Knicks
Brunson / McBride
Bridges / DDV
Anunoby / Hart
Randle /
Robinson /

Celtics
Holiday / Pritchard
White
Brown / Hauser
Tatum /
Zinger / Horford

Reigning champs have a unicorn that spreads their floor and a mathematical method to shot selection that gives them the advantage over the Knick's mid-range heavy offense. If Boston is shooting 50 3s a game to the knicks 20+, it just a hard eFG imbalance to overcome. Its ****ty basketball, but they take enough threes that their entire starting 5 is getting good at them. Our only hopes are Randle getting enough whistles to boost his TS% and Robinson's offensive rebounding increasing the Knicks Points per possession.

Sixers
Maxey / Lowry
Oubre / Gordon
George / KMartin
CMartin
Embiid / Drummond

Nurse and the Sixers play the dirtiest ball. Crafty vets that are going to hold, elbow, scratch, kick and knee. We saw a bit of the Knicks sinking to their level in the playoffs, but head to head, I would expect guys like Embiid, C.Martin and Lowry are likely to get more digs in than J. Hart. I think the Knicks might have the better defense today with Anunoby, Bridges and Robinson. George, Oubre and Embiid are significant, and I can see them putting clamps on the Knicks offense. This comes down to a healthy Embiid and the strenght of the ref's whistle.

48/72
54/72
31/82
56/82
74/82

It's not Embiid's health I'm most concerned about. My biggest worry with Philly is them having a similar set up as this year, sneaking into the post season with a low seed, only this time with a healthy roster and guys with fresh legs after missing extended stretches. Head to head will be troublesome with a thin rotation 4/5, but I'm not a buyer of them being a top regular season team.

newyorknewyork wrote:Precious will absolutely be apart of the rotation.

A trade will also go down at the deadline during the season for the C position.

You might be right. I had added Chewy and decided to take him out. Kornet probably gets minutes in Boston also. I kind of focused on 'guaranteed' minutes in the rotation and I am not sure Chewy is guaranteed minutes just yet. I don't think he is getting minutes at backup PF. I do think he is currently in line for minutes at backup C, but could also see the Knicks use a death lineup with either Randle or OG at C.

I do think we will finish up the roster a bit better before the trade deadline.

Panos wrote:

EwingsGlass wrote:

newyorknewyork wrote:Precious will absolutely be apart of the rotation.

A trade will also go down at the deadline during the season for the C position.

You might be right. I had added Chewy and decided to take him out. Kornet probably gets minutes in Boston also. I kind of focused on 'guaranteed' minutes in the rotation and I am not sure Chewy is guaranteed minutes just yet. I don't think he is getting minutes at backup PF. I do think he is currently in line for minutes at backup C, but could also see the Knicks use a death lineup with either Randle or OG at C.

I do think we will finish up the roster a bit better before the trade deadline.

Precious can definitely manage minutes at the PF, however, I think Thibs will be using those minutes to keep Hart on the floor.

I figured Randle, OG, Bridges and Hart will be fighting over those minutes and Chewy's best chance at minutes is giving Robinson a breather. Even there, I think OG might snag those minutes.

EwingsGlass wrote:

newyorknewyork wrote:Precious will absolutely be apart of the rotation.

A trade will also go down at the deadline during the season for the C position.

You might be right. I had added Chewy and decided to take him out. Kornet probably gets minutes in Boston also. I kind of focused on 'guaranteed' minutes in the rotation and I am not sure Chewy is guaranteed minutes just yet. I don't think he is getting minutes at backup PF. I do think he is currently in line for minutes at backup C, but could also see the Knicks use a death lineup with either Randle or OG at C.

I do think we will finish up the roster a bit better before the trade deadline.

Yes backup C is where I see him penciled in at.

Alpha1971 wrote:

Knixkik wrote:Knicks obviously need some more big man depth but I’m intrigued by the depth. They have the best bench rotation in the league I think, without digging too deep. Donte, Hart, McBride, Achiuwa is a good group. Bates-Diop, Payne and Kolek are 3 players I have confidence in that add real value. We are loaded everywhere but center.

The depth is wonderful this year. Last year at this time I was concerned when Obi was jettisoned and we had a weaker bench at the big man area. But the front office worked it out by the end and unfortunately a greater then reasonable amount of injuries happened. This season outside of the 9 man rotation we got Bates Diop, Kolek, Payne, Simms, plus Toppin and Ariel H who can fill in when needed. Center is supposed to be the most easy to fill position in the NBA without investing to much they say...so I am let Leon do his thing and not worry. Perhaps Simms, Precious, Ariel provide what's needed and Mitch stays healthy and adds a hook shot. If not maybe the Knicks bring in one of the centers from the French team or another European team to turn into the next Isiah H. I trust Leon and Thibs

I’m fine with not making another center move until prior to the trade deadline because we need to ensure whoever we trade for is healthy. No point in trading for someone like Rob Williams now and hoping he gets through the year. Trading for him (or someone else) in February is much more beneficial for that reason.

Versus the 76ers, it all comes down to the Robinson/ Embiid matchup and health.

EwingsGlass wrote:
Just my brief analysis on how we stack up. Wouldn't be surprised if all three teams have better records than the Bucks and Cavs.

Knicks
Brunson / McBride
Bridges / DDV
Anunoby / Hart
Randle /
Robinson /

Celtics
Holiday / Pritchard
White
Brown / Hauser
Tatum /
Zinger / Horford

Reigning champs have a unicorn that spreads their floor and a mathematical method to shot selection that gives them the advantage over the Knick's mid-range heavy offense. If Boston is shooting 50 3s a game to the knicks 20+, it just a hard eFG imbalance to overcome. Its ****ty basketball, but they take enough threes that their entire starting 5 is getting good at them. Our only hopes are Randle getting enough whistles to boost his TS% and Robinson's offensive rebounding increasing the Knicks Points per possession.

Sixers
Maxey / Lowry
Oubre / Gordon
George / KMartin
CMartin
Embiid / Drummond

Nurse and the Sixers play the dirtiest ball. Crafty vets that are going to hold, elbow, scratch, kick and knee. We saw a bit of the Knicks sinking to their level in the playoffs, but head to head, I would expect guys like Embiid, C.Martin and Lowry are likely to get more digs in than J. Hart. I think the Knicks might have the better defense today with Anunoby, Bridges and Robinson. George, Oubre and Embiid are significant, and I can see them putting clamps on the Knicks offense. This comes down to a healthy Embiid and the strenght of the ref's whistle.

The Knicks 10th or 11th in 3pt frequency % last year. They were 19th in 2pt frequency. They aren't some mid range dinosaur team at all.

Nalod wrote:Seems Randle is less bully and quicker than when younger. To me seems to have lost some bulk to be quicker.
I recall his inside game was brut force. Thus I don't see him at 6-8 being much of a center. Perhaps there is a small ball lineup we have not seen yet?
OG while an inch shorter might have the wing span and lower body strength to defend the position. Offensively thats on defense to chose who guards randle or OG if we go small.

Good news is today’s centers are around 6’9 so Randle playing spot minutes against their backup center will not hurt us.

Bam 6’9
Green 6’6
Sims 6’9
Barkley not a center but I have a picture with him and he’s 6’4

Randle can play center against an nba backup center with no problem. And maybe with this teams makeup and how deep we are now. With OG who can also play center, Randle doesn’t have to do so much like he did before the nova Knicks arrived.

Do we need another center? Sure. Can we win as the team is constructed? Sure.

Love the approach Leon is taking. He’s in no rush and waiting for the best opportunity to arrive.

He played great and his defense was really solid and he is only 26.

Still have no ideas why Thibs froze him out of the playoff rotation.

Boston is going to have Horford playing major minutes all year long. Have to love our chances.