Two games, two losses. No need to panic. We are the champs, so every team is going to bring their "A" game. Knicks' focus needs to be just getting through the season healthy and building chemistry with the new players. All we need is the 4th seed. We can still make a run to the Finals from there. However, I got to say, Bridges is starting to do his disappearing act again. 2 pts a game on 12.5% shooting from our starting SG making $33,482,145 this season. Come on man. He has got to give us more. I write this out of love, because pressure builds diamonds, but Bridges step it up.
1-6 with preseason. Im not worried, but im getting curious.
I'd like to see KAT not foul as much.
Bridges gets a pass until more key guys get shipped in order to keep his salary on the books. Then he becomes a target again. Right now many players suck so they’re all getting a collective pass atm
Going 1-4 in the preseason was not good. Complacency creeps in.
Bridges can go on to be Ntilikina the rest of his career and I'd never even think of bashing him.
Jalen shot like Dennis Smith Jr last game. Played defense like him too. Should I be freaking out?
Let’s use the same analysis on Brunson that is shooting 39% eFG on 31% usage. Those are Jordan Poole numbers. The entire team needs a reckoning. Bridges has to fight over screens. Hard to do when the refs are using a quick whistle even on moving picks.
0/10 from 3 is a slump, but the team needs to put him in a position to succeed. But if Brunson is the leader of this team, 28 shots for 28 points and 4 assists isn’t exactly making me feel warm and fuzzy.
I don’t think there is a fundamental issue with this team. They just have to realize that none of them are winning the season MVP and they win and lose on having the strongest 5 not necessarily the most dominant player on the court.
EwingsGlass wrote:Let’s use the same analysis on Brunson that is shooting 39% eFG on 31% usage. Those are Jordan Poole numbers. The entire team needs a reckoning. Bridges has to fight over screens. Hard to do when the refs are using a quick whistle even on moving picks. 0/10 from 3 is a slump, but the team needs to put him in a position to succeed. But if Brunson is the leader of this team, 28 shots for 28 points and 4 assists isn’t exactly making me feel warm and fuzzy.
I don’t think there is a fundamental issue with this team. They just have to realize that none of them are winning the season MVP and they win and lose on having the strongest 5 not necessarily the most dominant player on the court.
Agreed
Brunson feels half-engaged. He's our PG. If you're not feeling it as a shooter right now, get your teammmates on track.
I respect Brunson. I like his stoic demeanor for the most part, but I can't say I've always felt that confident about this ability to harmonize the team when they are struggling.
I'd go further and say it was KAT's change of play during the ATL series that flipped our switch allowing the team to go on a run to the finals.
If Brunson is struggling, KAT cannot raise the level enough by himself. They need to all be fully engaged to succeed.
This was the case last season. We were by no means the best regular season team last year. And we caught lightning in a bottle with a memorable playoff run that included some of the craziest comebacks of all time. But that's less than 20 games.
The idea we can saunter along as good, but not great like last year and flip the switch again for the playoffs is hardly a sustainable formula for repeating as champions.
It's early still, but we've played well for maybe 5-10 minutes at a stretch so far, hardly what I'd call contender quality ball.
Our defense is not getting it done either, so there's plenty to improve to get back to just being good again.
This is just who Bridges is. He doesn’t ever run hot, but he can run really cold. Obviously he’s earned the benefit of the doubt, but I will say, wouldn’t it just be easier to pay KAT, Hart and Deuce their extensions and trade Bridges for the sake of avoiding long term apron issues? He’s the more expendable starter, it just comes down to the Brunson factor. Brunson is clearly closest to Hart. It’s not totally clear how important his relationship with Bridges is outside of the Villanova connection.
Knicks could do something like Bridges and Kolek for Jrue Holiday. Get the last 2 years out of holiday before the extensions kick in. Then move on. Bridges is a better fit with what Portland is doing too. Younger and balances out their guard glut.
So where Brunson was under rated he is now over rated?
No excuses to lose to Orlando as we did the other night.
Clarkson?
Drummond?
Diawra?
We need our bench.
Tyler the creater was cool, but either guys were hitting shots or making cuts. He was not buckets.
Not saying it was bad.
On paper I want a guy like Knect/Shamet to start. 6-6, and can shoot and finish at the rim reasonable. Josh offensively is limited. He brings other things. If Mikal Can't shoot them picks are fucked.
Dalton and Shamet are not starters.
Its great our villinova guys got the Chip together.
One of Josh or Mikal has to go if they can't hit their shots with better consistancy.
I OK with Josh contract expiring and he walks or comes off the bench with a lower deal.
Its cold business. Not my rules.
They get the opportunity to run it back as a unit. Beyond that all bets are off.
Bridges is like that kid who shows up on the first day of school but didn’t do his summer reading assignment. If I were coach
i would play him 48 minutes since he decided to show up for the season out of shape.
BlueKnickers wrote:EwingsGlass wrote:Let’s use the same analysis on Brunson that is shooting 39% eFG on 31% usage. Those are Jordan Poole numbers. The entire team needs a reckoning. Bridges has to fight over screens. Hard to do when the refs are using a quick whistle even on moving picks. 0/10 from 3 is a slump, but the team needs to put him in a position to succeed. But if Brunson is the leader of this team, 28 shots for 28 points and 4 assists isn’t exactly making me feel warm and fuzzy.
I don’t think there is a fundamental issue with this team. They just have to realize that none of them are winning the season MVP and they win and lose on having the strongest 5 not necessarily the most dominant player on the court.
Agreed
Brunson feels half-engaged. He's our PG. If you're not feeling it as a shooter right now, get your teammmates on track.
I respect Brunson. I like his stoic demeanor for the most part, but I can't say I've always felt that confident about this ability to harmonize the team when they are struggling.
I'd go further and say it was KAT's change of play during the ATL series that flipped our switch allowing the team to go on a run to the finals.
If Brunson is struggling, KAT cannot raise the level enough by himself. They need to all be fully engaged to succeed.
This was the case last season. We were by no means the best regular season team last year. And we caught lightning in a bottle with a memorable playoff run that included some of the craziest comebacks of all time. But that's less than 20 games.
The idea we can saunter along as good, but not great like last year and flip the switch again for the playoffs is hardly a sustainable formula for repeating as champions.
It's early still, but we've played well for maybe 5-10 minutes at a stretch so far, hardly what I'd call contender quality ball.
Our defense is not getting it done either, so there's plenty to improve to get back to just being good again.
Exactly. I’m just asking for team ball, with off ball movement and more passes. Not a lot.
