2017-18 Game Thread: Knicks vs. Lakers

The Knicks host the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers have been struggling so far this season, so this will hopefully get the Knicks over the .500 mark.

Let’s go, Knicks!

130 replies on “2017-18 Game Thread: Knicks vs. Lakers”

The Lakers are sneaky decent, this could be a bit of a trap game. Still, I expect a nice win!

Lose to Chicago, barely beat Atlanta at home and now getting whooped at home by the Lakers. The Knicks are a bad team right now, they really do miss TH Jr.

Lakers 2 on 3 break results in a wide open 3 because Lance was nowhere near the man in the corner for some reason

Lakers 2 on 3 break results in a wide open 3 because Lance was nowhere near the man in the corner for some reason

Lance Thomas, defensive specialist.

Just got in (my son had a concert). Looks like a nice line for Frank, not so for Beasley.

Heavy minutes for the starters; I guess H. wants to win badly on ESPN.

Kanter is a terrible pnr finisher- really only effective with his back to the basket and on the offensive boards. Makes me a little skeptical about signing him long-term.

Knicks take a 6 pt lead, looking like they might be getting hold of the game. Lakers call a timeout and immediately answer with a 6-0 run on a couple of 3pters. It’s uncanny.

The Lakers found the solution to Ball’s shooting woes: play against Jarrett Jack every night.

I think Enes just shouldn’t play when he’s pretty obviously hurt. What better chance to see what Willy can do?

Everyone is all excited about this crazy action but all I’m seeing is awful, lazy Knicks defense. Infuriating to watch at times.

Knicks bench has been awful all game so naturally start the 4th quarter with an all-bench lineup.

Frank with the crossover and the lane parted like the Red Sea and he doesn’t look to finish!!!!

That would’ve been a game changer for him

Who is Kuzma???

Kuzma has been great this year. It’s one of the reasons they’re looking to dump Randle.

Pretty exciting game, all things considered. Lee blowing the layup turns out to be huge.

I just can’t watch such stupidity, nothing more frustrating than watching what the Knicks did the last minute of this game.

Should we pursue randle?

He’s a weird player. He’s having his best season so far but he just doesn’t seem to fit in with the modern NBA.

What the fuck was Hornacek thinking with that “play”???

Really stupid. Looking like an irritating loss in OT.

That play doesn’t mean shit if Ntilikina isn’t willing to attack the wide open lane they’re giving him.

How the fuck do you foul one of the worst shooters on the planet while he’s shooting a 3pter??

Normally I think bitching about the refs is all kinds of dumb but KP has a legit beef this game

What kind of fuckery was this team doing? Holy shit, is Hornacek affected or is it just piss poor execution?

Frank played good D as usual, but I wonder if Ball was slowed down by the tweak on his knee.

Wtf were the Lakers doing there not fouling????

I like this team with McDermott and Frank, and Beasley has been huge. I credit myself for hating on him so hard he came out to shut me up.

This entire 2nd half has been a big clusterfuck. Entertaining though and after all the bitching and moaning the Knicks did pull it out. For as bad as they have played recently they are somehow 14-13 with a slightly positive point differential so they deserve their decent record. Would be nice to win in Brooklyn on Thursday, Knicks need to start winning conference games if they are going to hang in the playoff race.

The Lakers are pretty respectable, Kuzma is a real good player and they’re coming together a bit.

It was ugly but good signs with Porzingis, Ntilikina and McDermott all having good games, and the walking bucket doing what he does I guess.

It was a nice home win. It would have been a loss on the road.

What is up with this fucking INSANE schedule?!

I like what Beasley brings in terms of being a scoring force that draws in the defense … and nice to have an additional scoring option with kp out there

Wonderful game by Porzingis

KP’s new Instagram model girlfriend was sitting courtside. It’s officially the Jen Selter Game.

Maybe now that he will be rejuvenated now that has a steady girlfriend. All of that energy wasted catting around town will be conserved for the game.

29 mins 5 boards 5 assists and 13 pts an 1 TO for frank.. solid

Possibly his best game of the season so far.

Ntilikina outplayed Ball in their matchup, yes I said it. Ball did his dirt against Jack. Let the haters kick rocks.

I think we finally got a glimpse of what Frank can become if we are patient.

Fun game. Frank played very well and Beasley came up huge down the stretch, not just with buckets but two really nice assists to McDermott. Still, you can’t just run KP iso’s every play down the stretch- that’s where they miss Timmy who can make something happen when the ball gets swung to the weak side.

Knicks-Lakers was fun. Another special night by Kristaps. Frank Ntilikina will be so good for so long. Nice to also see Lonzo play well. But what a tough loss for the Lakers considering their terrifying upcoming schedule. pic.twitter.com/jC7ifVxxV3— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) December 13, 2017

Injuries are a part of every team’s season, but I think the Knicks have had more than fair share so far. KP missed 3. Kanter missed 3 and has been playing hurt. Hardaway is now missing a bunch. When you add it all up that’s a LOT of games where they weren’t full strength. They could easily be 15-12 or 16-11 with a little luck. If that was their record, the fact that they’ve played so many more home games would feel less significant. As it is, one really rough road trip and they’ll drop in the standings pretty fast.

I thought Frank Ntilikina shut Lonzo Ball down when they went head to head tonight.

The Nets game is going to be a tough one. They are playing fairly well. At less than 100% we are going to have our hands full.

Knicks win and no (known) pedophiles in the United States Senate! Great night.

Where is Z-man to make sense of this.

Good game by Frank, he even did a couple of PG things! Now let’s see him string a couple of games like this together. Nice to see KP shake the cobwebs!

Frank isn’t going to hit those 3’s every night, but he took good shots, played very good defense and did a fairly nice job running the offense. He’s got a lot of work to do, but he seems to be making some progress

I think Frank did get the better of Lonzo when they matched up together. Lonzo destroyed the Knicks with Jack by repeating the same quick pick and roll on the left wing every possession, then blowing by Jack, while Ntilikina was either beating the screen when it came slowly or sagging and daring Ball to shoot.

Actually Ball is the sort of player I think Frank will be amazing as a defender against. He has more issues with super quick guards who can simply outpace him with elite first steps, while he can keep up very well with a slower, stronger guard like Ball and bother him with his length, quick hands and activity.

Anyway, good move by Hornacek keeping him in the game and I got to say I really like the Baker + Frank lineup. They’re both so active on passing lanes and fighting over screens and since they’re both less than good handlers, they can take pressure off each other.

Just need a Jack injury(how is he still standing) and Frank will take his spot.

Also tankathon has us taking Bruce Brown at 20. Could be interesting but we have a bunch of SG’s already.

Also tankathon has us taking Bruce Brown at 20. Could be interesting but we have a bunch of SG’s already.

I’m admittedly a loyal Cane, but I think he’s a great sleeper. Monstrous defender and increasingly effective on offense.

Also worth noting that L.A. really doesn’t want Lonzo on the ball on defense. He’s been very good as a helper off of the ball but against better teams that’s going to be an issue.

My only concern with Brown is size to be honest, I like him a lot as a prospect. He would fit well besides Ntilikina as he can guard quicker 1s and Frank has the size to keep up with taller guards.

LeBron is about to turn 33, has played an insane amount of minutes in his career and just tied his career best with a 25-7-17 line tonight. I know he’s corny, but that dude is fucking incredible.

Can Hardaway play the 3 effectively? I don’t remember tbh. If so, that opens up a space to draft SG if Lee is traded or to replace THJr if he leaves in 2-3 years.

brown isn’t a great prospect… altho at the end of the first rd you could do worse than him….

That was a fun game to watch. I’m glad the Knicks pulled it out, that would have really sucked to lose to the Lakers at home after playing pretty well, at least on offense. Both teams had moments they looked very good and others where they looked like crap, which is about right. Neither team played much defense, although I did it enjoy all of the blocked shots by Porzingis.

So..as I lay in the hopsicle recovering from another surgery to rid me of thyroid cancer(who would have thought it would be this difficult?), I get angered at mainstream media. All I’m hearing is “Lonzo Ball dows this at the Garden, Lonzo does that at the Garden!” But I hardly hear anything about the game KP had, the similar stats to Lonzo that Ntilikina put up OFF THE BENCH in less minutes, and the outstanding OT work that Beasley did- AND WE WON THE GAME!

I get it, Lonzo’s good. But he’s having as much of an up and down rookie year as Ntilikina and DSJ. The only rookie PG that really has been consistent is Fox. But nobody’s talking about him either. I can’t knock LaVar’s hustle- his crazy marketing scheme has worked. But sheesh! Does the talk about Lonzo Ball’s 1st pro game at Madison Square Garden REALLY hafta overshadow the winning team’s efforts? Particularly that of KP, Ntilikina, and Beasley? Enough is enough..and by the way- Ball was a hearty -11 in his 40 minutes while Ntilikina’s D slowed him in the 4th. Just sayin..

From Poasting and Toasting (Latvian Trickster):

“Frank’s last three games

25.3min 10.3ppg 4.3apg 3.3apg 1.6steals

.458 FG% .667 3pt% .750 FT%

+16 in plus/minus in 76min over the three games

He’s learnnnnnning.”

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