2021-22 Game Thread: Knicks @ Hawks

The Knicks head to Atlanta to take on the red-hot Atlanta Hawks as the ‘Bockers try to avoid falling to .500 for the first time all season.

The Knicks have been alternating wins and losses for a while, so, well, I guess that this will be a win then!

The Knicks will be without both of their starting point guards and Taj Gibson remains out and Nerlens Noel might not make it, either, as his knee is acting up again. That’s not fun.

HOW IS 56 WINS LOOKING? They just need to go on a crazy win streak like the Hawks!

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Let’s go, Knicks!

223 replies on “2021-22 Game Thread: Knicks @ Hawks”

(repost) Funny how we’re above .500 and half the KB fanbase is in panic mode…my how things have changed! The last “the sky is falling!” thread I recalled was this one from when Derrick Rose was acquired back in February. We were 11-14 at the time and the consensus was that the Rose was, well, let’s just say not what it turned out to be. The most prescient comment was from Jowles, who pretty much nailed the numbers on Rose’s new contract.

I just want to know if Deuce and Grimes are better or worse than David Soul and Paul Michael Glaser.

Burks starting, don’t really care as long as IQ gets a ton of run.

Atlanta -7.5…sheesh. I don’t even necessarily disagree, it’s just rare you see a line like that for two teams with similar records absent debilitating injuries.

Beat the spread, Knicks!

I wish people would stop with this “wide open 3” stat. (Alan Hahn just now). It’s more complex than that. There’s a difference between a wide open 3 from the corner, straight on, or wing. If you are a good defensive team you also know by individual player who likes to shoot from which spots and which side of the court. You are trying to force players to their inferior locations. We know we have inferior defenders on the perimeter this year and they aren’t used to playing with each other. We know Nerlens has been missing and often playing hurt. We know Mitch has been missing, playing hurt and hasn’t looked as quick. We need to accept reality, fix what we can, get healthy, and stop thinking it’s random. Maybe a little has been noise, but after 20 games it’s more than random.

Some of the film guys on Twitter came to the conclusion that its an effort thing with the 3pt attempts. The bench seems to do a good job contesting them but the starters have a lot more trouble because of their shortcomings.

thenoblefacehumper:
Burks starting, don’t really care as long as IQ gets a ton of run.

Atlanta -7.5…sheesh. I don’t even necessarily disagree, it’s just rare you see a line like that for two teams with similar records absent debilitating injuries.

Beat the spread, Knicks!

We’re missing MVP candidate Derrick Rose

That’s the kind of wide open 3 RJ was getting last year that he tried to stay with. This year he has been taking tougher ones too.

Nice little Randle-to-RJ lob! Stretches like this are why I can’t quite quit Mitch.

Oh man, these guys on the Hawks broadcast are annoying in the way they praise Trae… way tooooo much!

I’m only scoreboard-watching tonight, but looks like Barrett’s having a little renaissance? And the mighty Jericho is showing some muscle?

To all those who complain that the kids don’t get much burn with Thibs, at least the kids come into these games hungry and ready to go to war.

I like how both Grimes and McBride defend. We need to see more of these guys while we have injuries.

Sims is like a pogo stick.

Geo is Pfatt?

eh, yeah, I’m a bit of a “healthy” size, water retention and all ya know…heck a 1,000 or so years ago – I’d have been the pic of living well…

Not really a Sims believer but can’t knock the hustle.

This group in general is trying hard, pretty refreshing.

d-mar: Replacing Clyde with Wally is like a reverse Lou Gehrig for Wally Pipp.

I’d like to have Monica McNutt instead of Wally

I mean, two rim runners with sims and obi … it’s like Knicks reinvention of capela and Collins… it’s too easy right now with a dynamic guard in IQ

Big Chiefin’ as Phatt Gandalf:
Geo is Pfatt?

eh, yeah, I’m a bit of a “healthy” size, water retention and all ya know…heck a 1,000 or so years ago – I’d have been the pic of living well…

Back in your Patchogue days, I’m sure.

It’s a small thing, but Quickley navigates screens better than any Knicks guard I can remember. His touch around the rim is damn good too.

…he’s probably our most valuable asset okay that’s enough of that back to the game now.

Quick is by far the biggest bright spot on the Knicks this season. And that’s after a bad start.

Uh oh Solomon Grundy is in

That Grimes-Obi lob has me wanting to trade everyone over the age of 23 immediately

Trae is the only player to drop 30 at MSG more than 2 times in a playoff series, the guys on the Hawks broadcast are saying. I wasn’t aware of this. Not even MJ did it.

Thibs giving Julius an extended break nice to see

Julius might think the word “benching” is more apt. Absolutely the right call and long overdue, just hope it doesn’t become a Thing.

I wish we had a guy who could neutralize an entire half’s worth of good play with like 80 feet worth of threes

Why the fuck doesnrandle have the ball in his hands at end of quarters. He’s literally the worst … what a moron him and Thibs

And on top that, his outlet is Fournier … two guys that seemingly can’t create their own good shot

I mean, shouldn’t we be happy when Trae launches 35 foot jumpers? He’s not Steph Curry

Typical. A really good first half is erased by 2 terrible Trae Young 3s going in. That’s not basketball, that’s luck. Randle needs to ride the pine more if he continues his garbage play. Thibs please see the light!

I’m just remembering that I once had to explain why it might not be agent malpractice for Randle to take that extension.

His energy is just so fleeting and he wastes a lot of it on bravado low % shots … when it should be 100% on defense , rebounding , dishing and cutting to the basket …

It’s a tale of two Young’s: I love our young guns. They are certifiable BingBong. I hate Trae Young and hope he gets crabs. Which Young will come out on top?

Thibs sent Randel to the scorer’s table at like the 4 and some change minute mark and Obi was going gangbusters but Thibs can’t help himself …fortunately there was no ball stoppage until like 2:30 and Randle had to wait to check back in…so that minimized another 2 minutes of Randle sabotage…who the hell on that coaching staff is watching film and concluding that running the offense through Randle is a good idea?

pepper: …who the hell on that coaching staff is watching film and concluding that running the offense through Randle is a good idea?

Dolan.

I’d like to see Deuce get a few minutes on Trae in the second half. Why not try it?

pepper: Thibs sent Randel to the scorer’s table at like the 4 and some change minute mark and Obi was going gangbusters but Thibs can’t help himself …fortunately there was no ball stoppage until like 2:30 and Randle had to wait to check back in…so that minimized another 2 minutes of Randle sabotage…who the hell on that coaching staff is watching film and concluding that running the offense through Randle is a good idea?

The rotations drive me crazy. And any time Fournier has a good start to a game he still gets pulled and when he comes back he’s cold.

Yeah, Julius extension still looks like a steal, it’s just that the part that is stealing has switched.

I’d like to have Monica McNutt instead of Wally.

she’s a bit of a nervous talker…espn has her on the sidelines now…she knows her sports…

cybersoze:
Yeah, Julius extension still looks like a steal, it’s just that the part that is stealing has switched.

So Knicksy!!

To be fair to Thibs I think at that point Obi had played so much he might legitimately have needed the rest.

The bigger problem is how literally every Knicks fan was bummed when the Knicks’ highest paid player checked back in.

hmmmmm, the offense sure does seem to flow with quik and obi in the mix…

their games are definitely built for today’s nba…

The starters just can’t keep up with these guys and I mean that literally. They’re too quick and athletic.

Props to the starters, it was looking like a pretty typical 3rd quarter and they fought back.

Having said that…maybe we shouldn’t push our luck with them.

thenoblefacehumper:
The starters just can’t keep up with these guys and I mean that literally. They’re too quick and athletic.

I was thinking the same thing and then all of a sudden this burst of energy. It’s so bizarre.

julius needs to focus more on simply finishing – kinda like obi does, his ball handling needs to go way down…

Did you guys like my dig at Hahn and his useless stats? He’s gonna be so angry in the post game. He’s already texting me insults.

If the starters can play this well consistently the Warriors are fucked in the finals

watching the kings play the other day, noticed haliburton looks like he added some weight, getting even better at playing at an NBA level…

obi seems to have worked some things out around the rim…it’s like he’s not so nervous anymore…

jericho sims is fun to watch, man, could you imagine his athleticism and energy with not worrying where he’s supposed to be all the time…

That was some quarter, this team always brings you back in just when you’re ready to check out

Credit to Julius for recognizing that the Hawks are determined to shut him down. His unselfish play is an understated key to this game. IQ and Burks seems to be able to frustrate Trae. What can I say about Burks!

new drinking game….every time Wally says…”that was a huge shot”…everyone has to do a shot…

Man, I really winced at Obi falling on his elbow like that b/c I once broke my left one in a similar fall. Not fun.

Trae Young due for a couple of 35 footers just to piss me off.

Come on!!! Robinson has to know he’s rolling … come on dude that’s all that guy does … THATS ALL YOU DO, you should know !!!!

We give up too many OREBs and aren’t getting any 2nd looks. I’m sick of it.

Owen:
Just turned it on. Nine point lead has never felt so fragile.

Yup … as soon as we slow it down and take methodical mundane fairly defended jump shots… the lead is not safe

The guys on the Hawks broadcast noticed it too… “They actually played better with Randle on the bench”.

Good boarding from Mitch although Randle got it.

Mitch looks like a pogo stick who turned into a drumstick. High constraint with Capela.

It’s hard to blow an 11 point lead in three minutes. Let’s hope they don’t try.

DRed:
Why didn’t Randle just dunk that?

I guess when you’re wearing Clint as a necklace it’s hard to get up there.

man Immanuel Quickley was enormous tonight. I feel like without him, the Knicks lose in a blowout.

This isn’t a time for the Knicks to be crashing the boards and leaving themselves vulnerable to fast breaks.

It was great to have some new blood and some new energy … Sims was a solid disruptor as was Grimes … both able to keep up with frenetic pace … Obi really solid … Burks carried big load … Fournier hit some 3s… quickly a pest all over

Me yesterday, answering to a question if we could win today:
“In Atlanta? Yeah, i think we can.”

Do you think Thibs chanted D-Fence, D-Fence on the plane for the entire duration of the flight to Atlanta?

Fuck Trae Young.

Rugged, gritty win, just the way we like it. Great show of character to bounce back and break Atlanta’s streak after a deflating loss to the Suns. Loved the defense, loved Grimes and Sims and what they provided, Fournier and Burks too, IQ on defense was great also.

This was probably our biggest win of the year. I don’t want to throw stones, but without Kemba the defense was much better. Both Burkes and IQ played well defensively.

We have to do a better job on the boards. We gave up too many OREBs when we should have had the rebound. Those can be killers.

Also Quickley needs to be playing 30+ minutes every night, even when Rose and Kemba are back. Like Clyde would say, he’s got the canine attitude we need so much on this team.

GoNyGoNYGo: Do you think Thibs chanted D-Fence, D-Fence on the plane for the entire duration of the flight to Atlanta?

You mean between the blues songs by JD?

I think Mitch sorta did what he needed but still a lot to be desired… nice to have a stronger bigger body or bodies along with Sims. Capela STILL had 16 and 21 so maybe it wasn’t so great … what do we think …

I think Mitch did a solid job. Capela has Trae Young hitting him for every lob and only Barett seems to be able to hit Mitch for his

That win put a smile on my face. That was the type of effort that has honestly been lacking a lot this season. There was just energy all game. Even Randle picked up effort on D and boards. Quickley was amazing on D. Sims with really good minutes. Burks with clutch shots. Party like it’s 2020/2021!

Capela was great on the glass, but scoring 16 on 14 shots is not particularly good, and the Hawks in general didn’t shoot well at the rim or in the paint so I think Mitch/Sims probably did a good job overall on defense

I honestly thought when the Hawks came out after halftime and went up 6 that we were about to get crushed.

Great effort, great win.

thibs..praising julius in the press conference….says he made a number of good passes and didn’t force the play…

Loved the defensive fight out there. Kemba + Fournier results in us either constantly being beaten off the dribble (Fournier) or with a massive size mismatch (Kemba) on switches. I don’t think our starting backcourt is sustainable. Kemba shouldn’t be starting. IQ or Burks should start…I’ll keep saying it

ouch, lots of kemba feel good pieces (studio break) running on the post game feed…

how do you bury kemba on the bench?

last year I was super skeptical when quik said he was a point guard, he looked better at summer league – he looks like a demon out there now bringing the ball up the court…

it will be cool to see him adapt to breaking pressure and double teams when it starts to come…

I don’t know – perhaps quik is in fact an nba level starting point guard who can lead a team to the playoffs…who would’ve thunk it, except for thibs and dice…

wow, if this quik as a starting point guard comes to pass – that would be some kind of surprising outcome from a twentyfith pick…who from the beginning looked like he was always in a rush to be good…

The speed/aggressiveness of the 2nd unit seemed to wear the Hawks out…

if we can keep our bench strong while improving the starting unit – and limiting julius’ ball handling, shoot – start quik and burks…

use grimes more…

maybe release kemba?

It’s pretty unsettling that in the EC there is a 5.5 game spread between #1 BKN and #13 IND. The parity is insane!

Big Chiefin’ as Phatt Gandalf: how do you bury kemba on the bench?….maybe release kemba?

I was talking about that earlier in the week. What’s the best way to move on from him? I’d hate to waive him, it sucks having dead cap space. Maybe there’s a way to marginalize him gracefully, maybe not, but it’s pretty clear that he is not a winning player right now.

I was just happy and then I saw Mikal Bridges had 7 steals against the Nets and I remembered the pain.

The east is a legitimate bloodbath and I really can’t tell yet which teams are for real and which aren’t. I guess the Nets and Bucks are guaranteed, the Heat and Sixers are good and the Hawks and Bulls are surely going to be in the mix, but any weird injuries and things might be wide open for the 3rd and 4th spots.

This game summarized why I think just a few roster tweaks could put us on the right track. Quick changes the whole dynamic of the first unit which has been killing us all year.

I generally support the moves this front office has made, but damn, would Christian Wood have been a nice signing

Best win of the season IMO. In Atlanta on the second night of a back-to-back, shorthanded…there’s a reason we were massive dogs. Can’t ask for anything more than a youth fueled win.

Generally not a raw +/- guy, but definitely think Quickley’s +9 is more indicative of his impact than his box score stats (though the assists are nice in and of themselves).

I’ve preached patience to some extent with Kemba, but it’s certainly a look that our gutsiest performance of the season came with him resting. I have no clue how to make this happen with all of the politics, etc. but more of his minutes clearly need to go to Quickley.

We have a former MVP on the bench who accepted his role and has by all accounts been nothing but a positive influence on his teammates. If Rose can accept that role, certainly Kemba, who accomplished far less, has no reason to be mad about it. Rose was even sitting behind Elfrid Payton for gods sake.

Watched bits and pieces of the game and actually was pretty encouraged by Julius’s play. He shot terribly of course, but made some really nice passes (the one he made to Burks for an open 3 after attacking the paint early in clock, collapsing the defense on purpose, then passing to Burks — who was red-hot at the time). And I liked how looked on switches against Trae. Thibs really mixed up the PNR coverage on Trae in the 4th and I think confused him, or at least made him hesitate.

Nice efficient game from RJ

Quickley also shot terribly but was great on defense. Love his tempo on offense but still gives up his dribble too early. I’d like to see him take it all the way to the hole and get contact / free throws rather than stop dribbling, pick up the ball, and then hope someone’s open to take it from him.

Really thought Obi was hurt on that dangerous foul by Collins. Easily could’ve been a hyperextended or dislocated elbow.

Yeah I was saying the same thing the other day. If a former MVP who the coach also loves can the bench surely Kemba can. And I think it could work nicely cause rose can still get to the rim and Kemba can sit out and shoot three’s. Start IQ and give burks a few more of RJ’s minutes.

Any win over a playoff rival on their home court is a great win. But in the big scheme of things, we shouldn’t overvalue it. They’re without Hunter, Bogdo got hurt, and Gallo, Huerter and Collins missed like 10 wide-open looks from 3.

On the other hand, the win wasn’t on the back of Julius going for a monster triple-double or anything like that. I’d refer to it as a “depth” win. When you can be missing your starting and 6MoY candidate backup PGs, and your 2nd and 3rd string Cs and get a win like that even when Randle and IQ go 7-26, that suggests that you are a deeper, more well-rounded team than last year.

And please, let’s put the “Bullock is a better defender than Burks” talk to bed. Burks is aging like a fine wine, seriously playing like an all-star right now. We’d be in really bad shape withoug him.

swiftandabundant:
Yeah I was saying the same thing the other day. If a former MVP who the coach also loves canthe bench surely Kemba can.And I think it could work nicely cause rose can still get to the rim and Kemba can sit out and shoot three’s. Start IQ and give burks a few more of RJ’s minutes.

Difference is, I’m not talking about having Kemba coming off the bench in a primary 6th man role where he is a go-to guy in crunch time. I’m talking about benching Kemba, period, except for some token minutes where you either need an offensive spark or the game is out of hand. Frankly, I don’t see any situation where Kemba is a positive asset over either Burks or IQ for the non-Rose PG minutes, and you could probably run McBride out there and get a decent 2-way result. Kemba is so bad on D that he has to be on a 30pts/36 pace to make up for it.

Watched bits and pieces of the game and actually was pretty encouraged by Julius’s play. He shot terribly of course, but made some really nice passes (the one he made to Burks for an open 3 after attacking the paint early in clock, collapsing the defense on purpose, then passing to Burks — who was red-hot at the time). And I liked how looked on switches against Trae. Thibs really mixed up the PNR coverage on Trae in the 4th and I think confused him, or at least made him hesitate.

I was watching the Atlanta feed. At the beginning , one of their two keys to the game per the announcers was “contain Randle” (the other was something like “maintain focus”. They did contain Randle and Young had a good night too. But we won anyway because other guys in the Knicks stepped up and filled the gap. I have always thought of having other guys step up when you need them being the mark of a good team, but my brain is balking at really believing the Knicks are that sort of team. I’m just so used to them not being that sort of team.

Another positive from last night is that it felt like we won the game primarily on the defensive end. The Hawks helped by missing shots, but we were really active and forced them to take tough shots at the end of the clock. And it was consistent from lineup to lineup.

Would love to get a W against the Bulls, that would take a lot of pressure off the Nets game.

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