Knicks · GameThread: Playoff Game#3, Knicks visit Hotlanta 7PM on Prime (page 11)

martin @ 4/24/2026 9:23 AM
DLeethal wrote:Putting McBride on McCollum was such an awful decision for that last play. McBride is 6’1. He had no chance to contest that shot at the level it needed to be contested. We knew the ball was going to CJ. Put McBride on NAW in the corner.

Yessir. Was just gonna post this.

Indefensible, uh, literally and figuratively.

martin @ 4/24/2026 9:24 AM
DLeethal wrote:Playoff margins are so tight. Over the years we won many series by the skin of our teeth, stealing games we had deep deficits in the 2nd half / 4th. Winnings close games because Brunson was unflappable in those moments. Brunson is a notch below his peak now and as shaky as we’ve seen him in tight moments. At his size it’s just not as easy to get his shot whenever he wants as it is for bigger guards and wings.

Losing game 1 vs Indiana was kind of like a death sentence. You can’t lose a game you thoroughly outplay the opponent in a tight series. Last night was a game we could’ve broke even in that regard and steal a game we had no business winning to counter game 2. It’s hard to lose two games back to back by 1 point and still win a series. We win the next one and it’s a new series. But not looking good here. And Brown is getting totally outclassed. With Billy Donovan and Kerr on the market it’s hard to see Brown surviving this offseason regardless of outcome.

Good call. It was the first crack in the Brunson era aura

martin @ 4/24/2026 9:32 AM
Knicksfan wrote:
Chandler wrote:We could easily be up 3-0. I don’t look at this series and say how do we beat these guys. We know how to beat them and we do beat them if we execute. Seriously eliminate a careless turnover or two, or 1 more rebound and it’s 3-0

That said, if we played smarter and moved the ball these games wouldn’t be close

The crazy thing is that we couldn’t easily, we SHOULD be. And this is nothing against Atlanta, which is a good team doing their best to win. But this is all about the Knicks not coming together as a team during the season, players playing against a system that proved many times that it works and a coach that definitely has no control over what the players do.

This is truly and remarkably embarrassing. This team has so much talent. They are underachieving beyond belief. Only a team with huge mental issues accomplishes this the way we have.

That 11-0 run at the end of the first game, unfortunately, foreshadowed the series so far.

Not taking care of business, focal point players and coaches.

I thought the Knicks came out flat in the first game outside of Josh Hart. Maybe there were flashes from others I missed, but as a team, the Knicks did not have the super focus and intensity that is norm for a vet playoff team. You can shoot poorly for a game and lose, the opponent can flat out beat you, but that is not what I saw as a whole. It was palpable for me.

Riles, JVG, Thibs would have ALL their guys wound up and it would show. It don't show with this version. We saw it in the regular season too much, it was written into the script

martin @ 4/24/2026 9:48 AM
Not wrong.

Mitch Beast has not been unleashed. And the opposing team got nothing in the middle

SergioNYK @ 4/24/2026 9:58 AM
Nailed it Martin.

Atlanta has outplayed us ever since that 11-0 run in game one. I thought this would be a 7 game series going in. Hawks finished the season 20-6 since the All-Star break, including 14-1 at home and were 6th in three pointers made and percentage. They are a good team and a bad match up for us. Especially when they go with Kuminga and hunt Brunson, who hasn't been his normal self this series. He hasn't shot the ball well, his floor game has been terrible and he hasn't made enough plays in the clutch. Point blank, he's been outplayed by McCollum. I love Brunson and appreciate all the good he has done and accomplished here and if things do not change in this series and we go on to lose, his star will dim but it shouldn't erase what he's done here. Thankfully there is still time in this series but it starts with him and he needs to be better. And it's not about him going solo next game and scoring 40.

Brown also deserves equal game. Badly getting outcoached by Snyder. Zero adjustments from game two into game three defensively. No excuses for waiting until halftime to realize Brunson cannot be on McCollum or NAW. Same with Deuce! McCollum has torched them both! Hart has had some success against him and should shadow him the rest of the series. Hart on McCollum, Mikal on NAW, Brunson on Daniels, OG on JJ and KAT on Okungwu. And when they bring in Kuminga for Daniels, either use those minutes to rest Brunson or put him on Okungwu and take your chances.

Chandler @ 4/24/2026 9:59 AM
martin wrote:
Knicksfan wrote:
Chandler wrote:We could easily be up 3-0. I don’t look at this series and say how do we beat these guys. We know how to beat them and we do beat them if we execute. Seriously eliminate a careless turnover or two, or 1 more rebound and it’s 3-0

That said, if we played smarter and moved the ball these games wouldn’t be close

The crazy thing is that we couldn’t easily, we SHOULD be. And this is nothing against Atlanta, which is a good team doing their best to win. But this is all about the Knicks not coming together as a team during the season, players playing against a system that proved many times that it works and a coach that definitely has no control over what the players do.

This is truly and remarkably embarrassing. This team has so much talent. They are underachieving beyond belief. Only a team with huge mental issues accomplishes this the way we have.

That 11-0 run at the end of the first game, unfortunately, foreshadowed the series so far.

Not taking care of business, focal point players and coaches.

I thought the Knicks came out flat in the first game outside of Josh Hart. Maybe there were flashes from others I missed, but as a team, the Knicks did not have the super focus and intensity that is norm for a vet playoff team. You can shoot poorly for a game and lose, the opponent can flat out beat you, but that is not what I saw as a whole. It was palpable for me.

Riles, JVG, Thibs would have ALL their guys wound up and it would show. It don't show with this version. We saw it in the regular season too much, it was written into the script


Yes the lack of focus and the loss of team ball is a concern

That said, and it's cliche, but we're losing more than they're winning. Smarten up, play true team ball and we'll be fine. Brunson looks in the mirror and sees MJ right now

SergioNYK @ 4/24/2026 10:02 AM
We simply need more from KAT. Another game with just 12 shots by KAT (Brunson had 23). We saw it at times during the season where they treat him as if he's Joakim Noah on offense. I do not get it. It's just inexcusable and if it doesn't change, we aren't going to win this series. I almost want KAT to do a Ewing and start bitching publicly about shots! You're an All-Star, All-NBA and even himself said he's the greatest shooting big man in NBA history! DEMAND THE BALL!!!

OG is more aggressive and assertive (those 2 hail marry threes were insane!) than KAT.

Disgusting game by Mikal. 0 points and 4 turnovers. I hope Brown has a shorter leash and give those minutes to Deuce and Clarkson. Hart 0-4 from three. Could've ended the game with that corner one. He has to knock those down! Mitch was quiet. GTA5 and Shamet did nothing and haven't done anything this series.

Atlanta is a good team and they deserve to be up 2-1. Series is not over and I expect to win game 4 but if we do not change the offensive shot distribution and counter with better defensive match up's and make better decisions in the clutch, we are going home in 5 on Monday.

nycericanguy @ 4/24/2026 10:05 AM
Mitch has been silent too, we aren't getting more shots than ATL and that was our calling card last year.
martin @ 4/24/2026 11:17 AM
Chandler wrote:
martin wrote:
Knicksfan wrote:
Chandler wrote:We could easily be up 3-0. I don’t look at this series and say how do we beat these guys. We know how to beat them and we do beat them if we execute. Seriously eliminate a careless turnover or two, or 1 more rebound and it’s 3-0

That said, if we played smarter and moved the ball these games wouldn’t be close

The crazy thing is that we couldn’t easily, we SHOULD be. And this is nothing against Atlanta, which is a good team doing their best to win. But this is all about the Knicks not coming together as a team during the season, players playing against a system that proved many times that it works and a coach that definitely has no control over what the players do.

This is truly and remarkably embarrassing. This team has so much talent. They are underachieving beyond belief. Only a team with huge mental issues accomplishes this the way we have.

That 11-0 run at the end of the first game, unfortunately, foreshadowed the series so far.

Not taking care of business, focal point players and coaches.

I thought the Knicks came out flat in the first game outside of Josh Hart. Maybe there were flashes from others I missed, but as a team, the Knicks did not have the super focus and intensity that is norm for a vet playoff team. You can shoot poorly for a game and lose, the opponent can flat out beat you, but that is not what I saw as a whole. It was palpable for me.

Riles, JVG, Thibs would have ALL their guys wound up and it would show. It don't show with this version. We saw it in the regular season too much, it was written into the script


Yes the lack of focus and the loss of team ball is a concern

That said, and it's cliche, but we're losing more than they're winning. Smarten up, play true team ball and we'll be fine. Brunson looks in the mirror and sees MJ right now

I think that tracks. And makes it DOUBLY frustrating for fans cause we see it happening in real time while already discussing those same flaws and weaknesses the weeks and months and entire regular season. And we ain't getting paid millions to participate.

martin @ 4/24/2026 11:21 AM
SergioNYK wrote:We simply need more from KAT. Another game with just 12 shots by KAT (Brunson had 23). We saw it at times during the season where they treat him as if he's Joakim Noah on offense. I do not get it. It's just inexcusable and if it doesn't change, we aren't going to win this series. I almost want KAT to do a Ewing and start bitching publicly about shots! You're an All-Star, All-NBA and even himself said he's the greatest shooting big man in NBA history! DEMAND THE BALL!!!

OG is more aggressive and assertive (those 2 hail marry threes were insane!) than KAT.

Disgusting game by Mikal. 0 points and 4 turnovers. I hope Brown has a shorter leash and give those minutes to Deuce and Clarkson. Hart 0-4 from three. Could've ended the game with that corner one. He has to knock those down! Mitch was quiet. GTA5 and Shamet did nothing and haven't done anything this series.

Atlanta is a good team and they deserve to be up 2-1. Series is not over and I expect to win game 4 but if we do not change the offensive shot distribution and counter with better defensive match up's and make better decisions in the clutch, we are going home in 5 on Monday.

Like literally, as in more minutes on the court. After 2 days off and only 2 fouls for the entire game, KAT got a paltry 34 minutes.

Brunson got 40 and 11-23. Hart got 40 and was 1-9.

KAT was balling at both ends of court but sits relative to his output?

LIKE WTF

martin @ 4/24/2026 11:37 AM
If you bring in a coach to try lineups and don't try the obvious one, it'll come back to haunt

martin @ 4/24/2026 11:49 AM
That hurts.

Especially consider the Clutch player thing

martin @ 4/24/2026 12:58 PM
Guys are not sharp right now. It's the playoffs. This is a vet team. Inexcusable.

DLeethal @ 4/24/2026 1:15 PM
There really is nowhere to hide Brunson in this series and it shows. Lots of talking heads did predict this - that someone is going to absolutely cook Brunson, whether it's CJ or NAW. When Brunson wasn't getting cooked 1:1, he was right there to give up some devastating loose balls or ORB's down the stretch. They are just relentlessly picking on him, sorta like Indy did with Towns last year.
BlueKnickers @ 4/24/2026 1:18 PM
martin wrote:Guys are not sharp right now. It's the playoffs. This is a vet team. Inexcusable.

This group of players do not know how to play with each other.

There will be a coaching shakeup this off-season and now I'm wondering if this is end of the Leon Rose era too.

Dolan is going to be like an angry beaver hunting for sticks in a sand dune.

There has to a shakeup in the roster and I would move Brunson, but I don't think Dolan will do that.

jskinny35 @ 4/24/2026 1:21 PM
Why not use Diawara who at least puts some pressure defensively on McCollum or any of their wings?
HofstraBBall @ 4/24/2026 1:27 PM
Sky has fallen.
Contrary to popular belief, we win this series in 6.

Problem, as I have said for last few years, we don’t have a legitimate PF, SG and our star lead player is 6’1.
Not a formula for a chip. Knicks should have sided with Thibs and got rid of wonder boy and his dad.
Just not a fun thing to watch knowing your SG shows up once every 10
Games, your power forward is a SF that can’t shoot and your PG Star player will be physically outmatched when it counts.

With that said, we can still
Get hot and go on a run.
Curious to see if Brown changes things up a bit and goes deeper on the bench.

Nalod @ 4/24/2026 1:40 PM
Was not aware thibs wanted Brinso gone.
Kuminga off the bench has been a incredible. Their depth been impressive while ours not so.
But its been really close series. It feels bad. Really bad.
markvmc @ 4/24/2026 1:48 PM
martin wrote:That hurts.

Especially consider the Clutch player thing

We're Number One!!!

HofstraBBall @ 4/24/2026 3:21 PM
Nalod wrote:Was not aware thibs wanted Brinso gone.
Kuminga off the bench has been a incredible. Their depth been impressive while ours not so.
But its been really close series. It feels bad. Really bad.

He did not.
They wanted him gone. IMHO

martin @ 4/24/2026 3:56 PM
HofstraBBall wrote:Sky has fallen.
Contrary to popular belief, we win this series in 6.

Problem, as I have said for last few years, we don’t have a legitimate PF, SG and our star lead player is 6’1.
Not a formula for a chip. Knicks should have sided with Thibs and got rid of wonder boy and his dad.
Just not a fun thing to watch knowing your SG shows up once every 10
Games, your power forward is a SF that can’t shoot and your PG Star player will be physically outmatched when it counts.

With that said, we can still
Get hot and go on a run.
Curious to see if Brown changes things up a bit and goes deeper on the bench.

This you!?

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