Tag: new york knicks

Hernangomez and Porzingis Lead Knicks Comeback Over Nets

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With the starters shooting a combined 30% from the field and staring at a 10-point deficit early in the fourth, the Knicks had every reason to quit. But it was the bench, powered by a huge double double from Willy Hernangomez and a historic night from Sasha Vujacic, that helped Kristaps Porzingis show his potential as a closer in the Knicks’ 95-90 victory in Brooklyn.

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WHY ISN’T HERNANGOMEZ STARTING?: This kid continues to show his value every night on both sides of the floor. He helped hold Brook Lopez to 10 points by making the Nets star work on defense. On offense, Willy had some sweet fourth quarter plays, including a tip-in on a wild perimeter pass from KP, and a driving layup on Lopez that made 86-80 with under two minutes to go.

His most impressive play came with 1:09 remaining and the Knicks clinging to a 87-84 lead. Willy got an offensive rebound off a miss, was blocked, then gathered himself again for a tough layup. He gave a war cry and flexed. Our rook is becoming a man right before our eyes. Willy finished with 16 points and 16 boards (7 on the offensive glass).

https://youtu.be/ouQxyIBOxXY

KP IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT: With Melo having no legs and shooting terribly, Coach Hornacek made the wise decision to go with the bench and Porzingis to lead the comeback. It paid off with KP also having a double double (19 points, 12 boards) and some timely buckets. When the Knicks were down 10 early in the fourth, 66-76, KP hit two jumpers that ignited a 10-0 run. The chemistry with his BFF Hernangomez was great in keeping the Nets from their earlier feasting in the paint.

KP’s biggest play was a dagger three-pointer that made it 92-86 with 53 seconds remaining.

If we’ve learned one thing this season, it’s that the veterans struggle immensely on back to backs. For the rest of the season, I’d like to see Melo rest on those second nights while Porzingis gets acclimated to being the first option for full games.

https://youtu.be/jpyAKnaDd7c

Y’ALL MUST’VE FORGOT ABOUT SASHA!: Give Vujacic some credit; the man stays ready. We needed a spark and it came from Sasha, who became the first man in Knicks history to have two 4-point plays. The latter was part of the 10-0 fourth quarter run that got NY back in it. 12 points in 22 minutes is an excellent night’s work..

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DEAD STARTERS: From the opening tip, the energy and decision-making was abysmal from our starting five. There was no semblance of play calling — passes went nowhere along the perimeter until Melo had to heave a long jumper with the shot-clock expiring. They tallied six turnovers, shot 29% from the field, and scored just 15 points in the first quarter to the Nets’ 27.

It got no better as the game went on. Combined, the starters shot 18/57 (30%). Carmelo Anthony had one of his worst games this season, shooting a horrific 6/22 (15 points). Considering his strong play as of late, we can likely attribute this to fatigue from playing his third game in four nights.

Despite Anthony’s futility, the worst among the starters goes to Brandon Jennings, who shot a putrid 9% from the field (1/11). To his credit, he did manage 10 assists, many of them when matched with the bench.

https://youtu.be/DYkyr4vuTSA

 

 

Speedy Wizards Overwhelm Short-Handed Knicks 117-101

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Photo Credit: USA Today Sports Images

What happens when you’re coming off a four-overtime game and missing two of your star offensive players in Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick Rose? You get a Knicks team that couldn’t compete with the firepower of the Wizards, who had all their starters in double figures to easily defeat the Knicks 117-101

The Wizards came into tonight on a 15-game home winning streak and showed a poise and efficiency that the Knicks have been lacking for weeks.

2ND HALF COLLAPSE: The game had our usual pattern. Carmelo Anthony started fast with a 13-point first quarter on 5/7 shooting. But the warning signs (erratic foul shooting, suspect defense, stagnant offense) became more pronouned as the game wore on. The Knicks were only down 54-59 at the half, but were shooting 41%.

Any thought of this game being one the Knicks could steal was erased early in the third. The Wizards went on a 12-2 run to go up 71-56 and never looked back. With Melo being the only one that could create his own shot, the lead at several points ballooned as high as 20. By the 4:42 mark in the fourth, Coach Hornacek waved the white flag and emptied the bench.

Bradley Beal damaged us the most with 28 points. Wall finished with 15 points and 13 assists, and Markieff Morris added 24 points.

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BRIGHT SPOTS: Melo was our only consistent weapon, finishing with 26 points (10/17 FG) and 5 boards. Our best two-player was Willy Hernangomez, who started for KP and contributed 15 points, 14 boards and 4 assists. The fact our rook lead the team in assists gives you an idea how bad the ball movement was. Outside of Melo, the Knicks were 24/76 from the field for 32%.

Starting for Rose, Brandon Jennings had 21 points, 5 boards and 4 steals. Despite the high scoring, I can’t say he had a good game. As the starting PG, he only managed 2 assists, had 4 turnovers and shot 5/16 from the field.

The Knicks won’t have long to lick their wounds as we have the Nets tomorrow in Brooklyn.

 

 

Carmelo Anthony’s IG Post Hints at Rejecting Knicks Trade Talks?

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Today’s news on the Carmelo Anthoy trade front comes courtesy of a cryptic Instagram post from Melo himself.

The Knicks veteran’s picture caption speaks on not “running away” from difficult situations.

My first reaction when reading this is that Melo, who already told Phil Jackson face to face that he wanted to remain a Knick, does not plan on being ran out of town and won’t waive his No Trade Clause. And that he’s willing to endure more losing seasons until Porzingis develops and a better team is constructed.

However, we’d be remiss to not look at the other possible angle — that Melo’s “unpleasant” reality is realizing that he won’t be able to contend in New York and the time has come to part ways.

Kudos to Melo’s PR team because the wording is vague enough to make both interpretations valid depending on your feelings about the polarizing Knicks star.

Tell me your take in the below comments.

[Video] Courtney Lee’s Late Rally and Melo’s Clutch Shot Cap Comeback Over Hornets

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Photo Credit: USA Today Sports Images

Through the boos and struggles to the defend the three-point line, the Knicks persevered behind a surprise fourth-quarter barrage of playmaking from Courtney Lee and a clutch jumper from Carmelo Anthony to take a much-needed 110-107 win at Madison Square Garden.

KP’s HOT START: It finally looks like Porzingis’ shooting drought may come to an end. He had 10 points in the first quarter and two thunderous dunks in the second quarter. Things came off the wheels a bit in the third in that he didn’t score and got in foul trouble trying to contest the penetration of Kemba Walker and other guards. Unfortunately, it looks like until the Knicks get guards that can stay in front of their man, KP will be in chronic foul trouble.

He finished with 18 points (8/11), including a timely jumper to make it 107-101 in the final minute before fouling out. The 3 blocks were a huge plus as well. It’s broken record at this point, but the coaches and players need to find a way to keep KP involved on offense throughout the game.

https://youtu.be/JbWJf7NQHDg

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O’QUINN BOUNCES BACK: We’ve been lauding the potential of Willy Hernangomez so much we’ve overlooked how effective Kyle O’Quinn can be. He reminded us with a strong game: 10 points, 7 boards and 3 blocks. A few of those blocks came in crunch time when he swatted a Walker layup attempt and a three-pointer. The man even hit his first three of the season. No complaints.

JENNINGS STEPS UP: With Rose leaving the game with a sprained ankle in the third, it was on Brandon Jennings to step up. He did with marvelous 31-minute performance. We needed his scoring and he delivered with 15 points on 6/11 shooting, including a corner trey that put New York up 105-101 with less than 2 minutes remaining. When BJ is attacking the rim, you can’t ask for much better.

MELO SHUTS UP THE CROWD: It was sad to watch Melo getting booed on every touch. He was having a miserable shooting night (18 points, 8/26, 11 boards), and the crowd was letting him have it. Nevermind he was getting dumped the ball with 5-7 seconds on the shot clock and everyone standing around. The weeks of being made the media scapegoat for all the Knicks’s problems have created this atmosphere. Nonetheless, he still showed why he remains our best closer by hitting a driving baseline jumper on the final Knicks play. The shot came as O’Quinn was fouled underneath the basket, creating a three-point play to make 110-105 with 13 seconds left.

Lord knows I have my issues with Melo’s game, but the constant booing was ridiculous.

https://youtu.be/RG58kPA-U3w

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BUILD AROUND COURTNEY LEE!: Ok, I’m exaggerating a bit, but Lee’s fourth-quarter heroics show why we need him to be more aggressive on offense. With Melo unable to bail us out late in the shot clock, the Knicks desperately needed someone to make a play. Lee provided that, scoring nine straight points including a go-ahead three-pointer with 1:39 left. He did it on an array of shots: a mid-range jumper, contested layups and a three.

The most important play from Lee came off a steal and fast-break where he dished to an open Jennings for a corner three-pointer.

I think our sense of urgency is picking up and we realize that we can’t keep saying it’s early in the season. We’re four or five games out of the playoffs, I think we realize now that time is running out.

With Lee’s talent there’s no reason he can’t be a consistent 13-16 point scorer. Let’s hope he keeps this desperation mentality for the rest of the season.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE DEFENSE MAKES: The Hornets were having their way through three quarters, particularly from the three-point line. Of their 13 treys, five of them came from Marvin Williams, who was repeatedly left open. Rose couldn’t stay in front of Walker, who dropped 31 points. It wasn’t until the fourth when the Knicks clamped down to hold Charlotte to six minutes without scoring. New York finished the game on a 17-5 run to cap the comeback.

https://youtu.be/rwgxP0Ly12o

Melo’s Clutch Shots Lead Knicks Past Pacers 109-103

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Wait a minute… we won a close game? No heart-breaking game-winners from the opposing team? Some solid defense and clutch buckets? Who are these guys?! The Knicks appeared on their way to a colossal fourth quarter collapse, but Melo’s two clutch shots and a pair of Courtney Lee free throws helped the Knicks escape with their first win in Indiana since 2012.

This was a win that cemented one thing above anything — there needs to be a definite change at center going forward.

HERNANGOMEZ STEPS UP: The Knicks looked on their way to a blowout defeat after falling behind 14 points in the opening quarter. The effort was just bad all-around with 7 turnovers and New York shooting just 39%. Hernangomez coming in for Noah proved vital as he delivered 10 first half points and was a strong presence on the glass. Playing with Kyle O’Quinn, the Knicks were able to put together a 26-12 run to tie the game at 46 in the second.

He kept up his energy and helped the offense tremendously with his screens. He finished with a double double (14 points, 10 boards, 2 blocks). Its now become impossible to argue for Noah keeping his starting job. Hernangomez is bringing a totally different dynamic. Teams can’t sag off him on defense and his nifty post moves make him the offensive threat that Noah simply isn’t. Willy should not be getting any more DNP’s for the rest of the year.

https://youtu.be/1wKp9yHwVlI

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ROSE’S COURT AWARENESS PROBLEM: When you look at Rose’s stat line, it seems solid — 20 points (7/16), 6 assists and a +8 for the game. You’d never guess that he did everything within his power to blow the game in crunch time. Indy went on a 15-2 run to slice a double-digit fourth quarter deficit to 100-97 with less than four minutes remaining. In that span, Rose over-dribbled to a near shot-clock violation while ignoring an open Porzingis, missed a contested layup, and turned the ball over.

Yes, Rose has hit some timely fourth quarter shots this season. But he’s displayed far too much tunnel vision during this losing streak. The aforementioned bad plays went totally against the ball movement that got them the lead.

MELO SAVES THE DAY: We needed a clutch performance and Melo delivered (26 points, 9/17, 6/7 FTs). His offense was consistent the entire game. He dropped 12 points in the first quarter and 17 at the half. He had 21 after three and was the only Knick to score a field goal over the last two minutes. One was a classic bully ball post-up on Paul George, and the second was a quick bassline jumper over Jeff Teague to put New York up 105-103 with 23 seconds remaining.

JENNINGS AND HOLIDAY: Along with Hernangomez, these two were the reasons our bench had such a dynamic performance. Brandon Jennings pushed the pace during the second quarter run that saw the Knicks outscore the Pacers 40-24. Jennings played under control and picked his spots well, balancing between his own offense (9 points) and finding the open man (6 assists). Justin Holiday was a true two-player tonight. He prevented the game-tying three with a block on C.J. Miles, and he went 3/7 from downtown. He’s another young gun that showed he can handle big minutes.

Justin Holiday was a true two-player tonight. He prevented the game-tying three with a block on C.J. Miles, and he went 3/7 from downtown. He’s another young gun that showed he can handle big minutes.

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KP STILL NOT HIMSELF: Three games into his comeback and I’m wondering if Kristaps Porzingis returned too soon. The team tried to get him going in the first and he could only manage 2 points on 1-7 shooting. He finished 3/11 and fouled out with 8 points. Melo can’t carry us every night so KP getting back to his early season form is our only hope of prolonged success over the next 2-3 months.

Next up is a road meeting against the Mavericks on Wednesday.

 

The Art of Choking: Suns 107, Knicks 105

Give the Knicks some credit — you have to be very creative to keep finding ways to lose close games. Tonight, the Knicks failed to score over the last 2 minutes to blow a five-point lead and lose on a… you guessed it, a three-pointer from an open Devin Booker to remain winless at Madison Square Garden in 2017.

This game has sealed it for me. Let the young guys gain experience, see if Melo wants to stick around and bring on the tank for a top lottery pick.

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MELO TRIED: Carmelo Anthony will catch some heat for not scoring in the fourth and missing the game-winning three (was halfway down and rimmed out). But outside of his usual bonehead defensive lapses on the perimeter, he played the all-around game we want from him (31 points on 52% FG, 7 boards and 6 assists).

 

 

 

 

HERNANGOMEZ: Our rook had another strong performance. He made his first appearance in the third and had an immediate impact altering shots and scoring at the rim. He kept Tyson Chandler contained on the glass and finished with 6 points and 8 boards in 14 minutes. I feel his presence was missed in crunch time when he sat the last 3 minutes to put Porzingis back in.

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KP’s DISAPPEARING ACT: This is only his second game back so I won’t kill Porzingis. But his recent play remains frustrating. He had a strong third where his jumper got going (10 points in the quarter), but then couldn’t buy a basket from the perimeter in the fourth. Instead of trying to get to the basket, he camped out meekly on the perimeter. 14 points and 1 board in 33 minutes. Outside of a brief verbal skirmish with Chandler, KP was missing the mental toughness we needed tonight.

THE YING AND YANG OF DERRICK ROSE: Our star point guard had another strong offensive outing with 26 points. But herein lies the problem — he was way too ball dominant in the fourth. The Knicks failed to score over the last two minutes AND Rose left Booker open for the game-winning three. As much as I enjoy Rose slashing to the rim for breathtaking layups, his defensive lapses and failure to execute team plays in crunch time has hurt this team. As a point guard, you have to re-evaluate your game when Melo has more assists than you.

BACKCOURT DESTRUCTION: Ironically, it wasn’t a barrage of three-pointers that killed the Knicks. New York won that battle by hitting 11 treys to Phoenix’s 9. The major problem was our guards in general couldn’t defend Booker nor Eric Bledsoe anywhere on the court. They combined for 49 points on way too many open shots.

ORIGINAL LINEUP, SAME ISSUES: With Joakim Noah’s return, the Knicks went to the season’s original starting lineup of Noah-KP-Melo-Lee-Rose. Noah did manage to grab 15 boards but was held scoreless over 20 minutes.

This loss drops New York to 11th in the Eastern Conference. On Monday, we’re back on TNT to face the Pacers.

https://youtu.be/F7cz3YvH6Ag

https://youtu.be/WzNRnkajCN0

[Video] Rose and Motivated Knicks Bench Down Celtics 117-106

 

 

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Photo Credit: USA Today Sports Images

Amid rumors of Carmelo Anthony’s future in New York, the Knicks played their most efficient and focused game of the year in outrebounding and locking down the Celtics in crunch time to take an impressive 117-106 win in Boston.

If I told you coming in that the Celtics would commit just 3 turnovers and Isaiah Thomas have 39 points, I’m sure you’d pencil in a Boston win. But those stats weren’t enough to overcome a massive 55 points from New York’s bench and a 57-33 rebounding edge.

HERNANGOMEZ: Our rook was a man on fire tonight. He matched his career high with 17 points and grabbed 11 boards in 20 minutes. He thoroughly outplayed Al Horford (5 points, 2-14), most noticeably on a fake-out dunk for a three-point play. Steel sharpens steel, so I’m expecting Kyle O’Quinn, who only played 10 minutes due to Willy’s dominance, to return the favor tomorrow night.

3-WAY BENCH GUARD ATTACK: Coach Hornacek may be onto something having Courtney Lee come off the bench. He was close to a triple-double with 9 points, 8 boards and 7 assists (career high). His most timely hoop of the night came when Horford sagged off him in transition and nailed a fourth-quarter trey that extended the Knicks lead to 103-96.

Justin Holiday put in work as well. He had a team-best +23 and had his own timely three when the Celtics had cut it to one in the fourth-quarter. After that shot, the Boston would get no closer. He finished with 13 points and 5 boards.

And the final weapon in the trio was Brandon Jennings. 11 points, 5 assists and just one turnover. He played a strong role and penetrating and finding Hernangomez, who scored 10 points in the second quarter to put the Knicks up for good.

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THE UNSUNG: In my opinion, Mindaugas Kuzmiskas has proven to be a more versatile and valuable player to this team than Lance Thomas. Kuz shot 50% from the field, scored 17 points and grabbed 6 boards. While Thomas is a capable three-point shooter, he’s awful off the dribble and can’t finish, two things the rookie can do effectively to space the floor.

Mason Plumlee got his first start in Joakim Noah’s absence. His numbers won’t jump out at you (5 points, 7 boards, 2 blocks), but the man had a solid game. He boxed out, altered shots (especially on Thomas in the fourth) and set strong screens.

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ROSE TAKES OVER: With Melo having an erratic shooting night (13 points, 5/14) and no Porzingis, it was on Derrick Rose to carry the load. You can tell playing Thomas motivated him, but Rose played under control and picked his spots. His mid-range jumper was unstoppable. And he got whatever he wanted on drives.

Making Thomas work on defense slowed him down in the fourth and Rose outscored him 12-8 in the quarter. Our PG finished with 30 points, equaling his season-high as a Knick, and pulled down 10 boards to go with 5 assists.

The Knicks are right back in action tomorrow night against the Wizards.

https://youtu.be/9jQA9RzjlVg

[Video] Same Old Story: Hawks 108, Knicks 107

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Photo Credit: USA Today Sports Images

Play hard but not smart and lose in crunch time. We’ve seen that statement play out repeatedly this season with the Knicks being on the wrong end of buzzer beaters. This afternoon it was a three-pointer from Dennis Schroder and multiple botches on New York’s game-winner attempt to lose 108-107 at Madison Square Garden. Now six games under .500 at the season’s halfway point, the Knicks are looking at the very real possibility that this team needs to be blown up.

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PERIMETER DEFENSE: The irony of it being a three-pointer that did the Knicks in. Derrick Rose and Brandon Jennings were absolutely atrocious defensively. They couldn’t get through screens, leading to defensive collapses and wide open jumpers. Schroder and our old friend Tim Hardaway Jr. combined for 48 points. And Kris Humphries of all people was 3/3 from downtown! Although neither team ever lead by double digits, giving up opens shots and 13 pointers is difficult to overcome.

https://youtu.be/4d96uCm0Sj4

GIVETH AND TAKETH AWAY: Despite shooting nearly 50%, the team shot itself in the foot with poor ball-handling. The team had 18 turnovers, with Melo accounting for 5 and Rose with 6. Part of this can be attributed to the new starting lineup Hornacek went with that featured Rose-Baker-Kuzmiskas-Melo-Noah.

Despite a few rookie mistakes (Baker was gunning a bit too much late), Kuz and Baker helped more than they hurt. Kuz had 14 points on 6/10 shooting, and all of Baker’s 12 points came from downtown.

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MELO’S MISS: Despite all the defensive and ball-handling issues, the Knicks had this game. All Melo had to do was hit a short jumper about 2-3 feet from the rim. Of course, he clanked it and Noah couldn’t secure a tip-in, allowing the Hawks escaped with a win. Before Melo got the ball, Rose had been fouled on a drive but you know MSG refs swallowed their whistles.

That shot sums up this season for Melo. He had 30 points on 10/16 shooting, but it just isn’t enough. He can’t carry this team on his own. It’s a shame he’s become the scapegoat for all the team’s problems, but that’s New York for you.

The schedule gets no easier as the Knicks face the Celtics on Wednesday.

https://youtu.be/hTpr8SjTj8g

 

 

 

[Live Updates] Derrick Rose No-Shows Pelicans Game Over Family Emergency

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Derrick Rose is missing. As incredulous as that sounds, the former MVP has not been heard from since the Knicks hosted the Pelicans tonight at Madison Square Garden. Officials reportedly could not reach him before the game nor during the duration of the contest.

Of course, the jokes have been flying on social media about this. For me, I’m very worried. No matter how upset he might be at being benched the last two games, I can’t envision Rose being so unprofessional as to not show up for work. He’s in a contract year and a move like that effectively sinks his brand. So the only other alternative is something serious going on. I’m hoping it’s a confidential family matter that only a few high-level Knicks officials know about.

More on this as the story develops…

UPDATE #1 – Coach Hornacek has no answers post-game, but at least it sounds like he’s alive.

UPDATE #2 – Rose quit on the team?

UPDATE #3 – Joakim Noah made contact with Rose after the game.

UPDATE #4 – Rose informed the Knicks he had a family situation.

 

Sweet Revenge: Knicks Storm Back from 18-point Deficit to Stun Bucks

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Photo Credit: USA Today Sports Images

When the Knicks were down 18 points in the third quarter, they could have easily thrown in the towel. What we saw was the desperation and defensive focus we’ve wanted all year as the Knicks outscored the Bucks 33-15 in the fourth to take a dramatic win and snap their losing streak at six. To put it bluntly, we absolutely needed this game.

MELO LEADS THE CHARGE: Carmelo Anthony is playing through a bum shoulder that’s clearly affecting his shooting touch. But the last two games have shown his commitment to adapting his game. He’s tallied 17 assists in that span and had a stat line last night of 26 points, 6 boards and 10 assists. The assists were his most since 2012 and key in keeping the ball moving during the 4th quarter run. Despite his 8/20 shooting, he had enough left in the tank to deliver a dagger three-pointer to put the Knicks up 112-111 with 51 seconds left.

With all that said, it would be prudent if Coach Hornacek strongly considers resting Melo tonight. He’s played his worst basketball this year on back to backs.

PORZINGIS BATTLES THE GREEK FREAK: Our future looks bright. Despite fouling out with 2 minutes remaining, Porzingis’ superb play on both ends of the floor put the Knicks in a position to steal this one. In his 30 minutes, KP scored 24 points (9/14), was 3/4 from downtown, and in one sequence stopped Antetokounmpo twice at the rim in the fourth (Giannis would shoot 1-7 in the quarter).

RON BAKER ANSWERS THE CALL: The Knicks weren’t getting the guard play they needed from Derrick Rose nor Brandon Jennings. Rose shot 4/14 despite dishing 8 assists, and Jennings was abhorrently bad in 5 minutes (0 points, 1 assist, -12). Coach Hornacek took a gamble and played Baker the entire fourth quarter.

Unlike the Phoenix game, Baker didn’t make key late mistakes. He kept the ball movement going and attacked when he had openings. In his 12 minutes he was a +18 with 6 points, 2 boards and 4 assists. Those stats include a steal that lead to a fast-break that put the Knicks up three with 27 seconds remaining, a key defensive rebound, and 2 free throws to seal the game.

LANCE THOMAS’ REDEMPTION: After getting burned on Wednesday by Antetokounmpo, Thomas was locked in this game. He contributed by nailing a few open treys (10 points, 4/4), but most importantly he stripped the Greek Freak with 33 seconds left and New York holding onto a one-point lead. He was unquestionably the most important bench contributor.

Was this win an aberration or a game-changer for the season? We’ll find out tonight against the Pacers.

https://youtu.be/-Y5CIILlf1o