Official Game Thread: Hawks at Knicks -- GAME 5

[lethalweapon3]

“Orange and Blue” is the New “Black and Blue”.

 

New York Knicks jerseys aren’t new, but they are the new Beer Muscles.

I didn’t need to know my Jake Pauls from my Logan Pauls from my Cliff Pauls from my Mrs. Paul’s. But goshdarnit, Nate Robinson, back when you still had your faculties and all, what were you not thinking?

Putting on that orange and blue with the “NEW YORK” emblazoned on it makes New Yorkers think they can step to anyone and accomplish anything, even if the Knicks themselves haven’t accomplished much of anything since Watergate. Moreover, it’s not just the tried-and-true natives of New Amsterdam who get their Dutch courage from a dash of Knicks gear.

Irrationally, I opine that the athletes helming from the far-away land of Seattle are top-tier, a view I’ve held strongly since the heady heydays of Jamal “Don’t Crack” Crawford. Maybe it’s the crisp air, I dunno. Folks like Katelyn Ohashi, Apolo Ohno, and Gail Devers help give this theory some gravity.

When it comes to hoops, Pacific Northwesterners that grew up seeing and learning of grungy Sonics-era guys like Nate McMillan, Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp have been flowing into the NBA in waves ever since. A multi-sport athlete on the come-up from U-Dub, NateRob got the benefit of making the biggest NBA splash right from the jump, courtesy of a 2005 draft-night deal when the Suns drafted then sent him with Quentin Richardson out to the Knicks for Kurt “Mr. Happy” Thomas.

I have zero doubts that “Former Slam Dunk champion and SACRAMENTO KINGS star Nate Robinson” wouldn’t be walking in cold to anyone’s pay-per-view celebrity(?) boxing match unless he paid for a ticket. Note that I’m using “celebrity”, in the modern-day YouTube sense, as loosely as I can here. Was Salt Bae unavailable to glove up?

You’re not gonna catch Atlanta Hawks legend Spud Webb out here, decades after his dunk title, taking up bullfighting or cheese-rolling or some nonsense. Where might you catch him all those years later? Standing still, as he should, as a prop while Nate leaps over him (on, what, the 14^th try of the night?) to win his own contest. 

Especially for us gravity-bound shorties, it was a quaint little sporting achievement that, 15 years removed, Robinson continues to overexploit, because he can, because NEW YORK. Last time you were forced to think about the athletic exploits of Fred Jones (Indiana) or Jeremy Evans (Utah) was when? Exactly. Just this very moment and, maybe, never again.

He was a member of five NBA clubs over the course of his first 11 years in the NBA. But because of his Knicks tenure, the pride of the Emerald City is in a perpetual New York state of mind, hiring an Empire State dude to be his agent and drum up all kinds of crazy ways he can keep his name social-media-relevant. Said agent runs into wannabe pugilist and “influencer” Jake Paul (I’m just assuming it’s Jake, I don’t feel like double-checking), shoves his client into a gym for a months-long crash course in the squared circle, then propels him into a ring clad in blue-and-orange, thoroughly under-trained for even an undercard, with a whole (bored) world watching.

After the bell, let’s have some introductions, shall we? NateRob, this is Leather. Canvas, say hello to Nate. Now Billy Paul or whoever is out here takin’ ‘bout, “If he dies, he dies,” him and his bro using Nate’s snoozing body as a stepping stone to talk mess with actual UFC fighters.

Worst decision by a Puget Sound-area athletic competitor since Jason Terry, with his Celtic beer muscles, said to himself, “Ay, lemme go break up this lob here right quick.” NateRob could have chosen to rock some Seatown green before getting rocked in turn. But now, he done embarrassed his people on two American shores. It is true that a little better focus and readiness, and a lot more time in the gym, would have allowed Robinson at least a little more time on his feet. But none of this is happening if we were dealing, 15 years before, with Nate Robinson, high-flying top-scorer of some lackluster New Orleans Hornets team.

The current fellows suited up in New York Knicks gear venture into Game 5 of the Best-of-7 series with the Hawks (7:30 PM Eastern, Bally Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, TNT) trying their darnedest not to look like an accidental tourist that stumbled into some “celebrity” exhibition bout opposite Evander Holyfield. "It’s gonna be okay, my guy, don't fret! He's not gonna bite ya."

Like schoolyard schemers who believe they’re Vince McMahon, New York sports fans in your corner will gas you up into thinking you’re some all-time great when you’re, at best, pretty good – or, “improved” -- and ready to be trotted out for anything against anybody when any sentient observer could advise that you’re not. The franchise clusters together ONE fine regular season (same as the Hawks, roughly equivalent to 47-35), their first in many years, and the dutiful New York sports media is doling out super-sized Bags of Chips while declaring their Knicks are All That.

These Knicks thought they could roll a little Spike, a little spittle, a little spokes-mayor, a little Sbarro’s out there, and Atlanta would turn tail. That’s what they thought because that’s what they’ve been taught. You’re repping New York, and that’s all that matters. Why bother putting in the necessary work?

The lower-seeded Hawks have put in the work, and that has been revealed for the balance of this first-round Eastern Conference series (as much as I hate to say these two words…) “thus far.” Not only did Atlanta have the homecourt disadvantage entering this series, but there was a rest disadvantage built into the scheduling, too.

There were seven days between regular season’s end and Game 1 before a ravenous crowd at Madison Square Garden, then two-more off days before Game 2 in the same house. Game 3, in Atlanta, came with a one-day break. So did, Game 4 with its early-afternoon start at State Farm Arena.

Now with two full days off before Game 5 back in NYC, coach Tom Thibodeau’s collective has been granted ample time not only to lick their wounds after losses, but also to gameplan and adjust to what McMillan’s Hawks are presenting out on the floors.

Historically, the Bockers are 0-12 all-time when tasked to climb out of a 3-1 series hole (NBA teams are 13-248, as of last night, when trying to survive this deficit, as per Land of Basketball), and their opponents are from a sports town that knows a little something about counting chickens before they’ve hatched. Now, here's a little story that needs to be heard.

If you ask Spike nicely, he’ll recall the time his Knicks blew a 3-1 lead to their former head coach. Game 5 in Miami went Pat Riley’s way, saving the heat’s season, but Jeff Van Gundy’s club got unglued near game’s end, when Lady Byng Citizenship Award winner P.J. Brown snapped and went Citizen Kane, rag-dolling pesky low-bridger Charlie Ward WWE-style into the photographer’s section.

John Starks gets tossed, along with Ward and Brown. Yet while Miami’s P.J. was suspended for the remainder of the series, New York’s Starks, Ward, Allan Houston, Patrick Ewing and Larry Johnson also got suspended for one game.

The latter three penalties were the result of rules imposed by David Stern – if you’re not in the game, don’t leave the bench! – after a 1993 halftime dust-up featured an inactive New York guard Greg Anthony, a Las Vegas kid with Beer Muscles and dressed in horrifically garish 90’s fashion, stepping on court to cheap-shot Kevin Johnson in defense of Doc Rivers. Through their union, Knick players sought an emergency legal injunction, but a New York judge (and begrudging Knicks fan) denied their motion to stay the suspensions pending arbitration.

Per league rules requiring nine players per team, Ewing and Houston sat out with Ward for Game 6, while LJ and Starks were suspended for Game 7. With the Knicks missing key reinforcements, Miami prevailed at MSG in Game 6 and made Game 7, back in their house, a mere formality. New York had blown their last, best chance to wrestle the Shute from Chicago with The Finals on the line, because Beer Muscle Rules dictate they had no choice but to Keep It Real.

There’s a good moral to the story in there for Hawks coach McMillan to share with his young pups ahead of this Game 5. There’s little question that the team headed by Trae Young (Mount Rushmore du jour: 4^th newbie in NBA Playoffs history to average 25 PPG and 10 APG in first four games) and a bloodied-yet-unbowed John Collins will be ready to roll with whatever punches, however figurative, come their way. Granted a final eight-count, will Julius Randle and his teammates come up off the mat ready to properly stick-and-move?

I keep waiting for Orange Julius to pull back the hood and reveal 2011-era Josh Smith. Every instance that Randle pokes his hands out at referees, pleading like Oliver Twist and pouting, go right ahead and chalk up another two or three points for the Hawks in your head. By default, he landed his best jabs of the series in Game 4, a 113-96 loss to a Hawks team that laid off the gas late. But in a playoff series where his inexperience and unfair expectations are getting exposed, he gets too easily punch-drunk when things aren’t going his way.

So much attention, including his own, is directed at Julius’ shooting struggles (16.3 PPG on 24.1 shots/game, FTs included). But a remodeled point-forward who averaged a team-high 6.0 APG in his award-winning season could only muster 10 assists, to go with 10 turnovers, through the first three games of this series. Even in Game 4, Randle managed to up the ante with 7 assists, but accompanied that with 5 turnovers, 5 fouls for the second-straight game (the final hack a sketchy one), and lackadaisical defense that would have gotten someone else on Thibs’ roster benched.

Much of Randle’s dime-drain stems from the lack of teammates, aside from Derrick Rose, making even open perimeter shots. Bailey, Banks and Biddle could come in and drop more gems than the trio of Barrett, Burks, and Bullock (combined 20-for-67 3FGs for the series). “I see it. I’m open,” RJ shared with The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov after Game 3. “I just got to make it.” Barrett proceeded to score 21 mostly by attacking inside, but the sophomore went 2-for-7 on jumpers outside the paint on Sunday.

Randle’s Knicks have been grounded and pounded by the Hawks’ stout man and recovering help defenders, unable to sustain their rebounding advantage (lost 48-39 in Game 4), and unable to use foul-shot discrepancies as an excuse (Playoffs-low 17.5 FTAs/game; 70 FTs attempted by ATL in four games, 74 FTs made by NYK on 21 more attempts).

While McMillan continues to preach to the Hawks about pursuing second, third, and fourth options in halfcourt possessions, the Knicks are getting mired in My-Turn, Your-Turn Land between Rose and Randle, and the other so-called “options” around the horn aren’t trying to locate each other. Playing to if not just a bit outside of his strengths, Rose (22.8 PPG, highest in a full series since his 2011 MVP season) is doing all he knows to do to help his team, but Randle (26.3 FG% on isos) isn’t creating for himself or others via post-ups.

Third in the NBA in post-up possessions during the regular season, Julius is faintly credited by NBA Stats with a single post-up possession through four games in this series. Meanwhile, Reggie Bullock (1.0 APG this series; zero Game 4 points, 4 FGAs in 34 minutes) is so focused on putting the screws to Trae and others on defense, as Thibs explained to reporters on Sunday, that he’s running on empty at the other end.

New York would love to have even Mr. 50/50/100 himself, Tony Snell, as a veteran option for spurts. Snell has been DNP’d after logging 12 minutes in the first two contests, and if he’s healthy he could be a surprise boost off the bench. In terms of scoring impact, Thibs’ mid-series decision to move Rose into his starting five was offset only slightly by substituting an injury-nagged Nerlens Noel with starter Taj Gibson. A starting Rose makes it imperative that Atlanta’s bench brigade seizes the opportunity to outshine New York’s once more.

Leading the backups to a 31-28 edge over the Knicks in Game 3, 37-28 in Game 4, Atlanta reserves Danilo Gallinari and Kevin Huerter rebounded and made key shots and plays, such that starters Bogi Bogdanovic and De’Andre Hunter didn’t need to have banner days for Atlanta to keep the Knicks at bay. Add a touch of a semi-productive Lou Williams, Onyeka Okongwu and/or Snell to the mix in Game 5 and the Hawks, outscored 64-31 in bench points in Game 1 and 55-22 in Game 2 thanks to Rose, could gain a decisive final advantage on the road. Just don’t All-Bench ‘em, Coach Nate.

Division rival Washington gifted, let’s just say, this series’ eventual winner by extending their series with Philadelphia on Monday, denying the Sixers and their momentarily injured star center a definite rest advantage ahead of the Eastern Conference semis. That should only serve as further incentive for the Hawks to conclude the series with New York as soon as possible. Doing so on the road could serve as useful experience for what could lie ahead.

It’s not about, “if I can make it here, I can make it at anything, anytime, versus anyone, anywhere.” Striving to be an omni-athlete on multi-vitamins in your late 30s is fine. Sadly, Nate Robinson had to learn about the flaws of relying on New York’s Tough-Guy Transitive Property, with poor preparation and poor focus, the hard way.

Hopefully, Clint Capela and the Hawks will be able to assert the problematics of adhering to such a short-sighted mindset into the brains of the Knicks, along with the adoring fans that bothered to bring their brains with them, a bit more subtly tonight, just once more in the house that Ali-Frazier built.

“We win the game, we talk ((Dellavedova)) and we push around. So, what are you gonna do about it?” Capela (13.0 RPG, 2^nd in NBA Playoffs) asserted when asked of the Hawks’ calm, cool, connected counterpunches to the Knicks’ Glass Joe, wannabe-Fat Joe bravado.

Clint has personal experience closing out Thibodeau, Gibson and Rose, plus Karl-Anthony Towns and Jimmy Butler in Game 5, first-round action, when his 26 points and 15 boards helped CP3 and James Harden’s Rockets gentlemanly dispatch the Timberwolves to the hinterlands in 2017. “We can be physical, but we can win games as well. Now, we’re coming to your house to win this game, again, and send you on vacation.” I’m told the fish in the Hudson put up a good fight in the summertime.

What are the Knicks going to do? A prominent New Yorker once noted that everybody has a plan until, well, Mr. Robinson surely knows the ending to that quotable. Do these Knicks even have a plan, one perhaps involving a basketball? It may no longer matter if they do, but we’ll all find out soon enough.

When it comes to the outcome of this playoff series? It’s no longer up to you, New York, New York.

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

"WALK LIKE A MAN...." Was this the last (and only) time Atlanta enjoyed a playoff victory over a New York team?

Andruw said: "You picked a fine time to walk me, Kenny Rogers. At least you still got the best corn muffins in town."

"BRING ON THE YANKEES!" Ya, maybe a bit too much dip on that chip.

~lw3

[JeffS17]

We need to repeat our game 4 plan and execution.  If we execute and play our game this team cannot beat us.  They have no answer for Trae, no answer for our shooters, and no answer to Capela helping under the basket and our defensive scheme in general.  We need to lean on Trae heavily this game and close the series out where it started.

[NBASupes]

8 minutes ago, JeffS17 said:

We need to repeat our game 4 plan and execution.  If we execute and play our game this team cannot beat us.  They have no answer for Trae, no answer for our shooters, and no answer to Capela helping under the basket and our defensive scheme in general.  We need to lean on Trae heavily this game and close the series out where it started.

I actually thought our defense was off on game 4. We just shot the ball extremely well outside of Trae. I want game 3 defense with game 4 shooting.

[JeffS17]

Just now, NBASupes said:

I actually thought our defense was off on game 4. We just shot the ball extremely well outside of Trae. I want game 3 defense with game 4 shooting.

yeah, true, played better defense in game 3 despite their 30 FTA.  let's go with defense from game 3, offense from game 4, and refs from game 1

[kg01]

I just wanna see a fast start.

[JayBirdHawk]

33 minutes ago, kg01 said:

I just wanna see a fast start.

and a fast middle and end 

[hawkzlova123]

I've come the realization that we will get the shots we want because of Bogi, trae...

 

JUST NEED LASER FOCUS TO KNOCK THE SHOTS DOWN. 

[TheNorthCydeRises]

3 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

You’re not gonna catch Atlanta Hawks legend Spud Webb out here, decades after his dunk title, taking up bullfighting or cheese-rolling or some nonsense. Where might you catch him all those years later? Standing still, as he should, as a prop while Nate leaps over him (on, what, the 14^th try of the night?) to win his own contest. 

LMAO . . . what a paragraph.  Nate Robinson catching stay bullets by the thousands in this.

 

3 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

If you ask Spike nicely, he’ll recall the time his Knicks blew a 3-1 lead to their former head coach. Game 5 in Miami went Pat Riley’s way, saving the heat’s season, but Jeff Van Gundy’s club got unglued near game’s end, when Lady Byng Citizenship Award winner P.J. Brown snapped and went Citizen Kane, rag-dolling pesky low-bridger Charlie Ward WWE-style into the photographer’s section.

 

This entire sequence was just ridiculous.  If they tried to do Trae like this, all hell would break loose on this type of scale.

 

 

[AtLaS]

Not a fan of Clint talking smack and giving them bulletin board material that will likely be replayed in the Knicks locker room prior to the game.  But if we show up they can't beat us.  

I can't help but think of the infamous Klay Thompson press conference when they went up 3-1 against the Cavs that backfired.

[macdaddy]

Got to take care of business.   I still don't think Clint said anything outrageous.   Knicks been running their mouths.   

Close it out Hawks.  Play our game.   Take the easy shots. 

[Thomas]

Well they did start it with the rugby plays so we just need to finish it and certainly without Kevin getting another flagrant. He has become quite the piece in our arsenal for us. Thinking too much has been in the news so the refs might be very aggressive tonight but if that is what it takes to avoid injuries or scuffles then so be it. Just even it out refs.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

10 minutes ago, AtLaS said:

Not a fan of Clint talking smack and giving them bulletin board material that will likely be replayed in the Knicks locker room prior to the game.  But if we show up they can't beat us.  

I can't help but think of the infamous Klay Thompson press conference when they went up 3-1 against the Cavs that backfired.

 

"Bulletin board material" lasts for about 30 seconds after tip-off.  If they needed Capela to talk smack to them, to get them to play better, they've already lost.

How about this?  Maybe Capela said it to take some of the fan heat off of Trae, and have it on him.

[Thomas]

4 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

How about this?  Maybe Capela said it to take some of the fan heat off of Trae, and have it on him.

Interesting thought right there. Clint is kinda the big paint dawg so it fits.

[lethalweapon3]

1:30 PM injury report's only real notable for De'Andre Hunter, who is listed as Probable while working through knee soreness.

For the Knicks, Nerlens Noel is not listed. Neither is Rose, who was given a worthy breather for most of the 4th quarter of Game 4, or Taj Gibson, who was put on ice midway through the 3rd.

~lw3

[warcore]

2 hours ago, Thomas said:

Interesting thought right there. Clint is kinda the big paint dawg so it fits.

Paint or pant? 

[JayBirdHawk]

What do we know about these guys?

 

 

[lethalweapon3]

Ooooooh, Bulletin Board!

(tacks/staples in locker rooms might not be the best approach. Flex Tape?)

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

"annnnnnd, That's It! The Atlanta Hawks prevail in this Eastern Conference playoff series, 4 games to 1, as the New York Knicks' magical ride to the Playoffs comes to an end, here, at Madison Square Garden," is probably not the MSG sendoff Marv planned.

 

~lw3

[Spud2nique]

6 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Jamal “Don’t Crack” Crawford.

He looks today as the day he was drafted 21 years ago it’s crazy. Kendall Gill too. 

 

6 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

You’re not gonna catch Atlanta Hawks legend Spud

Aww thanks.

 

6 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Webb

Oh.. 

 

6 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

If he dies, he dies,”

 

6 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

These Knicks thought they could roll a little Spike

 

6 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

(NBA teams are 13-248,

Wow. Stat on our side but keep foot on pedal.

 

6 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Keep It Real.

Goes wrong ..

 

6 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Dellavedova

He’s a staple on game threads now. Lol. 

 

6 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

It’s no longer up to you, New York, New York.

 awesome way to get us ready lw3! I saw this a minute ago but wifey got me doing crazy house work today. Feel like Cinderella . preview. 
 

GO HAWKS!!!!