Knicks vs Bucks – Recap & Reaction | POSTGAME SHOW | Knicks Film School
What’s up y’all? The NBA season is back and while teams continue to find their footing, our partners at Fanatic Sports Book are already running championship plays. Bet with Fanatics and earn up to 10% fan cash on your bets, win or lose. So even if your bet misses, you’re still scoring fan cash, which you can use on NBA gear, tickets, and exclusive Fanatics events. And with fair play, if your players go down injured in the first half, your bet stays live. Make the switch and get more ways to win with Fanatic Sports Book. Winning hits different here. Welcome to the Nick Film School postgame show presented by Fanatic Sportsbook. I am your boy Jonathan Macker here with you on a um day after Thanksgiving that uh was a game that certainly I think we were eagerly anticipating for a variety of reasons. If you care about the NBA Cup, this was a game worth caring about. If you care about the Knicks just getting a win over a good team as opposed to uh one of the dregs of the league, this was a game you cared about. If you get if you cared about the Knicks avenging one of the more frustrating losses of the year, this was the game you cared about. And certainly if you wanted to see the Knicks take on one of the absolute very best players in the NBA on his uh in the game in which he made his return uh to the court after being down for the count for the last few weeks. This was a game for you to care about. And for all of those reasons, um, it feels really, really, really nice to be able to sit here and talk about a game that I think we can safely say, I know there are not too too many candidates. It’s early. The Knicks have only played 18 games, but talk about one of the best Knicks wins of the year, if not the best Knick win of the year. extremely excited to talk about it with everybody, especially all the people that are watching along with us on YouTube and in the chat. Um, on that note, special announcement before I get to the rest of my monologue, starting a new thing here with Knicks Film School on Friday nights. Anytime the Knicks play a game on Friday nights, we will be doing this our chat of the night presented by our friends at Fanatic Sportsbook. Works really simple. Um, anybody who makes a chat, whether it’s a chat, a regular chat, a super chat, anything at all, um, is going to be eligible for the chat of the night. And at the end of the night, we are going to give away $25 in fanatics fan cash to the winner of our chat of the night. So, um, make your chats good because, uh, I’m going to pick one and, uh, you know, I’m a kooky kind of guy, so maybe make him a little funny, make him a little insightful. I don’t know. Whatever you think is going to catch my fancy because I’m the one picking them. So, sorry. All right. Um, getting back to this game. Um, where to start with this one? Um, I I I think there’s a few different places we could go. I think for me, man, I there is a place that I want to start, but it would be such an odd place to start. I think we have to start with Josh Hart. Um, I think starting with any place other than Josh Hart would be a little disingenuous. with all due respect to the captain doing what the captain does and um it is a testament to Jaylen Brunson’s total and utter greatness that he can put on a [ __ ] clinic against a I I think they’re a respectable defense at the very least and score 37 points on 21 shots and it’s just like yeah okay Jaylen Brunson went and played basketball tonight that’s my reaction um he has elevated himself to just an ungodly plane of expectation and um following through on those expectations. We’ll get to Jaylen Brunson in a second. I’m going to start with Josh. Um man, what a what a time it’s been since Josh Gart got traded here. Uh the roller coaster ride of sets New York on fire in quite literally his first game wearing the uniform. um spearheads them on a run of like frankly dominance in his first season here. Um has uh to to this day maybe the most the biggest playoff single playoff shot in my mind over the last 25 years of Knicks history to beat Cleveland in game one way back when the first season he was here. Um then he’s like along with Brunson and DVO and Hardenstein, member of the Walking Wounded or one of the guys that I guess isn’t wounded and kind of has that inspirational second season here in New York. And then that leads to last season when all the stuff that we loved all of a sudden that kind of fell by the wayside and it started to become more glaring all the stuff that we maybe didn’t love as much about Josh Hart and his inability to minimize those things. And that all led us to this season. New coach, um, new role off the bench. And I think for a variety of reasons, all the kind of stuff that I talked about, there was just a lot of uncertainty about Josh Hart going into this year. What was he going to be? What would he mean to the team? What would he have to mean to the team for them to be successful? What he could what could he mean to the team if they maybe fell short of expectations? And early on, the way the year started, didn’t always go great. And then he kind of started to find the comfort zone and a rhythm. And I don’t know that it just took him time. I don’t know. There’s been a lot of talk about the fact Nick’s hired a shooting coach who Josh Hart has spoken about. Has that impacted things in a positive way? um whatever it is, he started to get more and more comfortable. And then due to injuries, he was back in a place where he claimed that he didn’t want to be after the I don’t want to say demotion, but after he went to the bench because he talked about wanting to know his role and be comfortable in his role and and know what he was going to be doing every night. Well, now we need you to start again because we’re down certain guys down Ojanobi, down Shamut. Um, and since he has been back in the starting lineup, uh, Josh Hart has been playing. I mean, I is it too much for me to sit here and say that Josh Hart is now playing the best basketball of his career? I listen, it’s three games, right? So, grains of salt a plenty. But in these starts, his first start was a little light on the points, only seven points, but 12 rebounds, seven assists. Um, I thought he played very well in the Brooklyn win overall. Last game against the Charlotte Hornets, 22 points, seven assists, eight rebounds, was four of six from three. uh made his first three three-pointers in that game. And then that brings us to tonight where he wasn’t hitting the threes. The first game in a while he hasn’t hit three. 0 of four, but five of eight from two-point range. Finishes with 19 points on 12 shots. Pretty nifty efficiency. If you get 19 points on 12 shots and you don’t hit a single three-pointer and you take four three-pointers in 40 minutes, a team high. Got to the line 10 times. Uh, I don’t know how many times Josh Hart has taken 10 free throws in the game. I can’t imagine has been many. And then of course Josh Hart doing Josh Hart things. 15 rebounds and seven assists. He was indeed a team high plus 17. And I do not think that number was a misnomer. In other words, for the eight minutes of game time that Josh Hart sat in this game, um, the Knicks were outscored by six points. So yeah, in a game they won by nine, six points, eight points. I could do math. Um, so yeah, uh, it has opened up a whole host of conversations. Again, I look forward to getting into some of those conversations tonight. We were talking about it towards the end of our playback watch along. Shout out to Sean and Andrew for joining me on there and all the people who watched along with us. Um, you know, Kevin, our our friend Kevin Danish brought it up like when OG comes back, is it deuce? Is it hard? And I’m just going to tell you right now, I I’m I don’t have an answer. I don’t think there is a right answer. I think anyone who claims that they know the right answer to that question is I don’t want to say they’re lying. You could have an opinion. You could feel strongly one way or the other. I just, you know, I watch this team a lot. I think about this team a lot. I think about these players a lot. I know Josh Hart his best and his worst. And I know Deuce is kind of like a little bit steadier, steady as she goes. We’re gonna talk about Deuce in a second. Um, I just don’t have the right answer. I don’t know which makes the starting five better. I don’t know which is better for those respective players, but I know that right now the Knicks when they are fully healthy are going to have as good a top six as there is in the league. I wish I could say top seven, but Mitchell Robinson’s still not quite there. We don’t know where Mitch is, although he had some good moments tonight. Some important defensive moments tonight, some important rebounds tonight. Um, so that’s it for Josh Hart. Great stuff from Josh. Uh, let’s go to Deuce next. Why not? Um, we’ll finish with Brunson. Brunson Brunson doesn’t need me to talk about him. He’s he’s got more than enough people to blow smoke up his ass. Um, 19 points for Deuce. Same as Josh, ironically enough. uh 33 minutes, took seven threes, made five of them, and there were some big big big makes in there because for as much as the Knicks uh, you know, had some good moments on offense tonight, they, you know, the the Milwaukee challenged them in an interesting way, I thought, and Milwaukee in the beginning of the game said, “We’re we’re just not going to give you threes and I think they did a really good job of taking away the three from the Knicks. So, I think that threw the Knicks offense off a little bit. Now, I think the Knicks did a good job of weathering that storm and I think in particular the did the Knicks did probably their best job all season and this is probably like the lead story of the game. Um, the Knicks did the best job that they have all season of drawing fouls. Knicks got to the line uh 33 times in this game. They made 28. So, that’s obviously outstanding, you know, but as the game went along and as the Bucks were reminded, oh yeah, we can’t stop Jaylen Brunson. We have no one uh no one who could stand a chance against him individually. And uh we’ve never had someone who could stand a chance against him individually. They started putting two on the ball and it was incumbent upon Nick uh three-point shooters to make the shots that resulted from those fouron-ree situations when you would get whether it was Josh Hart in the short role and often it was Josh Hart in the short role. Um, off the top of my head, I don’t know how many of those threes came out of uh deuces or how many of those situations yielded deuce threes, but I know that every one of his threes felt massive in the moment. And I know uh when the moments were there where Jaylen Brunson was out of the game, which I’m pretty sure at least one of Deuce’s threes came in one of those instances. Uh, but there are just some nights where you’re going to need your role players to make shots. And on a night when some other significant Nick role play or not Nick role players on a on a night when some other significant Nicks had rough nights let’s just say um deuce having that sort of a night from downtown I thought was really important. Um okay let’s need I don’t think Macau needs a whole a whole section. Macau played a strong game. He keeps up with this stocks thing. Uh two two steals one block. Good stuff from him overall. Tyler Kohak, shout out to Tyler Kak. I thought his 10 minutes were really positive. Um, his three was really big in the moment that he had it. Uh, got a nice steal that didn’t end up turning into anything, but it was an important steal it felt like in the moment to at least just like take away a shooting possession from the Bucks. Um, do I want to go Brunson or do I want to go in the other direction? Let’s No, I’m You know what? I want to save that conversation for last. Uh Jaylen Brunson. Uh what should I say about Jaylen Brunson? What what what is there to say? I mean his games against Milwaukee, he’s great against everybody, but there is something about when Jaylen Brunson faces a team that he knows has nobody who could handle him and he knows they know that they have nobody that could handle him. his approach changes ever so slightly. Like Jaylen Brunson is never going to be, you know, Steve Nash or Chris Paul on the offensive side of the ball. He is always going to be a score f first um shoot first point guard, but it goes to another notch. And look, his critics will say that that’s a negative because he is, you know, perhaps maybe too too much with the ball or too much looking for his own shot. When Jenna Bronson faces teams like this that don’t have a prayer in hell of stopping him, it is one of the most all- inspiring things to watch in the NBA because there is nobody else at his size that can do a team do to a team what he did to the Bucks. uh you know a and and does it in a way you know this this comparison is going to sound insane because one guy was 7 feet tall and 320 lbs or whatever the hell he was and the other guy is whatever the hell Brunson is 6 feet probably you know without sneakers on it reminds me of like Shaq again sounds ridiculous on its face but the level of like There’s nothing you could do to stop me tonight unless you just put two on the ball and then I’m going to make the right play if you do that. Like the the Bucks don’t have any way to stop Jaylen Brunson. What are they going to do? They have no they have no one who could guard him. They haven’t had anyone who could guard him since he became a member of the Knicks. And it really is the the level of dominance. I mean, look, Shaq was one of one, but like the level of dominance of a center, of an old school center who is just going to back someone down and put the dude in the basket. That’s what it is watching Jaylen Brunson against a team like this. And you look that most most teams now have someone who could credibly guard a guy like Brunson. So, I don’t want to make it out to be like he could do this to half the league, but man, the Bucks are not one of those teams. And I don’t know when they’re going to get one of those guys. They incredibly guard JB, but they sure as [ __ ] don’t have one right now. And it is um a lot of fun to watch him just absolutely go to town. Again, 37 points on 21 shots. What what more what more can you say? Okay, let’s get to the other end of the spectrum briefly before we move on to um the chat. Uh tonight, um I mentioned Mitch. Mitch is just a little off still. I don’t know what it is. I don’t think it’s I think physically he’s not quite there right now. I still think that I there it just it weird his minutes his some some stuff with Mitch is weird and yet he had some good moments tonight so I’m not going to kill him too much. Garan, thanks for participating tonight. Um really truly uh Jordan Clarkson, we’ve been fans of Jordan Clarkson here at Nick Film School. I’d like to say that Dix School is a pro Jordan Clarkson operation. Uh we collectively appreciate what he brings to the table. Uh you know, it’s usually something, you know, it’s like, you know, thinking of Thanksgiving dishes. I So I make one things I make for holidays. The one thing I’ve always made whether I’m hosting or or going to somebody’s house is these these twice baked potatoes that are just filled with butter and cheese and it’s a potato so it’s not like there’s a whole lot of healthy stuff there and it tastes really good but as you’re eating it you you actually feel your arteries like screaming at you like why are you doing this to me? And that’s usually the Jordan Clarkson experience where he does, you know, some good stuff for sure, but it’s it’s, you know, it’s bad for you at the same time. Well, tonight, um, the potatoes got burned and they’re still just as unhealthy, but they tasted like [ __ ] Uh, two for 13. Uh, I it that was the the first truly like painful Jordan Clarkson game that we’ve gotten. It’s a one-off. I’m not killing him for it. Let’s move on. He’ll be better the next game, I’m sure, because guess what? The nice thing about having Jordan Clarkson on your team is he ain’t going to remember this game the next time he goes out. So, that’s good. And then, you know, I’m going to save this guy for last. I am going to start by reading his statline because I don’t want to seem like I’m hiding anything here. In 36 minutes tonight, Carl Anthony Towns was two of eight from the field. Um, 10 rebounds. It’s okay. four assists. It’s okay. We’re going to get back to his passing. Uh, two turnovers, not bad at all. He had four fouls, two of eight from the field, nine points. I know where you think I’m going with this one because last time Carl played this Bucks team, he had a very, very poor game. It incited a rant from me. It incited, I think, multiple newsletters from me. Uh not on a positive uh not of the positive variety about Carl at the house. I’m not mad at Carl tonight. Not one bit. Did Carl have a good game? No, he did not. Um would I have been very annoyed at Cat if they had lost this game? You’re you’re damn right. I would have been very annoyed. I and and I would have been even mad I would have been mad at one moment in particular when on the last play of the first half and you could go back and watch it if you’re doubting me. Uh he did not guard Kyle Kosma on that last play and I’m fairly certain the last three-point shot. I’m fairly certain Josh Hart let him have it afterwards. So yeah, there was a moment in there that did that did make me a little upset. wasn’t the only Nick, by the way, that didn’t that didn’t guard the three-point line tonight to be to be very clear. We’ll talk about the Knicks defense. I’m sure it’s going to come up in the super chats. So, that’s why I’m not spending too much time on it right now. But this this defense without Ojan Obi, oh boy. And yet, at the same time, to give up only 109 points to a Milwaukee team that ended up shooting 44% from deep, I know they were shooting like 65% for most of the game. Pretty good work. And they and they deed up when they needed to in the fourth quarter. It’s a major story of this game. Major story of this game. I should actually I probably could have led with that that their their defense that they they pulled off in the fourth quarter was really I don’t know if I go so far as to say exceptional. It was really good. It was really good defense and in the second half in general for I mean they gave up 47 points in the second half. Very good. Excellent job. Back to Carl. Um I was it was the results good? No. I thought his process in this game was night and day from the last time they played the Bucks. I thought he got good looks out of his eight field goal attempts. I thought all of them were good to very good. There was one drive he had against AJ Green in the first half where I thought he could have stood to instead of driving all the way to the rim, maybe display a little bit more patience and try to and you know have AJ Green like again you don’t have to go. It’s not 0 or 60. It is a 0 to 60. So that means you can choose 20, 30, 35, 40. But he went full full overdrive and and tried to beat Green off the dribble and it just missed. It happens. Didn’t hit shots, but his passes I thought his P I thought this was arguably I know he only had four assists. I don’t care. Thought this is arguably his best passing game of the year. I thought he had some really nice defensive moments tonight. He grabbed he had several um big rebounds, only had 10 rebounds and he’s had bigger rebounding games. I thought some of his rebounds were contested rebounds, big rebounds. Him snatching away that jump ball when this was still a game there with a few minutes to go in the fourth quarter, I thought was was really big. It was a really it felt really big in the moment. And again, I thought he, you know, there’s a reason why in his minutes the Knicks were not getting killed despite the fact that he couldn’t hit a shot because, as others have talked about, when he is out there, it has a such a positive impact on the Knicks offense. And and look, Mitch, to his credit, caught a couple balls into the rim and actually finished a couple times tonight, which which was good. He had a putback, I think, too. Um the Knicks just don’t have anyone they could throw out there at the five that could come like this is the understatement of the year that could come close to replicating anything that Cat does. And when he’s not out there even when it doesn’t matter who else you throw out there throw who what’s what’s the if assume let’s put Yaboo to the side because you can’t trust Jabu with the five right now. So it has to be Mitch. So let’s say it’s Mitch. It’s JB it’s Bridges probably probably Hart. Right. right now. And and Deuce, that’s probably the best fiveman or the best non-cat unit that you could throw out there um offensively certainly. And like you feel it, you feel it missing him. Like the Knicks have trouble generating good looks because they don’t have Cat there. And I just it’s going to sound insane, but I thought this was a positive step forward for for Cat from an from a process standpoint. The execution was abysmal from a shotmaking standpoint. Other other areas of tonight, I thought his execution was okay. Again, it would have been and there was there were some other things. There was there were some there were some fouls. There were some stuff, but I’m looking for progress with this player. I’m looking for reasons to believe that against teams that maybe can can throw some different things at him that make him uncomfortable. I want to see just any signs that he has the capability to handle those situations is the obvious comeback to the thing that I just said that wait a minute you’re looking for positive [ __ ] signs from a guy making $53 million a year and who’s made all NBA teams? What? What are you on drugs? Mackery? I don’t take drugs so I’m not I do like occasional alcoholic beverage. Um, that’s just where I’m at and that speaks to the, you know, the side of me, the the skeptical side of me, but it is where I’m at with him. And, um, again, at some point, the shots are going to start going down. I I I thought maybe we were heading in that direction. If your narrative coming off of tonight is Carl Towns can’t produce against the tough teams, against the good teams, I can’t sit here right now and say I have any kind of evidence to dispute that. So, if that’s that’s what you want to say, fine. Um, I’m I’m choosing to try to look in the positive direction with him. So, that’s the last thing I wanted to say. Um, because uh I thought overall this was a really positive game. Good game, good win for the Knicks. And, uh, I guess we do have to say that NBA Cup here we come, right? For the third year in a row, there are 30 teams in the NBA. There is not a single other team in the league that could say that they have been to the NBA Cup uh quarters, I guess, or breakgrounds, whatever you want to call it, in all three years that this thing has been in existence. So, you know what? Do I give a [ __ ] about the NBA Cup? No, I don’t. But I care about the reputation of the Knicks only because I was a fan for uh several decades where that reputation was not impeccable. And the fact that the Knicks are the one team to have done this all three years, it’s not that that matters to me as much as that it is not a surprise in the least where if like you’re you’re you’re listening to a podcast or something tomorrow. I know pods don’t drop on Saturdays, but like if you were listening to Sports Center, whatever, whoever people talking about basketball and the hosts are sitting around talking about, “Oh, well, who’s who do you think’s the one team that’s made all three quarters?” And if the answer is the Knicks, everybody would just be like, “Oh, okay. Yeah, that’s what I care about. That’s what I care about. that the N the Knicks are in a place now where they are consistently good to very good to excellent and nobody’s surprised by it because they’re just a well-run organization and it’s cool that they’re in the cup quarters for the third year in a row. They should be proud of it. Now, what I would really like this time is to not have an existential crisis after we lose the quarterfinal game. I would like to either win that game or not have an existential crisis because those I remember that Bucks game well. I remember the Boston Consolation game that followed it. Well, and god do I remember that Atlanta game last year. Oh my lord, what a miserable night that was. So, um, they’re playing Yeah, this is how much I care about the cup. I don’t even know who I are. They playing Toronto. I think they’re playing Toronto. Mark, do you know? Mark doesn’t know either. Mark and me are clearly we’re the two biggest NBA Cup fans. Hold on. I’ll look it up. How far how hard could this be to navigate to on ESPN? This is scintillating [ __ ] podcasting right here. Doesn’t Oh, here. Wait, hold on. NBA Cup takeaways. Okay, so this should tell me this should tell me what what it is, right? No, that’s group play. Do I have to go to takeaways? It’s I I can’t find it. So, whatever. I guess I Well, somebody say it in the chat and then Mark, you could let me know. Maybe that could be our first contender for the chat of the night is whoever correctly identifies who the Knicks are playing in the in the cup uh quarterfinals. Yeah, we’ll see. Raptors, who just texted me this? Kyle. Shout out to Kyle. See, my first instinct was correct. Kyle, that’s a text message. So, it’s not eligible for chat of the night, unfortunately. I’m sorry. All right. Uh, that’s all I got to say. Let’s go beat the Raptors in the cup. Let’s How about this? How about we beat the Raptors on Sunday and then let’s beat them again in the NBA Cup whenever the hell they play that game in uh couple weeks, I guess. All right, let’s uh let’s go to Mark. I don’t care about the cup here. You know what? I say this I’ve said this the last two years. If they win it, I’ll be very excited that they win the thing. I promise you. I’ll be extremely excited if they win the thing. If they get the stupid trophy and the whole thing, even though the two the last two teams that have won it have been the the Lakers won it two years ago and then their season went off the [ __ ] rails and then um the Bucks won it last year and then their season went completely sideways. So yeah. Anyway, um hold on, we got a quick Mike Brown um couple Mike Brown quotes. So, uh, Mike Brown’s pumping up Jaylen Brunson for MVP. Uh, sorry, Mike, that’s not going to happen. Not not in this not in this NBA currently. Um, Josh Hart, defensive player of the game. That’s fun. Of course, he he was smartly sure to uh give Carl a shout out for corelling that ball on the loose on the jump ball. Yeah, all all good stuff. Mike Brown, he knows how to say all the right things. I’ll give him that. Okay, let’s uh let’s uh let’s go to the the chats here. We’ll get into it. I’m looking forward to tonight. This was a fun win. I’m really excited about this win. I’m I was like for much of this game like I just I wanted them to win because I did not I thought they did enough nice things to be really happy about. And I thought the stuff that did not go their way when the when the Bucks were hitting a million threes in the first half, I thought was far more a function of the fact that the Knicks had did not have OG anobi. And it’s funny, I didn’t bring this up. For as much as the Bucks don’t have an answer for Giannis or excuse me, the Bucks don’t have an answer for Jaylen Brunson. When the Knicks don’t have Ojanobi, they really don’t have an answer for Yian Kubo. So, I’m not saying every one of those threes that went down was a result of the Knicks having to, you know, beg or borrow from Peter to pay Paul. But there was a lot of Sophie’s choice defensive possessions for the Knicks uh throughout this game. and like it felt like the Bucks were hitting threes on every single one of them. So I that’s the thing is like this was going to be a painful post game if they had lost. Even though if you looked at this game objectively, yeah, there were a lot of silly [ __ ] here and there and like there was shots they didn’t make and like some maddening turnovers from guys were like, “Oh my god, why did you throw that pass?” But overall, I thought they played a good game, you know, and and I’m that’s why I’m happy they got this win. So uh all right, I keep saying let’s get to the chats for real now. Let’s get to uh Oh, wait. No, we’re not getting to the Jets. Sorry. We’re Are we We’re doing betting and sweating, right? Are we No betting and sweating tonight? No betting and sweating tonight. Okay. Even though I’m pretty sure it was a a good night. All right. We start with Sam. What’s up, Sam? Uh Josh Hart gets way too much hate from the fan base. Again, this is one of those things where like I I I I’m not disagreeing with you, Sam. I think there is a f I always mispronounced this word vocal not vocal vocal contingent of the fan base that does not like Josh Hart and feels like Josh Hart is whatever he is overrated and that his negatives outweigh his positives. Um I don’t really care about those people. I’ve never cared about those people. Those people don’t interest me. Um because I more care about Nick’s Nation worldwide and the people who aren’t the loudest, you know, and who are New Yorkers at heart, whether they have lived on, you know, [ __ ] 33rd Street and 8th Avenue their entire lives or whether they have never stepped foot in the city um a day in their life. And those people who have the spirit of New York in them um watch Josh Hard play basketball and are just thankful that he plays for their team that they get to root for. and to say nothing of people like me who remember the 90s and know what that sort of basketball means um and how it can inspire and not only inspire but also really break the will of another team. uh you know just like all you want to know all you need to know about Josh Hart go look at the it was literally 20 seconds of game time when he had an outstanding defensive possession on Giannis and Tennako and then immediately after that uh grabbed an offensive rebound down the other end like there’s just not a lot of players in the league that do there’s nobody in the league who does exactly what Josh Hart does but like even the sort of stuff he does there’s not a lot of players that do that stuff so you know uh um does Did you get way too much hate? I again I I don’t know. I don’t care. Um I’m just really thankful that Josh Hart plays for my basketball team. Always have been. Thanks for starting us off. Uh Michael Aaron, what’s going on Michael? We get to root for Josh Hart and Jaylen Brunson on our basketball team. That is all. Uh yeah, it’s it’s a great place to be and and it’s um it’s crazy that there was a time period where Brunson was on the team and Josh Hart was not. It was a brief period, you know, it was only what, 50 games. Um, but those two guys belong together, you know, which is like why, again, I’m not saying everybody does this, but like it’s funny how often Josh Hart’s contract gets thrown into fake trades when like there’s just there’s no world where I could imagine that being a thing that would ever happen. I I just I just don’t think they would ever do it. means too much to the culture, the team. And um you know, him and Brunson, I’m happy you put them next to each other because you know, you talk about great Nick duos throughout history. Great Nick duos throughout history. guys who not only played the requisite amount of games together, guys who not only did the requisite amount of winning together, but guys who whose games compleimemented each other um and who genuinely made each other better. And it’s like there’s it’s there’s no confusion with me at all why when the game was coming down to the end on and it was on the line why it was Josh Hart in involved in those screening actions with Jaylen Brunson. And he’s the guy that I I wanted in that situation. He’s the guy that Jaylen Brunson wanted in that situation just like he’s wanted Josh Hart in those situations time and time again over the years. So, um, I mean, look, they’re starting, I think, to enter into that conversation of the great Nick duos in franchise history. You know, just going back the last 60 years. Yeah. Go. I mean, the championship teams had multiple great duos, but Reed and Reed and Clyde obviously, um, you know, Euing, I don’t know. I mean, you say, you know, Euing was just such a singular talent, you know, and and Brunson is too, I know, but like, would you go Ewing and Starks? Would you go Yuing and Oakley? I don’t know. It’s I’m I’m not even sure. But like Spreewell and Houston, I think should get some love here. Um, you know, it really is kind of a you know, it’s a short list and I think Jaylen Brunson and and Josh Hart are are moving up, so it’s cool thing. Thanks, Michael. Kevin Dashesky, what’s going on, brother? Just adore the way Josh and Deuce played tonight. Um, uh, Josh didn’t hit a three and he was phenomenal. When OG returns, the starter by committee between them two makes sense. Kev, it’s not a possibility that I considered, but let’s play it out. Um, what’s the upside? The upside is you prioritize spacing in games where it makes sense to prioritize spacing and you prioritize size and rebounding in games where it makes sense to prioritize more size and rebounding. I would, if I were Mike Brown, and I don’t know how you feel about this, but I sure would be curious to know how those guys felt about that situation. Uh, like, hey, some nights you’re going to start, some nights you’re going to come off the bench. Now, you might say neither guy should care because that’s been the situation for both guys basically since they’ve been here. I mean, Deuce has been obviously in and out of the starting lineup. Josh Hart has been a starter for some time, but like he’s been a starter, not a starter this year. Uh when he first got here, it came off the bench. So, I don’t know. Maybe neither guy would care. I just It’s Listen, it’s just my two cents. I would be curious to know what they thought and if either guy felt that they would thrive more with a more consistent role. But that’s that’s just me. And hey, by the way, if Mitch gets back to playing the sort of basketball that we know Mitchell Robinson is capable of playing, then he’s absolutely he should be part of that conversation as well. It’s really a cool situation that the Knicks have three guys that um uh are are should be part of that. Okay, I won’t. Okay, next super chat. Thanks, Kevin. Justin Richards, what’s going on, Justin? On to the six. You mean the eight, right? The six. What is that? Like a nick a nickname? Is that like a nickname for Toronto? I think so. I have a feeling it’s like a nickname for the city of Toronto. Uh I think playing a team like the Raptors with OG for the right to go to Vegas will only help them in the long run. Um well this game would be would take place on hold on I think I know when this game would take place. This game would take place on either December 9th or December 10th. I don’t know which one. Maybe they’ve maybe they’re they’ve already released a schedule. I have no idea. So, we have not yet gotten an update on Ojanobi, which is interesting because they said reevaluation in two weeks and that was that the after the Friday. When was that? Or was that No, that I think that was so he he he didn’t join them on the road trip. So, it was before the road trip started. Um, but let’s let’s for let’s say it hasn’t been two weeks yet. It hasn’t been two weeks yet. Didn’t accompany them on the road trip. Hasn’t been two weeks. And yes, the six is the nickname for Toronto. So, I was I’m very proud of myself for that. So, we should be getting an update on OG after the Toronto game. That should be the reevaluation, right? So, that puts us at, let’s just say for argument sake, we get an update on him on Monday the 1st. That would put us a little bit more than a week out from the first knockout game. I’m not holding my breath that OG’s going to play. I hope he does. I hope I’m wrong. Not hold my breath. Um, if he does play, that would be really cool because it would be really cool for him to be able to go up against his old team. And I think they, you know, who they really use against a team with the size of the likes of RJ Barrett and and Brandon Ingram and um and I was about to say Harrison Barnes, Scotty Barnes, um all those all those guys, they could use a guy like Ojenobi. So if they don’t have OG, that’s going to be a much much much much tougher game. But no [ __ ] you know? Uh it’d be great if he plays. if he doesn’t play, is it still a game they could win? Absolutely. It’s still a game they could win. I and I, you know, and the fact that it is going to be in Toronto, you know, Knicks haven’t exactly let the world on fire on the road, so it makes it a little bit tougher. Um, but yeah, in any case, um, and I actually, did they change the rules? Are the are the semifinals still in Vegas or are the semi-finals now just uh in one of the arenas? I I again I I don’t care enough about the cup to know that off top of my head. I vaguely recall reading something about that. So, we should double check that. Thanks, Justin. Bill Peter friend, what’s going on, Bill? That felt like a win from the Tibs era. Gritty at times, ugly, stressful, and oh so beautiful. I undoubtedly lost a year or two, but let’s go Knicks. Look at you, Bill. Sneaking a Tibs reference in there trying to get the chat of the night. It’s not going to work. No, it’s it’s it’s a good it’s a good comment. Um, did it feel like a win from the Tibs era? I mean, it was a lot of Brunson hero ball, so that sure felt Tibsy in. Um, man, I’m just trying to think of like how Tibs would have defended Giannis on a night like tonight. Um, without Ojobi, I honestly don’t think he would have done that much. I Well, yeah. No, I don’t think he would have done that much differently. I think he would have he would have given the task to Josh Hart. He would have thrown Mitch on him at times. He would have, you know, he would have been selective with his doubling and this and that. Yeah. No, it was it was a Tibian win. It absolutely was a Tibian win. It was a they they tried some different [ __ ] They and you know what the the best part of tonight was and I don’t know if I mentioned this, but this is a really important part of this game for me. They bent, but they never break. But but they never broke. And sometimes when a team is is like hitting threes at that rate and there was at one point tonight in the first quarter the Bucks were nine of 13 from from three at half they were 12 of 22. You know those sort of shooting numbers and then the best player on the other team doesn’t have a single one of those threes and he’s dominating you more than any of the other shooters. And then, oh, by the way, [ __ ] Kyle Kousamas. Like, you add all that stuff up. That’s like an onslaught and that’s the sort of thing that you’re going to have a tough time recovering from. And yet, the Knicks never got down in this game by more than 12 points. So, I think that’s a real testament to them, their grittiness. Um, speaking of grittiness, 44 to 35 on the glass, 14-5 on the offensive glass, you know, and then, um, of course getting to the line 33 times. You love that. Uh, it’s all good stuff. It’s all good stuff. So, love that. Thanks, Bill. Another one from Kev here. Also, beginning to really hope Colex supplants. Oh, why you trying to get people out of the rotation? Kev, come on. Supplants Jordan Clarkson soon. I know JC can be a microwave, but the bad is bad. Capital B, capital A, capital D. Cole brings um a different dynamic and competes on defense. All right, you want to have this conversation briefly? I don’t want to spend too long on it, but so OG, let’s say OG comes back. So, first of all, in a game OJI did not play and in a game against Giannis and Tennako where in theory the guy whose name I’m about to mention is like, oh, he’d be a he’s a decent option against Giannis, right? Right. That guy Dan Yabuselli played six minutes. And again, I I don’t I don’t say the the minute total like that to blame Mike Brown one iota. Truly, I don’t. Um even though Gershon did hit his first shot, it was a three and it felt like a nice little jolt in the moment. But you know, so if we are um excising excising players from the rotation when Ojobi comes back, like I’m sorry, but I’m kicking Yaboo out before I’m kicking out uh Clarkson. Clarkson has helped me win basketball games this year. Yavi, you know, he’s been a positive in maybe one or two games. So um now does that leave you very small? Well, of course it leaves you very small, but by the same token, you have Mitch, you have Cat, you have OG, you have Macau, you have Hart, who we know he plays bigger than his than his listed size. So, I think you might be able to get away with um you know, both Clarkson and Colex sticking around in the rotation again once OG is back. Does that influence who you start versus Hart or with Hart versus Deuce? I I Maybe it might. I don’t know if he really wanted to keep Kolock in the rotation. Does that maybe embolden him more to start Deuce instead of Josh? Again, I I don’t know. I don’t know. I would really have to think this out. But this all this stuff all ties together. Look, has has Kak become an automatic rotation guy? I I I don’t know that we’re there yet. And I and certainly one bad night from Clarkson. And I know it’s more than just one bad night. Uh Kevin, I’m not suggesting that you’re saying you’re you’re making this comment based on just one night. I know you’re not to be clear, but I I I have seen enough of what I’ve liked from Clarkson and and with all due respect to Tyler Kak, there are things that never in his basketball life will he be able to do that approximate Jordan Clarkson. Um so yeah. All right. Uh Mark, you want to toss up the uh what do you want to toss up? Toss up defensive play of the game. I always like looking at those pictures. Tonight’s winner, of course, is uh Josh Hart. Josh Hart, we should say three steals tonight, but it was a lot about a lot more than three steals. Uh defensive rebounds are part of defense. And um he got 13 of them things. Let’s see who I got to look around my camera here. Who’s that peacin between Mohamd Diara and the guy whose name I can never uh pronounce, Tossan. Is that is that looks like Hakorti? That looks like Hakorti, right? Mark popping his head between to the to the side of Muhammad Diawir. No. Oh, well, there’s Jaylen. Of course, that’s a great shot of Jaylen. I love Jaylen in these pictures. It gives me life. Um, Deuce is doing like a little like a little dance move. That’s fun. And it’s nice to see Landry Sham not in a sling most of all. Probably the best part of it. And then there’s someone hiding behind Pakoma. I don’t know what that’s about. Something going on there. Anyway, all right. Congrats to Josh and his sliders. That Jaylen picture. Jayen. Jaylen. Jaylen’s the best. Uh, and uh Oh, you you want to do the Oh, after this we No, we’ll wait a little bit before this the start of the night. Okay. M uh Mr. Zip Davis, what’s going on, Mr. Joseph Davis. If the Knicks were an N64 game, they’d be bomberman Hero. I’ve never played that game. I don’t even know what that game is. It strays from the gameplay the franchise is known for, but when you get into it, you could see the changes in the formula are a welcome one. Um, I’ll be honest with that’s a good comment, Mr. Zip Davis. I’ll be honest with you. I am like the way the offense operated tonight. You could have told me Tibido was still the coach and I would have believed you. Um, you know, we’re, you know, like there’s certain stuff we’re not seeing as much and and and Doc Rivers, by the way, even said this before the game. He said the difference between when we played the Knicks now and when we played the Knicks or uh when we played them earlier in the year is earlier in the year they were running much less pick and roll. So I think you were seeing more of the Mike Brown stuff on offense. Um, you know, I’m thinking of one thing that stood out early in the year was like they were doing a lot of the whether you the wheel the wheel concept or the wheel where it’s kind of your all your spacers are like kind of shifting in unison and there’s a lot of that sort of offball movement. Feels like we haven’t quite seen as much of that recently. Um, but the, you know, the concept of driving and kicking, you know, and spraying, I do think that is alive and well. I they did not do a great job of that in the first half. In the first half, it felt like if anything, they probably took a few too many mid-rangers, but at the same time, that is what this Bucks and defense, and I know they were talking about this in the chat. Shout out to chatNext.com. Um gave away our Raptor tickets tonight. I don’t know if they’ve the the winner uh claimed them. I have to have to check that out. Um but yeah, they were talking about this like the Bucks were really trying to take away those threes and I thought the Knicks actually responded well. I mean, look, the Knicks tonight shot 34 threes, so on the lower side, but it’s fine. Um, but I like the offense. I like the offense. I think the offense is is getting them good shots, and it feels like we have not seen as many of the lulls offensively that we saw certainly last year over the last like three and a half months of the year. So, um, yeah, it’s good stuff. Thanks, man. Gue Huber then. Haven’t heard from Ghub in a while. Can I say I don’t know what this means. Underscore seek. Oh, I get it. It’s a curse word. Stan Van Gundy. I love Stan. I’m I’m I’m a I’m a fan of Stan. I I I think he’s good. I like his commentary. Listen, Stan is a heat guy, you know? He’s a heat guy. He’s a Heat guy through and through. He’s always going to heat be a Heat guy. Uh it doesn’t matter how many teams he coached after the Heat canned his ass. He’s always going to be a Heat guy. And so yeah, he’s going to needle the Knicks. Probably probably gets a little extra joy knowing uh you know that he’s he’s doing it to the the team that you know uh never looked his brother’s direction again, even though there were certainly opportunities they could have looked Jeff’s way over the years. Um, I just think he’s a he’s a one, he’s a good commentator, and two, I think he’s he knows his [ __ ] and he’s a smart basketball mind. He’s not afraid to go out on a limb. Um, so I I like Stan. I also get why Knicks fans don’t care for him, but I think he’s I think he’s good in. Thanks, Gubber. Mr. McBagels, what’s going on, Mr. McBagels? Uh, shout out Cat for the jump ball play. Yes, it was a massive play in the moment. I’m happy you shattered it out and uh I think Cat deserves I don’t know I don’t know if he deserves a little love tonight but I think he he deserves maybe some grace. So I’m glad you’re giving it to him there. Thanks Mr. McBagels. Appreciate you. Um oh no we got another uh got another Josh quote here. I’ll read in a minute. Hush Zoo, what’s going on? Hush once again. Thank you basketball gods for 11. I look at his contract. I can’t believe this is our life. Let’s win this cup, man. I usually don’t care, but let’s go Knicks. I’m sure you cared the last two years. Come on. Um, no, that look the the other teams in the cup are the the uh Oh, why why why do they make it so hard to find everything on the [ __ ] ESPN site? I’m I’m going to find this. But like, you know, the C I don’t think the Cavs made it. I’m pretty sure the the the Cavs did not make the cup. Um so like that was the other favorite coming in to the year. So like what the Knicks should be I don’t know. They should be favorites to to to do it to win the thing. Will they be favorites? Probably not. But I think they I think they could be considered favorites. The freaking NBA page hasn’t even updated yet. Well, this is so stupid. Anyway, um Oh, uh Kev is saying that you you don’t want to excise uh Jordan Clarkson. You just want Colock to play more than him. That’s That’s fair. I’ll I’ll hear that. Okay. Um yeah, Jaylen Brunson’s really good. I I really got much more to say about that. He’s awesome. Ron Tequila 21. What’s going on, Ron? Love the fight this team had battling back tonight. Yeah, I love it, too. It was a great It was a great It was a re It was a very very very very very good win. I don’t I think the Miami game without JB that was the only win that I would say was a great win. Like a the sort of win that I will remember a couple years from now. I will I will we remember tonight years from now? Maybe not. Um, who’s a damn good win? Thanks, Ron. Appreciate you. Hi, Shu. Uh, with another one. Here’s a question. What is Cat’s percentage at the rim this year? So, funny, you should ask. I looked I said this, I talked about this recently because I looked this up on a post game or on a show. Jeremy did something. Um, it’s low. It’s the lowest of his career. So, coming into tonight, what the hell? Coming into tonight, it was 60%. So, again, just to put that into perspective, 60% that is in the 19th percentile for big men leaguewide. So, 60% sounds not terrible until you put it up against other bigs around the league. Now, I understand Cat doesn’t play like other pigs around the league, so it’s worthy of consideration. But this is also a player who, you know, there was a year, his second to last year in Minnesota. Granted, he only played in 29 games. Um, shot 77% at the rim. You know, he’s had one, two, three other seasons where he has shot at least 70% at the rim. You know, even his bad quoteunquote bad seasons at the rim were 66% 67%. Last year was 67%. Again, not a great year, but it was, you know, you deal with it with when you think about everything else he brings to the table. 60% is just, it’s so low that there is no part of me that thinks that it is going to continue to be this low. It is going to turn around. He is going to turn it around. It’s going to happen. I promise you it’s going to happen. Thanks, Take off my headphones for a sec. Oh, my guy, my co-host on uh NBA TakeDown, who uh is just he’s a pleasure to talk to about basketball several days a week. I got to tell you, Jeff Jay, the Knicks won with defense. Josh Hart locked up Giannis in the post with the game on the line. If he shot open threes, he’d be a top 10 player in the league. Um he’s been he’s been look even in 0 for four night he’s still what 36 37% for the year. Um yeah Josh Hart’s really good. Um he was he was he was great. I I think look Brunson’s going to get my player of the game I think. But Hart uh man I might I might consider Hart. It’s going to be harder Bronson with Deuce is Deuce is getting the one star. I know that Deuce is definitely getting the one star. Speaking of uh Josh, he said this is him talking about we don’t not having Giannis Takumbo. We don’t have OG who is an extremely physical guy. We always put him on those matchups. So with him out, I knew I had to kind of step up a little bit. Yes, you did. And look, he did respect he did a respectable job. Um, and then Brunson was happy with how they closed it out. Uh, yeah, nothing really else notable. Mike Brown saying some nice things about Mitchell Robinson. Yeah, it’s good stuff. Thanks, Jeff. You’re the man. Sergio, I was F. Essal. I think I got that right. Season started after Thanksgiving. Game on. Three and 11. And by the way, F Stan Van Gundy. A lot of Stan Van Gundy hate tonight. What’s the deal? What’s the deal? I like I I I guess most Nick fans probably feel that way is is what I’m assuming, but that’s fine. Um All right. We want to pop up our stat of the night, Mark. Let’s do it. This is uh Oh, look. Great minds think alike. Um, our style of the game, courtesy of my guy Jonah Coffin, is 15 15 rebounds for Josh Hart. Why is 15 rebounds for Josh Hart notable? Well, I’ll tell you. This was Hart’s most rebounds of the season, tying the uh 611 Jasento for the game high. It came along with his second most points of the season and tied for the most free throw attempts in his Nick tenure. I was going to I was wondering about that. And you got it. Great job, Jonah. Thank you. So, uh this is tied for the most free throws Josh Hart has ever attempted in a game as a Nick. Um he had a 41 uh points, rebounds, assist total. That number is his ninth highest as a Knick coming alongside three steals for a well-rounded game by Hart. Yeah. No, this was Man, that’s kind of making the case for Hart as player of the game, but I just Jaylen Brunson single-handedly torpedoed the Bucks defense. That’s a tough call between the two of them. I I’m gonna need to think about that one some more. I don’t I don’t know which way I want to go yet. My gut is telling me Brunson is the player of the game. Even if even if Josh Hart is the story of the game was the guy I started the monologue with, I think I probably have to go with probably have to go with Brunson. But it’s close. It’s close. All right. Good stat. Um, yeah. No, it’s either either was either was fine. Oh, Chris Dayton, my guy. Chris, how you doing, Chris? What’s up? Um, he he’s been taking pictures left and right with uh between Deuce and Mike Brown and Josh Hart. He’s getting in all the action here. Am I crazy or is this year’s team less dependent on Cat and JB? It seems all the 10 plus minute rotation players have had huge games at times and when needed the coach says, “Hey, we have JB and you don’t.” Um, it’s a really good question, Chris. I think ultimately I’m gonna I I don’t want to say that they’re less dependent on those guys, but I think maybe and this is going to be this is probably not the night to say this, but if you’re asking overall on the season, I do think that they are less dependent on those two particular players to score the basketball um to prop up their offense. Last year, Brunson and Cat combined to score 50 points a game. This season, they’re probably still combining to score 50 points a game. More for JB, less for Cat. But I think they I think Mike Brown has done a better job of utilizing their skill sets to increase the opportunity the the potential opportunities that exist for other Knicks on the court. Do do are Brunson and Cat still kind of getting better at at taking advantage of all of those potential opportunities? Yeah. And like again, part of this is like Jaylen Brunson’s mentality is he is a scorer at heart. So, you know, um I get it and and you don’t want a guy to um deviate from what he is and who he is. Um, so again, I don’t know if I would say that they are less dependent on those guys to like because they again they you need guys that are going to strike fear in the heart of the defense. And I just they’ll they do it in different ways. But again, as scorers, I think that’s a I think that’s a good point. It’s a good and it’s a good good conversation topic, too. Um, and we and I I would look up on off data, but we just don’t there’s not enough games played for that to really mean anything. Um, in any case, you know what? That this was good. I’m going to I’m going to flag this. We’re going to we’re going to have this be our first contender for the chat of the night. Okay. I’m writing it down, Mark. Don’t worry. All right. Next up. Thanks, Chris. and Chris with another one. Also an off um an off true shooting percentage night for Deuce at 90 97.3%. That’s great. That’s really fantastic. Yeah, Deuce has been shoot I mean listen we get let’s pull up uh let’s pull up old deuce here. Hang on again. This I don’t think this encompasses tonight. Um shooting over There we go. Coming into tonight, he was so Oh, that’s right. Because he started the season kind of kind of on on the slower side, but yeah. No, he’s been he’s been picking it up big time. Um hold on, I’ll pull up his stats right now because Deucey, it’s worth it. He’s been really good. Here we go. So, four of 10. Uh, man, he’s been shooting the Oh, wait. No, here we go. Six of eight last game, five of five from three, two of two from the line, and then tonight, five of seven from deep, and he was great overall. So, yeah, he is on a bit of a heater, I think you’d say. I forgot he took 23 shots in that Miami game. Man, that’s wild. But like you look at his point totals 19 19 9 11 25 n like he’s averaging double digits for the first time in his career and that’s that’s not nothing. That really is not nothing. And 40% from over 40% from three. Clearly good stuff from deuce. Thanks Chris. Next up, Stevens. What’s going on, Stevens? How you doing, man? Stevens Game. I guess that Medicine Square Garden. That’s a shout out to Mensah who came came up with that one. Giannis took was actually a placebo. Uh, seven straight L’s for the Bucks. Shout out to the roommates. They put on a show. Can we took talk about the Bucks for a sec? Are we allowed to talk about the Bucks? I know it’s a Knicks film school postgame show, but are we allowed to talk about the Bucks? So, Bucks have indeed lost seven in a row. They are now eight and 12. They sit two full games back of the 10th spot in the East. The The Bulls are nine and nine and they sit uh three full games back of the Sixers and the Celtics who are both 10 and eight. And then the Magic had a really nice win tonight by the way over the Detroit Pistons who have suddenly lost two in a row. Um but uh it was a good game. Uh it was a good game between those two teams. So the Bucks are looking right now like what are they going to be like just look at the top six in the East. Look at the top six. Detroit 15-4, Raptors 14-5, Heat 13-6. I’m in love with the Heat this year. Knicks 12-6. Hawks 12-8. That feels a little fool’s goldie, only plus 2.1 scoring margin. And then the Cavs, uh, who have lost two in a row are 12 and eight. The Cavs are going to be fine. Cavs Cavs are coming. Uh, I know they lost to the Hawks tonight, but they’re they’re going to be fine. They got to get Garland back, but they’re gonna be fine. And then you got Orlando there at 12 and eight in addition to Cleveland and Atlanta. I would guess that either Toronto or Atlanta is going to fall out of the top six. I’m fully confident that Orlando is going to get into the top six and going to stay there. I think they’re gonna I think the Magic are going to make a run at a top four seed. Um, and so like do the can the Bucks crack that? Like unless you think Atlanta or Toronto are complete frauds and I don’t think either team is a complete fraud. I think the Bucks are going to have a tough time cracking that top six, which means they are going to need to go the playin route and they’re going to be competing with the likes of again one of probably I would guess Atlanta or Toronto. Um Philly who is is solid is good. Um is Boston gonna hang Boston’s maybe the pivot one because Boston I could they which direction are they going to go in? you know, they have a really good net rating, really really good offense. Um, are they going to are they going to keep trying to win games or not? So, if I mean, man, if the Bucks are just hanging around like 8, nine, 10 all year, that’s it’s probably not where you want to be. And they’re not even at that point yet. They’re four games under 500. Like I’m not ready to I’m not mentally ready to talk about a world where we get to mid January and the Bucks are like six games under 500. I’m not ready because I just that I’m sure there’s going to be some this going it’s going to get interesting very fast in Milwaukee if it’s not interesting already. Who what are their next punching? Oh, well, yeah, just as I say that, here’s their next few games. Brooklyn, Washington, and then it gets a little harder. Detroit, Philly, Detroit, Toronto, Minnesota. O, and then it gets back to being a little easier, but uh I we’ll we’ll see. Okay, anyway, enough about the Bucks. Thanks, Stephvens. Hush Zoo with another one. Big shout out to Deuce, man. I know he’s been dealing with personal stuff. Um, but to put his head down and go to work for us, grew so much with us. Stellar stuff. Let’s go Knicks. Yeah, sure. Shout out to Deuce, man. I don’t know what personal stuff he’s if he’s still going through it or I know obviously had a loss in his family. Um, missed another or or was he had an illness issue like there was another potential like you know, he’s I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t want to speculate, but I hope everything’s okay with him. He is he’s vital for this team, you know. He’s absolutely vital for this team. Another guy who much like Cat, the impact is not always, you know, um reflected in the individual numbers. Like the Knicks are better when D when Deuce is on the court than when he’s off the court. So yeah, and it and it’s on both ends, too. They’re a better def they’re a better offensive team and they’re at least as good defensively. So yeah, thanks Hush. Malik Hadad, what’s going on? Malik or Melik, I think. Let’s go. Malik, as a Knicks fan, I’m glad we won. But honestly, this was a very rather scary game to watch. What’s your opinion on the wideopen threes the Bucks had? Also, what’s your opinion on cat? And I mean, beyond today. Okay, some good stuff there. Um, I don’t think the Bucks had quite as many wide openen threes. So, wide open to me, wide open by the definition of the league is six or more feet between you and the closest defender. By that definition, they didn’t have a ton of wide open threes. They had some comfortable threes, but I thought in the first quarter, I thought the Knicks after a rough first quarter, I think the Knicks cleaned it up. And I wouldn’t even say the whole first quarter. I think you know the the opening part of the game. Here’s my thing with the threes and I know people get crazy. Armen is it’s it’s his stickick. He does it in in the chat all the time. Again, shout out to to chatnick.com with the league where it is today where you have the skill level of what it is today and you have guys like Jiannisko who if Janice if Jiannisko was putting up the stats that he was putting up right now and he put up those same stats in every other year the NBA existed, he would have won the MVP over whoever won the MVP. P in those previous, you know, 70 whatever seasons like half the time, you know, and and he is in that upper echelon with Jokic, with SGA and with Luca where you have these four guys who are and WebMy’s coming where you have these guys who are just all in the league at the same time and it’s like the they’re just like it’s video game stuff and you can’t stop them and you can’t really contain them. And if you build a team like this around Giannis where it’s just Giannis plus shooting like you what are you going to take away? And that would be a difficult conversation to have if they had OGI and they don’t have ONobi. So you know I I I don’t want to make it like I’m I’m giving the Knicks a pass, but like they didn’t have any good options tonight. It’s either you put two on the ball and then you try like hell to to get out to you know, a shooter or you basically challenge. It’s like, “Yeah, sure. Go score one-on-one.” And I thought they did a nice job of trying to mix up their coverages so it wasn’t always the same thing. And so they were maybe trying to leave the right guys open. Like it was really smart of them to leave Kyle Koosma open how or not open but like have Koozma be the guy that was the most obvious shooter. And what did Kyle Kosma do tonight? Of course he made four or five from deep. Kyle Kosma shooting 28% from three I think coming into tonight and he made four or five. Like that I’m sure was part of the game plan whenever Koozma was on the floor. Did it work out in the mix favorite tonight? No. But it was smart basketball because what else you you know um now I want to of course will note some of those threes came when Giannis was not even on the court. So then you get and then like the three at the end of the first half I already talked about cat the coverage was just bad there. So whatever look I think I’ve said this multiple times I’ll say it again. They’re giving up too many threes for a team that does not take away the rim completely. Um, and they need to work on that. They need to take the rim away more. Are they taking away the paint to some extent? Yes. But they’re not taking away the rim enough for my liking. As for my opinion on Cat, I’ve expressed my opinion on Cat many times. I have um my skepticisms on Carl Anthony Towns and my hope with Carl Anthony Towns and my there are some days where my skepticism outweighs my hope 8020 and then there are other days where my hope outweighs my skepticism 6040. Um, which kind of tells you where I am as far as where the Knicks are in defensive shooting frequencies. So, where they rank as far as taking away the rim. See, this is my problem. They’re 21st at taking away the rim. So, they they give up more threes than anybody in the league outside of the Pelicans. My god, what a [ __ ] dumpster fire. And yet they they’re bot they’re still bottom 10 at taking away the rim. Again, they’re great at taking away the short mid-range, but they’re not taking away the ri the rim. You you if you give up the second most threes in the league by frequency, you have to be top 10 and taking away shots at the rim. Yeah, you just have to be. Otherwise, you’re just it’s it’s not going to work out in your favor. Now, are they good at defending the rim when people when teams shoot at the rim? Yeah, they’re good. They’re top 10. They’re seventh. You know, that’s good. That’s good. It’s not great. It’s good. So, we’re, you know, it’s not all bad, but teams still get too many shots at the rim for a for a team that gives up as many threes as the Knicks. Thanks, Malik. But, but to answer your question, am I like worried? I’m I don’t I’m not worried yet. I’m still not worried. Talk to me after 40 games. Walt Clyde Fraser, what’s going on, man? Thank you for uh watching along with us in the playback tonight. Second chance points, heart of old, some great defensive highlights. Brunson open flame cooking. Felt almost like a 2324 Knicks win. Uh at times, at times at times it did. It there was nothing was like that team at times but no nothing was like that team. That was a that was a one of one team. Thanks Walt love that name. Jason what’s going on Jason. How you doing? Oh goodness. Jason with the negativity. It’s very disturbing. Of course, Jason uses the word disturbing that the Bucks got away with putting Turner on Hart and leaving him open. Without OG and Shamut, we really don’t have any other options. Um Hart put up four threes tonight. He missed all of them, you know. And then there was one time where he was in the corner and he had the open three and he got whoever it was to bite and he drove for an open dunk. No, it’s not disturbing, Jason. It’s not disturbing to me. It’s never gonna be perfect with Josh Hart, especially, you know, you know, unless he just turns into Klay Thompson, you’re always going to have these moments where, you know, and look, if if any smart defense is going to do this. Um, it’s up to the Knicks to figure out ways around it, and there are myriad ways around it. Get Hart involved in the action, for one, get him moving around off the ball for two. Have him shoot when he’s open for three, you know? Um, there’s lots of stuff they could do. It’s not a death nail to the offense. It doesn’t look like a death nail to the offense for me. It’s the same thing we’ve always said where Hart be if on a on an ideal team, you want him playing 25, 30 minutes, not whatever the hell he played tonight, 40. But hey, look, he was pretty good in the 40 minutes he played, so not going to complain. Thanks, Jason. Dom Capucciniti, what’s going on, Dom? How you doing, my brother? How did the Knicks survive Bucks and Fuego threes? Grit, toughness, and some very timely threes of their own for good measure. Nice solid win. Let’s go Knicks. Yeah. Uh, and on that note, um, let’s look up. This is what I wanted to see. So, remember I tracked this stat a lot last season. Um, but like how the Knicks were doing when other teams would shoot really well from deep versus when um when they weren’t shooting well from deep. When the Knicks weren’t shooting well from deep. So, tonight that the Bucks shot, they ended up shooting 41. No, that was the Knicks. Bucks ended up shooting 44% from deep. So coming into tonight, uh the two teams had shot higher at least 44% from three against the Knicks. Those two teams were the Bulls, who the Knicks lost to by 10 in Chicago. That was rough. And actually the Wolves. The Wolves shot 48% from three. And the Knicks still beat the hell out of them because uh the Knicks couldn’t miss from three that night. But you know, by and large, the Knicks have most of their wins on nights where other teams have not shot it well. Um and then where the Knicks are concerned, I mean, they really do kind of live by the three and die by the three. So, four of their five losses, four, the Knicks five losses have come when they have shot under 34%. Losses against or uh Milwaukee, Orlando, Miami, and and both Miami games, the freaking Miami games, both the two they lost 25% and 28% from three. The only win they have all year when they didn’t shoot the three well was the win against Dallas. So, look, but this is this is the NBA in 2025. So, it’s a good job by them to survive the early shooting. Thanks, Tom. Wondering tumness. What’s going on, wondering? Overall, great win. Brunson going toe-to-toe with Giannis. Brings me joy. Brings me joy, too. Hart is a man. All caps. Alas, cat making sure the Bucks GM doesn’t want him in a trade. Congratulations, Wandering Thumbness. You are our second candidate for chat of the night. Uh God. Uh I here’s why I’m not ready to have the what if the Bucks are six games under 500 in the middle of January conversation. Because there if if Giannis really decides like I am not wasting another [ __ ] April/May/June on this dog [ __ ] team um and he starts putting the screws to them now. The Knicks just don’t I just don’t think they have a prayer. I think the Knicks need to get to this summer to be able to unlock another uh it’s not Here’s the thing. Here’s the here’s the the thing. Not only will the Knicks unlock their 2033 first round pick. they will also be able to trade their first round pick on draft night this year. Um, so and and by the way, potentially, which this they could trade right now, but there will be certainty as to where the Wizards fake first slash2 seconds will land and a team will know, hey, we might be able to get the first pick in the second round if the Wizards finish with the worst record in basketball. Uh, which I think is a distinct possibility at this rate. So, I just, you know, I think this upcoming summer, the Knicks will be able to put together a real package. To say nothing of the fact it’s e it will be easier, much easier for them to pull off a trade logistically. And um and that’s why I’m hoping that Giannis does not uh does not try to force his way out before February, but he said he wasn’t going to do that. So, you know, we got to take Giannis at his word. So, we’ll we’ll see. Thanks, Wandering Thumbnus. Danny, uh, why you got to do this to me? Is Cat an all-star this year? N deserves it over Cat. Um, I mean, right now, Carl Towns is not an all-star. He does not deserve to be an all-star. But that but Bridges I think I think I think you got a better case for Bridges all defense right now than than Allstar. Like God, am I really going to do this right now? I I’m I’m going with if if Carl is considered an Americanborn player and I understand he played for Well, if he’s Let’s do this. If he’s an inter if he’s considered an international player, he has zero chance because the international field is already set with Joic, SGA, WBY, Luca, Giannis, uh, who am I forgetting? Fron, uh, I’m forgetting more very obvious people. Um, Giddy is less of a lock now, but he’ll he’ll get in. Uh Austin Reeves is from Arkansas. That’s kind of like a third world country. I’m kidding. It’s joke. It’s a joke. Shenjun or Shenun. I always say his name wrong. Shangun uh is a lock. That’s seven that I just named. They get eight, right? Oh, Denny. Denny Alia there. That’s You’re done. There’s your eight. There’s your eight international players. And then Oh, and marketin. Jesus. So marketing probably gets in over Giddy right now. So right off right there uh you’re Cat’s 10th at best and his and yeah at best. And then if you if you consider Cat D uh American, see if I could do this off the top of my head. Um I’m just going to start checking. So Cade Duran, these are guys who I would put in ahead of CAT right now. Um, Barnes, Scotty Barnes, Norm Powell, uh, Jaylen Brunson. Uh, man, what Hawk? I probably Jaylen Johnson, but I he’d get in over H. Let’s put Jaylen Johnson to the side for a minute because I I would need to look into that a little bit more. Um, Donovan Mitchell. Uh, Evan Mobley could go take a long walk. Uh, Maxi lockity lock. Jaylen Brown. Um, [ __ ] Ryan I I don’t know if I’d put him in ahead of cat, but Ryan Rollins needs to get some all-star consideration slash love. Um, Seakkum this so Seakum’s team is three and 16 and yet Seakkum is having unequivocally a better year than Carl Anthony Towns. He just is. Um, so but Seakum is also an international player. So that’s another one down the list. Okay, so I just named eight in the East. Uh, okay. Let’s keep it going. get Austin Reeves. Uh Murray Murray probably I’ll put Murray to the side for now. Murray probably uh KD Lock. Um Booker Edwards Steph. Uh oh, sorry Mark. Yes, Mr. Canadian. My bad. My bad. My bad. So again, that’s yet another international player. So you could argue now if Cat considers is considered an international player, he’s like 11th or 12th on the list. Um Harden, I know the Clippers think, but Harden’s having an outstanding season. Uh okay, that’s seven. So that’s I just of course I have but you know I I had a bunch of may and I have I’m down to one spot left for Americanb born players. Um and I think one of the may as of now as of now would probably get in, you know, ahead like Aman Thompson. You’d probably put Aman Thompson in ahead of Cat. He doesn’t have the numbers maybe, but the Rockets are freaking world beaters, you know. Um, I didn’t say LeBron James. You know, I know LeBron has only played three games or whatever, and I think his double digit scoring streak might like end tonight, but, you know, he’s getting in, obviously. Duh. Uh, so yeah, I just, man, I I look, I think he’s going to rebound. I think by the time we get to Allstar consideration, I think the the numbers will pick up. And as long as the Knicks are like really good, they’ll get a second all-star. I I It’s funny for as many conversations as we had at the beginning of the year about three all three Nick Allstars. Now that OG has been down for the count for a while, if I I I would I I think you have to set the overunder for Nick Allstars this year at one and a half. And I I would I would be curious about the action on the on the under right now. right now. I would be I’d look into that, but we’ll see. Okay. Thanks, Kev. Appreciate that little exercise. Uh, you spree. What’s going on? You spree. Heartbeating Giannis to for the jump ball was the highlight of the season so far. Here, congratulations. Uh, you spree. You are our third candidate for um chat of the night. Nice job. I like that one. Is it the the highlight of the season so far? No. The highlight of the season so far I think has to be the Shammit dunk, right? The Shamid dunk over over Kaware. Um yeah, I mean this is close. This is close. This top five for sure. top. Oh, actually, no. And if it’s how how crazy is it that the top two candidates for moment of the season are both Landry Shamid plays, the Shamid dunk and then Shamid drawing the offensive foul on Brandon Williams. Those are probably the top two candidates right now. Hart winning the jump ball is probably third, but good comment. Good comment. All right, thanks. And then Sam F. What’s going on, Sam? You said Clarson was twice baked potatoes in honor of your being the chef dour yesterday. What other dishes are the Nick’s starters? Jaylen obviously is the turkey. Cat is the stuffing. Josh the cranberry sauce. Damn, you’re stealing the bit that Derrick Henry had me on for I did a a thing an episode of uh New York hot game with him for the New York Post. It dropped earlier in the week. We actually did a Nick’s giving plate in which I had Brunson as my turkey. Indeed. Uh Josh Hart as my cranberry sauce because you either love them or hate them. Um I had cat as my dessert because I’m not a big dessert guy and like a lot of times I’ll have dessert and I’m like, “Ah, this really isn’t worth it.” And other times I love it. Um so who would be the Oh, and I had OG as the stuffing. Um, and who what’s so what starters? So you said are the starters. So who else was a starter? So Deuce was a starter tonight. What’s Deuce? Never de Deuce is always additive. He’s always additive. It’s not a perfect analogy, but he’s deuce. Deuce is the dinner roll because I’m never upset to have a dinner roll. Like I don’t if I’m making a little sandwich out of the dinner roll, if I’m just eating the dinner roll plain, um I just always love having a dinner roll nearby. I’m always going to eat the dinner roll. I’m always going to be thrilled with the dinner roll. Is it going to be the star of my dish? No, it’s not going to be the star of my dish, but very happy to have it. Um the only thing I don’t love there is dinner roll is like empty calories and deuce is not empty calories, so it’s not perfect. Um and then I said cat. I mean, I’ve pretty much who who else can I even Who else played tonight? Um, what is Mitch? Mitch is Mitch is the gravy. Mitch is the gravy because he if if he’s if it’s right, he could single-handedly elevate everything else. Um, are there times that you just want to go without the gravy for a variety of reasons? Yeah, there are times where you just don’t, it’s not, you know, whether you’re not in the move or whatever, but if that gravy really hits and it could cover up for so much other, you burn your turkey, that’s okay. We got the gravy here. Um, so I think Mitch has to be Mitch has to be the gravy. I really want to g. So I I did the turkey drippings. I saved them in a Tupperware overnight and I went and wanted to get them for for my sandwich today and the fat of the in the turkey drippings coagulated on the top and I had to scoop it off with a spoon and it it was not pleasant. Uh, I’m just gonna leave that right there. And last but not least, Tyler Mark is [ __ ] dying. And then Tyler Kak. Um, what’s Tyler, man? Tyler passing. Um, Mar is saying crackers. It’s not crackers. That’s so bad. Oh my god. I don’t even know if Mark realizes the joke that he just made. Um, no. Tele’s not crackers or a cracker. He is uh like a a glass of wine maybe. Um, no. Because I love wine and sometimes Yeah. Co is like just like you don’t. Shout out Dave Chappelle. Yes. Um, I don’t know. I can’t think of a good analogy off the top of my head for Oh, you know, no. Actually, hold on. I got one. I got one. I got one. So, my my wife makes um these uh sweet potatoes, c uh candy yam, sweet potatoes, whatever with um marshmallows on top. You put in the oven, you put the marshmallows on, marshmallows melt, it’s they’re filled with brown sugar and butter and all kinds of other stuff. And often times, um, I just don’t have room for it literally in my stomach cuz I want to get the stuffing and the potato and this and that. And so sometimes I don’t even get to it um on the table. Like I didn’t eat any of it really for Thanksgiving, but day after today, I made a I had a bite. I’m like, “This is really good.” I I I I don’t know what the ceiling is of it for me. I don’t know if it’s ever going to be part of like a permanent part of my Thanksgiving plate where I just need to have it with all the other stuff. But I always I generally enjoy it when I have it. Um, so yeah, that’s that’s Tyler Kok. Okay, is that it? I think we’re done here. That was very fun. Okay, we got to pick our our chat of the night here. Um, that last one’s a candidate for chat of the night, too. Um, I’ll go with I think I got to go with Wandering Tumnness. I think I got to go with Wonder Wandering Thomas’ comment because it it did make me genuinely laugh uh the heartiest. So, congratulations Wandering Tumness. You get our uh first official chat of the night uh presented by our friends at Fanatic Sportsbook. uh Mark will uh ping you or something. We’ll get your info. The Oh, uh here’s the other thing I probably should have said at the beginning. In order to qualify for uh to get the fan cash, you just have to have a fanatics account. So, make sure you have a fanatics account and uh you’ll get $25 in uh fan cash uh your way for making a joke about cat wanting to make sure the Bucks GM doesn’t want to have him in a trade. That’s really funny. Okay. Uh, and on that note, I think we’re good. Um, thanks everybody for checking out another episode of the Nick Film School postgame show. Um, I will be back on Sunday, uh, after the game. Uh, Knicks Raptors. No RJ, but still big game. Looking up in the standings at the Toronto Raptors, a big big Atlantic division battle, he says somewhat facitiously. Um, and uh, yeah, I hope everybody again had a great Thanksgiving. Trying to think there was anything I forgot that I wanted to say. Um, do do us a favor, follow us, subscribe, Patreon, uh, putting out great stuff. I saw Benji just dropped a new gradebook today. Um, Nick Film School newsletter. Obviously, if you want to read more about this team, you could do so with um, my newsletter on Substack. And, uh, yeah, that’s it. I hope everybody’s doing well and has a great rest of the weekend. We will talk to you soon. Peace out. Must be 21 or older. Gambling problem, call 1800 gambler. Connecticut, call 888-789-7777. Massachusetts, call 800327-50. New York, call 8778NY. Maryland, visit mdgamblinghelp.org. Not available in all states. Terms apply. See the Fanatic Sportsbook app.
In this edition of the KFS Postgame Show, Jonathan Macri recaps the Knicks NBA Cup game against the Milwaukee Bucks before hearing from generous contributors in the KFS audience.
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4 comments
Have you seen the amount of whining from Bucks fans? They and fans of other teams are saying that the biggest reason the Knicks won is because of referees. They also claim that the Knicks free throw discrepancy vs the Bucks was very high, especially in the first half. I mean yeah … if you shoot a bunch of threes how the hell are you expected to go to the line? Just whiny little fans.
the shaq comparison was a little wild imo ngl
Even when Jonathan rambles a little bit, this is still my favorite Knicks breakdown channel. No continuous hours of boasting about how this is the best channel and lack of substance, no random shouts of channel slogans. Just really insightful analysis of our favorite team.
JB is incredible… I honestly don't know how he does it.. just incredible at his height