News Knicks Team Notes

[New York Knicks]

Knicks Bulletin: 'Club Tarrytown. 72 degrees and sunny every day'

Photo by Randy Belice/NBAE via Getty Images

Knicks. Bulls. MSG. No Michael Jordan but don't miss it!

The Knicks are back and so will soon be both OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson, according to the one and only Tom Thibodeau.

Life's about balance, however, so karma hit New York in the mouth with Josh Hart popping up on the injury report with an OUT designation for tonight's matchup against the Bulls at MSG. Sheesh.

Here’s what Coach Thibs and a few Knickerbockers had to say coming off the break and ahead of Thursday’s game.

Tom Thibodeau was asked if he got to use the All-Star break as a refresh pic.twitter.com/hH4oRRcWWh

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) February 19, 2025​

Tom Thibodeau

On Mitchell Robinson and OG Anunoby going through a full practice on Wednesday:

“Mitch was good, OG was good. So it was good to be back out there. [They] did everything.”

On Robinson’s potential return for Thursday’s game:

“I haven’t heard from medical yet, so we’ll see. But he looks good. He’s gotta get his timing (back), but overall, he moved pretty well… But it will take some time.”

On how Robinson’s return will affect the Knicks’ rotation:

“You have to anticipate that the game’s gonna be different so we’ll see where he is once he’s out there. He’ll need a little bit of time. But the things that he can bring, the hustle, the ability to see things early, play pick and roll, rim-protect, offensive rebound; those are things he’ll bring right off the bat.”

On adjusting to player availability throughout the season and finding positives on it:

“Whatever your circumstances are, you deal with them as best you can. We had guys out, so it was an opportunity for the new guys to get time together. So we tried to take advantage of it that way. Now that you have more depth, you take advantage of it the other way. You need everyone over the course of the season, so just get in there and get the job done.”

On OG Anunoby’s recovery:

“Yeah, I think the break was good for him. We’ll see how he responds tomorrow after practice today.”

On how and where he spent his All-Star break:

“It was perfect: Club Tarrytown. 72 [degrees] and sunny every day.”

"Thank the Lord, man"

Jalen Brunson says it was a "breath of fresh air" to be away from Josh Hart during the All-Star break pic.twitter.com/THJQltgF1y

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) February 19, 2025​

Jalen Brunson​

On the team’s chemistry and playoff push:

“It means a lot. Obviously after the break you want everyone to be ready to go. I’m excited to get down this stretch. I love this team a lot. I love everyone that’s a part of it and this organization. We all have one goal in mind and I’m really thankful.”

On Mitchell Robinson’s impact:

“Do you think he’s a difference-maker? Then, I think he’s a difference-maker.”

On Thibodeau spending his break at the Knicks’ training facility:

“I hope he knows he can be in the lab from home as well. This man has a very beautiful home office. Go stay there. And whatever I’ve told you guys, I’ve told him to his face.”

Karl-Anthony Towns was asked about Tom Thibodeau spending All Star Break in "Club Tarrytown"

"24/7 all-inclusive" pic.twitter.com/FRVcaoOjCy

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) February 19, 2025​

Karl-Anthony Towns​

On Robinson’s return and its impact on the team:

“We’ve done a great job of sustaining what we need to do and being where we need to be right now at this point in the season. The next-man-up mentality of the guys in the locker room has been great.

“To be able to get people — Mitch and everyone — back, it gives us a chance to hone in on our team as a whole.”

On the possibility of playing alongside Robinson:

“I remember being in Minnesota with three bigs.

“It’s great to have [Robinson] back and to have the firepower we have. It gives us versatility. It allows us to play against teams that have a two-big lineup, or teams that go small. We can adjust however we need to.”

On Tom Thibodeau’s evolution as a coach:

“Hell no (Thibs wasn't so locked into coaching a few years ago). Time has treated us all differently.

"For Thibs, I feel like he’s at a point where he’s just having fun. He’s really having fun with this. I know that from being a player and a friend of his. Just enjoying the process of being a coach.”

On Thibodeau’s hard-working mindset handling the Knicks:

“I think it’s a testament to growth for him and time. And a testament to players in this locker room and the coaching staff he has around him that allow him to appreciate the little things even more — and life more.”

Knicks are listing Mitchell Robinson (foot) as out and OG Anunoby (foot) as questionable for tomorrow vs CHI. Josh Hart (knee) is listed as out.

— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) February 19, 2025​

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...club-tarrytown-72-degrees-and-sunny-every-day

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks 113, Bulls 111 (OT): “MIKAL BRIDGES BLOCK”

Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Three Knicks log double-doubles and McBride scores a season-high to beat Josh Giddey’s 27 points and hold off the Bulls.

After an eight-day break that spanned the All-Star weekend, the New York Knicks (37-18) returned to action tonight, hosting the Chicago Bulls (22-34) at Madison Square Garden. Down two starters and rusty as an old jalopy, this was far from our heroes’ finest 53 minutes.

It took a 32-18 double-double from Karl-Anthony Towns, a 22-point, 12-assist double-double from Jalen Brunson, and a season-high 23 points from Deuce McBride, a redemptive fourth-quarter from Mikal Bridges (13 points, 10 rebounds), and five extra minutes of play, but the home team finally escaped with the win, 113-111.

Jaybugkit said it best: “MIKAL BRIDGES BLOCK.” If you turned off the game at the end of the third quarter, you wouldn’t believe it. Mikal had played like a wet dishrag for three frames but was merely saving his magnificence for a brilliant fourth quarter. His block on Nikola Vucevic under the basket with two seconds remaining saved the game and sent it to overtime. Read on for the clip below.

First Half​

Eh . . . not exactly an encouraging start. With OG Anunoby (toe) and Josh Hart (knee) sidelined, the Knicks rolled out a patched-together lineup featuring Miles “Deuce” McBride at shooting guard and Precious Achiuwa at power forward. Chicago wasted no time, jumping out to a 6-0 lead and forcing Tom Thibodeau to burn an emergency timeout just two minutes in.

From there, both teams proceeded to build a house of bricks. The Knicks hit just four of their first 15 shots—but fortunately for them, the Bulls were equally stinky. When Deuce drilled a trey with four minutes left in the quarter, the game was knotted at 15 apiece. With the Knicks short-handed, Landry Shamet and Ariel Hukporti also saw action in a truly ungraceful opening frame. By the buzzer, Chicago clung to a 21-19 edge.

PRECIOUS ACHIUWA STEAL AND SLAM pic.twitter.com/mYWHdZ46oE

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) February 21, 2025​

The second quarter saw a slight improvement. With Cameron Payne in the mix, the Knicks hit six of their first seven shots and began to carve out a lead. By halftime, after another clunky, funky stretch of basketball, New York held a 50-43 advantage.

What if the NBA introduced a rule where, after missing 15 more three-pointers than they made, a team would be docked a point for every additional brick? That might have spared us the agony of the first half, during which both teams combined to miss 39 three-pointers. Chalk it up to the proverbial All-Star break rust, I guess.

Despite losing the battle on the boards and in the paint, the Knicks kept their turnovers in check—just three to Chicago’s nine—and won the fast-break points battle, 13-4. Jalen Brunson led all scorers with 18, while Karl-Anthony Towns had snagged 12 of New York’s 31 rebounds (compensating for his 2-of-15 shooting from the field). For the visitors, Nikola Vucevic paced the Bulls with 14 points.

cap is leading all scorers on the floor with 18 points going into the half pic.twitter.com/v1rPFZkDRW

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) February 21, 2025​

Second Half​

New York came out of halftime with a little more control. Deuce swiped an inbound pass and set up Towns for a dunk, which is always exciting basketball! But Chicago quickly realized their best path to a comeback lay through the interior. By hammering the paint, they put together a 29-23 run to trim the deficit to one late in the quarter.

.@deucemcb11 is a PROBLEM pic.twitter.com/FuNPTNkAg6

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) February 21, 2025​

Not to be outmuscled, Towns exploited the outmatched Vooch and sank seven straight shots in the quarter. Karl was doing his part to keep his team competitive. The Knicks had just three of their regular starters in action, and two of them—Towns and Brunson—combined for over 40 points through three quarters. The third starter? Ouch. After shooting 2-of-10 with four points and two turnovers, Mikal Bridges faded into the wallpaper as the quarter wore on. No thanks to him, New York managed to hold onto a two-point lead after surrendering 38 points in the frame.

Telepathically, Mikal heard me type the previous paragraph. Lo-and-behold, he scored New York’s first three buckets of the fourth quarter, quickly adding six points to his total. The good vibes were short-lived, though. When Josh Giddey swished a triple with seven minutes to go, Chicago had tied the game; soon after, two free-throws from Julian Phillips gave them their first lead since the second quarter.

Who but Bridges put the Knicks back on top with a long-ball. It was a rare make in a sea of misses, as each team struggled to put the round thing into the net. Mine eyes might never recover. With a little over two remaining, it was Bridges again on his redemption tour, driving into the paint and hitting Deuce in the corner to assist on the go-ahead three.

That thoroughly-shampooed and conditioned Australian, Giddey, was feeling his oats in the fourth, though. He answered with a three-pointer, and then so did Vooch. Down by two with 30 seconds left, Captain Brunson razzle-dazzled a 15-footer to tie the game at 104. Chicago had their shot when Lonzo Ball was left all alone for a straight-on three-pointer, but he bricked yet again. Then, with two seconds remaining and possession, they inbounded the ball to Vooch under the rim—and Bridges blocked him to send it to overtime! The Bridges redemption tour was complete!

WHAT A BLOCK 'KAL

we're headed to OT pic.twitter.com/iqQ6lyMfhi

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) February 21, 2025​

In the fifth quarter, Chicago scored first, but Deuce eclipsed his season-high for points to get the Knicks started on a 9-0 run. The Bulls came close, with a 5-0 run of their own, but the clock expired just in time. Two straight overtime wins for New York!

Up Next​

Gas up the jet and pack the swords. Our heroes are bound for Cleveland to face the Cavaliers tomorrow night in what ought to be (should be, could be) a thriller. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.

Box Score

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/2025/2/20/24369711/knicks-113-bulls-111-ot-mikal-bridges-block

 

[New York Knicks]

Game Preview: Knicks at Cavaliers, February 20, 2025

Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images

To be the best, you gotta beat the best.

We’re officially on the other end of the All-Star break, and it’s full speed ahead for the New York Knicks.

Last night, sans Josh Hart and OG Anunoby, the Knicks hosted the Chicago Bulls. Despite the absences, New York was able to claw their way to a win, starting off the back half of the season on a strong note. Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson led the way (as per usual), with KAT posting 32 points and 18 rebounds and JB connecting on 12 assists. Deuce McBride knocked down five threes in his first start of the year. And Mikal Bridges made an incredible defensive stand to force the game to overtime, where the Knicks would eventually pull out the victory.

HUGE MIKAL BRIDGES BLOCK TO FORCE OT pic.twitter.com/Q3JqY4pL0i

— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2025​

Their reward for last night? A trip to Cleveland, the top team in the NBA, on the second end of a back-to-back.

The Cavaliers are 45-10 this season, and only improved their roster at the trade deadline. This is far from the squad New York took care of in the 2023 postseason. Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell mean business in the backcourt, and Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are one of the best defensive frontcourts in the NBA. Last night, they took care of the Nets in Brooklyn, 110-97, and have now won nine of their last ten games. They’re 25-4 at home this season. Gulp.

On the injury front, both Josh Hart and OG Anunoby are considered questionable, with Mitchell Robinson still officially out as he ramps up to playing speed after rehabbing his ankle injury.

Hart has been battling ‘patellofemoral syndrome in the right knee’, and is probably a game time decision headed into tonight. Here’s what Ian Begley said about him last night:

On Josh Hart, Tom Thibodeau described his knee injury as 'soreness.' Thibodeau said Hart was able to practice in Knicks' first practice after the All Star break but could not participate in their 2nd practice. Hart's official injury is patellofemoral syndrome in the right knee

— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) February 20, 2025​

Meanwhile, OG is also a GTD as he comes back from a foot injury that has kept him out the entire month of February.

Either of the two taking the floor tonight would be more than welcome, given that five Knicks played at least 38 minutes in last night’s overtime battle (Achiuwa, Bridges, Towns, McBride, Brunson).

Prediction

I hate to be that guy, but not only are the Cavaliers unbelievable, they’re healthy.

While both teams are on game two of a back-to-back, the Knicks ran a tight rotation deep into an overtime battle. They’re possibly down two of their most impactful players. The Cavs are…not. Not a single player played more than 30 minutes in their win last night at Brooklyn.

Tonight, let’s hope that the wheels don’t fall off and the Knicks can make the final score look respectable. But If Brunson and Towns aren’t both in perfect form right out of the gates, look for Cleveland to take care of business easily. It kills me to say it, and I hope I’m wrong, but it would take a hell of an inspired effort for the Knicks to keep it close down the stretch. The Cavs should take care of business at home against a banged-up, tired New York squad.

Game Details

Date: Thursday, February 21st, 2025

Time: 7:00 PM ET

Venue: Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH

TV Broadcast: ESPN

Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...-preview-knicks-at-cavaliers-february-20-2025

 

[New York Knicks]

Cavaliers 142, Knicks 105: Scenes from falling on Cleveland’s sword

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

Short-handed Knicks are no match for the Ohio Players

The odds were against the New York Knicks (37-19) tonight at the Rocket Arena. The Cleveland Cavaliers (46-10) had lost only four home games this season. Both teams were playing on the second night of a back-to-back, both having won games in New York City yesterday (Cavs at Barclays, Knicks at MSG). The Knicks were short-handed again, with Josh Hart sitting out a second game and Mitchell Robinson in street clothes. Sure, OG Anunoby returned after missing six with a toe/foot issue, but the sledding was bound to be tough against a healthy, league-leading Cavs team. And so it was. Final score, 142-105.

New York had their chances early. Jalen Brunson came out firing, scoring the Knicks’ first nine points and 16 of their 29 in the quarter. We cheered when rookie Ariel Hukporti checked in midway through the quarter, swatted down Jarrett Allen at the rim, and came away with the ball. But the highlights were few, and flimsy interior defense let Cleveland feast—26 of their 41 first-quarter points came in the paint.

Surrendering 41 on 74% shooting to start the contest? That never bodes well. Here’s Huk.

ARIEL HUKPORTI O TO D pic.twitter.com/kNTl2KJroJ

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) February 22, 2025​

In the second quarter, Brunson added nothing to his total, and New York stacked up the bricks while the Ohio Players piled on the points. Donovan Mitchell scored 24 on 9-of-11 in the half, leading his squad to a 77-50 lead at intermission. Against the league’s best team, every mistake hurts. New York’s nine first-half turnovers cost them 14 points. Also not helpful? Making 4-of-13 from deep while your opponent hits 8-of-15.

SPIDA DOING WHAT SPIDA DOES. ️@spidadmitchell | #LetEmKnow https://t.co/7tsG5jGRVD pic.twitter.com/gUoO43T2pz

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) February 22, 2025​

After halftime, the home team went up by 33. Unable to get stops, the best the Knicks could do was trade buckets—and they did little of that, too. The score was 110-79 heading into the fourth, and in such a godforsaken hole, Thibs pulled the starters. New York native Ty Jerome hit two threes; the Knicks fell behind by their biggest deficit of the season, 41 points; and I went back to reading Denis Johnson’s Train Dreams. Great book. Terrible game.

When they ask what’s different about this Knicks matchup this year. pic.twitter.com/bNoc2jHzm1

— RealCavsFans.com (@realcavsfans) February 22, 2025​

Up Next​

For you, Professor has a proper recap on the way. For the Knicks, it’s a trip to Beantown to face the Boston Celtics in a Sunday matinee. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.

Box Score

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...s-105-scenes-from-falling-on-clevelands-sword

 

[New York Knicks]

Cavaliers 142, Knicks 105: “Cavs are really damn good”

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Lost the fight? Get up. Fight’s nowhere near over.

Unless you’re a bigot or a sadist, the news of late can seem pretty depressing. If you zero in too much on today, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that there was a time before now, just as surely as there’s time yet to come. That’s what they count on when they enshittify: that we’re all prisoners of the moment, willing to surrender to it. We’re not.

The Knicks news hasn’t been great the past few weeks, either. OG Anunoby sprained his foot before the All-Star break. Josh Hart has missed both games since the entr’acte with jumper’s knee. Sometimes it seems David Wright, who retired nine years ago, is closer to returning to the Mets than Mitchell Robinson is to the Knicks. And then there’s the boogeyman that’s haunted them since this otherwise successful season kicked off: whenever New York steps in the ring with a heavyweight, they come out looking like featherweights.

Last night’s 142-105 capitulation in Cleveland — and it wasn’t even that close — was the kind of game that threatens to derail all your equilibrium as a fan, to make you throw up your hands and say “Forget 2024-25! Time to reassess for next year.” To which I say nay, loves. Last night hurt, for sure. The Knicks had a chance to change one of the narratives around them and instead reinforced it with titanium bolts. But just like with the “real” world outside of sports, it’s not just important to avoid being a prisoner of the moment — it’s imperative to anyone who believes in tomorrow being better than today. In that vein, a few attempts at consolation.

First of all, we didn’t learn anything new last night! The Knicks came into the contest eight games behind the Cavs in the East, about as far as the Pistons are from the Knicks. If the Knicks beat the Pistons by 30, would it impact your view of either team’s season so far? Doubtful. Cleveland is on pace to win 67 games; they’d be just the 13th team in league history to win that many and the first since the Warriors added Kevin Durant. ESPN’s broadcast shared a graphic showing the Knick starters lead the league in minutes played, while the Cavs rank 28th. A half-dozen Cavs who were there when Donovan Mitchell arrived three years ago are still there. The only currently active Knick who was on the team when Jalen Brunson arrived that same year is Deuce McBride. The Cavs are deeper. The Cavs are more familiar with one another. The Knicks are hanging on till game 83, where they hope they can outsprint their opponents. The Cavs are built for the 82-game marathon. They should be ahead of the Knicks at this point. Quoth RJParrot: “Cavs are really damn good.”

Hart and Mitch will never be All-Stars. They’re not quite irreplaceable cornerstones como Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, but they’re physical players who impact the game on both ends, and while politically 2023 may feel like a thousand years ago, basketball-wise it’s not all that long ago. Two years ago in the playoffs, in a series featuring at least five players who were or would become All-Stars, the best player on the floor was Mitchell Robinson. Last night in the first half, Towns shot 9-of-13 while Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley combined to shoot 10-of-12. Precious Achiuwa missed all six of his looks. It’s not quite as simple as that, but it kinda is. Anunoby returned for his first action since the first of the month and looked it.

These Knicks aren’t built to survive the absence of three starters. Few teams are — just a year ago, every Cav starter besides Allen missed double-digit games. They won 20 fewer games than their pace this season. Health matters. So does where you fight your fight. If these teams meet in May, will Dean Wade still be playing 20-25 minutes? Sam Merrill? Landry Shamet? Ariel Hukporti? In many ways, last night’s matchup is an endangered species, one we’re unlikely to see again — ever. At least not in any game between these two that counts. A more physical Knick team in the more physical postseason environment is an entirely different opponent.

Hateful people want to weaponize the government into a vast pain-spreading machine. But today isn’t tomorrow. There are still judges committed to the spirit of justice. Every day there are people reaching out to help neighbors, strangers, fellow humans. Tomorrow has yet to be written, even while today’s emperors parade around in no clothes insisting the fragile golf pencils they scratch at the world with are writing in ink. The Cavs can win 72 games this year and finish 20 up on the Knicks, and if they meet in May that and $2.90 gets them a Metro pass.

The Knicks have built a title-worthy starting lineup in the past 13 months. Compare: KAT, OG, Hart, Bridges and Brunson to Isaiah Hartenstein, Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, Donte DiVincenzo and Brunson. They may not have the depth to go all the way, but it’s difficult if not impossible to win all your battles in one offseason. Just like the “real” world of the moment: wars aren’t waged or won all at once. If you lose today, don’t lose the lesson. And don’t lose sight of tomorrow — they’re counting on you throwing your hands up and giving in. Fight today, endure today, repeat both tomorrow. As it so happens, the Knicks’ next game is tomorrow in Boston, another statement game. If they get blown out again, everything I wrote today still applies. And if they win? Sam said it best: “It’s been a long time coming, but I know a change gone come.”

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...iers-142-knicks-105-cavs-are-really-damn-good

 

[New York Knicks]

P&T Interview: Walter McCarty, Part 3

Getty/Antonio Losada

From the big screen to Beantown.

This is the conclusion of our interview series (check Part 1 and Part 2) with Walter McCarty, where we explore his eight-year career with the Boston Celtics and how he became one of the franchise’s all-time fan favorites. Plus, we catch up with McCarty to see where life has taken him since his playing days.

---

In the summer of 1997, Spike Lee set out to bring the story of Jesus Shuttlesworth to life, a high school basketball phenom from Coney Island, played by Ray Allen, who faces the biggest decision of his young career: choosing which path he is going to go following graduation. As he weighs his options, which include the millions of dollars in front of him to declare for the NBA draft, he also must navigate through life with the emotional toll of his mother’s death, his father’s incarceration, and the relentless swarm of opportunists eager to profit from his future success.

To enhance the authenticity of the basketball scenes, Lee cast several NBA players who could convincingly portray high school athletes, including Walter McCarty.

“During my rookie season, every time I saw Spike Lee in the lay-up lines I would mess around with him ‘Spike put me in a movie’. I would yell every time I saw him, ‘Spike, when are you going to put me in a movie?’ I would say that every time I saw him in a joking manner.”

All jokes aside, McCarty vividly recalls receiving a call from his agent during the summer of 1997, informing him that Spike Lee wanted him to audition for his latest project. “I actually read for Jesus Shuttlesworth’s part.” McCarty recalled, “Spike had gotten everybody an acting coach. I remember (my acting coach) getting me into character by making it a point to remind me that I couldn’t stand my father. She made it imperative for me to remain in character and remind me that I hated his guts.”

As McCarty arrived for his audition at Lee’s 40 Acres and a Mule studio he noticed a black limo sitting outside but didn’t pay much more attention to it.

“I walked into the studio, and my acting coach calls me into the room and points me in the direction to sit down next to this random guy wearing sunglasses, a baseball hat and dreadlocks. We just start talking and shooting the shit, and after about five minutes I realize it’s Denzel Washington. He was in there fully incognito with dreads, sunglasses, and we’re talking basketball.” McCarty laughed, “My acting coach comes out from around the corner screaming at the top of her lungs ‘Get away from him! You hate him. You can’t stand him. He killed your mother.’ But she is screaming so loud, and I am feeling so embarrassed. I’m thinking to myself like, holy shit! And I look at him, he just laughs and says don’t worry, I understand.’”

McCarty’s audition impressed enough to earn him the role of Mance Littles, the starting big man for the Lincoln High Railsplitters, a powerhouse program ranked as the best team in the nation, led by the best player in the nation, Jesus Shuttlesworth. As Travis Best’s character Sip Rodgers put it best, nobody was f***** with them.

After filming wrapped, it was time for McCarty and the Knicks to get back to work and prepare for the 1997-98 season in Charleston, South Carolina. Working through training camp, and the entire preseason McCarty was amped to begin his sophomore year for the Knicks and making a bigger impact.

As the team was set to play their final preseason game against Boston, McCarty remembers receiving a phone call from Jeff Van Gundy in his hotel room an hour prior to boarding the team bus for the final preseason game. “I answered the phone, which I never do unless it was someone from the Knicks calling... and it was Jeff Van Gundy. He sounded upset and disappointed and said to me that he was sorry, and he really enjoyed coaching me, but the team made a trade today with the Boston Celtics.”

Shocked by the news, McCarty walked into his hotel room as a Knick and walked out as a Celtic as he made his way to the Boston Garden for the game. “I never went back to New York. I had my friends pack my stuff, and I stayed there.”

The trade was bittersweet for McCarty. While he loved New York, it reunited him with his former Kentucky teammate and close friend, Antoine Walker, as well as his college coach, Rick Pitino. “It was just like being back in college”, McCarty recalled. “We had a lot of special moments.” The move also gave McCarty the chance to join a younger team and take on a larger role as an immediate starter.

Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images

With a new team and a new role as the starting small forward, McCarty saw his playing time increase significantly, appearing in all 82 games, more than double his rookie total, while starting 64. He averaged a career-high 9.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in 28.5 minutes per contest.

McCarty quickly felt at home in Boston and became an instant fan favorite at the Garden, including with legendary Celtics play-by-play announcer Tommy Heinsohn. Heinsohn developed a signature catchphrase filled with affection for McCarty, famously declaring, “I love Waltahh!” after every big play in the trenches that he made for the Celtics.

“Playing for an organization that is one of the best organizations ever. I truly loved being there.”

McCarty went on to enjoy an eight-year career with the Celtics, appearing in a total of 494 games for the C’s, and to this day remains one of the Celtic’s all-time fan-favorite players.

As the Celtics went into a mini rebuild mode in 2004, McCarty approached Celtics GM Danny Ainge about his desire to finish out his career with a winning team. “I always told myself that I wanted to play ten years, and then I am done.” After their conversation, Ainge made it a priority to grant McCarty’s wish, ultimately finding a suitor in the Phoenix Suns, where he joined forces with Steve Nash, Amar’e Stoudemire, and Shawn Marion.

“They were fun guys, and good guys to be around. McCarty said. “Similar to the Knicks situation, I thought we should have made it to the Finals.” The Suns put together a dominant regular season, finishing with a 62-20 record and securing the top spot in the Pacific Division. However, their championship aspirations suffered a devastating blow when Joe Johnson sustained a freak injury, falling hard on a layup attempt and breaking his nose. “He was our Tony Parker stopper... but once he got hurt it took our scoring and our best defender off the court... once that happened, Joe was not the same Joe, and it just hurt us.”

Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images

In his final NBA season, McCarty joined the Los Angeles Clippers alongside Elton Brand, Corey Maggette, Cuttino Mobley, and Sam Cassell. However, his campaign was derailed by a freak injury suffered in practice, requiring 20 stitches to his thumb. As a result, McCarty was limited to just 36 games in his final year.

When McCarty retired in 2006, he fulfilled his goal of playing 10 seasons in the NBA. Though he had the opportunity to continue his career, he chose to stay true to his plan and pursue other passions, including singing, color commentating, and coaching.

McCarty’s career came full circle when he received a call from his former college and Celtics head coach Rick Pitino who offered him a coaching opportunity at Louisville. That conversation set him on a new path, one that has flourished for 15 years, including eight seasons as an assistant in the NBA with the Pacers and Celtics.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, McCarty took his coaching talents overseas, landing a role with Ostioneros de Guaymas. After his 2022 stint with Guaymas, he was offered the head coaching position for Rayos de Hermosillo in 2023, where he immediately made an impact, guiding the team to the CIBACOPA Finals. “I love teaching, coaching, and developing. I don’t think you get to do that in the NBA... there just isn’t any development anymore with the coaching staff.”

In December 2024, McCarty solidified his legacy as a head coach on the international stage, by leading Rayos de Hermosillo to a championship victory. His strategic prowess and leadership didn’t go unnoticed, as he was honored with the Coach of the Year award.

Today, Walter McCarty is diligently preparing for the upcoming season as Head Coach of Ostioneros de Guaymas, the very team where his overseas coaching career initially began as he seeks to add another championship to his coaching resume’.

Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/2025/2/22/24369970/p-t-interview-walter-mccarty-part-3

 

[New York Knicks]

Game Thread: Knicks at Celtics, February 23

Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

They have to beat one of these top teams eventually. . . .

To start the weekend, the New York Knicks (37-19) endured a one-two punch of an overtime squeaker versus Chicago and a boot-to-the-face beatdown in Cleveland. Lucky them, they get to round out their weekend with an early game in Boston to face the Celtics (40-16).

Game time is 1 p.m. EST on ABC and MSG. This is your game thread. This is CelticsBlog. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Be kind to one another, but don’t get too handsy. And go Knickerbockers!

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/2025/2/23/24370489/game-thread-knicks-at-celtics-february-23

 

[New York Knicks]

Celtics 118, Knicks 105: “This is an interesting season.”

Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

The Knicks trimmed a 27-point lead to 4 in the fourth quarter, but when the dust settled, they fell to 0-7 vs the NBA’s elite.

Well, it’s Groundhog Day... again.

In a Sunday matinee, the Knicks played the Celtics. The Celtics barraged the Knicks early and jumped out to a massive lead. The Knicks made a push, but was countered by a similar barrage that put the game away for Boston and made it look lopsided.

Does this sound familiar? We did this in the Garden earlier this month. If you delete most of that last sentence, we did this in October, as well.

The anticipation for this game was probably the lowest for any game the Knicks have played in a while. Coming off of a 37-point evisceration in Cleveland (their largest loss since Fizdale roamed the sidelines), the Knicks had to go to TD Garden to play a Celtics team that had lapped them twice already this season. While the previous meetings vs contenders had excitement entering with hopes of a season-defining win, today’s result was kinda expected.

As Muruju put it in the game thread, “this is an interesting season.”

The Knicks are now 0-7 against the three teams in the NBA with a winning percentage north of .700. As embarrassing as it sounds, this game, one in which they trailed by 27 in the third quarter, was the third most competitive of the seven.

In the season opener in Beantown, the Knicks were crushed under an avalanche of 3-pointers. If not for a comedic finish, the all-time 3s record would’ve been set.

Also in October, the Knicks played a competitive game with a Cavaliers team that was not yet considered the cream of the crop. After taking a double-digit lead in the third quarter, the Knicks’ new core struggled to gel and Cleveland stormed back behind 34 from Darius Garland in a game where KAT fouled out.

In January, the Knicks took a double-digit lead into halftime against the OKC Thunder, only for it to collapse behind terrible perimeter defense in the second half.

Later that month, OKC destroyed the Knicks from the opening tip in MSG while I was flying home from my trip to the Orange Bowl.

Earlier this month, with OG out, the Celtics’ offense erupted in MSG behind Jayson Tatum’s 40 in another blowout.

And lastly, on Friday, the Knicks struggled mightily in a rematch with a very confident and motivated Cavs team. The less said, the better.

It’s so odd. The Knicks are so, so far behind the top 3. This is the best Knicks team in the new millennium (not counting last January), but this is the least competitive they’ve ever been against the big dogs. Remember when a plucky underdog Knicks team walked into Boston and won in double overtime two years ago without Brunson?

Alright, enough about the past. Let’s talk about this game.

First Quarter​

Good news: The Knicks led in this game. They didn’t last time these two met.

Bad news: It was for 21 seconds.

First off, Josh Hart and OG Anunoby both played. This meant we didn’t have 40 minutes of Precious Achiuwa spacing. It didn’t matter.

After Anunoby made a 3 to take a 3-2 lead and Kristaps Porzingis (playing NYK for the first time this season) responded with his own, the Celtics never looked back. It was 13-3 in an eyeblink.

The story of the first quarter wasn’t a barrage of triples, but bad Knicks offense into transition Celtics offense. On a notable sequence, Brunson, guarded by Jrue Holiday, bricked a 3. Holiday then sprinted down the floor and caught an outlet pass for a wide open layup. This happened several times.

After one, the Celtics led 38-19. The Knicks shot 31% and went 2-for-9 from 3. Ouch.

Second Quarter​

More of the same.

Cameron Payne went on a signature heater to open the quarter, cutting the lead to 14 on a personal 7-2 run. Boston only scored two points in the first 3:36 of the quarter, but the Knicks couldn’t make a serious dent. Landry Shamet came off the bench and hit a pair of threes. The closest NYK got was eleven before Jayson Tatum came back in and did Jayson Tatum things.

An issue that arose in the second and continued was the size disparity. Even while healthy, the Knicks are very small. Boston played most of the game with two of their three seven-footers (Porzingis, Al Horford, OAKAAK Luke Kornet) on the court. The Knicks have one guy taller than 6’8” healthy. Boston had five offensive rebounds in the quarter.

The Knicks’ offense was stuck in neutral, but had a chance to go into half down by just 16.

KAT missed two bunnies at the rim and then got caught in drop coverage. Jayson Tatum then pushed the lead to 21. Down 64-43 into the break.

TATUM'S REACTION AFTER THIS 3 pic.twitter.com/7sAaAzN0A3

— NBA (@NBA) February 23, 2025​

Third Quarter​

The start of the quarter was pretty typical.

After cutting it to 16, the Jays took over for Boston and grilled the Knicks to a 13-2 run. The lead had ballooned to 27. It was an absolute asskicking.

However, just like last meeting, the Knicks found something in the third quarter.

Led by KAT figuring it out and a typical Brunson takeover, the Knicks slowly crept closer. The All-Star duo combined for just 12 in the first half but had 29 in the quarter.

cap COOKED in the 3Q with 15 PTS ‍ pic.twitter.com/5pZStaJsVK

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) February 23, 2025​

Boston’s offense stalled due to improved effort defensively, although they also missed some open ones. When Towns converted a layup with 2:35 to go in the quarter, the lead was single digits. Joe Mazzulla was very late on calling a timeout during this run, opting to let his guys figure it out.

Boston appeared to punch back several times. A Payton Pritchard three and Kornet alley-oop tried to stunt the momentum, but an and-1 by Hart and back-to-back Brunson triples cut the lead to seven. A 32-12 run to end the quarter. The promise of the Knicks’ offense showed, shooting 60% from the field and 6-for-9 from 3.

Fourth Quarter​

The momentum shockingly continued into the fourth. After a McBride block, Towns sank a triple to cut the lead to four with eleven minutes to go.

denial by deuce then perfect aim for KAT ️ pic.twitter.com/Vx4HdGqJEv

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) February 23, 2025​

However, on the very next possession, the momentum permanently shifted back with this one play:

Derrick White is an unbelievable nuisance. This is a great defensive possession by the Knicks (especialy Hart and Anunoby) that ends in a contested White 3 on the wing. White is 15-for-23 from 3 against the Knicks this season and honestly, that feels low. Just jarring how much of a pest he is.

Although the Knicks responded with a bucket, this White 3 was the end of the emphatic comeback. When you play Boston, you can’t expect them to go from destroying you to laying down and dying. It’s always a matter of time before this uber-talented team figures it out and that is what happened.

Another White 3 pushed it to 8. After a Bridges layup, Boston pulled away.

Holiday layup, Porzingis alley-oop, Brown fastbreak layup, Brown putback layup, Brown fastbreak layup.

When the dust cleared, Boston was up 16.

After all of that, Boston was up 16.

A scary moment came during that run, as Karl-Anthony Towns came up gimpy after trying to poster the ex-Knick Porzingis. He would return to the game.

Kristaps Porzingis throws down the alley-oop on one end, then stuffs KAT's dunk attempt on the other pic.twitter.com/tVIUyCUOP4

— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) February 23, 2025​

Yet another Derrick White three pushed the lead to 21 in the final two minutes. An 8-0 run by Mikal Bridges made it the final score.

A frantic 35-12 run by the Knicks over nine minutes got them back into the game. Unfortunately, over the other 39 minutes, they were outscored 106-70.

Notable Numbers​

KAT’s first two meetings combined against Boston: 21 points and 16 rebounds on 8-for-17 FG and 3-for-4 from 3.

KAT today: 24 points and 18 rebounds on 9-for-20 FG and 3-for-4 3PT

His defense was just as terrible, but he was better overall offensively. After a dreadful start (just like vs Chicago), he finished only -1 and went 7-for-11 in the second half.

Boston attempted 61 threes in the first meeting, but have only attempted 39 and 44 in the two since. Their 38.6 3pt% today was their worst against the Knicks this season.

Josh Hart missed two games with runner’s knee. He responds with 20-11-9 in 40 minutes.

Mikal Bridges was a team-worst -22. He had six points in the first 46 game minutes. He had one rebound and no assists. No bueno.

An overall bad game for Deuce McBride (2 points on 1-7 FG in 27 minutes) but when he subbed in for Bridges with the starters, the Knicks thrived:

• In 12 minutes today, the four-man lineup of Brunson-McBride-Hart-Anunoby had a +14.3 net rating.
• In 134 minutes prior to this game, that lineup has a +12.8 net rating.
• The top three and seven of the top ten lineups with 100+ minutes for the Knicks involve Deuce McBride.

Up Next​

The Knicks get a small reprieve with a pair of days off before they square off with the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden on the 26th. Joel Embiid’s status is murky, as always. Could Mitchell Robinson return? Find out Wednesday at 7:00 PM on ESPN.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...-118-knicks-105-this-is-an-interesting-season

 

[New York Knicks]

Former Knicks broadcaster Al Trautwig passes away

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

After being dominated by the Cavaliers, and Celtics in back-to-back games, Knicks fans were already in a somber mood. But things took a turn for the worse when on Monday, it was announced that former Knicks broadcaster, Al Trautwig had passed away at just 68 years old after battling an undisclosed form of cancer. While many now associate the Knicks’ excellent broadcast with Mike Breen, and Walt “Clyde” Frazier, two legends in their own right, many fans grew up listening to Trautwig on MSG. Despite the Knicks having some less than stellar years back then, Trautwig, through his recognizably deep voice, and passion for sports, always made Knicks game a pleasure to watch and listen to.

In a statement provided to The Post, MSG stated, “MSG Networks is truly saddened by the news of Al Trautwig’s passing,” the network said in a statement provided to The Post. “Al was a staple on MSG Networks’ Knicks, Rangers and Yankees coverage for more than 30 years, and his passion for the teams he covered was undeniable. He leaves behind one of the great legacies in New York sports broadcasting history. Our thoughts and prayers are with Al’s family and friends.”

The saddening news shocked many, and social media was flooded with posts by fans, content creators, former co-workers, and those in the industry, talking about not only how great he was at his craft, but just how great of a human being he was. Below are a few of those posts.

I’m sad to share the news that we lost a legendary voice in sports. But we lost a lot more than that.

He was not only a friend, but a mentor and a teacher. He was, personally, one of my biggest resources of support when I moved into this career.

Rest in peace, @AlTrautwig. pic.twitter.com/E1z3pxS2gm

— Alan Hahn (@alanhahn) February 24, 2025​

For years, the first voice you’d hear on a Knicks broadcast on MSG was Al Trautwig. I grew up listening to and watching Al. Not only was he excellent at his job, but his presence is forever linked to some of the best basketball in the franchise’s history.

RIP AL. https://t.co/IyFKa8J3fb pic.twitter.com/52I5YLniSD

— DJ Zullo (@DJAceNBA) February 24, 2025​

I have been blessed to work with some amazing broadcasters but there was no one better than Al Trautwig. He was meant to be on the air. Smooth. Unflappable. Al patiently walked a young writer through growing pains on TV. His lessons were invaluable. He was part of the soundtrack… https://t.co/qlgHnp2KO6

— Michael Kay (@RealMichaelKay) February 24, 2025​

It’s been a sad few months losing some of the great people I worked w at @MSGNetworks. Al Trautwig’s influence, lessons & advice were unmatched. “Why are you
U writing so much? Bullet point facts, stats & just speak of what you know. Don’t memorize. TALK to fans watching”. RIP pic.twitter.com/m5r8P6mGFu

— Tina Cervasio (@TinaCervasio) February 24, 2025​

So terribly sad to hear of the passing of Al Trautwig. During my years broadcasting Islander games, whenever we brought in a new host/sideline reporter, if I was asked for advice I would simply say, “Just watch Al Trautwig”. The best to ever do it. RIP.

— Howie Rose (@HowieRose) February 24, 2025​

The best compliment you can pay someone in this business is this: He/she makes a difficult job look easy. That was Al Trautwig. When Al warmly welcomed me to the MSG Network family years ago, it meant the world me. And he was always there when you needed him. RIP. https://t.co/vHvjvgKQM3

— Steve Cangialosi (@CangyApple) February 24, 2025​

Al Trautwig -- great broadcaster, greater guy, and just a credit to the profession in every way. https://t.co/CEadHnSTde

— Ian O'Connor (@Ian_OConnor) February 24, 2025​

As you can see, Trautwig touched many lives with his work. And whether it was the Rangers, Yankees, or Knicks, Trautwig’s voice remains an integral part of a lot of fans and their memories of their favorite teams. While nothing has been announced by MSG, or the Knicks, it’s probably safe to assume that MSG will honor the beloved and respected broadcaster when the Knicks play against the Sixers on Wednesday.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...er-knicks-broadcaster-al-trautwig-passes-away

 

[New York Knicks]

The Knicks’ only path to contention: unleash the offense

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

New York must maximize its talent for a championship-worthy attack—or find a coach who can.

The Knicks have a choice. They can lean into what they do best—scoring—or they can keep clinging to a defensive identity that isn’t maximizing their potential. Right now, they’re stuck in the middle, ineffectively trying to improve defense and rebounding at the expense of what should be an elite offense.

It is untrue that a team need’s elite defense to contend. The baseline level of defense required to win is lower than people think, and the better your offense, the lower that threshold becomes. A top-3 offense and a top-15 defense? That should get you within sniffing distance of the Larry O’Brien trophy.

The Knicks’ starters struggle against elite teams. Offensively, they lack direction. Defensively, they lack answers. The net ratings are ugly, and the group often looks like it doesn’t know what it wants to do—or how to do it. The Knicks are not in the same stratosphere as the Celtics, Cavaliers, or Thunder. The average margin of defeat against these teams makes that painfully clear. Star power wins in the NBA, and the Knicks don’t have enough of it.

The Knicks didn’t trade for Karl-Anthony Towns to grind out overtime wins against Chicago-type teams. Pairing him with Jalen Brunson is supposed to result in an offensive juggernaut. Especially when you already have OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, and Deuce McBride—guys who can hold their own defensively.

If the Knicks truly believe the only path to a championship is through a suffocating defense, then they made a mistake trading for KAT. They should have waited for a superstar who fits that description. Maybe someone who likes dolmades and lives in Milwaukee?

Instead, they’re forcing Precious Achiuwa into the lineup like a square peg in a round hole. Every time he plays heavy minutes alongside non-shooters, the offense bogs down. When he catches the ball outside the arc, the opponent’s defense knows he’s no threat, and they don’t need to hedge or abandon their assignment to wave a hand in his face. Every time he plays at power forward against a real opponent, he gets exploited. Yet, here we are.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau has his strengths, but his decision-making is under scrutiny today for good reason. Re-inserting Karl-Anthony Towns when the Knicks were down 18 with four minutes left in yesterday’s laugher? Questionable at best, reckless at worst. The win-at-all-costs mentality made sense when the Knicks were scrapping for relevance. Now, it’s fair to ask whether it’s holding them back.

Watch them against elite teams, and you’ll see it: they lose 50/50 balls, play too cautiously, and look half-defeated before the game even reaches crunch time. Knicks teams under Thibs are supposed to play harder than everyone else, but that ethos disappears against elite opponents. They look unprepared, unsure, and unable to execute. That’s a mindset issue. And it’s not a winning mindset.

If Thibs intends to keep his job and the Knicks plan to make any noise in the postseason, they need to maximize the team’s offensive potential. Deuce McBride should be playing with the starters. You can argue that he is too small to regularly pair with Jalen Brunson—a guard of a similar stature—but he maximizes his arm length and athleticism to play taller than he is. He’s one of the Knicks’ five best players and fits the unit like a glove. To ignore him until injuries force a change is simply another example of coaching malpractice.

Help is on the way in the form of Mitchell Robinson. He has been an elite offensive rebounder and rim protector. If he is in shape and can stay healthy, maybe he will be again. We’ll see what happens when he is paired with KAT for meaningful minutes. It could prove limiting to the offense, or it could lead to more second-chance opportunities.

Maybe it works with this assortment of players and this particular coach. Maybe it doesn’t. But here’s the problem: we haven’t even seen the best version of this team yet. Their much lauded offense has barely shot 35% from downtown over the past 10 games, making about 11 treys per night. OG Anunoby has not risen to the offensive level we had hoped for before the season; Mikal Bridges has moments of impressive bucketing ability, followed by overlong quiet spells. Neither player had much presence in yesterday’s 118-105 loss to Boston—which was an uglier affair than the score suggests.

Boston was ahead by 27 at one point and although the Knicks were able to claw within five points in the fourth quarter, the home team’s lead was never in danger. Check the stat sheet and you’ll see that Boston made just three more three-pointers than New York, committed one more turnover, and both teams were perfect 11-of-11 from the charity stripe. However, they outrebounded the Knicks by nine, including 12 offensive boards to New York’s seven. It’s hard to believe the ‘Bockers would not have fared better with Mitch playing instead of Precious.

In the latest loss to Boston–the third of the season–Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby combined to log 4-of-12 from downtown, 24 points, and an astounding two rebounds in their 63 minutes of play. Maybe having Mitchell Robinson back will lighten their defensive loads a bit and allow them to focus a little more on the offensive side of the court. Maybe he’ll kick out their misses for a second shot that goes in. Here’s hoping.

The Knicks still might not have enough to succeed in the postseason. Boston and OKC are elite on both ends. Cleveland is a problem. But the Knicks haven’t maximized themselves, so how do we even know?

Here’s what we do know: Thibs refuses to consistently play his best offensive lineup. The Knicks sacrifice offensive firepower in the name of defense, but their defense still isn’t elite; and the best teams in the league have too much talent. As we saw with Cleveland and Boston this weekend, you have to outgun them.

The Knicks need a clearer vision. If they’re going to win, it’ll be because their offense is unstoppable, not because they turn into a defensive slaughterhouse. There’s a version of this team that spaces the floor, punishes mismatches, and lights up scoreboards. A version that isn’t weighed down by defensive overcorrections and misplaced caution.

They need to find it—fast.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...s-only-path-to-contention-unleash-the-offense

 

[New York Knicks]

Mikal Bridges is still finding his place with the New York Knicks

Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

New York is looking for more out of its squad. It starts with Bridges.

When Mikal Bridges was dealt to New York this past summer, the deal seemed too good to be true.

The Villanova kid had made the jump to a bonafide scoring option with the Brooklyn Nets. The Knicks, who had been accumulating draft picks for several years, finally went all in, cashing in their accumulated draft capital for an all-NBA defensive talent capable of scoring twenty points a game.

Of course, Bridges was college teammates at Nova with Brunson, Hart, and DiVincenzo, who was still part of the Knicks at the time of the deal.

From winning a national championship with Villanova in 2016 to the New York Knicks in 2024

The Nova Knicks add another one pic.twitter.com/GEQnVvvnAB

— ESPN (@espn) June 26, 2024​

When it was all said and done, the price for Bridges totaled five first round picks, a sum usually reserved for superstars.

Now, this isn’t a Mikal Bridge hate piece. Bridges has been a very good addition to this Knicks squad. He’s played good on-ball defense. His shooting splits are solid. Most importantly, he’s a hard worker and a winner. He’ll figure it out.

But the Knicks simply need more right now out of a player they mortgaged their future for.

Here’s Bridges’ game log across his last seven appearances.

With Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns dominating the ball, Bridges has returned to the same off-ball third option scoring role that he assumed on the Phoenix Suns, rather than the ball-dominating efficient scorer that he flashed in Brooklyn. He’s prone to disappearing for long stretches on offense, seemingly camping in the corner for quarters at a time without impacting the game. Without the ball in his hands, he can struggle to impact the game.

No statistic illustrates this more than his free throw rate.

• Across his 109 games as a Net, Bridges averaged 4.6 attempts per game.
• Through 57 games as a Knick, Bridges has averaged 1.1 attempts per game.

(And yes, his minutes have gone up.)

Bridges needs to put his head down and get to the rim and foul line. He hasn’t shot a free throw in six games. This is a guy leading the league in minutes. He’s playing well in a catch and shoot role. But the Knicks need to unleash him as something more.

Similarly, on the other end of the floor, the Knicks have a defense in the back half of the league. Pairing Bridges with OG was supposed to make it impossible for opposing forwards to score on us. While the two are still outstanding individual defenders, the Knicks have lost their identity on which they made a run last year. There’s no toughness. There’s no grit. There’s no camaraderie.

The hustle and heart of last year’s squad? Gone.

Bridges will find his way. He’s on a great deal, and the dear first round picks that departed were bound for the back half of the first round anyways. I don’t mind the price that we paid for him. The deal is already flashing dividends.

In the meantime, though, the integration period on a team-wide level has been frustrating to watch at times. The front office is depleted of assets. And time is running out for the Knicks to put all the pieces together before the playoffs this season. Back to back blowouts against the Cavs and Celtics has only emphasized that point.

Tellingly, Bridges has had silent nights each of those games.

This is the most talented Knicks roster on paper that New York has seen this century. It’s understandable that fans are clamoring for a championship. That being said, the roster and rotation will take some tweaking before we start talking about any trophies. It might not be this year. The Knicks have some figuring out to do before they truly reach perennial contender status.

The good news? They have some time to figure it out. Maybe not this year, but over the next few years. I know better than to try and preach patience to Knicks fans. Patience might be necessary here, though, whether you like it or not.

The road to unlocking their potential goes through Mikal Bridges. He’s the X-factor. He’s the puzzle that needs to be solved. Once Tom Thibodeau does that, we’ll be having very different conversations around this team.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...dges-is-still-finding-his-place-with-new-york

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks Bulletin: ‘Learn from each game, get ready for the next one’

Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

If you were surprised watching the Celtics demolish the Knicks on Sunday’s matinee, with a final score of 118-105, then you must be new around these places.

New York visited Boston, lost for the third time in as many games against the reigning champions, and is now looking at an extraordinary 0-7 record against the top 3 NBA teams. Sheesh...

Here are the excuses Coach Thibs and a few other Knickerbockers threw out.

Thibs on KAT coming back late in 4th after getting hurt: "He said he was fine" pic.twitter.com/NPjwytEdom

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) February 23, 2025​

Tom Thibodeau​

On the Knicks’ struggles against elite teams:

“It’s obviously an ongoing process [trying to close the gap on the Celtics]. Their team is a well-oiled machine. They’ve been together for a while and so we have to keep learning and getting better.

“I think the fact that we were able to close that gap to get it to 89–85 in the fourth quarter, that’s where we gotta be better. When we’re in that position, that’s when we gotta be at our best.”

On the team’s defensive issues against top-tier opponents:

“It’s probably a combination of things. One, they’re elite, and I think the volume-3 shooting teams, you can do a good job, but it just takes two or three minutes of not getting it right and they can go on a run on you.

“So it’s something that we got to continue to work on and that’s the test of the league. So learn from each game, get ready for the next one. And that’s where we want to focus on.”

On bringing Karl-Anthony Towns back to the court after his injury scare:

“He said he was fine. His rebounding was terrific.”

Karl-Anthony Towns dunk attempt gets rejected by Kristaps Porzingis. Jaylen Brown with the lefty layup at the other end.
KAT hubbles to the bench. pic.twitter.com/eSELmgeRvs

— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) February 23, 2025​

Karl-Anthony Towns​

On the team’s second-half push against Boston:

“It just looked like the other games and then we finally came in at halftime and decided to be the team we needed to be against this team. I thought we put ourselves in a good position to get back in the game to win. We just came up short.”

On the Knicks’ progress and their standing against elite teams:

“Where I said from the beginning of the season: We’re a work in progress. We’re going to be a work in progress all year until the day we step into the postseason. Every team in the NBA will tell you the same thing. We’re all a work in progress until the postseason, when you put all the chips and cards and see what the season taught you.”

On defensive mistakes against the Celtics:

“Just mistakes we made that we can’t make. We’ve just got to clean it up.”

On his knee injury and his availability going forward:

“We’ll just see how the next couple days go. Time will tell. It’s a long season. It has peaks and valleys. It is what it is.”

Jalen Brunson on Knicks 3d quarter run in Boston: "We just had a level of not really caring anymore…don't care about, like, 'me'––we all went there, just try & find a way to win…We've done it in past…1st time we did it vs this team…We can do it, just gotta do it 4 quarters" pic.twitter.com/OJgsa9DnEB

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) February 23, 2025​

Jalen Brunson​

On the Knicks’ lack of consistency against top teams, including Boston:

“Whatever we did in the first, second and fourth quarter doesn’t really matter. The third quarter, what we showed was how we can play and how we can compete and how we can—I don’t really care what’s going on, the way we stepped up in the third is how we should play.”

On the mindset needed to beat top teams:

“We just had a level of not really caring anymore. Just all right, we’ve got to go somehow. I mean, from my point of view, that’s what it felt like.

“Don’t care about, like, me. Just try to find a way to win. We’ve done it in the past against other teams, but it’s the first time we did it against this team. We can do it, but we have to do it for four quarters.”

On finding positives from the loss to Boston:

“You’ve got to take something positive out of something. I think the positive from this game is that third quarter and how we played. But I mean, I can keep saying all this stuff, but we’ve got to go out there and do it. That’s all.”

On his leadership and knowing when to speak up:

“I think there’s always going to be times where there’s a lot of voices, a lot of people being vocal. So it’s a matter of when and where to say something.

“When we have a lot of guys in here talking and trying to voice their opinion, for everyone to get on the same page is just knowing when to say something, because I think the more times you hear different voices, it can seem like too many cooks in the kitchen.

“So for me, it’s just knowing when to say something. And making sure I’m saying it early and often. I’ve got to be better at that because I’m not doing my job leading, just based on the way we’ve been playing. It falls on my shoulders, and I’m okay with that.

“I’ve got to be ready to step up and be better.”

Josh Hart to me on why the #Celtics have challenged the #Knicks so much: “It’s tough. They have three-level scorers at every single position. They got the length defensively to make us get into tough shots.”

Also rattled off how many players you need to account for. pic.twitter.com/FJuwTb5DG1

— Bobby Manning (@RealBobManning) February 23, 2025​

Josh Hart​

On the Knicks' real goal this season:

“We’re not trying to close a gap with the Boston Celtics. They’re the champs for a reason. They got All-NBA guys, they got All-Stars, they got a heck of a team. So we’re not trying to close the gap on them.

“We’re trying to make sure we get ourselves to where we need to be at the end of the year, and right now, we’re not there.”

On his knee injury and decision to take time off sandwiching the All-Star break:

“I just felt that there was a couple, you know, couple more days of rest obviously would benefit my knee. So that’s something that we all came to an agreement on. Now it’s back to the regular scheduled program.”

On playing through his knee issue since first arriving in the league:

“It’s something that comes and goes, something that I’ve managed for a long—one time I was in the bubble [during the pandemic] with New Orleans, I would play and the next day really I couldn’t even get to half-court.

“It was a pain, it was a struggle for me to even jog to half-court, and now I’m playing 48 minutes for Tom Thibodeau. So there’s peaks and valleys with it.

“Not really worried about it. All the time I pray for it before every game. By his grace I’m healed so I go out there and play my game.”

On the reasons for his delayed return after the knee injury:

“I was trying to make sure communications were back up [between] MSG and Optimum. I saw what was going on the last couple of days. Now that we good, it’s green-lit, I’m back and ready to go.

“Negotiations are solid, so I left on good terms.”

Mikal Bridges​

On learning from the loss to Boston and his putrid performance:

“Just learning. I think learning from the third quarter and learn from the other games as well.”

Pacome Dadiet​

On his development and learning habits from veterans:

“I try to be focused and watch what others are doing, guys that have been in the league for like 10 years.

“Having a routine is very important. Watching [Karl-Anthony Towns] and [Cameron Payne] doing the same thing every day. And it’s working for them.”

Reporting for NBA Countdown on ABC -- New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is closing in on his season debut: pic.twitter.com/iFJYjIriPe

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 23, 2025​

Shams Charania (NBA Scooper)​

On Mitchell Robinson’s injury recovery and return timeline:

“I’m here to report that Mitchell Robinson is closing on his season debut.

“Sources tell me his goal is to make his return to the lineup at some point over the next week. Robinson will make a determination on when that target date could be.”

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...arn-from-each-game-get-ready-for-the-next-one

 

[New York Knicks]

Game Preview: Knicks vs 76ers, February 26, 2025

Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

Knicks, who’ve been great against sub .500 teams, look to get back on track against a struggling Sixers team before a tough stretch in a battle of disappointed fanbases

When the league made, and came out with the regular season schedule, they, and the fans, might’ve had this game circled due to the recent history between these two teams, and the big names involved. The 76ers went out and signed Paul George to add to their already strong nucleus, while their division rival Knicks made a pair of blockbuster moves, trading for Mikal Bridges, and Karl-Anthony Towns. And tonight’s nationally televised game on ESPN would’ve marked the third meeting between these two potential playoff foes who are less than a year removed from a very hard-fought first-round playoff matchup. Instead, this game has a completely different feel, and both fanbases come into it partially stunned and not knowing how to process the season their teams have had so far.

Philadelphia, after signing George, was believed to be on their way to a very strong season. Embiid, Maxey, and George certainly seem like a formidable big three, but with Embiid dealing with ongoing knee issues, George being bothered by a pinky injury himself, and Maxey also missing some games, the Sixers season has been anything but strong. Instead, they’ve fallen to 20-37, and things don’t look like they’re necessarily getting any better any time soon, as it was recently reported that Embiid could undergo a meniscus replacement in the near future to address his aforementioned lingering knee pain.

New York, on the other hand, has had a significantly better season. They come into tonight at 37-20, sit comfortably at third in the east, and are coming off of an All-Star weekend where the team had not one, but two starters. But it still hasn’t been enough. The team has continuously struggled against the best teams in the league, going a combined 0-7 against the Celtics, Cavaliers, and Thunder, and much of the discourse around the team has started to turn sour. While there are still crumbs of positivity to be found here and there, much of the conversations have been around how this season isn’t the year they go all the way, and why they’ve been so bad as of late.

Needless to say, both teams find themselves in a position they didn’t really think they’d be in. Surely, the 76ers thought they’d be in the midst of a playoff-seeding battle come the end of February, and while the Knicks would’ve likely taken a record of 37-20, the players, front offices, and coaches had to have thought that they’d have better showings against the top three teams in the league.

That being said, tonight’s game will still matter, and it will still feel like it does. The 76ers, despite being closer to tanking than making the playoffs, would love nothing more than to continue the Knicks and their week of misery by defeating them in New York. And the Knicks need this win to get back on track, as they have tough games against the Grizzlies, Warriors, Lakers, and Clippers coming up over the next week and a half.

Prediction​

Knicks fans have likely lost some confidence and hope over the last few days. They’ve not only seen their team go winless since Friday, but they saw them get completely dominated and decimated. But if there’s one thing the Knicks have done well so far this season, it’s beating up on teams they are supposed to beat. So far, the Knicks are 26-6 against teams under .500, which is better than the Celtics, and not too far behind the Cavaliers for the best record against such teams in the Eastern Conference. With the team likely knowing they need to answer the call and start turning it around, they’ll likely, or at least hopefully, come out with some pride and put Philadelphia away early. I expect Brunson, who is averaging 28PPG against the 76ers this season, to come out aggressive, and I also expect Bridges, who’s been struggling for a couple of weeks now, to be involved early and often as well. Knicks win 110-100.

Game Details​

Teams: New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers

Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Date and Time: Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 7 PM ET

Broadcast: ESPN

Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/2025/2/26/24373381/game-preview-knicks-vs-76ers-february-26-2025

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks Bulletin: ‘We talk so much when we go to eat, we need to carry that’

Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

New York avoided a massive collapse against Philly and went to sleep with a win.

The New York Knicks escaped a disastrous embarrassment on Wednesday by stiff-arming a stubborn Philadelphia 76ers squad that was oh-so-close to pulling off a 19-point comeback victory.

The Knicks, or better said Jalen Brunson, did enough to put those dreams to an end, ultimately winning the game and completing a 110-105 triumph over the Embiid-less Sixers.

Here’s what Coach Thibs and a few Knickerbockers said before and after yesterday’s affair.

New York wins 110-105. Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 30pts.

Coach Tom Thibodeau on how the team covered Maxey,5th leading scorer in the NBA this season:
“It’s hard to guard those guys individually, so what you’re trying to do is make him work for his points.” pic.twitter.com/A4ScIvja26

— Shara Talia Taylor (@staliataylor) February 27, 2025​

Tom Thibodeau​

On Mikal Bridges and the Knicks stepping up in Karl-Anthony Towns’ absence:

“It was huge. You’re not replacing a guy like KAT individually. You have to do it collectively, and I thought the way Mikal played, his aggressiveness to start the game, was huge.

“I thought Jalen and Josh [Hart], and everyone for that matter, started searching him out and trying to create advantages for him, so it was good team play. Mikal was terrific.”

On Bridges’ defensive effort against Tyrese Maxey:

“Mikal was terrific, the whole game. Not only his scoring but he’s on Maxey the whole time.”

On Ariel Hukporti’s first start with KAT out:

“He’s a young guy who’s learning and getting better. Each experience you’re gonna learn something. There’s good plays, there’s plays that obviously he can do a lot better, just gotta keep working at it.”

On OG Anunoby’s performance in his third game back from injury:

“He guards the tough matchup every night. Runs the floor, got us some easy buckets, moves without the ball, shoots the 3. Defensively terrific, terrific. Offense takes time to get rhythm back… seems like [it’s] starting to really come now.”

On Miles McBride’s shooting development:

“We saw his rookie year; we track all the shooting, and it was very accurate. He was putting a lot of time.

“It wasn’t translating to the games his first year, and part of that was him not being in the rotation. He was just filling in when someone was out. But we felt, with the way that he was shooting in practice, that it would eventually translate. It has.”

On Karl-Anthony Towns’ status before the game against the 76ers:

“KAT seems like he’s fine.”

On Mitchell Robinson’s status after missing another game:

“He’s doing well overall.”

On the importance of staying level-headed through ups and downs:

“Yeah, it’s just be ready for the next game. Doesn’t change how you approach things. Understand what goes into winning and be ready.

“I think the whole goal is we go into the season with the idea of daily improvement with the understanding that we want to be playing our best at the end. So during the course of the season, there’s going to be ups and downs and there’s going to be some turbulence and you have to get through that.

“But keep improving. Just keep getting better. There’s ebbs and flows to the season. Sometimes it’s in your favor, sometimes it’s not in terms of travel, practice time, things like that. So just understand what goes into it.”

"It was big time"

Jalen Brunson on Mikal Bridges' 19-point first quarter pic.twitter.com/qczmt6DRbQ

— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) February 27, 2025​

Jalen Brunson​

On his approach to crunch-time minutes:

“Just focus on the next play. Whatever I see is where we’re going to attack. Not going in to say ‘I’m going to score,’ I’m going to try and make the right play and go from there.”

On closing out the win against the 76ers:

“Yeah, we needed that. Just happy that we came away with the win. But we still got a lot of work to do.”

On the team’s careless play and many turnovers against the Sixers:

“We just weren’t as focused, were pretty careless with the ball. It’s all good. We’ve just got to respond. We can’t sulk about it.

“I think we responded in a way that helped us get a win. Not ideal, obviously it’s not what we want. But it’s a win and we move forward.”

On Ariel Hukporti’s impact in his first start:

“I’m proud of the way he comes in the game and impacts the game and what he does. He’s retained a lot in a very short amount of time. Nothing but proud and excited for the way he’s been playing.”

On Mikal Bridges’ strong first quarter performance:

“It was big time. Made some shots, played really well. He played well on both sides of the ball. That’s what we expect. Nothing we haven’t seen before.”

On Miles McBride’s shooting accuracy:

“I don’t think we’ve talked about it, but it’s kind of apparent that it’s always all net.”

Miles McBride​

On his intentional shooting technique aiming at swishing threes:

“I train a lot in the summers on all-net shots. That’s one thing my dad always told me, ‘Always shoot for all net.’ That’s why I put a lot of arc in so that it drops in.”

On his frustration when a shot isn’t a swish:

“I get mad when it touches the rim.”

Mikal Bridges​

On Ariel Hukporti’s first start of the season on Wednesday:

“He did good, real good. Playing hard, communicate and playing the right way. [I told him] Know our coverages and play hard. I know he’s going to play that way. Just do the best you can.”

On Jalen Brunson’s clutch performance:

“That’s what he does all the time. He’s capable of scoring like that, especially in the fourth, to help us win the game.”

"I thought he played really great today."

Precious Achiuwa says that Ariel Hukporti approached him for advice before the game tonight: pic.twitter.com/puft4JbsKM

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) February 27, 2025​

Precious Achiuwa​

On giving advice to Ariel Hukporti before the game:

“Just go out there and make sure you talk. Be over-communicative. Talk to the guys.”

On stepping up to play the five when Hukporti went down:

“I really take pride in playing winning basketball, trying to do whatever it takes to win. My versatility, obviously being able to play multiple positions, both sides of the ball game, [and] continuing to show that today.

“Opportunity came up. I understood that I had to step in when [Hukporti] went down.”

"I got introduced to basketball with a movie ... Space Jam."

Catch this episode of Beginnings with Cam Payne tonight after Knicks postgame & available on https://t.co/hUFsj425HW pic.twitter.com/URvvpWcQTL

— KNICKS ON MSG (@KnicksMSGN) February 26, 2025​

Cameron Payne​

On the Knicks’ need for better communication:

“I think our communication needs to increase just from being around the team. I think, even Josh [Hart] said it. We need to talk more. And I think we need to play harder. Outside of that, I think everything has been pretty solid for our team. I just think the biggest thing, like you said, is getting us talking, our communication. I think our communication will handle a lot out there on the court.”

On why communication has been an issue for the Knicks:

“I think one thing is being comfortable. We talk so much outside. We talk so much when we go to eat. Or we have a little get-together and we talk so much. We need to carry that onto the court.

“I think sometimes a lot of people [are] worried about their games—and it’s not a selfish thing. It’s a human thing. But in order for us to win tough games against these good teams who have been together a long time, we have to communicate more.

“I don’t think it’s a shy thing or anything. It’s just the will to win. And sometimes, you get lost in the game. You get tired. A lot of things come into play.”

"We bumped him a little bit here and there, but I thought 16 (free throws) was quite a few tonight for him."

Nick Nurse talks about Jalen Brunson going to the free throw line 16 times and the challenge of defending him: pic.twitter.com/dh1GGka3ue

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) February 27, 2025​

Nick Nurse (Philadelphia 76ers Head Coach)​

On the Knicks-76ers playoff series from last season:

“It was a little bit weird. Nothing seemed to matter. Star guys would score. Star guys would not score. They’d get tons of rebounds. We’d get tons of rebounds. It didn’t seem to matter. Every game was close. It was strange in that sense.”

On Tyrese Maxey playing through injury:

“I mean, you know, he’s got a hand problem. I would; you guys check with him; that’s part of what’s bothering him… but you got to keep taking the shots that are there and see if you can get it going. But I thought he was awesome tonight.”

"I think we did a good job on him. I asked before the game that's who I wanted to guard, so they let me guard him, and I think we did a decent job on him"

– Tyrese Maxey on Jalen Brunson (34 points, 14 in the 4th…) pic.twitter.com/st1MdMuWam

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) February 27, 2025​

Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers Player)​

On playing through a finger injury:

“It’s hurting. But I’ll be fine.”

On limiting Jalen Brunson’s production:

“I think we did a good job on him. I asked before the game that’s who I wanted to guard, so they let me guard him, and I think we did a decent job on him.”

Paul George (Philadelphia 76ers Player)​

On pausing his podcast to focus on the 76ers season:

“It was more so just to focus on here. I haven’t been the healthiest, so it’s just been putting a ton of work towards getting my body as healthy as possible, and to keep focus of obviously being here and trying to turn things around here and the full focus is trying to get this team together. But we got to give ourselves a chance. Take it one game at a time, but we got to give ourselves a chance to see what we can do down the stretch.

“It was something that was kind of racking in my head a little bit just because of [being] new to the city, being acclimated to Philadelphia. It just came to the point where it was like, ‘All right, this is the time to kind of take a step back for a second.’”

A Special NY Dinner with Melo. pic.twitter.com/mJHbFDL0ng

— Mitchell & Ness (@mitchell_ness) February 26, 2025​

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...-much-when-we-go-to-eat-we-need-to-carry-that

 

[New York Knicks]

Ariel Hukporti to miss four to six weeks with a torn miniscus

Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images

A tough blow for the rookie big man and for the already short handed Knicks

The Knicks, who traded Jericho Sims right before the trade deadline, and are already without Karl-Anthony Towns, and Mitchell Robinson, took another blow to their frontcourt depth as Ariel Hukporti went down with a knee injury.

The rookie center has become growingly popular among the fanbase for his energy, and defensive instincts, with many believing he deserves more playing time. On Wednesday night, we all got a glimpse of just how good Hukporti is, and could be, given some more time to continue developing. His relentless motor, and ability to play drop coverage, Tom Thibodeau’s preferred scheme, made him a solid bench piece, who could slot in as a spot starter, like he did last night, while also being a third-string center behind Towns and Robinson.

New York Knicks center Ariel Hukporti has suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee and is expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks, sources tell ESPN. Hukporti sustained the injury in his first start Wednesday night, posting 8 points, 2 rebounds and 1 block. pic.twitter.com/LqHuxvjx4L

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 27, 2025​

But it looks like the big man will miss a significant amount of time as Shams Charania of ESPN reported on Thursday afternoon that Hukpori would miss four to six weeks with a torn meniscus in his left knee. With Hukporti being a rookie, barely in the rotation, and a big man, it’s probably a good bet to assume that the Knicks will end up playing it safe and that he’ll be out closer to the six-weeks than four.

And if he does indeed miss the full six weeks, that would mean he’d return around April 10th, which would be the Knicks’ third to last regular season game. While Hukporti could make a return and ramp up in that final week, it seems unlikely that Hukporti will get any big minutes for the remainder of the season barring any other major injury. It’s not like he was playing a lot when healthy, but this injury, given the timing, and the expected return of Towns, and Robinson, all but ensures that we’ve seen the last of the center playing a significant role this season.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...o-miss-four-to-six-weeks-with-a-torn-miniscus

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks Bulletin: 'Our record against the top teams in the NBA, pretty horseshit'

Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Ja? Ja.

The Knicks must be recovering from Wednesday’s scare because we’ve not heard that much coming out of New York during the last few hours.

And truth be told, that might be better for everybody involved, considering the lone thing that popped up on Thursday was even more awful injury news colliding on NYC’s shores. Sheesh.

Here’s what the Roomates have said before taking on the Grizzlies.

Jalen Brunson​

On the Knicks’ struggles against top teams:

“Our record against the top teams in the NBA, pretty horses**t. The frustrating part about all this is that like we have what it takes, we have the personnel, we have everything we need in that locker room. We just got to put it together.”

On being embarrassed on national television by endless losses to top-tier teams:

“The amount of times we’ve been embarrassed on national television, that should ring a bell. That should be a wake-up call in itself… We got to wake the hell up.”

On the Knicks needing to step up:

“The frustrating part about all this is we have what it takes, we have the personnel, we have everything we need in that locker room. We’ve just gotta put it together. The X’s and O’s and all that stuff. That’s an easy fix. But the amount of times we’ve been embarrassed on national television, that should ring a bell. That should be a wake-up call in itself, not just for those games, but for the rest of the season. We’ve gotta wake the hell up.”

On missed opportunities in games against top teams:

“I’ve got a lot to say but I think the main focus that we should have is obviously use [the 0–7 record] to push ourselves — but it sucks because the first time we played Cleveland at The Garden, we were up 14. Lost. We played OKC. We were up [14]. Lost. So we’ve shown that we’ve competed, right? Boston, we cut it to four last time, and then obviously s–t the bed the rest of the game. But I see where we have opportunities to where we can be aggressive and pounce on them and win.”

On what the 0-7 record vs. contenders reveals about the team:

“Every time you step on the court, you have a chance to see where you are regardless of who you play. That just shows where we are. We’re not ready, but we have a long way to go to get ready.”

On moving forward after tough losses:

“I don’t really know what was going through my mind. I think I’m more focused just on the next play. You can’t sulk about [the score]. You can’t worry about the past. You’ve just got to move on and figure out what we’re going to do about it now. That’s really the only thing on my mind.”

Josh Hart​

On how the Knicks should react to their 0-7 record vs. contenders:

“For a team to see that stat and to recognize it, I think it could be taken two ways. It could be taken extremely beneficial because it could put you in a position of being humbled and realizing where we have a lot of room to go if we want to compete with these guys and these teams. Or it could kind of break a team and you think you’re not as good as these teams. I think with the mentality that we have and the character of the team that we have, I think it would be the first one. I think it would be more of a humbling statistic for us and shows us that we have great players and good talent.”

On how the Knicks must approach games going forward:

“We’ve gotta go out there, and we’ve gotta put forth the effort every game and every possession and not concede easy baskets or start the game off slow or anything like that. We’ve gotta start pushing ourselves to the limit on both ends of the floor, which is why I’m not really panicking with that stat. It will open our eyes to realizing we have to get to another level individually and as a team obviously. But I think we’ll do that.”

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/2025/2/28/24374765/knicks-bulletin

 

[New York Knicks]

Game Thread: New York Knicks at Memphis Grizzlies, February 28, 2025

Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Another tough test for the Knicks on the road.

Two top teams from each conference clash tonight when the New York Knicks and the Grizzlies, both with 38-20 records, face off in Memphis.

Tip off is 8 p.m. EST on MSG. This is your game thread. This is Beale Street Bears. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Be a shining example of humanity, what dontcha? And go Knicks!

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...-knicks-at-memphis-grizzlies-february-28-2025

 

[New York Knicks]

Analyzing the return of Mitchell Robinson

Photo by Grant Burke/NBAE via Getty Images

Big Mitch made his triumphant return in Memphis last night. What did we learn?

Last night’s win in Memphis has a very good case for being the best of the Knickerbockers’ 39 victories this season. While others were prettier (including the first win over the Grizzlies), this type of grind-out road win that featured clutch shots and a big defensive stop is something that can inspire a fanbase that hasn’t had much to be inspired about after the team’s struggles against the league’s elite.

Even if the Knicks couldn’t pull that one out, the real win came in the return of the team’s longest-tenured player.

"I'm back baby"

–– Mitchell Robinson pic.twitter.com/K1Ly72nwjn

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 1, 2025​

For a few months, I began to doubt if I would ever see Mitchell Robinson wear orange and blue again. Although he’s never been my number-one favorite player, he’s been the only constant in the consistently shifting world of Knicks basketball. He’s the only Knick left who played under David Fizdale and the only one who was on the team for the magical 2020-21 season.

After surviving the trade deadline, he will officially be the first Knick to spend seven full seasons with the franchise since Allan Houston. That means something to me, so seeing him finally walk back onto the court five minutes into the game was one of the great moments of the season.

.@23savage____ is back on the floor pic.twitter.com/HINCyrV56j

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) March 1, 2025​

Of course, Robinson was playing his first NBA game in 298 days. No matter how good he played, he was going to be limited. He came in a few minutes earlier than management hoped, but two quick fouls for KAT (who struggled today) forced him in.

You immediately saw the impact that Robinson provides right away.

As we all know, nobody will ever be intimidated by Karl-Anthony Towns at the rim. Opponents are shooting 67.3% against Towns at the rim. Although Precious Achiuwa is better defensively, his numbers don’t help much. The Knicks surrender the fourth-most FGA/game at the rim because there’s no deterrent. Because of the slow pace, their rate of nearly 31% of opponent’s shots coming in the restricted area is at the top.

In comes Mitchell Robinson. His first defensive possession:

Robinson gets great positioning on Zach Edey, first off. Ja Morant gets inside in perfect floater territory and this is a shot he takes 99.9% of the time if Karl-Anthony Towns is the big in the way. KAT drops so far during these to prevent a dump-off or blow-by, and it always leads to an open floater.

Mitch stays up and Bridges smartly rotates towards Edey, which causes Morant to kick it out.

Fun fact: opponents went 0-for-3 from 3 when defended by Mitchell Robinson last night.

Desmond Bane has a mismatch, or so he thought. While Towns will play extremely passive to prevent getting blown by, Mitch never drops back enough to give Bane a clean look when he steps back for three. The extra step forward can really make a difference.

Did you miss this? I did.

If you’re a youth basketball coach, show this clip to your big men (and cut it off before the bricked putback layup). Robinson is one of the best in the NBA at boxing out and he totally bodies Brandon Clarke to get a patented offensive rebound, the only one in his season debut.

To take a brief break from our usual programming, here’s Mitch burning the Grizzlies’ scouting report and taking Clarke off the bounce for maybe the fourth time in his entire career.

And a few possessions later, we saw another rarity. Mitchell Robinson . . . in the post?

He’s been a pure layup and dunk guy his entire career. He has almost never sealed a guy in the post and just used his size to get to the rim. Santi Aldama got bullied.

This next play may be a key to the Knicks finally figuring it out against the league’s elite:

This is how Mitchell Robinson makes Mikal Bridges better. Mitch contains in drop allowing Bridges to get a rearview block. pic.twitter.com/PCzBqmDKjh

— DJ Zullo (@DJAceNBA) March 1, 2025​

Mikal Bridges guarding an elite guard ballhandler.

A big comes and screens at the top of the key.

All season long, this has been a disaster for the Knicks. Drop coverage has been a nightmare for an already poor defender in Karl-Anthony Towns. KAT just starts backpedaling and the ballhandler licks his chops. Most of the time, these possessions end with an open floater, a layup against a non-existent rim deterrent, or a kickout to a wide open three after the defense is forced to collapse to prevent said open floater.

This switch here is perfect. Bridges takes Jackson Jr. and Robinson fronts Ja Morant. Robinson is not only a supremely talented and intelligent defender, but a confident one. Some players back away from these assignments. He doesn’t.

Ja doesn’t have an open floater, but also can’t just blow by for an open layup because of Robinson’s positioning. He’s forced to try and create space and goes left, which gives Bridges enough time to help and get the block with Morant likely committed to taking the shot as soon as he saw a 1-on-1 against a big. Excellent defense from both men.

Finally, I’ll admit this is a stretch. Robinson does surrender the offensive rebound to Aldama for a near-game-winning putback. However, this is more desperation out of Aldama.

Robinson got great positioning to make any putback attempt as tough as possible. While imperfect, this is still what makes Robinson so valuable. Achiuwa isn’t big enough to body a guy like Aldama and Towns isn’t a big boxout guy. Robinson is the boxout guy in the NBA.

Now, I’m not going to act like he played perfectly in this game. He looked gassed at several points in this game and wasn’t close to as dominant on the boards as he’s been in his career. He’s clearly not in game shape yet, which is fine. There are 23 games left for Robinson to not only get back to the game feel he’s had over the last few years, but to get to a point where Thibs is experimenting lineups with him and KAT.

All told. Robinson played 12:21. He was a team-high plus-11. The defensive rating with him on the court was 103.7.

The pieces are coming into place, folks.

Young Dolph in the locker room pic.twitter.com/FquvNSGuzX

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 1, 2025​

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/2025/3/1/24375439/analyzing-the-return-of-mitchell-robinson

 

[New York Knicks]

Exploring the Knicks' options in the buyout market

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images

New York has room to add one more veteran ahead of the playoffs.

With the NBA trade deadline in the rearview mirror, the veteran buyout market is already open for the New York Knicks to take advantage of—whatever advantage you think a washed body can offer, let alone coming into a team coached by Thomas Joseph Thibodeau, Jr.

Anyway, and whether we like it or not, the Knicks still have one open spot in their roster and enough financial flexibility to fill their vacant 15th slot.

As a quick but very important note, any player the Knicks sign today will be eligible to play for New York in the playoffs. Anybody signed from Sunday on, won't. This, however, applies only to players waived, so if someone isn't waived by today, they’re not playoff eligible on another team that signs them from March 2 on. A player like TJ Warren, on the other hand, can be signed after today and still be playoff eligible.

According to SNY’s Ian Begley, the man leading the race to convince New York’s brass to hand him a deal for the remainder of the season into the playoffs is current Dallas Mavericks (and former G League Westchester Knicks) center Moses Brown.

“With Ariel Hukporti out for several weeks and the Knicks’ center position — while getting healthier soon with the impending return of Mitchell Robinson — rather thin at the moment, one player on New York’s radar to fill its 15th roster spot is Moses Brown.” — SNY’s Robert Sanchez and Ian Begley.

The Knicks, who have been restricted by the second-apron all season, now have $540,127 in space—just enough to sign a player to a rest-of-season minimum-salary contract, as explained in detail by Luke Adams of HoopsRumors.

Something worth noting: due to financial restrictions, Dallas can’t sign Moses Brown to a second 10 day deal. The center is among players on the Knicks’ radar for 15th roster spot, per people familiar with the matter. Brown, who played high school basketball at Archbishop…

— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) February 28, 2025​

The need for frontcourt depth has been a priority for New York after trading Jericho Sims and losing rookie Ariel Hukporti to a knee injury earlier this week while navigating Mitchell Robinson’s never-ending rehab.

Positively, Mitch returned to the Knicks lineup like a thunderbolt on Friday and showed us all we needed to see (fingers crossed for that shaky health), which means New York might not be so pressed into adding big men to their squad, depending on how they see Hukporti’s talent and recovery internally, how they plan to use him in the postseason if he’s available, and how anybody else signed off the market could actually make any bigger impact than the rook.

Back to Brown. The former Developmental Knickerbocker is currently on a 10-day contract with the Mavs, played for the Westchester Knicks earlier this season, and has familiarity with New York’s system—which in most analysts’ (and mine) eyes looks like the major thing that will factor into the Knicks decision on who to sign during the next few hours, days, or weeks.

The 7-foot-2 center is a bonafide veteran, having logged minutes for seven teams through a six-year career, and he’s appeared in 162 regular-season NBA games (45 starts), averaging a reasonable 5.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per game considering his low 11.7 minutes per game.

The devil is in the details, and if you’re wondering why Dallas would let Brown go (I mean...) right after his best game as a pro (20-11 double-double starting on Thursday), that’s because the Mavs are unable to immediately re-sign Brown once his 10-day deal expires on Saturday night due to their own hard cap restrictions.

Given New York’s need for size, at least while Huk recovers, Brown would definitely fit New York’s most immediate need, making him the no-brainer choice.

Photo by Evan Yu/NBAE via Getty Images

However, the Knicks have also been linked to fellow G Leaguers and Westchester hoopers T.J. Warren and Chuma Okeke.

Warren is a legitimate scorer among NBA peers and he’s been cooking the G League averaging 24.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game while shooting 36% from three on nearly 10 attempts per contest.

Okeke, meanwhile, has put up 17.0 points and 8.4 rebounds per game while shooting 36.5% from deep as a reclamation project.

If Thibs advises Leon Rose on who to sign, then Okeke should be the leading candidate, given his better defensive chops. If the Knicks try to add some outside no-nonsense shooting and a microwave scorer, then Warren’s offense and positional versatility should help his case.

Cap expert Yossi Gozlan noted, via Begley, that if the Knicks wait to make a signing beyond Saturday, they could sign a second player before the season ends—though that would require waiving a current player such as Delon Wright.

I am definitely not a cap magician, nor have I studied the CBA in detail, but this sounds interesting to my ears given the possibility of landing Brown now that Huk’s out, while keeping the door open for a change of direction (Okeke/Warren) later.

Beyond Brown, Warren, and Okeke, the Knicks have been monitoring other buyout market options, though the available player pool remains underwhelming, to say the least.

James L. Edwards III mentioned a few external options, including Chris Duarte, Josh Richardson, and Christian Wood as potential targets.

Duarte, a 2021 lottery pick, was waived by the Bulls after playing just 74 minutes this season. Richardson, a veteran wing, offers experience and a defensive presence but has seen his offensive production decline. Wood is perhaps the highest-upside option, given his scoring ability as a stretch big, but his injury issues are worse than Mitch’s.

Pick your poison, fellas.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...oring-the-knicks-options-in-the-buyout-market

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks Bulletin: ‘He let it fly. It was beautiful’

Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images

Jalen Brunson can be clutch in the shot and can be clutch in the pass. Believe that.

It was a Friday Thriller in Memphis, but the Knicks came out of it alive, winning on the road and beating the Grizzlies 114-113 with a last-gasp three-ball shot made by none other than OG Anunoby.

New York faced a team on a similar path to contention—good-not-great-yet—and was dealt a scare but ultimately came up with another Jalen Brunson crunch-time moment to get the win.

Here’s what Coach Thibs and a few other Knickerbockers had to say before and after yesterday’s affair.

Tom Thibodeau​

On Brunson’s decision-making in the final play of Friday’s win:

“He’s a big-time shot-maker, but it’s also his teammates. They understand what you have to do. It takes five guys to execute in order to create the shots for him. And then he’s got to make them, which is another element. Then he’s also got to make the right reads.

“He didn’t force it. That was the right play, and it was a great play. OG was ready. It was great shot preparation. He let it fly. It was beautiful.”

On the need to win close games:

“It’s the mindset. Obviously, (Brunson’s) shot-making, but his playmaking is the biggest thing. He made a big 3 and then very next possession he drew two, got in the lane and found OG wide-open. It’s (Brunson’s) playmaking that gives us confidence. We know, in a close game, we have one of the few guys in the league where you make sure it’s close, and then we have a chance to go out there and win.”

On Mitchell Robinson’s return:

“The first game back, for the amount of time he’s been out... I thought it was really, really good.

“We’ve been seeing it in practice, too. So this is the next step.”

On what Robinson adds to the team:

“I think it adds a lot. Obviously, it’s a different dimension to our team with Mitch. And Josh has the versatility of [playing the] two, three, four. I think they play well off each other. They complement each other and the rebounding component is huge.”

On Robinson’s role and expectations:

“It’s his first game back so it’s hard to say. Obviously, games are a lot different than practices, but he’s a vet, so I think he understands exactly who he is.

“Just play to your strengths, go as hard as you can, and then it’ll be a short stint, so his timing will come around, but the defense—anticipating that being there right from the start.”

Josh Hart on IG: pic.twitter.com/fBS5hAILLf

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 1, 2025​

OG Anunoby​

On his game-winning three-pointer against the Grizzlies:

“Just make the shot. I work on it so much. I trust my work. Just being confident in my shot.”

On being ready for Brunson’s pass in the clutch:

“Knowing that situation, the attention JB gets on that, I might be open, so just be ready.”

On the Knicks’ comeback win against the Grizzlies:

“That was a big win. We were down most of the game. We got big stops, big rebounds, scored in transition, pushed the pace. JB hit big shots. Everyone hit big shots. Everyone made big plays. The whole squad.”

On Mitchell Robinson’s return:

“It’s huge. He’s a monster out there offensively and defensively, and as the season goes on, as he gets up to speed, he’s gonna keep getting better and better. We missed him and we need him.”

Who gets Bill Kennedy to crack? pic.twitter.com/BZjAlKQZPy

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 1, 2025​

Jalen Brunson​

On his trust in teammates during clutch moments:

“Utmost trust and confidence in my teammates regardless. Everyone converged in and then I saw OG open and instinct hit and I knew he was going to hit it.”

On Mitchell Robinson’s return:

“He helps a lot. Obviously, defensively he’s one of the best protectors around the rim. He grabs a ton of rebounds. I think his presence is underrated in the locker room. Just really excited for him to be back.”

On what mattered most about Robinson’s return:

“The basketball part, I [couldn’t] care less right now. Just seeing how hard he’s worked to get back to where he is now, I’m really excited for him. Like I said, I [couldn’t] care less about the basketball. I just like seeing the person happy and excelling.”

"He still rocks with me"

–– Mitch on Thibs putting him in at the end of the game pic.twitter.com/entYbLfqm0

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 1, 2025​

Mitchell Robinson​

On being trusted in the final moments of his first game back:

“They trust me. You know, been 10 months and put me in a big possession to get a stop, it shows that he trusts me. He still rocks with me.”

Miles McBride​

On the key to stopping the Grizzlies’ high-paced offense:

“Just being physical. Keeping them out of the paint is the main thing. They’re a big iso team. For us, leaning on each other. You can’t guard everybody one on one. So leaning on each other and sending them to the help is going to be big for us.”

On Robinson’s impact:

“Him just being another defensive anchor. I feel like the effort he brings can always cover up a miscommunication. So for him to block somebody at the rim or talk to somebody through a rotation is always big.

“[Robinson] brings a ton defensively. Overall, the whole team, whether he’s playing with the bench or starters. Rebounding, the effort he brings is unmatched.”

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/2025/3/1/24375447/knicks-bulletin-he-let-it-fly-it-was-beautiful