Official Game Thread: Knicks at Hawks

[lethalweapon3]

“Him! Section 120, Row G! He called me something that rhymes with Rich!”

 

How bad have things gotten for you as an NBA owner when your team’s fans can hardly celebrate a five-game win streak? If the New York Knicks return home from today’s game with the Atlanta Hawks victorious (6 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, MSG in NYC), we may soon see just how bad.

With Mike Miller coaching to his players’ individual strengths, New York (17-36) has bounced back from a 3-12 January swoon by rattling off four straight wins, three of them away from The World’s Most Fickle Arena, including one in Indiana.

This is a rare “schedule win” opportunity for the Hawks, who watched the Knicks (1-6 on back ends of back-to-backs) avert overtime last night in Detroit by exploiting the spots where Andre Drummond once stood (8 of NYK’s last 9 made field goals within 9 feet of the hoop). Watching the fan sentiments, you’d think it was the Hawks (14-39) with the better record and the winning streak, coming into tonight’s action.

Knicks owner James Dolan lopped off one half of the two-headed managerial monster in Steve Mills, leaving Scott Perry as the lone Smithers to pull the strings. One Perry pull at the Trade Deadline mailed mega-male Marcus Morris and his XY chromosomes out to LA, bringing Queens native Moe Harkless home along with future picks and a Euro-prospect in Issuf Sannon. Just as he thinks sitting in the stands or running a dive-bar band makes him look like a man of the people, Dolan probably believes these moves plus the winning turn will win him over some fans. (Newsflash: it will not.)

What *might* help is bringing in a manager who is better attuned the players, current and future, on the roster, and Knicks fans were offered a glimpse of that with the team’s reported courtship of super-agent Leon Rose.

If things turn the way they did for other teams under ex-agents Bob Myers and Rob Pelinka, the decision will be applauded. If events pan out the way they did for Lon Babby, who selected Alex Len in the Giannis draft overall among many missteps, even a sweeter-smelling Rose as the team’s face won’t mask the stench. Dolan was widely panned this week for couching his intransigence about selling the team in an unnecessary press release about his search for a new team head honcho.

The Hawks are the ones feeling upbeat, even despite another late-game, close-shave loss in Boston on Friday. Fans have a better sense as to how Travis Schlenk is rebuilding the roster in Atlanta, and winning ways can wait until the core of the team can get healthy and gel together. The post-Deadline roster is coming together just in time for a close to the season where the Hawks’ schedule-strength is by far the league’s weakest (NBA-low 44.5 opponent winning percentage for remaining games), which is saying something considering Atlanta cannot play themselves.

The rest of the 29-game docket includes the Pistons, the Kings, the Warriors (please rest, Steph), the Cavaliers and Hornets thrice, the Wizards, these Knicks and the stumbling Magic twice. Surpassing last season’s record with a 16-13 finish is not unreasonable at this stage for coach Lloyd Pierce and his Hawks, if they can get Trae Young (questionable, ankle), Clint Capela (out, something called a calcaneous contusion and plantar fasciitis), Cam Reddish (doubtful, concussion), and Skal Labissiere (out, something called a knee chondral injury) up to speed coming out of the All-Star Break.

The Knicks shoot 33.6 3FG% on the season (27^th in NBA), and just moved Morris (43.9 3FG%), the sole Knick who shot above 36 percent (Damyean Dotson, right at 36.0%, the only Knick shooting above 35 percent). At the other end, the perimeter defense has been less than desirable (NBA-worst 38.7 opp. 3FG%).

John Collins has been on a tear both inside and outside this month (last 4 games: 26.3 PPG, 46.2 3FG%; season-best 9-for-10 FTs @ BOS). He and Kevin Huerter (42.9 February 3FG% despite 4-for-14 in past two games; 19.8 PPG, 3.5 APG, 0.8 TOs/game so far this month) can light up New York today if they are set-up well by the point guards. Even if Trae sits another day, a more assertive effort by Jeff Teague to mimic the hungry Brandon Goodwin could be enough to do the trick.

A listless team-wide defensive effort spoiled Young’s 42-point outing in Manhattan, a 143-120 washout back on December 17. It was one of the last games without the then-suspended Collins available for the Hawks, but Atlanta will have Collins, Bruno Fernando (probable, calf strain) and the newly reacquired Dewayne Dedmon back to help seal off the interior from the Knicks.

From there, it will be up to De’Andre Hunter (questionable, sprained ankle), DeAndre’ Bembry (questionable, hand neuritis) and Huerter to keep RJ Barrett (1-for-8 @ DET in just 21 minutes last night, 27 points on 10-for-13 FGs vs. ATL on Dec. 17), Damyean Doston and Harkless (Knicks debut) cool from beyond the 3-point arc, and to run on Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson (9 of NYK’s 13 O-Rebs vs. ATL in December) and New York’s board-crashing bigs in transition off defensive rebounds.

The Knicks have been stingy inside when games are halfcourt affairs (42.8 opponent paint points per-48, 3^rd-best in NBA), so strong boxouts and wise outlet passes are the way to go for the Hawks. New York allows 1.16 points per transition possession (4^th-most in NBA), a value that Miller can only hope replacing Morris with Harkless can fix.

It has to suck to own not just the team, but the TV network that airs the team, and find yourself subject to jeers and “Sell The Team!” chants by locals whenever you appear on the screens and the Jumbotron. Us lowly 98 percenters can’t tell folks like Dolan what to do. But instead of tossing ham-and-eggers out of the not-so-cheap seats at MSG, having his camera operators steer away from him would be a wise order.

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[RedDawg#8]

Not sure who will actually suit up tonight but I hope we can win.

A little positive energy would go along way around these parts 

[bleachkit]

1 hour ago, RedDawg#8 said:

Not sure who will actually suit up tonight but I hope we can win.

A little positive energy would go along way around these parts 

I wish we wouldn't look for excuses to sit guys. Yes, we won't make the playoffs, but it's important to let the team gel and see what we have.

[terrell]

56 minutes ago, bleachkit said:

I wish we wouldn't look for excuses to sit guys. Yes, we won't make the playoffs, but it's important to let the team gel and see what we have.

Starters Trae/Huerter/Hunter/Collins/Jones

Cam and Bembry are out

No restrictions for Dedmon

15 min restriction for Bruno

Edited February 9, 2020 by terrell

[Spud2nique]

Nice preview lw3! The Knicks are a mess. I haven’t done what I’m about to do this year or in a while but here we go... 

 

SPUD guarantees a win! I actually think it’s going to be the first game where Trae, Huerter and a few others will all be on at once. Hawks by double digits tonight! 
 

The line is:

Hawks -5.5  o/u 228 (first time we’ve been favored in a while as well)

 

GO HAWKS!!!!

ps Trae will suit up and start! What a gamer!  

[terrell]

2 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

Nice preview lw3! The Knicks are a mess. I haven’t done what I’m about to do this year or in a while but here we go... 

 

SPUD guarantees a win! I actually think it’s going to be the first game where Trae, Huerter and a few others will all be on at once. Hawks by double digits tonight! 
 

The line is:

Hawks -5.5  o/u 228 (first time we’ve been favored in a while as well)

 

GO HAWKS!!!!

ps Trae will suit up and start! What a gamer!  

Knicks have been playing pretty decent. Idk man. Hope youre right..

[Thomas]

3 minutes ago, terrell said:

No restrictions for Dedmon

Very good news there. 

[bleachkit]

2 minutes ago, terrell said:

Trae/Huerter/Hunter/Collins/Jones

Cam is out

I wonder if Cam is really having symptoms or they are just being cautious.

[terrell]

4 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

Nice preview lw3! The Knicks are a mess. I haven’t done what I’m about to do this year or in a while but here we go... 

 

SPUD guarantees a win! I actually think it’s going to be the first game where Trae, Huerter and a few others will all be on at once. Hawks by double digits tonight! 
 

The line is:

Hawks -5.5  o/u 228 (first time we’ve been favored in a while as well)

 

GO HAWKS!!!!

ps Trae will suit up and start! What a gamer!  

Trae must hate missing games. 

[terrell]

Just now, bleachkit said:

I wonder if Cam is really having symptoms or they are just being cautious.

I think players are usually out a week after concussion. Not sure though..

[Watchman]

1 minute ago, bleachkit said:

I wonder if Cam is really having symptoms or they are just being cautious.

Good question.  I don't recall anyone missing this many games due to the concussion protocol.  I hope he is not badly injured.

[turnermx]

6 minutes ago, terrell said:

Starters Trae/Huerter/Hunter/Collins/Jones

Cam and Bembry are out

No restrictions for Dedmon

15 min restriction for Bruno

Have a feeling it won't be as easy for the Knickerbockers in the paint as it was last meeting

[terrell]

1 minute ago, turnermx said:

Have a feeling it won't be as easy for the Knickerbockers in the paint as it was last meeting

Yeah as long as JOnes isnt out there. lol

[turnermx]

4 minutes ago, terrell said:

Knicks have been playing pretty decent. Idk man. Hope youre right..

Hawks probably favored because the Knicks are playing 2nd night of back to back. and Hawks rested, with Trae back

[Spud2nique]

5 minutes ago, terrell said:

Knicks have been playing pretty decent. Idk man. Hope youre right..

Good guys by 14 tonight!

1 minute ago, turnermx said:

Hawks probably favored because the Knicks are playing 2nd night of back to back. and Hawks rested, with Trae back

And HOME

[terrell]

3 minutes ago, turnermx said:

Hawks probably favored because the Knicks are playing 2nd night of back to back. and Hawks rested, with Trae back

Knicks didnt have time to hit the clubs though. lol

[turnermx]

1 minute ago, terrell said:

Knicks didnt have time to hit the clubs though. lol

How late is Cheetah open?

[JTB]

I’m excited to watch dedmon get on the court with Trae! I know he hasn’t shot well this season so far with the Kings but different teams and personnel presents different outcomes.

Dedmon fits what LP wants to do offensively and last season honestly dedmon and len fit Last season what LP want To do offensively. But both struggled shooting the 3 ball this season....len got better but still isn’t like he was from last season...dedmon hopefully was shooting bad from 3 because he didn’t fit the kings or Fox.

 

[bleachkit]

1 minute ago, terrell said:

Trae must hate missing games. 

That's a good thing.

[lethalweapon3]

~lw3