Nets 115, Knicks 107 (preseason): FARTDOG is alive and well

Well, well, well. If it isn’t our dear old pal, basketball. How was your summer, basketball? Did you miss being played? If you’re played, does that connote being washed? Are these Knicks rinsing and repeating? Does repeating mean I’m about to toss my cookies? Does toss imply Kristaps Porzingis annihilated Timofey Mozgov? All that and more, let’s post op this pre-seasoned ball game.

• Kristaps Porzingis did indeed toss Mozgov’s utter nonsense. He just skied over the top of that baby and scolded him. GO AWAY, TIMOFEY! Porzingis also dropped Quincy Acy in a ditch before screeching past him for an and-1 jam. All told not a particularly great game for the kid, but Hornacek admitted that the team is still taking looks at lots of different lineups. Probably because nothing has quite clicked. But check out these feats of strength.

• Much like Mozgov being denied. Also in need of going away is Jeremy Lin and the ever-evolving dorky hair jobs. Stop doing that, you’re violating.
• My favorite youngster, Frank Ntilikina was over-aggressive looking to pass, eschewing simple looks for himself in favor of getting others some good looks. He sees what is there, but he is trying to show that team success is his measuring stick. So you’ll live with his mistakes for now. He appeared hobbled, sort of short-stepping around the floor at times. I’d imagine he’ll be fielding more groin questions in the coming days. Ya know? Anyway, Frankie Teardrop hit Kristaps with a beautiful hook pass out of a pick and pop when they first got on the floor together and it got every advanced scout in the NBA worried.
• Tim Hardaway Jr in transition is a behemoth. He was advancing the ball with bullet passes and pushing tempo with the dribble. If it’s downhill THJ can be downright masterful. It’s those same old defensive inclines where he struggles to read the action and his half court game needs deliberate and obvious outcomes. He’s the Peter Sagan of this shit. He still gives up too readily but it’s preseason and he’s also very clearly a much improved young player.
• Doug McDermott had the monster jam of the night after a great offensive rebound and no-look pass by Willy Hernangomez. This new guy is like Wally Szczerbiak with actual range and he doesn’t just whine all damn game.

• Chill out Knicks twitter hash tagger. New York for at least this season. For sure. But calm down.
• The other non-Carmelo Anthony player had a rugged never smoothe night bulldozing and being bulldozed all night. Enes Kanter is a ninny on defense, but that footwork in the post is pretty tactical. Kanter will get some buckets and if they limit his exposure on defense, he could swing his fair share of quarters this year.
• Damyean Dotson was pretty darn good. He made all sorts of terrific effort plays. Some of those are right place, right time. Some of them are because he filled the lane in transition properly and assertively. His anticipation to move his feet and cut off driving lanes is impressive and it won’t be long before he learns not to sag a full ten feet off of NBA shooters. Then again if Joe Harris isn’t cooking you, you’re not even the Knicks.

More to come as pressers and practices reconvene. Knicks play again on Friday against the Wizards when we should expect the unveiling of Joakim Noah. Will he start? Will he miss an uncontested 3-footer? Will he scream out defensive adjustments? Time will only make us wiser. BASKETBALL IS BACK!