The War Report
NewNewYork
Good job, good effort.
Last 18/19 NY Knicks season transmission: "F*** all the haters from you to SAS" See y'all in '20
- Thread starter DPresidential
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- blackexcellence fizdale knicks
Stay hungry young blood and success will follow.
Bryan Danielson
Jmare007 x Bryan Danielson x JLova = King Ghidorah
BARS!!!
Martha
Martha
Wargames
One Of The Last Real Ones To Do It
Stark'esque
Bobby Lashleys eyebrows
Superstar
Trey, Hardaway and Trier were the highlights of the night but wait til Knox improves.
MR. Conclusion
All Star
Frank's too unselfish. And that's not a good thing. Hardaway, Trier, and Burke are not sitting around and waiting for shots to come to them. They're going for theirs. I know Frank is more of a team-oriented player but he has to force the issue a couple times to expand his game. You can't grow better offensively if you don't take any shots.
Aintnobodystupid
All Star
After preseason I had my fingers crossed we'd sign him before thirsty ass pheonix would.
JMurder
SOHH Member since 01...
He's already proving your last statement wrong. You don't think he's already grown offensively?
NYK Loyalist
All Star
This is what I have wanted to see for almost 20 years- a young, hungry team where everyone is out to prove something. I don’t care how many games they win it’s just great to be able to watch a youth rebuild with the Knicks. Also they finally seem to have the right pieces together with the front office and coach. I feel good about the direction of the team for the first time since the 90’s 
Did u feel that viiiiiiibe last night? Timmy played like a damn man!! Enjoyed tf outta last nights game. I'm gonna hold it tight, brace and enjoy this ride. #Knicksvibe
Can’t wait for @storyteller analysis
Ironman
#Knickstape
This is a happy morning.
storyteller
Veteran
The Knicks are back and started the season with the same force as that dunk by Trier. Before tip-off, I had a lot of reservations about playing Frank as a 3, the rebounding battle and how the second unit could be constructed with any defensive fluidity...none of that proved problematic. Trey Burke, Noah Vonleh and Mario Hezonja all showed course corrections on the nagging issues they showed in preseason play. Enes Kanter handled business inside and Tim Hardaway was the scoring presence the Knicks needed. The only real blemish was that Kevin Knox continued to struggle, but there were good signs to pull from his performance as well. Let's not get too ahead of ourselves though. The Hawks are awful and missing potentially their best young player in John Collins. Their hardest worker out there was Vince Carter. Half-court offense still falls into ISO-mode a bit too often for my taste as well, an issue I think could quickly show up against teams that limit transition opportunities. That's not to ruin what was an absolutely incredible night for the Knicks and a great way to spark the rebuild. The Knicks came and handled business in a way that I doubt even the most optimistic fans could have predicted and owned the Garden on both ends. Here's a closer look:
Trey Burke: The player I was most disappointed in during the preseason wound up giving me some peace of mind as Trey Burke had a really strong performance. His efficiency was back to being impressive as he poured in 15 points on 6/11 and had 4 assists to 2 TO's while chipping in 3 boards. Matched with similar sized Trae Young, Burke was able to be a presence on both ends. He hit a post up jumper at one point, drove the lane and most promising of all; Burke was 2/3 from the three point line which was a point of focus this offseason. Defensively, he was harassing guards and made some things happen as well, although consider me skeptical (especially with Young's shot selection being so helpful to anyone defending him). My only real complaint is that I see much more playmaking in open court transition offense whereas I feel like his halfcourt play is much more scoring focused. That was problematic very early on but as everyone loosened up, the performance got better and better.
THJ: Make no mistake, shot selection is still an issue but if Tim Hardaway Jr. is going to grab rebounds, tally assists and stay around 45% from the field I can live with it. Tim was 10/22 from the field and 3/9 from three but he pumped in 31 points, 5 assists, 6 rebounds and never turned the ball over. He also made his way to the line 8 times; a testament to the fact that he attacked off the dribble way more than the latter half of preseason. This was the Hardaway Knicks fans were hoping to see in the absence of KP. He was able to add playmaking and grab boards that helped spark fast breaks, plus played a more focused defensive game to go with it. The only truly heavy critique I have is on that shot selection; it's really like he can't help himself. That said, if he's gonna be this productive, then I'll overlook some heat checks for the effort he's giving elsewhere.
Frank: If you missed the game and saw Frank's box score, you might sigh and think it's too similar to last year. The rookie aged sophomore went 2/7 for 5 points, 1 assist, 5 rebounds, 3 steals and a block over a team leading 34 minutes. The production doesn't really equal the minutes on the score sheet, just like last year. But this was as promising a game as his best preseason performances from a development standpoint. For one, Frank was THE defensive presence for this team. There was no way to miss him because he was everywhere, long arms sneaking into the passing lanes or helping against a slashing ball handler whenever the chance permitted. There were times where guarding a forward meant he got knocked off balance for some easier looks, but his man defense held up impressively for a PG turned SF and the team defense was eye opening. Offensively, his ball handling was visibly improved. He used head fakes for two absolute highlights; one crossing and freezing Taurean Prince to open a drive for a lay-up and the other coming as he threw a no-look pass that split two defenders and led to free throws for his target. He shot confidently in spite of the ball not falling on his jumpers and he got his looks comfortably. Unfortunately, with a lot of offensive players around him the opportunities weren't as often as I'd like and he's still not the type to demand the rock. Still, there's a clear evolution in mentality, skill and physical ability. I think he's poised to break out before the season's over.
Lance: In a "that's so Lance" kinda night, the Knicks captain put up 3 points and 1 block in 16 minutes with nothing else to show for it on the stat line...but you'd be hard pressed to say he wasn't giving the Knicks solid play because he didn't force the issue and played his usual brand of high awareness, high effort defense. It's truly incredible to me how keeping him around 15 minutes instead of 20+ always seems to make Lance look so much better to me. Maybe I'm wrong and he's ready for a bigger minutes load, but he'll need to grab some boards or do something more to really justify it. For now, I'm really happy with how he handled his role in both the preseason and the opener.
Kanter: Economical is how I'd characterize Kanter's minutes out there. It took him just 27 minutes to post 16 points, 11 boards, 3 assists, a steal and a block. The Hawks had zero answers for him inside and that made life easier for everybody on the floor. Defensively, it felt like he was in the right place more often than not which is a good sign but I still felt like he failed to challenge shooters at points (this is something I've harped on since he got here, but he'll be so focused on positioning for the rebound that he'll give a shooter/slasher too much space to operate and score). That said, this was mostly good Kanter and there was a fast break where he ran the floor better than any other big out there...impressive for a guy who was once benched last season for lackadaisical trips up and down the court after made shots.
Knox: Kevin Knox continued to struggle to find his way but showed more fight that led to some good and bad shots. Knox was 4 for 16 from the field and 1 for 5 from three, tallying just 10 points for all that effort. He also hit Lance Thomas levels of attrition with donuts in the assists and rebounds column. On defense, he seemed more tuned in during much of the first half but frustration on offense may have hurt his focus as the game progressed. All of that said and all struggles admitted; there was a lot of promise in certain factors of his game. Knox tried to get it going on all levels; shooting threes, running floaters and then driving to the basket as well. The fact that he can get looks from anywhere at his size and age belies major upside. When he's flowing, his game is silky smooth and he should draw more fouls as that becomes the norm rather than an inconsistent sight. Defensively, his size and length created issues whenever he locked in, adding 2 steals and a block to the stat line. Listen; there are awareness and decision making issues on both ends, but the foundation to impact the game everywhere is right there. This kid is super young and really raw, but growth is gonna come as he becomes more comfortable out there by adjusting to both the pace and the range of an NBA game.
Allonzo Trier: That dunk set off a straight up explosion of enthusiasm and put an exclamation point on the entire team's incredible opening night. But make no mistake, Allonzo Trier showed out well beyond that highlight. 15 points, 4 boards and 2 blocks in 26 minutes of play on 5/9 shooting for Trier. He was 1/3 from the three point line but I liked the looks he got there. Defensively, there was an uptick in energy and focused effort for Trier as well. That's not to say I have much faith he can keep that up as better teams attack but the effort looks like it will be there reliably. Allonzo just knows how to put the ball in the basket and he draws free throws in route to that end. Now 3 turnovers without an assist is worth watching, I've mentioned previously that I feel like his passes are rarely about "feel" and more about having made up his mind early and been left with no other option...but that can be worked on. You can't teach that Seattle ball handle or the reckless abandon that Trier flies toward the rim with. Those are special traits...we got a steal.
Baker: Ron Baker was the first guard off of the bench, possibly because Mudiay was out but I hope not. His limitations as an offensive player are mitigated when he can pass off to Trier, Knox and Hezonja who all work off the dribble and his defensive play at the point of attack is a benefit to everyone else. 2 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds and a steal in 27 minutes...not the prettiest, especially as he went 0/3 from the floor but his smart play meant he rarely wasted possessions (although his lack of quickness led to 2 TO's where players just played faster than his decisions). Baker gives the Knicks physicality and intangible play that a lot of the other young guns don't. You'd like to see an alternative step up but his hybrid guard play may be the glue on a unit that could use consistent defensive presence.
Mitch: It's worth noting that Mitch was the first big off the bench and immediately scored on a pick and roll before tweaking his ankle and coming out. 2 points in 1 minute because of injury but how about that per 36 am i right?
Super Mario: Okay, so Super Mario didn't show up until it was a blowout in the fourth quarter, but above average Mario did make appearances throughout the night. Hezonja seemed much more locked in and played more under control (not under control but improved) on this night. 15 points, 3 boards, 1 assist, 3 TOs (I repeat, I said improved) and 3 steals. The steals are my first focus here because Mario and Knox as the F's had length and mobility to be a nuisance in the passing lanes and they showed it. Hezonja was just getting after it and a ball he poked loose led to one of the nicer Burke/Hardaway fast breaks of the last two years. Offensively his one assist was an athletic drive where he jumped from distance, drew a big man and dropped a nice bounce pass to Vonleh...the hang time and distance covered was impressive. Hezonja is a really good momentum slasher when he gets space, period. He also found the three ball finally, knocking down 3/7 to really solidify his scoring production. Consistent focus on both ends will go a long way for this guy. His preseason highlights woulda gone well with "If I Only Had a Brain" playing in the background, but locked in Mario is a different story.
Vonleh: Last but most certainly not least, the Knicks replacement bully now that KOQ is in Indy. Noah Vonleh came on for Mitch and spent 16 minutes being too strong for anyone the Hawks put out there. 5/5 for 12 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists without a TO (queue the Oh Happy Day clip from Sister Act 2 fam). Vonleh didn't pick up an offensive foul at all and only picked up 1 defensive foul while being a real presence on that end. It was a near picture perfect second big man performance against a team that seemed to play a lot of SF's instead of any bigs for chunks of time. This dude's rebound rate was no fluke last year and he continues to be a really intriguing piece as long as the brain farts on screens don't show up.
Fizdale: After watching Hornacek and Fisher for these past few years, something special happened in the third quarter that is generic for fans of about any other team. The Hawks cut a formerly 20 point lead to 13 after consecutive three's and Fizdale called a time out...the Knicks returned and quickly ran that lead back up to 20. Yeah, it's been that bad for us Knicks fans. All jokes aside, Fizdale gave the fanbase a lot to appreciate. Frank led the team in minutes, Knox and Trier got mid-20's in minutes, and Mitch was the first big off the bench though his night was cut short. The youth played in legitimate rotation roles and got opportunities to impact the game. The blowout meant Fiz could keep everyone under 30 minutes besides Frank who needs those reps. Splitting up Trier and Burke saw both guys shoot up efficiency wise. Burke and Hardawary found their chemistry and Baker complimented Trier really well. The solid coaching decisions were buoyed by little moments of charisma like Fiz high fiving Frank after Knox finally got a basket.
Trey Burke: The player I was most disappointed in during the preseason wound up giving me some peace of mind as Trey Burke had a really strong performance. His efficiency was back to being impressive as he poured in 15 points on 6/11 and had 4 assists to 2 TO's while chipping in 3 boards. Matched with similar sized Trae Young, Burke was able to be a presence on both ends. He hit a post up jumper at one point, drove the lane and most promising of all; Burke was 2/3 from the three point line which was a point of focus this offseason. Defensively, he was harassing guards and made some things happen as well, although consider me skeptical (especially with Young's shot selection being so helpful to anyone defending him). My only real complaint is that I see much more playmaking in open court transition offense whereas I feel like his halfcourt play is much more scoring focused. That was problematic very early on but as everyone loosened up, the performance got better and better.
THJ: Make no mistake, shot selection is still an issue but if Tim Hardaway Jr. is going to grab rebounds, tally assists and stay around 45% from the field I can live with it. Tim was 10/22 from the field and 3/9 from three but he pumped in 31 points, 5 assists, 6 rebounds and never turned the ball over. He also made his way to the line 8 times; a testament to the fact that he attacked off the dribble way more than the latter half of preseason. This was the Hardaway Knicks fans were hoping to see in the absence of KP. He was able to add playmaking and grab boards that helped spark fast breaks, plus played a more focused defensive game to go with it. The only truly heavy critique I have is on that shot selection; it's really like he can't help himself. That said, if he's gonna be this productive, then I'll overlook some heat checks for the effort he's giving elsewhere.
Frank: If you missed the game and saw Frank's box score, you might sigh and think it's too similar to last year. The rookie aged sophomore went 2/7 for 5 points, 1 assist, 5 rebounds, 3 steals and a block over a team leading 34 minutes. The production doesn't really equal the minutes on the score sheet, just like last year. But this was as promising a game as his best preseason performances from a development standpoint. For one, Frank was THE defensive presence for this team. There was no way to miss him because he was everywhere, long arms sneaking into the passing lanes or helping against a slashing ball handler whenever the chance permitted. There were times where guarding a forward meant he got knocked off balance for some easier looks, but his man defense held up impressively for a PG turned SF and the team defense was eye opening. Offensively, his ball handling was visibly improved. He used head fakes for two absolute highlights; one crossing and freezing Taurean Prince to open a drive for a lay-up and the other coming as he threw a no-look pass that split two defenders and led to free throws for his target. He shot confidently in spite of the ball not falling on his jumpers and he got his looks comfortably. Unfortunately, with a lot of offensive players around him the opportunities weren't as often as I'd like and he's still not the type to demand the rock. Still, there's a clear evolution in mentality, skill and physical ability. I think he's poised to break out before the season's over.
Lance: In a "that's so Lance" kinda night, the Knicks captain put up 3 points and 1 block in 16 minutes with nothing else to show for it on the stat line...but you'd be hard pressed to say he wasn't giving the Knicks solid play because he didn't force the issue and played his usual brand of high awareness, high effort defense. It's truly incredible to me how keeping him around 15 minutes instead of 20+ always seems to make Lance look so much better to me. Maybe I'm wrong and he's ready for a bigger minutes load, but he'll need to grab some boards or do something more to really justify it. For now, I'm really happy with how he handled his role in both the preseason and the opener.
Kanter: Economical is how I'd characterize Kanter's minutes out there. It took him just 27 minutes to post 16 points, 11 boards, 3 assists, a steal and a block. The Hawks had zero answers for him inside and that made life easier for everybody on the floor. Defensively, it felt like he was in the right place more often than not which is a good sign but I still felt like he failed to challenge shooters at points (this is something I've harped on since he got here, but he'll be so focused on positioning for the rebound that he'll give a shooter/slasher too much space to operate and score). That said, this was mostly good Kanter and there was a fast break where he ran the floor better than any other big out there...impressive for a guy who was once benched last season for lackadaisical trips up and down the court after made shots.
Knox: Kevin Knox continued to struggle to find his way but showed more fight that led to some good and bad shots. Knox was 4 for 16 from the field and 1 for 5 from three, tallying just 10 points for all that effort. He also hit Lance Thomas levels of attrition with donuts in the assists and rebounds column. On defense, he seemed more tuned in during much of the first half but frustration on offense may have hurt his focus as the game progressed. All of that said and all struggles admitted; there was a lot of promise in certain factors of his game. Knox tried to get it going on all levels; shooting threes, running floaters and then driving to the basket as well. The fact that he can get looks from anywhere at his size and age belies major upside. When he's flowing, his game is silky smooth and he should draw more fouls as that becomes the norm rather than an inconsistent sight. Defensively, his size and length created issues whenever he locked in, adding 2 steals and a block to the stat line. Listen; there are awareness and decision making issues on both ends, but the foundation to impact the game everywhere is right there. This kid is super young and really raw, but growth is gonna come as he becomes more comfortable out there by adjusting to both the pace and the range of an NBA game.
Allonzo Trier: That dunk set off a straight up explosion of enthusiasm and put an exclamation point on the entire team's incredible opening night. But make no mistake, Allonzo Trier showed out well beyond that highlight. 15 points, 4 boards and 2 blocks in 26 minutes of play on 5/9 shooting for Trier. He was 1/3 from the three point line but I liked the looks he got there. Defensively, there was an uptick in energy and focused effort for Trier as well. That's not to say I have much faith he can keep that up as better teams attack but the effort looks like it will be there reliably. Allonzo just knows how to put the ball in the basket and he draws free throws in route to that end. Now 3 turnovers without an assist is worth watching, I've mentioned previously that I feel like his passes are rarely about "feel" and more about having made up his mind early and been left with no other option...but that can be worked on. You can't teach that Seattle ball handle or the reckless abandon that Trier flies toward the rim with. Those are special traits...we got a steal.
Baker: Ron Baker was the first guard off of the bench, possibly because Mudiay was out but I hope not. His limitations as an offensive player are mitigated when he can pass off to Trier, Knox and Hezonja who all work off the dribble and his defensive play at the point of attack is a benefit to everyone else. 2 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds and a steal in 27 minutes...not the prettiest, especially as he went 0/3 from the floor but his smart play meant he rarely wasted possessions (although his lack of quickness led to 2 TO's where players just played faster than his decisions). Baker gives the Knicks physicality and intangible play that a lot of the other young guns don't. You'd like to see an alternative step up but his hybrid guard play may be the glue on a unit that could use consistent defensive presence.
Mitch: It's worth noting that Mitch was the first big off the bench and immediately scored on a pick and roll before tweaking his ankle and coming out. 2 points in 1 minute because of injury but how about that per 36 am i right?
Super Mario: Okay, so Super Mario didn't show up until it was a blowout in the fourth quarter, but above average Mario did make appearances throughout the night. Hezonja seemed much more locked in and played more under control (not under control but improved) on this night. 15 points, 3 boards, 1 assist, 3 TOs (I repeat, I said improved) and 3 steals. The steals are my first focus here because Mario and Knox as the F's had length and mobility to be a nuisance in the passing lanes and they showed it. Hezonja was just getting after it and a ball he poked loose led to one of the nicer Burke/Hardaway fast breaks of the last two years. Offensively his one assist was an athletic drive where he jumped from distance, drew a big man and dropped a nice bounce pass to Vonleh...the hang time and distance covered was impressive. Hezonja is a really good momentum slasher when he gets space, period. He also found the three ball finally, knocking down 3/7 to really solidify his scoring production. Consistent focus on both ends will go a long way for this guy. His preseason highlights woulda gone well with "If I Only Had a Brain" playing in the background, but locked in Mario is a different story.
Vonleh: Last but most certainly not least, the Knicks replacement bully now that KOQ is in Indy. Noah Vonleh came on for Mitch and spent 16 minutes being too strong for anyone the Hawks put out there. 5/5 for 12 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists without a TO (queue the Oh Happy Day clip from Sister Act 2 fam). Vonleh didn't pick up an offensive foul at all and only picked up 1 defensive foul while being a real presence on that end. It was a near picture perfect second big man performance against a team that seemed to play a lot of SF's instead of any bigs for chunks of time. This dude's rebound rate was no fluke last year and he continues to be a really intriguing piece as long as the brain farts on screens don't show up.
Fizdale: After watching Hornacek and Fisher for these past few years, something special happened in the third quarter that is generic for fans of about any other team. The Hawks cut a formerly 20 point lead to 13 after consecutive three's and Fizdale called a time out...the Knicks returned and quickly ran that lead back up to 20. Yeah, it's been that bad for us Knicks fans. All jokes aside, Fizdale gave the fanbase a lot to appreciate. Frank led the team in minutes, Knox and Trier got mid-20's in minutes, and Mitch was the first big off the bench though his night was cut short. The youth played in legitimate rotation roles and got opportunities to impact the game. The blowout meant Fiz could keep everyone under 30 minutes besides Frank who needs those reps. Splitting up Trier and Burke saw both guys shoot up efficiency wise. Burke and Hardawary found their chemistry and Baker complimented Trier really well. The solid coaching decisions were buoyed by little moments of charisma like Fiz high fiving Frank after Knox finally got a basket.
