Comments on: 2024-25 Game Thread: Knicks @ Lakers – Forever Young

By: ess-dog

ess-dog — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 06:44:17 +0000

That one hurts, but the Lakers have an 8-game win streak going. We have stuff to fix, but we did a lot of good things too.

By: Rough

Rough — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 06:39:57 +0000

Thibs’s match-up coaching was stellar tonight. I am saying this for those who understand basketball. I wish he’d had given a few more minutes to the Deuce and Shamet for the energy they bring, but defense was overall fine tonight, so I can”t complain much. Hart was late on close-outs down the stretch — this must be noted, and it cost us.

By: Stratomatic

Stratomatic — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 06:35:36 +0000

I’m still not sure what I would do in the off-season, but imo there has to be a change from what we are doing now if we want to contend.

Rebounding is still an issue. I don’t care what the data says. We don’t get KEY rebounds. We need a starting PF. Then we can slide OG back to SF, Bridges to SG, send Hart to the bench and decide if Towns and Mitch can work.

My guess is that it will work better overall (better defense and rebounding but worse offense with a small net plus), but even if it works we still have to worry about how many minutes Mitch can play and whether he can stay healthy. That’s not ideal.

Leon better have his thinking cap on because even the Nova boys have to be on the table.

We are not far away and have the assets to get where we have to get, but finding the right players (and coach) is a problem.

By: JK47

JK47 — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 06:16:09 +0000

Mikal is like Roberto Alomar or Jason Bay or Robinson Cano or some other veteran player who was perfectly fine until he came to the Mets. He’s just not working out here. He’s the one core player here who seems extremely replaceable.

By: Rough

Rough — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 06:15:09 +0000

Don’t forget we were playing against the hottest team in the league, on their home floor, against two superstars who get all the calls. The whistle was not 50-50 tonight.

By: JK47

JK47 — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 06:13:12 +0000

The rest of the team just vanishes in high leverage possessions. Hard to see how that’s going to work well in the playoffs, even if Brunson does get back to full health, which seems very questionable at the moment.

By: Z-man

Z-man — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 06:10:48 +0000

Well one microscopically thin silver lining is that we’ll get a better handle on the rest of the team.

By: Rough

Rough — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 06:08:13 +0000

Our defense was fine tonight. Except the first five minutes. Probably one of our best defensive performances of the season. No team can avoid giving open shots in 48 minutes, but overall we contested their shots well. The problem was our offense in the fourth and overtime, otherwise we would, and should, have won. KAT was a non factor on offense, unfortunately.

Also: our 3pt shooting is not as good as we think. We missed many open uncontested shots. Not the same with the Lakers. Gabe Vincent killed us.

By: Stratomatic

Stratomatic — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 06:07:39 +0000

The Knicks should have won this game by 10 or more points.

This was a night where the defensive effort was finally there, but there were way too many really dumb TOs, there was no semblance of an offense other than Brunson dribbling around and we just played generally low IQ non clutch basketball. When they were up by 10 in the 2nd half it felt like we were going to lose because of the way they were playing.

I love Josh Hart most of the time, but he’s a dumbass too often and his fear of taking a shot is too damaging.

Mikal wants no part of being a closer.

I don’t know whether to blame KAT or the offense, but he can’t disappear. Run a damn play for the guy. He’s not an ISO player.

I’m so done with Thibs. There are just way too many negatives. We are not going to win with Thibs even assuming he doesn’t break everyone down eventually.

By: Z-man

Z-man — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 06:05:42 +0000

Something is up with Mikal, he didn’t even look for a shot.