Game Thread: Oklahoma City Thunder at New York Knicks
Start Time: 01/21/2019 12:30:00
Knicks resume MLK Day tradition by hosting Thunder
The New York Knicks suffered a familiar result in unusually agonizing fashion and in a different locale Thursday. Perhaps a return home to a nearly annual tradition will help the Knicks snap out of their slump Monday afternoon, when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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Pre Game Links:
[sports.yahoo.com] Knicks resume MLK Day tradition by hosting Thunder
[cbssports.com] Thunder vs. Knicks odds, line: MLK Day NBA picks, predictions, best bets from model on 7-2 roll
[newsok.com] Thunder at Knicks lineups, tip-off time and TV info
[bleacherreport.com] Paul George Clutch 4-Point Play Powers Thunder Past Jimmy Butler, 76ers
[newsok.com] Thunder journal: OKC is starting to see results from focus on 3-point defense
[cbssports.com] Knicks’ Enes Kanter: Lifted from injury report
72 replies on “Game Thread: Oklahoma City Thunder at New York Knicks”
I have a dream that..little THJ and little Ntilikina will play well and the Knicks might get a win…
https://theathletic.com/767038/2019/01/20/noah-vonleh-has-gone-from-near-draft-bust-to-knicks-breakout-player-but-will-they-keep-him/
Sounds like there’s legitimate interest around the league. If the front office can parlay a one year, 100K guaranteed contract into any asset that would be a coup for which they’d deserve credit. We’ll see.
That article sure doesn’t make Terry Stotts come off well, does it? “Oh well, we were trying to win every night. I can’t spend my time developing a top ten pick.” I mean…wha?
There should be a lot of interest in him. He’s athletic, defends multiple positions, rebounds, can make the 3, handles the ball well, can pass, and is not an overall liability on offense. If we had 5 guys like that we’d win a lot more basketball games. The only reason he’s not a star is that he ‘s not a big time scorer. But if you already have 2-3 scorers, you should be salivating to add him to your team.
Luke with the baseline turnaround ala dirk!
Ignoring the score, the games sure are eminently more watchable when MitchRob is involved
I’m as Frank-skeptic as anyone but that possession on PG will be on his highlight tape!
Frank showed up to defend today!
I don’t care what the data says about this year. He CAN still defend very well when focused on it. He looked great on a few possessions.
@6 agreed, even though he’s a bonehead.
Frank trending positively you haters!!
If Fizdale would play more of Robinson, Frank, and Dotson I would have fewer bouts of stomach cramps and nausea.
Hardaway is making shots and I don’t give a shit.
Ntilikina actually looking pretty good today. If he wasn’t surrounded by ball hog terrible players he would probably look even better.
I missed the first half. Knicks showcasing Frank (14 min. vs. 9 for Mudiay)? Or, does Mudiay’s 7 shots and 0 assists have something to do with that?
Mudiay’s -20 vs Frank’s 0 has something to do with that.
If this turned into possession after possession of Kanter and Adams iso-battling each other in the post I would be perfectly happy.
It’s a special kind of small sample size when we start extrapolating based on a single play. š
It was a really good play, though!
If you don’t count the first half the Knicks are playing okay
Are we the worst defensive rebounding team in the league? We have to be close
Do we have enough attempts to qualify?
@20
Lol
I like how MRob looked like Amar’e on that slip and roll.
I don’t like how Knox is -22 in 19 minutes.
Maybe if Trier keeps wounding guys on his drives he won’t be blocked so much.
That was a tech?
We’re 24th in defensive rebounds, with 33 per 100 possessions. Surprisingly good!
Mitch is a sight for sore eyes…
It’s actually outstanding….think about how tough it is to get defensive rebounds when most of the other team’s shots go in….
Frank is being very conscientious, waiting till a teammate is under the basket to collect the rebound before shooting.
I didn’t understand that tech at all. For something after the whistle?
Time for Garbage Time Hezonja?
Not that the Thunder have needed it, but the refs have not been good today.
That is 2 great oops from MRob, but it could easily be 4 or 5 if the Knick guards were better.
I like this lineup right now. All the kids.
Edit. Oh well. Robinson fouls out.
8 (4-4) points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 6 fouls all in 15 minutes. Pretty much the quintessential Mitchell Robinson line.
They were defending OK… which I hope is a harbinger of the future.
MRob’s 6th foul was definitely a foul, but a couple others were just great blocks.
I love him so much.
Ralph Nader’s a good player but he only goes left…
That’s my Mitch!
Love these days when we are guaranteed to pick up a game against someone in the tankathon…
Hands off Cronin, I already called dibs on his babies.
Wow, Trier apparently knows passing is legal
I cannot believe the Cavs were a Finals team last year.
I don’t think Trier has the decision-making to be a good PG, but he’s capable of doing a better job of moving the ball. Good to see he seems to be healthy again.
Let’s say the Knicks go on a run and win every game for the rest of the season, thereby missing the lottery completely.
Who would you want the #1 pick, and therefore Our Lord and Savior Zion Williamson, to go to, and why?
Probably Atlanta. Trae Young, Kevin Huerter, Zion Williamson, and John Collins would be a lot of fun to watch grow together.
MitchRob with the 20 pts and 15 rebs per 36, along with 5 blocks and the requisite 15 fouls.
Grocer you can have his babies, but I want to raise them with you.
Rewatched the first half, focusing on Frank. He shut Russ down at the end if both the first and second half. Played him tough the rest of the time. Russ isn’t the worst offensive player…
I have no numbers to back this up, but I am going to choose to believe Frank had a future in this league. I think he would look much better on a decent (or good) team. He can penetrate, he makes some passes that show real court vision, and he most definitely can defend. There’s no reason with that stroke he can’t shoot better. All in all, I think he’s going to be a consistently good player in two years, just in time for an extension.
I really hope we get to see him with KP next year.
INT: Living room, family playing video games.
MitchRob: “My turn!”
MitchRob reaches in for the controller, poking out his third daughter’s eye.
Grocer: “Damnit! That was the last one that wasn’t completely blind!”
MitchRob protests innocence, then sees the replay and shambles off grumbling.
Grocer: “Six kids and not an eye left between them. I should have listened to Zippy when I had the chance, CPS is gonna be all over my ass.”
To say that “he has a future in this league” means what exactly?
The Bulls finally got Melo.
Nets are blowing out the Kings. I wonder if coach Wonderboy is hearing footsteps
D’Angelo Russell had another break out game. It goes to show how you have to be patient with these kids sometimes. This is his 4th season and he’s only starting to break out at 22. That pick certainly looks a little better now that it did a couple of years ago. Good thing we didn’t draft him. We would have already traded him for a 2nd rounder. š
@48
There’s a fair number of people on the board – maybe a majority – who have said Frank will be out of the league after his rookie deal. I am saying he won’t.
But more than that, most people are saying that Frank’s numbers are consistent with someone who will never be a good player – which I also disagree with. Similar point, but not the same, since we all know bad players often get more chances if they are drafted higher.
So I disagree both that Frank will be out of the league after his rookie deal, and that he won’t ever be a good player. Both are at best controversial on this board
I know Strat is basically trolling but in DARās age 20 season his per-36 averages were 19.6-6-4.4. He had a TS% of around 52%. He shot 35% from 3. Thatās not good but itās also, uh, not what Frank is doing.
Iāll be rooting for Frank until he retires. I like the kidās demeanor and I believe he works pretty hard. That doesnāt mean we have to be delusional and make nonsensical comparisons.
You know it’s desperate when a game where Frank scores 9 pts on 4 for 12 shooting is considered positive evidence that Frank doesn’t suck š
His defense today was excellent but I read a point on Twitter that makes sense, Frank seems to be a much better defender against taller wings than smaller PG’s. Frank has proven he is not a PG on offense, I’ve harped ad nauseum about how awful it is to have an AST and TO% to be almost identical like Frank has, and he doesn’t seem to be as effective covering opposing PGs. So if he is destined to be a 3 and D wing player like a Danny Green type his awful shooting becomes even more problematic. You can’t be a rotation player, especially a wing player, in today’s NBA and be as bad a shooter as Frank is.
Russell and Frank are obviously different players. Russell was drafted to be an offense first guard. But look at his career-he spent his first three seasons in the NBA sucking and not improving.
Russell is the Nets version of Mudiay.
However he’s improving a lot.
TS%, 3P%, WS48, BPM, VORP, RPM are all at career highs.
That being said, I wouldn’t offer anything for him.
grocer, that was grizzly – and good…
was good to hear fiz pronounce – frank’s a point guard (of the backup variety)…
I agree – frank needs to be engaged from the beginning of each play…despite my maniacal fascination with every single second he’s out on the court – I hope the knicks show more patience than myself with letting him prove himself over the course of his contract…
if only for the hope the knicks draft morant and keep frank as the backup pg…
kevin looks like a sophomore in college playing with a bunch of grown men…it amazes me how young he looks out there at times…
more and more I am beginning to wonder if this time next year we’ll be in a similar situation next year…
assuming we don’t land a top tier free agent and go the developing draft pick route – we’re a year or two away from being a year or two away – from .500 basketball…
and the yanks fo just keeps crushing it (they picked up a gold glove and another arm for the pen)…the next evolution in MLB, no more starting pitching, maybe let them throw 3 or 4 innings š
Someone on P&T asked if 5 Franks could beat 5 Mudiays. I’d put my money on the Franks.
Z-man
January 21, 2019 at 2:22 pm
Are we the worst defensive rebounding team in the league? We have to be close
Do we have enough attempts to qualify?
lolol
Russell has indeed been pretty damn good lately, Iām not sure how much of his improvement is for real, but itās a pretty good upwards trend.
The player Iām watching the most on the Nets is Kurucs, Iām fully on the bandwagon now. Very talented, very versatile, very smart player.
I’m no expert, but I’m pretty sure Westbrook is a PG. He shut down both PG13 and Westbrook in various possessions today.
And shutdown D isn’t why Frank is good on D. Spatial awareness is more important to good team D.
Does Phoenix have cap space? If they donāt, Russell will be playing for the Knicks next year.
They have a lot of cap space with the ability to free up more depending on whether they pick up various options (and whether they want to stretch waive Ryan Anderson).
He’s so good on D that he should be in the D-League. Oh wait, it’s the G-League now. How is he on G?
I wonder what the market for Russell is. Heās only 22 and has very high usage. I think someone will throw some cash at him for being a tall PG who scores 20 a night. I see him peaking as John Wall, somewhere in the .560 TS% range, aka the āstarā PG on a team that makes a couple decent playoff runs but never makes it past the second round. Could very well be a max player at 26, and a mistake at that. Maybe doing 3/$45M with a player option after two.
Any Russell suitor should think twice before signing him as the primary playmaker. Only 12% of his shots come at the rim. Frank, not exactly a man who attacks the paint, takes 15% of his shots at the rim. Russell has become a good mid range shooter but it’s hard to set your teammates up if you can’t get inside. His FT rate is also abysmal (.107).
One of the things that I liked the most about Russell coming out of college is that he had a great shot. And then he proceeded to shoot like shit for three seasons. So it’s so weird seeing the shot return a bit this season out of nowhere.
I should add I want no part of him
I’d like him more than Mudiay, but yeah, the only way the Knicks could get him now is by overpaying, so pass.
Regarding the Bulls/Rockets Melo deal – was that just the Bulls doing the Rockets a solid? The Bulls make a little bit of money on the deal, but a couple hundred grand is not really enough reason to do a trade in the NBA, is it? Maybe it is…
Isn’t the Bulls ownership notoriously cheap?
Itās probably that, remember the famous Jordan Bell for cash considerations trade. Theyāre just cheap.
Some article I read said they might not waive him until the trade deadline, because they might find it useful to include him in a trade, presumably so they use him to money match or something.