Knicks Morning News (2026.03.06)

Well said, geo.

Okay, I’ll get things rolling with a few interesting Macri quotes, starting with everyone’s favorite pinata, KAT:

“…in the eight games since All-Star weekend, KAT is shooting 61.2 percent from the field and 52.2 percent from deep compared to 46.6 percent from the field and 35.1 percent from deep before the break. His efficiency differential has continued to rise, and is now tied with Deuce as best on the team among year-long rotation players at +8.1 points per 100 possessions.

The downside: his threes have gone down even more, from 4.5 attempts per game before the break – already his lowest since the ‘17-18 season – to 2.9 since. That drop has accounted for almost all of his overall decrease in shots since All-Star, from 14.0 to 12.3.”

Then, about the starting lineup, he lauds their defensive rating, that would rank second in the league, but he notes this:

“At the same time, their offensive rating in the first halves of games would rank dead last in basketball. That’s obviously an issue, but as we see from the second half numbers, this group is clearly capable of positive offensive production.”

Basically Jekyll and Hyde performances, for no good reason. Macri provides various hypotheses, none obviously the answer, ditto possible solutions, also no good ones.

Jeez, can’t remember the last formal concert (modern music) that I’ve gone to. Well, Robert Cray played in a local venue a couple of years back, and I’ll drop in on bar bands now and again. Little Raven is the concert-goer these days, mostly for what I endearingly term Bad Trap Rap Crap, which I assume is god punishing me through my child for various youthful transgressions…

So if Hart’s out, some of you may get your wish and see someone else in the starting lineup. I’d guess Shamet, but could be Mo D?

If that happens and the Knicks come out of the chute guns blazing, we’ll have our talking point for the rest of the week…