Knicks · The elusive & magical Unicorn (page 1)

Do you think we call him that because his shooting touch only seems go appear in the pale light of the rare full blue moon??? Seriously tho, the kid is jacking up an awful lot of crazy, off balanced, contested shots and most importantly he rarely looks to pass when the bll is in his hands. Maybe Phil had the convo about ball hogging tendencies with the wrong "superstar" 😉

I disagree, Kristaps is shooting the ball awfully, but the main difference I see is that he's passing up shots that earlier in the season he was taking to then go and try to create a better shot (which doesn't turn out to be). At season's start, everytime a point guard ran a screen and roll or screen and pop play, KP took the shot as soon as he got the ball. He wasn't trying to drive as much. Now it seems he feels his jumpshot is off, so he's trying to create more off the dribble and the results are sometimes ugly.

Overall though you look at his impact on the game, and I'm not going to make this into a silly Melo vs KP debate, but the beauty of KP as a player is that he can have an off night on offense and still shine. 10 boards. Many good defensive anchoring plays. That's his value. He has a very good +/- impact on the team for a reason. Even if he's missing shots, if you look at how teams defend us this year vs last year (or early in the season) they are no longer letting their bigs leave KP alone. This allows our guards to drive into the paint and get good, better looks at the basket.

KP needs to look at tape and see how he's hesitating a little and forcing himself into bad spots. He needs to take the open shot. He isn't a role player who can be on or off. He's a great shooter. When he has an open look just catch and shoot it.

KP had a great pass out to Lance Thomas for a huge 3pt-er. He'll learn to identify when to shoot and when to pass.

He hasn't even played 100 games in his career yet. Sheesh.

crzymdups wrote:KP had a great pass out to Lance Thomas for a huge 3pt-er. He'll learn to identify when to shoot and when to pass.

He hasn't even played 100 games in his career yet. Sheesh.

Exactly we all expect so much but he is a second year player lol, we have struck gold but can't expect so much of him unless we want to run him into the ground

Usually Knick fans over-praise their first year players, then turn on them in the second year. I'm glad that hasn't happened with KP yet. He's young, he's figuring things out, he'll have his ups and downs. While his shootings gotten poorer lately, his rebounding seems to have gone up, which is good- I think its good he's learning to contribute in other ways when his scoring is off.

Seems like you have a hate boner for KP. We get it, you prefer Melo and are bothered by how some people like KP more than him. That's fine,but do you need to keep making threads constantly criticizing one of the only good things that has happened to this franchise in the last 15 years?

Dagger wrote:Seems like you have a hate boner for KP. We get it, you prefer Melo and are bothered by how some people like KP more than him. That's fine,but do you need to keep making threads constantly criticizing one of the only good things that has happened to this franchise in the last 15 years?

I'm gonna Man Up and admit that I made this post late last night after a heated exchange in a FaceBook group about the hypocrisy in the fanbase when it comes to looking at the two players and rereading it now I see how it comes off as straight KP haterade and for that I'm sorry. I actually really like the kid and jumped off the couch screaming (and waking up everybody in my house) "Hell Mother Effin Yeah, Shooters Gotta Shoot" when he finally hit that gorgeous step back three in the 4th and to be 21 and do what he does is truly amazing, I just wish our crew of diehard fans wasnt so eager to throw out the old toys whenever we get something new & shiny to play with. And also additionally wish that we had had one universal standard of critique when it came to analyzing performance. All that to say, I was wrong to throw shade at the Unicorn and I hope he shoots his way out of his slump soon cause Melo cant do this without him & D Rose.

The kid looks like he could use a few games off to get his legs back. I'm not sure why Willy has fallen completely out of the rotation, but he could use some playing time and KP looks to need a breather. Also, Sasha makes a good case for re-signing Randle as the 3rd PG. If they aren't going to play Baker, why not cut him and sign him to the D League Knicks.

ActionJackson wrote:

Dagger wrote:Seems like you have a hate boner for KP. We get it, you prefer Melo and are bothered by how some people like KP more than him. That's fine,but do you need to keep making threads constantly criticizing one of the only good things that has happened to this franchise in the last 15 years?

I'm gonna Man Up and admit that I made this post late last night after a heated exchange in a FaceBook group about the hypocrisy in the fanbase when it comes to looking at the two players and rereading it now I see how it comes off as straight KP haterade and for that I'm sorry. I actually really like the kid and jumped off the couch screaming (and waking up everybody in my house) "Hell Mother Effin Yeah, Shooters Gotta Shoot" when he finally hit that gorgeous step back three in the 4th and to be 21 and do what he does is truly amazing, I just wish our crew of diehard fans wasnt so eager to throw out the old toys whenever we get something new & shiny to play with. And also additionally wish that we had had one universal standard of critique when it came to analyzing performance. All that to say, I was wrong to throw shade at the Unicorn and I hope he shoots his way out of his slump soon cause Melo cant do this without him & D Rose.

+1 for being a stand up guy.

What KP is not doing enough which is hurting the team IMO is not getting to the line enough. Not about the refs, he just doesn't spend enough time working in the paint. Conditioning might be part of it, going to take time for KP to build up that wiry frame. Still has to be more aggressive, not just looking to clean up, but posting up as well.

Check out the splits for Towns and Porzinigis in free throws attempted, Towns gets to the line a lot more. It gets the other team in foul trouble, makes it easier on his teammates. Hope that becomes more of a focus from Hornacek.

ActionJackson wrote:

Dagger wrote:Seems like you have a hate boner for KP. We get it, you prefer Melo and are bothered by how some people like KP more than him. That's fine,but do you need to keep making threads constantly criticizing one of the only good things that has happened to this franchise in the last 15 years?

I'm gonna Man Up and admit that I made this post late last night after a heated exchange in a FaceBook group about the hypocrisy in the fanbase when it comes to looking at the two players and rereading it now I see how it comes off as straight KP haterade and for that I'm sorry. I actually really like the kid and jumped off the couch screaming (and waking up everybody in my house) "Hell Mother Effin Yeah, Shooters Gotta Shoot" when he finally hit that gorgeous step back three in the 4th and to be 21 and do what he does is truly amazing, I just wish our crew of diehard fans wasnt so eager to throw out the old toys whenever we get something new & shiny to play with. And also additionally wish that we had had one universal standard of critique when it came to analyzing performance. All that to say, I was wrong to throw shade at the Unicorn and I hope he shoots his way out of his slump soon cause Melo cant do this without him & D Rose.

Great post.

GustavBahler wrote:

ActionJackson wrote:

Dagger wrote:Seems like you have a hate boner for KP. We get it, you prefer Melo and are bothered by how some people like KP more than him. That's fine,but do you need to keep making threads constantly criticizing one of the only good things that has happened to this franchise in the last 15 years?

I'm gonna Man Up and admit that I made this post late last night after a heated exchange in a FaceBook group about the hypocrisy in the fanbase when it comes to looking at the two players and rereading it now I see how it comes off as straight KP haterade and for that I'm sorry. I actually really like the kid and jumped off the couch screaming (and waking up everybody in my house) "Hell Mother Effin Yeah, Shooters Gotta Shoot" when he finally hit that gorgeous step back three in the 4th and to be 21 and do what he does is truly amazing, I just wish our crew of diehard fans wasnt so eager to throw out the old toys whenever we get something new & shiny to play with. And also additionally wish that we had had one universal standard of critique when it came to analyzing performance. All that to say, I was wrong to throw shade at the Unicorn and I hope he shoots his way out of his slump soon cause Melo cant do this without him & D Rose.

+1 for being a stand up guy.

What KP is not doing enough which is hurting the team IMO is not getting to the line enough. Not about the refs, he just doesn't spend enough time working in the paint. Conditioning might be part of it, going to take time for KP to build up that wiry frame. Still has to be more aggressive, not just looking to clean up, but posting up as well.

Check out the splits for Towns and Porzinigis in free throws attempted, Towns gets to the line a lot more. It gets the other team in foul trouble, makes it easier on his teammates. Hope that becomes more of a focus from Hornacek.

Funny...was going to call ActionJackson out last night for being provocative, but fell asleep. Now I don't have to write anything.

I can feel good, now.

WaltLongmire wrote:
Funny...was going to call ActionJackson out last night for being provocative, but fell asleep. Now I don't have to write anything.

I can feel good, now.

But as Clyde might say, I am "provocative & evocative"

CrushAlot wrote:

ActionJackson wrote:

Dagger wrote:Seems like you have a hate boner for KP. We get it, you prefer Melo and are bothered by how some people like KP more than him. That's fine,but do you need to keep making threads constantly criticizing one of the only good things that has happened to this franchise in the last 15 years?

I'm gonna Man Up and admit that I made this post late last night after a heated exchange in a FaceBook group about the hypocrisy in the fanbase when it comes to looking at the two players and rereading it now I see how it comes off as straight KP haterade and for that I'm sorry. I actually really like the kid and jumped off the couch screaming (and waking up everybody in my house) "Hell Mother Effin Yeah, Shooters Gotta Shoot" when he finally hit that gorgeous step back three in the 4th and to be 21 and do what he does is truly amazing, I just wish our crew of diehard fans wasnt so eager to throw out the old toys whenever we get something new & shiny to play with. And also additionally wish that we had had one universal standard of critique when it came to analyzing performance. All that to say, I was wrong to throw shade at the Unicorn and I hope he shoots his way out of his slump soon cause Melo cant do this without him & D Rose.

Great post.

The old guys are so key. Maybe I am soft because I am one, but you need experience and maturity. People just want to look at the numbers and say Oquin can replace Noah... maybe he can, but we NEED both. Last night no Rose, KP stunk and Melo played like the best player on the court and did the heavy lifting. People are so agenda driven they cant stomach that basic balance. KP is more exciting because he represents the future and of course... hope. Melo is the most polarizing micro-analyzed player I can remember in NY sports, even more than ARod. He's also a hell of a scorer... STILL, and that was enough to start this road trip with a WIN which is all that matter. Can I get an amen?????

Amen!

ActionJackson wrote:

Dagger wrote:Seems like you have a hate boner for KP. We get it, you prefer Melo and are bothered by how some people like KP more than him. That's fine,but do you need to keep making threads constantly criticizing one of the only good things that has happened to this franchise in the last 15 years?

I'm gonna Man Up and admit that I made this post late last night after a heated exchange in a FaceBook group about the hypocrisy in the fanbase when it comes to looking at the two players and rereading it now I see how it comes off as straight KP haterade and for that I'm sorry. I actually really like the kid and jumped off the couch screaming (and waking up everybody in my house) "Hell Mother Effin Yeah, Shooters Gotta Shoot" when he finally hit that gorgeous step back three in the 4th and to be 21 and do what he does is truly amazing, I just wish our crew of diehard fans wasnt so eager to throw out the old toys whenever we get something new & shiny to play with. And also additionally wish that we had had one universal standard of critique when it came to analyzing performance. All that to say, I was wrong to throw shade at the Unicorn and I hope he shoots his way out of his slump soon cause Melo cant do this without him & D Rose.

i respect your honesty. I also respect that youre a bigtime melo fan and i understand its tough to see negative comments about him. I agree some people are too negative about melo so i understand why his fans get upset. HOWEVER many people like melo but also will be critical if he has a bad game....thats not a bad thing. Look i admit im a big KP fan but i also have admitted he is going through a rough stretch shooting the ball. Im perfectly fine calling him out on that but i feel these two threads were a bit petty. However i dont feel that way anymore after reading your last post. Now i understand what you really meant and respect that

nyknickzingis wrote:I disagree, Kristaps is shooting the ball awfully, but the main difference I see is that he's passing up shots that earlier in the season he was taking to then go and try to create a better shot (which doesn't turn out to be). At season's start, everytime a point guard ran a screen and roll or screen and pop play, KP took the shot as soon as he got the ball. He wasn't trying to drive as much. Now it seems he feels his jumpshot is off, so he's trying to create more off the dribble and the results are sometimes ugly.

Overall though you look at his impact on the game, and I'm not going to make this into a silly Melo vs KP debate, but the beauty of KP as a player is that he can have an off night on offense and still shine. 10 boards. Many good defensive anchoring plays. That's his value. He has a very good +/- impact on the team for a reason. Even if he's missing shots, if you look at how teams defend us this year vs last year (or early in the season) they are no longer letting their bigs leave KP alone. This allows our guards to drive into the paint and get good, better looks at the basket.

KP needs to look at tape and see how he's hesitating a little and forcing himself into bad spots. He needs to take the open shot. He isn't a role player who can be on or off. He's a great shooter. When he has an open look just catch and shoot it.

I totally agree. He is passing up fairly open threes to try and get a closer contested 2, and the shots are not falling. He needs to focus, get his feet set and take those 3s. He does not yet have the strength to hold his ground on his drives and it results in him taking off balance shots.

StarksEwing1 wrote:

ActionJackson wrote:

Dagger wrote:Seems like you have a hate boner for KP. We get it, you prefer Melo and are bothered by how some people like KP more than him. That's fine,but do you need to keep making threads constantly criticizing one of the only good things that has happened to this franchise in the last 15 years?

I'm gonna Man Up and admit that I made this post late last night after a heated exchange in a FaceBook group about the hypocrisy in the fanbase when it comes to looking at the two players and rereading it now I see how it comes off as straight KP haterade and for that I'm sorry. I actually really like the kid and jumped off the couch screaming (and waking up everybody in my house) "Hell Mother Effin Yeah, Shooters Gotta Shoot" when he finally hit that gorgeous step back three in the 4th and to be 21 and do what he does is truly amazing, I just wish our crew of diehard fans wasnt so eager to throw out the old toys whenever we get something new & shiny to play with. And also additionally wish that we had had one universal standard of critique when it came to analyzing performance. All that to say, I was wrong to throw shade at the Unicorn and I hope he shoots his way out of his slump soon cause Melo cant do this without him & D Rose.

i respect your honesty. I also respect that youre a bigtime melo fan and i understand its tough to see negative comments about him. I agree some people are too negative about melo so i understand why his fans get upset. HOWEVER many people like melo but also will be critical if he has a bad game....thats not a bad thing. Look i admit im a big KP fan but i also have admitted he is going through a rough stretch shooting the ball. Im perfectly fine calling him out on that but i feel these two threads were a bit petty. However i dont feel that way anymore after reading your last post. Now i understand what you really meant and respect that

I'm NOT even a Melo fan as much as I am someone with a complete a utter disdain for hypocrisy, so I admit that I was trying to use KP's struggles to point out the lack of critique or even blatant justifications of one players struggle and the over critique & blinders of another's on this board but one thing you are absofrigginloutely spot on about is the fact that I am all about the petty. LOL

ActionJackson wrote:

StarksEwing1 wrote:

ActionJackson wrote:

Dagger wrote:Seems like you have a hate boner for KP. We get it, you prefer Melo and are bothered by how some people like KP more than him. That's fine,but do you need to keep making threads constantly criticizing one of the only good things that has happened to this franchise in the last 15 years?

I'm gonna Man Up and admit that I made this post late last night after a heated exchange in a FaceBook group about the hypocrisy in the fanbase when it comes to looking at the two players and rereading it now I see how it comes off as straight KP haterade and for that I'm sorry. I actually really like the kid and jumped off the couch screaming (and waking up everybody in my house) "Hell Mother Effin Yeah, Shooters Gotta Shoot" when he finally hit that gorgeous step back three in the 4th and to be 21 and do what he does is truly amazing, I just wish our crew of diehard fans wasnt so eager to throw out the old toys whenever we get something new & shiny to play with. And also additionally wish that we had had one universal standard of critique when it came to analyzing performance. All that to say, I was wrong to throw shade at the Unicorn and I hope he shoots his way out of his slump soon cause Melo cant do this without him & D Rose.

i respect your honesty. I also respect that youre a bigtime melo fan and i understand its tough to see negative comments about him. I agree some people are too negative about melo so i understand why his fans get upset. HOWEVER many people like melo but also will be critical if he has a bad game....thats not a bad thing. Look i admit im a big KP fan but i also have admitted he is going through a rough stretch shooting the ball. Im perfectly fine calling him out on that but i feel these two threads were a bit petty. However i dont feel that way anymore after reading your last post. Now i understand what you really meant and respect that

I'm NOT even a Melo fan as much as I am someone with a complete a utter disdain for hypocrisy, so I admit that I was trying to use KP's struggles to point out the lack of critique or even blatant justifications of one players struggle and the over critique & blinders of another's on this board but one thing you are absofrigginloutely spot on about is the fact that I am all about the petty. LOL

truthfully i still dont see much hypocrisy. They both play for the same team so we should really embrace having them both instead of knocking the other

StarksEwing1 wrote:

ActionJackson wrote:

StarksEwing1 wrote:

ActionJackson wrote:

Dagger wrote:Seems like you have a hate boner for KP. We get it, you prefer Melo and are bothered by how some people like KP more than him. That's fine,but do you need to keep making threads constantly criticizing one of the only good things that has happened to this franchise in the last 15 years?

I'm gonna Man Up and admit that I made this post late last night after a heated exchange in a FaceBook group about the hypocrisy in the fanbase when it comes to looking at the two players and rereading it now I see how it comes off as straight KP haterade and for that I'm sorry. I actually really like the kid and jumped off the couch screaming (and waking up everybody in my house) "Hell Mother Effin Yeah, Shooters Gotta Shoot" when he finally hit that gorgeous step back three in the 4th and to be 21 and do what he does is truly amazing, I just wish our crew of diehard fans wasnt so eager to throw out the old toys whenever we get something new & shiny to play with. And also additionally wish that we had had one universal standard of critique when it came to analyzing performance. All that to say, I was wrong to throw shade at the Unicorn and I hope he shoots his way out of his slump soon cause Melo cant do this without him & D Rose.

i respect your honesty. I also respect that youre a bigtime melo fan and i understand its tough to see negative comments about him. I agree some people are too negative about melo so i understand why his fans get upset. HOWEVER many people like melo but also will be critical if he has a bad game....thats not a bad thing. Look i admit im a big KP fan but i also have admitted he is going through a rough stretch shooting the ball. Im perfectly fine calling him out on that but i feel these two threads were a bit petty. However i dont feel that way anymore after reading your last post. Now i understand what you really meant and respect that

I'm NOT even a Melo fan as much as I am someone with a complete a utter disdain for hypocrisy, so I admit that I was trying to use KP's struggles to point out the lack of critique or even blatant justifications of one players struggle and the over critique & blinders of another's on this board but one thing you are absofrigginloutely spot on about is the fact that I am all about the petty. LOL

truthfully i still dont see much hypocrisy. They both play for the same team so we should really embrace having them both instead of knocking the other

Agreed but yet that's what so manty here and on Real GM or FaceBook groups seem to do on the regular. It's like they cant praise KP without tearing down Melo or exalt Big KOQ without saying the Noah is the worst signing in the history of sports. Me...I'm for whatever fantasy works or whatever plan alllows us to not not be a laughingstock on ESPN cause I'm tired of the national media dragging us cause it's fun and popular to do so. So i guess I really wish we as a fanbase could circle the wagons and take a "you're either with us or against us" approach to the rest of the B-Ball universe.

We need to adopt this philosophy

"What the F**k happened to the UK I used to know...where's the guts huh? This could be the greatest season of our lives but instead we're gonna let it be the worst. Not me, I'm not gonna take this Silver he's a dead man...Curry dead....LeBron DEAD!!!!"