(Friday, December 08, 2017 10:32:35 PM)
Frank Ntilikina can impact a game in several ways, but right now the rookie doesn’t know how he should. Following a promising start to the season, the 19-year-old point guard’s production has slipped in nearly every category. Through 21 games, Ntilikina ranks second to last on the team in field-goal percentage (33.6), and since registering…
(Friday, December 08, 2017 12:25:37 PM)
Kristaps Porzingis can laugh about it now. The always-baffling prospect that the Knicks would trade him has only grown more absurd. But when Arizona’s Lauri Markkanen was in New York this offseason, it wasn’t certain Porzingis would remain there. As Phil Jackson considered sending away a 21-year-old who was one of the league’s most unique…
(Saturday, December 09, 2017 12:36:10 AM)
GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Kristaps Porzingis was in Europe when he saw reports that the Knicks were working out Lauri Markkanen before last June’s draft. The jump-shooting 7-footer was being touted as Porzingis’ replacement if former Knicks president Phil Jackson traded him.
[NYDN] Knicks’ Joakim Noah returns to Chicago untradeable and unplayable (Friday, December 08, 2017 8:38:12 PM)
It was only last November when Joakim Noah returned to Chicago to a video tribute and led the Knicks to an emotional victory.
[NYTimes] Nets 100, Thunder 95: Short-Handed Nets Beat Thunder in Mexico City (Friday, December 08, 2017 6:29:16 AM)
After a trade earlier in the day, Brooklyn had to scramble, but with 21 points off the bench from Caris LeVert they toppled Oklahoma City.
13 replies on “Knicks Morning News (2017.12.09)”
To continue with what stratomatic was saying in the last thread, Westbrook is leading the NBA is AST% but is still viewed as one of the most selfish players in the NBA. Despite being a league leader in assists OKC’s offense is iso heavy, and that to me points to a lot of easy “I’m only going to pass the ball when it’s a sure thing” type of assist and not a product of true ball movement. I liken Westbrook to the Heatle’s Dwayne Wade who never passed the ball unless it was obvious he’d get an assist. I hated that then, and I really don’t like Westbrook’s game play today. KD was right to leave OKC.
Westbrook racks up assists like Marbury did. It doesn’t mean he’s an unselfish player and when you watch him play you can see it, just like you could with Steph.
Brian Cashman, seize the Knicks
@2
That’s one of the reasons I thought the Harden – Westbrook MVP race was so stupid. Westbrook racks up stats but has no ability to make his teammates better, he plays for himself, while Harden is more efficient and more impactful in terms of bringing his teammates to a higher level. That’s also why I was so excited to see Houston with him + Paul, because they’re both capable of taking over and elevating their teammates.
As of now the Rockets have 6 or their main 9 rotation guys over .600 ts% (and that’s counting CP3’s .568 mark which would be his lowest since his 2nd year in the league). The lowest mark is Eric Gordon’s .547, and he’s shooting .70 worst from 3 than he did last year.
The greatest players elevate their good teammates.
last year, the delta between the efg% on westbrook assists (available from sportvu) less the efg% of those players’ residual efg% and/or career average efg% was roughly the same as harden’s. both of them were near the top of the league in that stat (the efg% delta on potential assists) and significantly better than, say, mike conley and kemba walker. westbrook has been toward the top of this measure for most of his career, despite also always being toward the top in absolute assist volume.
this year, not so much. the most identifiable single culprit is that westbrook to PG passes have almost uniquely terrible efficiency ytd, though of course who knows how much is sample size. last year PG’s 2pt FG percentage on passes from jeff teague was 51%. from RWB this year it is 39%. compare that to last year RWB to Oladipo, which converted at a 55.4% 2pt FG%.
it’s even worse in the very small reverse sample. PG to westbrook passes have ended in a 2pt FG% of 23%! (last year Oladipo to RWB: 50.1%).
If RWB only passes the ball when its a sure thing, that’s the opposite of only passing ot when he can’t get a shot off himself.
@5
That’s very interesting, shows that OKC is bound for some improvement in that sense, the PG numbers are probably not going to stay like that.
https://twitter.com/johnschuhmann/status/939553705095041024?s=09
“Sixers issue a Markelle Fultz update. He’s pain-free, but is still 3 weeks away … from another evaluation.”
Can the league please intervene and fire everyone that has ever been related in some way to the Sixers medical staff?
Who was it around here that was trying to say that Chris Paul was not going to be much of a difference maker for the Rockets?
It’s so depressing to watch.
As a Knicks fan, I’m not sure if it’s ok to make fun of other teams medical staff…
It’s so weird being a die-hard fan of 2 teams with completely opposite front offices in the Knicks and Yankees.
@11
I’m not even making fun of them, I’m just sad and in disbelief that weird stuff like this continues to happen with the Sixers. It’s got to be their medical staff being shit, it can’t not be.