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Game Thread

2023-24 Game Thread: Knicks @ Hawks (Knicks Road Return Opener, also not a thing)

The Knicks are somehow already returning to Atlanta for a second time in the first eleven games. The Knicks had a weird game in their last time in Atlanta. They handedly kicked the Hawks’ ass almost the entire game, which was the road opener of the season (the second game of the Knicks season overall), and then, in the last minute or so, the Knicks just started inexplicably turning the ball over and allowing Atlanta to make it a game, and had it not been for an epic defensive play by Mitch altering what should have been an easy Capela layup, the Knicks might have lost that game in one of the most shocking losses of the last few years.

So the Knicks should hopefully be able to avoid that bizarre late collapse and just kick the Hawks’ ass like normal. The Hawks are on the second half of a back-to-back, which is nice for the Knicks. Trae Young missed the previous game due to the birth of his kid, but he’s back tonight.

RJ might be out due to migraines, but hopefully he can play.

A winning record after 11 games would be swell, so let’s hope that they get it!

Let’s go, Knicks!

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Game Thread

2023-24 Game Thread: Knicks @ Celtics (Knicks in Boston Opener, also not a thing))

The Knicks get a chance to avenge their opening night loss against the Celtics in Boston.

The Knicks have had a tough opening 10 games, schedule-wise (well, not the last two, but you know what I mean), so the fact that they have a chance to be 6-4 is pretty awesome, and definitely a major boon to those brilliant people who said that the Knicks will win 53 games this season.

You know what I fucking hate? These sports sites that try to hide boring news through misleading headlines. “Boston Celtics center to miss Knicks game,” and it’s fucking Neemias Queta. The world would lose nothing if those sites ceased to exist, and yet Google fucking promotes the shit out of them. So gross.

Let’s go, Knicks!

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Game Thread

2023-24 Game Thread – Knicks vs. Spurs (Wemby’s MSG Opener – Kind of a thing!)

The Knicks hosted highly touted NBA rookie, Victor Wembanyama, and the San Antonio Spurs, at the Garden on Wednesday, and, well, you know how players sort of need to have some adversity to really grow? Well, a nice way for the Knicks to help Wemby grow as a player is for them to kick his ass tonight. It will help him grow!

Time to get back to .500!

Let’s go, Knicks!

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Game Thread

2023-24 Game Thread – Knicks vs. Clippers (James Harden as a Clipper Opener! – Also not a thing)

The Knicks host the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, with both teams getting a nice addition to their respective starting lineups. For the Clippers, James Harden makes his debut as a member of the Clippers, and as for the Knicks, RJ Barrett returns to the team after missing two games (both loses) with a knee injury.

Let us hope that the Knicks’ returning player is a bigger advantage than the Clippers’ returning player!

Let’s also hope that things are so bad for the Clippers that Harden demands a trade out of Los Angeles by the end of the season!

Let’s go, Knicks!

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Game Thread

2023-24 Game Thread – Knicks @ Bucks – In-Season Tournament Opener (I guess, kind of a thing?)

The Knicks head to Milwaukee for the kickoff of the NBA’s bizarre new in-season tournament (I don’t even have a problem with the tournament, per se, as I think it’s more silly than it is actively bad, but…well, it’s pretty darn silly, especially the special court designs for tourney games), sadly still without RJ Barrett, whose knee continues to give him problems (hopefully it is nothing too serious).

Damian Lillard has played four games with the Bucks.

In those four games, he has scored:

39 points in a Bucks win (where he hit the game-winning shot)
6 points in a Bucks loss
25 points in a Bucks win
15 points in a Bucks loss

So, well, I think we can probably safely say that there is at least a chance that as Dame goes, so, too, goes the Bucks.

Hopefully he scores 2 points tonight.

Let’s go, Knicks, and go win this whole fucking silly tournament!

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Game Thread

2023-24 Game Thread – Knicks vs. Cavaliers – Home and Home Opener (Also not a thing)

The Knicks bizarrely host the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second of two games, one of the dumber things that you could imagine from a scheduling purpose. The Knicks’ schedule looked a bit tough to start, but with Cleveland so injured, suddenly this is a perfect opportunity for the Knicks to get over .500 by their fifth game, with some room to maneuver in these next few games (stealing that Bucks game on Friday would be amazing).

Anyhow, RJ Barrett is a bit banged up, as well, but luckily, the Knicks are insanely deep, so even if he has some issues tonight, the Knicks should be able to cover for him.

How many losses before the Cavs just fire their shitty coach?

Let’s go, Knicks!

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Game Thread

2023-24 Game Thread – Knicks vs. Cavaliers – Halloween Opener (Also not a thing)

The Knicks host a few of the Cavaliers on Halloween night for the first of a home and away with the team the Knicks eliminated from the playoffs last year.

So it would be nice for them to win this one and make a statement.

I would like for Julius Randle to dress up as an All-NBA player and play as one.

Let’s go, Knicks!

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Game Thread

2023-24 Game Thread – Knicks @ Pelicans – SECOND GAME ON THE ROAD (Also not a thing)

The Knicks continue their back-to-back road weekend with a date in New Orleans against the Pelicans with an actually healthy Zion Williamson (for now), so it will not be an easy game, but at the time, the Pelicans are incredibly thin, depth-wise, and the Knicks are, you know, not thin, depth-wise, so I think the Knicks should be able to pull this one out and have a winning record for the first time in this short season.

Come on, RJ, make it seem like passing on you was a big mistake by New Orleans!

On to 53 wins!

Let’s go, Knicks!

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Game Thread

2023-24 Game Thread – Knicks @ Hawks – ROAD OPENER (I know, not actually a thing, but just go with it)

The Knicks head out on the road to hopefully make Trae Young’s 2023-24 season start off really poorly, after Young had a terrible opening day of the season, let’s hope that this one is even worse.

Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle had bad starts of the season themselves in Game 1 against the Celtics (and yet the Knicks still almost won the game, and that’s even with the refs screwing the Knicks on a play that could have been a flagrant foul by Jayson Tatum and instead was called a flop by Brunson. Granted, Brunson clearly did do all of the tell-tale signs of a flop, but in this case, he was actually fouled! Awful call), so hopefully they both right their ships in Game 2, as well.

Let’s go, Knicks! All the way to 53 wins!

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Post-Game Recap

NY Post: Kristaps Porzingis’ late heroics sink Knicks in crushing opening-night loss

From Stefan Bondy, who is now covering the Knicks for the Post after the Daily News let him go:

An old enemy in new digs punished the Knicks on opening night.

Kristaps Porzingis went from booed during introductions to being cursed in a chant to taking over down the stretch of Boston’s 108-104 comeback victory Wednesday night.

The Latvian dropped 30 points against his former team, including nine in the final 2 ¹/₂ minutes as the Knicks’ offense went ice cold.

Porzingis added four blocks and expertly guarded the paint against the Knicks (0-1), who managed just three total points after holding a 101-95 advantage with 3:39 minutes remaining.

With two minutes left, Porzingis was given a technical for elbowing Isaiah Hartenstein under the basket.

It prompted the MSG crowd, still bitter over the 7-foot-3 center demanding a trade in 2019, to break out a “F— Porzingis” chant.

The former Knicks All-Star responded with two clutch free throws and a 3-pointer on the following possession.

The sequence swung the momentum for good.

It was an ugly night for Julius Randle, in particular, who has stated a season goal of becoming more efficient.

In Game 1, the power forward missed 17 of his 22 shots, including a few gimmes under the basket. Randle had just 14 points in 32 minutes in his first game since undergoing minor ankle surgery in the offseason.

Jalen Brunson wasn’t much better while shooting 6-for-21 with 15 points and six assists.

The Knicks were led by Immanuel Quickley, who, two nights after failing to agree to a contract extension, dropped 24 points on 7 of 11 shooting.

His shooting carried the Knicks in the beginning of the fourth quarter, when the home team rode a 13-2 run to take its first lead of the contest.

The Knicks couldn’t hold onto it. Mostly because of Porzingis and their own missed shots.

Eh, whatever, they still crashed the boards and played tough defense. Randle and Brunson are unlikely to play as poorly as this going forward (well, Brunson, at least, is unlikely to play this poorly going forward), so they’ll likely still win a bunch of games this year. I’m still cool with 53 wins as a guess!

Now, if Randle continues to play like this…that won’t be good.