Spurs 111, Knicks 104: Scenes from a Frank comeback

Eight was enough. The Spurs decided to end their losing streak in New York. It got ugly immediately. New York tried to make it interesting later on but the fake comeback is their specialty. David Fizdale even challenged a play, which in and of itself felt like a fake measure to initiate a comeback. Oh well, Frank Ntilikina played pretty good.

There was Frank defense and then there was other guy defense. Frank is wonderful and Mitchell Robinson is still pretty fun. Everyone else basically stinks but no one is as bad as Julius Randle.

But hey let’s find some positives.

I really worry very deeply that David Fizdale will fall in love with the highlight reel. Here’s Mitchell Robinson, laboring on a bum ankle, still gets the huff to stuff. Meanwhile DSJ is building his ball is life profile in Fiz’s memory banks.

Searching for the highs is fun and everything but the real tenor was that of a team that doesn’t trust one another. Julius Randle and Bobby Portis are clueless on both ends. They never met a shot they shouldn’t take and their help rotations are both poorly timed and ill conceived. Heading into the half the boo birds flew into the Garden.

The crowd then got the biggest FU of a half time show. Three geezers jumping on a trampoline while U2 blared over the PA system. One guy had a hula hoop. Another guy had a snowboard and then skis. You tell me why cus I couldn’t figure it out. I was insulted.

The Knicks came out flat in the second half but then— get this— David Fizdale went to a smaller lineup and that started to cut into the lead pretty quickly. It’s almost as if trying different strategies to counteract a murderous beatdown is a good idea. They were able to cut it to fourteen at one point but you can’t really get down by 28 and expect to float your way to victory.

Frank Ntilikina had six steals and nine assists but this game was ugly from start to finish for New York.

Shortly after this the Knicks fell back to a 3-2 zone that the Spurs just ate alive behind LaMarcus Aldridge’s scoring and decision making. It was an adjustment that made no sense because the Knicks were cruising at that point.

Whether you’ve had enough, or just can’t help yourself, the Knicks play again tomorrow. This one is against the Nets. They’re a team that plays in a fictitious land called “Brooklyn”. Full recap to come. If you need me, I’ll be bleaching my brain.