Knicks · Playoff Game Thread: Game 6 Gonna be Rockin at MSG, 8pm on ESPN (page 16)

DLeethal @ 5/17/2025 7:53 AM
Super teams kind of clouded my judgement on things. It always seemed like the best teams simply won the most games and went the deepest. But in this era of parity things are different. Leon built this team for a playoff run and it was hard to see much of the year but it bore its fruit now.
DLeethal @ 5/17/2025 7:56 AM
nycericanguy wrote:
DLeethal wrote:
nycericanguy wrote:goes to show you reg season means nothing, i got so tired of seeing 0-10 vs the top 3 teams.

This run has definitely adjusted my perspective on these things a little bit. Also watching some of our pieces like Mikal and Mitch who it was tough to see their impact during a regular season marathon became very apparent in a playoff series. Some moves are designed for a playoff run and might not bear fruit until the playoffs.

this season in general has showed me fans are never happy even when they have a great team.

I've lurked on MIN's reddit throughout the year to follow DDV and Randle, and they hated both those guys and their team/FO and the trade almost the whole year. They had zero faith, and now they are in the ECF's.

I lurked in the Pacers sub earlier this year to follow them as they beat us last year, and Hali got off to a real slow start and their fans had ZERO faith in Hali or the team.

I lurked on DAL forum and they were miserable, despite having Luka, Grimes, Kyrie and having just made the finals. and then they traded Luka and NOW they know what real misery is.

and of course Knick fans, wanting Thibs fired, hating the Mikal trade, thinking we couldn't beat the good teams, wanting Mitch gone... I mean I can go on and on, and I'm not exempt... but it really goes to show you that fans are never happy and rarely have faith.

So yea lets have faith, this team was built for this, we might not win it all but we have a heck of a chance and thats all you can ask for. I mean really, we have a very legit chance to win it all!

Sometimes you have to trust the talent as well. For example Mikal’s defense all year left a lot to be desired but in a playoff series it shined. Part of it has to do with regular season scheming versus playoff series scheming too I suppose. Knicks have been a different defensive team since in the playoffs than they were all year.

nycericanguy @ 5/17/2025 7:56 AM
Pacers have a great team, but we were up 2-0 and had a legit chance to go up 3-0 even WITHOUT OG in game 3. We had guys like Burcs and Achiuwa playing major minutes and still went into the 4th quarter of game 3 with a lead.

What if's... sure... but that's a different series if we at least had OG, let alone the rest of the guys we were missing.

martin @ 5/17/2025 7:56 AM
nycericanguy wrote:
DLeethal wrote:
nycericanguy wrote:goes to show you reg season means nothing, i got so tired of seeing 0-10 vs the top 3 teams.

This run has definitely adjusted my perspective on these things a little bit. Also watching some of our pieces like Mikal and Mitch who it was tough to see their impact during a regular season marathon became very apparent in a playoff series. Some moves are designed for a playoff run and might not bear fruit until the playoffs.

this season in general has showed me fans are never happy even when they have a great team.

I've lurked on MIN's reddit throughout the year to follow DDV and Randle, and they hated both those guys and their team/FO and the trade almost the whole year. They had zero faith, and now they are in the ECF's.

I lurked in the Pacers sub earlier this year to follow them as they beat us last year, and Hali got off to a real slow start and their fans had ZERO faith in Hali or the team.

I lurked on DAL forum and they were miserable, despite having Luka, Grimes, Kyrie and having just made the finals. and then they traded Luka and NOW they know what real misery is.

and of course Knick fans, wanting Thibs fired, hating the Mikal trade, thinking we couldn't beat the good teams, wanting Mitch gone... I mean I can go on and on, and I'm not exempt... but it really goes to show you that fans are never happy and rarely have faith.

So yea lets have faith, this team was built for this, we might not win it all but we have a heck of a chance and thats all you can ask for. I mean really, we have a very legit chance to win it all!

One of my favs ever

martin @ 5/17/2025 7:58 AM
DLeethal wrote:Super teams kind of clouded my judgement on things. It always seemed like the best teams simply won the most games and went the deepest. But in this era of parity things are different. Leon built this team for a playoff run and it was hard to see much of the year but it bore its fruit now.

Bench injuries, time to gel for new’ish team.

nycericanguy @ 5/17/2025 7:58 AM
DLeethal wrote:
nycericanguy wrote:
DLeethal wrote:
nycericanguy wrote:goes to show you reg season means nothing, i got so tired of seeing 0-10 vs the top 3 teams.

This run has definitely adjusted my perspective on these things a little bit. Also watching some of our pieces like Mikal and Mitch who it was tough to see their impact during a regular season marathon became very apparent in a playoff series. Some moves are designed for a playoff run and might not bear fruit until the playoffs.

this season in general has showed me fans are never happy even when they have a great team.

I've lurked on MIN's reddit throughout the year to follow DDV and Randle, and they hated both those guys and their team/FO and the trade almost the whole year. They had zero faith, and now they are in the ECF's.

I lurked in the Pacers sub earlier this year to follow them as they beat us last year, and Hali got off to a real slow start and their fans had ZERO faith in Hali or the team.

I lurked on DAL forum and they were miserable, despite having Luka, Grimes, Kyrie and having just made the finals. and then they traded Luka and NOW they know what real misery is.

and of course Knick fans, wanting Thibs fired, hating the Mikal trade, thinking we couldn't beat the good teams, wanting Mitch gone... I mean I can go on and on, and I'm not exempt... but it really goes to show you that fans are never happy and rarely have faith.

So yea lets have faith, this team was built for this, we might not win it all but we have a heck of a chance and thats all you can ask for. I mean really, we have a very legit chance to win it all!

Sometimes you have to trust the talent as well. For example Mikal’s defense all year left a lot to be desired but in a playoff series it shined. Part of it has to do with regular season scheming versus playoff series scheming too I suppose. Knicks have been a different defensive team since in the playoffs than they were all year.

agreed. Mikal is a winning player and its showing. and the minutes thing, yea I was cringing last night with the starters still in, but we haven't looked tired at all. Funny thing the NBA is full of injuries, and we've been lucky to be mostly healthy, but you know the minute someone gets hurt it will be Thib's fault.

DLeethal @ 5/17/2025 7:58 AM
What’s crazy is this team has the ability to be insanely good next year with just some marginal moves. Were kind of like the Celtics before the KP and Jrue trades. We don’t need trades of that magnitude but some bench improvements and maybe a final starting lineup piece and making Josh super sub and this might actually be a powerhouse 60 win team next year.
nycericanguy @ 5/17/2025 8:00 AM
closers and best players win, and I'm not sure i'm taking ANYONE over Brunson right now. It's crazy the level he's reached.
DLeethal @ 5/17/2025 8:00 AM
nycericanguy wrote:Pacers have a great team, but we were up 2-0 and had a legit chance to go up 3-0 even WITHOUT OG in game 3. We had guys like Burcs and Achiuwa playing major minutes and still went into the 4th quarter of game 3 with a lead.

What if's... sure... but that's a different series if we at least had OG, let alone the rest of the guys we were missing.

Having to adjust to Tatumless Celtics will be a good test for Indy because that’s how Indy plays. Constant moving the ball around and cutting and screening and very little iso ball. So whatever adjustments we made between games 5 and 6 will bode well for us next series.

martin @ 5/17/2025 8:00 AM
DLeethal wrote:What’s crazy is this team has the ability to be insanely good next year with just some marginal moves. Were kind of like the Celtics before the KP and Jrue trades. We don’t need trades of that magnitude but some bench improvements and maybe a final starting lineup piece and making Josh super sub and this might actually be a powerhouse 60 win team next year.

Sign Al Horford, Tyus Jones, let the kids play.

martin @ 5/17/2025 8:01 AM
Detroit physically prepped the Knicks. Boston mentally prepped them.
Alpha1971 @ 5/17/2025 8:02 AM
DLeethal wrote:What’s crazy is this team has the ability to be insanely good next year with just some marginal moves. Were kind of like the Celtics before the KP and Jrue trades. We don’t need trades of that magnitude but some bench improvements and maybe a final starting lineup piece and making Josh super sub and this might actually be a powerhouse 60 win team next year.

Be interesting what they do. Even bank on development of Dadiet, Kolek, and Hukporti.

DLeethal @ 5/17/2025 8:02 AM
nycericanguy wrote:closers and best players win, and I'm not sure i'm taking ANYONE over Brunson right now. It's crazy the level he's reached.

I can’t really think of any other player that wasn’t a bonafide top 10 guy but clearly a top 1-3 killer down the stretch. Maybe Paul Pierce was similar type of talent in that regard.

DLeethal @ 5/17/2025 8:03 AM
martin wrote:
DLeethal wrote:What’s crazy is this team has the ability to be insanely good next year with just some marginal moves. Were kind of like the Celtics before the KP and Jrue trades. We don’t need trades of that magnitude but some bench improvements and maybe a final starting lineup piece and making Josh super sub and this might actually be a powerhouse 60 win team next year.

Sign Al Horford, Tyus Jones, let the kids play.

I like Horford and at this point I think we gotta keep Mitch. He’s just a complete playoff X factor. So with Horford you basically have a quality 3rd string guy who can play some 4 as well. Basically replace Precious with Al. I like it.

martin @ 5/17/2025 8:04 AM
Alpha1971 wrote:
DLeethal wrote:What’s crazy is this team has the ability to be insanely good next year with just some marginal moves. Were kind of like the Celtics before the KP and Jrue trades. We don’t need trades of that magnitude but some bench improvements and maybe a final starting lineup piece and making Josh super sub and this might actually be a powerhouse 60 win team next year.

Be interesting what they do. Even bank on development of Dadiet, Kolek, and Hukporti.

I’d bet that McCullar will get more playing time than all 3 above

martin @ 5/17/2025 8:05 AM
DLeethal wrote:
martin wrote:
DLeethal wrote:What’s crazy is this team has the ability to be insanely good next year with just some marginal moves. Were kind of like the Celtics before the KP and Jrue trades. We don’t need trades of that magnitude but some bench improvements and maybe a final starting lineup piece and making Josh super sub and this might actually be a powerhouse 60 win team next year.

Sign Al Horford, Tyus Jones, let the kids play.

I like Horford and at this point I think we gotta keep Mitch. He’s just a complete playoff X factor. So with Horford you basically have a quality 3rd string guy who can play some 4 as well. Basically replace Precious with Al. I like it.

100%

martin @ 5/17/2025 8:09 AM
We added to the list

nycericanguy @ 5/17/2025 8:11 AM
DLeethal wrote:
nycericanguy wrote:closers and best players win, and I'm not sure i'm taking ANYONE over Brunson right now. It's crazy the level he's reached.

I can’t really think of any other player that wasn’t a bonafide top 10 guy but clearly a top 1-3 killer down the stretch. Maybe Paul Pierce was similar type of talent in that regard.

i think Brunson is a legit top 7 guy at this point.

Giannis
Luka
Shai
Jokic
tatum
Lebron

are really the only 6 clear cut better players than him right now. and even a few of those are debatable. def top 10 even at worst.

Alpha1971 @ 5/17/2025 8:12 AM
martin wrote:
Alpha1971 wrote:
DLeethal wrote:What’s crazy is this team has the ability to be insanely good next year with just some marginal moves. Were kind of like the Celtics before the KP and Jrue trades. We don’t need trades of that magnitude but some bench improvements and maybe a final starting lineup piece and making Josh super sub and this might actually be a powerhouse 60 win team next year.

Be interesting what they do. Even bank on development of Dadiet, Kolek, and Hukporti.

I’d bet that McCullar will get more playing time than all 3 above

Let's see. Hope he lives up to your confidence in him. Hope he stays healthy. What do you think he can offer ?

DLeethal @ 5/17/2025 8:17 AM
nycericanguy wrote:
DLeethal wrote:
nycericanguy wrote:closers and best players win, and I'm not sure i'm taking ANYONE over Brunson right now. It's crazy the level he's reached.

I can’t really think of any other player that wasn’t a bonafide top 10 guy but clearly a top 1-3 killer down the stretch. Maybe Paul Pierce was similar type of talent in that regard.

i think Brunson is a legit top 7 guy at this point.

Giannis
Luka
Shai
Jokic
tatum
Lebron

are really the only 6 clear cut better players than him right now. and even a few of those are debatable. def top 10 even at worst.

He’s probably higher than his consensus but the consensus would probably put Steph, Edwards, Mitchell ahead of him at least. But in a playoff series he can out duel anybody and that’s good enough to win a championship with.

martin @ 5/17/2025 8:20 AM
Alpha1971 wrote:
martin wrote:
Alpha1971 wrote:
DLeethal wrote:What’s crazy is this team has the ability to be insanely good next year with just some marginal moves. Were kind of like the Celtics before the KP and Jrue trades. We don’t need trades of that magnitude but some bench improvements and maybe a final starting lineup piece and making Josh super sub and this might actually be a powerhouse 60 win team next year.

Be interesting what they do. Even bank on development of Dadiet, Kolek, and Hukporti.

I’d bet that McCullar will get more playing time than all 3 above

Let's see. Hope he lives up to your confidence in him. Hope he stays healthy. What do you think he can offer ?

Different version of Josh Hart. True Blue Thibs type player that the coach can’t get enough of.

More confidence in his own offense than Josh. Not as strong or explosive but REALLY smart. Much better team defender than Josh.

Don’t entirely know about his offense but he’ll get Thibs extended look minutes.

Page 16 of 21