[news.google.com] — Tuesday, May 30, 2023 5:32:02 AM
“You were slacking tonight. They shut you down” – When Knicks ballboy trash-talked Kobe Bryant after he scored 40 at MSG Basketball Network
[news.google.com] — Tuesday, May 30, 2023 4:45:00 AM
2023 NBA playoffs scores, results: Heat avoid reverse sweep vs. Celtics, advance to face Nuggets in NBA Finals CBS Sports
[news.google.com] — Tuesday, May 30, 2023 3:02:04 AM
NBA Rumors: Knicks Land Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins In This Trade NBA Analysis Network
[news.google.com] — Tuesday, May 30, 2023 1:52:00 AM
Overcoming 0-3 series deficit remains most daunting proposition in sports New York Post
[news.google.com] — Tuesday, May 30, 2023 12:23:00 AM
The Miami Heat’s Long Shot Journey to the NBA Finals The Wall Street Journal
[news.google.com] — Monday, May 29, 2023 11:40:00 PM
Same city. Different sport: These NBA, NHL teams made Finals in … Yahoo Sports
[news.google.com] — Monday, May 29, 2023 11:06:00 PM
Numbers and reactions to Heat’s improbable NBA Finals run – ESPN ESPN
[news.google.com] — Monday, May 29, 2023 11:00:00 PM
Heat stomp Celtics in Game 7, carry dream run into NBA Finals – ESPN ESPN
[news.google.com] — Monday, May 29, 2023 10:41:31 PM
3 Boston Celtics who definitely won’t be back next season msnNOW
[news.google.com] — Monday, May 29, 2023 9:31:53 PM
Sports Briefs: Novato Knicks win season-opening series Marin Independent Journal
[news.google.com] — Monday, May 29, 2023 7:20:19 PM
Knicks’ Young Player Will Be a Piece in Major Trade: NBA GM Heavy.com
[news.google.com] — Monday, May 29, 2023 7:15:53 PM
“It was 8 to 1 chicks” – Anthony Mason chose Tennessee State University because of the girls-to-guys ratio Basketball Network
[news.google.com] — Monday, May 29, 2023 5:00:35 PM
NBA Mock Draft has Knicks rival adding compelling two-way guard in lottery Daily Knicks
[news.google.com] — Monday, May 29, 2023 4:00:00 PM
Jets teammate playfully calls out ‘weird’ fans over video of Aaron Rodgers dancing at Taylor Swift concert Fox News
[news.google.com] — Monday, May 29, 2023 3:44:31 PM
NBA Rumors: Knicks Could Make Push for Nets Guard Heavy.com
[news.google.com] — Monday, May 29, 2023 3:14:04 PM
Sixers’ Joel Embiid Trade Buzz To Knicks Heating Up NBA Analysis Network
[news.google.com] — Monday, May 29, 2023 2:00:00 PM
Could the New York Knicks trade for a 2023 draft pick? Posting and ToastingNBA Rumors: Blazers Center Jusuf Nurkic to Knicks? Sports Illustrated3 Knicks that earned untouchable status in 2022-23, 4 that should be cut loose Daily Knicks
[news.google.com] — Monday, May 29, 2023 10:53:15 AM
Zion Williamson is JOINING the Knicks! It’s OFFICIAL! msnNOW
[news.google.com] — Monday, May 29, 2023 9:00:07 AM
A Thank You Letter to Carmelo Anthony The Knicks Wall
[news.google.com] — Monday, May 29, 2023 8:00:03 AM
Knicks News: Josh Hart reported free agency value, Immanuel Quickley extension projection Daily Knicks
[news.google.com] — Monday, May 29, 2023 8:00:00 AM
Nyara Sabally’s ‘Explosive’ Debut Part of Liberty Victory Sports Illustrated
69 replies on “Knicks Morning News (2023.05.30)”
good awakening,
Yankees won, the cocky Celtics lost, Max Strus must feel a lot better…
We lost to the team that went to the finals. I shame in that!
The rules of the game.
Rule number 01: Never piss the Basketball Gods… 🙂
Rooting for the Nuggets, who have never won a title in either the NBA or ABA, and because Jokic getting a ring will make it ever so slightly tougher for his detractors to whine about him being overrated. But Playoff Jimmy feels deserving of a title as well. Just hoping for a long and entertaining series. The Nuggets’ size should be a big problem for Miami, and they have nobody built to even bother Jokic. But Spo is a genius, so we’ll see how this goes.
Yeah, Denver was our last hope as soon as we were eliminated.
Let’s Go Nuggets (and respect to the Heat)
But Jokic is a genius, too. And I think he will pick Spo’s zones apart.
I imagine the Heat win a game but — much like the last time an 8 seed made the final — I suspect we’ll see the 1 seed coming off a sweep to win the series handily in 5 games.
Exactly. If you celebrate too soon the basketball gods feel like you’re hurting the freedom of choice and they punish you.
This Heat team is better that the ’99 Knicks without Ewing, and Denver is not as good at the Robinson and Duncan Spurs. But I agree Denver should win this.
My personal NBA season ends when the Celtics and Knicks are both eliminated so I don’t care that much about who wins in the finals. Should be some compelling basketball, though!
Denver deserves to be favored and has by far the best player, but there’s something magical about this Heat team and they have paid their dues a bit more.
Game 1 will be telling, will the being well-rested and altitude-conditioned favorites while Miami is drained and banged up outweigh the Nuggets being rusty and soft from a long layoff? We’ll see.
I’ll probably find myself leaning towards Jimmy and the Underdogs, but only slightly. And the “Hey, Fuck the Heat!” gene dormant since the ’90s could kick in at any time.
It’s a great time to be a subscriber to the Boston Globe…
I’m just happy The Heat stomped on the Celtics hearts like this. Sure, Miami is a rival from the 90s but it’s hard for me to hate them with Butler because Butler is just such a badass. Although those moving screens by Bam pissed me off. I still hate Boston more.
Not sure what to make of Jaylen Brown. I mean, he is good, right? But is he worth trading lots of picks and players for? I just don’t see it.
I’d be happy with either team winning though I probably prefer Denver because Jokic is a wizard and that franchise has never won a title. But it would be nice for Butler to get one too because I think his legacy deserves it.
Still, I think Denver got this easy. However, if the Heat do what they’ve been doing all playoffs and steal game one when the other team is not prepared for their instensity, then it gets interesting. If Denver wins game one though, I think it’s over in 5.
as long as Miami keeps shooting 40% from 3 they can probably make any series competitive… altho playing zone against inconsistent shooters is one thing… zone is generally not effective against most bigs including one of the best passing bigs of all time…
denver wasn’t actually all that great in the reg season and that’s because they’re defense was iffy….. and compared to these 90s style scores in the east .. the west has mostly seen ‘normal’ basketball… the problem for miami is that they’re not very well equipped to take advantage since only butler can attack the rim… playing a 3 heavy offense is fine against tough defenses… but against bad defenses they’re going to have to attack the basket alot more… and so butler can’t really afford to limp around like he has the last two series….
not a very good matchup for the heat…. but if they take and make a lot of their 3s anything can and has happened..
Nurse is a good fit on the sixers and happy he landed there…. the phoenix job isn’t actually all that enticing for a guy with a more off ball movement approach… between cp3..kd and booker… you can’t really install an offense that’s too different… that’s probably why kevin young is the rumored guy….
it is going to be interesting to see embiid and harden with an offense they never experienced before… and it’s possible we can see some more things unlocked for them if they can hold up which is always an iffy proposition year to year it seems now….
It’s fascinating how this year’s parity’s causing a sort of “revolution”, with so many disappointed teams.
Milwaukee, Phila, Phoenix changed coaches (Atlanta did it before the playoffs), Boston can follow suit (but Shams’ latest report denied it), Cleveland and Minnesota aren’t happy with their big acquisitions, Lue is discussed in LA, Myers is out in Golden State, LeBron’s putting pressure on the Lakers…
Add that Toronto, Washington, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Portland have big decisions to make…
It’ll be an interesting summer…
People have said it before, I think it was one of Strat’s betting tips, but the ability to play Jokic 40 minutes plus as opposed to the 33 he averaged in-season makes the Nuggets a better team in the playoffs.
Very excited for this series. Jokic is so easy to root for and the Heat are now slightly easier to root against.
From today’s Boston Globe. Luxuriate in this:
“There have been some stink bombs detonated by Boston teams in big games throughout the decades.
This may have been the most foul of all.
On a postcard-perfect Memorial Day, with the entire region braced for an 0-3 comeback that would mirror what those Curse-busting Red Sox did 19 years ago, the poser Celtics submitted a woeful Game 7 effort in the Eastern Conference finals and were thrashed by the so-much-mentally-tougher, eighth-seeded Miami Heat, 103-84, Monday night at the Garden.
So there. The Green Team’s spring of “Unfinished Business” is officially finished. And, sadly, the only takeaway is that your 2022-23 Celtics were front-running frauds. I mean, did they really deserve another trip to the Finals after the way they played with their food all year?”
The only people who hate the Celtics more than Knicks fans are Celtics fans after a loss…
Raven,
This gave me the biggest smile.
I know this isn’t really the case but I love the idea that the Heat and Butler let them come back from 0-3 just to fuck with them.
Without a doubt, best season since 99. For me, it is 99% the Knicks, 1% the Celtics. The Knicks alone made it the best, but the small cherry on top of the cake is the C’s losing in “do we keep our coach/resign our 2nd best player?” fashion.
And the splash of cherry liquer on top is that I would be happy if either Denver or Miami won the chip, and the off-season despite no draft picks looks more than interesting.
LOL Celtics. What a loathsome franchise.
A Celtics fan friend of mine made a $100 bet with me after last season that Boston would win at least one championship in the next 5 years.
I didn’t feel that confident at the time, but I sure do now lol.
I would push back against that, re: Cleveland. Spida was awesome for them this year, and fit well on a roster that had Mobley and Allen to cover for any defensive issues. Their problem is depth, particularly on the wing, and also that Mitch sonned the hell out of Allen in our series. But depth is always easier to acquire in this league than All NBA-level talent, and I think the Cavs make that trade again and again, even knowing how this season went.
The Wolves, on the other hand, wouldn’t need even a nanosecond to decide to undo the Gobert deal.
With respect to Leon and this summer, I would be happy if he went in one of his full hibernation modes.
Just extend Hart to a legit NBA top five 6 man salary. Whatever that is.
He could make things a lot worse with an “all in move”.
This could be seismic. I think if he stayed, the Warriors would absolutely try to run it back and win another ring with Steph/Klay/Draymond. Now? We’ll see if Myers’ replacement is willing to do that, and/or has the ability to convince ownership to pay the luxury taxes that would come with that approach.
I’m really looking forward to parcing the NBA landscape after the 2023 draft/free agency dust settles. The Adam Silver Parity Crusade seems to be really watering down the top of the league and juicing up the bottom…not to NFL levels but can anyone see out more than a couple of years in this environment?
In some ways, that hurts the Knicks in that for every team they climb over, some up-and-coming team can overtake them. I don’t expect teams like BOS, MIA, MIL, PHI, ATL, and CLE to sit on their hands, maybe they move some stars and shake things up. TOR, CHI and WAS have some maneuverability, but also might blow it up. ORL, IND, and CHA are a couple of years away but have some foundational pieces and cap space. DET is a mess and gor shafted in the draft but Cade will be back and they have a couple of vets to deal. Maybe Miller drops to them with all the character questions.
In any case, I don’t see a world where simply signing Hart and extending IQ gets us past the EC semis, even with some internal improvement. There has to be some kind of move involving a significant change in our top-7.
While I see your point, I really do. I also think a move that makes a significant change is super risky in the current environment as well. I guess when you get to our level and you need that big move to get you to the next one, that move is always going to be risky to some degree. But it feels like right now there aren’t a lot of players out there that are sure things to upgrade us to the next level without really risking setting us back too.
There are only a few game changing superstars in their prime right now. Giannis, Jokic, etc. And those guys don’t appear to be going anywhere. The other names being thrown out there are either getting really old or have injury risks or are one way players who might help us in some ways but hurt us in others. Throw in the fact that there also appears to be a super inflated price for even second tier stars or super role players right now, and it just seems super risky. Like yeah,. Zach Lavine on paper could help us bit would Zach Lavine if he cost us multiple picks and multiple young players help us? Same with KAT, etc?
So for my money, it feels like the right move is to be conservative right now. That doesn’t mean standing pat but if I’m Leon I’m not making a mve for a second or third tier “star” that involves 2 or more young players or 2 or more picks. I’d trade Evan and 2 or 3 picks for a nice upgrade or I’d go out and get one with the mid level. But trading Randle or RJ plus 3 or more picks seems really really risky.
It’s like we’re in a volatile stock market right now and CD’s or government bonds are the way to go.
Facts. Forget returns on capital. Think return of capital instead.
I found the Butler vs Martin ECF MVP debate pretty interesting. Butler shot pretty badly, but he’s the straw that stirs the drink and basically everyone else on the roster mostly takes advantage of the opportunities he at least partially creates. Butler also had the highest individual defensive rating on the team. For those reasons I think, by a hair, the right choice was made.
Martin sure did capitalize on those opportunities though and I don’t begrudge any of his voters.
I think the Nuggets win in 5. They are a really good team–I think their playoff performance is more indicative than their regular season numbers. As others have mentioned, simply not having to give their dreadful backup centers real minutes makes a world of difference. They also dogged it a lot down the stretch since their seeding was so secure.
Even though they pulled out the series by the skin of their teeth, it felt like the Heat turned back into pumpkins after game 3 of the ECFs. But hey, if anyone can make it a series it’s Jimmy and Spo.
that’s a great analogy because the s&p 500 has returned 10% this year as opposed to 5% on treasuries…
I think you could just easily, and perhaps more convincingly, argue that this means we should aggressively be looking to upgrade. What’s the plan in the alternative, sit around for a few seasons hoping one of these guys shakes loose, watching our players get older, lose years on rookie-scale deals, etc.?
We all agree broadly that we shouldn’t do stupid stuff. We shouldn’t negotiate against ourselves, we should have a BATNA, etc. But we need to take seriously any opportunities we might have to upgrade. Time is never really on your side in the NBA and players frequently regress. We shouldn’t dismiss any possibilities out of hand.
Jaylen Brown would make sense on a good young team-he’s definitely going to be overpaid, but he’s also legitimately good. Or on a team with like one real superstar (say the Bucks) where the main guy can generate a lot of offense and is generating surplus value even on a max deal. Bit of a rough fit for the Celtics because as great as Tatum is he’s not good enough of a playmaker to carry an offense and Boston has a lot of money tied up in other guys.
I really don’t see how MIami can solve Jokic. He’s far too big for anyone on their roster to guard and he can pick apart zones and doubleteams. And I don’t think Miami has the firepower to beat Denver in a shootout. But who knows, maybe they’ll make 60% of their 3s or something they seem to be blessed in this playoffs.
I’m interested to see what Bob Myers can do at another job. He did some nice things with the Warriors but they already had Klay & Steph and Draymond becoming Draymond fucking Green is something that nobody seemed to have predicted.
Last night has me giving the NBA even more of a side eye when it comes to the idea that games might be rigged LOL. Either last night was rigged(even though I expected Miami to win), or Mazzula has got to be the dumbest coach ever. No way Tatum plays 43 minutes and takes only 13 shots as the best player on the court in a win or go home game with a Finals appearance in the balance. Sprained ankle or not. I’m sorry. If you’re good enough to play 43 minutes AFTER you roll your ankle, and you’re the level of player Tatum is- you’re taking more than 13 shots in that particular game. This after “Playoff Jimmy” going away for 2 games and allowing Boston to tie a series- that should have ended 4-1 at worst- at 3-3. It just smells fishy a lil bit.
Nevertheless, Denver should win the Finals in 5 with the way they have been playing- unless MPJ disappears. Miami’s not gonna make it easy though.
I think the only “reasonable” explanation for the ECF is this:
😀 😀 😀
motherfuckers kicked me out of their system over a week prior to my last day (could be argued that i was effectively terminated at that time – HR no no) so now I’m having to conduct this business from my own fucking personal email…
which means I now approach my own fucking personal email with dread…
this is not good for my health…finally though getting ready to communicate with someone that may actually be able to make a decision…
sooner rather than later though, I’ll either need to acquiesce or pass this thing off…
I remember running track long ago and how important it was to finish strong through the finish line…
I have a good understanding of my ask, I’ll be honest – I am extremely curious to hear the justification for the counter…
patience akin to torture…
It honestly doesn’t seem like they miss Herro much.
I think Bam can slow Jokic a little bit but will have to do heroic work to keep him from dominating.
Nice piece in The Athletic analyzing the finals. Two fun quotes from it.
The Nuggets have two of the three best players in the series, and then probably the fifth, sixth and seventh best players in the series.
By the end of the Boston series, Spoelstra realized Kevin Love became unplayable, and he removed him from the series. He realized Cody Zeller had become unplayable, and he removed him from the series. He employed a zone defense for a lot of the series, and for the most part, it flummoxed the Celtics. He has been so good on the sidelines the Heat have been a different team than they were in the regular season.
the heat had a similar problem against Lebron in the bubble and Lebron.. with AD’s help… picked apart the zone…. any big poses big problems for a zone.. and one that passes really well will destroy it… i doubt they try it unless they’re getting blown out or they managed to get jokic hurt too…
The way Bam sets picks…
@Alan, I agree.
What I meant was that teams that made flashy moves last summer (ATL, MIN, CLE) aren’t so happy about how their season ended* but I wrote it poorly. 🙂
Spida had a very good regular season for them (playoffs were a bit different).
* Losing, without a real fight, a series with the team they “beat” in the Mitchell’s sweepstakes didn’t make the Cavaliers too happy, and there are rumors about Bickerstaff having “his last chance” and Allen being on the trade block.
Here’s to hoping Jaylen Brown and the C’s relationship goes to shit in short order. So quick and ugly that Brad Stevens will accept RJ, Obi, and 3 unprotected 1sts for Brown. Or Randle, Grimes, and 2 unprotected 1sts
What?
It IS that time of the year LOL
wow, i think this is right – four out of thirty coaches have been with the same team for 5 years or more…
lots of turnover and mucking around in mediocrity in the nba…
is this becoming now like the nfl parity thing?
Fuck that. Here’s hoping they sign him to a max extension.
Not sure if your trade proposals were in jest but I would be pretty pissed if Leon backed up the truck for Brown.
@Hubert Exactly! A super max for Brown would be crippling for them.
Yea Hubert..they were definitely in jest lol
He’d slot well in between Randle and Brunson, but most definitely not at the asking rate in a trade and the next contract. The only thing the C’s could do that would be worse than giving him that mega max is sign and trade him for Harden, AD, or Zion
Quentin Grimes can be as good as jaylen brown.
Now let me duck while E throws a shoe at me!
https://theathletic.com/4563771/2023/05/30/immanuel-quickley-knicks-offseason/
Fun little Katz article about Quickley. Comes off like a guy who is very open to hearing about the weaknesses in his game and addressing them specifically in the offseason.
Hard to determine if any of this truly separates him from other NBA players in what’s essentially a puff piece, but I at least have long gotten the impression that he’s serious about improving. I’d be comfortable betting on him.
We should resign IQ for sure and I really think ultimately he should start at shooting guard.
I also think IQ should just be the starting shooting guard. He’s a two way player, deserves to be a starter in this league.
You’re just saying that because your avatars are so similar
Ideally we would want Quickley’s shot to be a little more consistent before making him a starter. His inconsistency is tolerable as a 6th man because you can vary his role/minutes depending on how he’s going. If he does get more consistent next year, look out. When he’s rolling the Knicks are a much better team.
I am fine with IQ as a starter. He was a starter quality player for most of the season. At least.
I may take my daughter to a Liberty game. Sabrina and Breanna on one court.
The Knicks fired Perry. Wow.
Well, not exactly…he was kept on and now his contract has expired. Anyway, he had no real voice so better for him to move on.
You think he had no voice at all? If so, then yes, it means nothing.
I think he was a voice in the room, but probably one with very little influence. Who knows? Maybe he was the guy in the room that was against trading a first rounder for Josh Hart!
Lol
Scott Perry is a bit of an unsung hero, IMO.
He acquired Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, the picks we needed to acquire IQ & Grimes, and the upcoming Dallas pick.
He deftly handled both Melo and Porzingis’ exit.
He handed off a team with all its picks, 3 surplus picks, $80mm in cap space, and a whole starting lineup making less than $35MM. This was by far the best shape any Knicks GM in recent memory left his team in.
Unfortunately, he and his boss hired David Fizdale and drafted Kevin Knox. Those two blunders undid all his good work. But make no mistake, he did some very good work.
Godspeed, Scott Perry. I will always be grateful you didn’t supermax Porzingis.
They may feel that Perry is more likely to find a job now that the Knicks are good again. He was part of that… And there are some jobs open…
Agree with Hubert on Perry.
whenever I think of scott perry I always think of that perpetual dour look he always kept…
I remember when rose first came on board and watching him and perry sitting in the stands together, and then seeing perry actually smile – gave me hope for leon…
not that all the choices were correct, but, since perry came on board it seemed we stopped overpaying and bidding against ourselves all the time…
ugh, man steve mills really sucked at that job…phil jackson was even worse…
I almost forgot all about david fizdale…see he now works in the front office for utah…
terrible roster, worse coach…with the sort of bullshit he perpetually slings – front office work should suit him fine…
Perry leaving is significant and unexpected news. Once we had Perry negotiating, we didn’t make any deals that were horrible financially. I would like that to continue. I’m worried about this.
It may be that he decided to leave instead of being forced out. If the Knicks didn’t think he was useful, I think they wouldn’t have kept him this long. But if he wanted to leave, it would make sense that he waited until his contract ended. Maybe he didn’t like the role he had and they couldn’t agree on his continuing role.
A lot of teams could do worse than hire him. The Warriors happen to have an opening.
Kfninj, what do you think agents do? The one thing we can be sure of is that Leon knows how to negotiate.
Ramahawk, that’s very true and I hope you are right that it won’t make a difference. But I still worry. Ex agents can make bad deals. Look at Rob Pelinka, for example.
Bad team building and bad deals are two different things. I’m less sure about the first.
Fair enough, although I think the Westbrook trade was a bad deal as well as bad team building.
This Scott Perry news mostly has me angry all over again about the Kevin Knox pick. Even if you want to mostly blame Fizdale for that, Perry and Mills were the ones who let themselves be conned into hiring Fizdale, and then listening to his terrible basketball advice.
Also, I was queasy enough when the team hired Rosas in a consultant role. The idea of him becoming the new GM — even if it’s something of a ceremonial title within Leon’s Team of Rivals front office structure — makes me even queasier. Can we maybe stop hiring/acquiring/promoting people with serious public blemishes in their past?