The Knicks still have some doubters to prove wrong in the playoffs this year, according to guard Elfrid Payton, as relayed by Alex Kennedy of BasketballNews.com. Payton, who started 63 games for New York this season, averaged 10.1 points, 3.2 assists and 23.6 minutes per contest. This will be his first playoff stint.
“I think we match up well against them,” Payton said of the team’s first-round opponents, the Hawks. “They have a lot of weapons over there, a lot of guys who can shoot the three; John Collins is playing well, (Clint) Capela is a force inside and they’ve got a good bench with Lou Will and (Danilo) Gallinari.
“I think we’re just a little bit deeper and a little bit more physical, and that’s going to make it tough for them. As far as the preparation, it’s been crazy. It’s my first playoffs, so… It’s kinda what I expected, but having so much time off, we were able to really dive into a lot of film and a lot of their tendencies.”
Here are some other notes from the Atlantic Division tonight:
- The Celtics are increasing their crowd capacity for Game 3 against the Nets on Friday, according to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link). Boston will be at “near full” capacity for Game 4, which is set to commence next Sunday.
- Knicks guard RJ Barrett revealed an interesting game plan for guarding Hawks star Trae Young, as Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News details. Barrett believes his team is better off forcing Young to score instead of making plays for his teammates (he averaged 25.3 points and 9.4 assists per game this season).
- Sixers head coach Doc Rivers has turned his star-studded team into winners, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Rivers holds several years of coaching experience and memorably guided the Celtics to a championship in 2008. He was also named the NBA’s Coach of the Year with Orlando in 2000.
Doc Rivers has been outstanding for the sixers.
Don’t get how you can play so bad at end of season. It’s insane and why not play Nttilikina. He’s a better defender than Payton. Young got calls today. Refs gave him soft calls. He stepped up though he was playing. He’s gonna get his for the BS after the gm. Thibs if you want to slow down a player or an offense. You gotta pickup full court. Especially at end with gm on line. They just let Young bring it up and get into offense. Seems Knicks were affected by crowd to me. Better wake up Thibs. Play Frank and pickup full court. He can use Payon n Quiclky that way too. Just don’t get how you just let them run their offense with the lead and less than 2 mins.
Ntilikina is trash. That’s why he does not play. Put in for defense at the very end and Young blew by him like he wasn’t even there and hit the game winner. The one thing he’s supposedly good at and Young abused him.
Thibs sees Payton and Frank every day in practice. And nothing of what he sees leads him to believe that Frank deserves more playing time.
Agreed on Young getting some soft calls, but bottom line is Hawks won because Randle and RJ had bad games, not because Frank Ntilikina didn’t play more. Burks was the only reason the game was even close. Randle and RJ will play better and the Knicks will take Game 2, imo.
This series will go the distance. Definitely reminds me of the battles the Knicks had with the Pacers. RJ has to play better. That dunk he had was awesome though
Yeah, I agree. No way Randle and RJ are that off the rest of the series.
What gm were you watching Young was blowing by Rose. And that’s what you do when you got a full head of steam. And you play Rose 38 mins. Thibs panicked to me. It’s simple you got the lead in last 2 mins. You don’t let them get into their offense. You get that from him, Thibs. Playing is 20 mins. He’s doesn’t play Frank cause he trust Payton to run offense. But he hasn’t even been doing that last 10-15 gms. Frank is best defender out of all the guards. But he needs to play to prove it. You got no vision dude. Nttilikina has to play to stay in gm shape. Payton has been in a funk for how long. He could’ve been playing just to have him ready. Thibs has a tight rotation and he’s always been loyal to that. Some of us know how this gm is played and can tell when others do too. It’s called vision not fan vision. I could care less about Payton or Frank. Both gave no future here. But I guarantee Frank is a better defender than Payton. Thibs knows it too. He just doesn’t like Frank’s offense with this team. I’m about winning games. Not making a freakin point. Thibs choked at end of gm. This was a winnable gm. And you got smack about a guy who played .31 sec. Young should of been pressed full court for last 3-4 mins. You get tha ball out of his hands that way. Knicks back peddled while Hawks attacked for last 3 mins of gm. Thibs choked it away. By playing soft. Even on offense instead of going to basket they were jump shooters. RJ was only one who went to basket. Please they didn’t want this bad enough.
I ‘got smack’ about Frank because you brought him up and are saying that playing him more would have helped them win. It wouldn’t have. Frank is not good at basketball. In literally the only play he had, he got ethered by Trae Young.
And Thibs did not lose this game. Randle and RJ did. Randle had one of his worst games in a long time and RJ wasn’t much better.
The good news is that Randle and RJ will be better in game 2. You can count on that. It’s one game, no need to start ripping Thibs and no need to start calling for more of Frank. Knicks will be fine and this will be a fun, tight series. Enjoy the playoffs, Knicks can still win the series.
I never said it would help them win. You trash a guy like a petulant child. We disagree about Frank. Thibs choked in this gm. Putting in fFrank when you never play. Should tell you that. If Payton us t playing. It’s easy you see who is. There not much difference between those two. But you need mi s to be ready. That was a prayer putting him in for 37 sec. imo Knicks all kind if got affected by fans. They are s young team. But look at the gm. You are up two with 2 mi s. You do t let Young beat you. You make eat clock. You don’t make it easy to run your offense. That’s being soft. You are up two you clampdown and shut him down. Not go on your heals and hope he doesn’t score. Frank should of been playing so he could’ve been ready. That’s what a team looks like. Quickly is only shooting. You knew coming in who you had to stop. This Ain’t rocket science. This is wanting and not backing down from Nobody.
With all due respect you’re just way off base here.
Knicks lost because Thibs doesn’t trust Frank enough? It’s not 2008, man. It’s now a Pick And Roll League, which is why Frank will most likely Not Be A Part Of It moving forward. Because his only skill—perimeter iso defense—is now essentially an antiquated notion.
Thinking that pressing Trae full court was a solution? C’mon man. Collins sets a screen at our free throw line and Young is running a 4:3 down the court. It’s that simple. Losing strategy.
The Knicks just need their two best players to play like it, and they’ll win game 2. Games in the low 100’s should in theory favor the Knicks. They just need Randle to shoot better than 25%.
Edit: Game 2 not Game 3
Really dude. Pick n roll was invented by Celtics with Bob Cousy. Stockton ran it and Nash took it to another level.we are talking about one game. Did you even watch it. One guy wants to trash Frank for 37 sec. when Thibs choked it away. Where Randle didn’t want it. Where you pray Rose can bring Magic in 39 mins. Knicks didn’t play well. Yet they had a chance to win it. And Thibs choked it. Playi g Frank is all the proof you need. Yet all you geniuses see is why is Frank playing.
At least we agree Knicks didn’t play well and had a chance to win. Frank I don’t think we’ll ever agree on. I feel optimistic for game 2 – let’s go.
100% agree with this.
A.) I’m sorry, but Frank is not the answer to anything. This guy has historically poor stats, and the game just is no longer played in a way where a “lock down” perimeter defender can have an outsized effect. Even if Frank could lock Trae down 1 on 1 they would still just run him through 8 screens until they got a better matchup. Enough of the Frank stuff.
B.) Trae got a surprising amount of the BS regular season calls that usually go away in the playoffs. Will be interesting to see if the whole series is called that way though.
C.) Randle just needs to play better, period. 6/23 isn’t cutting it. I think he’ll shed the nerves and bounce back in G2.
If payton starts the game guarding young he should have been given the opportunity to guard him instead of frank,we all can agree rose cannot guard young plain and simple. We lost because randle shot 9-23,I think randle will come back strong in game 2. Rose played too many minutes don’t want to burn him out.
Exactly. Occam’s Razor. Your best player plays poorly, you lose.
Trae is going to get his. Especially if he gets the calls. The more efficient strategy is to shut down Collins, Gallo, Bogdan, Huerter.
Let Trae get his 30-35, just keep the rest of the team suffocated. Knicks have the personnel to do it.
That game was so badly rigged in the Hawks favor. Cheatella steps on Noel and Noel gets the foul. Young shoves RJ and Young goes to the line. Most BS game I’ve ever seen.
Why would anything be rigged against the Knicks? No way NBA doesn’t want them going as deep as possible.
Trae Young better stop running his mouth after games. NY fans don’t play, he gonna catch some hands if they get a chance.
I doubt that
Hawks in 5.
Al, I often like your analysis but skip past your posts because my head hurts reading them.
I’ll never judge someone’s spelling, or even the use of abbreviated ‘text’ speak but please hit the ‘return’ button every now and again to give us some paragraphs.
I don’t think he uses buttons, instead uses voice.
Let Trey have his moment game 2 will be different. I would play payton a few more minutes,payton can guard trey probably better than anyone on the team. We only lost by 2 with randle shot 6/23 & Barrett 5/15 that was the difference,both players first playoff game once again knicks are continuing building learning from mistakes will come back strong in game 2.
We have to remember,Knicks are ahead of schedule in developing this team. First of all not trading for anyone during trading deadline gave us the cohesiveness to strive towards the players and to the 4th seed which is remarkable. Fast forward to yesterday game we need to make adjustments for game 2 coach Thibs will make the necessary decisions to put us in position. We have to overdrive trey young some how put him in position to work harder when the ball is in his hands.
Law of averages caught up with Randle somehow on Game 1. He just can’t chuck up those long-balls, this is the playoffs.
Get Randle some easier looks early.
You guard them full court. They don’t get a good look. Knicks played D like kittens. You up 2. You make them kill the clock. You don’t allow Young to have all the time to get a shot. After 10-15 sec you double him get the ball out his hands . By now they got 4-6 sec to shoot. You getting it now. The simple fact is Frank is best defender on team. So he should of had playing to have him ready. It’s still not a one man show. You play full court team D and you win this gm. Payton has been awful last 15 gms. Why wouldn’t you have Frank ready. You think in 37 sec after sitting for 20 gms. He’s suppose to bail you out. ThibsChocked it. Got it
And I’m the biggest Thi s guy on this board. I’m the one who told you last yr what Randle could be. I’m The one who told you about RJ. Yet they all watched . I call it first gm jeeters . Thibs could of took control when we went up 2. How freaking simple is that. They chocked it away.
You’re not the one.