The good news we are still the better team and my estimate is that we still have about a 66% chance of winning this series.

If you think Atlanta is quite a bit better now than they were earlier in the season you can knock a bit off the Knicks chances, but they are still the favorite. I believe in the same thread I said 56% as a bottom.

According to ChatGPT based on current betting odds

Knicks are a solid favorite (~64–66%)
Hawks are a live underdog (~34–37%), not a longshot

he had just done something really dumb (Brown, not Rama)

“Strike that, reverse it”

I mean, probably….

I do remember talking about that, though. Game 2 was on him more than anyone. Appalling.

A lot of times it looks to me like KAT makes a pass out of spite, as if to say “you want me to distribute, fine, I’ll pass up this shot to give it to a teammate.”

“Spray the ball!!!!”

Every single one of his comments about KAT shows a deep level of passive aggressiveness that is just unbecoming of a coach (I know KAT has his issues, but still).

Yes.

I’m clearly no KAT stan. But even I listen to Mike Brown sometimes and am like, “dude, you know you need this guy, right?”

And KAT seems to respond in kind with passive aggressive behavior on the court. It’s the wrong button to push.

Cannot for the life of him get Brunson not to play hero ball possession after possession at the end of the game.

It didn’t even seem to me like he wanted to try.

Again, it is early, and maybe he wanted the players to figure it out. I will give him the benefit of the doubt.

I thought Kuminga effectively took KAT out of the 4Q so I don’t blame him for not going to KAT. But they got away with hiding CJ McCollum on Mikal the whole time. That can’t happen again. If the players can’t figure that out, you gotta make them.

But Brown does things that make me think he isn’t thinking. Not having a time out there is a thin slice I give considerable weight to.

Other than maybe Mike Brown, who the more I think about it was alarmingly bad.

It’s really hard to get past this. I liked a lot of what he brought to the table initially, but he has been bad on so many levels:
– We still don’t know what a 5 out lineup looks like for the Knicks.
– Every single one of his comments about KAT shows a deep level of passive aggressiveness that is just unbecoming of a coach (I know KAT has his issues, but still).
– He has a pathological reluctance to use his challenges. The fact that you win the majority of your challenges means you are not challenging enough! There were a couple of plays on Monday that clearly should have been challenged, including a blocking foul called on Brunson that I am pretty sure would have been reversed (at least a 2 point swing).
– Never called a timeout during the 11-0 run in Game 1.
– Never called a timeout after his no-KAT/no-Shamet lineup gave away most of the lead in the first half.
– Went back to a no-KAT/no-Shamet lineup when it was clear it wasn’t working.
– Cannot for the life of him get Brunson not to play hero ball possession after possession at the end of the game.

Hawks — +144
Timberwolves — +172
Magic — +172
Blazers — +410 (**)
Sixers — +440

(*) Not gonna include Rockets/Lakers because of all the injuries.

(**) Wemby’s concussion doesn’t look promising. Puts the Blazers back in it.