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2024-25 Game Thread: Knicks vs Cavs (CRONIN!)

Better late than never….

165 replies on “2024-25 Game Thread: Knicks vs Cavs (CRONIN!)”

I think Huk may have just quietly slipped past Sims on the depth chart…

Freeman has magically healed and has been the best player in this series.

Freeman just brings back all the great players the Yankees have passed on in Free Agency. At least the Yanks have Rizzo at 1b, Volpe at SS and the prized prospect Dominguez glued to the bench.

Huk is defending the rim, not afraid to post up, sets nice picks, and just hustles. The videos from his Aussie games predicted this.

Love Huk’s impact, but I’d like a little more playing time for lineups with JB and KAT together…

The nice thing about this shitty Yankees lineup is I can put the Knicks on after Stanton and don’t have to flip back for the next two innings.

We were worried about Bridges shot but OG’s form from 3 hasn’t looked too good to me for awhile now also.

My Guess: the aliens abducted Aaron Judge before the postseason…

Good Knicks’ defense in the first half…

So it looks like the Knicks can still get as many offensive boards as they want against the Cavs despite the new personnel.

Just got off work. Why so little Towns?

Huk got in and had some really nice minutes, so Thibs left him in until 3 minutes left in the second.

Someone needs to tell the Yankees that Buehler is not the same pitcher he used to be. This is embarrassing.

Nasty bit of business by Dean Wade right there, he knows they don’t put it on your isolation highlight reel if you get fouled

Hey Cyber, Knicks started off garbage but both teams weren’t shooting and both were playing hellacious D. Knicks have played much better so far. Huk did a good job. Hart getting all rebounds.

We were worried about Bridges shot but OG’s form from 3 hasn’t looked too good to me for awhile now also.

Watched his last one closer…. it did not look good

Verdugo was hitting well enough for the DS and CS to more or less vindicate Boone, or at least make the decision seem defensible. But if he puts up a goose egg in the World Series, will be fair to wonder whether it was wise to make Dominguez a full-time pinch runner.

Maybe the lights would’ve been too bright for the kid, but you have to think the upside would’ve been worth it.

I believe Verdugo is 5 for his last 35. Jasson should play now just to give him some postseason experience that would hopefully benefit him when he’s the everyday LF/CF next year.

Schmidt goes 2-0 against every hitter and I strongly dislike nibblers…

Nice team work from the Knicks, the wings are doing their job…

And now Brunson tweaks an ankle… or a knee? 🤦🏻‍♂️

If somebody could install an off switch on cam Payne for the first 15 seconds of the shot clock, I would be a much bigger fan

Cam Payne playing the Cavs back into this.

Forreal. He needs to stop rushing his shot and they need to set up some plays.

The Cam Payne minutes have been so bad.

Deuce, on the other hand, might have taken a leap.

Watching this 3rd quarter really highlights how the Knicks need another serviceable big. I mean, do they even have a PF on the roster other than Precious?

Payne is what I said he was from the day of the signing. He’s listed as a PG and will get some assists because he controls the ball a lot, but he’s really a streaky score first combo guard with no conscience. There might be a role for him here, especially with Shamet out, but it’s NOT backup PG. That job should go to Kolek as soon as Thibs thinks he’s ready.

Only took the 3rd game for the Knicks to have their worst loss of the season. Yes this would be much worse than the Celtics ass whooping.

Yeah my patience is thin tonight with the Yankees embarrassment and this embarrassing Knicks 2nd half meltdown.

The Cavs are VERY good. There was a reason I was willing to bet a little and take a big price on them winning it all. They had players hurt and playing at less than 100% for a lot of last year. They are in that 2nd tier of contenders with us behind Boston and OKC. No shock we are struggling with them at this stage while we are still building chemistry and learning. We should be better them by the end of the season, but they are not going to be an easy out. Still time to win this one.

I may always be nervous when Deuce goes in for a layup with bodies around, but he’s always made me smile nowadays when he does.

I know we’re even with the Cavs, but we look *significantly* more talented than them.

Clyde about Hart: “He’s like a wounded animal. He’s dangerous.”

Deuce is our best player

Deuce is the NBA’s best player*

I really can’t abide any “we should trade Hart” takes. We need the dude.

I’ve been saying he’s critical to make up the rebounding gap without Randle and he’s been doing the job the last two games. Plus it seemed pretty obvious he was more likely than not to be more efficient than last year’s down year.

Darius Garland going 11-16 for 30 points wasn’t on my bingo card.

Garland looked like he might become a special player eventually. He and Mitchell are not ideal together, but last year he was hurt a lot. He looks healthy right now.

That didn’t look like a foul. That looked like KAT aimlessly slapping the air.

Somehow regardless of our team composition we never serm to be at all threatening when we’re 1-2 possessions behind down the stretch. Thibs?

Another stupid Knicks loss at MSG, the more things change the more they stay the same.

OG still has trouble finishing at times. I was hoping he’d come back with a little better handle and finishing ability at the rim, but he looks more or less the same to me in those areas. Maybe his handle is a hair better.

ha, there with you BBA: however, that Daniel Jones sack made me switch the channel to watch the yanks at bat…

that’s not going so well either though…

I can’t believe the Giants might be the team that ruins my Dodgers-Cavs-Steelers parlay.

Brunson with an awful game, especially in the second half, bad shooting, bad reads, often late in reading double teams.

I never liked Cam Payne but at the end of this season I could hate him, give me Kolek every night…

Towns can’t take 7 shots in a game, no way.

There were some bright spots tonight. Huk is coming along nicely and quickly. You can see there’s absolute world beating talent on this roster. They just have to have some more time together. Also, the defense hasn’t been terrible since the Celtic game.

The good news is that it looks like Hukporti has surpassed Sims for the backup C job in game 3. That’s a lot sooner than I expected. He’s the more skilled and impactful player with much more potential. Might as well get him going ASAP. It’s not like Sims was giving us much on either side anyway

Next up is Kolek passing Payne. That may take a little longer, but I’ll be disappointed if it doesn’t happen by mid season. Payne is going to have his games where he gets hot and we love him, but on a net basis, we are better off with Kolek’s playmaking and ultimately better decsion making. Payne has no conscience and a questionable basketball IQ.

Good things:
Defense was good most of the night, Huk over Sims is a nice development, the wings did very well until Payne and Brunson decided to not give them the ball, Deuce is playing really well.

13 pt lead with 4 mins left in the 3rd quarter at home, don’t care how long they haven’t been together you’re supposed to win the game.

Granted even the past 2 seasons when the Knicks were decent they excelled at losing stupid games at MSG. I can’t fathom anymore what it was like rooting for a team that went 44-5 at home like the 1993 Knicks did.

KAT doesn’t really impact the game as much as we were sold… it’s going to go down as bad trade… and down the stretch you could tell the Cleveland bigs could take care of him on both sides of the ball… the Cleveland bigs cannot take care of Robinson and/or Randle… we gave up a tenacity that we ain’t getting back… tenacity goes with Donte too… ashame

New pitcher for the Dodgers is Brusdar Graterol

That has to anagram to something right?

Thru 3 games Knicks opponents have attempted 127 threes compared to just 65 for the Knicks.

ShwinnyPooh, Hukporti island resident
@shwinnypooh
· you can’t keep shoot less than 30 threes every game and expect success in the modern NBA.

If you want to take less 3s than you ever have don’t trade for KAT to be your starting 5.

Pretty much this, if you bring in KAT you also need to get him shots

I think Brunson should have done more passing out of the paint. The Cavs gave him some trouble inside with all that length and he forced some stuff and got blocked. The idea behind playing 5 out is to get inside easier, but if they are protecting inside well or you are having trouble with the length, you have 4 shooters outside. You have to kick it back out. This is not the playoffs of last year where he had to force a lot of shots. He has shooters and scorers around him.

New pitcher for the Dodgers is Brusdar Graterol

That has to anagram to something right?

Gatorade Blurs

It could be that a new coach will be necessary for this to work at full potential.

The Knicks don’t need Brunson to chuck 20 shots and under 10 dimes. He has pretty high IQ and needs to adjust to his team mates

It could be that a new coach will be necessary for this to work at full potential.

That is where this may be going.

Tonight feels like the New York sports vortex of hell.

I turned on the Giant game for just a second. I saw Daniel Jones get sacked and then watched a 73 yard punt return for a TD.

Yes. The gates of Hell have opened and are sucking our teams down.

Pretty much this, if you bring in KAT you also need to get him shots

I wasn’t paying close enough attention to what the Cavs were doing defensively against him, but they are very big inside. No way he should have taken only two 3 point shots. The goal should have been to shoot more 3s than usual to drag one of the bigs out.

I wasn’t paying close enough attention to what the Cavs were doing defensively against him, but they are very big inside. No way he should have taken only two 3 point shots. The goal should have been to shoot more 3s than usual to drag one of the bigs out.

Yup he isn’t be utilized right and that’s on the coaching staff. Kat is a major weapon at the 5 on offense.. I’ll give Thibs more time, but he may need to go if he can’t work with this roster.

No way he should have taken only two 3 point shots. The goal should have been to shoot more 3s than usual to drag one of the bigs out.

His skillset isn’t really being adapted to at all, which isn’t a massive surprise since it’s quite a bit out of Thibs’s comfort zone. Thibs needs to adapt, pronto. He’s earned more time and a wider berth, but it’s hard to be optimistic.

Doesn’t matter where you put KAT if Payne and Brunson never pass the ball and brick all their shots.

Brunson hogged and chucked way too much. I do trust him to adapt. Payne’s probably hopeless.

Brunson needs to adapt as well…he was too much hero ball tonight…oops..E beat me to it

Yup he isn’t be utilized right and that’s lncthe coaching staff. I’ll give Thibs more time, but he may need to go if this isn’t abroster he can work with.

I’m not worried about it. I knew it was going to take 10-20 games to start hitting on all cylinders. The schedule is tough to start while we’ll be figuring it all out. If we start 10-10 that won’t be so bad. Then we’ll start rolling.

Yes. The gates of Hell have opened and are sucking our teams down.

Just be glad you’re not in LA like I am lol.

If Judge continues to lay a complete egg in this series and we go down in a sweep, I’m going to renounce my fandom and follow pickleball or something.

Also think eventually Kolek should get some burn. His specialty is passing and he’s 23 so he should be ready to play.

I told you guys Payne is not very good and not really a PG. I promise you he’s going to have some terrific nights where he gets hot, but he’s not a guy we want to count on as the backup PG. He’s a streak shooter with no conscience.

Denver needed OT to beat the godawful Raptors by 2. It could be worse.

Denver has given up too much of their depth and quality role play. I gave them a much lower probability of winning the title than the oddmakers. Jokic is great, but he can only do so much.

“His skillset isn’t really being adapted to at all, which isn’t a massive surprise since it’s quite a bit out of Thibs’s comfort zone. Thibs needs to adapt, pronto. He’s earned more time and a wider berth, but it’s hard to be optimistic.”

Yup, all about Thibs.

Thibs and KAT didn’t work see eye to eye in Minny. Thibs can only work well with Rim Runners up to this point ..

Thibs just got a contract extension, he ain’t going anywhere and rightfully so.

Doesn’t mean much in today’s coaching business. If Leon doesn’t feel the team he put together is working he will face pressure to do something.

Thank God this front office isn’t going to panic after three games and declare all is lost like this blog

These are to be honest some of the sillier takes on this site.

G’night boys.

(In my best Dr. King Schultz voice)….For any of you Marilyn Monroe fans, “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” is on TCM right now. All 3 of my teams gave me a headache tonight. It’s time for cinema therapy.

Thank God this front office isn’t going to panic after three games and declare all is lost like this blog

Amen brother

I’m under no illusion that it’s the difference in the game, but balls and strikes have been terrible.

I can’t believe the Giants might be the team that ruins my Dodgers-Cavs-Steelers parlay.

Screen shot of the ticket, or it didn’t happen….

Aaron Judge had one of the greatest regular seasons in baseball history and he’s now having one of the worst postseasons in baseball history

Sports is weird

I’m under no illusion that it’s the difference in the game, but balls and strikes have been terrible.

I’m ready for the robo umps

I’d avoid wearing an Aaron Judge jersey in public for a while. Better off rocking a Stanton one if you want to wear Yankee gear post playoffs.

Looks like the media asked Brunson post game why Towns wasn’t involved in the offense and he put the blame on himself.

Bridges gets absolutely cooked on a number of Garland scores. Are we sure he’s an elite defender? He seems to really struggle getting over picks.

My wife just passive aggressively hugged and consoled me. Why did I move here? 😭

Bridges gets absolutely cooked on a number of Garland scores. Are we sure he’s an elite defender? He seems to really struggle getting over picks.

He hasn’t been for a couple of years if he ever was. Maybe his pursuit of the iron man streak has affected his mobility. He was not top 100 in DEPM last year and I am increasingly taking DEPM as gospel, it seems to line up extremely well with both eye test and actual team performance impact.

He’s looked decent offensively, at least, but he us absolutely not the kind of PoA defender we hoped and guys like Maxey/Garland will still torch us. Grimes was better on D.

For the weather?

Lmao no fam it was definitely bc of my wife.

Forgive me if I told this story before: my wife and I knew of each other via various web chatting svcs from back in ‘99 (Blackplanet, Yahoo chat, etc). She always lived in the LA area if not the IE.
Fast fwd to December ‘14 – we catch each other on Facebook msgr. After taking the past year to undergo some personal growth, I realized that my optics for what I thought I wanted in a woman were too checkbox-y; moreso, to distance myself from those nagging voices that told me that I had to (at least) once in a while bed a woman to prove that I was desirable to the opposite sex. So, being in a much better headspace, I messaged her that I realized that after all those years, I didn’t really know her. She felt the same – so I asked only that we simply get to know one another. That’s how it all started.

As the awful evening of NY sports winds down, I just want to take a moment and thank Al Sep, whose list of great TV theme songs introduced me to “Too Many Cooks,” one of the most deranged works I’ve ever encountered. The epitome of evil genius. I highly recommend going to YouTube to check it out if you’ve never seen it.

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