Strange to me that the national media hasn’t brutally ripped the Knicks apart for signing Julius Randle to the worst contract of the summer. I’m sure it’s just a matter of time. Either that or these boobs don’t know horrific basketball when it scalds their cast iron asses. The only thing you can trust Randle with is the most self-reliant brand of basketball New York has seen since Alexey Shved loop de looped through a mindless month of losing basketball at the Garden.
In any case the Knicks (4-11) welcome the Spurs (5-11) to town. San Antonio held tough with Philadelphia last night before getting shaken down for their lunch money in the closing moments. These are two of the worst teams in the league about 15 games into the season. This game will end their season series. New York opened the season down in the Alamo. Time to settle the score.
Frank with the colddddd stepback 3 pic.twitter.com/knx2aMILDI
— Posting and Toasting (@ptknicksblog) November 21, 2019
San Antonio has embraced the mid range with the fewest three point attempts in the league. DeMar DeRozan, a scorer, is averaging his fewest 3PA since his rookie season in Toronto. In this day and age?! Maybe it’s not just his offense hurting the team.
Usually you think, oh the Spurs, they do things their way and they take what the defense gives, because they never miss rotations and it wears teams down. They don’t beat themselves, they’re the Spurs, and here they come. Right? Not so much this year, with their 28th ranked defensive rating. Even the Knicks are better than that (19th). Lol, Spurs.
Projected Starters
Before we look at the starters table. I need to point out that Julius Randle is a huge stooge. Well alright, let’s have a look see.
Last night the Spurs played without the FIBA World Cup’s 7th place team member, Derrick White. He is day-to-day with a foot. Wouldn’t shock me to see him today and have someone else get a rest. I hope it’s Dejounte Murray but it won’t be.
If you’re not really sure how much of ball hog Randle has become, take a look at this handy pie chart and keep it with you as you track his passes along with the rest of us during tonight’s game.
That tiny little black hole of a slice on the left is RJ Barrett. Worst signing of the summer. There is one tiny sliver of hope though and they call it Ignas Brazdeikis.
NY Knicks recall Ignas Brazdeikis.
— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) November 23, 2019
And there it is! Hopefully this means, Iggy will start in place of Randle and Marcus Morris will be pushed up to the four slot. I think if they do that, they should also slide Mitchell Robinson into the starting lineup. Such awesome news. Good job, Knicks!
Key Matchups and Predictions
Sadly for Biggy Brazdeikis, David Fizdale has been reluctant to put too much passing, shooting and defensive effort on the floor at the same time. I have no way of knowing if limiting those totems of the game can negatively effect space on the low post, but I would guess yes.
Does Randle work to carve out the type of space on the block that Joel Embiid gets? I predict six or eight of these:
Thybulle's getting no respect off the ball and it forces a turnover here. pic.twitter.com/nsGNEWfzTH
— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) November 23, 2019
Toss in another four or so from Bobby Portis who will force the issue when he can’t find enough room to get a few clean jumpers off in the early going.
Meanwhile something that could actually be interesting is Frank Ntilikina matching up against the new Mr. Noob Balance.
Welcome to the family, @DejounteMurray @newbalance #WeGotNow pic.twitter.com/y6llfSXXwN
— New Balance Basketball (@newbalancehoops) November 21, 2019
In all seriousness, though -- please be deeply afraid of Dejounte. And you can’t just let DeRozan run free. I kinda can’t wait to watch LaMarcus Aldridge scorch Juul Rand, gotta be honest. Take it personal or something, Julius, be a big dog.
San Antonio invented the SEGABABA and they know all too well how to handle themselves in this scenario.
Knicks by -14.
Warm Up Music
A pair of teams sliding out on the lake and no one has drilled the ice. Are they safe?
Somehow the gulf between these teams is perceived to be as big as the ocean. I wonder if they know about it?