Nothing encapsulates tanking with youth more than the dazzling inconsistency of a game like the Knicks vs Golden State. The young point guards all had ample opportunity and each one showed flashes of impact player potential in stanzas...in the first half. The second half saw them all come down to Earth some as the Warriors turned up the pressure and took the game, but we're not watching for wins any more. We want to see how the youth looks and what direction this team can move in with an inevitably high draft pick and the start of a young core. So yes, the third quarter was once again uglier than the back of Javale Mcgee's head but there is plenty to talk about anyway, we got youngsters to watch! Recaps are gonna reflect that priority too from here on out...
Emmanuel Mudiay: In the first quarter, Mudiay showed flashes in every facet of the game. He drove and finished off of athleticism, threw beautifully accurate passes out of pick and roll chances and locked in defensively for steals and blocks in man to man situations. His 20 pts, 7 asts, 2 boards, 2 stls and a block in 31 minutes included making 3/5 from three point range. Knocking down jumpers forced defenders up on him and created lanes, Mudiay used those lanes to perfection. His ability to spot the open player and get the rock to them is impressive, especially on a pair of nice bounce passes through traffic. Defensively, his trailing block on a Steph Curry lay-up attempt showed how his athleticism and size can help him impose his will on that end.
This wasn't all gravy though. Most of Mudiay's damage was done in the first quarter and his play fell off from there. Nuggets fans were waiting for his jumper since he got to Denver and this was the first time he's made three pointers as a Knick. Defensively, while his man to man defense is nice; he shies from contact through screens which creates space for shooters or slashers alike. For someone with Mudiay's size, a Ron Baker kamikaze approach would probably work. So this is probably the easiest player to spot the fixes for but there's uncertainty to whether or not he can make those adjustments. His jumper HAS improved this year but it is far from consistent. His defense really needs work and attention both from himself and coaches. That first quarter was the flash of lottery talent but being able to maintain it will take a lot of work.
THJ: The numbers aren't bad, aren't great just like the performance...but this is the player I want to see step up the most. Leadership doesn't have to show in the statsheet but what we got was really just a so-so game all around. 14 pts and 4 asts on 4/11 from the field is solid from a third or fourth option but not much more. For Hardaway it's the tight rope of letting these young cats get their opportunities and knowing when to step in and lead the way. The third quarter was when I'd have liked to see more activity, with everyone floundering Hardaway hit a long three pointer that kept the wheels from falling entirely off. I'd have liked to see him keep going, especially because both Mudiay and Burke showed signs of pressing in that section of the game (mainly shot selection issues). This is a point of the season where someone has to pick up the slack and while it's nice to see rookies and castaways do some of that lifting, I think THJ needs to be in that role with opportunities to take over and be the man for a while.
Beasley: Beas had 2 pts, 4 boards and 4 assists to 3 TO's in 26 minutes. His shot was off, he took an elbow that got him stitches and he just never really got into much rhythm in this one. With more defensive focus his way, others had greater opportunities and those 4 assists on his statline show him looking for ways to work without scoring. But overall, a pretty poor game for the guy.
Kanter: It was a very Kanter-like game imo. He was efficient and rebounded well in his time but got exposed on switches and just has zero presence inside on defense. Against the fast moving W's, he was in a position to fail. 10 and 7 on 5/9 from the field in 17 minutes.
Lee: Courtney Lee was 0 for 2 in 11 minutes and Klay Thompson's offball movement saw Lee a step behind on defense as well. It was Lee's worst game of the season but with the minutes limited, that's not a shock.
Ntilikina: This season has amassed a wave of soundbytes about Frank's aggressiveness from coaches, players, media and fans alike. Frank answered with 6/12 shooting for 13 pts, 5 boards and 1 assist. He drove for finishes, shot off the dribble and had finished off an offensive board. Frank had a fast break where he handled the rock behind the back and between two defenders, then threw a pass around a third defender to Trey Burke for an open three that showed him handling, passing and moving at a pace he hasn't gotten comfortable using just yet. The variety was fun to watch and really showed that we've only scratched the surface on his offensive upside. He played mainly offball which is a bit disappointing. I'd like to see Frank developed into a PG where his length is most useful. That will take a long time to build up but this is a rebuilding team anyway and Frank flashes vision whenever his instincts take over instead of him thinking through players.
Defensively, Frank was visibly making plays like deflections and shot challenges but his impact was muted. The W's move the ball too much for any one defender to make big impacts. There WAS a brief stint with Frank, Lance and Williams combining effort to have some nice stops in that first half though.
Burke: Trey Burke crossed Kevin Durant up in a beautiful highlight that sums up his elusiveness off the dribble. He's an obvious scorefirst guard but not the type to force his shot when defenses overcommit. 18 pts, 5 assists in 25 minutes on 8/15 from the field. The only thing he didn't have was his three ball. Burke is hard to stay in front of and that creates havoc as defenders cover for each other or he gets an open look. There are times where he chooses the shot instead of the pass but he has been on FIRE and you can't blame a player who isn't missing for riding that heatwave. Burke and Frank showed real chemistry too as Frank looked more inclined to cut and find offball impacts as Trey.I. took over ball handling.
On defense, Burke has an obvious limitation. He's one of the shortest players out there and that means any separation is enough for a good shooter to get their look. That's not for a lack of effort. Burke tries to make up for his size with a bit of physicality to keep himself close and slow the other guys down but his last two assignments have included monsters like Kyrie Irving and Steph Curry. I still see his best role as a sixth man instant offense piece right now, but a lot of that falls on my skepticism that he can maintain the torrid pace his offense is setting.
KOQ: I say this with love...cut Kyle's minutes because he's playing too well and I'd like to re-sign him. 14 pts, 6 boards, 2 asts on 7/10 from the field. His nightly perfect pass was a fast ball to Frank Ntilikina cutting backdoor. He did a lot of good things though the Warriors motion had him almost as ineffective defending the paint as Kanter.
Lance: I usually save a nice rant for Lance but in this one...he was good. 11 and 3 in 17 minutes of efficient play. Where Frank was the clear best defensive guard, Lance was the best defensive forward. The best part of his night? 3 for 4 from three. He's always been more a 2 and a half and D guy than a legit 3 and D to me...but this is a start.
Williams: Troy Williams is that one player you have to tell people about because he makes one nice highlight virtually every night. Last night was lacking the big showout moment but he did turn a block on one end into a lay-up on the other. His defensive IQ is "meh" but the motor helps him make plays to make up for most of his mistakes. 3 pts, 5 boards, 2 stls and a block in 15 minutes is a really nice chunk of production in that span. Offensively the limitations did show though. He's not a knockdown shooter, needs significant space to drive and didn't do much off the ball. The athleticism and motor are enough to want to build on the rest of his skills though, especially when you see how comfortably he can control his body in the air. You're an open baseline away from a Cirque Du Soleil finish when he's out there.
Hicks: I'm always surprised at his hops with his size. He's got a big frame, rises high and fast, plus has a really nice bounce on a second leap. That said, it's about the only thing that ever stands out about his game to me. Everything else looks average at best to me and he'll need to show more to prove he can compete in anything other than garbage time. 4 pts and 4 boards in 11 minutes.
Dotson: Dotson introduced his motor to the game by inadvertantly running somebody over off the ball, but with no whistle that actually got the Knicks the ball back. Dotson only got 8 minutes out there but produced 2 points, 4 assists and 2 TO's in the brief stint. He was aggressive, moved fast and the assists are a nice touch. He'll need more time out there to really evaluate.
Hornacek: There are signs that the two PG sets he succeeded with in Phoenix are gonna work with our youth. He knows how to run a tandem PG attack. Burke, Frank and Mudiay got to play for 25, 28 and 31 minutes respectively which is what I've been begging for all year. It's a little rough to see guys like Courtney Lee and Michael Beasley get in for token possessions and then be benched; but that's kinda on our front office. The rotations have been reasonable so far...he's getting the youth minutes, sneaks a vet or two out there with 'em and I can't ask for much more than that right now. What I will point out though, is that the third quarter collapse is not just the product of a new youthful run. It has been a character trait of this team when they were playing vets for the post season, dealing with injuries and now while they trot out youth. That's not just on the personnel. A slight dropoff could be forgotten but this team blows double digit leads regularly and gets outgunned by second half adjustments on what feels like a nightly basis. So even at a point where it's hard to be critical, I've got a redflag for you guys.
