Post by irish2u2 on Feb 26, 2021 0:44:30 GMT -5
Thrilling victory tonight where the Knicks actually looked good on offense! I just hope the team can get over the .500 mark and stay there.
So let’s talk about Randle first. He makes his first All-Star team which is very much well deserved. But let’s put away some misconceptions first. Nobody here championed Randle as much and as fervently as me. When the Knicks were thinking KD and Kyrie I was thinking Randle so let’s make some things clear.
He was in AWESOME shape last season. I showed pictures of how ripped his physique was last season. In fact he weighs about the same this year as he did last year but the difference is he worked more on cardio and did less strength work while concentrating on flexibility and a new diet. And he worked on his shot.
A lot.
The fact of the matter is Julius is averaging more turnovers per game than last year albeit mainly because he plays 4 more minutes. Most of last year’s numbers are in line with last season’s very impressive numbers except he is shooting better from the field, the free throw line and the three point line. The last three categories he is shooting significantly better with the most shocking improvement in his 3 point shooting. He went from a tad below 28% to over 41% which is just amazing. Also amazing is the increase in assists and the slight bump to double digit rebounds.
But it goes deeper. Randle’s defense has improved demonstrably as has his confidence as a leader for our team. He wants to take important shots. He wants to defend his opponents. I think a lot of the difference in Julius goes beyond all the hard work he did in the gym. I think he was a good player last year surrounded by not so good talent especially when Morris got traded. I think this year a much better supporting cast and the change of coaching, especially Thibs and Payne, is what has made Julius Randle an All-Star.
I like watching our team play. They are fun and amazingly unpredictable. Clyde mentions tonight how Alec Burks has disappeared since his hot start and injury and tonight Burks goes off for 24 points and was the catalyst of the blowout win. Ditto for IQ who has played poorly of late but tonight led the team in scoring. Frank Ntilikina last played before Christmas but he contributed and the beat goes on. Game after game I look at our opponents as having more talent and yet the Knicks continue to win or at least play competitively night after night. They are a legitimate 12 deep team. They are a sum of the parts team issuing only one vital component.
A superstar scorer. You put Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Brandon Ingram, Zach LaVine, or Donovan Mitchell on this team and they are fighting for a top seed in the East. Even a Kris Middleton puts them in the top 3or so. The simple fact of the matter is Julius Randle is an important piece of the puzzle but he is Robin and the Knicks need a Batman.
One more thing about this basketball team is I get a early 70’s Knick team vibe off them or even a ‘77 Blazers vibe. They play together. They don’t quit. They hustle and scrap and grind and they have lots of guys who can contribute. But we need one more...
Spent last week sick as a dog after my second COVID-19 shot.Still worth it. I won’t feel comfortable till everybody has it but if there are any doubters out there about this virus and it’s effect a short story. A young ICU nurse from Utah left my wife’s hospital this week after a more than 4 month stay for a double lung transplant. She was perfectly healthy before contracting COVID-19 and now she has two new lungs and a dramatically shortened lifespan. I had a tiny sliver of the virus and I was on my ass for 3 days. Get the fucking shot. Both of them. Don’t make me hunt y’all down.
Moving on imagine my shock that the Mavs are quietly shopping Kristaps Porzingis!! Health is obviously a concern but so is defense. I said it when KP was a Knick that most of his defensive accolades came off blocks he made after he got beat off the bounce. These days he isn’t even getting the blocks.The long and the short of it is besides the draft picks trading KP allowed us to sign Randle. Win/win especially since Randle WANTS to be a Knick. I want him to be a Knick too. One last thing on Julius. Is it me or does he look like The Captain when shooting his jumper?
Last but not least there was a Frank Ntilikina showing tonight. A GOOD Frank Ntilikina showing. I like him. I want him part of the team and tonight he showed he can help this team win games.
Y’all be safe. And Thank the Lord above they finally allowed some fans in for the games. Makes a huge difference to me and to the team.
So let’s talk about Randle first. He makes his first All-Star team which is very much well deserved. But let’s put away some misconceptions first. Nobody here championed Randle as much and as fervently as me. When the Knicks were thinking KD and Kyrie I was thinking Randle so let’s make some things clear.
He was in AWESOME shape last season. I showed pictures of how ripped his physique was last season. In fact he weighs about the same this year as he did last year but the difference is he worked more on cardio and did less strength work while concentrating on flexibility and a new diet. And he worked on his shot.
A lot. The fact of the matter is Julius is averaging more turnovers per game than last year albeit mainly because he plays 4 more minutes. Most of last year’s numbers are in line with last season’s very impressive numbers except he is shooting better from the field, the free throw line and the three point line. The last three categories he is shooting significantly better with the most shocking improvement in his 3 point shooting. He went from a tad below 28% to over 41% which is just amazing. Also amazing is the increase in assists and the slight bump to double digit rebounds.
But it goes deeper. Randle’s defense has improved demonstrably as has his confidence as a leader for our team. He wants to take important shots. He wants to defend his opponents. I think a lot of the difference in Julius goes beyond all the hard work he did in the gym. I think he was a good player last year surrounded by not so good talent especially when Morris got traded. I think this year a much better supporting cast and the change of coaching, especially Thibs and Payne, is what has made Julius Randle an All-Star.
I like watching our team play. They are fun and amazingly unpredictable. Clyde mentions tonight how Alec Burks has disappeared since his hot start and injury and tonight Burks goes off for 24 points and was the catalyst of the blowout win. Ditto for IQ who has played poorly of late but tonight led the team in scoring. Frank Ntilikina last played before Christmas but he contributed and the beat goes on. Game after game I look at our opponents as having more talent and yet the Knicks continue to win or at least play competitively night after night. They are a legitimate 12 deep team. They are a sum of the parts team issuing only one vital component.
A superstar scorer. You put Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Brandon Ingram, Zach LaVine, or Donovan Mitchell on this team and they are fighting for a top seed in the East. Even a Kris Middleton puts them in the top 3or so. The simple fact of the matter is Julius Randle is an important piece of the puzzle
but he is Robin and the Knicks need a Batman. One more thing about this basketball team is I get a early 70’s Knick team vibe off them or even a ‘77 Blazers vibe. They play together. They don’t quit. They hustle and scrap and grind and they have lots of guys who can contribute. But we need one more...
Spent last week sick as a dog after my second COVID-19 shot.Still worth it. I won’t feel comfortable till everybody has it but if there are any doubters out there about this virus and it’s effect a short story. A young ICU nurse from Utah left my wife’s hospital this week after a more than 4 month stay for a double lung transplant. She was perfectly healthy before contracting COVID-19 and now she has two new lungs and a dramatically shortened lifespan. I had a tiny sliver of the virus and I was on my ass for 3 days. Get the fucking shot. Both of them. Don’t make me hunt y’all down.
Moving on imagine my shock that the Mavs are quietly shopping Kristaps Porzingis!!
Health is obviously a concern but so is defense. I said it when KP was a Knick that most of his defensive accolades came off blocks he made after he got beat off the bounce. These days he isn’t even getting the blocks.The long and the short of it is besides the draft picks trading KP allowed us to sign Randle. Win/win especially since Randle WANTS to be a Knick. I want him to be a Knick too. One last thing on Julius. Is it me or does he look like The Captain when shooting his jumper? Last but not least there was a Frank Ntilikina showing tonight. A GOOD Frank Ntilikina showing. I like him. I want him part of the team and tonight he showed he can help this team win games.
Y’all be safe. And Thank the Lord above they finally allowed some fans in for the games. Makes a huge difference to me and to the team.
