Knicks Rumors

Players, Coaches Gripe About Tournament’s Point Differential Tiebreaker

As teams battled for a spot in the quarterfinals of the NBA’s first in-season tournament, point differential served as an important tiebreaker. It was used in several instances to determine the winner of a group, a conference’s wild card team, and the seeding of certain quarterfinalists.

That sort of tiebreaker is necessary in the round robin stage of an event that sees 30 teams playing just four games, since there will be many identical records and several instances in which head-to-head record won’t suffice.

However, a number of players and coaches around the NBA weren’t thrilled by the late-game situations created by the focus on point differential, as ESPN details. Knicks forward Josh Hart was one player to express dissatisfaction with the idea that his team had to try to run up the score on Tuesday vs. Charlotte in order to advance.

“It was interesting. I don’t really like it,” Hart said. “We were focused, at first, just about winning. The last couple of minutes it feels weird. At a certain point, you just start chasing points, doing all that. So it kind of messes with the integrity of the game a little bit.”

Teams like the Celtics and Cavaliers, meanwhile, kept their starters on the floor in Tuesday’s games well past the point that the outcomes had been decided in the hopes of widening their respective leads and improving their overall point differentials. Echoing Hart, both Jaylen Brown and Donovan Mitchell referred to it as “a little weird.”

“It’s tough because that’s just not how the game is supposed to be played,” Brown said.

Hawks head coach Quin Snyder, who pulled his starters with about four minutes left vs. Cleveland, said the situation wasn’t “ideal,” while Bulls head coach Billy Donovan was unhappy about Boston padding its lead by repeatedly fouling Andre Drummond in the fourth quarter to send the big man to the free throw line (he made one of six attempts).

“I also understand the situation he’s in too. He’s got to coach his team and do what’s right,” Donovan said of Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla. ”But I think it was putting Andre in a tough spot down 30 points. But this is from the league. This is what the league has done, making this point differential thing.”

Concerns about the effect the point differential tiebreaker had near the end of certain games arose last Friday as well. DeMar DeRozan was ejected late in a loss to Toronto for taking exception to the Raptors attempting to score when the shot clock was off. In that case, Toronto had already been eliminated from qualifying for the quarterfinals, but appeared to be unaware of that fact.

Assuming the in-season tournament returns in 2024/25, it will be interesting to see if the NBA tweaks its tiebreaker rules to address concerns from players and coaches, or if the league will simply count on everyone getting more accustomed to the format and learning to live with it.

Making total points allowed a tiebreaker rather than point differential would be one way to eliminate the incentive for teams to run up the score in a blowout. However, a change along those lines could result in unwanted side effects, including slowing down the pace of tournament games.

Hart, Coach Disagree Over Offensive Role

Knicks wing Josh Hart doesn’t agree with coach Tom Thibodeau‘s assessment of his role, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.

Following the Knicks’ game against Charlotte on Tuesday, Hart made a point of telling the media he’s not unhappy, Fred Katz of The Athletic tweets. “Just so you know, I’m not a disgruntled player. Make sure y’all tweet that (stuff). Josh Hart said he’s not disgruntled.”

  • Knicks wing RJ Barrett says he’s still trying to get back in form after a bout with migraines, Bondy writes. Barrett has shot 33% of the field in the last five games after dealing with the severe headaches. “I didn’t pick up where I left off,” Barrett said. “That’s OK. Honestly, this was going to happen at some point during the season whether I got sick or not. So, I’m just doing what I do all the time, working my way out of it. Not worried.”

Quarterfinals Set For NBA’s Inaugural In-Season Tournament

The last set of round robin games for the NBA’s first-ever in-season tournament took place on Tuesday night, and the eight quarterfinalists are now known.

In the Eastern Conference, the Bucks and Celtics joined the Pacers as group winners, while the Knicks claimed the wild card spot.

With a road victory over Miami on Tuesday, Milwaukee secured a 4-0 record in group play, and the Bucks’ +46 point differential was better than Indiana’s +39 mark, making them the No. 1 seed in the conference, with the Pacers coming in at No. 2.

A 124-97 victory over Chicago ensured that the Celtics finished group play with a 3-1 record and a +27 point differential. Orlando and Brooklyn also won three games in East Group C, but their respective point differentials (+22 and +20) weren’t quite good enough to match Boston’s.

The Magic and Nets were still in play for the wild card spot, but the Knicks’ 115-91 win over Charlotte on Tuesday increased their overall point differential to +42, giving them the edge over their fellow 3-1 Eastern clubs, including Cleveland.

Over in the Western Conference, the Lakers – who previously won their group – clinched the No. 1 seed based on Tuesday’s results. They’ll be joined in the quarterfinals by the 4-0 Kings and the 3-1 Pelicans and Suns.

The only other Western team to go undefeated in round robin games, Sacramento secured its spot with an impressive comeback win over Golden State, 124-123. The Kings’ overall point differential of +30 wasn’t anywhere close to the Lakers’ mark of +74, so Sacramento will enter the quarterfinals as the West’s No. 2 seed.

Because Houston fell to Dallas on Tuesday, the Pelicans finished as the only 3-1 team in Group B, clinching the West’s No. 3 seed.

The Suns, like New Orleans, were off on Tuesday, but benefited from the results of the action. Although the Timberwolves defeated Oklahoma City and matched Phoenix’s 3-1 record, Minnesota finished with a +0 point differential, far off the +34 mark posted by the Suns, who will be the West’s wild card team.

Here’s the quarterfinal schedule, per the NBA (Twitter link):

Monday, December 4:

  • Boston Celtics at Indiana Pacers (7:30 pm Eastern)
  • New Orleans Pelicans at Sacramento Kings (10:00 pm ET)

Tuesday, December 5:

  • New York Knicks at Milwaukee Bucks (7:30 pm ET)
  • Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers (10:00 pm ET)

The winners of those games will face one another in the semifinals on Dec. 7 in Las Vegas, with the finalists squaring off on Dec. 9. The quarterfinals and semifinals will count toward each club’s regular season record, but the final won’t.

The eight teams that have qualified as quarterfinalists have already earned bonuses worth $50K apiece for each of their players. Advancing to the semifinals would increase those bonuses to $100K per player, while making the final would bump the figure to $200K. The inaugural in-season tournament champion will receive bonuses of $500K per player.

New York Notes: Brunson, Quickley, Randle, Robinson, Claxton, Thomas

Jalen Brunson and Immanuel Quickley have built chemistry during their second season together in the Knicks’ backcourt, as Fred Katz of The Athletic details. It’s especially notable in the screening Quickley does to create space for Brunson.

Whether they’ll remain together for the long haul remains to be seen. Quickley and the Knicks front office failed to reach a rookie scale extension agreement last month, which means Quickley will be a restricted free agent next summer.

We have more on the New York clubs:

  • Julius Randle had a 28-point game against the Suns on Sunday but his inconsistent play is a big reason for the Knicks’ mediocre start, Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post opines. Randle, the team’s highest-salaried player at $28.2MM this season, is shooting 38.7% from the field and 69.2% from the free throw line.
  • Knicks center Mitchell Robinson took a hard fall against Phoenix on Sunday after he elevated for an offensive rebound during the third quarter. However, he’s apparently OK. Robinson went through practice on Monday, according to coach Tom Thibodeau, Katz tweets. Robinson was examined by the team’s trainers Sunday night.
  • Nets center Nic Claxton, who aggravated a left ankle injury that has nagged him this season, is listed as questionable to play against Toronto on Tuesday, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. Cam Thomas, who is averaging 26.9 points, is listed as doubtful. He hasn’t played since Nov. 8 due to a left ankle sprain.

Knicks Waive Duane Washington, Sign Jaylen Martin

2:25pm: The moves are official, per the Knicks (Twitter links).


2:19pm: The Knicks plan to waive guard Duane Washington Jr. in order to sign wing Jaylen Martin, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Washington, who is out six-to-eight weeks with a right thumb injury, is on a two-way contract with New York. Martin will be taking that spot once Washington is released, according to Charania.

Martin has impressed the Knicks “with his play and approach to the game,” tweets Ian Begley of SNY.tv. The rookie signed a two-way contract with New York over the summer after going undrafted out of the Overtime Elite league, but he was waived before the 2023/24 season began. He’ll receive a one-year deal, sources tell Begley. His previous agreement covered two years.

Martin, 19, has averaged 10.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in six appearances with the Knicks’ G League affiliate in Westchester this fall (22.6 minutes per game). New York still has a full 18-man roster after the transactions, with 15 players on standard deals and three on two-way contracts.

Pistons Notes: Ivey, Williams, Burke, Potential Trades

The Pistons‘ offseason coaching change and Cade Cunningham‘s return from injury have resulted in a new role for second-year guard Jaden Ivey, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Ivey was used as a starter as a rookie and was given the freedom to handle the ball and create plays. He’s started just three of the 12 games he’s played under new coach Monty Williams and he’s being asked to adjust to playing off the ball.

“Every day is a new opportunity,” Ivey said. “Just be the best version of yourself. Nothing that I want in life is going to be easy. I’m going to have to work for everything. That’s the mindset I want to carry every single day is that I’m going to work hard for all the things I want in life. Let God take of everything. Just continue to work, put my head down. Nothing is easy in this league.”

The Pistons targeted Ivey to be an important part of their future when they selected him with the fifth pick in the 2022 draft, and Williams stressed that the organization’s view of him hasn’t changed. Ivey’s athleticism combined with an ability to finish at the basket and an effective three-point shot make him difficult to defend. Williams is urging him to be patient and is impressed by how he’s adjusting to the new role.

“He’s a developing player with a lot of talent,” Williams said. “He’s got his head in there every day, learning and growing in a new system. It’s Year 2, second coach, that can be a lot on anybody. I’ve enjoyed his spirit. He hasn’t run from all the stuff (that) has been new and sometimes overwhelming.”

There’s more from Detroit:

  • The Pistons will tie a franchise record with 14 straight losses if they can’t beat Washington tonight, per Mike Curtis of The Detroit News. Williams said he wasn’t aware that the team is danger of reaching the record, as he’s been more concerned with player development and trying to eliminate the mistakes that are causing the team to lose.
  • Williams provided an update on assistant coach Dan Burke, who has been away from the team since October 30, Curtis adds. Williams said he couldn’t provide any details because it’s a “personal situation,” but he confirmed that Burke is still part of the coaching staff.
  • The Pistons aren’t in the market for a “panic trade,” league and team sources tell James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, but he talked to a few of his colleagues about the kind of deals the front office might pursue if things don’t change. He considers potential trades with the Warriors involving Andrew Wiggins, the Raptors involving OG Anunoby and the Knicks to get back their first-round draft pick, which is top-18 protected in 2024.

Atlantic Notes: Grimes, Holiday, Porzingis, Sixers

Knicks starting shooting guard Quentin Grimes is downplaying a sore wrist that seems to be impacting his play, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post.

After missing two games with the ailment, Grimes didn’t look quite like himself in a loss to the Timberwolves on Monday. He went scoreless on 0-of-6 shooting from the floor, while logging a -18 plus-minus, the worst such mark on the team.

“I feel good,” Grimes said. “Everybody didn’t shoot the ball and make shots, and we’re kind of [on the] last game of a road trip, so everybody was a little fatigued like that, but overall it feels good… It’s a little sore and everything. But I got four, five days to kind of just calm back down.”

Grimes struggled again on Friday, compiling as many fouls as points (3) and recording a minus-20 mark in a two-point win over Miami.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

  • Celtics star guard Jrue Holiday has sat out Boston’s last two contests with a right ankle sprain, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link). Head coach Joe Mazzulla opted to promote guard Dalano Banton into the club’s starting lineup. During his first season with Boston, Holiday is averaging 12.3 PPG on a .420/.338/.792 slash line, plus 7.4 RPG, 4.9 APG and 1.0 BPG.
  • Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis sat out Boston’s 113-103 win over the Hawks on Sunday with a calf injury. Joe Mazzulla revealed that the 7’2″ big man will be reassessed in “a week or so,” though there is not currently a set timeline for his return, per ESPN News Services. This season, the 28-year-old is averaging 18.9 PPG on .547/.324/.800 shooting splits for Boston, along with 6.7 RPG, 1.9 APG and 1.7 BPG. Al Horford started in his stead against Atlanta.
  • The 11-5 Sixers have gotten off to a stellar start in 2023/24, and are currently missing a surprising key scorer in starting small forward Kelly Oubre Jr. In a new column, Keith Pompey of The Inquirer considers whether a fully healthy Philadelphia club would be a serious title contender this year. No Joel Embiid-era Sixers team has ever advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs.

Knicks’ Duane Washington Jr. Injures Right Thumb, Out Several Weeks

Two-way Knicks combo guard Duane Washington Jr. has injured his right thumb, and is set to have the ailment reappraised in six-to-eight weeks, the team announced today (Twitter link).

Since going undrafted out of Ohio State in 2021, Washington has also logged time with the Pacers and Suns. He initially signed on with New York last February on a two-way deal, but didn’t suit up at all for the NBA club during the 2022/23 season.

Washington appeared in five games last year with the Westchester Knicks, New York’s G League affiliate. Across those contests, he averaged 16.6 points per game on a shooting line of .424/.368/1.000, along with 2.8 dimes and 1.6 boards.

Washington, 23, joined the club on a training camp agreement to start the season before landing a second two-way contract.

Through 79 career games, the 6’3″ vet boasts NBA averages of 9.1 PPG on .391/.371/.729 shooting splits. He’s also averaging 1.9 APG and 1.5 RPG.

In his lone game this year with Westchester, Washington scored 26 points. He has yet to play with the New York roster in a regular season contest.

In-Season Tournament Updates: Pacers Clinch Top-Two Seed, Six Teams Eliminated

The Nuggets, Bulls, Raptors, Thunder, Clippers and Mavericks were all eliminated from the NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament in the group stage following Friday’s game results, marking 12 total teams out of contention.

The Pacers and Lakers remain the only two teams to clinch spots in the quarterfinals so far, with six more spots up for grabs. The final day of group stage play is Tuesday, Nov. 28 and the quarterfinals will take place on Dec. 4 and 5.

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps took a look at all the action from Friday, which featured numerous upsets that set the stage for some interesting scenarios to play out. By beating Detroit on Friday, Indiana won East Group A and guaranteed a top-two seed in the Eastern Conference. The BucksHeat game on Tuesday dictates who earns the top overall seed in the East. If the Bucks win, Milwaukee is the conference’s top seed, but if Miami wins, it will be the Pacers. A Miami loss eliminates the Heat.

If the Heat and Knicks win, there will be a three-way tiebreaker between Miami, Milwaukee and New York that is determined by point differential. In that scenario, the Heat would have to beat the Bucks by eight more points than the Knicks beat the Hornets on Tuesday in order to have a chance.

Orlando defeated Boston on Friday, meaning the Magic‘s chances of winning East Group C are bolstered. With the Raptors and Bulls eliminated, the Celtics, Magic and Nets are competing for that group.

The Suns‘ win over Memphis in their final group stage game helped them take steps toward securing a wild-card spot, finishing their games at 3-1 with a plus-34 point differential. The Lakers play in West Group A alongside the Suns and, given the wild card team plays the top seed, it’s likely they’ll face off against each other in the quarterfinals. The only way the Lakers don’t earn the West’s top seed is if the Kings beat the Warriors on Tuesday by 46 or more points.

West Group B got shaken up with the Rockets upsetting and eliminating the Nuggets on Friday, and the Pelicans are now the runaway favorite to win the group, according to Bontemps. The Pelicans beat the Clippers, eliminating them, and improving to 3-1. The Pelicans are not in front of the Suns for the wild card spot and will need the Rockets to lose in order to clinch the group.

The Kings are looking like a top contender for the tournament title, sitting at 3-0 and plus-29. If the Kings beat the Warriors on Tuesday, they advance. If both Sacramento and Minnesota lose, the Warriors win the group. If both Golden State and Minnesota win, it sets up a three-way tie to be decided by point differential. The Warriors are plus-5 and the Timberwolves are minus-3.

Any team that makes the quarterfinals clinches per-player bonuses worth at least $50K. The value of those bonuses would increase to $100K if they advance to the semifinals, $200K if they make the final, and $500K if they win the entire tournament.

The full in-season tournament standings can be found here.

Knicks’ Dolan Resigned From NBA Board Committee Positions

Knicks owner James Dolan stepped down from his positions on the NBA Board of Governors’ advisory/finance committee and media committee several months ago, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Dolan also informed the league at that time that he no longer intends to attend Board of Governors meetings.

“Given all that has occurred lately, I have come to the conclusion that the NBA neither needs nor wants my opinion,” Dolan wrote in a July memo to commissioner Adam Silver and the league’s other 29 team owners, per Wojnarowski.

“My hope is that the Knicks will be treated equally and fairly as all other NBA teams,” Dolan stated. “… As you know, I am very busy with all my duties at MSG family of companies. I need to apply my time where I can be most productive.”

As Wojnarowski explains, Dolan has been “increasingly critical” of both Silver and the NBA on several issues. Notably, sources tell ESPN, he has expressed dissatisfaction with elements of the league’s revenue sharing system, which requires high-earning teams like the Knicks to share their revenues with smaller-market teams.

Since resigning from his Board of Governors committee positions, Dolan and the Knicks launched a lawsuit against the Raptors seeking more than $10MM in damages over an issue that would typically be arbitrated by the NBA. The suit, which alleges that a former team employee illegally took files with him to his new position in Toronto, accused Silver of bias due to his friendship with Raptors chairman Larry Tanenbaum and Tanenbaum’s position as chairman of the Board of Governors.

Although Knicks general counsel Jamaal Lesane is now representing the franchise at Board of Governors meetings in place of Dolan, the Knicks owner didn’t give up his voting power, according to Wojnarowski.

As Woj points out, the Knicks have been the lone dissenter in two recent votes that otherwise would have been unanimous — Dolan voted against approving the sale of the majority share of the Hornets to Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin; he also voted against WNBA expansion to San Francisco.

While ESPN’s report may not provide a full picture of everything going on behind the scenes here, Dolan’s recent actions – including those dissenting votes and his claim that the league “neither needs nor wants my opinion” – suggest he’s staging a passive-aggressive protest against the NBA due to his unhappiness about certain policies. That wouldn’t be out of character for a team owner who has a reputation for pettiness.