Game Thread: New York Knicks @ Atlanta Hawks 5/28/2021 7:00 pm [Game #3]

jimkcchief88

All Star
I?m dun Smelldicks and Nets going at it. We have no chance when JR/RJ can?t hit water if they fell out of a boat. Find a gym tonight for sure fellas.
 
Derrick Rose and nobody else tonight. Rest of team needs to decide what they can bring differently on Sunday afternoon
 

mafra

Legend
Randle and RJ and Bullock are embarrassing themselves and the city. They?re undoing all the good they did this season. What we?ve seen from this trio offensively has been a disgrace and so bad you have to seriously question commuting to either of them long term.
 
It?s funny. We?re only down 2 games to 1 but because our best players have struggled so much in this series, it feels more dire than that.
 

KingCharles34

All Star
I missed the whole game but looking at the boxscore makes me frustrated that no ones showing up besides Rose. If nothing else im happy to see Rose ballin at this level. Hes putting up numbers like he did in his prime. If i was his teammate theres no way i would let myself come out flat. You got a teammate whos been through all that D Rose has and is risking his health, giving all hes got to carry the team...when you got a teammate like that you go to war for them

Itll be a damn shame if this happens again in game 4
 

mafra

Legend
It?s funny. We?re only down 2 games to 1 but because our best players have struggled so much in this series, it feels more dire than that.

They should?ve been up 2-0, despite poor play from Randle, Bullock, and RJ. I thought that was a good sign for tonight....

But clearly we are lost mentally, aside from Rose and RJ. Randle made a lot of tough shots all season and some warned that he?ll revert when the playoff defensive intensity is increased.

Good news is they can still flip the script.... all it takes is 3 wins before 2 losses. If RJ and Randle step it up, all will forgiven. Heck, even if we get knocked out in 6-7, as long as they play well.

But to lose in 5 games and they suck... well, Leon will have some tough decisions to make.

27-30
5-8

We get massive FT edge and squander it bc Randle and RJ can?t score when BB guards them. It?s a disgrace

But ATL had the more talented and deeper roster. So, we shall see what happens...

But, who believes Randle is turning this around? Or RJ gonna start hitting 40% from downtown?

If it doesn?t turn around, it?s the biggest choke job in NYv history? Close to it, and the stink so bad you can?t sign JR to a near max... and, can?t say no if RJ has to be dealt for a real NBA scorer.
 

mafra

Legend
Again, it?s simple... Randle and RJ averaged 58 a game vs Hawks in regular season and about 22 in this series.

These cats need to combine for 40 apiece or we?ll be home soon.
 

mafra

Legend
We just had 3rd worst FT disparity in NBA playoff history and we get blown Iyar regardless. Wow.

We might?ve lost by 30.
 

mafra

Legend
?New York took 30 free throws to Atlanta?s 8. The Knicks hit 27 of 30 (90%), while the Hawks hit 5 of 8 (62.5%). How often does the team that overwhelmingly wins the free throw battle lose the game overwhelmingly??


? Thibodeau needs to make further adjustments to unlock Randle?s game, but it?s tough to imagine going back to Payton, whose mother ruffled some feathers on social media Wednesday night.

She subtweeted ?How that Worked out for you! #ProudMama,? posting a photo of the Knicks? starting five.?
 

mafra

Legend
Randle has been dreadful but at least he can defend himself. ATL is determined to force NYK to beat them without Randle.

They are sending 1 and 2 men, doubling and tripling every touch. RJ and Bullock and AB and IQ and everybody else is clanking every wide open look.

Is a symbiotic relationship... if we hit shots, defense will sag off Jr. Even Giannis would struggle.

With that said, maybe this is a blessing: maybe this helps us sign JR this off-season and save 70 million.

Randle and RJ brought us here.... Randle could score 37 a game vs ATL bc RJ scored 21.

Randle is also lost mentally. But the intense defensive focus is designed to take away your best.

Not many can do what LeBron and Kobe could do.
 

jimkcchief88

All Star
We are seeing the knock on Thibbs in full effect: he cannot coach offense. That was Thibbs problem here in CHICAGO and it persists. Nate has designed the perfect defense for ?ISO-Randle? and Thibbs hasn?t figured out a counter move. This is still a winnable series. Our big guns just have to get it together. But in offseason a third scorer is a must. This is where those bust picks really hurt you(Frank,KK). Thibbs won?t even give those guys and run esp. after Trey hit that floater in Frank?s lips to close game 1. I wish Obi would get more clock. Bench mob has outplayed the starters so far. It was telling when the ATL aliens chanted ?overrated? while JR was at the free throw line. Hopefully he found a gym last night and to RJ with him:(
 

mafra

Legend
Hard to counter what ATL is doing if we can?t knock down shots. If the double JR and force him to pass or take a bad shot, Bullock and RJ need to hit their open looks....

Where else to turn?

IQ and AB can?t hit a shot... give ball to EP? Run ISO Taj? What are the options offensively?
 
Hard to counter what ATL is doing if we can?t knock down shots. If the double JR and force him to pass or take a bad shot, Bullock and RJ need to hit their open looks....

Where else to turn?

IQ and AB can?t hit a shot... give ball to EP? Run ISO Taj? What are the options offensively?

It?s a problem that suddenly we need Rose to carry the team. He?s been great for us but we got here running the offense through Randle with RJ turning it on in the 2nd half and Burks and Bullock knocking down clutch 3s. It would be great if Quickley got hot at least once in this series, but can?t count on that.

I think we need to stick with what we did late in the season because our options are otherwise limited. Either Randle and RJ get going in game 4 and 5 or we?re toast.

The biggest thing that kills me is that not only can?t Randle shoot but here is a guy who averaged 6 assists per game across the season and he has 10 assists in 3 playoff games. You can?t survive your best player playing like your biggest liability.
 
RJ says he is getting good looks and needs to knock them down.

Rose says that what Atlanta is doing is doubling Randle in unexpected ways. Rose also pointed out our zero fast break points in game 3. Atlanta literally allowed zero easy points in the game.
 
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