[New York Post] – Mon, 26 Aug 2024 03:28:00 GMT
- Knicks being picked to finish second in East comes with unfamiliar expectations
- Knicks Media Roundup: Top Eastern contenders, Nova Knicks, Big Tickets Take
- Knicks Most Improved Team in NBA?
- Knicks vs Celtics 2024-25: Battle for NYs Basketball Supremacy
- ESPN Forecast: Knicks Destined For Finals?
[Boston.com] – Sun, 25 Aug 2024 14:24:00 GMT
- Kevin Garnett shares his Eastern Conference power rankings
- Celtics Legend Reminds Knicks of Biggest Obstacle
- Kevin Garnett shares why Jrue Holiday-Derrick White combo makes the Celtics almost unbeatable: “They set the precedent in the East”
- Kevin Garnett Declares Celtics Superior to Knicks Amid Offseason Changes
- Kevin Garnett Details What Distinguishes the Celtics: ‘They Set the Precedent’
[Sports Illustrated] – Sun, 25 Aug 2024 18:18:40 GMT
Kevin Durant’s Knicks Saga Takes Another Turn
[Sports Illustrated] – Sun, 25 Aug 2024 17:00:00 GMT
Tom Brady Makes Bold Prediction for Knicks
[Raptors Rapture] – Sun, 25 Aug 2024 12:00:03 GMT
Grade the Trade: Raptors join 3-team Julius Randle deal in perplexing new proposal
[Empire Sports Media] – Sun, 25 Aug 2024 18:11:19 GMT
Knicks land Lakers superstar center in blockbuster 3-way mock trade
[GIVEMESPORT] – Sun, 25 Aug 2024 23:45:00 GMT
5 Best Rosters Heading Into 2024-25 NBA Season
38 replies on “Knicks Morning News (2024.08.26)”
Sorry to hear you’ve got all that going on Strat, wishing you and your family the best
Been away from the internet the last 2 days, so to catch up:
1) I hope you have a speedy recovery, Strat, and that your family can avoid getting covid! š
2) Congrats, JK, on your almost there theme song for China Beach. ššš Am i confusing shows or did China Beach had “Paint it black” as the theme song here in Europe? Can a fellow european help me on this? Probably it’s from another show, because my memory is starting to not be as good as it was (maybe i should defragment my brain-hard-drive! LOL).
3) Assuming #2 goes as planned, and also assuming you’re going to be the first* millionaire from KB, i’m counting that you will promote a “Knicks in the finals KB rendez-vous” with all travel costs included. š¤
*Granted, i don’t know if there’s already millionaires among us. All of you who are millionaires, please raise your hand! š š
4) And last but not least, thanks for your reply about Greece, Owen. It’s funny, maybe it’s a mediterranean thing, but in Spain (even more) and in Portugal we’re also like that. š š
Cyber, you’re thinking of the other late 80s Vietnam War TV drama: Tour of Duty, which did indeed use “Paint It Black” as its theme. China Beach always used “Reflections.” To make matters more confusing, China Beach starred Dana Delany, while Kim Delaney was in the Tour of Duty cast.
Normally I like to include a nice quote when I recommend articles, but today’s Katz piece in The Athletic about the Knicks covers so much ground (although asking more questions than it answers) that I was unable/unwilling to pull just one quote out. Anyway, if you haven’t already, it’s worth a read. Basically covers all the (basketball-related) topics we tend to toss around here.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5719860/2024/08/26/knicks-storylines-julius-randle-jalen-brunson/
I vaguely remember being more of a Tour of Duty guy than a China Beach guy and it was probably because I was a kid and I really liked paint it black, I don’t remember much else about the show.
I think I’ve seen one episode of Tour of Duty. But China Beach is a deeply underrated classic.
The coaching staff/players didn’t get enough credit for massively remaking the offense on the fly last year
Things I continue to be very concerned about:
-Not adequately addressing the loss of iHart
-Mitch’s ankle/foot health
Things I am somewhat concerned about:
-Julius Randle’s shoulder
-Lack of real depth at PF and C
-Thibs rigidity and minutes management
Things I am cautiously optimistic about:
-Increased use and effectiveness of small lineup
-Deuce’s development into a stud off the bench
-Kolek’s development into a playable rotation fallback
-Progress from Precious and Sims into actual rotation-level backups
-Acquisition of a difference-making big sometime before the deadline or via the buyout market
-OG’s health (hamstring and elbow should be fully healed)
Icing on the cake:
-Promising cameos from Huk, Dadiet, and McCullar
“Things I continue to be very concerned about…”
Good structure on the post as it forces disciplined thinking. Tried to get my “very, somewhat, cautiously, icing” down and couldn’t do it. And I think the reason is logically I don’t think next year is our year, but I want it to be. Heart and mind.
“Good structure on the post as it forces disciplined thinking. Tried to get my āvery, somewhat, cautiously, icingā down and couldnāt do it. And I think the reason is logically I donāt think next year is our year, but I want it to be. Heart and mind.”
Thanks BE, that sort of encapsulates my mindset right now. To be perfectly honest, I currently have more trouble seeing a reasonably clear path to the finals than another second round exit. I sort of see our path next year as similar to Dallas 2023-24 or Miami 2022-23, meaning quite feasible with some luck but unlikely on paper as things stand. And unlike in past years, we don’t have a trove of assets to make a surprise big splash.
And this is the kind of situation that separates good executives from great ones. How do we acquire that key piece that significantly improves our chances with the assets that we have?
And I maintain that the commitment to Club Nova complicates things. I think that our most valuable trade asset right now that is somewhat expendable is DDV. He’s on a great contract and might be very attractive to a team who is underachieving and flirting with the second apron, or a tanking team looking to pick up a couple of seconds or protected firsts to unload a quality big. But Leon almost certainly wouldn’t entertain a trade like that, whereas someone like Morey, or Riley, or Ainge, or Presti, or Ujiri probably wouldn’t hesitate.
Maybe it’s Randle that needs to go out and you take your chances with shot creation. Or maybe you take a risk on a recovering oft-injured player like Timelord, or a enigmatic malcontent like Ayton. Or maybe you sacrifice Deuce, Precious and picks to bring JV on board. There will be a move out there at some point and Leon might just have to pounce while he can if he wants to be truly in the championship hunt this year.
Get well soon Strat, and keep your balance. Chicken soup, chicken soup, chicken soup.
If there were a World Chicken Soup Cook-Off, my wife would be a prohibitive favorite. I’ve never had better anywhere ever and am fairly certain that I never will.
I’d add:
Things I am cautiously optimistic about:
Julius fitting in seamlessly once he’s up to speed.
Things I am strongly optimistic about:
Jalen coming back strong.
Mikal fitting in seamlessly.
Our bench crushing other benches.
Managing Expectations Department:
Julius and Mitch (and maybe OG) will need a few weeks, even a month, to knock off the rust and round into shape (based on Julius of two years ago and Mitch last season).
wishing you well strat…in order to help others you have to keep yourself strong…
“Managing Expectations Department:
Julius and Mitch (and maybe OG) will need a few weeks, even a month, to knock off the rust and round into shape (based on Julius of two years ago and Mitch last season).”
In a way, I kind of like the idea of this, so long as it isn’t an invitation for Thibs to play JB, Mikal, DDV and Hart 40+ minutes a game. It should include ample opportunity for guys like KBD, Payne, Kolek, Huk, Dadiet, McCullar, and even Toppin to get some run. You never know when they might be pressed into duty later on.
still at the san bernardino courthouse…they have some nice windows outside the courts, overlooking the city to the west, north, east…
despite being a major transportation and warehousing hub – a depressed city…
good to see they’re leveling many of the surrounding buildings, city definitely could use some renovation…
Z-man – I think the lay of the land with this team is that weāre gonna need the Knicks to get that improbably lucky moment or two to get through a couple of teams that are better to get to the finals. For the duration of our best player being built and not grown. We just donāt have the player that fundamentally advantages us on both sides of the ball against anyone the way Embiid or Giannis do. We never will with this core.
– the measure of a cook – (for me at least) their roast chicken and what they do with the carcass after.
Sending good vibes your way, Strat. Hope you’re on Paxlovid, though it leaves a horrible taste in your mouth. Sour Patch Gummies were the only thing that got rid of it for me. #ProTip
Do check in with us and let us know how you’re doing.
Strat, missed the sad news yesterday, had to go back to find out. Feel better, and good luck with all the other ‘stuff’ too. Thoughts with you on both.
Clarence, ” the way Embiid or Giannis do” has only resulted in one championship between them over the years. Not really disagreeing with you, but it’s not the only way, and they can even complicate or hamper team-building in a way that limits upside.
Raven, youāre right. Iām am wholly at peace with the team deciding to go all in without one of those guys. Mostly because theyāre impossible to acquire when theyāre them. Iād be willing to bet that Embiid never wins one. Heās got everything going for him but the character does not appeal. Itās just a lot easier to build on paper with one of those guys. The shit thats going on in Mordor, excuse me, OKC may make retiring for a few years to Mexico and discovering what Mezcal can do to the soul a better bet for glory.
Carlitos*
It’s pretty great to see all the top players looking healthy going into this event. A bit of a bummer that Sinner-Alcaraz is shaping up to be another SF (and considering how effective Sinner’s massage therapy has been this year, Sinner is a strong favorite to win it all) but we need all the Sinner-Djokovic/Alcaraz-Djokovic matches we can get before Djokovic fades. This is the first season since 2017 that Djokovic hasn’t won a big title (Slam/M1000; Olympics don’t count), plus the knee injury, so it’s looking like the 2023 Nadal sunset season all over again.
Nightmare scenario is something like a Hurkacz/Shelton final, where neither man gets a return in play for an entire set. 7-6, 6-7, 7-6, 6-7, 7-6, and we’re all napping by the end of the 2nd set.
Or maybe it’ll be weird like Popyrin/De Minaur, where the former is blasting forehands all over the court and the latter is retrieving everything by sliding through multiple pairs of shoes in one match.
good news, I got somewhere to be for a while…plus I can get back and forth without getting on any freeways…woo hoo…
I’m a bit heart broken over the process…I don’t know – maybe 60 or so potential jurors, all answer the same set of questions…judge, defense attorney, prosecutor asked these deep, personal and interesting questions of petty much everyone…
so much sharing…I so too wanted to share my stories, my many many stories…
judge barely breathed at me, defense attorney didn’t even acknowledge me…prosecutor asked about my education, work, and then thanked me for my service…
very very unfullfilling…after a day and a half of listening to folks tell their stories, I thought I might get a chance…nope…
next…i am a number…
The East is going to be very competitive this year. Beyond the Knicks:
Boston is Boston
Philly is formidable, if injury-prone
Indy got to the conference finals as is and might get better
Cleveland is no joke
Orlando is getting better
Milwaukee is coming off a shitty year but might rebound
Miami always is a danger to surprise
Toronto’s young players could improve and they’re pretty deep
Atlanta isn’t terrible
These seem like the 10 playoff/play-in teams. All of these teams can match up well with any team that is not at full strength, including the Knicks. If Mitch is compromised, we are going to be hard-pressed to win 50 games, or even 47.
Are you not confident that Leon will plug the cardio rim running center hole if Mitch is compromised? – It’s literaly the easiest mid-season plug/fix in NBA management. Low hanging fruit. I have zero concerns on this.
“Are you not confident that Leon will plug the cardio rim running center hole if Mitch is compromised? ā Itās literaly the easiest mid-season plug/fix in NBA management. Low hanging fruit. I have zero concerns on this.”
I’d love to believe you/agree with you, but what the heck is he waiting for, then?
I’m less worried about the regular season win total and more focused on if this team can be ready to go for the playoffs.
Unfortunately, we ran into an Indy team that was legit 11-deep come the playoffs, but hopefully Leon learned from that and added enough extra firepower this year. The question is: Will Thibs get all these guys enough minutes so that 1. our starters can stay healthy and more importantly 2. so that our supporting cast is ready in case we find ourselves in a dogfight like in the Indy series.
With our starters plus DDV, Hart, Precious, and Deuce, that’s 9 guys who can definitively play playoff-level basketball. You can probably add Payne to that list, too. Hopefully, Sims and/or Kolek will step up and take the 10th and 11th spots, but it could just as easily be Payne and Okeke (or even someone who isn’t on the team yet).
Losing iHart hurts, but we started last year with Grimes, Fournier, and RJ stinking up the joint. If we can stay healthy, there shouldn’t be any negative surprises from our top 9, which is a great place to be at.
Simple. Mitch is not compromised…there is no whole to plug at this time.
Tour of Duty, that’s it! Thanks, Alan! š
I think i liked both shows. Well we didn’t have much to choose from, here at the time, with only two channels. LOL
And it is deserved, Paint it Black is one of the best songs ever*. š
*no need to start a music war, i have something like 1000 songs on my Best Song Ever category. š
On a 2nd thought if this starts a music war, the thread will be super interesting, so it won’t be me stopping it. š¤
Morons, they don’t know what they’re missing!
Hang in there Strat, the fam is lucky to have you.
I’m glad Katz took some time to debunk the “better without Randle” nonsense. Even during the stretches our offense statistically held, it was obvious to anyone watching that Brunson carrying such a ridiculous load was unsustainable in many ways, not the least of which was his own damn health.
I don’t think our center issues will cause major regular season issues, and that’s even if Mitch misses time. You can white knuckle your way through the regular season with Precious, Sims, and whoever else. So I feel pretty good about our chances to win 50+.
The playoffs are of course a different animal, and I remain hopeful we add to the center rotation before them.
“Itās literaly the easiest mid-season plug/fix in NBA management.”
There are those that espouse this, and then there are the large number of people who engaged in multiple-months-long arguments about possible centers from across the league that could plug that particular hole, which left pretty much everyone in the discussion saying, “Well let’s see what happens with Precious.”
This Knicks team is the biggest lock to win 50+ games since the 1996-97 Knicks. This team is really fucking good and even coming up with a bunch of worst case scenarios they’re still gonna win 50 games.
“Simple. Mitch is not compromisedā¦there is no whole to plug at this time.”
I definitely agree with that! š I guess it’s just that I, like many others, am kind of unfortunately assuming that Mitch going down is an “if,” not a “when” (as much as I wish that weren’t the case). That being the case, I’d rather already have someone in house who can take his role (which likely includes being a starter), rather than having to scramble around for someone mediocre and/or rush into a trade to get someone who fits the bill but execute a trade from a position of weakness, rather than our current position of (relative) strength.
We’ll win 50 with or without Mitch. This team is GOOD. But we’re another second-round exit if he isn’t healthy…or if we don’t make a trade for some depth at some point. I agree that DDV is the obvious candidate to go, if there’s a shot at a difference-maker 5. Fairly redundant with the superior Bridges. That’s pretty unlikely, though; I doubt the Nova Corps will be broken up. But clearly that’s the move – most value at his salary, most depth at his position.
My feeling is that without a legit starting C, in our case, without both iHart and Mitch, we’re not a 50 win team. I think the idea that you can replace both Mitch and iHart with the likes of Precious and Sims and not have it cost a substantial number of wins is preposterous.
Not a single team that made the playoffs last year didn’t have a starting caliber C. There is a lot of parity league-wide and many games are going to be won or lost at the margins. Precious and Sims are barely rotation-level players. Hell, they would not be in the rotation of most good teams. Unless those two magically develop (which is possible but I wouldn’t bet on it) or Leon makes an unanticipated move, losing Mitch will cost us several wins.
I tend to agree, but I’m very unhappy about it.
https://x.com/NBA_NewYork/status/1828236108884279397
That’s awesome about Kolek. Just wish that he were about 8 inches taller.