Ahead of the Knicks‘ eventual 112-110 loss to their cross-town rival Nets on Tuesday night, New York All-Star forward Julius Randle praised Brooklyn All-Star forward Kevin Durant, per Peter Botte of the New York Post.
“He’s the best player in the league, for sure,” Randle raved on Monday. “[I’ve] never seen a 7-footer that skilled… [He can] do anything, everything, on the court. No weakness. That’s him. He’s tough. Great player, but I love competing against him.”
In an MVP-level season for the Nets, Durant is averaging 28.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 5.6 APG in 35.8 MPG, with a shooting line of .539/.389/.863.
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- The demotion of Kemba Walker from starting Knicks point guard to a DNP-CD serves as clear evidence of head coach Tom Thibodeau‘s zeal to win, per Ian O’Connor of the New York Post. Though the move for the 31-year-old hometown hero may not be a popular one, Thibodeau knows it will help the club’s defense significantly. “I just don’t like the way we’ve been trending, the inconsistency of our team,” Thibodeau said. “I want to get bigger. I want our defense to get bigger at the point of the attack.” The six-foot Walker, never a good defender, has seen his efficacy on both sides of the ball decline following knee injuries while with the Celtics. Fred Katz of The Athletic notes that the disparity in points per possession when Walker plays as opposed to when he sits represents the difference between what would be the best defensive efficiency in the NBA (when he sits) and what would be the worst (when he plays).
- Upon becoming a US citizen on Monday, Celtics reserve center Enes Kanter has officially changed his name to Enes Kanter Freedom, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link). “It was really important to me” to acknowledge the freedom that the Turkish native gets to enjoy as an American citizen, the freshly-anointed Kanter Freedom said.
- Sixers two-way player Grant Riller injured his right shoulder during a contest for Philadelphia’s NBA G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, this past Sunday, tweets Derek Bodner of The Athletic. Bodner adds that Riller’s health status will be reassessed in a week. The No. 56 pick in 2020 out of the College of Charleston, Riller has yet to appear in a game for the Sixers this season. The 6’2″ point guard is averaging 5.5 PPG, 2.3 APG and 1.5 RPG across four games for Delaware.
BoNG BoNG!!
Take that L back to MSG.
In all fairness, the knix made us earn that victory. And with Kyrie, Joe Harris, and Nicolas Claxton out, there is potential for better performances. Will fans get to see it? We shall see
Please get real. You won, move forward. Nets are good. But so are Knicks.
You want me to get real?
Okay.
I gave your team props and wrote “in all fairness, the knix made us earn that victory”.
Do NOT compare your team to mine because the knix are not as good. Look at your record and which teams defeated you. If you’re good, then we’re great.
Now YOU move forward! Your team lost to a superior team. We’ll see you at the Garden
Nets kicked Their Arsss. They had nobody to stop Harden. That simple.
For all who think this is about Kemba. You’re all Freakin lost. I would get more graphic . But you’re all too sensitive. So get over it.
You know how you stop Harden. You pick him up 3/4 . Why give him time. That simple. Knicks as bad as their season is going. This was a winnable gm. That simple. So wake up and learn. Stop swallowing BS.
Sir this is a Wendy’s
“You pick him up 3/4” lmao.
U clown yourself. I doubt you know what a clock is. Or how Harden uses it. He uses like I’m a use U.
I doubt you know what sport you are watching lmao
I’ve forgotten more ball than you will learn in 5 lifetimes. I’m going to show you that. From now on clown. I got you
Sure you have, Al
Knicks no1 problem is as usual fo, EF and KW signings were just bad.
They should have signed 2 of 3, Dinwiddie, Ball, DDR. And dont tell me ‘they didnt want Knicks’, that is just pr stunt from Knicks fo.
Dinwiddie is money first guy, so between NY and WS for same money or more, he would pick Knicks.
Ball family is the same. Just bad fo
Kicked ass with a 2 point home victory that needed referee intervention?
Randle pretending like Giannis doesn’t exist
I love Giannis but he’s a long way to go to become as skilled as KD.
KD is the better player. He’s light years the better shooter and just as good everywhere on the court on offense and defense. Imo the only thing Giannis probably has in his favor over KD is that he’s probably a better defender against more traditional bigs. And we’re 1-2 inches of KD’s foot not being on the 3pt line in last year’s EC Semis from Giannis not even being in the “best player in the NBA” conversation at all.
Giannis 2 MVP’s mean way more than a championship, & yes KD is way more skilled, but Giannis is clearly the better player, I just can’t even see a debate there, although both are absolute legends of the game!
.388 and .863? Durant really needs to work on those free throws and long balls.
Great game yesterday. Had a good time watching it.
Taking 20 games to respond to what you see on the floor every night doesn’t reflect a zeal to win.
It represents some sort of mental issue. Why the heck do you bother with a game coach if they don’t react to what’s happening on the floor for a month or two?
Thibs is nothing if not fair. He probably had conversations asking Kemba to put in more effort on defense, and put a clock on it. He did this with many players on the Bulls, but none of them were considered stars. He is a great coach and none of his players ever talk trash about him, which is a clear sign they consider him a good leader.
Kanter is such a tool.
Why?
Not any more of a tool than Ron Artest, who changed his name because he had a branding problem after attacking fans. At least this guy is brave enough to stand up to a ruthless dictator, not a rude fan, and using the NBA spotlight to fight injustice. Or are you really saying ‘shut up and dribble’?
Exactly!!!!! The guy is crazy proud to be an American and he is not afraid to challenge some of the horrible things happening around the world and some of the horrible people around the world…….and that makes him a tool?? I’m thinking Mr. bellamy needs to look in the mirror.
Thibs have also coaching limitations from pre-season to now he is not mixing the roster enough to find balanced and switchable units … He’s just going back to a old scheme of him playing a 7/8 roster with size.
Rose must have involved Thibs in the Knicks signings profiles also so he got some blame not to go at guys liké Lonzo/Caruso
Harden shot well last night. And got to FT line (9/10). Nets shot 25 FTs to Knicks 12 FT.
This is for the Clown of the post. If you pick up Harden full ct, 3/4 ct or half court. You don’t let him set up for his shot. He’s not end to end guy. He works you from key or 3PT line. So if you pick him up you take that option away. Can also double him easier. And make him use clock. So someone else will take shot. This is what you do when he shooting well. You make him miss or give up TWO shots. We win this gm CLOWN. And we win by 2. Instead of losing by 2. Got it flava, fix your Fnc clock. And learn the game. Stop showing how much talent you don’t have. Uranus has another resident on here now.
Harden scored 34, KD 27. Harden was killing RJ. That’s why he only played 8:33. This gm was first time all yr. Randle went to basket. And posted players. Instead of trying to be a PG. His gm has not helped Kemba adjust. If he played like this with Kemba. The chemistry would be much better.
Knicks are still three happy. Instead of using more ball movement. And looking for miss matches, especially on blocks.
Lol!
I would think that every HC would have a zeal to win, as long as they weren’t hired to tank. Thibs just understands winning better than most. The roster, talent-wise overall, is better than last year, but, as I noted in almost every post on our off season, perimeter defense was likely to be a problem, and one for which there wouldn’t be a complete solution with the current roster. At the quarter poll of the season, we’re actually about where I thought we’d be record-wise.