News & Blogs
Yes, Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson is leading the NBA in offensive rebounds yet again – New York Daily News
Mitchell Robinson shows importance to Knicks with game-wrecking performance against Timberwolves – SNY
Inside the Knicks’ best collective weapon: Offensive rebounding – The New York Times
Mitchell Robinson is back and better than ever – Posting & Toasting
OG Anunoby is making a loud statement early on – Posting & Toasting
How Knicks’ OG Anunoby’s hot start, new approach impacts winning – SNY
Knicks vs Nets Preview w/ Erik Slater of Locked on Nets | PREGAME POD – Knicks Film School
Is OG Anunoby About To Shock The NBA? | Knicks Fan TV Mailbag Q &A – Knicks Fan TV
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55 replies on “Knicks Morning News (2025.11.09)”
Things have been slow, and I’ve got 10 hours to kill before the Nets game. So let’s try out a Question of the Day:
What non-Knicks player or team has been the most pleasant surprise for you so far of the NBA season? And/or who’s been the most disappointing? Please show your work.
I should say “we’ve got 10 hours to kill.”
Also, Giddey and the Bulls are my answer for the former, just because they were such an obvious punching bag as a team stuck in no man’s land, and because everyone had so thoroughly mocked Chicago for not getting picks back in the Caruso trade.
Magic are my most disappointing team, because even with Bane, their offense is an abomination.
I was going to say Giddey too.
Or Wemby. He was good before but this is a real breakout. Although he’s come back to Earth a bit lately.
I’m too annoyed that the Spurs successfully tanked their way to another dynasty while simultaneously re-writing the CBA to add aprons that curtail large market spending to ever appreciate Wemby. If there is any justice in this world he will leave San Antonio as a free agent and go to a big market at his first opportunity, then maybe I can enjoy him.
I’m surprised that Toronto looks solid and sustainable. Our old friend RJ seems to be rounding into a really good glue guy.
Alan, although it’s not entirely surprising for me (or E), I’d have to go with The Notorious RJ Clank Barrett. In 10 games, he’s averaging 23, 5, and 4 per 36 on a .652 TS% while his team has gotten off to a 5-5 start.
Jalen Duren is wrecking the NBA right now.
Jerami Grant is having a nice start to the season.
Jake LaRavia?
Most disappointing are the Wizards who refuse to even flirt with being the 5th worst team, which would give us a sliver of a chance to get their 1st round pick.
Most… I won’t call it a pleasant surprise, but surprisingly good team has to be Miami. They have the 5th best SRS and Andrew Wiggins currently leads the team in total points (Powell missed 3 games). They should be beyond their death throes after the Butler trade last season.
Jaquez is taking 39% of his shots within 3ft and finishing 83% of them, 20.9pts/8.5rebs/6.1asts per 36.
Davion Mitchell is up to 9.3 asts/36 from 6.4.
Kinda shocking (and definitely not pleasant) how well positioned Miami suddenly is. The Lithuanian rookie who I really like hasn’t even played yet for them.
On a Bill Simmons podcast he suggested a Herro for Morant trade, and I think that makes sense for both teams. But if I’m Miami I try to pry Zion and fulfill his potential.
I’d go with Ryan Rollins, who has been a revelation for the Bucks. Turns out his performance against the Knicks a few weeks ago was not a fluke.
Ryan Rollins is a surprise. We joked when he lit us up but he’s not some random dude any more.
The Bucks also got Cole Anthony for the vet minimum, which is kind of shocking. Seems like someone we should have been in on.
Giannis has a 14.3 bpm right now.
So the game is at 6PM here and my football/soccer team plays at the same time. I’ll probably be silent on the game thread, because our championship is the regular season, there’s no playoffs, so it’s really important to win the game.
Thibs should switch to football/soccer and then his mindset of every regular season game counts would make total sense. 😀
That puts him “only” 4.1 points behind the celestial Jokic, who leads the league in….. wait for it…. Ast% 53.5, OWS, WS/48 .420, OBPM 11.7, DBPM 6.7, BPM 18.4, VORP 1.6. plus he is averaging a paltry 25.2/13.0/11.9 leading the league in both assists and rebounds. Also, TS%.733
At some point he must enter the GOAT conversation. Only 30 years old.
A few questions:
1. What would Joker have to do to pass both LeBron and Jordan (in whatever order you have them)? Does he have to win several more titles? Are there statistical markers he could reach that would get him to the top spot without another championship?
2. If he were to decide today that he wants to go back home and look after his horses, and he never played another game of basketball, where would he rank on an all-time list?
On the first point, here’s a Bleacher Report top 10 players of all time list from the summer, and here’s how many titles each guy in the top 10 has:
Steph (4)
Wilt (2)
Bird (3)
Duncan (5)
Shaq (4)
Bill Russell (11)
Magic (5)
Kareem (6)
LeBron (4)
Jordan (6)
Not that this is the definitive list. Just a way to illustrate that to get into rarified air, you need to have won a bunch. Wilt gets in with only 2 because he was SO dominant statistically for so long. That would have to be the Jokic argument, but if he never wins another ring?
We may need to reevaluate the championship totals as an indicator or greatness going forward if the 2nd apron & luxury tax stay this punitive.
It’s unfortunate that Jokic plays for Denver who wasn’t nearly as willing to spend money as other teams.
Also, somebody should mention that Jokic is also 8th in steals per game. Although that is down from past year’s rank of 2nd.
These are all great picks, kbers. As usual, you’re a joy to read.
I would add the jail/fail/mailitinblazers to that group. I kinda forgot they have Jrue now, and he’s still pretty good. Deni and Grant have been terrific, and they are 5-4 with Sharpe and Camara playing horribly.
Ultimately, I don’t think they’ll get very far in the West this year, but it’s a fun team with some room to grow (although I still think Hansen Yang was an overreach).
Speaking of the draft, it’s pretty cool that we could have as many as 4 picks in the next one. So our friends Huk, Kolek, McCullar, and Dadiet better show something this year, or they might be shown the door.
Jokic, Giannis, and KAT all have the same contract. One of them is not like the others.
Yeah, the other two aren’t the best-shooting big man in NBA history.
Unfortunately, 2 of those picks are practically guaranteed to be in the 50s:
* Least favorable of Detroit, Milwaukee, & Orlando’s 2nd Rd pick
* Least favorable of NY & Minnesota 2nd Rd pick
The Washington pick should be a pretty valuable early 2nd where we get a good shot at a decent player and can pay him the rookie minimum.
Any 1st is nice at this point and, given that is ours, I’m it ends up pretty low this year.
Speaking of the kids, from scanning the boxscore:
Westchester lost by 20, turning the ball over 30 times. Diawara (1) and Somebody I Don’t Care About (0) were the only two who didn’t have multiple TOs.
The bright side was that Diawara, Evbuomwan, and Dadiet all shot well from 3.
20 offensive rebounds to Delaware’s 21 Drebs. Jemison 6 Orebs, Evbuomwan 4, Dadiet 2.
Pate put up 21pts and shot well from 3 too. More than 2 assists would be nice next time. Might need to replace a 2-way with him if he keeps this up.
howdy and a very happy sunday to you all…
still thinking a bit about yesterday’s thread…maybe need to update rama’s handle to:
rama – i get around
granted, I barely enjoy leaving the house, at all…hard to imagine though mongolia scoring higher for potential pleasant habitation over either italy or especially albania…
wherever in the world you are today, when you get a chance rama, what’s so great about mongolia?
You won’t be laughing at 4 picks when Leon packages three of those to OKC for a to-25 protected first that conveys to two seconds in 2034 to stay under the second apron.
Has a coach ever been fired mid-game? Because I think we have a candidate with the Browns special teams coach.
I actually prefer the drafts where we don’t have picks.
Marechal’s post is hilarious but I think we have to bite the bullet and go over the 2nd apron this year, right? I’m not giving up Mitch and incinerating draft picks just to avoid penalties that are significantly less harsh than losing Mitch and incinerating draft picks.
Pleasant surprise player: Deni Avdija
Pleasant surprise team: Orlando Magic, in that I’m pleasantly surprised that they look very mediocre
Lol I knew it would trigger you.
Btw what’s with the goat pic, Hubie?
ugh, I kind of feel like we are stuck with mitch also…the availability uncertainty he adds to the whole contract equation is real…
he is just such a unique talent though…
50 games a year plus the playoffs, yep that’ll get you that 23 million a year salary…and, it may just be worth it…
anyone go watch the new Predator movie yet?
There are a lot of positive surprises this year, and yeah, the Bulls have to be the biggest. Miami too, but they never seem to get that bad no matter what happens, so less of a shock. Annoying, though.
Another nice surprise, but you’ll see in that thread that I thought he was legit and not a scrub clowning us. Seemed clear he was actually good. Hollinger wrote about him and some others in The Athletic – pretty solid piece. Avdija is another good example. And yeah, Giannis seems to have decided to become totally dominant again. Jokic is expected, though those numbers are mind-boggling. If he’s still doing that in Feb, could be one of the greatest seasons of all time.
Bad surprises: Orlando is making me look stupid – they basically flipped places with the Bulls so far. Like JK I’m fine with them not being great, but damn, wtf. Really don’t get it.
Also, Embiid seems pretty cooked – shouldn’t be a surprise but still is to me. Maybe he’ll play himself back into shape, but he isn’t doing a lot around the hoop, which is a bad sign.
And biggest bad surprise: that Billups is such a POS. Assuming the charges are true.
biggest non-knick surprise year to date: austin reaves…i knew he was good, but never imagined he could serve as a team’s top offensive option – and that team could win…
honorable mention as a knick: tyler kolek, i was pretty sure he shouldn’t even be on the roster, he’s been looking pretty okay though when he’s played…
biggest team surprises:
+ bucks, they have no point guard, but – the point forward thing seems to be working for them…
– clips, maybe they’re just too old
a great reminder that what you think you see, ain’t always what you are actually seeing…that – and you never really know who’s watching you…
always curious as to what type of rewards are available for this type stuff…
the risk is pretty steep though:
uh oh, this morning’s wake and bake must be kickin’ in…seeing my name listed way too many times in a row…
i’m gonna go outside now marechal…
Things continue to go great regarding sports gambling:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6792150/2025/11/09/guardians-pitchers-sports-betting-scandal-mlb-clase-ortiz/?source=bsky_hq
[personal post, feel free to skip]Geo, my travels have been a response to the death of my old world and attempt to conceive a new one…and also maybe a way to get some space from my old life so it would be easier to recover. My wife and I were basically waiting for the kids to grow up to get divorced, and that happened around the same time as a major business venture failed spectacularly, so I was both broke and free. Most of my friends from the last 20 years are parents of my kids’ friends, some of whom are cool, but not real friends – so without kids to keep me in a place, without a spouse or home, without a real social network or active job, I just figured I’d wander. I’m lucky enough to have real friends in a few places I could stay with, but given the state of the States, I’m thinking of moving on. Getting Italian citizenship (EU) through my mom doesn’t look good, but hey, maybe I meet someone somewhere and get married! I do love having a partner and miss the domesticity, all the traveling aside. My old business (not the one that failed) still generates enough to keep me fed while I figure it all out, but I’m trying to see it as an opportunity to imagine a different me living a different life.
But at the moment I’m in NYC! Only a few blocks from MSG. So I’ll definitely be catching a game and hopefully seeing Hubie.
I can’t imagine Mitch getting paid anything like that.
Back of the napkin math… if we have the best record in the league (AKA cheapest 1st Rd pick) and Mitch takes $8-9M, we can keep him, all our picks, and stay under (exactly at) the 2nd apron.
Best reason for us to stay under the 2nd apron is to aggregate salaries in trades. For instance, KAT makes $57M and Giannis makes $58M. If we’re over the 2nd apron, there’s no way to make that trade work. (We could salary dump, then make the trade but that’s just sacrificing picks with extra steps).
I don’t think Mitch takes that salary, just giving an idea of where we’re at.
Brian Daboll, continuing to risk Jaxson Dart’s health and future prospects in a futile attempt to hang onto his job. John Mara should fire him before this game is over.
What did he do now?
There was an encouraging report that Daboll almost got fired after the Denver game.
I have mixed feelings about rings being part of the discussion. On the one hand it’s a team sport and being the GOAT does not guarantee even a single ring. On the other hand, when you have a team good enough to contend for a ring and you are the best player on that team, I think your win% in finals and semi finals matters because the team with the best player under fire tends to win in those close matchups.
Right now I think Joker belongs on the list with the all time greats mentioned here. His overall skill and impact on winning is enormous. But I think to leapfrog Jordan, Bird, Kareem, Magic (in that order) I think he’s going to have to win a couple more finals and show he can be the best player, handle the full load of finals pressure and still make the plays that win the championship. It would be unfortunate if Denver doesn’t give him enough help to be in that position.
Rama, as I think I mentioned, if you’re serious about Mongolia, I can e-introduce you to at least one good friend over there when you go.
And brador, by far the most beautiful woman I have ever had the great good fortune to speak to (outside of Lady Raven of course) was in a dance club in Ulaanbaatar.
Legalized sports gambling was a horrible idea from so many directions I don’t know where to begin. The government and professional sports sold their souls for revenue. This is coming from a guy that’s had success gambling over his lifetime. Horrible horrible idea and I see no way to undo it and all the damage it’s going to cause.
Concussion doing what Daboll refused to. Hopefully Dart recovers and the Giant’s front office intervenes
Re: Jokiq, multiple championships is a legit variable but we should also account for Apron era and that last 8 NBA champions are 8 different teams. Super teams and dynasties can no longer exist.
Re: Pleasant suprise, – the two kids in Phily and Avdija. Frustrating suprise, – Jalen Duren, while I don’t know the Leon’s picks trade details, – it’s clear that Leon screwed this one up.
Next KBer meetup?
Giants with not so subtle tank inattempt to get Daboll fired before season’s end, yielding much needed better draft position
OMG, i was lost in translation… my game was at 6PM here, and the Knicks are at 6PM in the US, meaning 11PM here. I guess giving the day off to the brain because it’s sunday might not have been the best idea… LOL
Also, can the Jets promote their special teams coach to offensive coordinator?
I tuned in at 20-10 hoping to see another collapse and boy I was not disappointed.
If Dart has a concussion Mara should take a page from San Antonio’s handling of Wemby and shut him down for the rest of the season out of an abundance of caution.
Sit Dart, promote Shane Bowen to interim HC, and even the Jets won’t be able to out tank us. It’s a QB heavy draft and we don’t need a QB, so there’s a chance to turn a top pick into franchise-altering draft capital.
thank you so much rama, the truth is such a sweet sound…not something you hear too often…
you sound pretty free in mind and spirit, no doubt that’s taken a good bit of work…also seems as though you have a strong sense of commitment to family/community…would imagine that theme will continue in some form…
maybe not the direction you were looking to go in, but what a great opportunity to really invest in yourself…do a rama upgrade in whatever areas you feel necessary (always start with the body)…
lots of life left to be lived 😊
oh yeah, lived in oklahoma for a while, found the folks there to be so genuinely nice…maybe mongolia is like oklahoma…
I prefer coastal climes and vistas…enjoy a diversity in ethnicity…hopefully a geography which can help limit an “intrusion” of a lot of non local folks…
it’s cool to live in a spot where other folks will travel to visit – cuz it’s a nice spot…
I was counting on KB being a lot more on fire than this… we’re on pace for a 41-41* season!
* 100% Ws at home, 100% Ls away 😛
Ding, Ding, Ding!
At the very least Mara should mandate he is placed on the 4 week IR so there is zero chance they rush him back in action.
I just don’t buy this argument. Aaron Gordon is the best other all around player on Denver in their run. Denver’s manage refused to keep depth players after their first title. Jordan won nothing until Pippen matured. LeBron won nothing til he wangled his way to Wade and Bash. Rinse and repeat.
Jokic is such an outlier in all around talent and efficiency. He plays in virtual darkness for a wealthy but cheap team who won’t pay to maximize his chances.
surprise: jrues resurgence after a very meh season in boston