Game thread: New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks 3/22/2022 7:30pm [Game #71]

[mafra]

IQ has 2 assists in 25 minutes….

Game was lost 14-26 from FT line

[mafra]

Just like Utah game, Knicks gonna fall short every game they feel they can use AB to run PG at 5 minute mark of 4th.

Without fail, as soon as he renters game you know offense will grind to a halt. To be fair, he did set up IQ for a beautiful 3… he just didn’t pull trigger

[Kiyaman]

The Hawks couldn't stop MitchRob and Toppin front court (No Toppin) in the 4th quarter.
And let Sims and Taj front court steal the lead and increase the lead having 3 rookies in the lineup.
Rookie Deuce only pts were a 3 ball that gave the Knicks a 10 pt lead in the 4th quarter having 8 min remaining in the game.
Barrett's been playing like GARBAGE the entire 2nd half and Thibs gave him 22 min
Head coach Thibs Tank Tank Tank this game tonight.

[mafra]

Bogdanovic only scored 2 pts on Quickley, but 30 pts on Barrett LOL

Maybe Grimes plays more if not for that horrific blown assignment to end second Q. If I was Thibbs, I would’ve benched Grimes rest of game for that boner.

8 points combined from Simms, Grimes and McBride. Only 9 from MRob. Those cats weren’t winning anything today.

RJ missed 16 shots and a ton of FTs, but this is what people want from
Thibbs. Play kids and built equity for future, no?

Yes, Thibbs needs to answer why no Obi in 4th! When he took RJ off the court, that’s when ATL began their run….

At least RJ had 2 steals.

None of this matters if we have a PG. You will lose 100 percent of the games you play when you run AB to be your closing PG.

[mafra]

Joe Flynn at P&T.com


Tuesday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks was essentially meaningless in the grand scheme of things. The New York Knicks were all but eliminated from playoff contention several weeks ago. My brain knows this. I can do the math. However, the game was on TNT, and the media delighted in hyping this one as “Trae Young with another chance to eliminate the Knicks at MSG.” It was a cynical ploy to get casual fans to watch a contest between the 10th and 12th-place teams in the Eastern Conference.

And by the end, I bought it hook, line, and sinker. When the Knicks took an 99-89 lead in the fourth quarter on a three from Miles McBride (DEUCE!!!). I was fully invested. Who cares if Tom Thibodeau plays RJ Barrett 42 minutes on the first night of a back-to-back? Just win this ****ing game!!!

Alas, you can probably figure out what happened next. The Hawks torched the Knicks from there on out. Trae Young (45 points) destroyed New York, just as the prophesy foretold. Perhaps even worse, random scrub Knick assassin Bogdan Bogdanovic lit up New York for 32 points. RJ Barrett got his 30 points, but he was rough from the field (9-25 shooting) and the free-throw line (11-17). Tom Thibodeau was in his element even with Julius Randle sidelined...perhaps even more so. The coach played Taj Gibson out of position at power forward for the last FIFTEEN minutes of the game, even as the Hawks were exploiting him on defense. Obi Toppin started the game and played well through three quarters (10 points on 5-7 shooting, seven rebounds, three assists), but y’all know the deal with Thibs and Obi by now.

Recap to come. Blergh.

[htr10]

10 games to go. Going to end up somewhere in that 9th to 12th worst record area. What a waste of a season.

Got to swing for the fences in the off-season or just give up. These attempts at small improvements each season don’t work in an NBA with other teams full of All-Stars. You think you’re building something and then you backslide and it’s back to square one.

[Dark Raider]

If you saw the game last night without Randle. What is your opinion on whether the Knicks are better off with him or without him?
I told Kiya in another thread just look at the team without Randle. I’m not a big Randle fan but for the unteenth time I have said in the right situation as a #2 or #3 he would be a much better player. Like he was in N.O.

[htr10]

If you saw the game last night without Randle. What is your opinion on whether the Knicks are better off with him or without him?
I told Kiya in another thread just look at the team without Randle. I’m not a big Randle fan but for the unteenth time I have said in the right situation as a #2 or #3 he would be a much better player. Like he was in N.O.

I could see arguing less minutes for Randle, but I can’t see us being better without him given that he is a better player than Toppin.

[rady]

Wsup Rady, hope all is well .. Thanks for the Game-Thread, did we beat the Hawks yet this season?
Last year regular season the Knicks didn't give the Hawks one win in 4 games.
I will admit, after the Knicks postseason performance (1-4) vs the Hawks .. I wanted Randle & Barrett traded in the offseason for Dame, and the COY FIRED for taking Payton out of the rotation.

Ssup Kiya! All is well around here so far, at least my anxiety levels are back to normal for about a week or two. Still don't get much interest in the Knicks but mostly because it's not much fun without D-Rose and because i'm swamped with work as i need to renovate an apartment i'll be moving into later next month.

[Kiyaman]

Ssup Kiya! All is well around here so far, at least my anxiety levels are back to normal for about a week or two. Still don't get much interest in the Knicks but mostly because it's not much fun without D-Rose and because i'm swamped with work as i need to renovate an apartment i'll be moving into later next month.

Alright, its nice to here u keeping ur self well by working on ur new place, and putting our poor coach Knicks to the side, they can be upsetting lol

[mafra]

You living in Romania, Rady? Do you live in the East side of the country, near the border with Ukraine. BBC News had story on Romanian border towns yesterday….

Reading about Byzantine Empire and the following link:

https://www.ancient-origins.net/anci...ulture-0012105

Seems war has spilled out of the Ukraine-Russian border, from Central Asian steppes, into the Great Plains of Europe for thousands of years…

Makes me appreciate being surrounded by 2 oceans and living on the other side of the world.

Hard to worry about RJ or a PG or other Frivolous nonsense when armies are marching in the name of some tyrants ego.

[Kiyaman]

If you saw the game last night without Randle. What is your opinion on whether the Knicks are better off with him or without him?
I told Kiya in another thread just look at the team without Randle. I’m not a big Randle fan but for the unteenth time I have said in the right situation as a #2 or #3 he would be a much better player. Like he was in N.O.

The Knicks perform better as a TEAM without Randle.
Last night, the Knicks rotation of players beat the Hawks.
Coach Thibs in and out substitution loss the game on purpose (TANKING).
The Knicks bench lineup (having 3 rookies) are still better than Thibs starter lineup.
The bench lineup went on a 10-2 run in 3 min in the 4th quarter, and Thibs imediately took them out the game. And know Obi Toppin in the 4th quarter .. Tanking and trying to get old man Taj injured playing the entire 4th quarter.

[Dark Raider]

The Knicks perform better as a TEAM without Randle.
Last night, the Knicks rotation of players beat the Hawks.
Coach Thibs in and out substitution loss the game on purpose (TANKING).
The Knicks bench lineup (having 3 rookies) are still better than Thibs starter lineup.
The bench lineup went on a 10-2 run in 3 min in the 4th quarter, and Thibs imediately took them out the game. And know Obi Toppin in the 4th quarter .. Tanking and trying to get old man Taj injured playing the entire 4th quarter.

Tanking…. Generally there is a plan to do that. If There are several players in the draft that would help. This F.O. doesn’t have a clue about what is needed for this team. Anyway if they are trying to tank why win the game last night?
Well, the team is 1&1 with Randle out of the lineup. Didn’t see the game with Hornets. So at best they are .500 and that is being very generous. There are to many things wrong with this team. As use now Randle could be seen as a problem. That isn’t my take on him. Used correctly and the weight of not being the #1 option would make him better. Now if we could find another #2 option then let him go. But where are we going to find that??
With no #1 or #2 options( if you trade Randle) you have a team that is led be RJ. Seems like your position on RJ has softened… well mine hasn’t.
If this team stays in the current state and get rid of Randle there are no good out comes.
Who would want to play with RJ given what is being talk about around the league. Do you really think players aren’t saying ‘ I’m not getting into that mess’!!
Saw CP3 talking with Peyton on the bench during the Knicks game. What do you think they were saying? Peyton telling Paul about promises made and not kept… about not being played by Thib’s… maybe about not playing Frank during the Hawks playoff games. And that just one conversation. Just think of all of the conversation being had between players. This isn’t good!!

SOLUTIONS?? If you think a team led by RJ is good….Well……