Post by irish2u2 on Oct 10, 2021 10:18:45 GMT -5
First game we scored 125 points. This game against the Wizards we scored 117 points. Without Julius Randle. Game one featured 56 points in the paint and only 4 turnovers. The second game featured 22 points in. the paint and 18 turnovers. Yet the Knicks won the game by 18 points against an arguably better team than our first opponent and with a bonafide superstar player in Bradley Beal.
In Game 1 the Knicks shot well from the field but only 29% from beyond the arc. In the game against the Wizards the Knicks took a whopping 52 treys and they hit 46% of them (24) with 9 Knicks sinking at least one 3 point shot. The defense was still good holding Washington to 99 points, 36% from the field and a woeful 16% from beyond the arc. Keep in mind there are some good 3 point shooters on the Wizards team too.
So the constant is defense and depth. While Derrick Rose and RJ Barrett steered the ship youngsters like Obi Toppin, IQ and Jericho Sims manned the oars. Players stepped up and they used another weapon in their arsenal to get past a pretty good team. The turnovers, especially unforced, were a bit of an issue but the Knicks more than made up for these miscues with superior rebounding and defense.
What I am seeing is excellent effort and teamwork. Players are looking for each other and we are not forcing a lot of shots. IQ is doing excellent as a PG and Obi has clearly turned a corner. Because Julius had a night off Kevin Knox got some burn and he responded with an efficient 12 points on 4-8 shooting with 6 boards in 20 minutes. Man down. Man up. Obi had 13 points on 5-9 shooting, 8 boards and 2 blocks in 28 minutes. Again. Man down. Man up. Fournier had a productive night and while Kemba was not scoring a lot of points he and Rose did a very good job. IQ did an excellent job.
Most impressive might have been rookie center Jericho Sims who had 13 rebounds, 7 points, 1 block, 1 assist and 3 steals in a very active 26 minutes.
2 games. 2 games in which the Knicks score a LOT of points averaging 121 points. Last season the Knicks averaged 107 PPG.
Two games that were won in very different manners without either our starting center or his backup and in one game minus the Knicks best player. The defense is still good. The new guys, Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier and the rookies have all fit in like a glove.
The Washington announcers kept talking about the Wizards depth even while they were being pounded by the Knicks depth.
It's a pre-season game but it's one I thought the Knicks might lose because Randle was out and Noel was still nursing a sore knee. Washington has a superstar and they might be one of those better by subtraction teams replacing Russell Westbrook with Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrez Harrell and Spencer Dinwiddie who looked fully recovered from his knee injury. The Wizards were missing Rui Hachimura and Thomas Bryant too. The reports are Nerlens was kept out as a precautionary move while Mitch Robinson is getting closer to full contact.
The pieces are coming together. The East has gotten stronger but so have the Knicks and they did it by addition and not so much subtraction as replacement. In the meantime the teamwork that was a signature last season is still a Knicks strength this season. And depth. Lots and lots of depth especially if guys like Knox and Sims start producing.
In Game 1 the Knicks shot well from the field but only 29% from beyond the arc. In the game against the Wizards the Knicks took a whopping 52 treys and they hit 46% of them (24) with 9 Knicks sinking at least one 3 point shot. The defense was still good holding Washington to 99 points, 36% from the field and a woeful 16% from beyond the arc. Keep in mind there are some good 3 point shooters on the Wizards team too.
So the constant is defense and depth. While Derrick Rose and RJ Barrett steered the ship youngsters like Obi Toppin, IQ and Jericho Sims manned the oars. Players stepped up and they used another weapon in their arsenal to get past a pretty good team. The turnovers, especially unforced, were a bit of an issue but the Knicks more than made up for these miscues with superior rebounding and defense.
What I am seeing is excellent effort and teamwork. Players are looking for each other and we are not forcing a lot of shots. IQ is doing excellent as a PG and Obi has clearly turned a corner. Because Julius had a night off Kevin Knox got some burn and he responded with an efficient 12 points on 4-8 shooting with 6 boards in 20 minutes. Man down. Man up. Obi had 13 points on 5-9 shooting, 8 boards and 2 blocks in 28 minutes. Again. Man down. Man up. Fournier had a productive night and while Kemba was not scoring a lot of points he and Rose did a very good job. IQ did an excellent job.
Most impressive might have been rookie center Jericho Sims who had 13 rebounds, 7 points, 1 block, 1 assist and 3 steals in a very active 26 minutes.
2 games. 2 games in which the Knicks score a LOT of points averaging 121 points. Last season the Knicks averaged 107 PPG.
Two games that were won in very different manners without either our starting center or his backup and in one game minus the Knicks best player. The defense is still good. The new guys, Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier and the rookies have all fit in like a glove. The Washington announcers kept talking about the Wizards depth even while they were being pounded by the Knicks depth.
It's a pre-season game but it's one I thought the Knicks might lose because Randle was out and Noel was still nursing a sore knee. Washington has a superstar and they might be one of those better by subtraction teams replacing Russell Westbrook with Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrez Harrell and Spencer Dinwiddie who looked fully recovered from his knee injury. The Wizards were missing Rui Hachimura and Thomas Bryant too. The reports are Nerlens was kept out as a precautionary move while Mitch Robinson is getting closer to full contact.
The pieces are coming together.
The East has gotten stronger but so have the Knicks and they did it by addition and not so much subtraction as replacement. In the meantime the teamwork that was a signature last season is still a Knicks strength this season. And depth. Lots and lots of depth especially if guys like Knox and Sims start producing. 