Knicks Morning News (2023.04.03)

Playoffs! The Knicks clinched at least the 6th spot, and 5 very important days of rest, taking care of the Capital City Go-Go after a disappointing first half.

It’s a very good result for a team predicted by pundits to have an under .500 season (but many here were a little more optimist, including myself).
Kudos, in no particular order, to the players, the coaching staff and the FO.

To the game.

First quarter resembled a preseason game, the Wiz were hot but the Knicks looked able to keep them in check despite an awful defense and a low energy level.

In the 2nd our offense abruptly halted while the defense kept stinking.
The Wizards went on a 17-2 run for their largest lead (10) driven by sharpshooter Corey Kispert (who got his career-high 29) and a revengeful Taj (4-5 3FG and a lot of gesturing) and were up 8 at the break but giving how bad we were playing it was “only 8” and nobody was worried (wink to BBA).

Defense tightened and normality was restored in the 3rd, with Grimes (12) and Brunson (11) leading the way. A Grimes’ three during a Knicks’ 19-5 run broke the last tie and the good guys were up by 7 at the end amidst flashes of beautiful play.

Obi opened the final chapter with a three, again giving NY a double-digit lead and Washington never got closer than 8 in an easy 4th, where the Knicks continued to play well, expanding the lead to 20 before the last useless couple of minutes.

Next:
We fly to Indy to face a Pacers team that’s trying to lose as much as he can and was without Hali, Turner and Duarte yesterday in Cleveland.

Stats Of The Game.
31. Knicks’ assists. On 46 made baskets (67.3%). Sharing is caring.

Thoughts:

– The Wizards were 4 starters short, but the ball movement in the second half was beautiful. The defense in the first not so much.

– Julius and RJ absence clears the paint for cutters and drive-and-kickers.
We’re not a better team without them* and the Ewing-Effect is fake news, but I miss their talent (and the added weapons they represent) not the isolation and stagnant offense they sometimes bring. Are we sure there aren’t ways to use this two guys more often in a more fluid offense?

– Glue Grimes’ play in the last six games makes me salivate. Where can this kid go with experience and work? Is it time to find a new moniker? Is “The Full Package” too 70’s porn evoking?

– I feel for Fournier. They defrost you after months and the only shot you hit get ruled out for an offensive foul. I hope we’ll find him the right team this summer.

– Jalen Brunson has a sore hand that he keeps in some kind of brace. He was on the floor since the final buzzer. Up 20. And he got hit on his hand. Thiiiiibs! (in William Shatner’s voice).

Grades

Brunson B
27 (11-20 FG), 8 (but with 5 TOs) and 3 steals. And he had a so-so game… 🙂

Grimes A
He was the steadier hand (3-6 2FG, 6-11 3FG) and continue to impress with his ability to create and pass (5 AST). The last 6 games showed there’s room for a significant improvement, now he just needs to work.

Quickley B-
He’s still learning when to shoot and when to involve his teammates and sometimes he has problems finding “the right time”. Yesterday’s first half was one of them, but he got better as the game went on.

Toppin B+
I always whine about his “offensive misuse” and he gave me other reasons to do it.
The three must be a complement to his other skills, not his only shooting diet and he’s a willing passer too.
At the same time his defense is what it is and 1 rebound in 33 minutes (or 2 in 52 if you count his games as the starting PF) for a 6’9″ leaper is really too little, no matter the justifications.

Robinson B+
11 Rebounds (4 OReb), hit his FTs (2-2), had some very good moments and 4 assists!

Hart B-
Fun fact: he can’t score against Washington, in two games against them as a Knick he has 7 total points.
But as usual he did some winning things while others took the brunt of the scoring.

Hartenstein B+
Can we say he’s a borderline NBA starter? I think at least a couple of teams (Dallas? Chicago?) would benefit having him…
He’s played every game so far and with improving health, better chemistry with teammates and the arrival of J-Hart he blossomed exactly in the kind of player we expected. He’ll be 25 soon, time to extend him… 😉

McBride C
Is not easy to produce every game in limited minutes, the main thing is mantaining confidence and be ready for the next.

Fournier NA
Honestly a performance to forget. But not counting a 2 minutes garbage-time cameo against BRK he rot on the bench for 2 months (last “real ” game was february 6th) and it showed. Rusty as hell (2 TOs) and out of rhythm, this time I give him a pass (and a ticket for another team this summer).

Thibs B-
Why was Jalen Brunson on the floor, getting hit on his already aching hand, when we were up 20 with under 3 minutes to go?
And why sub Deuce for IQ instead of him with 1:16 left?
The D-Rose’s career altering-incident didn’t teach anything?
Anyway, we weren’t ready at the start but he did a good job spanking the guys at halftime, probably losing his voice for a couple of days…

* Maybe someone will question this in regard to RJ 😉

I agree 100% on Randle TNFH.

RJ to me is a more subtle argument.

I think that until the summer, when he’ll be on the trade block (my feeling is that he’s the first to know it and he’s conditioned by it), there must be a scenario to use him in a “non detrimental” way.

Andrew Wiggins was an joke in NBA’s circles for years, he went to GS, with high BB-IQ players and Steve Kerr, and he become a valuable piece.

We’ve seen RJ doing useful things in the not so distant past, there must be a way, while the roster is “freezed”, to make it happen again, even as the 4th option in the wings pecking order.

Then in july we can switch to Miles or OG 😉

I dig you Strat!

From a “basketball pleasure” standpoint it’s like night and day and can save coronaries and TV screens… 🙂

And I have the same dreams too, but I’m not sure who to target with some chance of concreteness…

@Cyber

It was an autocorrector mistake, I mean Mikal but my tablet (who probably “stored” Miles from previous McBride domments) decided differently 😀

I DON’T want Miles Bridges.