Day: April 11, 2018

2017-18 Game Thread: Knicks @ Cavaliers

The Knicks’ 2017-18 season comes to a merciful end tonight. The chances are high that the Knicks will lose this one, since the Cavaliers still have something to play for. They are currently the #4 seed and getting to the #3 seed (and a second round match-up with the Kyrie-less Celtics) is clearly a very juicy place to be, so the Cavs will be playing to win and the Cavs are much better than the Knicks, so even if the Knicks try to win (and they will try to win, because they’re morons), the Cavs should pull this out. So that would mean a tie for the #8 seed and possibly even a three-way tie for the #7 seed if the Nets win tonight against the Celtics!

Do note that Kevin Love and Kyle Korver will rest this game and Lebron might be pulled early. The only slight problem would be if the Bucks intentionally lose to the Sixers so that the Bucks would drop to the #7 seed and play the Celtics in the first round. If the Sixers are blowing the Bucks out, the Cavs might pull Lebron, as well, and who knows? They could want to make sure the Nets don’t tie the Knicks for the #8 seed, but I doubt they would do that.

Around the league, two huge games today between the Utah Jazz and Portland Trailblazers playing for the #3 seed (it is insane how amazing Gobert is – he took a shitty team and made them good almost singlehandedly) and the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets playing for the #8 seed (it would be too funny to see Thibs lose out on the playoffs after burning his guys out for Year 312).

This is prooooobably the last game that Jeff Hornacek will coach for the Knicks. Scott Perry has made some poor moves to go with some good moves (signing Trey Burke certainly looks really good), but he hasn’t made any, “Oh no, how could you?” moves, unlike Steve Mills. He hasn’t done a Mega Max Melo or a Bargnani trade or a no match Lin or a signing Joakim Noah or a trading for Derrick Rose or a signing THJ or anything like that, so I will cross my fingers and hope that he somehow avoids hiring Mark Jackson to coach this team. Come on, Perry, I want to believe in you! Give me a reason to believe in you! Don’t hire Mark Jackson!

Let’s go, Nick Young! Swaggy P!

Knicks Morning News (2018.04.11)

  • [NY Newsday] Jeff Hornacek believes the Knicks are close to contending
    (Tuesday, April 10, 2018 9:42:50 PM)

    CLEVELAND — Jeff Hornacek seemed to be asking for more time.

  • [NY Newsday] ‘Trust our future,’ says Knicks’ Frank Ntilikina
    (Tuesday, April 10, 2018 12:23:18 PM)

    Frank Ntilikina had a message for anyone concerned about the type of player he would become or the kind of team the Knicks eventually would be.

  • [NYDN] Hornacek never had a chance with roster Knicks brass gave him
    (Tuesday, April 10, 2018 10:32:21 PM)

    The clock will strike midnight for Jeff Hornacek and the Knicks at approximately 10:20 p.m. on Wednesday in Cleveland.

  • [NYDN] Carmelo Anthony happy to be back in the playoffs, not on vacation
    (Tuesday, April 10, 2018 8:57:37 AM)

    The Knicks will soon be free to go on vacation early for the fifth straight year, but Carmelo Anthony has other plans this April.

  • [NYPost] Jeff Hornacek’s grim moment of truth is here
    (Tuesday, April 10, 2018 3:53:04 PM)

    CLEVELAND — There was no final practice for Jeff Hornacek, who canceled Tuesday’s session. But there is a final flight and a final game. Hornacek will take the sidelines Wednesday with a 59-104 Knicks coaching record to face the Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Then, Hornacek will likely face the firing line. Lacking a vote…

  • [NYPost] Frank Ntilikina is showing a new side to his game
    (Tuesday, April 10, 2018 9:53:01 AM)

    CLEVELAND — The Knicks’ season shuts down Wednesday against the Cavaliers, but a light bulb has turned on inside rookie Frank Ntilikina’s head. Although it’s probably too late for Ntilikina to make one of the two all-rookie teams, the 6-foot-5 guard has adapted more of an attack mode/scorer’s mentality — weaving in some razzle-dazzle moves…

  • [SNY Knicks] LeBron James trolls Kanter, Knicks with message on signature shoe
    (Tuesday, April 10, 2018 8:52:50 AM)

    Cavaliers star F LeBron James was back in New York on Monday night, and he wanted all in MSG to know that he still believes he is “King of New York.”

  • [NYTimes] Andre Ingram Got a Cup of Coffee and Turned It Into a Shooting Show
    (Wednesday, April 11, 2018 6:27:29 AM)

    A veteran of the N.B.A.’s development league, Ingram was called up by the Lakers and became the oldest American rookie in at least 50 years. Then he started scoring.

  • [NYTimes] Keeping Score: Sizing Up the Spurs’ 21-Season Playoff Streak
    (Tuesday, April 10, 2018 2:22:27 PM)

    The streak compares favorably with the Dodgers, Patriots and Penguins. But the Spurs have a ways to go to catch the Edmonton Eskimos.