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2024-25 Game Thread: Knicks vs. Timberwolves – At Least We’ll Always Have the KAT Trade

The Knicks host the Minnesota Timberwolves, who went to the Western Conference Finals last year, and are now a total mess after they dealt KAT to the Knicks. The Knicks have to feel better about themselves compared to the T-Wolves, at least.

Let’s go, Knicks!

199 replies on “2024-25 Game Thread: Knicks vs. Timberwolves – At Least We’ll Always Have the KAT Trade”

Keeping KAT out could cost us tonight’s game but it’s absolutely the right thing to do long term…

LET’S GO KNICKS! 🏀💙🧡💙🏀

Not having KAT against this particular matchup might be a huge problem. Gobert gonna be able to roam freely, if Knicks aren’t hitting 3s tonight gonna be tough to win.

Wolves only shooting 44.4 right now, and the same from three.

The latter of which isn’t bad, but we’re at 50%.

Not before intros Max, dunno if they’ll have one later during the game. Didn’t they have one during the preseason game though?

This game is as ugly as I feared it would be when it was announced KAT was out tonight.

The official scorekeepers are screwing up some of the stats. Ridiculous. Clowns

Timberwolves made some very difficult lucky 3s otherwise this would be closer.

The official scorekeepers are screwing up some of the stats. Ridiculous

What do you mean?

Apparently all opposing teams get lucky at MSG cause they all fucking make a ton of 3s.

Apparently all opposing teams get lucky at MSG cause they all fucking make a ton of 3s.

LOL

I think the Knicks need to do something different with pick and rolls. We are allowing guys into the lane like crazy. Not just Brunson. Really anyone that is getting picked.

Also it is like we are playing 4 on 5 out here with the centers struggling.

Hart gets obviously hit in the face and no call.

Seriously what the fuck is going on with these refs? Every game this happens

Looked like Hart got about four injuries on that play. Hammie, knocked in the naughty bits, face slap, and maybe his hand (he just dropped the ball out of bounds like it burned him).

Precious is getting really good defensively.

Please learn to shoot the 3!!!

Trying to throw a lob to a guy defended by Sims was hilarious. Sims has flaws but he can jump really high.

Terrible call on Hart, especially after being bludgeoned on that earlier play…

OMG, Hart got fouled and they called it.

Thibs should challenge it.

Just play OG at center if they are not playing Gobert. Having our bad centers on the floor is not very useful.

Another night of the other team just getting anywhere they want to go on the offensive end. Fix this, Thibs.

Does anyone ever have a normal night from 3 against us?

OG making the only shot he can make anymore…

After that fumble I’m just glad he’s making those

Two things happening now at Knicks home games.

1- opponent hit all their 3 (even bad attempts)
2- refs making awful calls or missing them

Fun 1st half, hopefully the Knicks decide at halftime to play some defense in the 2nd half.

OG’s offense in that half made me throw up a little in my mouth, but on the flip side some guy named Randle is 0-2 so far…

Let’s face it, E overrated OG’s offense. 😜😜😜

Seriously, this is the kind of night we need more because Towns is out. Someone else has to score.

I rarely say that but defensive effort was mostly there despite some schematic breakdowns. We just need to make sure our closeouts are a few milliseconds quicker. Minnesota got into a crazy rhythm from three. Several were from way beyond the arc or step-back threes that are practically impossible to contest.

KAT must be good on defense. We gave up 63 points in a half without him 😄😄

I think Brunson may dribble too much at times. smh

I did not know you could catch your own shot and shoot it again.

And get the and 1.

If it was another shot to the nuts, not to worry, as Hart’s are made of brass.

We may need a backup C that can score a little. Mitch will still be helpful, but when Towns is out we need more from someone.

Thibs injury spiral just warming up

You blame that on Thibs? Kat’s finger, too? Jeez!

This doesn’t look like it’s gonna be the Knicks night.

win or lose, this will be a painful one to witness…

josh is back, yay…

KAT was so tired he couldn’t get his hand down below the backboard. Normally he can do that…

Why are we playing with both Sims and Precious at the same time.

Not ideal at all. We need a big that can score when Towns is hurt.

OG needs to play the 3. He isn’t as valuable at the 4. Less impact on defense and also doesn’t rebound much.

‘OG needs to play the 3. He isn’t as valuable at the 4. Less impact on defense and also doesn’t rebound much.’

Randle 0-4 so far this game.

Good point Raven. You are right. I guess I mean he would be more valuable at the 3? Maybe.

The number of good shots OG refuses to take is mind boggling, not even Josh in his good old days…

Brunson took the better than Melo comments as “more iso”

at least he puts the ball in the bucket though

Feels like OG has had just a horrible game but he’s 3-6 for 10 points, and has 7 rebounds…

Kinda amazing how our opponents’ 6-8 point leads are just brick walls that we can never overcome. We just coast right behind them all game while never posing an actual threat…

Until the Knicks start prioritizing defending the 3pt line over defending the paint at all costs their defense will continue to be mediocre at best.

Does MSG have a spotlight on the basket or something? How common is it for teams to shoot over 50% from 3?

Wow. A guy just hit a half court shot for a car.

When we lose this game we will gave a worse record at home than on the road. Why are we a perpetually terrible home team?

This “be the guy who torches the Knicks from three” gig is really annoying to watch…

whats the definition of insanity again? oh that’s right, it’s Thibs defensive schemes

Next Minny three I’m turning this off. We need a coach whose defense isn’t from 2008. Same shit every game

I think if I was his coach, I’d fade literally every challenge request Julius circled his finger about.

Naz is a big part of the reasons they could let KAT walk. Probably one of the reasons they’re happy to let Randle walk if it saves them some money.

Depressing zero-passes possession that ends with a Brunson missed shots.

P.S. another Ant’s three pointer, good nigh everyone 👋🏻

That was an ‘I give up” dribble around and shoot a terrible shot by Brunson.

He’s a phenomenal player, but come playoff time, Brunson has to lose that fourth quarter “pound nails for 12 seconds, then launch an 18-foot fadeaway” possession he’s a wee bit too fond of.

Another pathetic home loss incoming.

Thibs subsitution patterns were terrible all game. He has no feel when to pull players or change things up.

Make fucking adjustments

I’ll get interested in this team again when Thibs gets fired. He has run this group into the ground as is his wont and can’t scheme his way out of a paper bag defensively.

Predictable team, predictable coach, low ceiling. We have to pray for Mitchell Robinson’s broken ass to come back just so Thibs can coach the team the only way he knows how.

Summary: fire Thibs.

That was an ‘I give up” dribble around and shoot a terrible shot by Brunson.

Frustrating for me to watch, but without Towns he tries to do too much because he knows there’s not a lot of help.

Summary: fire Thibs.

I’m getting progressively pissed too but he just got extended. We are out of luck on that front.

Summary: fire Thibs.

This could be a Jackson-Kerr situation (or more recently a Bickerstaff-Atkinson situation).

Let him finish the season, then reassess the roster and change the coach.

It’ll take at least till halfway through next year for Thibs to get fired, and maybe longer

I’m getting progressively pissed too but he just got extended. We are out of luck on that front.

Well then it’s going to be quite a while before we are any good.

The rest of this season is going to be a slog. These guys look like they’re playing in quicksand and can’t get a stop to save their lives. This is only gonna get worse.

Pitiful rotation, wide open shooter, splash.

Let’s see if they get a stop the rest of the game. I doubt they will.

OG/Mikal/Josh Hart on the wings and they can’t (don’t) cover the perimeter for shit.

Summary: fire Thibs.

I’m getting progressively pissed too but he just got extended. We are out of luck on that front.

Thibs Delenda est

A lot of Minni’s shots were contested and they were still making them. You can’t avoid helping in the paint because Gobert is there. On the other end, we were missing a lot of shots from all areas, especially in the second half. That was the difference. I wish Bridges had a better shooting night, and I wish Achiuwa, who was good defensively, could also shoot just a bit. This team is thin, very thin.

There was a mismatch because Brunson can’t cover anyone… Not sure why there was a mismatch but the rotation still needs to be cleaner

Good news is Knicks have the rest of the weekend off so we get a mini break from watching them….

I’ll get interested in this team again when Thibs gets fired.

I wish you mean this. Really.

We look very slow and tired on both ends. Zero physicality, zero energy, hangdog body language. Team just looks exhausted.

Maybe they SHOULD practice more and learn new defensive schemes because it’s clear it ain’t working.

This team is so frustrating to watch because we are in a bad funk and the coach refuses to change anything

They just sat for 30secs on that challenge, they’re good for a double header

Terrible performance, but if KAT played and Ant-man didn’t, do we really think it would have been the same outcome?

Randle’s been awful for them tonight, too. Couldn’t imagine having to contemplate trading KAT for that.

The difference between the Knicks’ perimeter defense and the Wolves’ perimeter defense is stark. They have length and speed on the perimeter and our guys look like they’re about to keel over.

Some of these Knicks look like they need a stretcher or wheelchair they are so tired.

Knicks problem is they don’t rely on their perimeter players to actually play defense, they rely on helping and rotating way too fucking much. In today’s NBA that’s too difficult because of how much teams can space the court and shoot 3s.

This was not an embarrassing loss. Minni played very-very well. Give them credit. We tried with what we had.

Minnesota isn’t a good team, they’re currently a play-in team, 8th in the West (maybe tonight they climb to 7th).

Without KAT we’re probably a play-in team in the East.

“They can’t always shoot 50% from 3,” he said for the 7th time that season.

It’s now 16% of our games.

our lack of energy is killing us… hmm all 5 starters in top 10 minutes, surely zero correlation

I wonder if no longer having Johnnie Bryant on the staff as the top assistant coach is showing up right now.

Knicks problem is they don’t rely on their perimeter players to actually play defense, they rely on helping and rotating way too fucking much. In today’s NBA that’s too difficult because of how much teams can space the court and shoot 3s.

+1

The worst Minnesota player tonight was Julius Randle. He was clearly emotionally affected. This is understandable coming back to MSG for the first time after being a pillar of the Knikcs franchise turnaround for four years. Knicks fans should never forget his contributions.

OG: 5-10 for 16
Mikal: 6-17 for 15

There really is some law of nature that these two can never have a good game at the same time

Well, we DID keep them under 100 points.

And Naz Reid shot 6-6 from the fucking logo.

So, you know.

And Naz Reid shot 6-6 from the fucking logo.

Take five-six of their crazy shots out of the equation, make it 16-40(40%) instead of 22-40 (55%) from deep. This is still an excellent shooting percentage, but the Knicks can win the game.

The Knicks have been garbage defending the 3 point line all year long. Before this game they ranked 25th in opponent 3pt% despite playing a schedule softer than baby thighs.

We’re one of the worst teams in the league at defending the 3 pointer and it’s not like the coach is capable of making any kind of adjustment.

Knicks problem is they don’t rely on their perimeter players to actually play defense, they rely on helping and rotating way too fucking much. In today’s NBA that’s too difficult because of how much teams can space the court and shoot 3s.

I think we wind up helping so much because we have a couple of weak links on the court almost all the time. That requires help.
Then the other team finds the open player and we can’t recover from the help fast enough. They get an open 3 and that’s that.

Mitch is going help in the middle and on the boards when he’s back but I think we need a C that can score for when Towns is out. When Towns is out, there are too many lineups with two guys like Sims, Precious and Hart. OG and Mikal are good but not quite good enough to create in the absence of Towns with two non scorers on the court with them.

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