your PG to pass the ball, and wait in the corner for an open shot, you haven't watch a lot of basketball that already has 1 or 2 studs (like Randle and RJ). Is Steve Kerr a PG? Did Steve Kerr run the team? Did Steve Kerr sit in the corner or off to the side and wait for MJ to pass him the ball? Try answering those questions ?. What you want and what's available are two different things. And I would guess, Thibs doesn't care what you want.

It's all about what works for the team. Kerr worked for the Bulls, they didn't need a floor general at PG. If standing in the corner, helps us win games, whats the argument? All I'm saying is we will never know if Deuce works or not (same with IQ), unless we play them. Just like most mediocre teams are doing with their young picks. They are playing them. We did a great job with drafting talent, and for the most part we are playing them (Grimes for example). But for some reason, while everybody is saying we need a PG. We already drafted a PG. Unless he doesn't look like he belong in the NBA during practice, you play him. Or you play anybody but Kemba is a win (IQ, Rose, Deuce, etc)....Pick one

To me IQ is the next man up, based on Thibs style of who earned it. With Drose backing him up, and Deuce backing him up. These guys are not 14th or 15th players, the pecking order is based on the PG depth. They are PG#2, PG#3 and PG#4 (Kemba is PG#1). Deuce to me is PG#4 (eventhough I prefer Deuce and Rose said he prefers to come off the bench, thats just my personal bias). I'm a Deuce fan. Not because of his skill set to run or not run a team. It's about fit and chemistry.

martin wrote:blkexec, you got vmart's back, I got your back.

"I don't know very much about Deuce. Something, something PG. Other stuff."

I like Deuce, but it doesn't matter what I like. Looks like Thibs prefer IQ. I'm fine with that. I think IQ brings a level of energy and player movement that helps the starting unit. I just noticed everybody jumping on Deuce, and Thibs is the one around him more than me. So I'll root for IQ success in the meantime.

Also this is my computer responses. Not sure if theres a huge difference. Might be less typos cause my phones spelling correction is annoying.