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2023-24 Game Thread: Knicks vs. Bulls, Season Ender Opener, which is not a thing at all

Oh man, these dudes are really going to win fifty fucking games. Can you even BELIEVE that shit? I know we all went through the 2012-13 team winning 54 games, but A. That was the peak level of that team from a talent standpoint, while this team is going to win 50 while missing Randle, and missing OG for much of the season and B. That was the peak level of that team period, because everyone was so old. This team’s best players are all on the right side of 30. Extremely different vibes. For vibes like this team, you’d have to go back to the 1999-2000 team, where you were pretty sure they were going to the Eastern Conference Finals, ya know? And this team is better than that team, too!

This team is probably not quite at the 1996-97 team’s level, but it could be, especially if they make a big trade this offseason.

Man, the vibes are so fucking sweet. I’m so goddamn happy about this team.

Let’s go, Knicks!

354 replies on “2023-24 Game Thread: Knicks vs. Bulls, Season Ender Opener, which is not a thing at all”

It seems like almost a certainty that we are either in the 2 spot playing the winner of MIA-PHI, or in the 3 spot playing PHI. Any other outcome would be pretty surprising.

Well, if there’s any silver lining to our inevitable matchup with Philly or Miami, it’s that Boston will have to play one of those teams also.

And you know the Celtics want nothing to do with the Heat.

I’ll take the 1999-2000 Knicks come playoff time over the current Knicks without Randle.

isaac is starting for orlando for the second time all year even though carter jr is available. that starting 5 (suggs, harris, wagner, banchero, isaac) can play some d.

Josh Lewenberg @JLew1050

Barrett and Quickley with the Raptors this season: RJ (32 games): 21.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 55% FG IQ (38 games): 18.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 40% on 7.1 3PA Each of those numbers would be career highs.

Barretts efficiency went way up away from Thibs

Once in the playoffs, it doesn’t matter to me who we play. What matters is home court. To be the best you must beat the best. 50 win season! LET’S GO!!!!

Yeah don’t really care at this point who we face just want to get this W and get the number two seed so whoever we’re facing is a team that had to play a play-in game.

If I had to choose I guess the number two seed against Philly cause they will have played a play in game and Embiid is fragile.

Either way get that 50th win! It’s a big deal!

For all the complaining about minutes and load management going into the final game of the regular season the Knicks are totally healthy except for obviously Randle.

I have to say, sometimes announcers are idiots. The guy with Doris Burke discussing the teams pregame just said the Knicks are currently playing their best ball of the season. Of course it’s nice hype, but it’s pretty clear the Knicks played their best basketball in January.

The only negative about today is that I have to hear SAS because it’s on ESPN. But my mute buttons still works.

og is the best player in nba history to ever make the worst pass in nba history

I’m happy to miss the ESPN announcers, thank heaven League Pass International allows the MSG feed today… 😅

what gets me KFniNJ is mark jones trying to sound cool for kids and use hip words…that totally sound not genuine when he speaks…

it would probably be much worst though if it was doris speaking that way…

I have no idea what the scenarios are so I’m just watching to watch.

Mitch’s hands were never one of his strengths but now are reaching Noel-level of futility…

@Max, Yeah, I’m stuck with Doris and Dumbbell.
@Educate – For the Knicks it’s simple.
Knicks win + Bucks lose = 2 seed
Knicks lose + Cleveland win = 4 seed.
Otherwise = 3 seed

With matinees i always have the feeling that we’re going to lose. I don’t know if that feeling is backed by the stats or not. But not today, today i’m feeling very optimistic.

This is just the kind of game we’d lose to some random DeRozan explosion even with us at full strength having every reason to win and the Bulls depleted and playing for nothing…

If Derozan signed with the Knicks he’d have a field day scoring on Hart during practice.

Blown layups, not getting to 50/50 balls, guys getting juked out of their sneakers. Not a great look at the moment.

For all the complaining about minutes and load management going into the final game of the regular season the Knicks are totally healthy except for obviously Randle.

OG, Hartenstein, and Mitch are not “totally healthy”.

I’m trying to figure out if the outcome of this game matter at all to anybody. It doesn’t, right?

The Bulls are better than the Nets but I feel like this game will go just like Friday’s – we win going away in the 4th quarter

Let’s hope Hart is ok. We need to light some candles to the Injury Gods.

Crazy part is I believe if Indiana and Orlando lose plus the Heat win they’ll get the 6th seed and play the Knicks in the 1st rd.

I can’t stand the Fanduel ads no more, it’s the same ads every game. Some guys yelling at us. 😛

Any word on Hart? Dolan’s Razor has the odds of an injury to a key player in this game as somewhere between astronomical and absolutely certain

OG is wildly sloppy this half. Interesting to see if he does the Red Bull at halftime third quarter like before.

Pretty garbage 1st half but they have the lead, hopefully Knicks come out strong in the 3rd quarter and Bulls eventually pull their starters so we have a stress free 4th quarter.

kind of amazing that lillard and middleton are 3 for 18 and the bucks are only down 5

mitch had a wondrous stretch against the bucks but has otherwise been a below average backup 5 since he got back

If scores hold Cavs Pacers 3-6 1st rd matchup will be very interesting. Winner would be Knicks 2nd rd opponent if they get past Philly or Miami.

Isn’t this the Knicks fifth game in nine days or something like that. They need the break after this game and before the next one.

Actually I think it might be 6 games in 9 days. Check that 6 games in 10 days.

Team Defense mode: deactivated

LOL! Aladdin only granted us one wish today! 😀

og is the best player in nba history to ever make the worst pass in nba history

And again? 😉

OG with the next-level bad pass. Josh says, “Hold my beer…”

Josh Hart really just got the ball in a great position to shoot a wide open three and he literally panicked and threw the ball out of bounds.

Yeah, we need Hart to take the shots the defense gives him. If he keeps this, in the playoffs Brunson will face double teams and they won’t be punished because the open man will be Hart.

The Knicks currently have 1 star player and everybody else is a role player

Some may view the actual talent above that

Time for me to say it for the final time this regular season, this would be the worst loss of the season.

Pretty amazing how every single one of like six different games is looking like the worse outcome for us! Serves me right for complaining about our matchup at the 2 seed, looking more like we’re the 4th.

Too many open shots missed, not a good moment to go cold, but Achiuwa is a disaster…

He’s either hurt again…or thibs couldn’t watch him lumber around anymore

I blame Brian for having the audacity to say this Knicks team is better than the 2000 team!

Has Hart ever struggled so bad defensively against someone as he has with Derozan?

Maybe it’s a good thing the Knicks lose today cause if they play like this Philly will destroy them.

It’s not like we’re down by 20 here…

It’s more that we’ve gotten like five stops all game and look pretty much outmatched against a garbage team at home.. again.

We’re going to end up with a 4th seed and our playoff run capped shorter than last year’s with a Boston sweep in round 2, if we even advance …

Maybe Donovan does the Knicks a favor and benches his starters in the 4th quarter.

d-mar, can we panic yet?

As for OG, he definitely forgot the Red Bull at halftime.

Cavs are trying to keep Mitchell they can’t lose in the 1st round

I was never a huge DeRozan fan, but imo he’s a better player at 34 than he was in his Toronto days. smh

Derozan would be a great sixth man. He said he wanted to come here, but I don’t see it happening

At this point with Cleveland losing I honestly don’t care if the Knicks lose, hell might even prefer it to play Indiana instead of Philly or Miami, but still this is a pretty shocking performance by the Knicks.

Yeah, 3-6 is not a bad outcome. Let the Bucks and the Sixers destroy each other.

So a Knicks vs Pacers 3-6 matchup?

I fear Siakam in that series if that’s who we play. That’s a series where we are going to miss Randle.

I fear Siakam in that series if that’s who we play. That’s a series where we are going to miss Randle.

They are going to miss Randle [one that hopefully would be good in the playoffs] because everybody outside of Brunson is a role player. I’m pretty sure that’s what you are going to hear on the Knicks all week, “They have Brunson, but who else is really great”.

Bucks and Cavs straight up tanked and people in here mad about this game…

Thibs would never throw a game, so they are going to win it barring the Bulls getting mega hot.

Yeah fuck it I want to win this game but it makes losing alot easier to handle knowing they only drop to 3rd not 4th.

Pacers up by 41 right now. Maybe let’s get the two seed.

rooting for the win for bad reasons here as long thibs doesn’t try to put randle in

It really is something that both Milwaukee and Cleveland basically tanked today. It’s one thing for draft purposes but to do so for playoff seeding that’s playing with karma especially considering both teams have been playing pretty bad down the stretch.

We’re wired to play every game until the buzzer and that’s exactly why we’re so good, we’re not going to change to avoid someone no matter what…

OG with a very weak game so far…

We’re wired to play every game until the buzzer and that’s exactly why we’re so good, we’re not going to change to avoid someone no matter what…

Yeah, I’m thinking it’s better to keep doing things our way and win rather than deviate and lose because it’s the Optimized Strategy.

Lillard made 2 shots today- very nice of him

Yeah, but he was probably better on offense than defense. 🙂

OG with 6 TOs today. Some of them were really bad ones. Still +8 at this point.

I’m going to need those days off to recover from this game…

Our bench is so thin now. They need to do something about it this offseason. So many players at the back end of the roster that cant even crack the rotation with all the injuries we’ve had.

When you watch the Bulls against this team you wonder why they have that record…

as much as thibs loves jalen i’m pretty sure he would trade him for one candlelight dinner with alex caruso

Getting another big wing is an obvious need, Hart is just to small to be your only other option.

Amazing defense by OG on DeRozan, amazing defense by Caruso on Brunson

jeez…… OT.
OG may be Zach Wilson in his passing, but his D is Darelle Reavis

By the way there’s no player in the league that would fit as perfectly on our team than Caruso, dude is a dog.

The Bulls seem to have gotten better without Lavine. They also seem well coached and defending well

The Bulls seem to have gotten better without Lavine. They also seem well coached and defending well

I’m on record saying if the Knicks ever trade for LaVine I am going to buy a Celtics jersey.

That Brunson shot nearly going is itself mind-boggling.

It’s fitting that we need to grit and grind for this two seed. Let’s get it.

The Bulls seem to have gotten better without Lavine. They also seem well coached and defending well

They may very well just have to make him the sixth man

Thibs tanks the game going with Achiuwa….

That aged terribly quickly… Haha!

as much as thibs loves jalen i’m pretty sure he would trade him for one candlelight dinner with alex caruso

Still laughing

That Brunson shot nearly going is itself mind-boggling.

Ugly possession but yeah

So long as no one gets hurt, I’m happy with this game no matter what the outcome. A lot to work on to close games out. Good prep for the playoffs.

Let’s put together a trade package to sweep Caruso and DeRozan out of Chicago…

They need to settle down and stop fucking throwing the ball away.

rama

These kinds of mental mistakes make me crazy because imo they are more likely to show up in the playoffs.

I’d take DDR and Caruso any time. Great players. But Caruso is somewhat duplicative on this roster, and I don’t know if DDR is ready to play a backup role at 25 mpg.

50 wins, 2nd place, but we’re so bad at inbounds 😂

Hat tip to the Bulls, they gave the crowd a great game, that’s what sport is supposed to be…

What a game, we almost pissed the bed but we got there, lets fucking go Knicks

What a great way to finish the season. I would just like to point out that I predicted 50 wins this season…and 47 last season… Not too shabby.

I expect many to question Thibs chasing the 2 seed matchup

Here at Knickerblogger or in the national media?

Fuck that, I’m glad they kept fighting in the 4th quarter and went for the 2 seed. It would’ve been against the current culture to have done anything less.

Can Philly and Miami somehow both lose on Wednesday???

Lol

I don’t want either, but honestly I think Miami will injure us on illegal screens and getting under 3-point shooters. If Embiid can play it’s a much harder matchup, but if we win we’re less likely to be down three players. Dirty fucking Heat.

The Bulls did us no favors. This game meant absolutely nothing to them, but they treated it like game seven. It was disgusting to watch them diving on the floor like there was no tomorrow. Fuck them! Anyway. We gave them a ton of offensive rebounds that hurt us, and our defense was poor overall for most of the game except the end of the fourth and OT. The same goes for OG who had a lazy game but thankfully had a couple of good decisive stops against DeRozan at the end of regulation. Brunson and Josh Hart were exhausted at the end. That explains their repeated mistakes.

One thing we should remember is that this team is essentially Brunson plus role players. Kudos to them for overperforming and finding ways to win, and to the coaching staff for getting them ready. When they overperform, we tend to think this is a super team. Big highs, however, lead to big lows. Have this in mind for the Philly series.

One more thing. I don’t like how this team behaves defensively for some time now. This is nowhere close to the shutdown defense we were playing before OG got injured. This is exactly how we crushed Philly but 30+, btw. They have plenty of time to get rested and fix this for the playoffs.

Hart around the basket – vacuum cleaner. Hart away from the basket – heart attack. 50 wins after the injury disasters – amazing.

50 wins! Let’s go!

Whoever comes up, I have complete confidence that this team will be ready and will fight hard as hell. That’s all I can ask for.

Here at Knickerblogger or in the national media?

Other knick websites plus the media. Already see push back on Reddit and Realgm Knicks board

I expect many to question Thibs chasing the 2 seed matchup

Not me. I’m glad we played through til the end.

Great fucking season boys, enjoyed sharing it with all of you kbloggers!

That’s it, thanks everybody for making this season even more memorable, even Pags with his dark predictions game in and game out. 😀
Now, let’s move on to the playoffs… bring it on! 💪

We’re probably going to sweep Philadelphia so if you’re arguing that we should have lost today it’s not going to age well.

Cleveland tanking today put Giannis in our bracket. They would have been the 3 seed if they won. That really pisses me off.

Boston could have had to go through Miami and Milwaukee in the first two rounds.

I’d rather the Knicks honor the game and lose in the 1st round than lose in the second by being cowards. They win the first round they should make the ECF.

If Celtics get by round 1 they get Magic/Cavs lol

Knicks side is brutal

“The Heat vs. Sixers game should be a bloodbath.”

Literally! If I were Embiid, I’d be very concerned going against Dirty Bam. 😂😂😂

Overall it’s a decent draw for the Celtics and a difficult one for us.

Precious played excellent defense on the final shot—bothered DeRozan just enough such that he over-arced it, causing it to come up short. Probably helped that it was OT and DeRozan was clearly tired.

I mean, they obviously should have tanked but there’s no need getting into a big long argument over it, it is what it is at this point.

If I were Embiid, I’d be very concerned going against Dirty Bam.

Bam might end Embiid’s career

I mean Boston as 1st seed deserve the easier path to the ECF.

Yeah but in the end they only got it because Cleveland tanked, so it’s really annoying.

Then again Giannis is probably out for a while so maybe we have the better side.

Yeah dunno WTF Cleveland was thinking. They could’ve finished 3rd and avoided Boston in the 2nd rd. Was losing to play Orlando instead of Indiana in 1st rd worth it?

Bam might end Embiid’s career

Gonna be fun to watch that match-up. Don’t forget that Embiid gets probably the most favorable whistle in the league. But if he comes out injured against us, I will take it! 😂

Holy shit! Just got out of a movie, what a score! Why the hell do we struggle with the bulls so much?

we are all role players on our own development paths. owen’s is to eventually be extremely at peace with missing a game 7 cat sitting.

Even from a cold-hearted realist perspective, I don’t think the case we should’ve tanked is iron-clad. Playing a team coming off a presumably intense play-in game should be a real advantage, and if we can win our first-round series, escaping the Celtics’ side of the bracket might represent our best overall chance of making the ECFs.

Alas, I am not a cold-hearted realist in any event. Winning 50 through all the bullshit we dealt with this year is awesome and a great microcosm of the spirit of the team. Bring on whoever.

Last thing Pelicans are trying to do is lose today and fall into the play in.

I bet Chicago wins the 8 seed and Boston gets to sweep the Bulls and Cavs in the first two rounds.

it seems at least one of the teams from the 7th or 8th seed have come in to the playoffs hot since the play-in games started…

Yeah Chicago ain’t beating Miami or Philly. Hell with the way the Hawks have dominated the play in tourney past couple of seasons I don’t think Chicago beats Atlanta on Wed.

It’s kinda funny that we might have 2 consecutive draft picks…

Double incineration?

gleyber = RJ at this point?

Yeah, I think the Yankees Brass has soured on him. If he isn’t moved by the deadline he will walk in Free Agency and the Yankees need all the money they save to sign Soto.

Gleyber’s had a bunch of good seasons, but he’s pretty inconsistent and 2nd basemen weirdly don’t age well, can’t imagine the Yankees want to give him a lot of money

Can Philly and Miami somehow both lose on Wednesday???

Does injuring each other count?

Does injuring each other count?

I can’t actively wish for injures, but getting in a fight and everyone getting suspended for 10 games? Yeah, that sounds like it

What I appreciate about the Bulls today is they respected the game of basketball and gave a full effort today. Their play-in spot was secured before the game and we wouldn’t have blamed them if they sat their starters. But they respected the game.

I cannot say the same about the Mavs. First tanking last season and not fighting to get into the play-in and wasting a year of Doncic. Now getting blown out by 50 to the thunder while resting everyone.

I guess in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t mean much but just pointing out the difference in attitude

“What I appreciate about the Bulls today is they respected the game of basketball and gave a full effort today. Their play-in spot was secured before the game and we wouldn’t have played them if they sat their starters. But they respected the game.”

I think they saw it as an opportunity to prepare for intensity of the play-in games.

Read a couple of guys who follow the Cavs that were ripping them pretty badly for not trying to win today.

Tiger winning the Masters 5 years ago was pure joy. Tiger fans should remember that one.

One of the most important subplots of the season for me has been making sure Denver gets to the finals so the Celtics don’t win.

They ended up with a pretty unfavorable draw. They’ll probably get LeBron and Davis in round 1, then either Durant or the T’Wolves in round 2.

The 1 seed has a much better path.

I would bet they only use one of those picks

I bet you’ll hear a lot from me if they do 🙂

Denver only has themselves to blame for losing at San Antonio on Friday which cost them the 1st seed.

They ended up with a pretty unfavorable draw. They’ll probably get LeBron and Davis in round 1, then either Durant or the T’Wolves in round 2.

They swept LA last year, so I’m not too worried about them

I have a strong feeling the Lakers will tank that game and set up a second game at home to play OKC. It would be risky, but OKC is a much better matchup for the Lakers.

AD got hurt today, if he misses the game on Tuesday Lakers could lose and Pelicans would finish 7th. Hell Lakers would probably be better off doing so, I assume they’d prefer OKC to Denver in the 1st rd.

The way Mitch has been playing, it’s not like we lose a ton by giving those minutes to Precious.

Speaking of minutes! 😉

I just can’t understand why Donte has to play 53 minutes when Deuce is right there.

Just got out of family stuff. OT?! Knicks win?! 50?! Yes. Looking forward to tomorrow’s thread!!

At this time of year if all 5 starters play every single minute I don’t give a shit as long as they win.

The Lakers may lose but they are not going to tank. Not with the Golden State Warriors on deck for the next play in.

when Deuce is right there.

On the broadcast Breen was speculating deuce is still sick

At this time of year if all 5 starters play every single minute I don’t give a shit as long as they win.

Come on, Al. There is no time of year where you feel differently!

Good news is today’s the last day of work for the minutes police. Our season’s over.

Short rotations in the regular season are a ticketable offense but now’s the time where it’s ok to play your starters like it’s game 7 the second night of a back-to-back against the Wizards in January.

I haven’t paid any attention to baseball after the Mets’ horrific 0-5 start to the season, but lo and behold they are now at 7-8 and our main rival’s ace is done for the year.

I was a docs jersey retirement game. Mets won. Great day for doc. So happy for him, My entire section was keeping tabs on the Knicks. So proud of them to get 50 wins and the second seed. Bring on the sixers or the heat!

Just on a pure matchup standpoint I really dunno who I prefer between Philly and Miami. It should be Miami cause their profile is identical to Orlando, Top 5 defense with a bottom 10 offense. Philly is just outside Top 10 in both offense and defense.

Yeah, it’s kinda pick’em for me. I am glad that the prospect of losing to Indiana or Orlando in the first round is no longer a thing. Obviously we are going to have our hands full with either Miami or Philly but I like our chances. OG and DDV make such a difference in my level of confidence. And if it turns out that we get exposed for not having enough to get out of the first round, I trust that the FO will try to make something happen and at the very least we’ll be getting Randle back.

I’ll go with wanting Philly for the Embiid not 100% factor and the obvious don’t want any part of Miami come playoff time. Plus I don’t see how Philly can stop Brunson. But either matchup I’ll be thrilled to just somehow win even if it takes 7 games.

BBA, I kinda lean Philly as well, but Miami is not the same team they were last year, and neither are we. OG vs. Jimmy gives me a lot more confidence than I had pre-trade. So does not having to worry about which RJ or Julius would show up.

This is funny:

@TheCohencidence
The Knicks and the Mavs have both finished with 50 wins, which means there will be a random drawing to see if the Knicks get the 24th pick and the 25th pick in the draft… or the 24th pick and the 25th pick in the draft

This is funny:

@TheCohencidence
The Knicks and the Mavs have both finished with 50 wins, which means there will be a random drawing to see if the Knicks get the 24th pick and the 25th pick in the draft… or the 24th pick and the 25th pick in the draft

Best thing to happen since OKC drafted Jalen & Jaylin Williams

Somehow without Kodai Senga, and already using their #7 starter before April is half over, and facing good hitting opponents, the Mets are 2nd in the NL in ERA, and 2nd in bullpen ERA. I didn’t get to watch the game today but from all accounts Jose Butto was mixing in his change up and cutter beautifully with his fastball, and looks like a guy who could give the Mets some very useful innings.

If Senga comes back in June as expected, and top pitching prospect Christian Scott makes his way to Flushing (he’s pitching very well at AAA) the Mets might have a really deep pitching staff very soon.

They looked like a terrible team the first week of the season and I had left them for dead, but the surprisingly good pitching has been very encouraging.

Mets fans encouraged by their 7-8 start, Yankee fans pissed off they blew the game today in extra innings to fall to 12-4…

Mets fans encouraged by their 7-8 start, Yankee fans pissed off they blew the game today in extra innings to fall to 12-4…

Verdugo’s double play in extras killed us, he’s clearly a Sox’s mole… 😉

Verdugo’s double play in extras killed us, he’s clearly a Sox’s mole… 😉

He didn’t hustle out of the batter’s box when he hit that ball to first base. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a 3-2-3 double play against any batter who could run even a little bit when the catcher had to make the tag at the plate. I hope his teammates ripped him a new asshole over that.

Count me in as the only person that prefers Miami. Spoelstra and Buckets can’t keep dragging these 2nd rate teams deep in the playoffs. There’s a world where Philly is actually a more talented better team than us. Miami is not. We should beat them in 5 or 6.

Very Proud of this team.
My working schedule has destroyed my fan routine but this season is truly Sport Nirvana!

I don’t think this Miami team is as good as last year’s version. I’d rather play them unless Embiid is hurt.

Miami and Philadelphia are definitely very good teams and would not fall down as sandcastles unless their stars get injured.
The sad news for them is that the Knicks are Finally A Pretty Good Team also and not an overachieving miracle made by a bball freak coach.
There’s going to be WAR during these playoffs.
And We’re Ready TOO this time.

We will sweep the Sixers.

Unless game 1 is a matinee at the Garden. Then we’ll win in 5.

Turned on WFAN “Why didn’t the Knicks scoreboard watch and tank for the Pacers”

Rationally I’d pick Miami too, mostly because I don’t think they are a good team per se, they’re just a tough team that finds ways to win. We can play that game too. The Sixers beating them would also probably mean that Embiid is healthy and ready to go, which is scarier than anything Miami can throw at us (outside of Adebayo throwing himself on Jalen’s knees “accidentally” or something like that).

Fucking Vegas gives the Knicks the fifth best title chances in the East!!! Fifth!!!

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Fucking Vegas gives the Knicks the fifth best title chances in the East!!! Fifth!!!

Hate to upset the purist here but today feels like the season’s peak. We should have sat players down and hosted Indiana.

Predict that we get bounced in the first round now. This team is basically comprised of Brunson and a bunch of limited role players with zero depth. We’ll get exposed in the first round by either Nurse or Spo.

Thibs weakness and strength is his ideology. Should have made a decision will his head today and not with his heart.

The choices were simple: 49 games and go on the road in second round against Milwakee or 50 wins and get bumped in the first round?

At the end of the day, it’s time to throw out regular season records and look at the teams as they are currently configured and coached. I think logical cases can be made in either direction for either team. In other words, I don’t see a single advantage or disadvantage that points to a clear winner, EXCEPT Embiid’s knee health.

With a pre-surgical Embiid, the Sixers were on their way to a 60-ish win season and they’ve improved their rotation. However, the fact that Embiid clearly limped off the court in game 81 and sat today suggests that he is not at 100%, and might not be anything close to it. I think our swarming defense can exploit that potential weakness, and we can make him work on defense and on the boards and wear him out, both in a given game and over the course of a series.

But I’m only feeling guarded optimism. In a 7-game series, even with a compromised Embiid, the Sixers seem like a low-floor/high ceiling team. They have a bunch of streaky guys who can get hot. Maxey is maybe the fastest player in the league, and Kyle Lowry always seems to mess with us. And Nurse is essentially Thibs in different body.

As to the Heat, I greatly fear Spo’s ability to create unexpected advantage/disadvantage situations. It’s just so unpredictable. Who knows how Jovic, Highsmith and Jaquez Jr will play? Who knows whether Caleb Martin will go off like he did in the playoffs last year? Who knows which Kevin Love, Terry Rozier and Duncan Robinson will show up?

But having OG to guard Jimmy and/or Bam and to spot up for corner 3’s might be the difference. I think we have to beat the Heat from the paint out. If OG and iHart can control the paint on D, we can stay home on shooters. If Brunson can control the paint on O, that opens up things for DDV, OG, and Bojan.

But they have a lot of shooters. A lot of shooters. A lot of shooters. Scary.

Good news is today’s the last day of work for the minutes police.

Your work is never done, Hubert. Soon your boy will be in AYSO and you’ll have to yell at the coach to play him less.

I can’t think of a team that tanked the end of the season and then went to the Finals, never mind won it all. Do people think Spo would have tanked? No fucking way. Winners win.

Sure, Sixers with Embiid or Heat are together than Orlando, but screw that. If you play to win every game, when you get punched in the mouth you don’t tap out, you keep fighting. It sounds like coaching bs, but history seems to bear out that it’s the right way to play.

“The choices were simple: 49 games and go on the road in second round against Milwakee or 50 wins and get bumped in the first round?”

First, I think Indiana might have presented one of those “be careful what you wish for” situations. Second, why would you assume that the Bucks without a healthy Giannis would beat the Heat or Philly?

I will definitely feel significantly worse if we lose to Miami or Philly in the first round, but nothing is going to make this season feel like a real success unless we get to the conference finals. In other words, if those teams are so big and bad that we were going to lose to them in the second round anyway, does it really make that much difference in terms of where this team is at if we lose to them in the first?

If you can’t beat Philly or Miami, what’s the point? I guess I don’t see what would be so great about beating a fugazy contender like Orlando or Indiana in the first round. You don’t get a banner for that.

If we lose to Philly or Miami, so be it. Sooner or later you gotta play somebody good.

“…nothing is going to make this season feel like a real success unless we get to the conference finals.”

Nope. This season has been a real success, full stop, against all odds, against major injuries to key players, against major changes in our team personnel. Playoffs are dessert. Let’s hope for a big-ass helping of cherry pie with ice cream and hot chocolate poured on top, but whatever happens going forward happens. More unexpected presents under the tree already this year than when I was five.

Raven, sure, but I never recall ever feeling good about a first round loss, ever. This would be especially true with a 50-win team. So yeah, thanks Knicks for giving us a gift of a regular season. But if you lose in the first round, I’m not going to call it a real success overall. In fact, I would call it a setback. I’m guessing that every player on the roster, the coach, and the FO feel the same way.

This team is basically comprised of Brunson and a bunch of limited role players with zero depth.

Many fail to realize this. Randle has been trash in the playoffs, but he is the only other star on the team and he isn’t available.

This is not a championship contender. It clearly over achieved due to JB’s historical season and Thibsian culture.

So, the goal should have been to gain as much playoff experience as possible…learn about our own individual players and coaching capablities, – when it matters most.

Winning a meaningless game 82 will age to be very Knicksian type thing to do. Certainly, I hope I’m wrong.

If we can’t beat Philadelphia or Miami in the first round, it is what it is. We would have to go through these teams anyway if we want to make the ECF.

This team has gotten to where they are right now because they don’t quit games or choose opponents, so I’d rather they go out swinging in the same manner than doing what Cleveland or Milwaukee did and then losing anyway.

In the game threads you have people wondering how the team is in a close game vs ________ [whatever blah team] and it might just be because the current roster isn’t that great. If you dump Brunson off does this team get 25 wins?

Also it’s well known Thibs overplays his players during the season to get wins and dare I say the hustle bunny tactics don’t work as well come playoff time because it’s about top end talent…

I’m with Raven (I hope he doesn’t mind). This season is a success as of today — full stop. All the injuries and a first round exit will not diminish my excitement for next year. Coach and front office made adjustments on the fly. The team got better. And, who knows about these playoffs.

Either way OG is Clarence Clemons and …

“When the change was made uptown and the Big Man joined the band
From the coastline to the city, all the little pretties raise their hands
I’m gonna sit back right easy and laugh
When Scooter and the Big Man bust this city in half … ”

😉

I will consider this season a success no matter what happens in the first round. We are missing a key piece to the team. It’s unfortunate, but part of the game is being healthy at the right time. We aren’t 100%.

I-Hart and Deuce improved, we added OG, DDV broke out to a new high and Brunson showed he could up his usage and still perform well. That’s a lot of progress.

The OG trade left a hole at backup PG that needs to be filled and hopefully Randle will recover quickly and be close to 100% at the start of the season. If we can make one other meaningful move or get lucky in the draft, we should be set for a huge year next year.

I am disappointed in the outcome of the game today. With 5 minutes left in our game all the other results were decided and it was clear what winning and losing would mean and instead of pulling the starters and resting them we pushed them, some for over 50 minutes, all to squeak out a win that hurt us in pretty much every way. Not only did we secure one of the best teams in the NBA as our first round opponent we also dropped our draft pick up to 4 spots.

We have set ourselves up to have to go through the three best teams in the Eastern conference. Instead of having a cake 1st round series and probably winning in four or five games we face maybe the 3rd or 4th best team in the NBA. Instead of being well rested going into the 2nd round and facing a team that just had a brutal 1st round series we will be the ones coming off a brutal series facing a well rested Bucks team. And that is if we even get that far.

I understand why we have the 5th best odds to make it to the finals out of the east. If healthy the Celtics and Sixers are both better and while I think we are at least as good, if not better, than the Bucks and Cavs we have a much harder path than them so being less favored makes sense.

We still have a shot because we are very good but we have made it as hard as it could possibly be. And it was easily avoidable. If we had pulled the starters and still won that’d be fine but to grind all the way to the end of a game that we should want to lose makes no sense.

I can understand the arguments for not trying so hard in this game, but watching the actual game I couldn’t help rooting for the win. And I don’t think we’re doomed in the playoffs because of it. We were two and one against Miami this season with every team winning its home games and we were three and one against Philadelphia, losing one game on our home floor when we couldn’t hit a three. If we play well we can win against either of them.

(I hope this opinion doesn’t jinx us)

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