2021-22 Game Thread: Knicks @ the Orlando Double Whammies (Terrible AND Injured)

The Knicks head to Orlando for the first game of a home and home against a rebuilding Orlando Magic team that is starting two rookies and has this for an injured list at the moment:

PG Markelle Fultz (left knee) out
SG Gary Harris (right hamstring) out
PF Jonathan Isaac (left knee) out
SG E’Twaun Moore (left knee) out
PF Chuma Okeke (right hip) out
PG Michael Carter-Williams (left ankle) out

That’s a whole lot of their only decent players.

So that means that the Knicks are getting them at a perfect time for a home and home! Can you say 3-0?

ARE THE KNICKS STILL ON PACE FOR 56 WINS? Yes, my prediction is looking excellent at the moment.

Now for the all-poll content…

Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.

Let’s go, Knicks!

176 replies on “2021-22 Game Thread: Knicks @ the Orlando Double Whammies (Terrible AND Injured)”

geo:

…if you don’tmind, question for you please – were you born in the states then moved to italy, or have you lived in italy the whole time?

I’m a born and bred italian, Geo… 🙂

My dear Knicks please SFF (Stay Fucking Focused) and fullfill Brian’s Prophecy!

Let’s go Knicks!!!

Tonight’s broadcast is made for Z-Man on direct request:

Orlando: Anthony, Suggs, Wagner, Carter Jr., Bamba
Knicks: as expecetd.

8 of the first 9 Knicks’ shots were from three (5-8) Mo Bamba has really worked on his range, Kemba is hot…

Knicks up 16-13

kemba’s hitting but he still looks a little off trying to get by people. wcjr stayed with him pretty well.

Nice spin move by Barrett but he continues to miss FTs…
He redeem himself with the assist to Mitch. Up by 10.

Sims hair made me think “oh, they switched to Cleveland and there goes Jarrett Allen” LOL

Great job by the FO upgrading our Frenchman position.

Game looks so easy Kevin Knox might get some playing time.

Two consecutive stupid turnovers for Randle, one a dumb O-foul…

Up by 20… where’s Obi?

Hot start. Don’t want to put the mocker on them, but could we get a Grimes and Deuce sighting?

Dumb play by Randle though on that offensive foul. Love Randle being fired up, but can’t get sucked into that cheap shit.

You know, we endured so many games where we were the Magic in this situation, so I’m just gonna put my feet up and enjoy this one. This is the game to build Kemba’s confidence and enjoy the rare sightings of the end of the bench.

What’s up with the site tonight?

Iggy and Robin Lopez in for Orlando…

Obi run like hell…

We can’t make FT’s, only threes…

Sims has been really nice. I still think he spends most of the year in the Westies, but looks like a handy injury backup when one Taj, Mitch or Noel inevitably go down.

I predict a lot of playing time for Deuce and Grimes… unless Thibs doesn’t feel safe with a 40pt lead.

It’s good not having to worry about Vucevic, Aaron Gordon and TfknRoss(still in Orl)!

#Which Wagner is the good one again? This is confusing.#

Richard

Nice

Following JK’s lead of naming teams (“Bron, Brow and The Stinkers” for LAL), i’ll name ORL as “Robin Lopez and The Kindergarten” 😀

Randle and Mitch two man game developing, not the best news for other NBA front lines

After the season opener classic We’re now witnessing a garbage time classic!
Now i get why Thibs was smiling before the start!

Grimes!!!! Yeah!!!

I’m not accustomed to this kind of Knicks’ games, I’m falling asleep…

Up by 30 at the break…

I want Deuce and Grimes…

ptmilo:
has there been a good technical story on rose working on his 3 ball?

I heard that he practiced with a weighted ball.

What’s the over/under on Grimes and Deuce’s combined minutes tonight?

10?

Nice 1-2 punch by Randle and Mitch. Liking we are seeing less Randle iso and better ball movement. Granted the Orlando D is giving us nothing, but good to see it move a bit.

There was a drive in which RJ managed to get a layup in the middle of five Magic defenders. I think Thibs might have needed CPR if this was the other way around.

Max:
Somewhat Randle has 4 turnovers in 18 minutes in a game we’re leading by 30…

Many of the TOs happen when he leaves his feet without knowing where he’s going.

4 turnovers and 2 missed shot in a row…
Orlando on a 11-0 run
I’m not the only one falling asleep…

Orlando’s run at 22-4 before E4 hit…
Mitch’s missed an easy one, weak legs or too much weight?

Are we using the three ball too much? (already 32 shots)

Max:
Orlando’s run at 22-4 before E4 hit…
Mitch’s missed an easy one, weak legs or too much weight?

Are we using the three ball too much? (already 32 shots)

Zone doing exactly what it’s supposed to when we’re brick city right now. Probably over doing it

Smallball lineup and Obi with a nice block that forced a 24seconds violation, then went to work in the post… but he’s 1-5 on FTs…

Max: 7 second total… it must be a record of some kind…

By game #20 he’ll get to 1 min! 😛

Obi Time!

Two corner threes and a thunderous dunk, if he’s able to become a consistent shooter from the corners watch out NBA!

Obi looks like a very different player this season. Makes me think that the Covid season fucked with his rookie development.

Expecting Obi’s numbers to fluctuate this year, but he is visibly improved. Doesn’t look lost on the court anymore.

My daughter survived the whole Lion King without any trauma and then collapsed in tears because I suggested she share a glow stick with a kid who didn’t have one. Bad beat.

I can’t tell if we are good or they are horrible but I will take a W.

IQ! Franchise record.

Ok, might be time to put the Nets game on.

Bench is just crushing them. Rose-Quickley-Burks-Obi shooting combined 16-28, 13-21 from 3PT

Ross could be a good guy to have on the end of the bench. More useful than Knox and Selden, i’d say. He probably costs a bag of chips.

Julius with a shade of last spring fake (and useless) bravado…

The bench unit, lead by Rose (7 assists) blast the Magic…

Garbage time!

Mission accomplished, the game was never in doubt,
Orlando is terrible but that’s what good teams do, they crush lousy teams.
34 assists on 44 baskets and 24 threes, shattering the previous franchise record…

Alas Deuce can’t hit his shots…

I know most guys here don’t love plus minus as a stat, but DRose was +34 (!) for the game.

Owen:
My daughter survived the whole Lion King without any trauma and then collapsed in tears because I suggested she share a glow stick with a kid who didn’t have one. Bad beat.

I can’t tell if we are good or they are horrible but I will take a W.

IQ! Franchise record.

Ok, might be time to put the Nets game on.

Any “Honest Trailer” fans out there, if you haven’t seen this one for the Lion King, it’s amazing:
https://youtu.be/DFtBjc1dz7w

It’s been a very long time since I’ve been able to say, with confidence, that the Knicks should dominate many of the games that they are scheduled play. Let us all remember that 2 of their best defenders were out. They didn’t look at all tired after double OT Wednesday.

Posting wasn’t working during the game, but I gotta give major props to Obi again. I really hope he keeps getting these minutes when Taj and Noel are back

@FredKatz
Tom Thibodeau said Mitchell Robinson’s hamstring “should be fine.” Robinson took a fall and was having his hamstring worked on while on the bench in the second half, but came back in the game after.

Mitch is stronger, but he looks a little less athletic. Hard to tell if it’s the extra weight or just not being in top shape yet.

I turned on the last three minute of Nets-76ers. The Nets come back and go ahead 109-108 and the announcer points out that this is their second lead of the season.

Doc is just straight up terrible, his teams have absolutely no plan to close out games like this. I’m sure he’ll find a way to blame Simmons about this too.

Nobody gonna point out that the Celtics lost by 32 at home to the Raptors?

Ok I will – hahahahahaha!

d-mar, you might like this:

@KeithSmithNBA
Ime Udoka: “It looked like we could have been tired from the double overtime game, but no excuses. We got a good day of rest yesterday. And New York went in and beat Orlando, so no excuses there.”

It seems to me that Mitch’s new muscle is enabling him to get more rebounds. I see him muscling his way into some of them much more than last year.

Idk, if I was shooting like AD is right now, I’d be very quiet towards my teammates. He’s been killing them all game long, just putrid.

Lakers = LMAO

This is the first time I’m seeing signs of Lebron James getting old. The stat line will look fine because he hit some 3s, but he’s clearly a step slower tonight and doesn’t have the same lift he used to have. It’s very early in the season and they have a lot of new players. So it will take some time, but the Lakers don’t look like a serious contender if I’m right that James is finally slipping.

Deeefense:
Lakers = LMAO

This is the first time I’m seeing signs of Lebron James getting old.The stat line will look fine because he hit some 3s, but he’s clearly a step slower tonight and doesn’t have the same lift he used to have. It’s very early in the season and they have a lot of new players. So it will take some time, but the Lakers don’t look like a serious contender if I’m right that James is finally slipping.

I totally agree. I was literally just thinking the same thing – age finally seems to have caught up to Lebron.

Overall, the Lakers look terrible (which I’m sure most on this site would have predicted). No defense, no shooting, high TOs. What a terrible combination.

Westbrook has not been as bad this game but you can see how he’s an awkward fit with these guys. They’re playing EIGHT minimum salary guys in their regular rotation.

DudeInKnicksTown: This is a problem.

I’m not sure it is. It reflects the fact that our bench is much stronger than Orlando’s. If you started Rose and had Kemba with the second unit, probably Kemba’s plus minus would be much better and Rose’s worse.

There’s an element of truth to the bench vs. starter argument, but if that was the only thing then everyone on the bench would be plus 25-30 and all the starters would be minus or close to zero.

Deeefense:
There’s an element of truth to the bench vs. starter argument, but if that was the only thing then everyone on the bench would be plus 25-30 and all the starters would be minus or close to zero.

It’s not a hundred percent, but Sims, Toppin, Burks and to a lesser extent, Quickley had good plus minuses too. Randle did have the best plus minus of anyone, but he played against the Orlando bench some of the time because Thibs waits so long to sub for him.

Rose played a pretty damn good game, so I just tip my hat to him, he was incredibly effective. He had 12 points on 8 FGA and 7 assists, 0 turnovers in 24 minutes. He’s shooting the three with real confidence, his form is looking really good on that shot. Really all Kemba needs to do is battle the PG position to a relative draw, just don’t be a black hole, then let Rose come in and wreck the opposing team’s second unit.

It’s 2 games. We won both. This one in a landslide. It’s too early to say anything is a problem.

Kemba has a strong track record, even last year post-knee implosion. Let’s see where he is in a couple more games. Just enjoy the wins for now.

Rose is a frontrunner for 6th man. He enjoys his bench role. He’s not the best point of comparison.

Early Bird: It’s 2 games.

Wait, what are you saying, Bird? Are you saying that we can’t predict all season with a sample of 2 games? LOLOL

ONE KBer voted for Noel, all the others voted for Mitch, for a 98% lead. I’m here wondering who will be starting when both are healthy. LOL

cybersoze:
How did you daughter game go, Z-Man? I hope it went well.

Thanks cyber, her team swept their opponent 3-0 and she played great! I kept checking the knicks score and loved that too! Then a friend texted lol Celtics! Then I got pretty hammered in a great upstate ny town!

A banner evening in Z-manLand!

Triple double for Lonzo. Shaq thinks Chicago is for real. I don’t know.

But what’s true is this going to be a very topsy turvy season. I guess it looks like a traditional season somewhat. The Nets and Bucks look like typical favorites. Phoenix and Denver should be too.

But overall this feels like a much higher variance year.

OKC has a roster filled with people I have never heard of. Vit Krejci? Gabriel Deck? At least they have old WOW favorite Mike Muscala.

Crazy game btw DC and IND. Dinwiddie went off with Beal out. Bertans helped. That’s a good win.

Mobley had a good game for a rookie. He looks NBA ready. Charlotte crushed them though. 30 for Miles. Oubre went off too. Maybe they are going to good this year. Lamelo looks the part.

Davion went 1-8 but had 4 steals and 4 assists with no turnovers. Tyrese had a solid line but had the worst plus minus on the squad.

I love having the NBA back

Charlotte crushed them though. 30 for Miles. Oubre went off too. Maybe they are going to good this year. Lamelo looks the part.

I wouldn’t mind this, since it would in-incinerate the pick Charlotte owes us.

Charlotte was pretty good last year, but they were missing Hayward for a lot of games. LaMelo should improve and they added Oubre and lost Graham.

The Bulls starters are very good, but they may lack some depth.

Rose can’t do many of the things he could do when he was young, but he improved his game so much in other ways I think you can argue he’s just as impactful now as ever, just in fewer minutes and with fewer highlight reels.

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