Game Preview and Thread: Knicks v. Rockets or “Thank you for Choking”

Thomas B. Uncategorized

It’s been about 10 years since I last read Christopher Buckley’s “Thank you for Smoking”.  The Novel–later adapted into a film I haven’t watched yet– is an excellent satirical take on the lobbying industry.  If you like dark humor and unflinching look at far we are willing to go to make a horrible product look like a great thing, you should read the book.  I won’t spoil too much of it here but the basic plot is Nick Naylor is a top spin doctor for the tobacco industry who is beginning to feel conflicted about the dangers of tobacco especially when it begins to strain his relationship with his child.  It is story about morals, conflicts, self-delusion, greed, remorse, insensitivity, and rationalizing.

So why bring that up here when I should be talking about PER and Defensive Efficiency? Well, for one there is no reason to talk about any of the advanced stats of this team.  Seriously, smoker’s lung is easier to look at than this.

I bring up the novel because I feel conflicted.  I very much want the top pick in the draft.  That of course requires that I talk myself into supporting my team getting beaten game after game after game after game after game (repeat that until you reach 13).

I’ve noticed in the threads a good number of our fine posters are pushing for ping-pong balls.  And while I do covet that top pick, I wonder if the rest of you are as saddened by the season as I am.  And I also wonder what keeps bringing you back to watch this mess night after night?  I have the incentive of the luxurious lifestyle that comes with being a part-time contributor to a blog. What keeps you folk coming back?

thank-you-for-choking

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Thomas B.

@Don't bother; I don't tweet

106 thoughts to “Game Preview and Thread: Knicks v. Rockets or “Thank you for Choking””

  1. I still care about the individual performances. I like watching Pablo and Cole. I enjoy yelling at Jason Smith when he chucks a brick. It’s also fun to watch the good players on other teams, even if it’s against the equivalent of a practice squad.

  2. It’s also fun to watch the good players on other teams, even if it’s against the equivalent of a practice squad.

    You think the team is good enough to be called a practice squad? My aren’t you the optimist.

  3. I assume the Knicks are losing every game. I watch to see how they lose.

    The people at the garden are crazy tho

  9. Wasn’t Calderon supposed to never turn it over? Sheeeet. Looks like I picked the wrong game to stop drinking

  10. The only team we have a chance to beat is Philly, and even then it’s a tossup game.

    6-76 has a nice ring to it tho.

  11. Why does Reggie, and other commentators continue to mention Bargs at all? He’s been irrelevant forever and never made an impact to start. He is the modern Jerome James

  14. @yellowboy90- Pablo and Calderone are the Abstinence back court. No penetration…

  15. Marv and Reggie with unbiased opinions – no free agents are going to take a pay cut to come to NY, and JR and Shumpert should really help the Cavs once they “up their games”.

  17. I’d rather see Larkin or Wear guard Harden than Calderon and previously Hardaway after prigs went out.

  23. Early has been awful

    That’s what I’m saying! He has been clueless on both ends (much worse than Wear, even).

  28. 2 bad turnovers (Cole and Wear) followed by a stupid T by Early. It’s amazing they’re in this game.

  32. This lineup has been really fun to watch.

    It’s been amazing! Galloway isn’t looking so bad out there. It looks like he knows how to finish inside and hopefully he can start making his threes.

  35. I would be willing to move Calderon if it allowed us to dump Hardaway onto someone.

    This can easily be done. I doubt Phil will do it though, sadly.

  37. Galloway can kinda do what we wanted from shumprrt right.? 3 n D combo guard

    Not sure he can guard larger SGs, and definitely isn’t as skilled as a defender as Shump.

  39. Galloway was getting about 6 boards a game in the d-league. He’s way better on the glass than Timmy.

  42. For a smart guy that was pretty dumb by Pablo. He is guarding one of the best but make him use his right hand and use the baseline and help d.

  44. Not sure he can guard larger SGs, and definitely isn’t as skilled as a defender as Shump.

    Shump was a skilled defender? :)

  45. Pablo was like my son. I raised him. And when he died a part of me died. But now you’re the one, Langston. You’re the one that’s gonna keep his spirit alive

  46. If we could just get rid of Jah this team would be legitimately entertaining to me. But man, I fucking hate that guy.

  47. I think Reggie needs to reverse his suggestion. They need to scrap the offense when Calderon, Timmy, Pablo, Ja Smith, and Acy are on the floor. Let those guys maybe create value then ship them off.

    Acy can stay and Pablo needs to go to a contender

  48. I’ve watched many of Galloway games as an alum… He Finishes very well around rim , great hops for 6′ 2″, but he can appear out of control … Whether he is or not, I never knew. His jumper is really flat so his misses look awful but he can get hot… I hope he does. The current lineup in there without him right now is simply awful, fyi.

  50. Hardaway really does suck ass. I’d rather see Galloway and Early, at least we don’t know if they suck yet

  51. Harden out there like he playing against his baby brother. Just going by Pablo like he not there.

  54. It seems that Wear has suddenly realized that shooting the ball one step inside of the line is not that much easier than just shooting a shot that is worth 3 points. Maybe he was picked up only to knock down the coveted mid range jumper that the triangle loves so much.

  60. That nobody who held Dwight Howard to 2 points in the first half has a name, fatass. And his name is called Cole Fucking Aldrich.

  61. It seems that Wear has suddenly realized that shooting the ball one step inside of the line is not that much easier than just shooting a shot that is worth 3 points.

    He may have been talking to Bargs. Remember last season a couple of steps was the difference between elite and effete.

  62. @50 “I’d rather see Galloway and Early, at least we don’t know if they suck yet”

    We don’t??

  63. Barkley is a bit of a troll, but he’s far more entertaining than Shaq.

    Nah, Barkley just speaks his mind. MJ doesn’t talk to him anymore because he said Charlotte MJ made some terrible decisions. Looking forward to a year or two when Kobe once again ousts Shaq and joins Barkley. Kobe doesn’t mince words either.

  64. I think Galloway has a chance. Early, I’m not so sure.

    Honestly, tho, I’m too mad at Shaq right now to think straight.

  68. someone very close to me is sitting with Daryl Morey tonight at MSG and he is talking mad shit

  70. Calderon, Timmy, and Ja needs to go.

    The axis of evil are 5-20 from the floor and don’t play a lick of defense.

  73. TNT should be able to switch out of a game like this…smh. No more Nationally televised games please!

  78. Galloway looks nice though. He is competing through screens against Harden. I like that he has gone against Wall and Harden in his 1st two nights. Grow some hair on his chest early

  80. Reggie calling Montenuis Jason Smith when he had a bad defensive possession is classic.

  81. Very early days for Galloway, obviously, but he certainly doesn’t look physically overmatched at this level. Just please cut Bargs, Jah and try to package Timmy/Calderon for a second round pick or something. And then let’s just sign anyone decent in the d-league and see if something sticks.

  82. Sadly Calderon probably sticks around at least until Marc Gasol turns the Knicks down- the only value he has now is that he’s good buddies with Gasol. My fear is that Gasol keeps the Knicks hanging long enough to miss out on anyone that they might actually have a shot at signing.

  84. WHY IS JASON SMITH STILL OUT THERE?

    oh, right. We only have two big people on our team who can play. Seriously, just sign Khem Birch or that dude with the even weirder name tomorrow.

  90. You can definitely see the benefits of the triangle when the Knicks actually run it (which only seems to happen when when Larkin and/or Galloway are in, probably because the Knicks ran more triangle offense plays in summer league than they have this entire regular season). They ran it well when Early had that dunk. Acy got it in the post, which is typically a pretty bad option, but their spacing was really good and they got Early an easy chance to blow by his man.

  91. DRed January 8, 2015 at 10:18 pm

    Aldrich honestly might die if they keep playing him.

    Aldrich has that Bill Murray stamina in space jam

  95. Dwight Howard is such a fucking loser. Go father another kid you don’t take care of, shithead. Guy is permanently 12 years old

  96. Early with 16 pts on 6 for 10 shooting, Galloway with 19 also on 6 for 10 and Wear with 21 pts on 9 for 16 shooting. Gotta look for any small positives we can lol.

  98. Having 3 young guys play well is a good night for this team …. Let’s pray they aren’t just bait for an awful trade. You never know with this shit show

  99. In fairness the kids should get some time with veterans like Calderon, Pablo and even Melo since he plans on still playing this season. Amar’e too, letting the kids play with the only decent veterans the Knicks still have would be beneficial to them too. Just hope they do continue to get significant time when/if Melo and Amar’e return this season.

  102. Not sure whether to be happy or depressed that our best player tonight, without a doubt, is a D-League guy playing his second professional game.

  104. The one thing I’ve liked about Wear this season is that he knows how to play in the Triangle, which seemingly every veteran Knick did not know how to do, because apparently it’s easy enough for a rookie to understand but not a veteran (?!). And that showed tonight. Same with Galloway. Good to see.

    And it was nice to see Early play well, as well.

    It took almost literally everything in the world to go wrong to get us to this point, but we’re finally seeing some young talent – very cool to see.

  105. I hope they stretch Calderon if he’s here after the trade deadline. He’s producing so much below his contract that it makes no sense to keep him. He can still be a good player (with strong limitations), but here he is utterly useless. And, as much as it pains me to say so, I hope they trade Pablo to some team which knows how to win games. I hope they send him to the Spurs. Pablo deserves better.

  106. We really should have traded Timmy after that rookie game at the all star break

    Totally agreed on that – several of us were saying trade Timmy earlier this year. Unless he makes a totally unexpected change in his game, he really brings nothing to the table if his shot isn’t falling, and it’s really not falling.

    Makes you wonder about Beilein’s system and how it prepares them for the pros. Has there been a single Beilein-coached player that has been a success at the pro level? Joe Alexander was coached by him at WVU (although his best year was the year after Beilein left). His list of U of M draft picks include Darius Morris, THJ, Trey Burke, Stauskas, Glenn Robinson III, and McGary. Yeesh.

    Amare should never play another minute for the Knicks. Its totally pointless

    Totally agree. They should get him healthy, play him a few games to show other teams he can play, and then waive him so he can find a better situation. His signing has been pretty much a disaster for the Knicks but I wouldn’t say it’s Amare’s fault at all — he’s given everything he has and more to try to bring it every night for this team. #freeAmare

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