Knicks · Observations from Cleveland game. (page 1)
First half was everything I was afraid of. Melo looked like a kid who's dad is mentaly abusing him from the sideline. Think its time for him to accept its not going to get any easier for him in NY. Just don't see the boo birds changing their tune. Even after the trade deadline. Think they will continue to boo if he has a bad quarter or even a couple of bad possesions. It's clear his best games are going to happen when he is on the road.
KP was extremely frustrating in first half as he seems to be flailing his arms and going for every pump fake...still. Looked better in second half. Think its just him still getting accomstomed to his height. It has to be challenging controlling a 7'3 build at such a young age. Specially on defense. We were done in the first half with Melo missing and KP out. He has to realize that it is sometimes more important to stay on the floor than to block a shot.
Willy looked very comfortable and composed. Out of the two(KP and Willy)), he was the more fundamentaly sound player. Cuts off picks, rotates well, stays down on Defense and finds gaps on offense for quick shots. He made a couple of bad plays but mostly because Jennings did not come get the ball. He had issues moving his feet on Defense but understandable as he was forced to guard some quick players.
Jennings single handedly brought them back. Although it helped that the Cavs had their third string point guard in the game trying to do his best MJ impression. Jennings really got it going from three. Was good seeing him jack up so many three pointers and making them. Got the crowd back into it. Until LBJ came back in and quickly got lead back up. Can see why Jennings is so frustrating for coaches/fans as he can look so good and then quickly look a bit out of control. Good game by him though.
Biggest take away besides LBJ being a great player, (Guy is huge and fast as hell, surprise! Sometimes looked like a grown man playing with little kids.), was that we looked out of position when KP, Melo and another big are on the court together. Melo was forced to three point line (Not his best spot). KP floats to three point line like a SM or SG. And the Five (Except for Willy) was ussually more in the high post position and not even looking to post up down low. We have no down low presence. Melo should be at the 4. As it forces him to play down low. Think it will be our biggest problem going forward as Noah makes too much to sit, KP is too tall to play anything but 4. And Melo has to play the 3 because of it. On D, we are just not fast enought to rotate to the open man with those three on the floor. KP left his man open several times for open threes. KO left Frye open like he did not get the memo on Frye's game. Willy was caught (on frustrating instant switches)guarding LBJ or Love. Just dont know why the coaching staff have them switching so much. One last thing, Kuz and Holiday are extremely athletic. Frustrating that they do not go strong to basket more. They both seem to fall in love with the 3. Think they should be cutting and driving more. They have the ability to be good finishers.
LA game tonight, hope we get a win.
HofstraBBall wrote:Went to game on Saturday. With SB Sunday did not have time to post. Sometimes bitter sweeet going to a game against a great opposing team/player.First half was everything I was afraid of. Melo looked like a kid who's dad is mentaly abusing him from the sideline. Think its time for him to accept its not going to get any easier for him in NY. Just don't see the boo birds changing their tune. Even after the trade deadline. Think they will continue to boo if he has a bad quarter or even a couple of bad possesions. It's clear his best games are going to happen when he is on the road.
KP was extremely frustrating in first half as he seems to be flailing his arms and going for every pump fake...still. Looked better in second half. Think its just him still getting accomstomed to his height. It has to be challenging controlling a 7'3 build at such a young age. Specially on defense. We were done in the first half with Melo missing and KP out. He has to realize that it is sometimes more important to stay on the floor than to block a shot.
Willy looked very comfortable and composed. Out of the two(KP and Willy)), he was the more fundamentaly sound player. Cuts off picks, rotates well, stays down on Defense and finds gaps on offense for quick shots. He made a couple of bad plays but mostly because Jennings did not come get the ball. He had issues moving his feet on Defense but understandable as he was forced to guard some quick players.
Jennings single handedly brought them back. Although it helped that the Cavs had their third string point guard in the game trying to do his best MJ impression. Jennings really got it going from three. Was good seeing him jack up so many three pointers and making them. Got the crowd back into it. Until LBJ came back in and quickly got lead back up. Can see why Jennings is so frustrating for coaches/fans as he can look so good and then quickly look a bit out of control. Good game by him though.
Biggest take away besides LBJ being a great player, (Guy is huge and fast as hell, surprise! Sometimes looked like a grown man playing with little kids.), was that we looked out of position when KP, Melo and another big are on the court together. Melo was forced to three point line (Not his best spot). KP floats to three point line like a SM or SG. And the Five (Except for Willy) was ussually more in the high post position and not even looking to post up down low. We have no down low presence. Melo should be at the 4. As it forces him to play down low. Think it will be our biggest problem going forward as Noah makes too much to sit, KP is too tall to play anything but 4. And Melo has to play the 3 because of it. On D, we are just not fast enought to rotate to the open man with those three on the floor. KP left his man open several times for open threes. KO left Frye open like he did not get the memo on Frye's game. Willy was caught (on frustrating instant switches)guarding LBJ or Love. Just dont know why the coaching staff have them switching so much. One last thing, Kuz and Holiday are extremely athletic. Frustrating that they do not go strong to basket more. They both seem to fall in love with the 3. Think they should be cutting and driving more. They have the ability to be good finishers.
LA game tonight, hope we get a win.
good take. I have seen Lebron a few times in person and up close and he is far and away more impressive than on TV.
He is Karl Malone, with the quickness and speed of Jordan, the playmaking of Magic, the shooting of many-a-great, all wrapped up in one package.
What he is not anymore is clowning as he is older and things are beginning to be painful for him.
Amazing human speciman and one whose health has stayed with him.
As for KP, I agree with so much but what is NOT seen is a bad back, bad knees, bad feet, etc. just a bad heel. I say that because by letting him play on the perimeter he is staying healthy and body maturing without any undue stress. His pin head and small joints tells me he is yet to mature or get his "man strength"!
Very true about Willy's feet on defense and it has been seen in crunch time. Something to work thru.
As for Noah, he started the game ablaze and then got hurt. Its a problem and no doubt a source of frustration for all of us. I suppose if we knew how Phil felt we could deal with it.
Nalod wrote:HofstraBBall wrote:Went to game on Saturday. With SB Sunday did not have time to post. Sometimes bitter sweeet going to a game against a great opposing team/player.First half was everything I was afraid of. Melo looked like a kid who's dad is mentaly abusing him from the sideline. Think its time for him to accept its not going to get any easier for him in NY. Just don't see the boo birds changing their tune. Even after the trade deadline. Think they will continue to boo if he has a bad quarter or even a couple of bad possesions. It's clear his best games are going to happen when he is on the road.
KP was extremely frustrating in first half as he seems to be flailing his arms and going for every pump fake...still. Looked better in second half. Think its just him still getting accomstomed to his height. It has to be challenging controlling a 7'3 build at such a young age. Specially on defense. We were done in the first half with Melo missing and KP out. He has to realize that it is sometimes more important to stay on the floor than to block a shot.
Willy looked very comfortable and composed. Out of the two(KP and Willy)), he was the more fundamentaly sound player. Cuts off picks, rotates well, stays down on Defense and finds gaps on offense for quick shots. He made a couple of bad plays but mostly because Jennings did not come get the ball. He had issues moving his feet on Defense but understandable as he was forced to guard some quick players.
Jennings single handedly brought them back. Although it helped that the Cavs had their third string point guard in the game trying to do his best MJ impression. Jennings really got it going from three. Was good seeing him jack up so many three pointers and making them. Got the crowd back into it. Until LBJ came back in and quickly got lead back up. Can see why Jennings is so frustrating for coaches/fans as he can look so good and then quickly look a bit out of control. Good game by him though.
Biggest take away besides LBJ being a great player, (Guy is huge and fast as hell, surprise! Sometimes looked like a grown man playing with little kids.), was that we looked out of position when KP, Melo and another big are on the court together. Melo was forced to three point line (Not his best spot). KP floats to three point line like a SM or SG. And the Five (Except for Willy) was ussually more in the high post position and not even looking to post up down low. We have no down low presence. Melo should be at the 4. As it forces him to play down low. Think it will be our biggest problem going forward as Noah makes too much to sit, KP is too tall to play anything but 4. And Melo has to play the 3 because of it. On D, we are just not fast enought to rotate to the open man with those three on the floor. KP left his man open several times for open threes. KO left Frye open like he did not get the memo on Frye's game. Willy was caught (on frustrating instant switches)guarding LBJ or Love. Just dont know why the coaching staff have them switching so much. One last thing, Kuz and Holiday are extremely athletic. Frustrating that they do not go strong to basket more. They both seem to fall in love with the 3. Think they should be cutting and driving more. They have the ability to be good finishers.
LA game tonight, hope we get a win.
good take. I have seen Lebron a few times in person and up close and he is far and away more impressive than on TV.
He is Karl Malone, with the quickness and speed of Jordan, the playmaking of Magic, the shooting of many-a-great, all wrapped up in one package.
What he is not anymore is clowning as he is older and things are beginning to be painful for him.
Amazing human speciman and one whose health has stayed with him.As for KP, I agree with so much but what is NOT seen is a bad back, bad knees, bad feet, etc. just a bad heel. I say that because by letting him play on the perimeter he is staying healthy and body maturing without any undue stress. His pin head and small joints tells me he is yet to mature or get his "man strength"!
Very true about Willy's feet on defense and it has been seen in crunch time. Something to work thru.
As for Noah, he started the game ablaze and then got hurt. Its a problem and no doubt a source of frustration for all of us. I suppose if we knew how Phil felt we could deal with it.
You may be right about KP. May be why we haven't seen a move to put KP at 5. Even with Noah out, they brought in KO or Willy.
HofstraBBall wrote:Nalod wrote:HofstraBBall wrote:Went to game on Saturday. With SB Sunday did not have time to post. Sometimes bitter sweeet going to a game against a great opposing team/player.First half was everything I was afraid of. Melo looked like a kid who's dad is mentaly abusing him from the sideline. Think its time for him to accept its not going to get any easier for him in NY. Just don't see the boo birds changing their tune. Even after the trade deadline. Think they will continue to boo if he has a bad quarter or even a couple of bad possesions. It's clear his best games are going to happen when he is on the road.
KP was extremely frustrating in first half as he seems to be flailing his arms and going for every pump fake...still. Looked better in second half. Think its just him still getting accomstomed to his height. It has to be challenging controlling a 7'3 build at such a young age. Specially on defense. We were done in the first half with Melo missing and KP out. He has to realize that it is sometimes more important to stay on the floor than to block a shot.
Willy looked very comfortable and composed. Out of the two(KP and Willy)), he was the more fundamentaly sound player. Cuts off picks, rotates well, stays down on Defense and finds gaps on offense for quick shots. He made a couple of bad plays but mostly because Jennings did not come get the ball. He had issues moving his feet on Defense but understandable as he was forced to guard some quick players.
Jennings single handedly brought them back. Although it helped that the Cavs had their third string point guard in the game trying to do his best MJ impression. Jennings really got it going from three. Was good seeing him jack up so many three pointers and making them. Got the crowd back into it. Until LBJ came back in and quickly got lead back up. Can see why Jennings is so frustrating for coaches/fans as he can look so good and then quickly look a bit out of control. Good game by him though.
Biggest take away besides LBJ being a great player, (Guy is huge and fast as hell, surprise! Sometimes looked like a grown man playing with little kids.), was that we looked out of position when KP, Melo and another big are on the court together. Melo was forced to three point line (Not his best spot). KP floats to three point line like a SM or SG. And the Five (Except for Willy) was ussually more in the high post position and not even looking to post up down low. We have no down low presence. Melo should be at the 4. As it forces him to play down low. Think it will be our biggest problem going forward as Noah makes too much to sit, KP is too tall to play anything but 4. And Melo has to play the 3 because of it. On D, we are just not fast enought to rotate to the open man with those three on the floor. KP left his man open several times for open threes. KO left Frye open like he did not get the memo on Frye's game. Willy was caught (on frustrating instant switches)guarding LBJ or Love. Just dont know why the coaching staff have them switching so much. One last thing, Kuz and Holiday are extremely athletic. Frustrating that they do not go strong to basket more. They both seem to fall in love with the 3. Think they should be cutting and driving more. They have the ability to be good finishers.
LA game tonight, hope we get a win.
good take. I have seen Lebron a few times in person and up close and he is far and away more impressive than on TV.
He is Karl Malone, with the quickness and speed of Jordan, the playmaking of Magic, the shooting of many-a-great, all wrapped up in one package.
What he is not anymore is clowning as he is older and things are beginning to be painful for him.
Amazing human speciman and one whose health has stayed with him.As for KP, I agree with so much but what is NOT seen is a bad back, bad knees, bad feet, etc. just a bad heel. I say that because by letting him play on the perimeter he is staying healthy and body maturing without any undue stress. His pin head and small joints tells me he is yet to mature or get his "man strength"!
Very true about Willy's feet on defense and it has been seen in crunch time. Something to work thru.
As for Noah, he started the game ablaze and then got hurt. Its a problem and no doubt a source of frustration for all of us. I suppose if we knew how Phil felt we could deal with it.You may be right about KP. May be why we haven't seen a move to put KP at 5. Even with Noah out, they brought in KO or Willy.
I think with his range Im not so quick to put him in the low post. He is tall, other than that, he is not a 5.
Im always reminded by Ralph Sampson who reminds me of KP in a way. Kid had great ability but not as a 5. at over 7 feet, I get you put a kid in the low post, but he had nothing but problems and was a skinny kid.
Let them "thicken"......!!!!!