Game Thread: New York Knicks at Charlotte Hornets

Game Thread: New York Knicks at Charlotte Hornets

Start Time: 12/14/2018 19:00:00

Hornets aim to keep streak alive vs. Knicks

CHARLOTTE — All eyes will be on the Charlotte bench on Friday night when the streaking Hornets host the tail-spinning New York Knicks.
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Pre Game Links:

  • [upi.com] Hornets aim to keep streak alive vs. Knicks
  • [cbssports.com] ‘That’s Pretty Interesting’: Tony Parker a perfect match for Kemba Walker, Hornets; Knicks’ Frank Ntilikina still enigmatic
  • [nba.com] Hornets Recall Bacon and Graham from Swarm
  • [msn.com] Larry Johnson Q&A: Former Hornets star on his legacy, new job, and the changing NBA
  • [bleacherreport.com] Collin Sexton, Cavaliers Hang On to Beat Kevin Knox, Knicks 113-106
  • [cbssports.com] Michael Jordan playfully slaps Malik Monk in the back of his head after Hornets guard’s late-game blunder
  • 152 replies on “Game Thread: New York Knicks at Charlotte Hornets”

    Eh, sounds kind of like an excuse. ‘Sorry I sucked at practice today, I was riding the Venga bus last night.’ I suspect Noah of sucking because he was broken and old, not cause he was hungover. And I’m sure Phil knew all about his proclivities, just slipped his mind is all.

    Washington v Brooklyn is an interesting match tonight. I’d rather the Wiz win. If they manage to blow it up anytime soon they can probably out tank us.

    I’ve never been a heavy drinker, but I do remember the days that I could be up until 4 AM and be half-functional by 10 the next day. In my late twenties, that shit ended right quick. I’m up around 5:30 every day and you better believe I’m not drinking on the weekdays or going to bed after 11 anymore.

    Aging is real as hell, and partying doesn’t help. A little of column A, a little of Column B on Noah’s rapid decline.

    just a reminder:
    NBA League Pass Free Preview – now through thursday, december 20…

    here are the games the knicks will be playing:
    Fri, Dec 14 @ Charlotte – 7:00 PM est
    Sun, Dec 16 @ Indiana – 5:00 PM est
    Mon, Dec 17 vs Phoenix – 7:30 PM est
    Wed, Dec 19 @ Philadelphia – 7:00 PM

    I’m up around 5:30 every day and you better believe I’m not drinking on the weekdays or going to bed after 11 anymore.

    hmmmm, i wonder though if that’s you or the missus…life can be a little different when the only person monitoring your behavior is your own reflection…

    although some folks do seem to have a natural inclination towards “living” right…knowing the right stuff, and, doing the right stuff ain’t always easy, particularly when it’s easy to indulge yourself…

    hmmmm, i wonder though if that’s you or the missus…life can be a little different when the only person monitoring your behavior is your own reflection…

    No, you’re right about that. For some months I dated a lush out here who liked her $8 wine bottles, but I liked her Kim K.-as-a-redhead “vibe” so I met her liver halfway. The Mrs. Lady Jowles leads the lifestyle you’d expect from a part-time yoga teacher. I eat leafy greens and quinoa more and drink to excess and stay out all night less. (Her full-time yoga teacher friends go HARD in the paint, though. That profession attracts some “experientialists,” to say the least.)

    I can’t imagine what it’s like to be an NBAer. You make millions, your friends make millions (unless you do it Antoine Walker style), and you’re an easy-to-spot celebrity everywhere you go. You don’t have to introduce yourself, you never have to make a case to a bouncer, and you definitely never have to go home alone.

    Then I hear about guys bringing their XBones on the road with them, and I’m like, “Damn… they’re just like us.”

    You must choose. But choose wisely, for as the true Grail will bring you life, the false Grail will take it from you.

    sounds like you chose wisely 🙂

    In my old age (I’m 46) I have realized that booze is almost unnecessary, because you can smoke weed until the cows come home and wake up the next day just fine. Plus now you can just go to the corner store and buy weed instead of having to know some sketchy guy with pet snakes.

    Weed 4eva

    Plus now you can just go to the corner store and buy weed instead of having to know some sketchy guy with pet snakes.

    it’s funny cause it’s true. this is why legalization would have barely mattered at 25 but at 45 it’s suddenly kind of a drag to live in a nonlegalized state.

    what exactly is the point of trading for Jabari Parker mid season? is he going to help a playoff team more than someone else they could get if they cleared $20 million? why would a bad team waste their time just to have an option to pay him another $20 million next year?

    @9

    If the Bulls want Courtney Lee and Lance Thomas for him I’d do it, his second year is a team option so he’s gone next season anyway.

    Of course I probably actually wouldn’t want to do it because he would have some 25 point games and the Knicks would pick his damn option, but theoretically it makes sense if Chicago is this desperate to move him for whatever reason.

    the bulls aren’t going to take on 19-20 salary for him. then again they are the bulls so maybe they’ll package him with WCJ for Timmy and Noah’s stretch rights.

    slightly different usage in 2018 – but, i had no idea the term (lit) was so old:

    It was often used by blues and jazz musicians in the 40s, 50s and 60s to describe the “sweet spot” in which someone was drunk enough to be relaxed and play better, without being wasted and suffering from motor skill impairment.

    which only begs the question: danvt – any confessions you’d like to share?

    What I find funny about weed legalization is how much its changed weed smoking. You go into a store and yes, there is still bud you can buy but they seem to do more business with the cartridges and vape pens and I see why. Its basically odorless. So kids today will never know the struggle of getting high and then furiously washing your hands and face, rinsing your mouth with mouthwash and spraying a cloud of lysol into the air and walking through it so you don’t smell like weed. I remember my weed and bowl would stink so bad I would basically wrap it in saran wrap and then put it in like 3 ziplock bags and I was still paranoid my room reeked of weed.

    how after all these years is Robert Randolph still so pumped for friday night knicks?

    Clyde just said Mugsey was 5’3″ when he played. um…..how tall is he now Clyde?

    “Mo-to-rin’… I love that song.”

    One of the craziest and greatest movies scenes ever. Alfred Molina should have won an Oscar.

    It’s games like this that make THJ so infuriating to watch. Barely making an effort on defense, stupid shot selection.

    I remember my weed and bowl would stink so bad I would basically wrap it in saran wrap and then put it in like 3 ziplock bags and I was still paranoid my room reeked of weed.

    talk about denial – it’s been many years ago, but, at one point i finally figured out i had little desire to participate in any kind of “management” situation…my only real skill, was telling other folks what to do…i just couldn’t take it anymore…

    i was real fortunate at the time the my company actually let me step down and found a position for me as a warehouse inventory clerk…i’ve always got along well with folks; and, it was cool to be one of the guys out on the floor…

    one time comin’ back from lunch had a buddy come up to me and say; “yo g, you need to check yourself, you smell like weed”…my immediate reply: “no man, that’s not possible, maybe it’s just something with your nose…you may be smelling something – but,it ain’t me”…

    a few years back i was sittin at my desk, turned my back away from the door and shoved a whole bunch of homemade brownies in to my mouth (weed butter stinks, really bad)…at that exact moment – my manager appeared in my door…

    not a second after he exclaimed – “wow, it smells like pot in here” – i replied (while still munching on the brownies) – “no, i don’t think so, i don’t what that smell is”…

    i love me some gummies and my new sweet disposable vape pens…a little visine – and, it’s all to the good…

    I’m sorry. I am buy any of the don’t-blame-Noah BS. I know a lot of people that spend their entire non-working lives “lit”. Those same people manager to go to work straight and are everything you would want them to be. I’m talking about doctors, lawyers, CEOs, politicians, you name it. The NBA doesn’t do drug testing.

    It’s a decision. What this says is that all Noah wanted to ever do is party. We’re not talking just smoking pot. There’s got to be more to it.

    Let’s not turn this into a Phil Jackson was an awful GM discussion because there’s not a single person here that would argue that. He sucked as bad as someone could suck. In fact, I feel exactly the same about Jackson as I do about Noah. They both mailed it in. And they both had very strong NY ties.

    Fuck both of them.

    There’s no absolution for Noah. He didn’t apologize. He shrugged off taking $70M from Dolan. He killed our salary cap.

    The one positive that came out of the Noah statements today is that I dislike Hornecek a little less. I think, to some extent, he ended up being a sacrificial lamb.

    I haven’t been able to watch a game for a while, but I can watch the beginning of this one. The Knicks actually look worse than I remember. They don’t seem to have energy they had earlier this season and the starters don’t seem to be able toorganize any offense in the half court. Maybe Ntilikina can’t play point guard, but when he and Lee came into the game, at least the half court offense didn’t look totally lost (they did miss a bunch of makeable shots)

    anyone see the play where kemba turned Timmy around in transition like he was a linebacker tying to shadow Michael Vick

    Can we retire Mudiay’s and Hezonga’s numbers? As in, any player wearing their number is not allowed to set foot on an NBA court.

    I agree, why can’t we

    And that is two turnovers for Frank that shouldn’t happen

    As soon as TH2 and Kanter get in the game, teams isolate them in P&R action and then proceed to broil them.

    wow, the hornets are shooting 62% (26 – 42) from 2 and 60% (12 – 20) from 3…with 19 assists…

    that is not good…

    ok watch the replay and explain to me wtf kanter is doing on that Batum dunk to end the half

    I can’t wait until the Knicks draft Kevin Porter Jr and promptly sit Hardaway’s ass on the bench for life. Looks like he’ll be opting in after all.

    @49 yeah and everybody’s glass was half empty on the tank 2 weeks ago, too. Things change

    Apparently both Frank and Timmy went to the locker room.

    Embiid with 28 and 14. Wonder what he’ll do in the second half.

    Mudiay has gotten really good at realizing that he’s taller than most point guards.

    Mudiay also has 7 assists on the night . . . If it wasn’t for that cap hold, I’m not sure I’d be opposed to bringing him back as a backup. I’d rather have him than Burke at this point.

    We might get close to a worst case result here if we get a meaningless win in which both Frank and Mitch sprain their ankles, but the comeback was kind of impressive

    Fizdale probably told Mud that he has at least 5 inches on Walker, and he’s already a poor defender. He’s been killing him off pick and roll action and just getting to that 12 footer every time. He looks like vintage Trey Burke.

    The think about Kornet is he is actually pretty active and mobile. If you’re seven feet tall and can shoot the 3 (which is still tbd) that’s all you need to have a place in the league.

    His whole schtick is that he’s a homeless man’s KP, right? That’s a perfectly fine rotation player provided the 3 point shooting is for real, especially since he does not have KP’s shot selection and seems comfortable staying in his lane.

    It isn’t coincidence that the comebacks happen with Kanter on the bench. Kornet isn’t good, but the Knicks simply can’t get a stop with Kanter.

    I still believe Kornet can be a useful NBA player if he hits 3s. He’s better on defense than you’d expect.

    If you aren’t rooting for these fuckers and being on the Mudiay bandwagon for at least 30 minutes, you have no soul and you are on Santa’s naughty list

    Y’all know Kemba is going to ice us with a ice-in-the-veins, ruff ryda, clutch dagger in the heart, right?

    Ugh. Doesn’t Kemba realize that winning increases his chances of having Zion as a teammate next year?

    On a human level, I’m happy for Mudiay, but I guess I have no soul, because a loss is still the best case outcome for this game. The thrill of victory fades; having the best possible odds to draft a franchise-changing talent remains.

    I feel inclined to chalk this one up to Walker having a terrible night. If Walker had shot even a little better, Mudiay’s career night would still have not been enough.

    I’ll watch the recording of this game when I get tired of discussing here if the guy we just picked 9th in the next draft is actually a NBA player or not.

    INB4 we start to complain that the tank is dead, this win puts us at a robust 9/21, which puts us on pace to win a scintillating 24.6 games over the course of the season. It is annoying that we didn’t capitalize on the recent wins of other tanking teams, but this is hardly the end of the world. We just got unlucky that our point guard had a career night and their star player went 6/20 (also, Lamb went 7/21).

    Kornet had 13 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals and 3 blocks in 24 minutes. Play that man some more.

    The Knicks should really be calling everyone offering Mudiay. This is the time to make a deal.

    Walker falls short on Muggsy Bogues night. So appropriate.

    Honestly it is crazy that we just won a game off of Mudiay, Kornet, and a freaking zone.

    Fizdale benched Kanter for the whole 4th quarter in favor of Luke Kornet, Kevin Knox played 42 minutes (Hezonja played 12), and Emmanuel Mudiay led the charge on the road in our way back from a 21 point deficit.

    I wanted a loss, too, but I don’t know what you expected Fizdale to do. It’s good that he can coach up a group of scrubs.

    I can’t wait to see the Ariza to the Wiz trade, I feel confident there will be something funny about it

    Noah Vonleh with 2 made 3s, 7 assists, 11 rebounds, 15 points, and a blocked shot. This guy is the perfect fit next to KP.

    A generational talent is available in the draft and KD is a free agent after a year when our franchise player misses all or most of the season due to injury. What could possibly go wrong? Congrats on your career game Emmanuel!

    The Knicks should really be calling everyone offering Mudiay. This is the time to make a deal.

    Seriously. Dude dropped like 40 WS/48 points between the Milwaukee game and this one, so they really got to take advantage of when he has good games to get someone to give them something for him.

    As part of a three-team deal nearing completion: Ariza to the Wizards, Kelly Oubre to the Memphis Grizzlies and Austin Rivers and two Grizzlies role players to Suns, league sources tell ESPN.

    @106 in all seriousness, 23 year old Vonleh > 23 year old Draymond, and Vonleh seems to be a much better shooter and athlete than Green ever was. Vonleh just doesn’t seem to have Draymond’s competitiveness or basketball IQ, but he probably doesn’t need it because the team wouldn’t be running the offense or defense through him. I really hope the front office finds a way to keep him until he’s 30.

    You really have to look at chunks of games. This win is more than offset by the losses to CHO at home, Nets and Cavs. We’re doing just fine with the tank.

    @106 in all seriousness, 23 year old Vonleh > 23 year old Draymond,

    Young Draymond was so good on defense that I’m not sure if this is true, but Vonleh is indisputably better than him so far this year.

    I told you it would be funny. Why the hell would the Suns want Austin Rivers?

    It has to be to flip him later, right? Because yeah, it’s asinine otherwise.

    You really have to look at chunks of games. This win is more than offset by the losses to CHO at home, Nets and Cavs. We’re doing just fine with the tank.

    Agreed. I was totally prepared for them to beat Cleveland and being okay with it, so them losing that and winning this one is fine.

    Vonleh must be signed, period.

    The room should be enough to keep him, I would imagine/hope. They just really need to get rid of Courtney Lee’s salary.

    It has to be to flip him later, right? Because yeah, it’s asinine otherwise.

    but even if you could find some who wants to be on the business end of a flipping Austin rivers, who would prefer him to ariza? why not just trade ariza to yourself and flip Him?

    You’re neglecting the two Memphis role players that Phoenix is getting. With them plus Rivers, they’ll be rocketing up the standings in no time.

    Is Mudiay now better than Elfrid Payton was last year? Because Payton fetched a mid 2nd rounder from Phoenix.

    but even if you could find some who wants to be on the business end of a flipping Austin rivers, who would prefer him to ariza? why not just trade ariza to yourself and flip Him?

    Well, I guess they have a lot more wings than they have guards. It’s dumb, but they had no room for Ariza. And it’s not like Austin Rivers hasn’t been traded a lot, right? So he’s probably still moveable.

    Just watched replay of game. I want no part of Kemba Walker as a FA.

    I sure hope they plan to trade Mudiay rather than sign him to an extension…

    holy shit. the teams are confused about which irrelevant Brooks Memphis is sending (one is at least young), and it may break the deal? this is like that time Steve mills gave that awesome point guard with the killer crossover $72 million.

    Very happy to be at the game tonight. Everybody has their favorite end of the bench guy that they think should play more, Kornet is mine. I think he can play in the modern game. He can shoot and covers more ground than given credit for. I never understood how big of a liability Kanter was until tonight. He really is unplayable because of his D. Never in the right spot. Always looking to position himself for rebounds rather than try to protect the rim. He and Hardaway are a horrible pair, who seem to constantly blame each other for their mental lapses on D.

    Too bad we couldn’t get in on the trade action.

    which only begs the question: danvt – any confessions you’d like to share?

    Um…yeah…wait…what?

    That trade is the rare trade where literally every team comes out worse for wear. Insane that Halley’s Comet got canceled over the Oregon Brooks

    That trade is the rare trade where literally every team comes out worse for wear. Insane that Halley’s Comet got canceled over the Oregon Brooks

    I slightly disagree. I think that the Suns can do better for Ariza a second time out now. Other teams might be more motivated knowing that a trade almost occurred and they almost missed out on him.

    I’m far from sold on Mudiay, but I’ve seen lots of good players play worse at age 22…

    I don’t know what to say about Mudiay. I don’t think he’s the starting point of a winning team, but then, I didn’t think he’d ever even be average, and he clearly is or at least has approached average… Albeit only over the last few weeks and in a small sample size. But Fiz did see a good player there and said he’d bring him out. Has he? Could…could all of us at Knickerblogger have been wrong?

    I guess at the moment I’m thinking this: if you have to have a backup point from Mud or Burke, go with Mud, because at least he’s bigger, younger, and… maybe…has more potential?

    Mudiay’s size and speed make him tough to defend and he is growing more and more confident as a leader.

    I left at halftime for band practice, thinking this was a Knicks roll over and die game. And then they won in OT? WTF?

    Can someone explain in 50 w0rds or less how the hell we won this game?

    I left at halftime for band practice, thinking this was a Knicks roll over and die game. And then they won in OT? WTF?

    Can someone explain in 50 w0rds or less how the hell we won this game?

    Zone worked, Mudiay had a career game and Walker had a really bad game.

    I guess at the moment I’m thinking this: if you have to have a backup point from Mud or Burke, go with Mud, because at least he’s bigger, younger, and… maybe…has more potential?

    Burke’s cap hold is around $2 million. Mudiay’s cap hold is over $10 million. If you believe that the Knicks are intent on signing a max free agent no matter what (which sure seems to be the case), then there’s room for Burke but not for Mudiay.

    The Knicks are better conditioned and have a deeper bench than most team they play. Now they know they can come back, so they never give up. There is also a lot of internal competition for playing time, so no one can really relax.

    I think they will fail at landing a big time free agent and will end up keeping a couple of these guys and signing a second tier free agent like Middleton or Harris.

    They are not 10 year guys though, so their max would be lower. Keeping Vonleh and Mudiay and then adding a Harris or Middleton and a top 5 pick is attainable and very realistic to me.

    Mudiay’s cap hold is over $10 million.

    Yeah, but there’s no reason to not renounce him, right? So they do that, the cap hold goes away, and then they can still sign him. He can also sign with anyone else, but we never had an advantage there, did we?

    They are not 10 year guys though, so their max would be lower. Keeping Vonleh and Mudiay and then adding a Harris or Middleton and a top 5 pick is attainable and very realistic to me.

    They don’t currently have room for a 7-9 guy, either. They would have to trade Lee or waive him to have room to sign a 7-9 guy like Middleton or Harris or Kemba. On top of renouncing Mudiay.

    Yeah, but there’s no reason to not renounce him, right? So they do that, the cap hold goes away, and then they can still sign him. He can also sign with anyone else, but we never had an advantage there, did we?

    They would have his full bird rights if they don’t renounce him. If they renounce him, they can’t go over the cap to re-sign him. They could use the room exception, but they need that for Vonleh (and the room is only $4 million a year, so it might not be enough for either one of them – more likely it would be enough for Vonleh, though, as teams like point guards more than guys like Vonleh).

    We have to see how these guys develop the rest of the year also. Right now I would prioritize keeping Vonleh. If Mudiay continues to play well, I could see them wanting to keep him, but if they can get a second tier max guy, then you have to let him go and maybe look to draft Morant. If we get lucky in the draft and get Williamson, then keep Mudiay and forget about Harris or Middleton. I like Kemba, but not for max money.

    We have to see how these guys develop the rest of the year also. Right now I would prioritize keeping Vonleh. If Mudiay continues to play well, I could see them wanting to keep him, but if they can get a second tier max guy, then you have to let him go and maybe look to draft Morant. If we get lucky in the draft and get Williamson, then keep Mudiay and forget about Harris or Middleton. I like Kemba, but not for max money.

    I’ve always been about not signing a max free agent for the sake of signing a max free agent, but I can at least concede that once you max out KP, when you factor in the various raises to the first rounders (Frank, Knox and the 2019 first rounder) and the salaries of any guys you extend this offseason if you don’t sign a max free agent (Vonleh, Mudiay, Burke, etc.) then suddenly you’re stuck without any real way of getting max cap room the next offseason (even with the cap going up about $9 million), unless you somehow dump THJ on someone (or if he miraculously turns down his $19 million player option). So I think that is why they are making signing a max guy this offseason such a priority. I don’t love the process of it all, but I get where they’re coming from. That’s why there seems to be such a good chance of them trying to sign someone like, say, Kemba, if the other true max K’s are off the board (Kevin, Kawhi, Kyrie). Again, not saying that it is the right approach, per se, but I think that’s likely to be their approach and I get why they would think they are “stuck” doing that.

    Just wanted to say to you that if there’s no recap when you wake up it’s because I couldn’t shake off this fucking fever in time.

    I swear I wasn’t lit last night.

    Get sleep, and recover quickly.

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