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Well, back to practice they go. After three full days of preparation did little to give the Knicks an edge in Game 3, all they can do is try something else. The Knicks got back to work in Indiana this morning and did a little media availability afterward. Some things:
- Whatever is ailing J.R. Smith (and I think we can agree that, jokes about self-inflicted daze aside, J.R. looked super ill last night) has now spread to Kenyon Martin. Both missed practice today. I hope neither shares air with the rest of the team until Tuesday, when they should enter the game simultaneously against Indiana's first unit and run around licking people.
- Crucial:
Mike Woodson opens his post-practice availability with "a shoutout to all the mothers."
— charlie widdoes (@charliewiddoes) May 12, 2013
- Whole lotta talk about pace and trapping to forcing turnovers to jack up the pace:
Tyson Chandler: "It's supposed to be us trapping to generate a faster pace. When we're not trapping, we're in a tough spot." #Knicks
— charlie widdoes (@charliewiddoes) May 12, 2013
.@tysonchandler: "We gotta get out and run. We can't walk to ball up the floor." #Knicks twitter.com/nyknicks/statu…
— NBA New York Knicks (@nyknicks) May 12, 2013
Coach Woodson: "We're playing too slow. We gotta pick our pace up." #Knicks twitter.com/nyknicks/statu…
— NBA New York Knicks (@nyknicks) May 12, 2013
- And Woodson gives his explanation for leaving Chris Copeland and Steve Novak on the bench:
Woodson says he'd consider tossing Copeland & Novak into rotation, but says "they might not sniff [a 3-point attempt]" based on INDs defense
— Chris Herring (@HerringWSJ) May 12, 2013
Woodson also says team's ball movement hasnt been good enough to the point where he's convinced Novak and Copeland would make the difference
— Chris Herring (@HerringWSJ) May 12, 2013
That's true, but especially when there are multiple non-shot-creators on the floor, either of those guys might create some space for driving and screen usage. We'll see if Woodson leans more on his defenseless shooters in Game 4 and beyond.
- Based on the outcome of Game 3 and comments made today, Alan Hahn hints that Carmelo Anthony-- who went iso relatively infrequently on Saturday-- will be more aggressive in the next game. I'd be happy to see him get more shots up, but I hope that doesn't mean more wing isolation against Paul George. It felt like we didn't see Melo used in the pick-and-roll (in either role) quite as much yesterday as we had before. In general, the pick-and-roll didn't look as varied as it has been.
Update regarding the above:
@seth_rosenthal Woody said today that they need more Melo (as the ball handler in) pick-and-rolls.
— John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) May 12, 2013
The Knicks will practice once more on Monday, then play Game 4 Tuesday. After that, the series will finally kick into a game every other night. Until then: Wash your hands, Knicks.