New York Knicks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

James Suspended One Game, Stewart Gets Two-Game Penalty

November 22nd, 2021 at 5:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Lakers superstar LeBron James was suspended one game without pay and Pistons center Isaiah Stewart will serve a two-game suspension for their altercation on Sunday, the league announced in a press release.

James was suspended for recklessly hitting Stewart in the face and initiating an on-court altercation. Stewart was given a bigger penalty for escalating the incident by repeatedly and aggressively pursuing James in an unsportsmanlike manner.

Stewart had to be restrained numerous times by coaches and players from retaliating after James struck him in the face battling for position as Jerami Grant attempted a free throw. Pistons coach Dwane Casey stated afterward he didn’t feel Stewart deserved an additional penalty besides the in-game ejection.

James, who has never previously been suspended his career, will miss a marquee matchup against the Knicks on Tuesday. Stewart will serve his suspension Tuesday against the Heat and Wednesday against the Bucks.

Leon Rose Could Receive Blame If Knicks Don't Improve

November 21st, 2021 at 7:37pm CST by JD Shaw

Knicks president Leon Rose will deserve significant blame if the team can’t turn around a slow start to the season, Ian O’Connor of the New York Post writes. The Knicks hold a 9-7 record, but the club is just 4-5 at home. The vast majority of the roster is back from last season’s playoff group.

Mitchell Robinson In Concussion Protocol, Out Indefinitely

November 21st, 2021 at 2:19pm CST by Rory Maher

Knicks center Mitchell Robinson has entered the concussion protocol after being hit in the face against the Rockets Saturday night, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. He is out indefinitely.

Robinson, 23, was hit in the nose by an elbow from Jae’Sean Tate in the third quarter of the contest and did not return to the game, Berman relays.

Last season Robinson suffered a broken hand that sidelined him for 15 games. Four games after he returned, he had an awkward landing and broke his foot, which required surgery.

Robinson has still been dealing with lingering effects from the foot surgery this season, as he’s struggled with conditioning and multiple ankle sprains, Berman says. The big man also had a hip flexor injury less than two weeks ago.

Robinson will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. It’s tricky to gauge his market value due to his injury history and offensive limitations. Through 15 games, he’s averaging 7.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in 25.7 minutes per contest.

According to Berman, backup center Taj Gibson is also sidelined with a strained groin, while Nerlens Noel, who’s been dealing with knee issues, still isn’t 100%. Rookie Jericho Sims figures to see some playing time with the frontcourt so undermanned, while second-year forward Obi Toppin could see an increase in minutes.

New York Notes: Claxton, Irving, Noel, Walker

November 20th, 2021 at 9:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

An undisclosed illness has sidelined Nets center Nicolas Claxton for about three weeks, and he tells Brian Lewis of The New York Post that he hopes to return soon. Claxton missed more than two weeks with COVID-19 late last season, but was asymptomatic and said he’s not dealing with any long-term effects. He said he lost a lot of weight from the most recent ailment, but is now in the “ramp-up stage” and is preparing to play again.

“I was sick. That’s the extent I want to go with,” Claxton said. “I was sick. But I’m feeling better now. I’m getting back to where I need to be so I can get out there and play. I’m excited to get back out there with my teammates.”

Claxton was one of Brooklyn’s best defenders last season, Lewis notes, and would be a welcome addition for a team that needs help in the middle. The Nets are starting Blake Griffin as an undersized center with LaMarcus Aldridge as the backup.

There’s more from New York City:

The Nets‘ offense has stagnated and Kevin Durant admitted this week that the absence of Kyrie Irving is part of the problem, Lewis adds in a separate story. Brooklyn set an NBA record for offensive rating last season at 117.3, but currently ranks 25th in the league at 101.0. “Yeah, we do miss Kyrie. We do,” Durant said. “He’s a part of our team. But for the most part, we’ve been generating great shots, we’ve been getting into the paint. It’s just a matter of us knocking them down. I think they’ll come.”
Knicks center Nerlens Noel was thrilled to be back on the court this afternoon following a 12-day absence, per Barbara Barker of Newsday. Noel, who has been dealing with a knee injury, had played only four games and taken just nine shots from the field before today. “Just having the rim protection that Nerlens provides is a big asset for us,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “… Taj (Gibson) did a good job when he was in there. But it’s good to have Nerlens back.”
Kemba Walker sat out the first game of the Knicks‘ last back-to-back, but he played today and may be in the lineup again tomorrow, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic. The coaching staff plans to see how Walker feels Sunday morning before making a decision. “If he feels good, he’ll go,” Thibodeau said. “…You trust Kemba.”

Fournier Affected By Limiting Minutes

November 20th, 2021 at 10:51am CST by Dana Gauruder

Evan Fournier, the Knicks’ major sign-and-trade acquisition this summer, hasn’t been playing in fourth quarters lately and it’s been an adjustment for the swingman, Mark Sanchez of the New York Post writes. “I think the situation right now is I don’t know how many minutes I’m going to play, so I have to have the mindset of: If I’m going to play 20 minutes, then just come out the gate with extreme energy,” he said. “Being very alert. Being ultra-aggressive. And trying to have an impact.”

Fournier Wants To Be Aggressive To Make Early Impact

November 19th, 2021 at 10:09pm CST by Rory Maher

Knicks guard Evan Fournier knows he needs to bring more to the table earlier in the game in light of his recent fourth-quarter benchings, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “I think the situation right now is I don’t know how many minutes I’m going to play, so I have to have the mindset of if I’m going to play 20 minutes, then just come out the gate with extreme energy,” Fournier said. “Being very alert. Being ultra-aggressive. And trying to have an impact.”

Offense Shrinks Even With Reinforcements

November 18th, 2021 at 6:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks retooled their roster with the additions of Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier but the offense has deteriorated almost game by game, Steve Popper of Newsday notes. The Knicks are 19th in the league in field goal percentage. “It’s just weird out there right now,” Julius Randle said. “That’s the best way I could describe it. It’s just kind of weird and just a little bit choppy and we’re just trying to figure it out. I think everybody’s hearts and intentions are in the right place. It’s just a little weird right now.”

Thibodeau Praises McBride

November 17th, 2021 at 9:45pm CST by Rory Maher

Head coach Tom Thibodeau was effusive in his praise of Knicks rookie Miles McBride, tweets Marc Berman of the New York Post. McBride was recently assigned to the G League to get minutes. “I love him, I love him. I think it’s important for him to be with us but every opportunity we get where we can have him play some, we want to try to take advantage of that as well. But he’s got a great future, great kid, hard worker,” Thibodeau said.

Taj Gibson Coming Through In Increased Role

November 16th, 2021 at 10:30am CST by Luke Adams

Mitchell Robinson tweaked his ankle on Monday and Nerlens Noel has battled injuries all season, so Taj Gibson has played a greater role than the Knicks may have anticipated when they re-signed him this offseason. The veteran big man has responded admirably when called upon, as Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. In 29 minutes on Monday, Gibson had more fouls (three) than points (two), but grabbed eight rebounds and was a plus-22 in a game New York won by eight points.

Atlantic Notes: Simmons, Knicks Chemistry, Thibodeau, Tatum

November 14th, 2021 at 9:06pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Should disgruntled Sixers point guard Ben Simmons rejoin his Philadelphia teammates without the proper attitude, the feel-good vibes of the team’s 8-6 season start could take a hit, opines Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Simmons has yet to suit up this season, hoping for a trade out of town.

“I don’t think that’s something we thought about yet,” swingman Danny Green said of a potential Simmons-Sixers reunion this year. “We don’t think it’s going to happen any time soon. But it’s something that hasn’t really crossed our minds yet.”

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

With the Knicks set to play their next three contests at Madison Square Garden, Tommy Beer of Basketball News writes that they have an opportunity to improve the shaky chemistry that has led to the club going 2-4 in its last six games. Starters Julius Randle and RJ Barrett have struggled lately. Beer adds that playing at home will allow for head coach Tom Thibodeau to hold more practices than are possible on the road, which could help the Knicks kick-start their energy.
To help improve the on-court performance of the Knicks‘ starting five, head coach Tom Thibodeau opted to give his starters stricter set plays and less improvisational optionality in a productive practice today, per Marc Berman of the New York Post. “The first thing you ask [is] are we playing hard enough and executing properly?” Thibodeau said. “If what we’re doing is not good enough, that’s when you change… In all fairness to Julius [Randle] and [starting point guard Kemba Walker], because of who they are, they probably get the brunt of what’s going on. The reality is we have to play well together as a group. It’s not one, two guys. We can say new guys, old guys. We can say first unit, second unit.”
Celtics All-Star forward Jayson Tatum is struggling through one of his worst-ever shooting stretches, prompting Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe to consider the possible cause of the issue and potential solutions. Tatum currently has a career-worst shooting line of .388/.322/.742.