Game Thread: New York Knicks @ Indiana Pacers 7:00pm 4/10/2016

Sam Hinkie couldn't even stick around to see if the sorry Philadelphia 76ers team he built could win consecutive games.

The opportunity for that to happen for the first time this season comes Friday night against the visiting New York Knicks, two days after the general manager packed up his office and bid a 10-68 team adieu.

Former NBA executive of the year Bryan Colangelo - Philadelphia chairman of basketball operations Jerry Colangelo's son - is set to take Hinkie's place after the third-year GM announced his resignation Wednesday.

It comes with just four games remaining and a substantial offseason approaching that could include four first-round draft picks to complement the likes of injured Jahlil Okafor, oft-injured Nerlens Noel and always-injured Joel Embiid. There's also Dario Saric, who is overseas.

As for those on the court for Philadelphia, they'll try to follow up Tuesday's 107-93 home victory over New Orleans by stringing together wins for the first time since March 16 and 18, 2015, the latter of which was a home win over the Knicks (31-48).

The victory over the Pelicans featured about as many relevant NBA names as the back end of a 10-player deadline deal. New Orleans didn't start a player averaging over 7.8 points, and the 76ers leaned on Carl Landry for a game-high 22 points while Isaiah Canaan had 16.

It wasn't without historical relevance as it ensured the 76ers won't tie their own league record for fewest victories in an 82-game season from 1972-73.

"We didn't want to be a part of that," said Landry, who shot 9 for 10. "We tried to do whatever it took to lock in, in practice, in film sessions and just have a carryover to each and every game."

The crowd showed its appreciation with an MVP chant - ironic or otherwise - for the big man, who has averaged 19 points on 72.7 percent shooting in the last three games. The trinity of Okafor, Noel and Embiid has combined for four points in 17 minutes in that time.

"It was funny. It definitely put a smile on my face, and makes me feel good," Landry told the team's official website. "... It definitely made me feel good that the fans of Philly, blue-collar people, a majority of them, appreciate the effort I put in each and every day."

The people's MVP could be the key to denying the Knicks their first sweep of this season series since 1994-95. Landry has been limited to four minutes of playing time in the three meetings.

New York has won four straight and eight of nine over the Sixers but enters this matchup having dropped five of six overall, including Wednesday's 111-97 home loss to Charlotte.

The Knicks have three games left to avoid a second straight 50-loss season a year after dropping a franchise-worst 65, and this is easily their most winnable with a home game against Toronto followed by a trip to Indiana.

"These next couple days are very challenging as athletes, to kind of stay strong and close the season out," Carmelo Anthony said.

Anthony returned from a game off to rest and scored 15 points, but New York remained without injured starters Kristaps Porzingis and Jose Calderon.

Anthony has been limited to 15.7 points on 27.6 percent shooting in three games against Philadelphia this season. Arron Afflalo has averaged 20 points on 57.5 percent and hit 6 of 13 from 3-point range.

(nba.com)

Rady .. Big Props Go out to u Rady for all the GREAT Game-Threads this season.
Our Famous Knicks did it again .. Missed the Playoffs.

It was very difficult for me to do but i did it .. I went 81 games without BASHING our ball-hogging the shot clock ISO-Melo.
Many may say ISO-Melo played team-ball .. the type of team-ball ISO-Melo played throughout the season were Corny Flakes .. ISO-Melo never got all his teammates on the court involved on offense nor did ISO-Melo ever lead teammates on defense.
Melo old-ways were to hard for him not to perform .. ISO-Melo still hasn't learned how to be a part of a 3 on 2 fast-break, ISO-Melo defense in the 2nd half each game were like Casper the ghost .. Plus when ISO-Melo gets tired ISO-Melo become our PG bringing the ball up court like a old lady .... Its easy to beat the Knicks when ISO-Melo receive 35 or more minute of playin-time

ISO-Melo vs Paul George ???

Thanks for all the game threads, rady.

Derrick Williams with a good start.

Yeah, great work all season, Rady.

We lead by 1 at the half behind a great effort from Jerian Grant scoring 13 points on 100% shooting from the floor to go with 5 assists. Only downside is his 4 1st half turnovers.

Kiyaman said:

Rady .. Big Props Go out to u Rady for all the GREAT Game-Threads this season.
Our Famous Knicks did it again .. Missed the Playoffs.

It was very difficult for me to do but i did it .. I went 81 games without BASHING our ball-hogging the shot clock ISO-Melo.
Many may say ISO-Melo played team-ball .. the type of team-ball ISO-Melo played throughout the season were Corny Flakes .. ISO-Melo never got all his teammates on the court involved on offense nor did ISO-Melo ever lead teammates on defense.
Melo old-ways were to hard for him not to perform .. ISO-Melo still hasn't learned how to be a part of a 3 on 2 fast-break, ISO-Melo defense in the 2nd half each game were like Casper the ghost .. Plus when ISO-Melo gets tired ISO-Melo become our PG bringing the ball up court like a old lady .... Its easy to beat the Knicks when ISO-Melo receive 35 or more minute of playin-time

ISO-Melo vs Paul George ???

Click to expand...

Lol I don't think Melo and KP6 are in the lineup tonight it's funny you are right it was ISO Melo all season as Melo leads the team in points, assists, and rebounds... Anyway it's KO.com locker cleanup time

It's official 32-50

I said we'd struggle to win 30gms and we pretty much did. Some said 34gms or thereabouts. I guess the Knicks were kind enough to meet us halfway how in the world are we gonna repay them for their great deed?

Hahn said some on the team quit for 2-3 weeks after DF got fired... That's probably the difference between 32 and 36 wins... They were on pace to win 40 but management didn't bring any reinforcements in.... LT injury was a killer, same with Melo missing 7-10 games.

We were tied with 3 other teams for the 6 to 10 draft pick range... So, now we brace ourselves... Giving away a pick in the back half of top 10 painful enough... But if a few balls bounce a certain way... May be a higher pick.

Oh well. Not much of a future to look forward to... I guess we can pretend for 3 months that we can rebuild via free agency... When that doesn't occur... We can only pray JAX leaves and Melo is traded and we earnestly rebuild around KP.

Thx ready for all the work... You worked harder than most Knicks

Not that it matters but the game preview in the thread is from the Philly game.

ooooh, something went wrong apparently when i made this game thread, and i'm sure i had the game preview for the pacers game.. well.. too late now

Another season that will be thrown into the annals of Knicks forgetfulness.

Rady, just wanted to thank you for all the game threads during the season. Best game threads on the net along with the best site and the best support by Rady.

We don't have a draft pick but PJ has a lot of work in front of him. KP and now Grant may have made his job a little easier for him but I don't see how he hires Rambis as the HC with the record he's compiled.

tiger0330 said:

Rady, just wanted to thank you for all the game threads during the season. Best game threads on the net along with the best site and the best support by Rady.

We don't have a draft pick but PJ has a lot of work in front of him. KP and now Grant may have made his job a little easier for him but I don't see how he hires Rambis as the HC with the record he's compiled.

Click to expand...

He may not have a choice. Dolan may not allow PJ to hire another coach. JAX can "opt out" after next season... Dolan doesn't want to have to pay DF (another 3 years), then pay Rambis (give him an extension), only to have to start again when PJ leaves and Mills (or Houston or whomever) takes over in 2017... Dolan probably wants to avoid paying 3 different people for 2 coach come 2018.

Who knows.

Maybe PJ is committed to seeing this thru and will stay the full term. Maybe he wants Rambis bc it allows him to have most control...

I believe Mills wants to bring in his college buddy (blatt) while PJ wants either Rambis or Shaw. Melo wants Thibideau (along with most fans)...

Whatever happens... It's on Dolan. Well, unless the boy wonder doesn't mind paying 2 ex HC (PJ hires) on top of a new HC (if PJ leaves early)... Bc the moment PJ leaves... Rambis follows.

Personally, who really cares... If the talent doesn't improve... Won't matter who is the coach. Then again... If Thibideau was out HC this season... We win 45 games.

Ah... Talking about next year in mid April...

tiger0330 said:

Not that it matters but the game preview in the thread is from the Philly game.

Click to expand...

CONGRAT"S.... you are a winner.... your prize.... you will be the starting point guard next season for our nyknicks...

mafra said:

Hahn said some on the team quit for 2-3 weeks after DF got fired... That's probably the difference between 32 and 36 wins... They were on pace to win 40 but management didn't bring any reinforcements in.... LT injury was a killer, same with Melo missing 7-10 games.

Click to expand...

Hahn is right .. Lance Thomas went FA after Fisher were Fired, Thomas will not return next season.
Lance Thomas performance is what a lot of NBA teams will be hunting for as their SG/SF in the offseason.

We did have a 41 win roster if we would have develop the tandem of "O'Quinn and Serafin" in a 20 minute playing-time lineup with D.Will Gallo and Grant. We refuse to dominate the paint by DNP Quinn n Serafin every other other other game plus never putting the two big men in the same lineup giving the two bigs spot-minute throughout the season.
When a healthy Quinn and Serafin were suppose to average 4 fouls a game this season protecting the paint with Rolo.

We became LOSERS by giving ISO-Melo 35 minute, Afflalo 34 minute, Calderon n Porzingis close to 30 minute a game.
Having ISO-Melo, Afflalo and Calderon controlling the offensive ball for 48 minute per game gave us 50 LOSSES this season !!!!!!!

paris401 said:

CONGRAT"S.... you are a winner.... your prize.... you will be the starting point guard next season for our nyknicks...

Click to expand...

Congrats, Tiger. I heard coach Rambis is already very excited about giving you most of Grant's minutes for next season. He's also very excited about getting both you and Jose Calderon on the floor together as much as possible.

Broadway said:

It's official 32-50

I said we'd struggle to win 30gms and we pretty much did. Some said 34gms or thereabouts. I guess the Knicks were kind enough to meet us halfway how in the world are we gonna repay them for their great deed?

Click to expand...

Yeah, we finish 18 games under 0.500. Here's a fun record fact:

The Knicks all-time record is 2701 - 2774. So, all-time we are now 73 games under 0.500.

Over the last 3 seasons we are 86 - 160. Which means we are 74 games under 0.500 over the last 3 seasons.

So, long story short, these last 3 seasons took us from a franchise that was all-time 1 game over 0.500 to a franchise that is all-time 73 games under 0.500.

Nice work, Knicks.

paris401 said:

CONGRAT"S.... you are a winner.... your prize.... you will be the starting point guard next season for our nyknicks...

Click to expand...

htr10 said:

Congrats, Tiger. I heard coach Rambis is already very excited about giving you most of Grant's minutes for next season. He's also very excited about getting both you and Jose Calderon on the floor together as much as possible.

Click to expand...

You guys are funny. Let's hope Grant can take that starting PG position, he's shown some promise at the end of the season.

?Obviously that would be first choice,?? Afflalo said of hunting for a starting job. ?I still believe I?m one of the premier 2-guards in this league. Part of being an elite 2-guard in this league is opportunity, you have to be in a certain environment where you can excel and show what you can do. Hopefully that contributes to winning. I still believe I?m that player. I?ll find the best opportunity for me whether it?s in New York or anywhere else.??

Afflalo talked in the past tense regarding the Knicks.

?I chose new York,?? Afflalo said. ?I wanted to be here. I was very optimistic about the season. From that standpoint, it was a little disheartening. I?m thankful it was a great opportunity. The environment in New York City is unbelievable. The fans are unbelievable. The experience was everything I thought it would be outside the winning. That?s the part I thought we?d have more of this year.?

mafra said:

“Obviously that would be first choice,’’ Afflalo said of hunting for a starting job. “I still believe I’m one of the premier 2-guards in this league. Part of being an elite 2-guard in this league is opportunity, you have to be in a certain environment where you can excel and show what you can do. Hopefully that contributes to winning. I still believe I’m that player. I’ll find the best opportunity for me whether it’s in New York or anywhere else.’’

Afflalo talked in the past tense regarding the Knicks.

“I chose new York,’’ Afflalo said. “I wanted to be here. I was very optimistic about the season. From that standpoint, it was a little disheartening. I’m thankful it was a great opportunity. The environment in New York City is unbelievable. The fans are unbelievable. The experience was everything I thought it would be outside the winning. That’s the part I thought we’d have more of this year.”

Click to expand...

Sounds like a man who is going to opt out as well as DWill saying he took a chance signing a short term deal because he had faith in himself to get a better one next season. Two more holes PJ is going to have to fill this off-season.

Also Denver is going to finish with a better record than us so we'll be swapping picks with them. If the ping pong balls don't screw us up it'll be the 8th for the 7th pick. The draft lottery is May 19 and it'll be just PJ's luck that this is the year the Knicks get the number one pick like the Cavs did in 2014.

Knicks Great Season Knicks