Brunson MPG over the past 6 games, that are available in BR: 39, 34, 37, 38, 39, 38. (year average 35.4, same as in last year).
FGA: 27, 23, 22, 26, 25, 29. (year average 21.4).

Should we worry about this?

Should we worry about this?

If he’s playing those kinds of minutes when Deuce is back, maybe? But our backcourt has been very thin for a while, even with Kolek’s emergence. The ability to play Kolek and Deuce together should allow Brown to rest Jalen more.

On the feels like mins, i think this heavy mins for Brunson have less load than last season, where he had to fight to bring the ball up court, then he held the ball for a lot of seconds, moments when he must be thinking what he should do with the play, and that takes a toll. This season he has a lot of help bringing the ball up court, he passes the ball early, and it just happens that the ball comes back to him later in the play, which makes sense obviously, but he wasn’t tasked with doing it all, as he did last season. He didn’t even look tired in the end. I’m not saying Brown is a magician, but the change was needed because a coach could analyze what happened under Thibs, and then try to keep the good things and try to get better at what wasn’t being productive. I’m not worried about Brunson’s mins.

Great game by KAT. But i keep my opinion about him, we all know he can play like he played yesterday, what i don’t know is if he can play well night in and night out, like Brunson. And we need him to do that.

McCullar was great, when people said his game reminded Josh Hart i never would have guessed it’d be this close – 8 rebounds (4 off), 2 assists, 2 steals, although with 3* turnovers. 🙂
*but like Z-man said yesterday, 2 comes from illegal screens and i think he can clean that up quite easily.
Even the shooting was like Hart, good Hart i mean – FG 4-7, 3P 3-6, PTS 13 (the bad was FT 2-5).

Except the shooting, let’s hope that comes around later on, Diawara played a good game – 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks with ZERO turnovers in only 16 mins. I think he’s getting a lot more comfortable on the court. We might have a gem here. (fingers crossed)

Last but not least, Mitch was Mitch, if we go by Per 36 numbers, his numbers would be 18 rebounds (8 off), 2 assists, 4 steals, 2 blocks, ZERO turnovers and 12 points. No FTs, which means teams have slowed down the hack-a-Mitch given that he is making them now.
Of course he played half that time, but this per 36 exercise was to show that he is probably in optimal shape now, and he is remembering that almost no one can stop him in this league. After being pushed around when he was young, i’m glad he can do this now. Just a dominant performance and didn’t even stand out that much, it’s just who he is, i’m glad he’s with us.

And end of report from sunny Portugal, this country doesn’t know it’s christmas, no snow, no nothing, just good weather. 😛

Kolek, Diawara and McCullar all getting PT and developing while the Knicks keep winning. Am I dreaming?

It’s fun that McCullar is basically an embryonic Josh Hart, while Diawara is an embryonic OG. Not that either will ever get there. But if they do, it helps us a lot with injury, with the vets getting older or being moved, etc. This FO has a type.

Brunson MPG over the past 6 games, that are available in BR: 39, 34, 37, 38, 39, 38. (year average 35.4, same as in last year).

There was also a game he played zero minutes so he could manage that load more effectively. Not quite the same as last year.

For the record, that’d be 32 mpg for Brunson over the last 7 games. Not sure it really works quite that way in terms of physical stress, but it’s something.

It is so much fun to have the plot filled with youngsters developing. I’d almost be okay with losses if that were the case, but wins — as precarious as they’ve been — have been cake with cherries.

I wouldn’t mind a blow-out win start to finish, however.

You don’t think taking a whole game off reduces physical stress?

There’s nothing wrong with playing 36 minutes. It’s playing 36 mins 4-5 times a week that gets you.

Yabu plummeting down the depth chart in real time is sad to watch. All I want is to move him for no guaranteed salary beyond this season, and I’d be happy.

Just lovely to see the whole team go from trying not to fuck it up to trying to fuck shit up out there. McCullar knew what he was supposed to do and he did it. Thibs was driving NASCAR in an F1 race.

Alot of boxes have been checked off in terms of being a solid contender…but my concern is the lack of a statement road win(s)…until we show we can do that from time to time…there will be question marks.

These upcoming games in San Antone, Detroit and Phoenix will be the best indicators of where we are…until that stretch in early to mid Feb where we play a consistent diet of upper tier teams.

Of course, Hubert, don’t be dense. I’m more or less in favor of load management, as troublesome as it is for fans shelling out to attend games. Taking a day off of chopping wood would be incredibly helpful in terms of my healing and feeling better. Just not sure how much it would help me not become a helpless cripple after 39 minutes of chopping the next day. Also depends on the number of normal rest days between chopping sessions, whether I got blisters from chopping, etc. etc. ad nauseum.

As for Yabu, I’m totally fine with him eating donuts down on the last seat on the bench. I’m just super glad Brown’s moved him there rather than playing him over more fun and productive kids (I see you, Thibs).

Re-posting from the end of last thread:
Of all the ways I think it was important to move on from Thibs, sure, is was about minutes and playing the kids and x’s and o’s and all that stuff, but it was just as much about getting everyone to believe in their best selves and to play with less fear of disappointing the coach and winding up in the doghouse while only the “trusted” guys carried the load. And it’s not that Thibs was a zero in the “play the kids” regard, I think he made all of RJ, IQ, Obi, Grimes, and of course Deuce and Mitch, better players. But there’s something refreshing about Brown, maybe it’s just a kinder, more fatherly, more collaborative approach rather than a top-down “I’m not all that interested in what you have to say because I know basketball better than any of you” approach.

The thing is, Brunson, Bridges, and Hart are so mentally tough and seasoned that they don’t really need a Thibs any more (if they ever did, which is at least debatable), and Brown is allowing them to be “co-coaches” than would ever be possible under Thibs. But the early returns are that every single player on the team is playing with as much confidence that you could hope for. The Thibs residue is there, but it’s just better.

That might or might not translate into more playoff success…the bar Thibs set is really high and Brown doesn’t get the grace period that Thibs had. But the road is more scenic, more fragrant, more relatable. Tonight, Christmas Day, and Emirates Cup finals are all Mike Brown wins.

I would also add: Having young players come in to big games and perform at a reasonably high level for a contender increases their trade value. Everyone in the NBA braintrust can see that Kolek, Diawara, and now McCullar could actually amount to something. I would say that is also true about Huk. Maybe pairing one of them with Yabue and a 2nd could bring back someone that really helps.

Clearly there is more synergy between Brown and the FO than there was under Thibs, who probably got more rope than he deserved because of his longtime friendship with Leon and relationship with Brunson. I’m thinking that Brown has been given the OK to put Yabu in the doghouse for now.

Watching the game last night left me with one thought, and then I saw that Jonathan Macri was thinking the exact same thing. So, I’m gonna slightly expand that thought. I think the offense is fine. Not quite where it needs to be, but we’ve got really good offensive players, so that will come organically. The thing Mike Brown needs to focus on a little more is keeping Hart, Bridges, and Anunoby locked in defensively. Last night proved it. We all saw the way the game changed when Bridges and OG locked in on defense- especially Anunoby. In today’s NBA, a true defensive weapon is hard to come by, and we have at least 3 in Mitch, Bridges, and Anunoby. Hart and Deuce are wild cards defensively who can also swing a game when they’ve got it goin. But boy does the team look dominant when Mitch is healthy and Mitching while Anunoby and Bridges are locked in defensively. They look almost clairvoyant on that end when they’ve got it goin. This is an exciting time to be a Knicks fan. It even has something for the old school in me. With KAT, we have a guy who can get you 20 & 10 inside, but he also has deep range. When you have that with the perimeter weapons we have, it’s tough to game plan against. So once the offense reaches the point where it just running without much thought to it, this team is going to be scary- even for OKC

i can the see the visible threads of a josh comp, but i hate it in spirit. feel like mccullar is much more of a keldon johnson archetype both in how he moves and what makes him good and bad at various basketball things.

we should do what we can to try to lure bobby portis back he checks pretty much every box

Small Sample Size Theatre: in four games, Kevin is shooting 57% from three and 40% from the stripe. Per 36 he’s at 20/11.

I was never a “minutes police” guy, so whatever. That said, Brunson’s workload seems very reasonable. He’s playing the entire first and third quarters, and resting 5 minutes at the beginning of the 2nd and 4th. As cyber astutely pointed out, he’s off the ball a lot more and not constantly banging with wings in the backcourt and splitting double-teams up after crossing midcourt. He’s at 35.5 mpg, which seems pretty standard for MVP-types. It doesn’t help that we are playing a lot of close games these days, as opposed to SGA who probably gets a lot of rest in 4th quarters.

McCullar looks like a big 6’6”, and has that Josh Hart knack for being a smaller guy who can pull down rebounds in traffic. He looks legit and ready to play on the defensive end. If he is even competent on the offensive end, he’s a no-brainer rotation player.

He wasn’t a good shooter in college, and he’s already 25 so it’s not like he has a lot of development left in him. But watching him yesterday, he sure looks like a guy who can play.

Keldon can shoot and he is not much of a defender

Important to remember we won this game without Hart and Deuce, who are both in our top 7 rotation.

In fact we’ve yet to really see this team fully healthy.

“it’s not like he has a lot of development left in him.”

Brook “Post-Up All-Star” Lopez would like a word with you (9-14 from three on Friday…).

It’s pretty natural to compare McCullar to the guy he most resembles on the team, and that’s Hart for sure. Looking at his comps coming out of college, Hart was mentioned, as well as Bruce Brown, Terrence Mann, Justin Anderson, Mario Elie, Garret Temple, Malcolm Brogdon.

The biggest swing factor mentioned in virtually every scouting report is his shooting. In that sense, he’s kind of Josh Hart-like. But Hart’s motor, quick-twitch athleticism, nose for the ball, IQ, leadership, are all at an elite level, and if he had a reliable shot at high usage he’s be an all-star. I don’t see that kind of player in McCullar.

his defensive vibe is maybe like a young khris middleton. wing with good size and great strength who can move his feet some and help with excellent verticality, but you still don’t want to stick on a jitterbug the way you would with dort or okoro types. but he’s close to the opposite of josh who is defending with his brain and motor and fast twitch instincts but gets abused in the feet and strength trenches.

jalen johnson has missed having triple doubles by only one rebound or assist in each of his last four games odd

Leon’s team is doing pretty well at finding NBA-level prospects in the deep bowels of the draft…Sims, Huk, McCullar, and now, Diawara.

With the internationalism of the game, the draft seems to be more than 60 picks deep, meaning that there is value in those picks in the 50’s and in UDFAs if you have a good evaluation system in place.

It’s fun that McCullar is basically an embryonic Josh Hart, while Diawara is an embryonic OG. Not that either will ever get there. But if they do, it helps us a lot with injury, with the vets getting older or being moved, etc. This FO has a type.

Boy, I wouldn’t be in any rush to move Diawara for an 8th man in the rotation who won’t play much and if OG/KAT Brunson/Bridges goes down where the 8th man plays a lot, the Knicks aren’t winning anything anyway.

He has elite measurables, plus athleticism and most importantly, a big motor. He is eeeking his way to the fringes of the rotation as a very inexperienced 20 yr old. Let the guy marinate for a bit, please.

The way they go about it is different, but they both need to impact the game similarly, meaning as versatile “connectors” rather than pute position players.

Beyond that, Hart benefitted from playing 5 healthy seasons on shitty teams. McCullar has been banged up since he was drafted and stuck on the outskirts of the wing depth chart. Last night was cool, but withoug a whole lotta minutes which he ain’t gonna get here, it’s hard to know where he tops out.

The guy who is looking more and more expendable is Pacome Dadiet. There hasn’t been a single moment this year, and only a glimpse last year, where he has looked like a viable NBA player, to the point where you have to wonder whether he is anything but outgoing salary in a trade. I can sort of smell a funky camembert sandwich going out with a pick attached to cover up the odor in exchange for a viable veteran bench wing or big. Dadiet looks like he can be easily replaced by a 2nd round upside swing in the 2026 draft.

Please don’t package Kool Mo D for nobody Leon.

Kool Mo D…I like it, a lot 😊

I like how mo communicates well on the defensive end, very connected and locked in with his teammates…

RJ back with a vengeance thus far!

Elite stealth tanking in LV/Giants game.

Dart fell down for a 13 yard loss and Eleumenor with 2 false starts in the first drive.

Pete Carrol trumps that by challenging with zero chance of success burning a challenge and a time out 3 minutes into the game.

Geno has already thrown a pick and Jeanty has 8 yards on 4 carries. Erwin Rommel would be impressed

The problem for the Giants is John Mara probably offered contract extensions to Schoen and Kafka in they win these last two games.

Taking a day off of chopping wood would be incredibly helpful in terms of my healing and feeling better. Just not sure how much it would help me not become a helpless cripple after 39 minutes of chopping the next day.

I don’t think 39 minutes is some crippling load, Raven. The complaints you guys labeled “minutes police” was about stuff like playing Mikal Bridges 47 minutes, or OG averaging 44 minutes over three games in four nights.

And it was never only about their loads. It was about alienating half the roster, and challenging the idea that we needed to do this to “maximize wins.” (I think starting Diawarra and tapping Kevin McCullar, for example, gave us a better chance of winning this game than playing OG & Mikal 45 minutes each.)

Raiders looking really shitty so far! Only 30 minutes of execrable football to go

Yes, Raiders > Giants at tanking. which is not nothing

werent the raiders just supposed to take the easy field goal there or are they far enough behind that they think that they can still be pretending to try to win

Deonte Banks…. the gift that keeps on giving!

Where’s Shane Bowen when you need him?

The Raiders got destroyed on their home field by a terrible team and now have control over their own destiny for the #1 pick.

Now watch them go out and beat the Chiefs next week and fuck up that #1 pick. I can feel it in my bones that they are gonna beat the Chiefs.

With the internationalism of the game, the draft seems to be more than 60 picks deep, meaning that there is value in those picks in the 50’s and in UDFAs if you have a good evaluation system in place.

Very good point.

Marvin Bagley III is probably earning himself some money on his next contract.

23-25-10 triple double for Barnes with 4 stocks. Impressive stuff.

Agree with that last point, Hubert, and apologies for not being clear in my writing. All I was trying to say initially was I don’t know if playing six games at 38-39 minutes a game with a day off in there somewhere is the equivalent of playing seven games at 32 minutes a game. Like, I find it an interesting question, and I really don’t know.

Celts about to blow a game to the Blazers

way to go blazers…

Raiders-Knicks is a really odd fandom split. Even more so lately.

That was a great Jaco Pastorius story btw JK. I had a friend who was a bassist who worshipped him. Had no idea how his life turned out.

Kawhi is on one tonight.

Yeah, marechal, I guess Kawhi is not washed up quite yet, 55 points on 26 shots, 11 rebounds and 8 stocks. Against the Pistons’ #2-ranked D!

According to SOS, the Temu Bad Boys have played the easiest schedule in the NBA thus far. Looking forward to seeing them crash down to earth.

Almost caught up with the Pistons!

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