Betrayer

A few things: After two good games, Harris had a rough one. Foul trouble didn’t help, but he just wasn’t on. However, he was a +10 in this game, not because he was playing great or even good, simply because without him we don’t have another PF on the roster. Size matters. Which brings me to my next point… JB needs to stop with this midget, no-defense lineup. I understand Tobias was in foul trouble for a time, but you can’t roll out Schroeder, Beasley, THJ, and Cade against the Knicks double big lineup. This team has won all year on its defense creating offense, not the other way around. Play Ausar at PF when Tobias is out, but get him more minutes. Maybe use Ron more. No wonder the Knicks won the blocks/steals stat, we were playing the no defense lineup a ton in the second half on a night where you couldn’t stop them from scoring. You have to turn them over and create easy offense. People are saying that Cade needs to step up, but this is how it goes when you only have one star. I saw a lot of doubles and he made the right play to pass out of it. Role players simply didn’t hit shots (especially in the second half when THJ went cold) and they don’t have a KAT to go to. What other top 6 team in either conference only has one All Star? They’ve over-performed their talent level and still have a chance, but we can’t expect Cade to be prime MJ in his first playoff series at age 23 with no help on the team and only getting 2 free throws from these refs. They finally got something going in the third passing it to Duren after the double team with Ausar diving in from the dunker spot. But then Duren picked up fouls guarding KAT and we saw no Ausar in the 4th which is mind boggling. Finally, Beasley needs to come out of his slump for this team to have any chance. THJ will disappear again next game and Schroeder will come back down to earth. Maybe Tobias plays better, but this is what role players are - inconsistent. That’s why they’re role players and not stars.

So many critical blown calls, starting with the KAT 2 hand shove to Ausar’s face, in a 2 pt game. Great job securing those ratings.

That was over and back. Great job refs.

KAT gifted more free throws.

Impossible to take you seriously.

Terrible no call on Cade going to the bucket. Remind me, how many free throws has he had tonight?

Two points off what shouldn’t have been a jump ball. Even Reggie called it out.

You can’t rest Cade. Put him back in now. Why does Reggie keep calling Duren “Durham”?

Midget lineup in right now. At least get Ausar in there. They’re running double big.

3 fouls in the first minute.

Our turn to go on a 25pt 4th quarter run this time?

How many free throws does Cade have again? How about Brunson? What a joke.

Rough game from Harris. Cade figuring out how to get it to Duren on the screen traps. Solid defense to start the quarter. As Del said, just keep that up and the rest will follow. Also of note, they started with Duren guarding KAT in the third instead of Harris.

Rough half. Bad defense. Ref’s helping out the Knicks. Duren, Harris, and Beesley no shows. Cade looks tired. Only Schroeder and THJ keeping us afloat.

Remind me. How many FTs has Cade shot tonight?

Actually the “first illegal contact” on that play was Brunson grabbing Ausar’s jersey to hold him off. But don’t worry about that NY refs.

Brunson is one of the least exciting players to watch. He just throws himself around waiting for calls.

And another flop.

Then Brunson get a call in the flop.

That ball was out of bounds.

A few possessions of good defense there and we got the lead!

These refs. That was a travel. So bad.

Reggie Miller just got some PTSD on that block.

Bad challenge either way. Like I said last time, you can’t throw away a challenge this early against the NBA paid refs. You need that in your back pocket to keep them even semi-honest.

Bad finish to that quarter. Didn’t hold for the last shot and gave up the offensive rebound on the free throw to make it worse. Beasley having a rough series so far.