He Knicks Leading Cleveland by 13 points with 4:30 left in the third quarter on Monday night (they were at home), elite teams find a way to close out these games.
The Knicks didn’t play like an elite team at the end of Monday’s game.
They shot 10 of 28 in the final 16 minutes of the game. they allowed darius garland to score 15 points in the fourth quarter. And they let a winnable game slip away.
Part of the problem? They didn’t talk enough when things got tough in the fourth quarter.
“It’s early for us (in the season), but I think we have to communicate with each other a little better. “I think when they were doing their (run) we just stayed a little silent,” Mikal Bridges saying. “It’s tough. I think we all know it’s just a race, so we’ll be fine. But sometimes you have to vocalize yourself and listen to yourself. ‘Are we okay?’ And talking to each other on the court when things happen. I think we got a little quiet. And they felt that and they got a little loud and a little momentum. But… it’s early.
It’s reasonable to watch Monday’s game and see a Knicks team still getting used to each other.
Karl-Anthony Towns It only took eight shots. That probably won’t happen often this season.
Jalen Brunson he shot 8 of 24. That probably won’t happen often this season either.
So at best, Monday’s loss was a learning experience for the Knicks, but it highlighted some issues that need to be resolved.
One is the Knicks’ three-point shooting volume. New York took eight more shots than Cleveland on Monday, but attempted eight fewer 3-pointers than the Cavs. Compared to the rest of the league, the Knicks haven’t attempted many three-pointers so far. It’s worth noting because perimeter shooting has been a point of emphasis for the group.
“We have to generate more (three). “Sometimes it’s a byproduct of deep decisions, (making) the read,” the head coach said. Tom Thibodeau saying. “Obviously you want as many layups as you can. If there are two on you, spread them out. And then everyone has to do it: you can’t just look at the ball, you have to look at the whole court… You have to read the man in front of you, what he’s doing so we don’t have guys drifting. “against each other.”
It was dazzling to see Towns make just two three-point attempts in over 30 minutes.
When asked after the game about the Cavs’ defense and Towns’ shot attempts, Brunson took the blame on himself.
“It is our responsibility. It’s up to me as a teammate… to make sure we’re all on the same page, making sure everyone eats. I have to be better in that regard,” Brunson said.
ADDITIONS/CHANGES TO THE ROTATION?
The Knicks should add more shooting soon. New York needs to add two players by Nov. 5 to comply with the league’s roster rules. There is mutual interest between Matt Ryan and the Knicks. If Landry Shamet can recover from his dislocated shoulder, he is a strong candidate to return to the club.
I keep thinking about the center Ariel Hukporti It will convert from a two-way contract to a traditional agreement. The Knicks’ G League team, the Westchester Knicks, selected both Shamet and Ryan with their first two picks in Saturday’s draft.
“We’ll see how it goes,” Thibodeau said when asked about the selection of Ryan and Shamet. “Obviously, Landry is going through a rehabilitation process. We’re excited about Matt, just because of his skill set, the shooting. I feel like you can’t get enough shots, but we really like both guys.”
Hukporti also played 12 minutes off the bench against Cleveland and played ahead of Jericho Sims for most of the game.
“Take a look at someone different to try to change them. Their big ones are quite dynamic. We wanted to see what it would be like,” Thibodeau said, adding that Hukporti’s minutes against the Cavs were “solid.”
Thibodeau said jose hart He has a bruise but did not know his condition in the future. Hart left the game in the second half after colliding with Caris LeVert. LeVert’s knee hit Hart’s shin as they both went for the ball. Jalen Brunson He said after the game that his leg was fine. He left the game a few minutes into the second half after feeling discomfort after a drive into the street.
KEEP AN EYE ON ATKINSON AND THE CAVS
If healthy, the Cavs should be one of the toughest teams in the Eastern Conference. Former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson leads a group with several top players on multi-year deals (David Mitchellwreath, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen).
Garland hurt the Knicks on Monday, but we have to keep an eye on Mobley’s play this season.
“We have a real plan for him… With all of his off-the-court work, what he does in the weight room, his off-the-court habits, all of that. It’s really a holistic approach and I really believe in it,” Atkinson said. “I’m excited so far. I think you have already taken strategic measures. “We’re doing some different things with it.”
Atkinson is a different coach than he was in Brooklyn. He said his time as an assistant in Golden State and with the Clippers changed his approach, as he learned a lot from Steve Kerr and Ty Lue.
“And maybe more important than that is being with players who have done it at the highest level,” Atkinson said Monday. “estefa (Curry), Draymon (Green), klay (Thompson), paul george, kawhi (leonardo). You learn a lot from those guys… it’s funny how things work. They fire you. You’re like, ‘Oh man.’ What am I going to do?’ And then it turns out that it’s actually what I needed. “I needed more exposure to championship cultures.”
Atkinson, a Long Island native and former Knicks assistant, believes the Knicks are championship contenders with Towns under center.
“(Towns) makes it very difficult because of his ability to spread the floor; “He can stretch the floor and shoot the three, obviously, but also (produce) in the post and he’s expanded his game where he can get a finish,” he said. “So when you’re a center in this league and you can do all three, it’s really hard (to defend).
“What an incredible turnaround for the Knicks. As soon as I saw that, I said they’re a championship contender because he’s so good. He’s really improved. His defense has improved since the early years. What a player.”