Knicks Bulletin: ‘It’s nothing to get too high about’

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DENVER, CO - MARCH 6: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks and Tyus Jones #5 of the Denver Nuggets shake hands after the game on March 6, 2026 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

It looked like New York was in for a tough and long one in Denver on Friday…

…until it was not, as the Knicks put on a show and trounced the Nuggets a few miles away from South Park.

Here’s a bunch of quotes from all of our folks.

Mike Brown: "This team's deep. It's really good. These guys are connected. They're all sacrificing…They believe. They believe in each other. Our bench is up all game. We've gotten delay of games bc our guys are cheering…We needed to take our lumps…all our guys stayed with it" pic.twitter.com/qiH36Y92ba

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 7, 2026

Mike Brown


On the team still having room to grow:

“We feel like we can still be better. I’ve said this all along, that’s what the season is about. You’re not going to have it all in one week or two months. You got to go through your lumps. Because when you go through your lumps, if you truly have a chance at the end of the day, you’re going to grow from your lumps. That’s what this group is doing — because we’re going to take a couple lumps still. But you hope you don’t [go through more highs and lows]. But this team, it’s deep, it’s really good. These guys are connected. They’re all sacrificing. The competitive spirit is there. They believe in each other. Our bench is up all game. We got delays of games because our bench was up for each other. And we’re holding each other accountable. I’m being held accountable, which is great.”

On OG Anunoby returning to his pre-injury form:

“Before his toe injury, he was playing like this. I felt he was playing high-level basketball. I mean, it’s just powerful. His decisions are quick, you know, he’s touching the paint, and if you don’t get to him, he’s knocking the shot down. And then defensively, he’s just on another level, man. If he keeps that up, that’s Defensive Player of the Year-type stuff for sure. He’s guarding point guards. I don’t know how many times Jokic won MVP, but he’s guarding him, and then he’s guarding everybody in between. And it’s just been phenomenal and fun to watch him because he can do a lot.”

On Anunoby’s all-around impact vs. Denver:

“OG had a whale of a game for us offensively. He was our [Defensive Player of the Game]. He was good.”

On the defensive play trending upward:

“Our guys are trying to be physical without fouling and they’re doing a pretty good job with it. We’re still gonna get better in that area, but it’s been a process. We made a switch defensively several months ago and that was a process, but the guys, they’re pretty comfortable with what we’re doing right now, and they know exactly what they should be doing out there. Again, it didn’t happen with one practice. It didn’t happen because a switch got turned on. It just gradually happened, and I’ve said it before: That’s what the regular season is about. You tinker with this, you tinker with that, you try to get a little bit better here and there and hopefully at the end of the season you’re fairly comfortable and you can start trending upwards.”

On growth happening over time:

“[It happened with] time. Just continuing to watch film, having practice, having shootaround, talking about it, walking through it, drilling it. It wasn’t one thing or one practice or a light being switched on. It’s what should happen over the course of a season. You should get better as you go along as everybody has embraced the process. And with our group, everybody in that locker room has embraced the process, and that’s what makes this team pretty special is they’re in it to try to win it and they know it’s not gonna happen like that. They know at the beginning of the year, they’ll probably [fluctuate between playing good and bad], and they know once the All-Star Break happens, hopefully you get to a point where there’s some comfort with everybody and everything that we’re doing. And we’re able to continue to find [that comfort].”

On Pacome Dadiet’s development and confidence:

“He’s been playing well in the G-League and shooting the mess out of it. And he’s got great size. He’s young. And we want him to keep growing and developing. Anytime young guys like that see the ball go in and do those things on the floor in an NBA game, it helps with the belief. It helps not only in them believing and their confidence level going up, but also their teammates, too.”

.@McNuttMonica: "Smile bro you had an outstanding game!"

OG: "I'm smiling" pic.twitter.com/o90m3hWbEl

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 7, 2026

Karl-Anthony Towns


On adjusting to Mike Brown:

“New coach. New systems, and just trying to continue to learn how we can maximize our talents in that system. I think these last 20 games has been us really having a good feel and making good calls out there as teammates. Sometimes, we see something out there and we call it out and make the adjustments needed. It’s been great to see our team on the court making adjustments on the fly ourselves, and it’s been working out really well for us on the defensive end. And we’ve been challenging ourselves to be a better defensive team because we know that’s what it’s gonna take to win a playoff series, which it did last year. It wasn’t the offense that won us the game. It was Mikal Bridges’ steal in Boston Game 1 and 2. It was big rebounds in Detroit. Those kinds of things won us the game. The offense gave us a chance to win. The defense won us the game, so we understand the importance, and we’ll continue to be better every day and continue to be more consistent.”

On whether facing Denver still feels different:

“Hell, yeah.”

On competing against Nikola Jokic:

“He’s really damn good. That’s pretty much it, pretty much all there is to it. You just go out there and compete at a high level against one of the best.”

On the league impact of Jayson Tatum’s return:

“You get a superstar back like that back, obviously it’s great for the league from a VP standpoint (Towns is vice president of the players union) and from a league standpoint. It’s great for the business of basketball.”

On focusing on what they can control:

“I mean, it doesn’t matter to me because at the end of the day, if we’re not executing and playing at a high level and being disciplined, it doesn’t matter who’s on the court. We’ll lose. We’ve got to be our best version. You can’t be worrying about anyone else. We need to worry what’s in-house first.”

On the team still being a work in progress:

“We’re still a work in progress, anyone can tell you that, we all will tell you that, but we’re getting closer to that time when we need to be the best version of ourselves, and I see us getting better. And that’s the most important thing right now.”

"How do you like being a Knick so far?" pic.twitter.com/hR2mQgiTVR

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 7, 2026

Jalen Brunson


On the defensive confidence translating to wins:

“It gives us a lot of confidence. It’s put us in a good trend. We’ve got to continue on that way. It’s what we work on, and it’s something we’ve been stressing, and it’s been showing when the lights are on, but obviously behind closed doors, we’re working at it. We’re talking through everything. We’ve just got to help that convert into wins.”

On wishing Jayson Tatum good health:

“You wish good health for everybody. Obviously, you want to beat everybody you play against. But you don’t wish any negative on anybody, no matter the rivalry. Or whoever you like or don’t like. It doesn’t matter. You want everyone healthy and going home in one piece.”

On competing regardless of who plays:

“Obviously, whoever is on the court, you play to win. And it doesn’t matter who is on the court. That’s the mindset. I’m just saying with a player of that magnitude, obviously you wish them a successful return and everything. Like I said, you just want them healthy.”

On welcoming Tatum back before facing Boston:

“Obviously, you want everyone back healthy, right? You want people to be healthy, be 100 percent. [Tatum’s] worked really hard. Obviously, people have seen the clips on social media with the work he’s put in and everything, coming out. It’s great to see. He’s great for his team, great for the league. Just wish him good health.”

On not getting too high in March:

“It’s a good stepping stone for us, but it’s nothing to get too high about. Obviously, the highs and lows of the season, you’ve got to continue to push forward. Short-term memory, even wins and losses.”

"We just continued to play our game. We got good shooters taking good shots so we knew they were gonna fall at some point. Try to continue to do what we do"

– Josh Hart on first half as Knicks shot 22% from three

Second half they shot 75% pic.twitter.com/b18Y4RIE28

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 7, 2026

Josh Hart


On Anunoby’s play at altitude:

“He likes Denver. He likes altitude. That’s what he can do. You know, defensively guard one through five, and then offensively get the response and knock down shots. Get in the paint and just be a force.”

On the Knicks’ defensive mindset fueling their offense:

“I think a lot of it is we’re playing more physical, being more aggressive defensively and dictating the offense and not letting the offense dictate what they want to do. It’s something that we’ve got to continue to do, something that we’re taking pride in. We know that when we do that, we’re getting stops, we’re able to play fast, play our brand of basketball. It’s a mindset that we all really dug in more defensively, and that’s the benefit of it.”

On his Yankees bobblehead night:

“I can’t wait for it. Obviously I love my Yanks. So being able to do that is super cool. I’m super excited when that opportunity came to us. And we really jumped on it.

“It’s my first bobblehead doll ever. So good vibes.”

The aux has moved to the plane
pic.twitter.com/Q40BtbGkYj

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 7, 2026

Pacome Dadiet


On scoring a career-high in garbage time at Denver:

“It definitely feels good. Every time I go out there, I try to go out with confidence. Because I know I’m not going to get that much time. So I’ve been working with the G-League team to get some reps and it definitely feels good.”

Good morning pic.twitter.com/4sIPGMHff5

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 7, 2026

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...ks-bulletin-its-nothing-to-get-too-high-about
 
Knicks Week Preview: March 8-14, 2026

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Greetings from Brooklyn, NY, where your intrepid reporter and family are visiting his stepson in beautiful Bensonhurst. Also on the road: the New York Knicks! Our heroes kicked off their five-game road trip with a merciless slaughter of the Nuggets in Denver on Friday night. This week they continue to earn their frequent flyer miles with a jaunt to the west coast and back. Here’s the skinny.

Sunday, March 8 — New York Knicks at Los Angeles Lakers, 3:30 p.m.


The Knicks travel to Crypto.com Arena to face the Lakers in a nationally televised ABC matinee. Los Angeles enters with home-court advantage and the veteran tandem LeBron James and Luka Dončić. Although the Knicks beat them on February 1, 112-100, the Lakers have had New York’s number, winning six of their last 10 meetings.

L.A. leans heavily on their stars to generate offense, while the Knicks counter with better depth and a burgeoning defense. If New York can protect the paint and push the tempo, they have the tools to take this one in tinseltown. The nation will be watching, so they’d better take care of business.

Monday, March 9 — New York Knicks at LA Clippers, 10:00 p.m.


The Knicks close out their L.A. back-to-back at the Intuit Dome against the Clippers. The Knicks enter as clear favorites, and recent history supports our optimism: on January 7, they cruised to a 123-111 home win behind Jalen Brunson’s 26 points.

After a terrible start to the season, the Clippers have improved enough to sit on the edge of the play-in bubble. Monday’s matchup favors the Knicks, but they’ll need to contain Kawhi Leonard (averaging the most points per game of his career) and survive the fatigue of a SEGABABA.

Tune in on MSG.

Wednesday, March 11 — New York Knicks at Utah Jazz, 9:00 p.m.


The third stop on New York’s West Coast road trip brings a welcome change of pace, as the Knicks visit the tanking Jazz at Delta Center. Utah is firmly in rebuild mode, and the Knicks’ recent history against them is pretty lopsided—on December 5, New York dismantled the Jazz 146-112 behind Brunson’s 33 points, opening the game with a 23-0 run, the longest in franchise history. There shouldn’t be much to worry about in this one; rather, this contest presents a prime opportunity for younger guys and bench players to stretch their legs.

Watch it on MSG.

Friday, March 13 — New York Knicks at Indiana Pacers, 7:30 p.m.


The Knicks close out their road trip in Indianapolis, where the Pacers await at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. On paper, this looks like the easiest matchup of the trip. The Pacers always get up for a Knicks game, though. On December 18, New York squeaked out a 114-113 win, and in their game on February 10, Indy won in overtime, 137-134, despite a 40-burger from Brunson.

Watch this one on MSG.

Go Knicks.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/knicks-game-previews/79974/knicks-week-preview-march-8-14-2026
 
No need for nostalgia, this is as good as the Knicks have ever been

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DENVER, CO - MARCH 6: New York Knicks bench celebrates during the game against the Denver Nuggets on March 6, 2026 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Say, whatever happened to those Knicks that were a disgrace to basketball during a 2-9 stretch, which saw them play some of the worst defense the NBA has ever seen?

Wait, what do you mean that team has now been the best defense in basketball for six weeks?

It’s been a weird year. The Knicks are on pace for 52.5 wins, just marginally better than similarly topsy-turvy seasons in 2023-24 and 2024-25. Through 64 games, they’re 41-23… identical to last season. They’re once again winless against No. 1 seeds. If you looked at it from the periphery, you’d think this is the exact same season with a different tone.

But if we exclude that 11-game stretch of basketball, which, let’s be completely real, isn’t representative of this team, they’re playing at a 61-win pace. The stretch did happen, and it represents over 15% of the season, but even the most pessimistic Knicks fan cannot seriously think that a team that’s currently sixth in defensive rating is in any way similar to what they did during that stretch.

The Knicks started 23-9 (24-9, the NBA Cup counts to me, dammit!). They’re 16-5 in their last 21 games. That’s 39-14. That’s ridiculously elite basketball.

What’s the best Knicks team you’ve ever watched? Are you old enough to remember Clyde Frazier and Willis Reed winning championships in the early 1970s? Did you watch Patrick Ewing’s glory throughout the late 80’s and 90’s? Was Carmelo Anthony your introduction to Knicks playoff basketball? Do you hold really, really fond memories of the January 2024 Knicks?

I’m not arguing that the 2026 Knicks are better than any or all of them, as they can still embarrass me depending on how the last 18 games and playoffs go. That said, I’ll provide some stats that put them in some company that you’re going to want to see to believe.

Defense​


Mike Brown: Defensive guru?

Probably not, but the way the Knicks have played defense with guys like Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson playing big roles is certainly notable. Towns, specifically, has tremendously improved defensively in several aspects and has had individual games of brilliance

The Knicks were at their best defensively with Karl-Anthony Towns guarding Victor Wembanyama.

The Spurs shot 26% from three on Sunday, including 2-14 (14%) on plays where KAT guarded Wemby 🔒

Wemby's -15 plus/minus was his 2nd worst this season 📊 pic.twitter.com/H8zlf6ZQaF

— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) March 1, 2026

As previously stated, the Knicks are tied with the Celtics for the sixth-best defensive rating in the NBA. They never truly had a bad defense under Tom Thibodeau, but the only year it was this good was in 2020-21, where the team sold out to muck up games with lineups that included Elfrid Payton, Reggie Bullock, and Nerlens Noel. This team has more offensive firepower in Brunson and Towns’ pinkie toes than that team had, especially considering Julius Randle’s playoff woes.

They’re just 0.3 back of the Heat for the fourth-best defense. They’ve been better as the game goes on, sporting the league’s best defensive rating by a considerable margin in fourth quarters. When the team needs it most, they’re putting the clamps on. The dream of having defensive wings like OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges is being realized, potentially to a degree never thought conceivable.

The Knicks have held 13 opponents under 100 points, fourth in the NBA. They’ve held 23 to under 105, third in the NBA. Among the teams they’ve held under these numbers:

Nuggets (1st in ORtg, 103 points)
Celtics (2nd, 89 and 95 points)
Hornets (4th, 101 points*)
Spurs (6th, 89 points)
Thunder (8th, 103 points)

*This was before the Hornets magically became elite


It’s not just the Nets, Wizards, and Kings. They’ve been doing this to elite offenses, especially recently.

The last few Knicks’ teams to have a defensive rating as good compared to the league average as this one?

January 2024
2020-21
2011-122
The entire 1990s


Dominance​


Few things are more satisfying than a blowout. Usually, you can rely on games against undermanned teams like the Wizards, Jazz, and Nets to pick up an easy win, and the Knicks have done that. But what’s separated this team from others? They’re blowing out good teams, too.

It ended in a 10-point win, but the Knicks took the Celtics behind the barn in October, leading by as much as 24.

In early November, they boatraced Minnesota with a hobbled Anthony Edwards. They’ve blown the Raptors out repeatedly, and even the competitive games eventually see a massive run make the final result look uncompetitive. For a while, that was about it. That was until a month ago.

In the last 30 days, the Knicks have blown out the Celtics (by 22), the Sixers (by 49), the Spurs (by 25), and the Nuggets (by 39). You can add whatever context you want, these are still very impressive victories to come by this margin.

The Knicks have won 14 games by at least 20, 11 games by 25, seven games by 30, four games by 35+, two games by 40, and one by 50 this season. The only team that matches or exceeds them in any of these categories is OKC.

Here are the last Knicks teams to accomplish these numbers (remember: we still have 18 games left):

14 by 20+: 2024-25 (15)
11 by 25+: 1969-70 (11)
7 by 30+: 1969-70 (7)
4 by 35+: 1993-94 (4)
2 by 40+: 1993-94 (2)
1 by 50+: Never


In the last five categories, the Knicks have already tied the franchise record. In all of the seasons that meet the same criteria as the current Knicks, they made the NBA Finals (1970, 1973, 1994).

Consider the following, all of these things have happened in Knicks’ blowouts in the last month:

  • Worst loss by the Sixers since 2015, worst loss in 480 all-time meetings with the Knicks
  • Worst loss by the Spurs this season, only loss for the Spurs since late January (14-1)
  • Tied for the worst home loss by the Nuggets ever (2/2/1998 vs CHI), worst loss of Nikola Jokic’s career, worst Nuggets loss since January 2015

In about 1,000 words, I have, in a way, compared this team to the 1998 Bulls, 1970 Knicks, the 1994 Knicks, and a few others. Surely, all of these comparisons will be received well!

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...-this-is-as-good-as-the-knicks-have-ever-been
 
Game Thread: Knicks at Lakers, March 8, 2026

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 01: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks in action against LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers at Madison Square Garden on February 01, 2026 in New York City. The Knicks defeated the Lakers 112-110. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Knicks (41*–23) visit the Lakers (38–25) at Crypto.com Arena in a nationally televised tilt. Los Angeles ranks middle-of-the-pack on both ends (12th in offense, 15th in defense) and is powered by Luka Dončić (32.5 PPG), Austin Reaves (23.5 PPG), and LeBron James (GTD, elbow). Favored to win, the Knicks will look to exploit the Lakers’ weak rebounding and push the pace against these plodders.

Tip off is 3:30 p.m. EST on ABC. This is your game thread. This is Silver Screen and Roll. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Practice kindness. And go Knicks!

* Should be one more, but the CIA made the win disappear.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...991/game-thread-knicks-at-lakers-march-8-2026
 
Game Preview: Knicks at Clippers, March 9, 2026

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 07: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks and Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers fight for the ball during the first half at Madison Square Garden on January 07, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Yesterday afternoon, the Knicks Knicks (41*-24) laid an egg in Los Angeles against the Lakers. Tonight brings a chance for redemption as they challenge the Clippers (31-32) at the Intuit Dome.

Over their last ten games, both New York and the Clips have gone 6-4. They last met on January 7, when the ‘Bockers won 123-111 on their home court. Jalen Brunson led New York with 26 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns added a 20-11 double-double. Kawhi Leonard paced the Clippers with 25 points.

After starting 6-21, L.A. has gone 25-11, including two wins over Detroit. On the whole, though, they’ve performed to expectation, winning the games they should and dropping the ones they shouldn’t. They still have a bona fide superstar, though: the notoriously unavailable Kawhi Leonard has sprung to life, leading the team with 27.9 points per game on 50/37 shooting splits.

Offensively, they rank 12th in rating despite ranking 24th in scoring (112.6 PPG). Blame their glacial pace (28th) and terrible rebounding (28th). Defensively, they’re slightly worse than middle-of-the-pack (19th).

We had to double-check who’s still on the roster. At the trade deadline, L.A. dealt James Harden for Darius Garland (a satisfying rhyme), then shipped Ivica Zubac and Kobe Brown to Indiana for Bennedict Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson. Both moves added draft picks to their warchest. They also parted ways with franchise icon Chris Paul after he lost a noogie contest with coach Ty Lue.

The Clippers have been under a dark cloud all season, with league discipline expected. The controversy stems from Pablo Torre’s reporting that the team (allegedly) funneled compensation to Kawhi Leonard through no-show positions at a company called Aspiration in order to circumvent the salary cap. The problem goes all the way to the top. Team owner Steve Ballmer, who once said that the Apple iPhone had “no chance” of getting significant market share, now claims to have been conned out of millions by Aspiration. It seems that somewhere along the line, Steve’s Smart Water was replaced with Poland Spring.

The bad press has tarnished a terrific season for the 34-year-old Leonard. He’s represented by Uncle Dennis, a graduate of the Anthony Soprano School of Sports Management. Less refined than most agents, Dennis is the kind of guy whose preferred business stationery is a McDonald’s receipt. So far, the league has been quietly investigating, but we expect commissioner Adam Silver to bring the hammer down during the summer break.

Tonight, the Clippers will likely start Garland, Dunn, Derrick Jones, Jr., Leonard, and Brook Lopez. Their injury report lists John Collins as OUT with a neck issue. For the Knicks, Miles McBride is still recovering from hernia surgery. Mitchell Robinson played yesterday, so expect him to sit tonight.

Prediction


ESPN calls this one a toss up. They must have watched yesterday’s disaster, too. The Knicks should be favored, but their inconsistency makes the bettors skittish and fatigue could hinder them (Brunson logged 42 minutes yesterday). New York should be able to control the paint, rule the glass against these poor rebounders, and keep Leonard in the 25- to 30-point range. In a game with lots of runs and lags, the Knicks find the will to win and scratch out a 5-point victory.

Game Details


Who: New York Knicks (41*-24) at Los Angeles Clippers (31-32)
Date: Monday, March 9, 2026
Time: 9 PM ET
Place: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA
TV: MSG
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

* Should be one more, but NBA Cup wins melt in your mouth, not in your hand.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/.../game-preview-knicks-at-clippers-march-9-2026
 
Game Thread: Knicks at Clippers, March 9, 2026

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NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 7: OG Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks looks on during the game against the LA Clippers on January 7, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

After yesterday’s stinker against the Lakers, the Knicks (41*-24) get an LA mulligan against the Clippers (31-32) at the Intuit Dome. LA has gone 25-11 after a 6-21 start, powered by Kawhi Leonard’s monster year (27.9 PPG). Fatigue could be a concern for our heroes in this one, especially for Cap, who logged 42 minutes a little over 24 hours ago.

Game time is 9 p.m. 10 p.m.** EST on MSG. This is your game thread. This is Clips Nation. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Pick up after yourselves and be good humans. Go Knicks.

* Should be one more, but NBA Cups are actually Dixie Cups.

** Sorry about that, folks. Blame it on daylight saving time and wishful thinking.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...1/game-thread-knicks-at-clippers-march-9-2026
 
Where will the Knicks land?

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DETROIT, MICHIGAN - MAY 01: Ausar Thompson #9 of the Detroit Pistons defends against Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during the fourth quarter in Game Six of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on May 01, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images

With last night’s 126–118 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, their second straight defeat, and the Cleveland Cavaliers beating the Philadelphia 76ers 115–101, the cushion the New York Knicks once had in the standings is suddenly very thin. New York now holds just a half-game lead over Cleveland for the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. The two teams will not see each other again this season, which means the race will be decided over the final 16 games. What looked like a comfortable position just a couple weeks ago is now shaping up to be a tight finish.

The Knicks are not going to have an easy path the rest of the way. Their remaining schedule includes matchups with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, and Boston Celtics, all teams firmly in the playoff picture. Boston has been one of the most complete teams in the league this season and recently got a major boost with the return of their superstar player, Jayson Tatum, who came back from an ACL injury much earlier than expected. Oklahoma City presents arguably the toughest challenge of the group as the defending NBA champions and current top team in the league. And Golden State always remains a threat as long as Stephen Curry laces up, which pair of shoes he decides to wear on any given night.

New York will also face the Indiana Pacers twice before the season ends, a team that has caused them problems with its fast pace and high-powered offense. The Knicks also have tough road games coming up against the Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies. Houston has been a much tougher team at home this season, while Memphis always seems to turn games into a physical grind.

Screenshot-2026-03-10-at-09.09.35.png

Several Eastern Conference matchups could directly affect playoff positioning. The Knicks still have games remaining against the Toronto Raptors and Charlotte Hornets. Toronto is especially important in the playoff race. Currently sitting in the No. 5 spot, the Raptors remain close enough in the standings that a few wins could quickly tighten things up even further.

Cleveland’s schedule down the stretch looks slightly more manageable. The Cavaliers still have several games against teams near the bottom of the standings, giving them opportunities to gain ground if they take care of business. They do, however, have two remaining matchups against the Orlando Magic, who sit 4.5 games behind the Knicks and are still trying to climb the standings themselves.

The Miami Heat and Magic both face a mixed schedule that includes playoff teams and rebuilding clubs. That means consistency will be the deciding factor for them. Toronto might have the toughest road of the group with several games still remaining against playoff-caliber teams.

What makes the situation interesting is just how tight everything is. The difference between the No. 3 seed and the No. 7 seed is only a handful of games. If the Knicks were to hit a rough stretch, the standings could shift quickly. The Heat currently sit in seventh place, but in a race this close, a couple of wins or losses can change the entire picture almost overnight.

For the Knicks, the mission is simple. Take care of business and hold their ground. The final 16 games are going to feel a lot like playoff basketball, and every result is going to matter. If New York can navigate a schedule filled with contenders and keep stacking wins, it will stay right where it wants to be when the postseason arrives. If not, the Eastern Conference race could get even more chaotic before the regular season comes to a close.

screencapture-nba-standings-2026-03-10-09_10_00.png

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/knicks-analysis/80075/where-will-the-knicks-land
 
What we learned from the Knicks’ month-long gauntlet

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LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 8: Jalen Brunson #11 and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks high five during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 8, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

It’s over.

The Knicks have finally completed the final gauntlet on their regular-season schedule. Beginning on February 4 with a double-overtime victory against Denver, the Knicks played 16 games, with 12 against teams in playoff position. The 34-day stretch saw the team face Detroit and Denver twice, San Antonio, Boston, Cleveland, Philly, Houston, Toronto, and both LA teams. The soft games on the schedule? Indiana, Chicago, and Milwaukee. It wasn’t fun.

Ultimately, with the team not having much time to pick themselves off the mat after the three-week nightmare stretch, going 9-7 isn’t bad, even if the last stretch gave you a sour taste in your mouth. There were big highs and devastating lows, but ultimately, they survived. They now look forward to the softest eight-game stretch of the season as a reward.

But what can we learn from getting a look at essentially every good team the NBA has to offer over the last month?

The Knicks defensive renaissance is real​


I talked about this in my potential jinx piece on Sunday (0-2 since, whoops), but the Knicks have held some extremely good offenses under wraps since the players-only meeting after the MLK Day beatdown against Dallas. They suffocated San Antonio, held OKC to 103 points, ran the Tatum-less Celtics out of the TD Garden, and smoked the Nuggets in Denver.

The defense did have two sub-standard games against the Lakers and Clippers in a brutal back-to-back, but there are caveats. For one, the defense started strong against the Lakers and even held a high-octane offense without a bucket for over seven minutes in the first half (albeit still giving up points on free throws). In the Monday night defeat at the Intuit Dome, the team’s 20 turnovers shot themselves in the foot just as much as the poor perimeter defense.

You want one stat that encompasses the defensive turnaround?

Before NYE: 36.9 opponent 3pt% (T-21st), 39.7 opponent 3PA/G (25th)
12/31 to 1/19: 39.5 opponent 3pt% (T-28th), 37.3 opponent 3PA/G (T-15th)
Since 1/20: 31.7 opponent 3pt% (1st), 37.4 opponent 3PA/G (19th)


The Knicks gave up a lot of threes to start the year, and up until MLK Day, was frequently fire-bombed from outside. The pendulum has since swung the other way with better shooting luck (wide-open% has dropped from 38.8% to 32.7% on similar attempts), but the team has also played much better defense with their rotations.

Detroit remains a matchup problem. The others? Not so much​


Two of the seven losses came to the Detroit Pistons, a team that has had the Knicks’ number in a way very similar to the Celtics in 2024-25. We know how that ended, so there’s hope, but there are stylistic concerns. Detroit’s physicality gives the Knicks fits in the same way Orlando did early in the season to muck games up. Add in some ridiculous shooting splits from a team not known for 3-point shooting and, yeah.

But no other team has appeared to be this stylistic mismatch. The Knicks are 2-1 against the Celtics, and even with Jayson Tatum back and looking good off a torn Achilles, the team has confidence from beating a superior Celtics team last year. They’re also 2-1 against Cleveland, which, despite the loss coming since the James Harden trade, doesn’t have me too concerned, given just how cold the Knicks were that night. Don’t even get me started on Philly and Toronto.

Out West, you have to be impressed at how the Knicks have played against the Spurs and Nuggets this season. If Julian Champagnie doesn’t put up the best shooting performance of his life on New Year’s Eve, they’re 5-0 on the two biggest threats to the reigning champions in the West. Speaking of the reigning champs, the Knicks played well without Mitchell Robinson and nearly took OKC to overtime on the second night of a back-to-back.

They can compete with almost everyone, but will that translate when the games start to truly matter?

Fatigue became a factor late​


Two of the Knicks’ sloppiest games came on the back-to-back in Los Angeles. Considering the travel schedule, it makes sense.

39 combined turnovers and sub-30% from three isn’t great. Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson did great on Monday night, but the role players vanished. The defense was a step slow, the offense was a tick off, and it was just pure sloppiness. Considering the circumstances, I’ll give them grace. Just don’t do this in Utah on Tuesday.

New York’s starters aren’t working​


Yep, we’re having this conversation again.

In 155 minutes in the 16-game gauntlet, the starting five played 155 minutes and had a minus-3.5 net rating. In March, it’s a catastrophically bad minus-17.2 in 80 minutes. Injuries to Deuce McBride and the occasional absence of Mitchell Robinson have reduced lineup versatility, but when a lineup just isn’t working like this one isn’t, you need to consider something different.

Granted, if Landry Shamet is going to shoot the way he did Monday and teams employ Spurs-like ghost coverage to force Mo Diawara to beat you, your options are limited. Whenever McBride returns, he needs to get more reps with the Core Four. The 130 defensive rating that they have together is deceptive due to the 11-game stretch of hell.

Stat of the day: Brunson-Towns lineups have a 103.8 defensive rating since January 20.

The Big Bodega is back​


I’m generally not nearly as much of a pessimist as some people who talk Knicks, but I have been especially irked at times this season over the play of Karl-Anthony Towns. After all, a guy who was once one of the best offensive big men the league has ever seen was unable to put the ball in the basket for months.

Well, despite relatively low usage, Towns has played some of his best and most efficient basketball in the Knicks’ toughest stretch.

In the 16-game gauntlet, Towns averaged a modest 20.7 points and 12.6 rebounds. The difference? His efficiency. He entered the 2OT win over Denver, shooting 46.1% from the field and 35.9% from three on the season for a 59.1 TS%.

Where’s he been since? 59.2% from the field, 41.2% from three, and 68.9 TS%. His usage actually went down in that stretch, so it seems that KAT is doing a better job at letting the game come to him and not forcing things. The ultimate question, though, is whether the Knicks can win with Towns doing this rather than being the 25-10 monster he’s capable of being.

That said, efficient basketball against some of the best the NBA has to offer is extremely encouraging. Despite playing in a back-to-back, Towns had his best game of the season on Monday, dropping 35/12/7 on an undersized Clippers team that only had 37-year-old Brook Lopez and Isaiah Jackson to defend him.

KAT working, that’s 21 in the first half pic.twitter.com/Ggefhwe3j2

— KNICKS BEAST (@KnicksBeast) March 10, 2026

Jalen Brunson needs some rest​


Brunson looked as good as he has all season against the Clippers on Monday night, but he has badly struggled lately against some physical defenses in a brutal, condensed schedule.

The captain’s stats all around have been down since he tweaked his ankle in January and rushed his way back to try and stop the bleeding. Great basketball from Anunoby and Towns has masked it at times, but the head of the snake is struggling.

Interesting point. Per @cleantheglass rim% and short midrange FG% for Brunson have dropped significantly post ankle injury:

Pre injury
• eFG%: 55.3%

Post injury
• eFG%: 50.2%

Rim FG%
• 65% → 53%

Short MidRange FG%
• 50% → 42% https://t.co/FVgNXFXycZ

— DJ Zullo (@DJAceNBA) March 9, 2026

There’s an upcoming stretch where the Knicks face the Wizards and Nets in their only two games in seven days. Resting Brunson for load management might be the best call. If you need him to beat two teams trying to lose, we have bigger issues.

Adam Silver is a cruel scheduler​


The Knicks just finished a five-game stretch in seven days, traveling from Toronto to New York to Denver to Los Angeles. They traveled across international borders at 3 AM, went through customs, and were greeted by the reigning champions. They played the third game in four nights in Denver, a scientifically hard place to play due to the altitude. They then played a back-to-back in the City of Angels.

That’s bad enough given the strength of the opponents, but get this: In a span of six days, the Knicks played Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Kawhi Leonard. You can make the case that all four will make the All-NBA First-Team if they play 65 games. What a rough week.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...e-learned-from-the-knicks-month-long-gauntlet
 
Knicks Bulletin: ‘A lot of people made expectations on my arrival’

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ATLANTA, GA - MAY 2: Edrice Adebayo poses for a portrait during Adidas Nations Atlanta on May 2, 2015 at the JW Marriott in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kelly Kline/Getty Images) | Getty Images

History was made yesterday, and it was made in the most bizarre of ways.

Didn’t involve the Knicks, but it surely did involve a bunch of shaddy fouling, freebies… and #HeatCulture, amirite?

New York is playing the Jazz tonight. Who says Landry Shamet cannot hit 130 on the dot? Anyway, here’s the latest from our lads.

"And out of respect Erik Spoelstra will pull Bam Adebayo…"

– Wizards announcer Chris Miller thought Bam would stop at Kobe's 81 😂 Nope pic.twitter.com/34iIikoAD1

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

Mike Brown


On what championship-level teams have in common:

“Everybody says what is the difference between the (‘07 Cavs, champion Warriors) teams… But the things I think are common amongst all of them are what we formulated as our standard, and all those teams, they sacrificed for one another. All those teams, they’re connected. All those teams have a competitive spirit. All those teams have a belief in the process and each other. . . Throughout the course of the team we’ve grown a lot in those areas. Everybody needs to go through adversity. We went through some adversity and we were able to try to lean on our standards while we did do that. That’s something that’ll carry us a long way come playoff time.”

Ime Udoka on Bam Adebayo's 83 point night:

"First thing you think is how…… not because of him but because of the way he plays. I saw he only made 6 threes but 40 free throws or something like that, tells the story right there and………….. the Washington Wizards." pic.twitter.com/PScqMKHBPv

— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) March 11, 2026

Jordan Clarkson


On arriving in New York without expectations:

“I ain’t coming in expecting anything, honestly. A lot of people made expectations on my arrival and what I can do and what I’ve done my whole career. But not knowing anything, I came here with an open canvas. I just knew one goal and what we wanted to do, and that’s to win. Talking to Josh and Jalen before this, we never talked about anything but winning. We’re trying to get the goal done. Seeing those dudes last year make it to the Eastern Conference finals, and just want to help them and help this team get the end goal.”

On returning to Utah on Wednesday:

“That’s a home for me. I loved the organization. I love the coaching staff. Yeah, I love the city. All I had was love there. So going back, I don’t know what my emotions are going to be. I’m going to try to keep my cool in terms of not feeling emotional, just all the gratitude and everything that the city is giving me. But yeah, I don’t know how I’m going to feel yet.”

On valuing winning in New York:

“You definitely value winning and being a part of this team and being part of this process in terms of what we want to do in terms of accomplishing winning. But it’s been great. Everything has been purposeful and meaningful. I’m just trying to stay locked in for any moment and opportunity I get here. But it’s been fun.”

The Heat are fouling while up 25 to try and get Bam Adebayo more point, madness.

😂 😂 pic.twitter.com/kThjjCpEb0

— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) March 11, 2026

Tyler Kolek


On using every moment on the court as an opportunity to grow:

“Any time you have games like that you can kind of look at that as a positive and just build on those things. You don’t want those things to be the be-all, end-all. My career is about growth and getting better. So I need to learn from those experiences and learn from every one — good or bad. Those were good experiences. But me, personally, I’ve had some bad experiences on the floor. From my play. So learn from both of those things and just continue to grow, continue to get better.”

On learning to follow the game plan as a backup guard:

“Sometimes you’re out there you get in the flow of the game, and as a backup point guard or another guard on the team, when Jalen comes out you have to be really direct and accurate with how you’re playing and how coaches want you to play out there on the floor. So just following our game plan.”

Here’s every foul that led to Bam’s 43 free throw attempts

Right calls?pic.twitter.com/RYShbV8Uo7

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) March 11, 2026

Jalen Brunson


On not being satisfied late in the season:

“It goes back to not being satisfied when we do the things that we’re supposed to do.”

Cam’ron on Bam Adebayo’s 83 point performance:

“The man shot 43 free throws you should get 83, this is not a real stat. This is not Michael Jordan’s 66 or even Kobe’s 81… That sh*t fraudulent, 43 free throws” pic.twitter.com/LDPeo2yvVc

— Hater Report (@HaterReport) March 11, 2026

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...lot-of-people-made-expectations-on-my-arrival
 
Knicks 134, Jazz 117: “Clarkson’s professionalism is pretty awesome”

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SALT LAKE CITY, UT - MARCH 11: The Utah Jazz honors Jordan Clarkson #00 of the New York Knicks during the game on March 11, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

This was supposed to be a get-right game. After losing twice in Los Angeles, the Knicks (42*-25) had a golden opportunity to flex their muscles against the Western Conference’s second-worst team, the Jazz (20-46). Instead, a poor defensive effort let Utah hit nearly everything from downtown in the first half (14 threes) and New York fell behind by as many as 18 points before intermission. After trailing 65-56 at halftime, the Knicks gradually came to life in a 40-point third quarter and finally pushed the lead to 22 in the fourth. Final score, 134-117.

The Delta Center gave a nice tribute to former Jazzman, Jordan Clarkson. Quoth Jslashnoel, “Clarkson’s professionalism is pretty awesome.” Mike Brown said in his presser that Mo Cheeks had suggested playing Clarkson more heavily tonight. Good advice, indeed, as J.C. recorded a season high 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting.

The game didn’t start great. The younger, springier Jazz jumped out to an early lead, causing Coach Brown to take a timeout before a full two minutes had passed. The ‘Bockers stood around while Brice Sensabaugh (29 PTS, 5 RBS) swished three triples and netted his team an 8-point lead. When Ace Bailey (who was listed on the early injury report) swished a corner three, Sensabaugh blindsided Jalen Brunson (28 PTS, 8 AST) with a flagrant-one foul. The Knicks scored four points as a result, but then they allowed yet another triple and a layup.

surgical with the dime 👨‍⚕️🪙 pic.twitter.com/yANR0EaDdW

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 12, 2026

After surrendering another—you guessed it—three-pointer to Bailey (21 PTS), New York found themselves down by 10.

Late in the half, the mouldering bones of Kevin Love (6 PTS, 6 RBS) rattled into the game. Guess what? He hit a three. The team with the league’s 22nd-ranked three-point shooting percentage made 9-of-11 from deep in the first quarter, including a leisurely buzzer-beater by Isaiah Collier for a 41-26 score.

Jordan Clarkson nice paint bucket pic.twitter.com/2UQytVOHnr

— Knicks Highlights (@KnicksClipss) March 12, 2026

During the break between quarters, the Knicks must have decided to let Elijah Harkless into the three-point party. As if in a practice shooting drill, Harkless lined up his shot and swished. Then Love drilled another. At the 10:30 mark, Mike Brown needed another timeout.

From there, the visitors went on a 13-3 run, powered by Karl-Anthony Towns (21 PTS, 7 RBS, 7 AST), Clarkson, and Mohamed Diawara (10 PTS). After taking a breather, Sensabaugh hit again from the corner because no one could have possibly guessed that they’d have a shooter waiting in the corner . . . and then he did it again. And then Keyonte George hit from the same spot. And then, down by 12, Brown needed another timeout.

Utah Jazz’s Brice Sensabaugh steals Mikal Bridges’ celebration…

Knicks down at the half. pic.twitter.com/HdIHvrfPwJ

— Knicks Fan TV 🏀🎥📺🏁 (@KnicksFanTv) March 12, 2026

In the final two minutes of the period, Bridges missed twice, Brunson missed twice—and turned the ball over—blowing multiple opportunities to narrow the score. Instead, they went into intermission behind, 65-56.

The Jazz had outshot the Knicks from the field (53% to 40%) and yard (67% to 35%). Rebounds were essentially even, and both teams had turned the ball over (Utah 10, Knicks 7), but the youngsters had run rings around the New Yorkers (21 fast-break points to 2). At the half, Sensabaugh led all scorers with 17 points. For the guests, Towns had 15 points but probably should have had more against a weak frontcourt.

give me some MO‼️ pic.twitter.com/5xnwsM7DLi

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

At halftime, Danny Ainge must have called the locker room to remind the Jazzies that they’re supposed to be tanking. In the third, the home team continued to score (George, Williams, and Kule Filipowski all got on the board), but they gave New York plenty of chances to catch up. Brunson did his part, with a three and a step-back jumper, and KAT added a layup. It wasn’t until later in the quarter that New York finally gained some momentum. Cap knocked down another three, a pull-up jumper, a late-quarter bucket, and a free throw, steadily chipping away at the deficit. OG Anunoby (22 PTS, 2 STL, 1 BLK) contributed at both ends (hitting a corner three, drawing fouls, and adding a block and a steal), Clarkson added six points, and Mitchell Robinson (13 RBS, 6 PTS) dominated the glass with a string of o-boards. With a steady push, our heroes climbed all the way back to cut the deficit to 96-94 by the break.

In the fourth frame, Clarkson continued to perform for his former fans. With a diet of dimes from Jose Alvarado (7 AST, 4 PTS, 2 STL), Jordan hit thrice from deep and twice at the rim for a new season high. Sensabaugh continued his strong night with a jumper and a floater, while New York stayed close with hustle plays: OG Anunoby’s transition dunk, Jose Alvarado’s runner, and a Mitchell Robinson alley-oop. Midway through the quarter, the Knicks finally put a lid on the game. KAT slammed an alley-oop dunk, Landry Shamet (7 PTS, 3-5 FG starting for an injured Josh Hart) hit a three, and Brunson added another from yard, capping a definitive run that pushed their lead to 22. Soon after, the benches were emptied, and when Clarkson checked out for the night, he received one more ovation from the crowd. Good stuff.

Up Next


The five-game road trip draws to a conclusion on Friday in Indiana. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.

Box Score

* Should be one more, but NBA Cup final wins self-destruct after opening.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...7-clarksons-professionalism-is-pretty-awesome
 
I don’t know how to feel about Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game

gettyimages-2252446151.jpg

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 21: Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat handles the ball during the game against the New York Knicks on December 21, 2025 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Tuesday night was fascinating for me as a sports fan.

I started my night by watching my college’s depressingly bad basketball team lose to Northwestern to end its season in the Big Ten tournament, then switched the channel to watch Team USA lose in embarrassing fashion to Italy in the World Baseball Classic.

At the same time, I was mildly aware of Alexis Lafreniere scoring a hat trick for the Rangers, Jaylen Brown getting ejected in a high-profile game against the Spurs, and a niche game between the Heat and Wizards that would later go down in NBA history.

I was first aware of Bam Adebayo’s historic night when someone told me he scored 31 points in the first quarter. It was surprising, sure, but it’s the 2026 Wizards. At some point, the Heat will begin to blow them out, and Adebayo will eventually hit the bench with a career scoring effort. He had 43 at half, another shocking sum, but nothing insane was on the radar with the Heat well on their way to a blowout victory.

But they just kept feeding him. He kept going to the line. I got Real notifications that he had 50; he had SIXTY points in the third quarter. At that point, I still didn’t turn on League Pass. In my mind, there was no way he’d stay in the game to make any serious history, right?

But he played most of the fourth quarter. He got to 70, and I finally relented. What I saw in the final five minutes of that game was some of the most shameless basketball I’ve ever seen from the referees, the players on both teams, and the coaches. The Wizards were sending triple-teams, the Heat were intentionally fouling to get more possessions, and Erik Spoelstra refused to remove his big-money star in a 30-point game.

Adebayo ultimately did get to end the game on the bench, but not before scoring 83 points. There’s a sect of the NBA community that sees the lack of broadcast evidence of Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game and refuses to believe it exists. Putting aside the fact that it’s totally irrational that it was totally ridiculous that the basketball media would make up a black man scoring 100 points in a game in 1962, there are people who consider Kobe Bryant’s 81 points in 2006 against the Toronto Raptors as the single-game scoring mark to beat.

So, for those people who believe Wilt never scored 100, Bam Adebayo is now the standard for single-game dominance. Bam Adebayo, who has never scored 45 in a game prior to Tuesday night, had indisputably scored the most points in an NBA game in over 60 years and, to some people, the most points ever.

THE ICONIC PHOTO: BAM ADEBAYO HOLDS UP ‘83’ ON A PIECE OF PAPER! 8️⃣3️⃣

NBA HISTORY! 👏 pic.twitter.com/zJJfvStV7X

— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) March 11, 2026

That fact is just jarring to me. Bam is an incredible player, don’t get me wrong. He’s a multi-time all-star, a staple on All-Defensive teams, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, and will almost certainly have his No. 13 retired by a Heat organization that’s had many great players don its colors. He’ll likely be enshrined in the Hall of Fame one day, but he isn’t known as a pure scorer.

The players to score 70 points in an NBA game are a who’s who of scoring talent: Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Luka Doncic, David Thompson, David Robinson, Elgin Baylor, Joel Embiid, Devin Booker, Damian Lillard, and Donovan Mitchell. All of these guys are or were capable of scoring 40 on any given night, even if only a few are inner-circle Hall of Famers.

How far down the list do you have to go before you find a player on the level of Adebayo’s offensive skills? MJ scored 69. Pete Maravich scored 68. Giannis and Rick Barry scored 64. The most points ever scored by a player to average under 20 PPG for his career is Joe Fulks, who scored 63 in 1949.

Fulks was the first NBA player to score 60 in a game and held the single-game scoring record until Elgin Baylor’s 64-point game in 1959. Fulks is an interesting piece of trivia in NBA history as maybe the league’s first shot-chucker. He averaged 19.1 FGA per game in his career and shot 30.2% from the field. He led the NBA in scoring in 1947-48 while shooting 25.9% from the field on over 25 shots per game. He’s the Father of NBA Tour Dates. If you want a laugh, go to @extrastats on Twitter and search for Fulks on his account.

Lowest FG% in a game on 45+ shot attempts:

23.6 — Joe Fulks (1948, 55 FGA)
25.5 — Joe Fulks (1947, 47 FGA)
31.1 — Cade Cunningham (tonight, 45 FGA)
32.0 — Joe Fulks (1946, 50 FGA)

Legendary. pic.twitter.com/zxXl39MTyh

— Extra (@extrastats) November 11, 2025

The day Fulks scored 63 points, he attempted 56 shots and took 14 free throws. He shot 48.2% from the field, which is a modern-day equivalent of if Cam Thomas shot 70% from the field in a 40-piece. No player had ever scored more than 63 points and shot worse than 50%… until Adebayo on Tuesday. His 67.0 TS% is the least efficient 65+-point game since the invention of the 3-point line.

But I think the thing that’s been bothering me the most about this game is the way it progressed. Adebayo was absolutely tremendous in the first quarter, scoring 31 points on 10-for-17 from the field and making five three-pointers. Even if he was playing the Wizards, it was an all-time great quarter.

Bam Adebayo 1st quarter highlights

• 31 PTS
• 10/16 FGM
• 5/8 3PM

Out of body experience 😭 https://t.co/eTkO67nwUP pic.twitter.com/ZEMVZkgGZw

— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) March 11, 2026

But the way the game ended is what soured me. The Wizards, in their desperate attempt to tank and keep their draft pick, load managed Trae Young. Alex Sarr scored 28 points, but he was limited to 20 minutes and sat out the game’s final 18. They did the same with Tre Johnson. The poor players that had to stop a coordinated effort to give Adebayo his moment were the likes of Will Riley, Anthony Gill, and Jalen Hardy.

Granted, part of that is because the Wizards were being blown out, but that’s another thing. Adebayo was being force-fed the ball and was just running full speed into defenders to draw fouls in the paint. Miami’s benchwarmers were fouling to get more possessions. It’s as if Jalen Brunson was playing with Trey Jemison III, Kevin McCullar Jr., and Pacome Dadiet in the final minutes of a blowout victory.

Speaking of Brunson, can he get some of these free throws next time he plays the Wizards? An NBA-record 43 free throw attempts. The only other players to even get within 10 of that number were notoriously bad free-throw shooters who were intentionally put on the line (or Wilt, who was both a poor free-throw shooter and dominant enough to get to the line naturally). Brunson’s 61-point game against the Spurs a few years ago is the second-best in history with less than 10 FTA (Rick Barry had 5 FTA in a 64-point game in 1974).

But we’d be getting into a whole different debate if we were talking about how ethical a high-scoring game is. Kobe’s 81-point game saw him put the finishing touches on a blowout, but he also had to power a very bad supporting cast back from a 14-point halftime deficit. Bryant scored his last seven points from the free-throw line in the final 2:36, but it was only a 13-point game at that point, and even then, that’s 74.

Kobe Bryant 81 PTS, 6 REB, 3 STL, 28/46 FG, 7/13 3FG, 18/20 FT, 73.9% TS vs Raptors

20th Anniversary https://t.co/kQz3yH4U1U pic.twitter.com/8Zm7DdNfXB

— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) January 22, 2026

There are even reports of similar tactics to the ones the Heat used back in 1962, used by the Philadelphia Warriors to get Wilt to 100. You can argue that if we’re talking about ethics, Wilt’s 78-point game in a double-overtime win three months before he dropped 100 is the standard for ethical, ballistic scoring games. (Fun fact about that one: Wilt went 16-for-31 at the line. He would’ve scored 90 if he shot granny-style like he did when he scored 100.)

In the end, it happened. Regardless of how you feel, Bam Adebayo made history on Tuesday night. It was surreal to watch as someone who didn’t see Kobe score 81.

It just feels weird.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...-how-to-feel-about-bam-adebayos-83-point-game
 
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