Before we get to the impressive debut of rookie RJ Barrett, this much needs to be said after this first impression of the new-look Knicks: they may be one guard away from being a very good team. The question is, do they have that guard on the roster? Dennis Smith Jr. was supposed to be […]
Julius Randle looked up from a third loss in the four-game preseason, one that ended in defeat after his hero-ball game-winning attempt from three missed the mark, and assessed life, so far, with the Knicks. “We’re building,” he said. “We’re just going to have to have patience . . . It’s going to take time, […]
Finally, it’s time. With the NBA Draft process out of the way, the Knicks now enter the final phase of a long-awaited offseason: free agency. The official opening of free agency has been moved up by the NBA this year, so the waiting won’t take as long. In the past, free agency opened on July […]
Draft night was the only moment when the Knicks had any control during this highly-anticipated offseason of options and planning. The Knicks owned the No. 3 pick in the draft – which was the result of a lottery that was left up to the probability of ping pong balls – and selected RJ Barrett of […]
Let me share with you a secret: I was invited by the NBA to be a witness to the NBA Draft Lottery drawing this year in Chicago. And I respectfully declined. There’s no way my heart could take it. I also could not guarantee there wouldn’t be a Braveheart roar if the Knicks happened to […]
PISTONS 115, KNICKS 89 The Knicks‘ season ended with one more loss that hardly went noticed as it was tossed onto the pile of 65 that were collected. We had almost stopped counting some point before the All-Star Break. Bookkeeping still needs to be done and all we know is this year won’t live alone […]
The Knicks have been eliminated from the playoffs for about a month or so, but they’ll play in an elimination game on tonight. David Fizdale took the last seven games of the regular season and told his team to treat it like a playoff series. So “Game 7” is against the Detroit Pistons at The […]
The reports about Mario Hezonja leading into the NBA Draft described an athletic player who stood out in the European game as a scorer off the bench in the ACB league in Spain. He’d been playing pro in Croatia at the age of 14. The NBA seemed inevitable and yet when he got to Orlando […]
ROCKETS 120, KNICKS 96 For most people involved with the Knicks, the season can’t end soon enough. For the Rockets’ starters, this game couldn’t end soon enough. So during the last television timeout of the fourth quarter, James Harden, Chris Paul and company left the gym and headed to the locker room to escape having […]
The inexact science of the NBA draft lottery was on display in Orlando, where the highest pick the Magic have made in four years — and second highest in the seven years since they last made the playoffs — was in the midst of his revenge game. Mario Hezonja was the fifth overall pick in […]
There is video that surfaced on social media of Mitchell Robinson the night before his 21st birthday. He was up late and out. He was downtown, in fact, and doing things you just don’t expect him to do. He was shooting threes. Where else would Mitchell Robinson be on the eve of his birthday (literally […]
Erik Spoelstra wasn’t asked about it, but he had to say something. “It felt like the Twilight Zone out there,” the Heat coach said. Spoelstra just left the court at Madison Square Garden, where Dwyane Wade lingered behind to bask in the adulation of the New York crowd in his final game here. And for […]
The Knicks best defensive player is a 20-year-old rookie who is still learning the pro game. And when asked to assess the team’s issues on defense, especially in defending the three-point shot, he put it in the most elementary terms. “We be there,” Mitchell Robinson said, “we just don’t be close enough.” One of Mark […]
Doc Rivers just shared the secret to his team’s success this season and it’s a simple formula. The better the talent you have, the better the coach you are. Even after trading away their top player, Tobias Harris, and clearing salary cap space for free agency, the Clippers have stayed in the Western Conference playoff […]
As Ja Morant’s triple-double to open March Madness has Knicks fans now imagining this Russell Westbrook-type as their next point guard if they don’t win the lottery, the player taken in the lottery two years ago, who was supposed to fill that role, was finally back on the court. Frank Ntilikina returned to the lineup […]
Donovan Mitchell had a message for Knicks fans who may be ready to give up on Frank Ntilikina. “The kid is really good, people don’t see that,” the Jazz all-star guard said after Ntilikina missed his 25th straight game due to a groin injury. “He’s a great defender and one of the hardest guys I […]
Mitchell Robinson expects to one day be an eliminator on the court, a stopper who can change the game and, perhaps make a major impact on the playoffs. Right now, playing with a raw, reckless abandon, the prolific rookie shot-blocker has been a one-man wrecking crew on opposing shooters. But he may already have made […]
Maybe next year, a win like this, against a brand-name team like the Lakers, against a superstar like LeBron James, will have greater meaning. Both franchises, headed for a sixth straight season without a playoff berth, will be active this summer in making talent upgrades to enjoy long-awaited renaissances. And the NBA has flourished without […]
It’s the most important affirmation for anyone who comes out of the minors. You toil through the small cities and small gyms with small crowds, staying in hotels, hoping it’s one with a free breakfast just to save on the small per diem. All of it just to hear a coach at the highest level […]
What is the potential for Kevin Knox? It’s almost impossible to answer based on his rookie season as a teenager and second-youngest player in the league. He’s starting, logging almost 30 minutes a game and is allowed to make mistake after mistake with no consequence besides losing and self-doubt. So there he was in Indiana, […]
Damyean Dotson has shown steady growth from a second-round pick into an NBA rotation player who is trying to prove himself as a starter. David Fizdale, in fact, deemed him “our most consistent player” this season. Dotson went over the 20-point mark for the sixth time this season with 26 points on 10 of 19 […]
It seems like a lost art in today’s NBA, a role that is among the endangered species along with post-up centers and defensive specialists. But this one might be the most troubling to coaches and to the NBA as it attempts to take back it’s game with more focus on the development level. It is […]
The Knicks had just come out of a timeout, which was taken to stop the momentum of a run by the Suns that quickly cut an 11-point lead to one in the second quarter. After a cold start, Devin Booker was starting to heat up on his way to a season-high 41-point performance. David Fizdale […]
As the final seconds ticked down on the shot clock of a game that was all but over, Buddy Hield went over to Allonzo Trier to offer some respect for the undrafted rookie’s game. Trier acknowledged, and as he dribbled the final few seconds out to end the game, he slammed the ball down and […]
There was a time when a performance like this would lead to a coach flipping over tables and kicking a water jug. Doc Rivers once told a story about a time Pat Riley was so furious with the Knicks after a poor first half he started throwing cups of orange juice and other drinks, and […]
Perhaps we’ll know on May 14 the true result of this game. That, of course, is the date of the NBA Lottery drawing. The Knicks appeared on the verge of winning their third straight and fourth in the last five games, which had those watching the lottery standings getting nervous. But a day after David […]
Steve Clifford was going through the bullet points of why his team, in the hunt for a playoff spot, could not put away the lottery-bound Knicks when he stopped at one: Mitchell Robinson, whom the Magic coach said “changed the game.” Robinson had another eye-catching performance, with 17 points, 14 rebounds, 6 blocks and 3 […]
In the early moments of the game, with his team facing a mark of futility he insists he never discussed with the players, David Fizdale wore the smile of a madman in the midst of chaos. He just saw two of his players go for the same rebound, with no opposing player within five feet. […]
23. That’s the number David Fizdale wrote on the dry erase board in the locker room after the game. It represents the number of turnovers his team committed in this loss, their first game back from the All-Star break. And those 23 turnovers led to another number that needs to be written on the board […]
When this season is over, the final record will be typed into the media guide and left there to be buried among future seasons. It’ll likely go forgotten and referenced only when some future losing streak grows long enough to require historical perspective. Perhaps if the lottery balls bounce their way on May 14, the […]
The moment Roy Hibbert stuffed Carmelo Anthony at the rim, the modest progression of the Knicks was halted. In fact, that block didn’t just send the Knicks home early that season — in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals — it sent the franchise backwards. It led to the eventual end of Tyson Chandler and […]
History was made in Cleveland with a 17th straight loss, the longest in 73 seasons of Knicks basketball. This team will now be forever remembered with a line in the media guide, a season to forget will not go forgotten. “Next game,” David Fizdale said. “Just get to the next game.” The Knicks (10-46) maintained their […]
And so the streak has reached the Bittersweet 16. The Knicks have tied the longest losing streak in franchise history with the loss to the Raptors and extended another franchise mark of futility at home to 16 straight, as well. Last season, with 18 games left on the schedule, I wrote the Knicks may be […]
Dennis Smith Jr. just had the best game of his professional career and you wouldn’t know it. “We should have won,” he said after he scored a career-high 31 points with 8 assists in his third game with the Knicks. While the rest of us have been conditioned this season to endure these losses like […]
Something other than salary cap space and first round picks might have come out of the Kristaps Porzingis trade. There’s a chance the Knicks might have found a mentor for Mitchell Robinson, who might be their most intriguing prospect in the group. The 20 year old has spent most of this season just running around […]
Eventually, something has to take root. Three more players were introduced on Sunday, three more Knicks debuts. Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews, the three players acquired — but arguably not the most important assets acquired — in the Kristaps Porzingis trade, were in uniform and on the court at Madison Square Garden. […]
Kyrie Irving took off his jersey and motioned to a section behind the scorer’s table. He tossed the jersey and instructed some fans to make sure it got to it’s intended target. That would be Drederick Irving, Kyrie’s proud father, who eventually made his way courtside to share an embrace with his son. Kyrie had […]
This was always going to be about Hope. When you’re 10-40 and haven’t made the playoffs in what will be a sixth straight year, all you could possibly have is Hope. So, what you now have to decide is which Hope Scenario had the better potential. Hope Scenario 1 for the Knicks involved avoiding potential […]
For a third straight night, the stage was for someone else to own. “The feeling in this arena,” Dirk Nowitzki said, “is like nowhere else.” In what was likely Nowitzki’s final game at Madison Square Garden, the sport’s most successful international player, in his 21st NBA season, reached back for a little extra something as […]
How much would you give for Anthony Davis? The Knicks went through the usual script of competing hard for a win only to fall short mainly because one team had an all-star (this time it was Kemba Walker, who, despite a poor shooting night, took over down the stretch) and they didn’t. But that can […]
Patrick Ewing had been in the building earlier in the day. Alonzo Mourning was there, too. A little later on, Pat Riley, in all his tailored splendor, strolled by with a smile. Dwyane Wade warmed up on the court and just before tip-off, he shared an embrace with Carmelo Anthony. These were living ghosts haunting […]
As the losing streak reached eight, David Fizdale was asked about the overwhelming amount of losses this team has endured over the last two months and how detrimental it is for players to endure. The coach then went into a rant to remind Knicks fans — and anyone else still paying attention — that this […]
James Harden strutted into the building in white pants, a brown turtleneck, with a gold piece and a technicolor dreamcoat looking for his “Garden moment.” After tying the opponent scoring record with 61 points, he was asked if that would do for a Garden Moment. “Yeah,” he said. Maybe for him, but this was hardly […]
Frank Ntilikina switched onto Paul George in the final seconds of the first quarter of a game that had already gotten out of hand. George had put up 13 points and the Thunder had 34. The lethargic Knicks, as David Fizdale would later lament, did their part to “donate the first quarter.” In a season […]
“The ball,” David Fizdale said, “died.” He wasn’t describing the spinning ball that Allonzo Trier swatted away for the goaltending call on what became the game-winning score in yet another painful loss. He was describing what led to the game being decided by that critical play. The Knicks offense was flowing beautifully for three quarters. […]
You really have no idea what the Knicks have in Kevin Knox. Even he doesn’t know what he is, or what he can be. “I’m only 19,” he said just minutes after dropping 31 points, seven rebounds and two steals with a +11 in 44 minutes. “I want to keep getting better and keep learning […]
The season has been about developing young draft picks and also trying to flip at least one reclamation project into a keeper. From Trey Burke to Noah Vonleh to Emmanuel Mudiay, the Knicks have a host of former lottery picks who are trying to establish themselves as NBA players. There is also Mario Hezonja, a […]
From here on in, we count down. The Knicks ended their longest road trip of the season while also hitting the mid-point of the schedule. Game 41 leaves the Knicks at 10-31, which is the third-worst record in the league on the same night the projected No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, Duke’s […]
The 30th loss of the season means the pursuit of lottery balls was not compromised, but the absence of a pair of 20-year olds and physical issues for two other rookies means there wasn’t much gained in the other critical area of a rebuild: development. Rookie Kevin Knox, who coach David Fizdale said is dealing […]
They don’t get to do it often, so don’t mind all the noise the Knicks made in the visitors locker room at the Staples Center after this game. “When we win,” coach David Fizdale said of his 10-29 team, “we celebrate like it’s the Super Bowl. Why not?” It’s been over three weeks and nine […]
Nuggets 115, Knicks 108 In the depths of what is now an 8-game losing streak, David Fizdale can only look to Mike Malone and the Denver Nuggets for inspiration. Here’s yet another example of a franchise that stuck with a coach and the process of prioritizing development. “Mike’s a heck of a coach and the […]
Just 12 seconds into the game, Rudy Gobert scored on a dunk. By the end of the first 12 minutes of the game, the Jazz had 8 dunks. “They came out with force,” David Fizdale said of the Jazz, “and we came out dead.” The only sign of life was in the locker room at […]
When David Fizdale was asked if Christmas Day games actually favored the road teams, the Knicks coach smirked and gave a blunt answer: the Bucks have the advantage simply because they are, right now, the better team. As the losses mount — this is now 5 straight and 10 of the last 11 — the […]
In the span of 9 days, the Knicks have lost to the Cavaliers, Suns and Hawks. That represents three of the four teams below them in the league standings. For Generation Tank, this would be considered a good thing. For those who saw Zion Williamson light up the Garden the night before in Duke’s gritty […]
I’ve often told fans who express frustration with the win-loss column that this season you can’t watch the Knicks for what they do as a team on the court. This is the type of season you have to watch as a scout, where you’re merely looking for talent. By the end of this season, maybe […]
There have been very few times this season the Knicks let go of the rope in a game and this was one of them. In the second game of a back-to-back, the third game in four nights and fourth in six, they hit a wall and their spirit shattered on impact. “We just gotta go […]
If this season is about determining keepers as the franchise attempts to build a championship-caliber roster in 2019, there are several emerging already. But there are also areas of need that stand out to the discerning eye and if one is the need to add a tough wing defender, another is to find someone with […]
The best thing to come out of this game might be a new Jordan Meme. 😄#Knicks #NewYorkForever pic.twitter.com/CarOh8heMt — MSG Networks (@MSGNetworks) December 15, 2018 The Hornets owner, greatest basketball player of all time and noted Knick killer put his hand over his face and shook his head as he watched his team give up […]
In less than six months, Allonzo Trier went from the devastation of being passed over on draft night to the life-changing reality of being paid like a top-10 lottery pick. The Knicks announced on Thursday that they converted Trier’s contract from a two-way G-League deal to a full NBA contract. Trier was signed with the […]
After a clutch three-pointer and a thunderous dunk on the break by Kevin Knox, there had to be a thought in David Fizdale‘s mind to call a play for his 19-year-old rookie to win the game. Why not? School is in session all year and what an education this could have been for the Knicks‘ […]
Steve Kerr once told the story about two letters he used to write on the toe of his sneakers during his playing career that served as a reminder to him in moments of doubt or hesitation. Those letters were “F.I.” We can’t tell you here what word the first letter represented, but if we tell […]
David Fizdale said he spent most of this game searching for something. What was he searching for? “A lineup,” he said, “that could just . . .” He paused a beat and then said the obviously elusive element in his team for most of this night. “. . . compete.” It was another night in which […]
If this was some sort of “payback” motivated by a blowout loss on Thanksgiving eve, the Knicks-Celtics rivalry is officially dormant. Kyrie Irving tried to make it something. He claimed he’s been “thinking about them since we lost” in that embarrassing home defeat on Thanksgiving eve which dropped Boston to 10-10. Hey, with salary cap space to […]
Bradley Beal once lost a game at Madison Square Garden. He was a 19-year-old rookie in the 14th game of his pro career in his first appearance at MSG. And since then, Beal hasn’t lost a game on this court. That was in November of 2012. “I feel like every time I step into this […]
The truth is, Kevin Knox was playing soft. He did look lost. He was struggling to physically compete. But what the Knicks loved about him during the predraft process wasn’t just his frame, his length and his scorer’s mentality. It was also his work ethic, which comes from a pedigree of a military family and […]
This was a night Brett Brown might have had some nostalgia as he looked down the sideline at David Fizdale trying to guide his team through an ugly performance with an emphasis on getting something out of the night. Fizdale allowed himself to pump his fist down 30 because rookie Kevin Knox executed a move […]
A three-game winning streak was buried under a pile of bricks in Detroit and the continued struggles of the team’s lottery picks from the last two seasons is reaching a point of concern, while the undrafted kid is emerging as one of the top rookies in the league. Allonzo Trier proved he can handle the […]
Almost exactly a year to the day of David Fizdale‘s worst moment as a head coach came perhaps his most satisfying. “The effort they put forth and what they said to me after the game,” he said, “I love these kids.” He didn’t want it to be about him and his return to Memphis after […]
It may have been a slip, it may have been intentional. But there was a quote from David Fizdale following the first winning streak for the young Knicks that stood out to me. “This is much more about my kids just continuing to take steps forward,” he said. Note the use of “my kids” when […]
You were thinking it. We all were thinking it. Even THEY were thinking it. The Knicks were rolling most of this Thanksgiving Eve in Boston against a struggling Celtics team. But because of so many fourth-quarter meltdowns that turned leads into losses for David Fizdale‘s young Knicks team, it just felt inevitable that heartbreak was […]
Tim Hardaway Jr. smirked and shook his head as he considered everything David Fizdale has tried to motivate, inspire and enlighten the team. “We’ve gone from guest speakers to, you know, we’re doing meditation, breathing, all this, all that,” he said. “We can only do so much.” After a lecture from football Hall of Famer […]
As the first quarter of the season nears, the youth movement has officially stalled. David Fizdale said he planned to treat the first few weeks of the season like an extended preseason, mainly because his roster, which is the youngest in the NBA, is made up of so many new players and most of them […]
PELICANS 129, KNICKS 124 David Fizdale upped the ante in this season of teaching. By inserting Allonzo Trier into the starting lineup, he not only went small ball against the Pelicans, he went with the baby boomers. Trier joined Kevin Knox and Mitchell Robinson in the starting five, which meant three rookies started the game. […]
When asked on Tuesday what he needed to work on to improve as a point guard, the 20-year-old replied, “Everything.” Frank Ntilikina was moved out of the starting lineup for the first time this season. He began as the small forward and was moved to the point guard spot, where he ran the first unit […]
David Fizdale didn’t want to believe it was an effort issue. “I want to watch the film,” he said, “before I make that judgment.” He’s not going to like what he sees a second time around. We often parallel a lack of effort with apathy and in this case, it isn’t warranted. The Knicks looked […]
RAPTORS 128, KNICKS 112 The Knicks have been Beaten by Boston, Bullied by the Bucks, Pounded by the Pacers and now Trucked in Toronto. The Eastern Conference is growing stronger by the day, as evidenced by the Jimmy Butler trade for the 76ers, whom the Knicks won’t see for another 10 days. And as they […]
Let’s all get out of Tim Hardaway Jr.‘s wallet. The $70 Million Man put up a 34-point performance — his third 30-point performance of the season — in this road win against his former team, the Atlanta Hawks. More importantly, he came through down the stretch, where the young Knicks have a penchant for giving […]
What it boiled down to for the Knicks at this point in the season, with Kevin Durant still just a dream, Kristaps Porzingis still on the comeback trail and Tim Hardaway Jr. sitting with a locked-up back, is that they had no other option but to hand the ball to an undrafted rookie and asked […]
This one was predictable. But you have to admit David Fizdale‘s Knicks are building a reputation of toughness, even through the losses. This was a game the veteran Wizards, who started 1-7, had to have. At home, against the youngest roster in the NBA, after losing five straight games and getting booed off your home […]
KNICKS 118, MAVERICKS 106 While describing the third quarter thrashing the Knicks put on the Mavericks, with guys like undrafted rookie Allonzo Trier and second-round finds Daymean Dotson and Mitchell Robinson doing most of the damage, the Dallas Morning News described the trio saying “They aren’t even household names in their own homes.” These are, […]
I’m going to explain why this game will actually come back to haunt some of you as fans and it will have nothing to do with chasing a playoff berth. This game, if the season goes according to the plan of development and steady improvement, will eventually turn into a win rather than a frustrating […]
Rasheed Wallace smiled widely when he talked about his prized pupil, rookie Mitchell Robinson. “Mitch is gonna be just fine,” he told me before the game. I ran into Sheed in the hallway outside the Knicks locker room after he ran Robinson through a pregame workout that involved a great deal of instruction and several […]
We’ve seen these shows many times on this stage and each time they are breathtaking, exhilarating and frustrating. Michael’s “double nickel”, Kobe’s 61 and LeBron’s 50-point triple-double (with an asterisk). Add to these unforgettable performances a show-stopping 25-point fourth quarter by Kevin Durant, who left Knicks fans salivating at the thought of seeing him do […]
David Fizdale met his longtime friend and co-worker Erik Spoelstra at half court and all he could do was try to laugh it off. “That’s no way to treat a friend,” he said. Spoelstra exposed many of the Knicks‘ weaknesses in this rout. Many weaknesses — pick-and-roll defense, three-point defense and poor shooting — that Fizdale […]
There are some obvious areas of the box score to reference when analyzing this loss for the Knicks, but one factor that is not represented on the stat sheet is the most obvious of all: talent deficiency. This is going to be an issue many nights this season. Oh sure, we can try to go […]
As the game ended, my phone buzzed with a text from a friend and a die-hard Knicks fan who summed up the loss perfectly. “Didn’t expect to win tonight,” he said, “yet it still hurts so much.” On consecutive nights, the Knicks lost on the final possession. David Fizdale‘s young team battled the elite Celtics […]
Both coaches agree that talk of this being a rivalry is premature, but when you consider where these franchises are in their rebuilding stages and the college-like atmosphere in Brooklyn on Friday night … if these teams ever get to the elite level, it could be a lot of fun for a city that loves […]
David Fizdale‘s first impression as Knicks head coach was a good one. Despite a nervous start that saw his team trail 10-2 early, the rest of the game was exactly what he said his team would be this season: young, fast and relentless. The Knicks ran with 11 points on the fast break, they got […]
If we lived life in an XBox, we’d happily glide off the Battle Bus, have the charm and appeal of Ezio Auditore and simply hit “simulate” on the Knicks’ season just to get to July 2019. [Truth be told, if we lived life in an XBox, the Knicks would be raising a banner. They did […]
Scott Perry didn’t talk about luck leading into the NBA Draft Lottery. He talked about focus. Afterward, as the Knicks maintained their maddening record of never once moving up in 15 lottery appearances, Perry talked about fortune. “I’m just happy we didn’t move back,” he said. So the Knicks remained in the 9th spot in […]
As the media assembled in what is the foyer of Madison Square Garden, called Chase Square, in an area staged for a press conference, an observer looking from a balcony above felt a sense of familiarity. Or was it monotony? “We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” he thought. Once upon a time, May 8th […]
When David Fizdale makes his first comments as the new head coach of the Knicks, he needs to fully understand not just who he’s talking to, but what they’ve been through. And I’m not only talking about the players and, most importantly, the star player in Kristaps Porzingis. [WATCH THE DAVID FIZDALE PRESS CONFERENCE LIVE TUESDAY […]
On an August night in Pittsburgh, some fans at a Pirates game recognized two men sitting in their section. It was the Steve Mills and Scott Perry, the front office tandem of the Knicks, who were in town to tour the Steelers organization and see some training camp. The fans in that section also happened […]
5 thoughts on the loss: 1. There was one moment left for Trey Burke to have in this game and he wanted it. This was like Jeremy Lin against the Lakers but with the Raptors ending, which included MSG Network‘s radio analyst Brendan Brown famously yelling, “Give him the ball and get out of his […]
As the NBA considers eliminating the draft age limit with the hopes of expanding it’s G-League and it’s control over the game, it also needs to prioritize something that is tethered to the modern draft strategy: tanking. We’ve reached a point now where come March, you have a little more than half of your league […]
5 Thoughts on the Loss: 1. There was a unicorn sighting at The Garden. It was the first visual confirmation in over a month. Kristaps Porzingis walked with relative ease on that surgically-repaired ACL and spoke with confidence about coming back “as a better player.” He offered all of the usual determined rhetoric that a […]
5 Thoughts on the Loss: 1. Frank Ntilikina will forever remember this game as his first NBA start. The game, itself, was relatively forgettable for the Knicks as we wind down a fourth straight season eyeing the lottery standings rather than the playoff standings. But when Ntilikina talks about his first NBA start, he will […]
5 thoughts on the loss: 1. Those who say you don’t need to watch an NBA game until the last five minutes clearly aren’t Knicks fans. How do you think we came up with the phrase “third quarter of doom”? It’s like every critical turning point of just about every loss and over these last three […]
5 thoughts on the loss: 1. Over the last two decades, we’ve seen some of the NBA‘s best teams, some of the most entertaining in the game’s history just like the Warriors, come to The Garden and put on a show that has this basketball-obsessed city buzzing. I vividly remember a game in 2006-07, when […]
5 thoughts on the loss: 1. Trey Burke keeps proving he can be a scoring guard in this league. For a second straight game — and this time against a very good defense — he lit up the scoreboard with 26 points and eight assists in 26:26. After the game in Orlando, he was the […]
5 Thoughts on the Win: 1. Trey Burke is here to remind you that he’s part of this point guard audition, too. Let’s remember his story started this season by signing with the Knicks‘ G-League team rather than another NBA team because he felt there was an opportunity here for him. But after the trade […]
5 Thoughts on the Loss: 1. There is an irony to being a fan who encourages losing. It’s something that has creeped into the mindset of a new era of sports fans who firmly believe you can win by losing. Or maybe it’s less about what’s really best for the team you root for and […]
5 Thoughts on the Loss: 1. What we’re learning is there’s a lot to learn about this young backcourt experiment. One game after the Emmanuel Mudiay–Frank Ntilikina duo had an intriguing debut in Indiana, the magic was lost in Philadelphia. Both lottery picks struggled against the relentless pressure defense by undrafted guard T. J. McConnell, who […]
5 thoughts on the loss: 1. As Kristaps Porzingis heads off to surgery and a long recovery process, the Knicks moved forward in their rebuilding process. Scott Perry made two moves before the trade deadline that may not have great significance on the current season but were more in the realm of asset collecting. Perry […]
5 Thoughts on the Loss: 1. The Franchise was laid out on the baseline. As the play headed down the other end, not a single set of eyes in the building was on the ball. What you had was 19,812 heads all looking toward that baseline and the image of Kristaps Porzingis clutching his knee […]
5 thoughts on the loss: 1. In a game in which we all learned the phrase “correctable error,” the Knicks made several unforced errors to give away a game they know — everyone, including the Hawks, know — they should have won. And two days after Tim Hardaway said to put the loss in Milwaukee “on […]
5 thoughts on the loss: 1. The question had to be asked. I couldn’t have been the only one who made a mental note when Lance Thomas left the game with 4:19 to go and the score tied at 86. Someone else had to be thinking the same thing: Why take him out? He had […]
5 Thoughts on the Win: 1. In arguably the best alternate jersey in NBA history — seriously, how do you top honoring the FDNY with that kind of swag? — the Knicks won consecutive games for the first time in six weeks. “It must be the jerseys,” Enes Kanter said after his second 20-20 game […]
5 thoughts on the win: 1. Let’s get right to the useless stats because this game was an about-face from what we saw on this trip. After three straight games allowing over 120 points per game — 127, 123, 130 — the Knicks held the Suns not just under 100, but under 90. It tied […]
5 thoughts on the loss: 1. Al Trautwig read me a tweet from a fan during the game that seemed to sum it up best. The question was simple: remember when this was a fun team to watch? That peaked on Dec. 21, with that 102-93 win over the Celtics at The Garden. It improved […]
5 Thoughts on The Loss: 1. For a ninth straight year, the Knicks will be represented at the All-Star Game. For those who may have forgotten, there was a time when the Knicks went eight straight years (2002-09) without an All-Star in the game. But what makes this year special is that Kristaps Porzingis is […]
5 thoughts on the loss: 1. It seems to always come back to this one word: defense. You can go 10 games averaging 109 points per game and shooting 49% from the field and 42% from three-point range – just as the Knicks have – and if you don’t play defense, all of it is […]
5 Thoughts on the Win: 1. The emotion was relief. It was written clearly on the faces of the Knicks when the final horn sounded at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Tim Hardaway Jr., who played a huge role in pushing his team to the win, couldn’t ignore the obvious sense of escape the team felt […]
5 Thoughts on the Game: 1. Bill Pidto tossed his pen before he even got through his introduction to the postgame show. He was furious. As Wally Szczerbiak and I tried to offer more level-headed perspective on a maddening game and it’s bizarre ending, Pidto was already telling us that Twitter was on his side. […]
5 thoughts on the win: 1. It seems as if the Nets have shown up when the Knicks needed them most this season. It began with the first win of the season back on Oct. 27, as the Knicks were reeling with an 0-3 start. They trounced Brooklyn by 21 at The Garden and went […]
5 Thoughts on the Loss: 1. Here’s Kristaps Porzingis with the understatement of the season: “We have some growing to do,” he said, “for sure.” After yet another painful, maddening loss to the Bulls, the Knicks hit the mid-point of the regular season with a 19-22 record. For a team many predicted wouldn’t win much […]
5 thoughts on the win: 1. When Dennis Smith Jr. was in New York last spring, he already had LeBron James in his ear. He already had the influence telling him to avoid the Knicks because of Phil Jackson‘s Triangle. So when it came time for his pre-draft workout, Smith was in the awkward position of saying, […]
5 thoughts on the loss: 1. As these frustrating losses mount, Jeff Hornacek continues to send out signals pointing to the malfunction in the team that needs to be fixed. This is not a team loaded with talent, but they have shown a resiliency and a work ethic that should help them win more games […]
5 Thoughts on the Loss to Wizards: 1. We’ve arrived at that moment that tests the patience of the triumphantly impatient New York fan. This is where emails and texts are saved, tweets are screengrabbed and hot takes are put in the freezer for potential mea culpas and a feast of words produced by frustration. […]
5 Thoughts on the Loss: [Watch Knicks-Wizards Tonight on MSG & Download Free on MSG GO] 1. How many times have you heard this: It’s a make-or-miss league. When the Knicks were making their shots early in the game, they seemed to be in a good rhythm and built a nine-point lead early in the […]
5 Thoughts on the Loss: 1. After yet another fourth quarter meltdown and yet another road loss, Jeff Hornacek made some interesting comments about his team’s issues late in games. “Something we don’t understand,” he said, “is how physical it’s going to be.” The Knicks managed just 14 points against the Bulls in the final […]
5 THOUGHTS ON CHRISTMAS LOSS: 1. Jeff Hornacek hasn’t had to call out his team too often this season. In fact, there were times after games he sounded like a proud coach who loved his team and it’s potential. But after gifting yet another game to the opponent with poor play in crunch time, Hornacek’s […]
5 THOUGHTS ON THE LOSS: 1. End-game situations are always up for debate, especially when they don’t work. There are certain fundamentals that we believe in that dictate the plan. As we often do, Wally Szczerbiak and I disagreed on the timing and execution of Courtney Lee‘s drive in the final minute that resulted in […]
5 THOUGHTS ON THE WIN: 1. What do we make of Michael Beasley? He did it yet again with his third 30-point performance of the season. It was another night of unstoppable offense that caught everyone — not just the opponent — by surprise. And, as usual, it leads to the call to see more […]
5 Thoughts on the Loss: 1. There are just some gyms that don’t feel right. It could be the lighting or the color scheme or simply the rims. Everyone has their Eleanor. For the Knicks, the Spectrum Center — formerly known as Time Warner Cable Arena — is their Eleanor. If you don’t get the […]
5 Thoughts on the Win: 1. There are varying emotions when it comes to Carmelo Anthony. Mine come from a place of frustration, not from the end result but for what could have been — or should have been — in his Knicks career. Though he is at the epicenter, he is not solely at […]
5 Thoughts on the Win: 1. Jeff Hornacek called it “a great game to watch” but it was impossible to really enjoy it without knowing exactly what is going on in Kristaps Porzingis‘ left knee. The Knicks won their third straight game and moved two games over .500 (15-13), but until a full diagnosis is […]
5 THOUGHTS ON THE WIN: 1. Remind yourself that he’s 22 years old. He is far from being a finished product. And yet with each game this season, Kristaps Porzingis provides mounting evidence that greatness awaits him. Understand that what you are watching right now is the growth process. These are the days to remember […]
5 Thoughts on the Win: 1. The game has changed, we all know this. The NBA is heading to an era where there may be just two positions on the court: guard and forward. The All-Star voting already reflects this direction. You vote for two guards and three forwards. Lineups are starting to reflect this […]
5 Thoughts on the Win: 1. As the Knicks dribbled out the shot clock on their final possession and the crowd stood to cheer the win, Walt “Clyde” Frazier lamented missing by one point a pizza discount promotion for those in attendance. The Knicks did not get to the 100-point mark for a second straight […]
5 Thoughts on the Loss: 1. On a night the Knicks (11-12) fell under .500, Jeff Hornacek admitted “the battle just wasn’t there for us” and he threw in the towel early in the third quarter. The Knicks were already down by 26 at the half and came out to start the third with a […]
5 Thoughts From The Game: 1. Suddenly the Knicks are missing 43 points from their lineup. It wasn’t much of a surprise to see Kristaps Porzingis (25.3 points per game) out while still dealing with the ankle injury he suffered early in Wednesday’s game against the Heat. But the team was caught off guard when […]
5 Thoughts From The Win: 1. The X-Ray machine in a back room under the lower bowl of The Garden has taken pictures of some famous body parts over the years. But the most important to date is the last one it took: the right ankle of Kristaps Porzingis. Apparently, replays of the injury were […]
Blazers 103, Knicks 91 1. While listening to Jeff Hornacek‘s post game media address, I immediately thought of one of Herb Brooks’ memorable lines to his team in the movie, “Miracle.” It was the famous “Again” scene. “You think you can win on talent alone? Gentlemen, you don’t HAVE enough talent to win on talent […]
Rockets 117, Knicks 102 1. Is James Harden an entertaining player? After watching him closely in the two games the Rockets played against the Knicks this month, it’s not a question you can easily answer. There are stars in this league who are virtuoso performers who are worth the price of admission. LeBron James, obviously. […]
Hawks 116, Knicks 104 1. Let’s start with a positive: This was a good game if you are Enes Kanter‘s agent. The hard-working big man was sorely missed and his teammates each referenced his absence as a factor in losing to the team with the worst record in the NBA after building an early 17-point […]
KNICKS 108, RAPTORS 100 1. If this is what a rebuild looks like, why didn’t we do this sooner? Perhaps the most statistically prolific quarters in the franchise’s seven-decade history was the highlight of a euphoric Thanksgiving Eve win at The Garden, where the crowd seems to be enjoying these weekly doses of catharsis. Last […]
Knicks 107, Clippers 85 1. So Al Trautwig went there on the post game show. He read a headline in the New York Post online edition about how the Melo trade is paying off for the Knicks. At the time of the deal, the prevailing opinion was the Knicks didn’t get enough in return for […]
KNICKS 106, JAZZ 101 1. I hated this game for the first 41 minutes and 18 seconds. I don’t care what Wallyball tweeted before we went on the air for the Post Game show, there was not a soul among us who were content with good vibes. [Watch Knicks-Raptors Friday on MSG & Download Free […]
CAVALIERS 104, KNICKS 101 1. These are the hardest games to endure when going through the come up. A game like this proves two things: 1. there’s enough talent and effort on this team to compete in the East and 2. there’s just not enough experience yet in that talent. This wasn’t a moral victory, […]
KNICKS 118, KINGS 91 1. I’m gonna leave this right here and let you visualize these types of plays for the next decade. Frank Ntilikina has far more upside than any of us knew, but what we’re seeing early on is that he might be the perfect fit for Kristaps Porzingis. Why? His defense, which […]
MAGIC 112, KNICKS 99 1. If there are no such thing as moral victories, are there at least such things as schedule losses? This one was a tough placement by the NBA schedule computer. A third game in four nights, the second of a back-to-back coming off a three-hour flight against a team that had […]
KNICKS 118, HORNETS 113 1. Before we even get to the historical hysteria we’ve just witnessed on consecutive nights at The Garden, I’m compelled to share with you a tweet I received during the third quarter when, once again, things looked bleak but the Knicks were, at the very least, still scrapping and clawing. No […]
KNICKS 108, PACERS 101 1. I remember vividly when Patrick Ewing came of age as an NBA star. Over his first two seasons, Patrick had moments that showed the potential of a star-level talent, but they were often mixed with some frustration and also injuries that shortened his season. But in that third year, it started to […]
KNICKS 120, SUNS 107 1. The green room at the MSG Network studios during Knicks games is an interesting place. Bill Pidto follows the rotation closely and will lose his mind if he doesn’t like the lineup on the floor. Al Trautwig generally watches quietly while he prepares for the post game, but will be […]
ROCKETS 119, KNICKS 97 1. Kristaps Porzingis had 19 points in the game, with just 5 in the second half. He was curiously in the game late in the fourth quarter during what was mostly garbage time. Afterward, Porzingis admitted to not feeling great before the game. On Thursday, he didn’t practice due to what […]
Knicks 116, Nuggets 110 1. There is nothing better than hearing The Garden roar like it did. These people are starving for something to believe in. It’s hard to explain to anyone outside of this city why there is so much passion for the Knicks. In most cities, an 0-3 start would mean a half-empty […]
KNICKS 114, CAVALIERS 95 1. So they finally beat LeBron James and the Cavaliers. It had been three years almost to the day — Oct. 30, 2014 — since the Knicks beat LeBron James and the Cavaliers. We’re talking 10 straight games, including a 30-point blowout loss last December at The Garden when LeBron was […]
KNICKS 107, NETS 86 1. With all due respect to Kristaps Porzingis, it is really Frank Ntilikina that was a unicorn in the truest sense on the Knicks roster. Since the spring there has been a lot of fables and fairy tales about this mystical long-armed kid who loves to pass and play defense. But […]
CELTICS 110, KNICKS 89 1. The strangest statistic on the boxscore for this game was 12 three-point attempts by the Knicks in the entire game. Just 12? What is this, 1985? Seriously, that one is hard to explain. Even in the early days of the three-point shot — pre-Bomb Squad days and well before Seven […]
PISTONS 111, KNICKS 107 1. Another game that saw the Knicks give a great defensive effort in the first half only to seemingly run out of gas before we reached halftime. In OKC, we saw a 42-all game turn in the final three minutes of the second quarter when the Knicks yielded an 11-0 run. […]
THUNDER 105, KNICKS 84 A game that the Knicks led 34-30 early in the second quarter and were tied at 42 with 2:43 left in the half got away quickly to close the first half and through a tough third quarter. Jeff Hornacek saw a spirited defensive effort early on, but the energy that took […]
There is no debate when it comes to judging the Hall of Fame credentials of Carmelo Anthony. He’ll be in Springfield when his eligibility arrives with his trademark smirk and maybe even a headband diagonally positioned over his gleaming eyes. Even if his tour in Oklahoma City — and wherever else his career takes him […]
First, there was a pause. A question was posed about the direction of the franchise after yet another offseason of restructuring. A new general manager was in place. Carmelo Anthony was gone. Following two seasons of roster moves that suggested the intention was to make the playoffs, a long-awaited rebuild was in full effect. [Hahn: […]
The first thing you noticed was the quiet. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t a pall over the events at Knicks Media Day on Monday at the MSG Training Center. There were smiles and conversations. There was a collective good mood and the usual giddiness that comes with the start of a new season. But […]
This was never going to be a win. What it needed to be was painless. It needed to be quick, and it needed to have no residual effects. In other words, this could not be another Patrick Ewing trade. In the end, it wasn’t. The Carmelo Anthony Era ended in New York on Saturday when […]
Don’t overlook the two key words in the statement released by Garden executive chairman James Dolan on the announcement of the new Knicks hierarchy: “Today marks a culture change for our organization,” Dolan said of the appointments of Steve Mills to team president and Scott Perry to general manager. Culture change. [Robbins’ Nest: Knicks’ Culture […]
So a dubious streak by the Knicks finally came to an end this weekend and it comes with somewhat of an asterisk. The team announced on Saturday that they officially signed restricted free agent Tim Hardaway Jr. to a contract reported to be a four-year deal worth $71 million. Hardaway Jr. was a first-round pick […]
The record speaks for itself. The 80-166 mark in three full seasons as Knicks President, the three consecutive years without a playoff berth, the three coaches in three seasons, essentially three different variations of rosters and, of course, the one constant: The Triangle. After all of that, we woke up to the news yesterday that […]
Phil Jackson looked directly into the camera and took the opportunity to talk directly to fans during his interview with Al Trautwig on Knicks Night Live. “I think we know what we’re doing,” he said. Through the awkwardness of the Carmelo Anthony relationship and the madness of the Kristaps Porzingis trade scenarios, there really is […]
Once the 2017 NBA Finals are 10 minutes old, in the first quarter of Game 1 between the Warriors and the Cavaliers, LeBron James will eclipse 25,000 minutes of basketball since 2010. This is, by far, the most minutes logged by any NBA player in that time. The total includes regular season (19,164) and playoffs […]
You want to talk conspiracy theories? The Knicks won the infamous “Frozen Envelope” draft lottery of 1985, which ensured college superstar Patrick Ewing would land in the biggest media market after the NBA had other critical markets such as Boston (Larry Bird), Los Angeles (Magic Johnson), Chicago (Michael Jordan) Detroit (Isiah Thomas) and Philadelphia (Charles […]
Kristaps Porzingis arrived two years ago as a self-proclaimed gym rat looking to turn draft night boos into cheers. He entered this season looking to go from Rookie of the Year runner-up to an All-Star. Exactly one month into the season, that quick smile was replaced with a glazed-over expression of disillusionment. And now, according […]
Phil Jackson was in character and his performance was vintage. Unabashed, unflinching and unaffected. As if you expected some kinder, gentler version of a man who only two years ago was quick to remind his critics of his 11 championships. Once again, in his postseason address and rare media forum, he left some in the fan base […]
Heat 105, Knicks 88 Ron Baker shook his head when he considered the box score. While he was answering general questions about the loss, he turned the focus on himself. In 40 minutes while filling in for the injured Derrick Rose, Baker missed 10 of his 12 field goal attempts, including all five of his […]
TRAIL BLAZERS 110, KNICKS 95 In his first experience as “the guy” — his own words — Kristaps Porzingis learned something we already knew: “There’s still so much to learn,” he said. Porzingis finished with a decent stat line of 18 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks in 37 minutes in the loss at Portland, where […]
KNICKS 87, PACERS 81 Jeff Hornacek didn’t say anything most of us were already thinking in regards to the Knicks playoff reality at this point in the season, but what he did say was how important these remaining games are for the new priority: next season. Hornacek pointed to “some of our other guys” who […]
NETS 120, KNICKS 112 Kristaps Porzingis might have reached his breaking point. It’s been long established that he is the future of the franchise, so with that in mind, it was time for him to start taking inventory and ownership of his environment. “The whole situation is tough,” he said with an expression of anger […]
PISTONS 112, KNICKS 92 Carmelo Anthony recently admitted that he sometimes looks around the locker room at the assembled talent on his team and wonders why it isn’t working. The last three months have been a nightly exercise in trying to pinpoint a problem that goes beyond skill or even will. But if you listen […]
SIXERS 105, KNICKS 102 This time when Carmelo Anthony missed, he grinned. It wasn’t that he was amused, but perhaps he finally resigned to the will of this season. Hours before his turnaround fadeaway jumper against a double-team bounced out with 14 seconds left and the Knicks trailing by one, before he was caught watching […]
KNICKS 101, MAGIC 90 If the final quarter of this season will involve, as Jeff Hornacek said, assessment on what players fit the Triangle Offense, it should also be an assessment of lineups. For most of this season, the Knicks were a team that struggled at the start of games and also struggled with defense. […]
RAPTORS 92, KNICKS 91 Jeff Hornacek took exception to a fair question before the game that asked how winning games over this final quarter of the season could impact draft lottery positioning. “As a team,” he replied, “we’re not thinking about losing.” It’s understandable from an aerial view to see where the post-trade deadline Knicks […]
KNICKS 110, 76ERS 109 Derrick Rose called the Triangle Offense “random basketball” and made it clear he isn’t comfortable with the system Phil Jackson wants to be the identity of his team. That’s an alarming admission by a player who has the second-highest usage rate on the team. But he’s not entirely alone. It’s been […]
Carmelo Anthony was so confident that he would remain a Knick after Thursday that he napped through the 3 p.m. trade deadline. With a no-trade clause, he had the final say on anything and, he said, there was nothing to consider. “Obviously,” he said, “nothing was worth bringing to the table.” There were reports of […]
LAKERS 121, KNICKS 107 The day after, the Knicks had “a much-needed hard practice,” according to Courtney Lee. “It got a little chippy … That’s what we needed.” And that was just on the court. In the realm of social media, team president Phil Jackson made his first comments in over a month when he […]
CAVALIERS 111, KNICKS 104 LeBron James charged through the lane like an express train and Knick defenders stepped back like commuters on a station platform. With his arm cocked back, James leaped to the rim and hammered home a dunk that pummeled any remaining hope in the Knicks late comeback. A 27-point deficit had been […]
KNICKS 95, NETS 90 If you listen closely to Jeff Hornacek after most games, you can hear the message within the message. Subtle hints to a style of play that he’s trying to get this team to embrace, and a pace at which he’s trying to get them to play. He saw some of it […]
WIZARDS 117, KNICKS 101 “Goodbye, January.” Those were Carmelo Anthony‘s words after this game, which was the last of a 17-game month that started with the Knicks a game under .500, and ended with them eight games under and falling out of the playoff bracket in the East. This exhausting, frustrating and, at times, controversial […]
HAWKS 142, KNICKS 139 (4OT) The game was loaded with entertainment, drama and history, but when it ended there was no way to enjoy the experience. It was a loss. And perhaps if the Knicks were 28-21, they could shrug it off as just a crazy game. But, when you’re desperate for wins, this one […]
KNICKS 110, HORNETS 107 There was a bit of an awkward atmosphere in The Garden for this game. While it’s great to see old friends like Rory Sparrow, Quentin Richardson and Al Harrington, it’s hard not to recall their years with the Knicks weren’t the best of times. Then there was Patrick Ewing, the franchise’s […]
MAVERICKS 103, KNICKS 95 Derrick Rose talks a lot about defense. “That was the entire game,” he said of the latest loss. “Lack of defense.” Defense isn’t a skill, it’s a choice. A decision. A determination. Rose, who once played for one of the game’s best defensive-minded coaches in Tom Thibodeau, knows this better than […]
KNICKS 109, PACERS 103 One thing Jeff Hornacek knows he has are options. His rotations may look inconsistent, but when your team has been in a bit of a tailspin like the Knicks have been in over the past month, minutes distribution becomes a meritocracy. And while veteran players will always get the benefit of […]
SUNS 107, KNICKS 105 As Carmelo Anthony sat on the scorer’s table with a blank stare as yet another opponent celebrated a last-second win on The Garden court, a friend texted me that this Knicks team just finds new ways to lose. I disagree. These gut-wrenching defeats have a common theme and a similar feel. […]
WIZARDS 113, KNICKS 110 The greatness that still exists within Carmelo Anthony exploded in an array of jump shots through a torrid second quarter that may have ironically set the Knicks up for yet another frustrating failure. Think about it, it’s hard to imagine the Knicks are even in the game at halftime — let […]
KNICKS 117, CELTICS 106 The players telling Jeff Hornacek that they do believe they can make the playoffs wasn’t the best thing he heard Wednesday night in Boston. The fact that they backed it up with one of their best efforts of the season proved it wasn’t just hollow talk. No, the best thing that Hornacek […]
HAWKS 108, KNICKS 107 Jeff Hornacek made changes, but the issues remained the same. And while Carmelo Anthony tried to put some recent controversy behind him, his missed put-back attempt with three seconds left was the latest in a series of frustrations that have piled up after these games like the sweat-soaked towels on the […]
KNICKS 104, BULLS 89 Al Trautwig turned to me at the start of the postgame show and asked, “What did we learn from this game?” The answer came easy: Carmelo Anthony is a more effective player at both ends of the floor, at this point of his career, at the power forward spot. Of course, […]
PELICANS 110, KNICKS 96 Former MVP Derrick Rose, who was acquired to provide a long-awaited answer for the Knicks at the NBA’s most important position, did not show up for for the game against the Pelicans Monday night and his whereabouts were unknown while his team lost for the eighth time in nine games. “Everything […]
PACERS 123, KNICKS 109 You would think that scoring 107.3 points per game over the last eight games would mean good things for any NBA team. But for the Knicks, it’s still not enough. Their defense continues to be exploited by opponents. In that same span of eight games, they’re allowing 113.5 points per game, […]
KNICKS 116, BUCKS 11 There will come a time later in the season, if a playoff berth or winning record is secured, when we’ll look back at this as The Ron Baker Game. But for the Knicks to become the team that Jeff Hornacek envisions, it would be better to look back on these last […]
Some games you give credit to a great shot, like the game-winner Giannis Antetokounmpo made at the buzzer for the Bucks. But in situations like this one, you don’t point the finger, you point the thumb. “We just gave it away,” Lance Thomas said. “It should have never gotten to that point.” We spent a […]
MAGIC 115, KNICKS 103 The worst reputation you can have as a team is that you are easy to play against. The Knicks may have that reputation right now around the league. The most recent evidence was how the Magic walked into The Garden as the fifth-worst shooting team in the NBA and the fourth-worst […]
ROCKETS 129, KNICKS 122 These are the games that give coaches sleepless nights, more than missed last-second shot or a bad call. It’s efforts like the one his undermanned team gave last night in Houston — while James Harden put forth a historic performance — that had Jeff Hornacek shaking his head. “That’s all we […]
PELICANS 104, KNICKS 92 The surging Pelicans are calling their interchangeable lineup of small-ball “48 minutes of hell.” That’s what it was for Kristaps Porzingis. “This was a great game for me to learn,” he said. His stat line was still eye-catching — 21 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals — […]
HAWKS 102, KNICKS 98 For all of those nostalgic for those 90s Knicks — which we just referenced in the previous Knicks Fix — here was a throwback game for you. Three technical fouls, two flagrant fouls, one ejection, 53 free throws, 30 turnovers and neither team shot over 40 percent. It was a slugfest. […]
CELTICS 119, KNICKS 114 Christmas Day already included hearing me try to imitate Kristaps Porzingis’ grandmother singing his praises. That didn’t go well. Then I forgot my hat for the postgame show. That went even worse. And my Blue Christmas was complete when the Celtics celebrated a win on The Garden court after a frustrating, maddening […]
KNICKS 106, MAGIC 95 The most important result of this game was the fact that Kristaps Porzingis was available to come back into the game if he was needed. With 11:32 left in the fourth quarter, the Franchise Unicorn banged knees with Nic Vucevic and awkwardly crumpled to the court. When he finally got back […]
KNICKS 118, PACERS 111 After pulling out a win that felt so many times throughout the night like an impending loss, it was Kristaps Porzingis who put it in the best perspective: “We’ll win a game like this, but we have to figure it out from the beginning . . . We won’t be able […]
NUGGETS 127, KNICKS 114 A road trip that started with so much promise ended with an “Eh.” That’s how Jeff Hornacek described a 2-3 finish to the five-game jaunt to the West that ended with a loss in Denver, where the Knicks haven’t won in 10 years. For Hornacek, there are big-picture issues to deal with […]
WARRIORS 103, KNICKS 90 Without Derrick Rose (back) and Carmelo Anthony (shoulder) this was already a daunting task, but despite the loss, it could prove in time to be another valuable lesson in the growth and development of Kristaps Porzingis. Yes, we’re focusing on him a lot these days, but for good reason. The future […]
SUNS 113, KNICKS 111 (OT) A lot will be made of Kristaps Porzingis and his dust-up with Marquese Chriss in the third quarter, but don’t get caught up in the hype over a 19-year-old acting tough against the Latvian star. That was hardly a stance by KP against the “Soft European” stigma. He’s far beyond […]
KNICKS 118, LAKERS 112 The last time Brandon Jennings won a game in Los Angeles, he was in high school. Since then, he has come back to his hometown 12 times as an NBA player and, with a host of friends and family in the crowd at Staples Center, his team has lost every game. […]
KNICKS 103, KINGS 100 When is it not a crazy game in Sacramento? This one went down to the wire and one of the most unexpected heroes was Joakim Noah, who sank two free throws after being intentionally fouled with 2:09 remaining to give the Knicks the lead for good at 98-97. But let’s get […]
CAVALIERS 126, KNICKS 94 The only thing that can be done with this game is exactly what Carmelo Anthony said after it: “Don’t let it linger.” “We have the opportunity to go on the road and do something good,” he added. “I just want to put this one behind us.” This was a challenge for […]
KNICKS 114, HEAT 103 There are games when you just find the mismatch and ride it until the opponent adjusts. Against a depleted Heat lineup, there was no adjustment to make against Carmelo Anthony so Jeff Hornacek exploited it through a 13-point third quarter by the Knicks‘ star. These are the games where it’s OK […]
KNICKS 106, KINGS 98 Jeff Hornacek had just talked about it before the game; how his team’s recent tendency to build big leads only to give them back, had to be corrected. It’s a “Step on the Throat” mentality that Wally Szczerbiak often references in our postgame show. After it happened yet again — the […]
KNICKS 118, TIMBERWOLVES 114 A win is a win is a win, as Wally Szcerbiak always tells me. You get it and you move on. But this, to me, was another game for the Knicks that was unnecessarily close down the stretch. The Knicks held leads of at least 14 points in each of the […]
THUNDER 112, KNICKS 103 This time, it wasn’t the start that did them in. It was the finish. The Knicks jumped out to an early 11-point lead and held a nine-point advantage in the second quarter, but were eventually undone by the dynamo that is Russell Westbrook and his two burly big men, Steven Adams and […]
HORNETS 107, KNICKS 102 After great success at The Garden, the Knicks found they still have issues to solve on the road. Once again a slow start did them in, as the Hornets opened with a 15-2 advantage and led by as many as 21 points in the first quarter. “That’s probably where the game […]
Knicks 113, Hornets 111 (OT) Well, that was fun. Twenty-two lead changes, a third-quarter comeback, incredible blocks at the rim, game-winning clutch shot and one last defensive stand that brought the house down. It wasn’t just the players on both teams that were tired after that game, everyone in the building left exhausted from this […]
KNICKS 107, TRAIL BLAZERS 103 Perhaps the best thing that happened Tuesday night for the Knicks was Carmelo Anthony had an off night. But, how does this make any sense? Simple. It forced him — and the Knicks — to discover that they don’t have to rely solely on one player to close out a […]
KNICKS 104, HAWKS 94 The effort to win this Sunday afternoon game began on Saturday morning when the Knicks gathered before practice for a long meeting — attended by Phil Jackson — where the players aired out their frustrations and also their expectations. Also, out of it came a determination to not allow what’s happened to Knicks […]
WIZARDS 119, KNICKS 112 It was too little, too late and Brandon Jennings called out his team for losing “a game we should win.” But on a night the Knicks had a chance to get to .500 against the struggling Wizards (3-8), coach Jeff Hornacek lamented that his team “kind of fell back to where we […]
KNICKS 105, PISTONS 102 Unicorns and rainbows. Kristaps Porzingis has steadily emerged as a primary scorer for the Knicks as Jeff Hornacek has made it a priority to find the 7-foot-3 rare breed and exploit mismatches. Porzingis had 25 of his career-high 35 points in the first half and even had Carmelo Anthony marveling at […]
KNICKS 93, MAVERICKS 77 Jeff Hornacek, the mad scientist, found another five-man formula that had instant success and the Knicks rode it to a much-needed home win over an injury-depleted team. Much like the Euroballers lineup did against the Nets last week, this lineup — that essentially was four of the starting five with Justin Holiday […]
RAPTORS 118, KNICKS 107 As the offense appears to be gaining momentum and chemistry, the concern remains a defense that has allowed over 100 points in all but one game so far this season. We saw the Knicks deploy a zone defense for a while in the second quarter against the Raptors, who are among […]
CELTICS 115, KNICKS 87 Boston entered the game as an angry team and the Knicks left the game angry. There were six technical fouls, two ejections and a lot of frustration — both inward and toward the officiating — in the visitors locker room at TD Garden. “They came out hungrier than us,” Joakim Noah […]
KNICKS 110, NETS 96 Did Jeff Hornacek find something in that fourth quarter lineup that featured four European players and one (Brandon Jennings) who played a season in Europe? There seemed to be instant chemistry in that group which featured Jennings, Sasha Vujacic, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, Kristaps Porzingis and Willy Hernangomez. They moved the ball well and cut […]
Jazz 114, Knicks 109 Let’s start with the positive: The Knicks offense is starting to take shape. Derrick Rose has become a catalyst with his buzzsaw-like drives. After the first quarter, it seemed the Knicks carried the momentum of Friday’s win in Chicago over to this game, but then some undisciplined play on the defensive end […]
Phil Jackson had just been asked about the goals and expectations of his third season at the helm of the Knicks franchise. This offseason yielded his most ambitious effort in rebuilding, which included a blockbuster trade for a former MVP (Derrick Rose) and a $150 million spending spree in free agency, and the Knicks have […]
As Carmelo Anthony faced the reality of a third straight season without the playoffs, he sat across from Phil Jackson in his exit interview and asked the questions that were the most important for the two of them, together, to answer. “How do we get better? How do we move forward?” Melo said. He then […]