Knicks Morning News (2023.02.11)

No big deal, an expected loss and basically the reverse plot of Sunday’s game.
Anyway it was a good effort and the final score is unfair, the game was much closer.

The Knicks had a good 1st half on the back of JB’s monster 1st quarter, wavered in the 3rd (more on that later) and collapsed in the 4th.

Embiid is unstoppable but allowing Maxey and Nieng to score a combined 40 points coming from the bench (with sizzling percentages) and letting an unconfortable crowd back in the game was the real deal.

Next!
Forget this game and go beat the pestiferous Jazz, fresh from a win in Toronto.

Plays Of The Game (with a boring explanation):

I like numbers, numbers are important in basketball but they don’t tell you “when” something happened.
So I believe in numbers and I believe in “soft factors” too: momentum, clutchness, BB-IQ, timing. Context is everything.

I think everyone that have played in a competitive environment, no matter the sport, no matter the level, know what I mean.
Sometimes while playing you “know”. That thing, that mistake, that great basket or point or shot or save, changed the game for you or against you.
You keep on playing, trying to keep it going or to change the wave (and sometimes you’re able to do it) but sometimes you just can’t and later your mind go back to “that moment”.

To me that moment yesterday was the in the 3rd quarter.
The Knicks were up by 12 and playing well, the Sixers were disappointed and the home crowd murmuring.
The Phila went on a 13-0 run and 3:21 later the Knicks were down, the 76ers were energized, the crowd was roaring again.
New York didn’t give up and was able to close the quarter with a lead, but to me from that moment on it was just a matter af “when” we’d lose the game, not “if”.

During a 58 seconds span in that Sixers’ run, RJ did this:

5:48 RJ Barrett misses 26-foot three point jumper (Harden scores)
5:24 RJ Barrett bad pass (the infamous inbounds turnover, Maxey hit a three after the steal, the crowd exploded***)
4:50 Joel Embiid blocks RJ Barrett ‘s 2-foot two point shot (Embiid scores)

That’s 3 offensive possessions blew in 58 seconds. Then:

4:08 Immanuel Quickley enters the game for RJ Barrett (sigh, a little too late)

RJ wasn’t alone on the floor in those 58 seconds and later had some nice moments but… you read his boxscore line and you see “average” numbers (except the 4 TOs).
But if you watched the game you know.

Grades:

Brunson A-
30, 7 Reb, 9:2 AST:TO. Sixers zeroed on him after the 1st qrt and they did well. He deserved an All-Star spot.

Randle A-
Good game, trademark “tripping over one’s legs” TO, some faintings on defense.

Barrett C+
Decent numbers but see above (and 4 fucking TOs, including his trademark: “drive, spin and kick in the first row”).
He shows great flashes, then he makes you yell and sometimes he moves like in molasses. He’s nerve-racking.

Grimes C+
Missed some crucial open threes. Plus, was clowned by Tobias Harris (ops) on an awful baseline defense. Anyway I love the way he cuts to the basket. He’s ticketed for a nice game against the Jazz.

Sims C+
Okay, it was against Embiid and he shuffled his feet well on Harden, but I don’t think he give us more rim protection than the new “healthier” I-Hart. Just my opinion.

IQ B+
Lost the challenge against his former teammate Maxey but put on a valiant effort nontheless.

Hartenstein B
Not perfect but eminently playable. 3 BLKs and a OReb snatched under Embiid’s nose (again). Question: from when Knicks’ centers are allowed to dribble & drive to the basket?

Toppin C-
What are you still doing here Obi?
What? Ah okay, you’re here to camp in the corner and miss open threes. Now I get it.

Deuce C
Nah, not his night and only 9 minutes.

Thibs B
A Hart, a Hart, my benchdom for a Hart!
He’s coming Thibs, keep cool.

*** Raven wrote about it in the game thread.