RSS Knicks Team Notes

[New York Knicks]

Pistons 121, Knicks 90: Yuck.

In the midst of a three-game slide heading into tonight’s matchup with the Detroit Pistons, one would think that the Knicks would come into the game with a chip on their shoulders. They had sent Cade Cunningham and the Pistons packing last year in the first round in a 4-2 series win that was all about Brunson, Brunson, Brunson. Every single game was close, but the Knicks just figured out ways to make winning plays down the stretch. This was their first rematch since. After coming out flat a couple nights in a row, surely it was time to steady the ship.

However, this isn’t the same matchup that we saw the last time these two teams took the floor. Take also into account that the Pistons sat at 26-9, good enough the first seed in the East, and that New York (second in the East) had been struggling on both sides of the floor the last three games sans Josh Hart.

That’s not to say that Detroit was healthy either – Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren, and Caris LeVert were all sidelined before. This would be a battle of attrition, and it would be spearheaded by two dueling point guards: Jalen Brunson and Cade Cunningham.

One frame in, and the script was true. Brunson had 12 first quarter points. Cunningham also had 12. 30-29, Pistons. Surely we were in for a battle.

Brunson in attack mode early

He's got 8 midway through Q1!

Tap to watch on Peacock: https://t.co/3uqiYfX3F3 pic.twitter.com/fuNyv6boKu

— NBA (@NBA) January 6, 2026

And then the wheels fell off. Like, really fell off.

New York hung around during the beginning of the second quarter, trailing 45-42 with 6:34 left to go in the frame. The Pistons stretched the lead to 10 by half, and it only ballooned the rest of the way. They were outscored 76-48 the rest of the game.

The Knicks couldn’t get anything going outside of Jalen Brunson the rest of the game. They turned the ball over (20 times). They got killed on the glass (outrebounded 44-30). They got destroyed in the paint (34 points in the paint vs. Detroit’s 52). The offense looked stagnant, combining for only 36 points in the second half. It was a game reminiscent of last year’s iso-heavy looks, only without the winning results.

CADE SCORING.
CADE DISHING.
CADE DEFENDING.

29 points, 9 assists and 2 blocks for Detroit's Motorcade so far

3Q on Peacock… watch here: https://t.co/3uqiYfX3F3 pic.twitter.com/t4M5f3kjA6

— NBA (@NBA) January 6, 2026

Mikal Bridges had 10 points. OG Anunoby had 5. Karl-Anthony Towns had 6. The three shot a combined 6-18 from the field.

You won’t win many games when that happens.

Miles McBride was a bright spot off the bench, hitting five triples en route to 17 points. That’s just about the only positive I can take away from the night. The team got beat up, both on the court and on the scoreboard.

Mike Brown: “It’s pretty simple: they just physically kicked our ass.”

— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) January 6, 2026

There are ebbs and flows to any NBA season. It’s not about how you play in October. It’s not about how you play in January. It’s about the team come playoff time. But the Knicks showed everyone tonight what happens when everything goes wrong. They looked soft, physically and mentally. It’s better to learn these lessons now than later, but it doesn’t make tonight’s performance any less disappointing. The guys came out flat.

The light at the end of the tunnel? Josh Hart is trending towards playing again soon. It’ll be seven straight games against Western conference teams, though, and it starts on Wednesday at the Garden before New York heads out towards the opposite coast.

We’ll see what they’re made of, and how Mike Brown can guide them through their roughest patch of the season.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/knicks-analysis/77467/pistons-121-knicks-90-yuck

 

[New York Knicks]

Second round of the All-Star ballots sees Brunson move up

Last week, when the NBA released the results of the first fan returns in NBA All-Star voting, Knicks fans were pleased to see that their favorite players were getting a lot of love. While the last few years had been headlined by how Brunson and his teammates were not getting enough votes, and how Knicks fans needed to do their part, we saw five Knicks players in the top 20 vote getters for the Eastern Conference. Brunson was third in the conference with 1,040,601 votes, Karl-Anthony Towns was seventh with 510,577, and OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart were also all in the top 16 with over 100,00 votes.

Second returns of the 2025-26 NBA All-Star game fan voting: pic.twitter.com/Z3An1c0ShH

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 6, 2026

The batch of games the Knicks have played since last week’s voting reveal has been ugly, with none of the aforementioned players playing particularly well. In fact, you could make an argument that they’ve all been downright bad. But the voting, at least for now, has been kind to the Knicks’ starters. Brunson surpasses the 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey to become the player with the second most votes in the conference, while Towns, Anunoby, Bridges, and Hart all retain the same places they were in last week.

With how bad the team and the players have looked recently, it will be interesting to see how the votes look next week. If you are interested in supporting the players, though, head on over to https://vote.nba.com/en and cast your votes.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...rns-of-the-all-star-game-sees-brunson-move-up

 

[New York Knicks]

Two key Knicks potentially nearing return?

Injuries are not, and cannot be, an excuse for how poorly the Knicks have played. While Josh Hart and Landry Shamet, and their excellent seasons, have been a pivotal part of the Knicks’ success, New York, if it wants to maintain its championship aspirations, cannot let two players impact their offensive process, defensive energy, and overall chemistry as much as they have.

That being said, the Knicks and their fans can breathe a very brief sigh of relief, as Ian Begley of SNY reported earlier today that the Knicks could have both of them back in the near future. Hart, whose rebounding, ball handling, toughness, and overall grit have been severely missed, could be available as early as tomorrow. Shamet, who has been out since injuring his shoulder against the Magic on November 22nd, is nearing a return. Begley hinted that his return is expected within the next week or the week after.

Again, the return of these two won’t magically fix the Knicks’ current problems, as they are rooted in much more than missing two wings. But getting two players who are among their better defenders and were both shooting the ball well should inject some much-needed energy into a team that looks like it badly needs it.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...520/two-key-knicks-potentially-nearing-return

 

[New York Knicks]

For the Knicks, effort is the way out of the skid

Unless you’re the 73-9 Warriors or the 1990s Bulls, a midseason slump is inevitable.

Four of the last six NBA champions endured a four-game losing streak at some point. The once-unbeatable OKC Thunder have played .500 ball for the last three weeks after starting 24-1, including getting blown out by the Charlotte Hornets with their entire Big Three healthy.

While the Knicks are encountering their first four-game skid since February 2024, last year’s team had lost six out of nine in early January and had three separate three-game losing streaks after the New Year. Very few teams avoid having bad 1-2 week stretches.

It’s what you do to get out of a slump that’s more telling than the slump itself. While the second-half collapse against the Spurs followed a different formula, each of the last three games has gone the same way:

• Competitive first quarter, Knicks trail by one after one
• Game starts to slip away in the second; Knicks keep it within 8-12 points at halftime
• Knicks get blown out in the third, eventually trailing by 18+

In the first two games, the Knicks fought back to make it look closer than it was, but the Pistons never let up. After only encountering two deficits larger than 18 points through 33 games, it’s happened in three straight.

There’s the obvious: the defense has been abhorrent for a while now. Even before this skid, the Knicks were struggling to out-talent overmatched teams and put them to bed early because of poor defensive effort. Saddiq Bey’s heater in the first quarter against the Pelicans wasn’t just a role player getting hot, it was poor defensive effort.

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At this point, Bey had 15 points in under eight minutes. He hadn’t missed a shot. Why on earth did Mikal Bridges help here? Mo Diawara was being beaten off the bounce by Trey Murphy, sure, but there are multiple bodies in the paint, and Murphy isn’t known for his finishing. Yes, this is armchair analysis, but in what world is it smart to help off the hottest man in the building?

This has been a trend for the Knicks as of late. Poor defensive effort and fixable mistakes allow a player (or team) to get red hot. Take Julian Champagnie’s 11 threes on New Year’s Eve.

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This one is pure miscommunication. Jordan Clarkson switches onto Wemby (lol), and either doesn’t tell OG Anunoby or OG didn’t listen. Either way, it allows a player who, despite not being the most efficient, is a ready and willing shooter to pop open. Allowing any NBA player to get into rhythm is a bad idea.

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Another fundamental flaw of this defense (especially of late) is poor transition defense. Guerschon Yabusele is behind the play, sure, but so is Luke Kornet. What is Ariel Hukporti sitting in the paint for? If I were Mike Brown, I’d rather my center contest the man who’s already made six threes and force him to go off the bounce than to give him an open shot to tie the game.

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Champagnie hit 3 threes in transition in the fourth quarter as the Knicks failed to match up. Their poor transition defense has been exploited all year, but teams are really torturing them now.

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The screen navigation is also becoming a big issue. One thing that hasn’t changed from Tom Thibodeau to Mike Brown is drop coverage, as the Knicks don’t have the personnel to recover if their center gets blown by at the perimeter. That puts extreme importance on screen navigation, but the Knicks have gotten blown up in that department by Joel Embiid, Luke Kornet, and Isaiah Stewart in the last week, allowing shooters to walk into open shots.

The issues on defense are well established, but a concerning trend emerging is one that happened last season as well: the stagnation on offense.

In each of the last two seasons, the Knicks had a generationally good offense prior to New Year’s. Last year, the over-reliance on Josh Hart in the starting lineup led to the offense’s downfall due to a defensive adjustment. It wasn’t supposed to be like this in 2026, but it hasn’t been pretty.

For one, the team is overly relying on Brunson heroball early in games. While the Knicks’ captain is one of the league’s most prolific first-quarter scorers, he’s been able to put up points early by playing in the flow of the offense, not commanding the ball all game long. Lately, he’s operating a one-man show, which is causing stagnation in the offense. Just look at this play from November:

pic.twitter.com/Sb8ygyJ6Ej

— jaycee (@jayceepxrez) January 6, 2026

The ball movement and off-ball movement just aren’t there right now, and it’s killing the offense. It also doesn’t help that three of the starters are in horrific slumps:

OG Anunoby since 12/9: 14.3 PPG, 39/26/85 splits

Mikal Bridges since 12/23: 12.5 PPG, 44/33/33 splits

Karl-Anthony Towns since 12/19: 19.1 PPG, 12.3 FGA, 34.3% from 3, 1.9 assists to 2.9 turnovers, 4.0 fouls

Wingstop started the season as one of the best corner shooters in the league, but neither has been hitting for a few weeks now. Towns has had some bizarre games lately, attempting fewer shots, picking up more silly fouls, and seeing a drastic drop in his playmaking ability. His penchant for picking up offensive fouls has been especially present lately.

Karl-Anthony Towns commits some of the most frustrating offensive fouls. pic.twitter.com/01owYtQNu1

— Dylan Backer (@DylanBackerESM) January 6, 2026

Teams are once again putting capable defensive wings on Towns instead of letting him dominate undersized, foul-prone bigs. The Knicks have to respond by optimizing him better. Get him better catch-and-shoot looks, minimize these top-of-the-key drives that lead to silly offensive fouls, get him on the block and let him use his strength there instead of downhill drives.

It’s a team-wide issue now. Guys aren’t moving off the ball, they aren’t passing, they’re getting predictable. The Pistons stripped the Knicks over and over again on Monday because their young, feisty defenders were able to read a predictable offense.

The Knicks have been blocked 21 times in the last two games, the most since January 2023. Their opponents have 31 steals in the last three games, the most since last February. If you combine those, it’s probably the first time in a long time that both have happened to this team.

The difference right now is effort. They’re a step late rotating, they’re not moving off the ball, they look tired out there. The grueling schedule doesn’t help, but at some point, the fewer minutes have to show up somewhere. The Knicks are a week away from their first two-day break in a while and should have Hart and Landry Shamet back in the near future.

But they can’t wait a week to figure it out.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...-the-knicks-effort-is-the-way-out-of-the-skid

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks 123, Clippers 111: Knicks end skid, snip the Clips

Tonight the Knicks (24*-13) hosted the surprisingly hot Los Angeles Clippers (13-23) at Madison Square Garden. Said us: we’re kinda worried, with New York having lost four straight games and needing a wind to fill their sails for the upcoming West Coast trip. Said the Knicks: What, us worry?

The Clippers jumped out to a 14–5 lead and, despite the Knicks slowly coming to life, controlled most of the first quarter for a 31–27 edge. Deuce McBride traded buckets with Kawhi Leonard in the second and New York trailed 56-51 at halftime. New York flipped the game in a rugged third quarter behind Jalen Brunson’s 11-point burst and a collective defensive push, scoring 39 points to take a 90–87 lead into the fourth. From there, the Knicks pulled away, the Clippers got winded, and the victory was ours, 123-111.

From the field, the Knicks outshot the Clips from the field (50% to 43%) and from deep (42% to 36%), and controlled the glass, 48 to 40. Jalen Brunson led the good guys with 26 points on an uber-efficient 9-for-12 shooting, including 4-for-5 from deep, plus seven assists. OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns both scored 20. OG had been slumping of late but finished 8-of-10 from the field, 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. For KAT, the shots weren’t falling, so he feasted around the rim in the second half, grabbed 11 rebounds, and dished a season-high seven dimes. Mikal Bridges filled the gaps with 15 points (7-for-14), nine rebounds, and five assists (+10), and Miles McBride added 16 with four threes (4-for-11).

Off the bench, Jordan Clarkson scored 12 (5-for-9), Guerschon Yabusele hit both his threes for eight points, and Mitchell Robinson logged nine rebounds and 2 blocks in 24 minutes (+14). The sneaky swing stat was Tyler Kolek’s +19 in 13 minutes, paired with five assists and four rebounds.

The Clippers were carried by their core: Kawhi Leonard (25 points on 10-for-20), James Harden (23 points, 9 assists, 7-for-7 FT), Ivica Zubac (22 points on 11-for-14 with 11 rebounds), and John Collins (18 points, 10 rebounds).

First Half​

The Knicks stumbled out of the gate, missing four of their first six shots as the Clippers raced to a 14–5 lead, but New York steadied itself with an 8–0 run to pull back into the game. Midway through the period, Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele were the first off the bench. At the 4:30 mark, Jalen Brunson briefly put the Knicks ahead with a three before Brook Lopez answered with one of his own.

Despite the swings, Los Angeles largely dictated the flow, shooting 46% from the field and 38% from three while getting to the line more often. The Knicks matched the Clippers on the glass, but three turnovers allowed LA to maintain control for three-quarters of the frame.

For the Clips, Harden led the way with nine points, supported by Leonard, Zubac, and John Collins. For New York, the offense came in fits and starts: OG Anunoby and Brunson scored seven apiece, but Karl-Anthony Towns was sputtering early. When the buzzer buzzed, New York was on the wrong end of a 31-27 score.

Deuce McBride ignited the Knicks early in the second, scoring 11 of New York’s first 15 points as the game tightened. Gradually, New York was able to tie the game midway through the quarter, but a lead remained elusive. At 2:23, Brunson tied the game again with another triple, but Leonard scored five unanswered points to regain some distance. The 34-year-old vet continued to score at will from anywhere, drew contact, and showed his hallmark defensive prowess, closing out strong on perimeter shooters. He had five points in the first quarter and 16 in the second, helping his team reach a 56-51 lead at halftime.

Towns played a role in the Knicks’ second-quarter surge, getting to the foul line, sweeping the boards, and dishing the ball. Offensively, though, he remained a mixed bag. On the positive side, in one half he’d doubled his total field goal attempts from the Detroit loss on Monday, but converted only 25% of them and continued to go cold from deep.

L.A. shot 48% from the field and 41% (9-of-22) from deep, outrebounded New York (21–19), and won the paint, 22–18. New York actually shot better from three (8-of-18, 44%). Both teams committed six turnovers. Leonard led all scorers with 21 points and Collins had grabbed eight boards. For the Knicks, McBride led the way with 14.

Second Half​

The third quarter started as a grind, with the momentum swinging back and forth in short bursts. The Clips had a counterpunch for every Knicks swing.

Brunson was the Knicks’ motor, sustaining the offense during a choppy stretch. Collecting 11 points in the frame, Cap cooked from all three levels, knocked down a key three, converted at the line, and created shots for others.

Thanks to Jalen’s steady hand and Yabusele’s triple, the Knicks finally regained a lead around the middle of the quarter. Leonard and Harden promptly flipped that, but the Knicks were finally clicking. Although a dud offensively, KAT impacted the game on the glass and as a passer, setting up Brunson and Bridges. Anunoby and Bridges knocked down key buckets, Mitchell Robinson finished around the rim, and the Knicks strung together stops to flip the score for good. Thanks to a 39-point scoring explosion in the quarter, the home team took a 90-87 lead into the fourth.

Los Angeles is the oldest team in the league. They looked it in the fourth. KAT began to assert himself more in the paint, and Leonard stalled out for the opposing team. Yabusele delivered some productive minutes off the bench, knocking down a three, finishing inside, and cleaning the glass. Meanwhile, Robinson stuffed at the rim, and before we knew it, New York was sitting on a 15-point lead.

The Clippers got a lift from Zubac, Dunn, and Collins, cutting the lead to nine before Anunoby swished from outside. With 1:30 left and his team trailing by 13, Ty Lue hoisted a white flag and sent in the scrubs.

Up Next​

Gas up the jets, the Knicks need to reach Phoenix by Friday night for a tilt with the Suns. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.

Box Score

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...3-clippers-111-knicks-end-skid-snip-the-clips

 

[New York Knicks]

The problem isn’t the double-big lineup, it’s how it’s used

Over the last two years, we’ve seen different iterations of the double-big lineup that features both Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson. There are reasons that both Tom Thibodeau and Mike Brown have gone to it. It matches up better theoretically against bigger teams. It gives them an actual rim protector in Robinson, without giving up Towns’ shooting. And it gives them a real rebounding advantage-something both coaches have prioritized. But there are also a lot of reasons, and evidence, that it’s not a fix-it-all lineup that works at all times.

First of all, pushing Towns to play the four, while Robinson plays the five, takes away a lot of what makes Towns great offensively. Opposing teams can put power forwards on him, making it easier for them to defend his threes, while also taking away his ability to drive past opposing centers on closeouts. And in the rare case that Towns can, and does get past his man from beyond the key, the paint is often clogged by Robinson’s man due to his inability to spread the floor.

This lineup configuration also often relies on Towns being able to defend opposing forwards, which can often spell doom on that end of the floor as well. Factor in the Knicks’ lack of big man depth, and you get an even larger problem. When the Knicks start both Towns and Robinson, they are starting their only two good big men. One of them, Towns, is always a threat to get into foul trouble. And the other Robinson is on a pseudo-minute restriction. That means when Towns gets into foul trouble, which isn’t infrequently, guys like Ariel Hukporti and Guerschon Yabusele are tasked with playing more minutes than the team or its fans would prefer.

And all of that had led to the pairing of Towns and Robinson as starters, producing very mixed, if not downright bad, results. New York is 5-7 when the pair start, and Robinson’s offensive and defensive ratings are both significantly worse as a start than they are as a reserve.

The Knicks outscored the Clippers 27-9 in the double big (KAT/Mitch) minutes tonight. The Knicks have a +12.0 NetRtg across 395 possessions when KAT starts and Mitch comes off the bench, dating back to Mitch's debut last season.

— max (@MaxWildstein) January 8, 2026

But that isn’t to say that the lineup itself is the problem. It’s more about how and when it’s being used. When Robinson does come off the bench, it’s yielded great results for the most part. As you can see above, the Knicks have a +12 net rating in 395 possessions when Towns starts, and Robinson comes off the bench. Doing so allows Robinson to dominate and feast off of opposing backup bigs, who often do not have the requisite size, skill, athleticism, or ability to contain Robinson’s rebounding abilities. It also gives the Knicks more insurance for when and if Towns gets into foul trouble. And lastly, when they do end up on the court at the same time, they can often take over and change the trajectory of the game with their size and rebounding. Ultimately, it gives the Knicks a much clearer rotation and the ability to be more versatile with the kinds of lineups they can throw out there at any given time.

Going forward, Josh Hart and Deuce McBride should be the only two starters joining the other four, with the latter being my preferred choice given his point-of-attack defense and shooting gravity. But whichever way Brown decides to go, the double-big starting lineup experiment should be all but over, and the lineup itself should only be used as a means to alter the game flow.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...m-isnt-the-double-big-lineup-its-how-its-used

 

[New York Knicks]

The evolution of Deuce McBride

When the Knicks acquired Deuce McBride in the 2021 draft, he was looked at by many as an athletic defensive pest with some playmaking and shooting potential. While his height and lack of vertical ability on the offense were a concern for some, his 6’8.75” wingspan, instantly translatable defense, and encouraging metrics and stats during his final year at West Virginia made him a popular pick. That being said, McBride’s rise to where he is now was a long and slow one.

As is often the case with rookies playing under the head coach, Tom Thibodeau, McBride saw very limited time during his first season in the NBA. He appeared in just 40 games, started in just two, and averaged a measly 9.3 MPG. And he struggled mightily offensively during those minutes.

The 21-year-old averaged just 2.2 PPG while shooting 29.6% from the field, 25% from three on 1.7 attempts per game, and 66.7% from the free-throw line. There were flashes and moments of brilliance from McBride; there were some apprehensions about whether McBride’s offensive game would ever improve enough for him to earn real minutes.

Year number two for McBride was better, yet only slightly. He appeared in more games-64 games, and averaged more minutes-11.9 MPG, but still struggled to put the ball in the basket. His percentages were up marginally as he finished the season shooting just 35.8% from the field and 29.9% from three.

But throughout the entirety of his first two years, coaches and players continued to sing their praises for McBride, citing his work ethic and determination. And fans, despite his up-and-down play, had a hard time not buying into the hype, due to Summer League play and G League outbursts, where he would routinely dominate. In his first season, he averaged 27.8 PPG and 10.8 APG in six games, and in the following year, he scored 28 points, dished out seven assists, and grabbed eight rebounds in his lone outing there.

It wasn’t until 2024, though, that McBride’s and the Knicks’ trajectory would change. On the penultimate day of 2023, the Knicks traded away starting wing RJ Barrett and backup point guard Immanuel Quickley for a package centered around OG Anunoby. While much of the conversation keyed in on what the Knicks were giving up and what the Knicks were getting, New York was rumored to have been okay with the trade because of their growing trust in the development of McBride.

With two key rotation pieces now up north in Toronto, McBride got more playing time and flourished, becoming one of the team’s most impactful players. From the trade onwards, McBride averaged 10.6 PPG, 2.1 APG on 44.9% shooting, and more importantly, 41% from three.

After a tough, injury-filled postseason run, many were expecting a full breakout year from McBride in the following season. But what the Knicks and their fans got instead was a step back. McBride’s name could still be found in many of the Knicks’ best-performing lineups due to his defense and gravity, but his personal numbers were on the decline. He averaged just 1.2 PPG more despite playing nearly five more minutes per game, and he shot just over 40% from the field and under 37% from three.

Deuce McBride's shooting splits over the past seven weeks:
50.4% from the field
52.6% from three-point range
95.8% from the free-throw line

— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) January 8, 2026

This season, though, McBride has not only remained a mainstay on the Knicks’ strongest lineup combinations, but he is doing so while playing the best basketball of his career. After Wednesday night’s 16-point performance against the Clippers, the fifth-year man is now averaging 12.7 PPG while shooting 45.2% from the field, and a blistering 45.3% from three. And if you take a zoom in to his play since November 17th, it’s even more impressive. Since then, he has averaged 15.4 PPG while shooting 47.7% from the field and 48.4% from three in 16 games.

Deuce McBride shooting the lights out from 3 this year. 46% #WVU #NBA pic.twitter.com/0fDik7mYts

— Gold And Blue Zone (@GoldAndBlueZone) January 8, 2026

He ranks ninth in three-point shooters among the 266 players who have taken over 50 three-pointers, sixth among the 173 players who have taken over 100, and fourth among the 102 players who have taken over 150 three-pointers. And of the 57 players averaging more than six three-point attempts per game, he is the only one shooting over 45% from deep, while also being the only qualified player in the league shooting above 55% on above-the-break three-point attempts.

There are 57 players averaging more than 6 three-point attempts per game this season.

Miles McBride is the only one of those 57 players shooting above 45% from downtown.

Deuce is also the only qualified player in the NBA shooting above 55% on above-the-break 3PT attempts.

— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) January 8, 2026

A lot of it is obviously work ethic and countless hours. But we’ve also recently heard about two specific people who have helped him refine his jump shot. On New Year’s Eve, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post wrote about how McBride went to Ray Allen, universally acknowledged as one of the top three or five shooters to ever step foot on a court, for some pointers back in 2021. Allen, who, unlike Steph Curry or Damian Lillard, two of this generation’s best shooters, had a higher release point. And as you can see below, McBride has really honed in on Allen’s advice to get more elevation.

Here is a side-by-side comparison of Deuce McBride’s jumpshot from his rookie season in 2021 to now.

Notice the higher release point, the taller jump, and more arc on the shot. These changes are what has made him the shooter he is now. pic.twitter.com/QvSXW8YEej

— Dylan Backer (@DylanBackerESM) December 29, 2025

McBride also recently credited shooting specialist Peter Patton, who was brought in last year, for his recent hot streak.

“Honestly, trusting in God… keep my faith, keep working,” McBride said. “Medical staff is doing great. Working with Coach Pete, Coach Jordan, and staying on top of my game.”

"Honestly trusting in God…Keep my faith, keep working. Medical staff great. Working with Coach Pete, Coach Jordan, and staying on top of my game"

–– Deuce McBride to @BillPidto on shooting 48% from three since returning from a 3-week ankle injury pic.twitter.com/vUfAdVyYo6

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 8, 2026

With McBride healthy, in rhythm, confident, and getting the playing time he deserves, we’re seeing the best version of a home-grown player who is rewarding the franchise and fanbase’s patience with some incredible play on both sides of the ball.

"If I went 0-for-4, I would've kept shooting it with confidence. That's the game. You're not gonna make every shot, but gotta keep shooting with confidence and can't pass up opportunities"

Deuce McBride discusses what his hot streak from deep meant tonight pic.twitter.com/eNif6AxaQe

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 6, 2024

It’s still unclear what McBride’s future with New York is, but if the Knicks are to make any real noise this year, it is a given by now that McBride must play a big role. His point-of-attack defense, shooting, and ability to space the floor for Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns have become even more of an indispensable attribute–something we weren’t always sure we’d be able to say.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/knicks-analysis/77637/the-evolution-of-deuce-mcbride

 

[New York Knicks]

What the Trae Young trade means for the Knicks and the Eastern Conference

There was an end of an era (error?) in Atlanta on Wednesday, as the Hawks pulled the trigger on a long-rumored trade, ending the Trae Young era by sending him to…

[checks notes]

…the Washington Wizards in exchange for Corey Kispert and CJ McCollum. No picks going either way. It’s a surreal ending to a tenure that has been deeply intertwined with our New York Knicks, but one that felt like it was coming since the season began in October. The Hawks have played better without him and seem to have moved on to building around Jalen Johnson. When you add on his contract situation, this was inevitable.

Trae’s career will forever be connected to the Knicks, as when he retires, his career highlights will likely be plastered with highlights that have orange and blue on the other side. The 2021 First Round and all the moments attached with that, the “dice roll”, etc. His final game as a Hawk? A brutal defeat against the Knicks, where he went 2-for-9, 0-for-4 from three, and committed six turnovers, while being a minus-13 in a three-point defeat.

Trae Young’s final game with the Atlanta Hawks was him choking against the Knicks.

You can’t make it up. pic.twitter.com/A1rzRgzepw

— Dylan Backer (@DylanBackerESM) January 8, 2026

He’s been a classic New York villain for the past several years. NBA fans and the media will never let us live it down (even if he was stunting on Reggie Bullock and Taj Gibson). But what if I told you that Trae has a chance to redeem himself to the city that still loves to chant profanities at him?

Most Knicks fans remember that the Knicks hold the Wizards’ conditional 2026 first-round pick, one of three draft picks the team acquired on draft night in 2022 when they traded the No. 11 pick to the OKC Thunder. While the other two picks are long gone (including a Pistons pick that did eventually convey after it was sent to Minnesota), this is the final year of the conditional pick for the Wizards.

The prolonged rebuild by Washington has allowed them to avoid giving up their pick to the Knicks, even as the protections get smaller and smaller. The 2026 pick in top-eight protected, and if it doesn’t convey, it’ll turn into two second-round picks. That way, if the Wizards finish with a miserable record again, the Knicks would at least get a pick in the low 30s in the same draft, as well as a 2027 2nd, for their troubles.

As of Thursday morning, the Wizards have the fourth-worst record in the NBA at 10-26. As it stands, it will not convey. But with a motivated Trae Young now looking to prove himself worthy of a rich contract extension by his new team, could he get a few extra wins out of the lowly Wizards? Could he form a pick-and-roll tandem with former No. 2 pick Alex Sarr that allows Washington’s offense to outplay their horrific defense?

They’re 3.5 games back of the Mavericks in the standings, who currently sit at No. 9. They don’t necessarily have to get down there to convey the pick, as they’d have a 39% chance to drop to ninth if they sat at No. 8 and a 14.2% chance to drop if they sat in the 7th spot.

Unfortunately, the Wizards will likely do whatever they can to maximize their odds of keeping the pick, even if Young’s arrival leads to more wins. Expect “load management” shenanigans in April. But in the off chance the Knicks can get the pick, it’d be a life raft to Leon Rose and company to get a cheap lottery talent on a rookie deal (or a trade asset for a certain Greek Freak…).

There are other implications to the trade outside of the Knicks’ draft picks, of course.

The Hawks are going to lean into being menaces defensively, which they’ve been when Young is in street clothes. They don’t have any defensive warts on their roster anymore and seem to have enough offense to compete for a top-six seed, especially with Johnson’s playmaking leap and McCollum’s scoring punch. They even acquired a certified Knicks killer to replace Trae! The question is, what’s their plan to take the next step?

Is it Anthony Davis? The Hawks have some movable contracts (namely, Kristaps Porzingis) and have been interested suitors for the 32-year-old veteran for a while. With Young out of the picture, they could pivot to Davis and Johnson as their star tandem. There are risks to that, of course, with Davis’ age and growing injury concerns, but that would immediately make them an extremely tough team to beat in the playoffs.

The Wizards also have an intriguing outlook going forward. If they manage to get a top pick and can add a player like AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, or Darryn Peterson to a core that’s quickly filling with solid players, they could emerge as play-in contenders by next season.

Young’s long-term outlook will be one to watch. He has a $49 million player option for next season, and he’d be a fool to decline it with NBA free agency quickly falling out of style. Will he show the Wizards enough to formally solidify himself as the face of that franchise? Many questions.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...ern-conference-kispert-mccollum-anthony-davis

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks Bulletin: ‘I know I can be one of the best point-of-attack defenders’

The Knicks are back.

Josh Hart is not.

Here are some words.

Josh "I'll be back at some pointpretty good little sprain…If this was my left ankle I'm back by now bc I’ve had some good sprains on left but not many on right. This was good one; after this don't have many ligaments to sprainso I'll be solid. We'll see. Hopefully back soon” pic.twitter.com/6WdQ9YV2bI

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 9, 2026

Mike Brown​

On embracing the recent losing streak:

“I hope no one takes this the wrong way, but I embrace it. When you go through what we’ve gone through, nobody wants to lose, but it helps us be better. It helps me be better.”

On accountability and leadership during adversity:

“I know our guys care. I know they want to win, and it’s my time to keep it real with them, tell the truth. But also coach them and show them confidence and strength during this time. And that’s while trying to help them, so that’s all I’m trying to do.”

On Miles McBride as a point-of-attack defender:

“Defensively, he’s an extremely good on-ball defender, especially when it comes to the pick-and-roll game. He’s strong, he’s powerful, he’s quick, he’s athletic and he’s a little longer than what you think so when that screen comes, he knows you should one-two into the ball, get that shoulder and hip over that screen at the same time as the ball. This way, your opponent won’t have an advantage in the pick-and-roll game.”

On McBride’s defense on James Harden:

“Obviously, there was a size disadvantage with James, but he did a great job on James. You’re not gonna stop him, you just hope he misses some of those shots, and he did. Deuce tried to get up underneath him.”

On McBride’s shooting gravity as a member of the starting lineup:

“He has to be guarded. You watched during the course of the game, they had Kawhi on him and, you know, who would have thunk if OG and Mikal and some of these other guys are on the floor, Kawhi is matched up with Deuce; it’s because he can shoot.”

On Guerschon Yabusele’s aggressiveness and impact against LA:

“Yabu was huge. The lineups that we faced warranted it. He was great defensively, he was aggressive — I love his aggressiveness. That’s something we’ve talked about a few times — if you’re able to catch the ball and make a quick decision, snap drive it, as quick as you are, as athletic as you are, go to dunk it. Go to dunk it. I don’t care if you miss it, whatever, go to dunk it because you’re more than capable of turning it over on people. We need him to continue being aggressive if he can snap–drive it. Especially at his size, attacking the rim with aggression. And then we need him to rebound, that’s one of the big reasons he’s on the floor. For him to get out and help in that department, that was big.”

did someone order a video of mikal's dunk celebrations but his nosebleed gets progressively more severe?

no? we’ll just leave it here anyways.

vote KNICKS for #NBAAllStar starters ️ https://t.co/Ov3esq1i8z pic.twitter.com/jcdjepngq4

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 8, 2026

Miles McBride​

On his defensive identity:

“I know I can be one of the best point-of-attack defenders in the NBA. I believe in myself, I believe that guarding really gets us going, gets us out in transition, which we did throughout the second half, which was really big for us.”

On defending James Harden:

“He’s crafty, but people don’t know how physical he is. If you don’t use a little bit of physicality back, he has you beat in a lot of aspects, obviously shotmaking. I pride myself on what I do. You’re not gonna be able to take away everything, but make it as hard as you can.”

Clippers got there but this KAT no-look… pic.twitter.com/zem8XBGi2U

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 9, 2026

Karl-Anthony Towns​

On McBride’s two-way impact:

“Not only his shooting that was great — it was fantastic tonight and he’s been great shooting all year shooting the ball — but his defense was great, too. It kept us in the game. His shooting and his defense gave us a chance every possession to guard our lead. Deuce was special tonight.”

New York’s Top Dogs

knicks pick which @WKCDOGS breed describes their teammates ahead of the 150th WKC Dog Show at @TheGarden on Feb 2 & 3 pic.twitter.com/lRLRzRG8YV

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 8, 2026

Jalen Brunson​

On moving forward after the skid:

“We had a losing streak. I think for us, we have to move on from there. We’re going to learn from it. We’re going to learn to get better from it and find ways to win and get better.”

On McBride’s reliability:

“He plays great. Whatever is asked of him, he provides and he produces. That’s just who he is as a player, as a competitor, as a person. Whatever is asked of him, he’s gonna contribute and do the best he can.”

On Guerschon Yabusele staying ready amid a season of struggles:

“He stays ready. I think him playing the way he did, especially in the second half, is fantastic. It’s what we needed.”

Nah Snoop Dogg is on this broadcast WILDING. The way he called this Steve Kerr crash out got me IN TEARS lmaooo

“Steve raining fire on em… Steve banging Inglewood” pic.twitter.com/369QlOVuVJ

— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) January 6, 2026

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...-be-one-of-the-best-point-of-attack-defenders

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks Bulletin: ‘That’s what you got an agent for’

It looks like the Knicks just can’t get things quite right, can they?

Phoenix made New York eat their four L in five attempts, and the folks won’t have it any easier going forward with a few more West Coast games on the horizon.

Here’s a little of what was said on Friday night.

Mike Brown as Knicks lose by 5 in Phoenix: "Our guys fought in 4th…holding them to 18 great…but when you have 18 turnovers for 22 pts compared to their 10 for 11, on the road tough to overcome. We have to do this for 48 & not wait til last quarter to turn it on defensively" pic.twitter.com/fSYMMd1hbG

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 10, 2026

Mike Brown​

On turnovers costing New York and the tiny margin for error on the road:

“When you have 17 turnovers for 22 points off turnovers, compared to their 10 turnovers for 11 points off turnovers, on the road, it’s going to be tough to overcome.”

On the Suns as an opponent:

“They’ve been playing good basketball. They have some veteran guys that have been through the fire, you have a guy in Dillon Brooks who has shown that he can obviously defend and bring an edge to this basketball team and get it done on the offensive end of the floor. Booker is obviously an All-Star player. They get out and run, crash the glass. They do a pretty good job defensively overall, trying to put pressure on you. They’ll pick up full court. They can attack in a lot of different ways.”

On expanding the rotation with Josh Hart out:

“Obviously, we’re trying to give some young guys an opportunity and some guys that aren’t in that situation an opportunity. And they’ve just got to do the best they can.”

On Josh Hart’s injury progress and potential return:

“I don’t know. I know he’s progressing every single day. He’s doing controlled scrimmaging right now. So we’ll see, but he’s definitely getting close.”

On adjusting schemes during practice:

“I’ve got to keep trying to find ways to help them. So on both ends of the floor I’ve got to continue to do that even now. That’s what my job is. We made some changes on both sides of the ball. We’ll see how effective it is and see if it can help us combat that — quote unquote — problems that we may be having technically at times on both sides of the ball.”

On Mikal Bridges’ skill set:

“He was a guy here who shot the ball well, moved well without the basketball, got out in transition. Obviously, defended a lot of times at the point of the opponent’s attack. But he’d really get in the passing lanes, and those are things we definitely rely on him to do for us.”

"Obviously that turnover at the end. Just good defense by Oso. Hands up, not letting me create enough space. Just a careless pass, and that was the game"

–– Jalen Brunson to @LT__Murray on the key play of the loss in Phoenix pic.twitter.com/zZAWOdrgx7

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 10, 2026

Jalen Brunson​

On late-game execution and his final turnover:

“I just feel like I need to execute and be better towards the end of the night. That’s when I’m at my best. That’s what I pride myself on. I just need to be better down the stretch and be more sound and be more fundamental.”

On his final turnover costing the Knicks:

“That turnover at the end… that’s just good defense by Oso. Hands up, not letting me create enough space. Just a careless pass, and that was the game.”

Mitchell Robinson just passed Carmelo Anthony (2,865) to enter Knicks all-time top 20 rebounders pic.twitter.com/Kt6lziyhcG

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 10, 2026

Mitchell Robinson​

On his expiring contract:

“I tell you this every time, brother. I let my agent handle that. That’s what you got an agent for. Let them do your s—.

“Just continue to play hard.”

On conditioning work doing him good:

“Yeah, we do a lot. Too damn much.”

On progress with his conditioning:

“Yeah, for sure. You didn’t see that last game when I was sprinting down the court? I got tired, obviously. But I ran down like seven times, then rolled, came back, set a screen. I did alright. So it’s getting better.”

Book Mikal pic.twitter.com/1FnPaQOe1q

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) January 10, 2026

Mikal Bridges​

On returning to Phoenix to face the Suns:

“Yeah, man, being drafted here and being here for so long, being embraced by the culture here and the fans and everybody, yeah, it’s always amazing coming back here. It always feels like home. No matter how many times I come out here or when I come out here.”

On adjusting to Mike Brown’s system in New York:

“I think it’s a little mixed. I think offensively when I was in Phoenix, it was kind of a no-brainer, the movement. I think we’re still figuring out what we’re doing here offensively because it’s still a new system. But yeah, you could say that.”

"IDK. I know he's progressing every single day. He's doing controlled scrimmaging right now. So we'll see. He's definitely getting close"

– Knicks Mike Brown on whether Josh Hart (OUT again in Phoenix tonight, right ankle sprain) will play on this 4-game West trip. Q @SbondyNBA pic.twitter.com/N9bMM7DY2G

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 10, 2026

Josh Hart​

On his ongoing rehab and impending return from injury:

“I’ll be back at some point. We’ll see. Pretty good little sprain. If this is my left ankle, I’m back by now. Because I’ve had some good ankle sprains on my left ankle. But I haven’t had many good ankle sprains on my right. This was a good one. After this, I won’t have any ligaments to sprain. So I’ll be solid.”

“I’m not really thinking about the next game, I’m thinking about cracking open a beer”

Someone get Curt Cignetti a brewpic.twitter.com/8mrFKRc71W

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) January 10, 2026

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/knicks-news/77718/knicks-bulletin-xxxx

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks Week Preview: Jan. 11-17, 2026

The New York Knicks (24*-14 and clinging to third in the Eastern Conference) are in the midst of a challenging West Coast road trip and a bona fide slump. They’ve won just once in their last six games, and four of the last 10. Their defeat of the Clippers at home on Wednesday did little to restore our confidence, and Friday night’s loss in Phoenix further highlighted the team’s problems, namely: another slow start, a vapid physical identity, too many turnovers, disordered defense, offensive confusion, and sub-par performances by their highest-paid players.

The weatherman says the sky ain’t falling, but that cloud looks suspicious. Brunson and KAT seem incompatible, Wingstop has been a doorstop, and the bench are sad clowns mostly. Maybe Josh Hart will return from his eight-game absence and bring back loaves and fishes. Maybe. Until then, we’ll be relieved if the Knicks split this upcoming slate of games.

Sun, Jan 11 @ Portland Trail Blazers – 6:00 PM​

The Knicks head to the Moda Center on Sunday to face a Portland team hovering around .500 and clinging to the edge of the play-in picture. The Trail Blazers are 19–20, ninth in the West, and coming off a 111–105 home win over Houston. They’ve enjoyed a surge of late that has brought renewed confidence to a rebuilding roster. Under interim coach Tiago Splitter, the overperforming Blazers have played fast and loose, scoring a league-average amount of points but giving up a ton as well. That mix has produced close games and a record slightly better than predicted.

Their fulcrum is Deni Avdija, who has emerged as a cornerstone player with a string of high-usage, all-around performances. Avdija has averaged 26.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and seven assists this season. Sure, he might benefit from friendly whistles, but deserves All-Star consideration nonetheless. Shaedon Sharpe and a young supporting cast provide a high-octane scoring punch.

For New York, it’s a winnable game if they can control the pace, protect the ball, and limit transition chances. This one will test their focus, which was poor on Friday in Phoenix.

Wed, Jan 14 @ Sacramento Kings – 10:00 PM​

After two days off (imagine that), the Knicks continue their West Coast swing Wednesday night at Golden 1 Center against a Sacramento team slogging through a difficult season.

The Kings are 8–30, last in the West, and coming off a 137–103 blowout loss to Golden State. Coach Doug Christie is still searching for traction, with his squad struggling on both ends. For the Knicks, this will be the first game of a back-to-back. They’d be wise to come out hot, run up the score, and give the starters an early exit. Given their contrarian nature, we kind of expect the opposite from New York, while someone goofy like Dennis Schröder goes off for thirty.

Thu, Jan 15 @ Golden State Warriors – 10:00 PM (Prime Video)​

The Knicks wrap up their West Coast adventures on Thursday night with a tough test, visiting Golden State at Chase Center on the second night of a back-to-back. The Warriors, 21–18 and eighth in the West, remain dangerous at home behind veteran poise, elite shooting (on occasion), and a top-ten defense. Fatigue looms for New York, and defending Golden State’s motion offense and three-point volume could be a lot for tired legs. To stay competitive, New York will need to dig deep, chase shooters, disrupt the Dubs’ rhythm early, and keep the game out of transition. Just a couple, two, three things. Wouldn’t that cross-country flight feel nicer after a win than a defeat?

Sat, Jan 17 vs Phoenix Suns – 7:30 PM​

The Knicks return to Madison Square Garden on Saturday for a rematch with the Phoenix Suns, who edged them 112–107 to open the West Coast trip. Phoenix comes in feeling extra chesty, sitting seventh in the West, and having outperformed preseason expectations under coach Jordan Ott. A top-ten defense and a balanced offensive attack led by Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks dominated the Knicks for almost 90% of Saturday’s game. Ironically, Phoenix’s clutch execution made the difference in the first meeting, when timely shooting from B&B held off a Knicks rally.

This time, the advantage swings back to New York. After a taxing road stretch, the Knicks get home-court energy and a chance to clean up the mistakes that cost them last time.

This stretch will show us how resilient the Knicks are, or aren’t. If they can steady themselves, clean up the basics, and come out of this run with a split, that counts as progress. Anything more would be a welcome surprise. Anything less . . . well, when does that trade window close?

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/knicks-game-previews/77739/knicks-week-preview-jan-11-10-2026

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks Bulletin: ‘He’s a connector. He’s a glue guy’

New York will keep waiting to welcome back their team as the Knicks have three more road games coming up next.

Will they return from the West Coast rodeo with a positive balance? For now, it’s 0-1 entering the Blazers matchup.

Here’s some said of late.

Knicks upgrade Josh Hart to QUESTIONABLE Sunday in Portland

Hart has missed 8 games since spraining right ankle Christmas pic.twitter.com/EOlOsyjlEY

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 10, 2026

Mike Brown​

On Josh Hart’s on-court value:

“He’s a connector. He’s a glue guy. There’s a lot of things that we can do with him on the floor, on both ends of the floor, that he brings to the team.”

On the declining paint touches without Hart in the lineup:

“Our overall paint touches are down and our overall sprays are down. Some of it is we’re not moving the ball like we were, but Josh, again, he’s another ball handler that gets downhill very well. He makes quick decisions, gets downhill, and if you cat-and-mouse, he’s definitely going to finish. If you come to him, he’s a great spray guy. To be missing that, makes it tough when it impacts all of us.”

On diagnosing the team’s struggles without pinning it on one cause:

“You factor in—could it be opponents? Could it be the time of the year? I’m not sure.”

On handling physical opponents:

“Yeah, we told our guys, hey, look, they’re going to be up in you. They’re going to try to be physical with you. That’s the way they play. They’ve done a good job with it. We fell into the way that they played and even got frustrated, picking up a couple of offensive fouls. We have to do a better job with it instead of letting them dictate what’s going on on the floor.”

On the value of limited practice time:

“It helped a lot. When we got together, it wasn’t really practice practice, at least practice how I like it. But any time you can get your group together and review whatever your principles are, whatever your offensive stuff is, whatever your defensive stuff is, and then watching tape on the previous opponent to see where you can get a little better and also where you’re doing things fine. Any time you can do that, it’s good. And it was good for us to do for sure.”

Full Knicks injury report Sunday in Portland:

Josh Hart upgraded QUESTIONABLE (sprained right ankle)

Guerschon Yabusele also upgraded QUESTIONABLE (right quad contusion)

Landry Shamet OUT 24th straight game (right shoulder sprain)

Trey Jemison OUT (GLeague-2way) pic.twitter.com/LJUT1qkMmI

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 10, 2026

Jalen Brunson​

On physicality:

“They play physical basketball, but so do we. And we need to.”

On secondary playmaking without Josh Hart:

“We need Hart back but I do believe we have secondary playmakers after myself. We have them on our team. And you may think differently but that’s how I feel.”

On the team’s struggles and accountability:

“I’m going to keep it real. We look godawful. And how do I say this? The worst part about it, it’s all correctable stuff. And I think that’s what makes it most frustrating is like we have the ability to correct it. It should have been corrected a long time ago. Obviously, our communication on both sides of the ball. One, physicality on both sides of the ball. I think it’s more mental than anything. Like we have the pieces and we’ve shown that we can be physical on both sides of the ball this season. Like it’s not like we’re like brand-new. We’ve adjusted. We’ve gotten better earlier in the season. We’re obviously taking steps back, but we had the ability to do great things as a team and I think we’ve shown that so far. It’s just a rough patch. It’s not fun. It’s something you don’t want to go through as a team. You don’t want to be in this position, but we got to claw our way out of it somehow. You can’t just sulk and be feeling sorry for ourselves. That’s just going to make us worse.”

Landry Shamet has been cleared for contact and has been doing controlled contact, according to Mike Brown. He was ruled out of tomorrow's game against the Blazers.

— Stefan Bondy (@SbondyNBA) January 10, 2026

Karl-Anthony Towns​

On his role, shot volume, and impact on winning:

“I’m going to keep shooting and keep making space for my teammates. I’m gonna keep trying to be as impactful for winning as possible and be the best in the role as possible. Getting my teammates involved and moving the ball and making the defense shift and giving the whole team space to operate my passing gravity. I am trying to do my best in my role and impact the winning. Tonight, it is unfortunate we did not do enough to win. I thought we did a great job to put ourselves in the position to win, so it’s more disappointing.”

On Josh Hart’s absence in a new system:

“I mean, it’s tough when you’re missing a big part of your team in a new system, new offense, new philosophy, scheme.”

Knicks when Hart starts: 11-3

Knicks when Hart doesn't start: 13-11 https://t.co/06IsvAVP0l

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 11, 2026

Miles McBride​

On Josh Hart’s importance to the team:

“He’s the heart and soul of the team from an energy perspective. I bring a lot of energy, we got a lot of guys that do. But he’s been doing it for so long and we’ve all been able to use him as the nucleus.”

"Being a pro's my whole mentality…I'm on Year 3…Ain't no campus you gotta go to, it's 24-7…Staying in the gym…with the dudes you see behind me…those my brothers right here I got in Westchester with me"

– Dink Pate, age 19, straight from HS to the G, leads league in 3s pic.twitter.com/LyReJ4h4qH

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 11, 2026

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/knicks-news/77751/knicks-bulletin-hes-a-connector-hes-a-glue-guy

 

[Zedster]

Interesting stretch for you guys. That Trae Young trade to Washington is wild timing with that pick situation - would be pretty ironic if he ends up winning just enough games to push that pick outside the top 8 and it conveys to New York. The basketball gods do have a sense of humor sometimes.

The Hart injury seems like a bigger deal than maybe it looked initially. Reading through those quotes, it's clear the team really misses his connective tissue on both ends. Brunson being that candid about looking "godawful" and saying it's all correctable stuff is refreshing honesty, but also a bit concerning that they haven't been able to fix it yet.

McBride stepping up defensively is a nice development though. His work on Harden sounds like it was solid, and Brown seems to trust him in that point-of-attack role. That's valuable depth to have.

The West Coast trip is going to be telling. Portland and Sacramento should be winnable, but back-to-backs are tough and Golden State at Chase is never easy. If they can come back 2-2 or better with Hart potentially returning, that's probably a success given how things have been going.

KAT and Brunson still figuring out how to mesh in Brown's system seems like the bigger long-term question. Lots of talent there but the fit hasn't clicked consistently yet. Still early though - new coach, new schemes, these things take time to gel.

 

[New York Knicks]

Game Preview: Knicks at Trail Blazers, January 11, 2026

The Left Coast tour continues for the New York Knicks (24*-14) with a stop in Portland as they visit the Moda Center to battle some tricky Trail Blazers (19-20).

The Blazers are hovering around .500, which absolutely reflects their season so far. Following a stumble out of the gate, Portland has stabilized and shown signs of real competitiveness, to the point that they’re legitimate candidates for the play-in. They have won five straight and seven of their last ten. That includes back-to-back victories over Houston and convincing wins against Utah, New Orleans, and San Antonio. Several of those contests featured late-game rallies, suggesting that this young team is maturing fast. They rank ninth in pace, 15th in scoring at 116.4 points per game, and 24th defensively by points allowed, with below-average offensive and defensive ratings.

At the center of their momentum is Deni Avdija, a fifth-year player who, in his second season with the club, has emerged as Portland’s most dangerous offensive weapon. Avdija is enjoying an All-Star-worthy, pouring in big scoring nights while also contributing as a rebounder and secondary playmaker (although my friend out there says Deni shouldn’t handle the ball so often, and this team desperately needs the injured Scoot Henderson back).

In his second season, the 7’2” Donovan Clingan has averaged 11.1 points and 10.8 rebounds. He provides the Blazers with a strong interior presence, far outperforming Robert “TimeLord” Williams, III, now on the second unit.

Third-year power forward Toumani Camara has also made his mark with energetic two-way play, including a recent career-high scoring performance, a 25-point showing on Friday against the Rockets when he made 5-of-11 from deep. Camara is a disruptive wing with some high-upside intangible, averaging 13.2 points and 5.2 boards this season.

The high-flying Shaedon Sharpe has emerged as a central piece of Portland’s offense this season, averaging 21.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. He is one of the Blazers’ primary scoring options behind Deni Avdija. After a slow start from three-point range, Sharpe has found his rhythm since December, regularly topping 20 points.

Overall, despite their inconsistencies, this is a Blazers team trending in the right direction.

The Knicks arrive still searching for balance. Losing six of their last ten games has exposed the predictability of their offense, which stalls in late-clock isolations and puts too much emphasis on Jalen Brunson to shoulder the load. Cap has been brilliant this season—you don’t win Player of the Month for nothing—but New York’s best version of itself depends on others asserting themselves alongside J.B. Against a Portland team that will happily load up on the ball, the Knicks need a decisive second option.

Much of the spotlight falls on Karl-Anthony Towns, whose role has shrunk lately, with averages of 18.5 points and 10.5 boards in his last 10 games. For New York to control this matchup, his aggression has to show early. When the team swings the ball, touches the paint, and exploits their spacing, the offense is arguably the finest in the league. When it doesn’t, the inefficiency compounds with their defensive shortcomings to make them look like a one-and-done playoff team.

For the Knicks, Landry Shamet remains out with a shoulder injury but is nearing a return, while Josh Hart and Guerschon Yabusele are both listed as game-time decisions. Hart played in Portland for 64 games—half a season after being traded from New Orleans, half a season before going to New York—and seemed to enjoy his time there. Look for him to suit up tonight.

Portland’s injury report is a scroll, with Jerami Grant sidelined by an Achilles injury and Kris Murray out with a back issue, while defensive specialist Matisse Thybulle continues to recover from a thumb injury. The Blazers may also be shorthanded in the backcourt and frontcourt, depending on the availability of Jrue Holiday (calf) and Robert Williams III (knee), both of whom are listed as game-time decisions.

Prediction​

ESPN.com likes the Knicks at 67%. We get it, but we’re not as confident. Portland enters this one riding real momentum behind a fast-paced, confident young core led by Avdija and Sharpe. Meanwhile, New York’s recent losing ways could begin to erode their confidence, and fatigue is always possible with road trips. Too often they have played down to their opponent, and, given the travel schedule, we’re skeptical that coach Mike Brown has had the time and opportunity to straighten out the team’s problems.

The Knicks need to move the ball early, to ease the late-game burden on Brunson, and they need an assertive night from Karl-Anthony Towns against that gorilla Clingan. Despite it being a January road game versus a team with a losing record, this has all the makings of a thriller. Age and beauty wins it in the end—Knicks by five.

Game Details​

Teams: New York Knicks (24*-14) at Portland Trail Blazers (19-20)

Date: Sunday, January 11, 2024

Time: 6:00 PM ET

Location: Moda Center, Portland, OR

TV: MSG

Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...eview-knicks-at-trail-blazers-january-11-2026

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks Bulletin: ‘I kind of had a disagreement with medical’

The New York Knicks welcomed Josh Hart back to the lineup…

…and Josh Hart helped them win a game for the first time since forever (well, kinda).

Here’s a bunch of quotes from and about Hart, and a few other things coming off a dub in Portland.

DPOG MITCH pic.twitter.com/kZWKuuPuYQ

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 12, 2026

Mike Brown​

On his decision to sit Karl-Anthony Towns for most of the fourth quarter:

“We normally do [close with Towns]. On the minutes sheet, he’s there [to play down the stretch]. But we strung a lot of stops together. And we were getting out and going. And I will do this — if I think a group is rolling, I’ll keep a group out there. As long as it doesn’t impact a guy’s minutes drastically. And that group was rolling and I kept them out there because of it.”

On Karl-Anthony Towns’ benching:

“I’ve said this before: It’s not all on KAT to adjust to and adapt to what we have to do. He’s had the hardest adjustment period because he’s had to learn the most. In the same breath, I have to make sure that I help him by simplifying what we do and making sure I’m putting him in the right spots and then he’s got to do the things necessary to help out, as well.”

On Josh Hart’s return to the lineup:

“It’s huge. Josh, like I said before, a lot of our guys are irreplaceable and especially a guy like Josh who does so many little things for you.”

Josh Hart on bringing toughness, physicality, and extra effort plays to the Knicks lineup – and he did all three in the New York 123-114 win over the Blazers.@nyknicks | @stevenovak16 | #NewYorkForever pic.twitter.com/u0RnF6Wn13

— KNICKS ON MSG (@KnicksMSGN) January 12, 2026

Josh Hart​

On deciding to return from his ankle injury as soon as possible:

“If we were on a good little run, I’d have taken a couple more days, couple more games. I felt I could come in and help where I’m at right now. I’m good. I always feel if I’m banged up a little bit and I go out there and play and get the movement and all that it helps me heal faster.”

On his help when defenses blitz Jalen Brunson:

“I think there was certain situations when I was out, like the San Antonio game, for example, where they’re blitzing JB, and I’d be able to help, being in that pocket and playmaking and kind of helping guys, being in those kind of positions, stuff like that. Or you’re watching and saying like, ‘Damn, if I was out there I could help in this way, help in that way.’”

On not feeling pressure upon his return to the lineup:

“I don’t think there’s pressure when I’m coming back. It’d probably be more pressure if we were on a five-game winning streak. I can’t come in and mess things up. If we were on a five-game winning streak, I probably wouldn’t be playing.”

On his offensive mindset:

“I just try to do what I do and bring toughness and physicality. I wasn’t as physical as I wanted to be tonight, but we’ve gotta do a good job of making it difficult.”

On shooting the rock when left open by the Blazers:

“Definitely thought I was gonna get a little bit of rest off but I saw Clingan was sagging off me. I said ‘I gotta let this one fly.’ When I get disrespected out there, I’ve gotta go out there and play my game.”

On his role on the team:

“Offense is complementary. What I bring to this team is toughness, physicality, those extra effort plays, plays that get guys going. That’s what I try to do. Offense, it’ll be there some games. Some not. But I build my game off of toughness.”

On starting games and bringning much-needed physicality:

“So no matter what I’m doing, I’ve gotta make sure I bring the physicality and toughness to start the game and have that be a contagious thing and if guys aren’t doing that, hold them accountable.”

On his ankle injury:

“At first, the way it felt, the way it popped, it’s definitely better than I thought. I thought it would be dislocated, the way it sounded and felt.”

On pushing to return sooner:

“My plan originally I wanted to try to come back that Clipper game. I learned a day or two before that Clipper game that was not going to happen, just how it was feeling. If we were on a good little run I’d have taken a couple more days, couple more games. I felt I could come in and help where I’m at right now. I’m good.

“I kind of had a disagreement with medical yesterday I wanted to do a little more game speed stuff but they didn’t want me to do too much game speed stuff yesterday because they didn’t want me to be too sore today. So we were going back and forth with that. But the first two or three up-and-backs is the worst and then after that it’s good.”

On the injury actually helping long-term:

“For me, I’m looking at it both ways because I want to play, but this could be beneficial down the stretch, not playing all those game. At the end of last year, I felt like I didn’t have ‘IT’ and that was more me personally.”

On his perspective on the season and the recent Knicks’ losing skid:

“So now it’s like OK, I don’t wanna say I have a break, but I’m not having these games, and down the line I have more to tap into. And by the way there’s highs and lows. It’s an 82-game season. If we go on a 10-game winning streak, no one remembers the four-game losing streak.”

"I kinda had disagreement with Medical…I wanted to do more game-speed stuff yesterday…they didn't want me to be too sore today…First 2-3 up-&-backs is the worst after that it's good"

– Josh Hart to @JLEdwardsIII on return after 2.5 weeks. Josh 18-3-6 in 31 mins of Knicks win pic.twitter.com/SrQI22IHWS

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 12, 2026

Jalen Brunson​

On Josh Hart’s return:

“His energy is contagious.”

On Hart’s early impact vs. Portland:

“Big time. We needed it. We need him at his best and especially, those first two shots, the layup, too, were big time for us to see him just knock those down and make a tough layup. His energy is contagious. I’m just happy he is back.”

On Hart’s impact despite outside noise around the team:

“They say what they want to say. We control what we can control. His energy is contagious. I’m just really happy to have him back. He’s worked his butt off obviously trying to get back. He’s a big part of what we do, regardless of what people say and all that stuff. So I’m just happy he’s back.”

On what Hart gives the team:

“We needed it. We need him at his best. Those first two shots he made, those two 3s, and the layup, too, were big time for us. His energy is contagious, and I’m happy to have him back.”

The NBA sneaker KING PJ Tucker pulled up so Melo & Kaz had to bring the heat out

Stay tuned for Monday's new episode pic.twitter.com/GqrHK1mAPv

— 7PM in Brooklyn (@7PMinBrooklyn) January 11, 2026

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...tin-i-kind-of-had-a-disagreement-with-medical

 

[New York Knicks]

A Young’n who’s Gun’n

After the Knicks waived Tosan Evbuomwan last Wednesday before his contract became guaranteed, 19-year-old Dink Pate made his case almost immediately. Just two days later with the Westchester Knicks, he delivered a performance that didn’t just argue for that open two-way spot, but also signaled a move toward getting younger across the roster.

Over the weekend, Pate logged the full 48 minutes in Friday night’s matchup for the Westchester Knicks against the Stockton Kings and turned in the most complete showing of his young pro career. He poured in 31 points and caught absolute fire from deep, knocking down 8 of his 14 three-point attempts, a career-high in his third G League season. Pate filled out the box score with four rebounds and five assists, went 2-for-3 on shots inside the arc, and did it all without committing a single turnover, an impressive level of control considering how heavily the offense ran through him.

Shooting has long been the swing skill in Pate’s evaluation. His physical tools, athletic fluidity, and advanced feel for the game have been evident since his mid-teens, but lingering doubts about the consistency of his jumper helped push him into undrafted territory in the 2025 NBA Draft. Performances like Friday’s, however, hint that this long-standing question may finally be turning into an answer.

That progression has been steady and intentional. A Las Vegas native, Pate bypassed the collegiate route and turned pro at just 17, joining G League Ignite and becoming one of the youngest players ever to compete at that level. Now only 19, he is already in his third professional season. At 6-foot-8, he entered the league as a versatile wing with ball-handling chops, playmaking instincts, and the ability to guard multiple positions. Early on, his role was less about box-score production and more about adjustment, development, and sharpening his overall skill set.

Following his tenure with Ignite, Pate continued his development with the Mexico City Capitanes, where he assumed expanded offensive duties and further honed his decision-making. That experience accelerated his maturation, particularly in processing defensive coverages and absorbing physical contact while maintaining efficiency.

Friday’s outing was not an anomaly. Earlier this season, Pate authored a 37-point, 11-rebound, 13-assist triple-double, demonstrating his capacity to dictate the flow of a game across multiple facets. He connected on five three-pointers in that performance, a season-high figure that was eclipsed by his eight makes against Stockton.

The timing of Pate’s rise feels anything but coincidental. With the Knicks currently holding an open two-way spot, the door is wide open for the organization to take a long look inward rather than search elsewhere. Head coach Mike Brown has shown he’s not shy about leaning on young pieces, and while Pate would be the youngest player on the Knicks roster, his lengthy run in the G League has given him a level of experience that puts him right in that same conversation as some of the other Knicks in their sophomore seasons.

Even if Pate were to secure a two-way contract, a consistent role at the NBA level would remain far from assured. New York’s rotation is densely populated, and opportunities often materialize only through reduction, as evidenced by some of the team’s recent injuries.

Should such an opening emerge, Pate would offer a dimension that is largely absent from the current roster. Currently the Knicks are thin with wings capable of routinely generating advantages through vertical athleticism and open-floor explosiveness. At just 19 years old, Pate remains a developmental investment rather than a finished product, but his recent shooting advancements indicate that his trajectory is increasingly aligned with long-term NBA viability.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/knicks-analysis/77821/a-youngn-whos-gunn

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks make pair of bench players available in trade talks

Last season, the Knicks’ lackluster bench minutes came from Cameron Payne, occasional minutes from Precious Achiuwa, Ariel Hukporti, and just a fraction of a season from Landry Shamet and Delon Wright. Coming into this season, fans were excited about the potential of having a much deeper bench. A big reason for the excitement was the presence of former 76er Guerschon Yabusele.

The French big man was drafted by the Celtics in 2017, but found himself playing overseas by 2019. And for a while, it looked like he would never see his way back. After an impressive showing at the 2024 Summer Olympics, though, he found himself back in the league with Philadelphia, where he established himself as a very solid bench piece, averaging 11PPG, 5.6RPG, and 2.1 APG in 27.1 MPG.

He was a mediocre but still high-energy defender who provided rebounding, outside shooting, and a surprising amount of playmaking from his position. In the 2025 offseason, New York, looking to retool their close to nonexistent bench, Yabusele emerged as a great candidate to give them some depth at a position of need, while also being different from the bigs that were already on the roster.

Yet the first couple of months of Yabusele’s time in a Knicks jersey have been worse than anyone could have imagined. He showed up to camp looking heavier than he did last year, albeit saying that he isn’t that far off his usual playing weight. He has been a subpar defender. His shot hasn’t been nearly as reliable. And he looks more lost and less confident seemingly by the day.

Yabusele is technically trending in the right direction, as his shooting numbers have looked better as of late. Despite still seeing very limited minutes, he is shooting 47.5% from the field and 43.5% from three since the beginning of December. That may not seem amazing given his lack of volume, but it’s still a step up from the 36.5% field goal percentage and 28.6% three-point percentage he posted in his first 18 games of the season.

That being said, it’s nowhere near a stretch to say that his performance has left a lot to be desired and that he’s simply been disappointing. Coach Mike Brown and the front office seemed to remain confident in Yabusele’s ability to eventually turn it around, but recent reports of him being available in trade talks are a sign that the team is already ready to move on.

But Yabusele isn’t the only Knick, or only Frenchman, on the team that is apparently available. Fellow countryman and former first-round pick, Pacome Dadiet, is reportedly also on the trading block. Dadiet, who the Knicks took last year as a young and raw prospect with upside, has yet to earn any consistent minutes. And while he’s shown flashes of defense, shooting, and playmaking, the 20-year-old has played the third fewest minutes on the team, bettering just Trey Jemison and Tosan Evbuomwan, and trailing fellow sophomores Tyler Kolek and the aforementioned Hukporti by over 400 minutes, and 200 minutes respectively.

It will be interesting to see what the two, whether in separate deals alone or in one together, could get the Knicks. Yabusele’s value has only gone down since the start of the season, but there may still be some contenders out there that believe that he’s worth the risk and that a change of scenery is all he needs. Conversely, Dadiet, given his age and lack of experience, likely won’t draw the interest of any contenders, but he could be an interesting project to take on for a lottery team or a rebuilding team.

Regardless, it’s been a disappointing start to the season for the two for different reasons. Yabusele hasn’t been nearly as productive as the team would have hoped for. And while Dadiet was never going to be a consistent contributor to this team, the fact that his teammates from the same draft class, albeit older ones, have shown more growth and have earned more trust is a bit concerning, especially since guys like Ryan Dunn, Ajay Mitchell, Jamal Shead, Adem Bona, Quinten Post, and Cam Spencer- all of whom have contributed since being drafted- got picked after him. Some of that is on Brown, and the previous head coach, Tom Thibodeau, but the Knicks find themselves in a tough spot now where they must decide if they want to cut their losses and go all in for their current window, or play it out.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...air-of-bench-players-available-in-trade-talks

 

[New York Knicks]

Are there other contenders who have been underperforming?

Prior to the Knicks’ win over the Trail Blazers, and certainly before their win over the Clippers, the fanbase went through a non-insignificant level of panic. How much trepidation they felt varied, but it was clear that fans were becoming more and more concerned with some of the coaching decisions, the level of play, the effort, and roster construction. While many of those things are still things of note, the levels to which they have been discussed have come back down to earth, as if often does after a win.

Now, again, winning two out of three against the Clippers, who are 8-2 in their last 10 games, but still are just 16-23 on the season, and the Trail Blazers, who are 7-3 in their last 10 games, but still are just 19-21, isn’t a sign that this team has magically been fixed overnight. Jalen Brunson’s defense, Karl-Anthony Towns’ inconsistent offense, Mikal Bridges’ physicality, or lack thereof, Mitchell Robinson’s minutes restrictions, the up-and-down play of the bench, and Mike Brown’s questionable decisions will all inevitably rear it’s ugly head once again.

But, for as much as the Knicks have struggled, they are still just 3.5 games behind first place, and hold the sixth-best record in the league. And that’s largely because many of the league’s top teams have also gone through their own mini-struggles for different reasons.

The Pistons, the lone team sitting ahead of the Knicks in the Eastern Conference, are just 6-4 in their last ten games. They have been without Cade Cunningham for the last two games, while rising star Jalen Duren has missed the last four. Those are big reasons for their mediocre play as of late, but their struggles go past just their injuries, as their overall play has slipped a bit.

The Celtics, Raptors, and 76ers, who sit behind the Knicks in that order, have all also gone 6-4 in their last 10 games. While the Magic and Cavaliers, the two teams that were looked to be the Knicks’ biggest threats coming into the season, have gone just 5-5. In fact, there isn’t a single Eastern Conference team right now that has won more than six of its last 10 games.

And over in the Western Conference, it isn’t much better. The Thunder, who have picked it back up as of late, went through a mini-skid of their own. They lost to the Suns on January 4th, lost by 27 to the Hornets the night after, and then beat a struggling Jazz and Grizzlies team by a combined five points over their next two games. And they’re still just a month removed from losing four out of six games, including three to the Spurs over a two-week span.

Meanwhile, those same Spurs have gone just 5-5 in their last 10 games, which include losses to the aforementioned Grizzlies and Trail Blazers. The Nuggets’ struggles, like the Pistons’, can largely be attributed to injuries, as they have been without Nikola Jokic and a myriad of other starters for some time now, but they, too, have gone just .500 over their last 10 games. As have the Timberwolves, who lost to the struggling Cavaliers and Nets during that span.

And then there are the Lakers and Rockets, who have both looked bad, losing three in a row. The former managed to score just 91 points against the Spurs, lost to the Bucks, and then lost to a Kings team that hadn’t even won double-digit games coming into the night, and was on the second half of a back-to-back. The latter lost to a still Kyrie Irving-less Mavericks team, lost back-to-back games against the Trail Blazers, and the Kings as well.

Does any of this excuse the Knicks for their poor play? No. Does it make you, or anyone else forget the holes that are very much a concern going forward? No. And does it, or should it, make you feel any better about the fact that they looked like one of the worst teams in the league for about two weeks? Also no. But it does help put things into perspective to a degree.

Sam Presti on April 20th, 2023:

“The sky falls on every NBA team at least two times a year… You may play horrible for weeks, it may be a month. You don’t want to have several months… The teams that have a sophisticated competitiveness to them understand that while you’re… pic.twitter.com/0hWvl6DpW2

— Thunder Film Room (@ThunderFilmRoom) January 6, 2026

An 82-game regular season is a long and strenuous one, and with the talent of the league and the volatility of shooting, teams, more than ever, are prone to being upset or losing games they shouldn’t. And over the season, lulls are bound to happen.

The Pacers, who went on to the NBA Finals last year, were 16-18 in early January last season. The four teams that made the NBA Cup Semifinals this season started a combined 8-12 in their first 20 games after the tournament. And as Thunder general manager, Sam Presti mentions above, teams are going to have losing streaks and underperform for stretches. The important thing is what the coaches, players, and front office can do to work through it and learn from it.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...ther-contenders-who-have-been-underperforming

 

[New York Knicks]

Game Preview: Knicks at Kings, January 14, 2026

Every failing operation has one thing in common: a scapegoat.

Whether deserved or not, there’s always one person who has an unfair amount of blame placed on their shoulders for their failures. In the sports world, that scapegoat usually is the one to lose his job, as the ones in charge ignore the rest of the team’s flaws and think that the scapegoat is the only thing that needed to change.

A very recent example is what the Philadelphia Eagles are doing with offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. Yes, even a Giants fan, I can see he’s pretty bad at his job. But did he force Jalen Hurts to throw into triple coverage on third and fourth down to lose the game on Sunday? Did he get walked down by Brock Purdy and the Niners’ fifth and sixth-best receivers? Is he behind AJ Brown’s ego-fueled diva-ness that saw him have as many drops as catches?

Where am I going with this? Scapegoats often get other jobs elsewhere, whether a lateral move or a demotion. As such, they all eventually get a chance at revenge. Tonight, Mike Brown will get a chance to get revenge after being scapegoated.

Former Kings head coach Mike Brown returns to Sacramento tonight as the Knicks face the Kings at the Golden 1 Center.

The 2023 Coach of the Year opens up on:

• The emotions of returning
• His time in Sacramento & the community
• Regrets from his tenure
• Organizational… pic.twitter.com/sw88kqFhKy

— Jake Gadon (@JakeGadon_TV) January 14, 2026

The Sacramento Kings (10-30) fired Mike Brown on December 27, 2024, after a 13-18 start. Yes, the Kings were disappointing to start the season, but Brown had brought the franchise never-before-seen stability. Let’s not forget, they didn’t make the playoffs once from 2006 to 2022. He had them as the No. 1 offense in basketball, for Pete’s sake!

He was replaced by former NBA veteran and associate head coach Doug Christie, who did make the Kings play better down the stretch. They got washed out in the play-in tournament, sure, but they gave Christie the full-time job. What’s the worst that can happen?

View this post on Instagram

Ah, I see.

Turns out the Kings’ regression has a lot more to do with baffling roster construction than anything. They’ve essentially rebuilt the 2023 Chicago Bulls, but with Domantas Sabonis instead of Nikola Vucevic. Who would’ve thought that wouldn’t work?

Anyway, Brown’s in a much better situation now and has already proven he was a ridiculous scapegoat for organizational failure. The Kings are an oddly constructed bunch that has yielded the worst offense in basketball, the third-worst defense, and the second-worst net rating. The only teams with a worse defense are the Jazz and Wizards. The Wiz are the only team with a worse net rating.

They have won two in a row entering this one; however, despite missing Keegan Murray, Sabonis, and a suspended Dennis Schroder, beating both the Rockets and Lakers by double digits is impressive, but how real is it for a team that, halfway through the season, is on pace to lose 60 games?

Projected Starters​

Russell Westbrook is a future Hall of Famer who’s turned from the loyal face of the OKC Thunder to a journeyman as his career winds down. Since 2019, he’s played for the Rockets, Wizards, Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets, and now he’s in Sacramento at age 37. He no longer has the brutal burst that made him unstoppable in his prime, but he still fills the statsheet, adding four more triple-doubles to his NBA-record 207. I don’t think you want 2026 Russ to be commanding as much of the offense as he has been, though.

Zach LaVine has been an interesting case for the last half-decade. Since the Bulls’ collapse in early 2022, he’s gone back-and-forth in the NBA landscape as an injury-prone, extremely overpaid volume scorer and a genuine all-star in a bad situation. After a run of hyper-efficient basketball, he’s down to 19.9 points a game and averaging his least amount of rebounds and assists in a decade. His 61.6 TS% is still pretty good!

I’m only three players in, and I’m already tired of this roster construction. DeMar DeRozan remains the midrange maestro that he’s been his entire career, posting the most efficient season of his career with his lowest usage since he was a rookie in 2010. At age 36, it’s the best way to optimize him, but as you can see, it hasn’t turned into wins for the Kings.

OAKAAK Precious Achiuwa is where you’d usually see the three-point extraordinaire Keegan Murray if he weren’t hurt. Instead, we get an alternate revenge game from a man who was a sneakily good Knick over 1.5 seasons and, honestly, could be useful to have right now as spot depth behind OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson at the 4. Precious is averaging 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds and has made some big plays since being thrust into a surprisingly big role.

Precious Achiuwa puts a dagger in the Lakers

Kings were 8-30, last place, 7-game L streak

But they beat the Rockets Sunday

Now the Lakers Monday

Knicks visit Wednesday pic.twitter.com/9gZ8KRvLWU

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 13, 2026

Maxime Raynaud is one of the few promising young faces on this team. The No. 42 overall pick from France (by way of Stanford) is averaging 10.5 points and 6.5 rebounds. He’ll have the task of guarding Karl-Anthony Towns, and we know the Bodega KAT loves to feast on young bigs. Raynaud isn’t a pushover, though, standing at a stout 7’1”, 250 pounds.

Note: Malik Monk will get a starter-like minutes, as he has for the last five years. It’s just hard to fit him in a lineup with all those guards who don’t play defense.

Prediction​

The Knicks haven’t comfortably won a game in over a month. After the first 25-ish games were either uncompetitive or over by the time crunch time hits, the Knicks’ last 16 games have either been super competitive or saw them get punched in the mouth. Now, the condensed schedule doesn’t help, but the team still needs a comfortable win.

Good thing they’re coming off their first two-day break since before they won the NBA Cup! They also shouldn’t have the same lodging issues that Houston did. With a back-to-back looming against the Warriors in San Francisco, they’ll want to get this one done quickly. Let’s say they do, for our sake.

It’s a 10 pm game, oof.

Knicks by 21.

Injury Report​

Knicks:

OUT – Landry Shamet (shoulder), Trey Jemison III (G-League)

Kings:

OUT – Keegan Murray (ankle), Domantas Sabonis (knee), Dennis Schroder (trying to fight Luka)

Game Details​

Date: Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Time: 10:00 PM ET

Place: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA

TV: MSG

Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/.../game-preview-knicks-vs-kings-january-14-2026

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks Bulletin: ‘I’m sure there’s a human side’

Coach Brown returns to Sacto on Wednesday, now on the Knicks’ and not the Kings’ sideline.

New York still has a couple of road games on the West Coast as everybody is getting healthier, bar Shamet.

Here’s what the protagonists of tonight’s affair have said of late.

Former Kings head coach Mike Brown returns to Sacramento tonight as the Knicks face the Kings at the Golden 1 Center.

The 2023 Coach of the Year opens up on:

• The emotions of returning
• His time in Sacramento & the community
• Regrets from his tenure
• Organizational… pic.twitter.com/sw88kqFhKy

— Jake Gadon (@JakeGadon_TV) January 14, 2026

Mike Brown​

On the emotions of returning to Sacramento:

“Great memories here. I enjoyed working with the people I worked with, too. The reality of it is coming back here in a place my family enjoyed, yeah it’s a little emotional. But at the end of the day, the fans, if they cheer me or hug me when they see me during the game, after the game, trust me, they wanna kick my ass, and the Knicks’ ass. And we wanna do the same.”

On ignoring outside narratives:

“I can’t control what things are being said. Anybody can jump on the internet and post something and to some degree, you may think it’s real. You can’t control that. You’ve just gotta put your head down, keep pushing forward and be the best you can.”

On processing his Kings firing:

“When it happened, you process it real quickly and then literally my wife and I, we went to Australia for UFC 313. We went to hang out in Brooklyn, we hung out in Puerto Vallarta, and then we went to St. Barts. I probably shouldn’t say all that. But in this life, you’ve gotta keep moving forward. You can really beat yourself up if you try to guess what should have happened, why it happened, all that stuff. Life is short.”

On his Kings tenure and injuries hurting them:

“Our first year we won 48 games, and this is my personal two cents: if Kevin doesn’t get hurt two months to go and Malik doesn’t get hurt with a month to go, we probably win 50 that second year and then we’re in the playoffs. First year we played injury free, second year we got hit with the injury bug especially late. If there’s anything I regret, I wish we were injury free at least at the end of the season to give ourselves a better chance.”

On Karl-Anthony Towns’ adjustment:

“I’ve said this before: It’s not all on KAT to adjust to and adapt to what we have to do. He’s had the hardest adjustment period because he’s had to learn the most. In the same breath, I have to make sure that I help him by simplifying what we do and making sure I’m putting him in the right spots, and then he’s got to do the things necessary to help out as well. He’s a great rebounder. He’s a potential double-double guy every time he steps out on the floor, so there are other ways he can impact the game. That’s what great players do.”

Carmelo Anthony will be a coach in the Rising Stars Game as part of All Star Weekend pic.twitter.com/rNH2eNmh7b

— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) January 14, 2026

Josh Hart​

On the perceptions around Mike Brown’s firing:

“I don’t know the ins and outs of how it transpired. The stuff that was always reported wasn’t the most respectful stuff. I think the way that it happened was reported kind of unfair and unprofessional.”

On the system changes under Brown:

“You know, it always takes a little bit of time to change systems. It’s the same nucleus, same group of guys. Roles are a little different, situations are a little different. We knew it was always going to take a little bit of time, but we’re figuring it out. There’s highs and lows. We’re learning and progressing.”

On the meaning of revenge games:

“I’m sure there’s a human side to wanting to play the team that fired you. He hasn’t shown that at all. We always say it’s just another game, but there’s always a little bit behind it.”

Knicks full injury report Wednesday in Sacramento:

Landry Shamet OUT 25th game (right shoulder sprain)

Guerschon Yabusele AVAILABLE (not on report after 2 games out with right quad contusion)

Trey Jemison OUT (G League – 2 way) pic.twitter.com/qukT8Y1A0P

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 13, 2026

Jalen Brunson​

On Mike Brown as a coach:

“I was happy with the hiring. I heard about him. I didn’t really have a relationship with him but he’s always said some nice words about me to the press. So when I got to know him and everything, it just validated what I thought. Great guy, on and off the court. Just a blessing to be around.”

On the Knicks’ ever-improving game:

“I feel like we’re not a finished product. There will always be constant adjustments. You’re never a finished product.”

23 years ago tonight in the Carrier Dome 18-year-old Syracuse freshman Carmelo Anthony helps his team upset #11 Missouri

Tonight in the Carrier Dome 18-year-old Syracuse freshman Kiyan Anthony warms up with his dad pic.twitter.com/XBqqzdNx2G

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 14, 2026

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/knicks-news/77913/knicks-bulletin-rick-is-fabulous