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2022-23…What Do We Call This Thing Again? Game Thread? It’s Been So Long – Knicks @ Wizards

Holy shit, people, it’s been way too fucking long between Knicks games. It feels like the All-Star break lasted a month this year. That’s good for Mitch’s recovery, though, at least, and he’s actually listed as just “Questionable” tonight, which is amazing. The Wizards upgraded Bradley Beal from questionable to active, and Robinson is still a gametime decision, but I think there’s a decent chance he goes tonight. EDITED TO ADD: Mitch is starting! WOOHOO! Let the good times roll!

So let’s hope the Knicks open the second half by kicking some Wizard ass, and continue to make a major move on the #5 seed and solidify the “Don’t have to play in the play-in game” seed, at the very least.

I’m so happy that Mitch is back.

Let’s go, Knicks!

166 replies on “2022-23…What Do We Call This Thing Again? Game Thread? It’s Been So Long – Knicks @ Wizards”

A quiet Brunson, the ghost of RJ, Randle totally disinterested in defending, a terrible shift for Obi and the Wizards shooting lights out…

This game feels like a bucket of ice in the face….

Same here geo…granted I was on the tail end of a 10mg edible when I contemplated tonight’s game at lunch time…but my thoughts were positive and confident….oh well…

Let’s put this in single digits before the half.

Edit: Looks like i’m with a little delay. 😀

I was going to say, Owen, stick around…

Ten back now. That’s do-able.

Quick looks great. With this deficit we don’t have much room for error so could be one of those “RJ doesn’t play much” games.

The Wizards don’t play defense so if they ever stop making 80% of their 3s we have a shot

For whatever reason Kuzma is absolutely elite in the category of guys you hate to see go off against you

Wtf RJ. Why so glum. You own the second half.

Randle really just decided to take over the game. He was incredible down the stretch there

As soon as RJ got that last rebound it was clear he wasn’t even going to contemplate passing the ball. So frustrating.

Was just going to say that “so could be one of those “RJ doesn’t play much” games” is a bit too late…

Nice reaction, Julius had a great quarter on offense…
And RJ… sigh

We can win this game if Thibs goes with “merit” over “name”…

It’s just so painfully obvious to me when RJ has decided “I am going to shoot this no matter what,” so I would imagine it is at least as obvious to the other team.

Least we got Randle.

When RJ did decide to pass out he threw it about a foot over Grimes’s head. It was impressive balance by Grimes to not step out and get it to Randle

The Wiz streams just let slip a “shitty” by Kuzma in his halftime remarks referencing their defense on Randle. Opponent streams have been a solid watch a few times in a row now.

This one isn’t looking too bad if we can keep them from shooting 57% from 3 again. That’s another victory for numbers over the eye test — based on watching games I’d guess we allow about 45% on threes, but apparently our opponents shoot under 35%.

we have the two best players on the court tonight…

how weird is it to say that…

and, did anyone else notice that ref sort of “mock” julius – like, yeah right, after he just kept after him…

that’s one thing him and thibs have in common – they just stay on the refs all game every game…

RJ’s stat line is currently expressible in binary. Other than FGA, FTA, and PTS it can be written using only ones and zeroes. Once again he’s the fly un our proverbial punchbowl. Too bad Hart picked today to stop playing like prime LeBron.

lord help me, I’m expecting brunson to take over at some point and close it out for us…

I don’t know though, quik’s looking good, maybe he’ll go on a run in the second half…

mitch should be embarrassed by this score, even if it is his first night back…

Is KP on pace for 19 pts now? 😀

Edit: Sorry, Max, i shouldn’t have done this! 😛

Thst was a heck of a pass by Deni. I was worried about that guy making it in the NBA. That was a sweet dunk too

The one thing I feel betrayed on with RJ is the lack of any playmaking instincts. I knew about the mediocre athleticism and poor efficiency, but for fuck’s sake, Steve Nash was his godfather. How is it just tunnel vision on every drive?

A positively ’21 Randle spin-and-hand-off-to-the-other-team, but by RJ.

Who says he can’t learn something new.

I think RJ can pass ok when he isn’t focused on his twenty. Not really what worries me about his game.

I am worried about this one.

He’s unplayable, no matter when Thibs will put in IQ or J-Hart it will always be too late…

A positively ’21 Randle spin-and-hand-off-to-the-other-team, this time by Randle!

“The one thing I feel betrayed on with RJ is the lack of any playmaking instincts. I knew about the mediocre athleticism and poor efficiency, but for fuck’s sake, Steve Nash was his godfather. How is it just tunnel vision on every drive?”

It’s far and away the most disappointing part of his game to me because he had plenty of games in college with terrific passing.

Randle’s a monster.

With JHart and IQ in the game, the defense just got a spine.

Jesus, three straight minutes of good ballin’ by RJ.

Can we get 36 of those?

Wiz announcers pissed about RJ getting away with that travel lol

Glad to see a few minutes of competency though!

Second half RJ is here with a cape on to save us

Grimes should study Delon to figure out how to not end up like him. (Nice player but dream big)

It’s far and away the most disappointing part of his game to me because he had plenty of games in college with terrific passing.

I know, Strat! That drives me nuts too. Did this part of his game just regress? Is Zion the perfect assist inflator as a wide target with velcro hands and Barkley-esque finishing? Or is he just not interested these days?

Grimes should study Delon to figure out how to not end up like him. (Nice player but dream big)

Ok but tell him not to do this for the shooting parts because it’d sure be nice to see him have a game like Wright is having.

Disappointing shooting night for JB so far…

It could be the ASB breaking rhythm or just that he was due for a bad game, but… anyone else slightly spooked by his regression from MVP form coinciding with Mitch’s return?

This is our big chance to give up a 1st rounder to get rid of Randle. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

“I know, Strat! That drives me nuts too. Did this part of his game just regress? Is Zion the perfect assist inflator as a wide target with velcro hands and Barkley-esque finishing? Or is he just not interested these days?”

I was thinking that also. Maybe it’s also that on that team he knew his place behind Zion and on this team he’s still competing for shots and his 20 PPG.

Another gritty win, this team really never quit.
Julius with a monster game, JB with the biggest basket of the game, IQ and the Hart Foundation with a lot of meaningful plays…

E retreats slowly into the dark recesses of his cave …

[Cue Al with the Simpsons gif]

I couldn’t watch the game, but I followed it off and on, by checking the score. It seems Keels actually got in the game but only for a few seconds. Does anyone know why?

By the way, this game did nothing to answer the question in my mind, are the Knicks actually good.

Unbelievable game by Randle, staying aggressive all the time, hitting his 3s, and the unselfishness to realize he was going to be doubled on that last play and make the pass to Mitch. Just a monster game all around, refused to lose what looked like a painful trap loss.

Jalen also didn’t want to let his clutch stats go down so he had to hit that incredible circus shot.

Good win. Brunson was borderline bad which was a surprise but he came up huge which was not.

Not sure about Mitch’s hair. Has a bit of a Drummond Ben Wallace feel to it. But great to have him back.

Yes this team is actually good, it shouldn’t be that hard to believe. They’re not a championship contender by any means but they’re still a pretty good team.

Great win. After the break sometimes there’s surprises and we didn’t let that happen. This team is good. How good? Let’s wait for the playoffs to find out.

I have a feeling we’ll see Hart finishing games very, very often with the way he hustles. Sometimes he feels like he was made in a lab to fit Thibs approach to basketball, there’s no way Thibs isn’t in love with the guy by now.

Miami’s losing badly in Milwaukee and the Nets scored 29 points in the first half so it’s probably a very good night for the Knicks 🙂

NBA.com says Keels had a DNP. If he did get in for a few seconds it’s because Thibs likes to do that for the kids, just get them in the game. He did it for Deuce & Grimes, play them for the last 5 seconds of the 1st half.

I expected more from the Nets. Seems like a lot of decent talent, but oh my

Also, did not realize Raul Neto was still in the league. Huh.

Nets have 35 points at the 739 mark of the third quarter.

That’s not their only problem, they allowed 76 pts with 5 mins still to play in the half. 😮

Edit: They’re in the 3rd!? I thought it was the 2nd quarter. Oof. The 5th will be up for grabs.

Yeah, obviously should have fouled Mitch on that pass from Randle, but I don’t think Kuzma expected it.

Different game maybe if the guy with the broken thumb and 56% we going to the line in crunch time

“If the Cavs lose, we’re only 3 games back of the 4th seed 🤔”

I like the way you think!

The Nets have a lot of good players that a lot of teams around the league will be interested in come the off season, but right now it’s a poorly constructed team with a lot of new faces just getting used to each other. They’ll make some moves in the off season.

The Nets started 4 guys who weren’t on the team 3 weeks ago so it’s not that weird they’re struggling even if they have some talent.

Early Bird, I could swear I saw Keels’ name flash by on the ESPN play by play, but I can’t find it there now, so maybe it was an erroneous ousting that ESPN fixed.

The Hawks’ players are very proud of themselves,
they finally got McMillan fired so they did stop their silent strike and start playing again…

And they get Snyder…

Listening to Thibs post game talking about the change in Randle and the team’s shot profile should put to rest any nonsense about Thibs being an antiquated dinosaur.

Thibs showing a little more swagger in his post game interviews. He’s feeling good about this team and where he has them.

I believe you, ESPN had dashes for him in the boxscore instead of the DNP when I looked. Couldn’t see where the play-by-play had him enter the game so I double checked on NBA.com.

It wouldn’t have been crazy if he came in for the final free throw. Nobody mentioned it though.

Holy shit the Nets are playing like a custom-created team in NBA 2k that has all the player ratings set to the minimum.

I’m not even joking — I tried this once and the team’s stats in the game looked like the Nets’ stats for this game, lol

Knicks Fan, this answers your question (are the Knicks good? check) AND my question (are the Knicks consistently good — 19 point deficit in the second quarter… nope).

I feel like one of the unwritten rules on the NBA is that when you are up by 30 you let the other team get to 70

I am excited to see the Westbrook disaster happpen, although I still think it’s possible to get something useful from him with some buy in

He’s still good at pretty much everything besides shooting. He’s the only guy in the world I would tell to watch game film of Ben Simmons’s shot selection.

I’m very happy Westbrook is starting because it’s a step closer towards Terance Mann getting pissed that he got benched for a dude with a ts% in the .400s and asking for a trade in the offseason.

When Kyrie was traded, I said that the most probable outcome was Knicks and Miami battling for 5th and 6th seed. This is our reality.

Cleveland lost 3 in the row and many are feeling hopeful but the probability to get to 4th is nearly two standard deviations above the mean. Lets curb our enthusiasm.

Thibs is showing growth and/or front office support by benching RJ down the stretch. Painful in the short run and I feel for the kid but its exactly what he needs. In the long run, he will be a better player because of it.

The Nets started 4 guys who weren’t on the team 3 weeks ago so it’s not that weird they’re struggling even if they have some talent.

Yeah, it’s great for the Knicks and Heat in the short term, but in the long term, the Nets should be fine.

But I’ll celebrate the short term like crazy if it gets the Knicks to the #5 seed!

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Raven, the Knicks are definitely fun to watch. But they barely beat the Wizards, who are tenth in the Eastern conference. So I’m not convinced they are good yet.

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