Posting and Toasting - Knicks Summer League 2013~https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/29802/posting_fave.png2013-07-29T11:38:44-04:00http://www.postingandtoasting.com/rss/stream/42811192013-07-29T11:38:44-04:002013-07-29T11:38:44-04:00KnicksTape: Summer League Edition
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A close look at the tendencies of some standout SummerKnicks.</p> <p>There was only so much we could learn about the Summer<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/">Knicks</a> at Summer League. Practices were few, players were all trying to get theirs and the sample size was microscopic. But if we throw out the box score and watch technique and composure, there's a lot to be understood about player tendencies.</p>
<p>I'll focus for now on C.J. Leslie, <span>Jeremy Tyler</span> and Toure' Murry - all of whom have at least reportedly received invites to training camp - because they were among the most impressive SummerKnicks.</p>
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<h2><u>C.J. Leslie</u></h2>
<p>Much of <span>C.J. Leslie's</span> game is predicated on his length and athleticism. At nearly 6-9 and with a 7-2 wingspan, Leslie tends to glide over and around his opponents with relative ease. On the glass, his ability to second jump (think <span>Carmelo Anthony</span> driving and grabbing the offensive board immediately) is simply outstanding. As a competent dribbler with above average body control, he's able to wield his frame in a way most other players can't - his takeoff point to the rim is much farther out without a loss in explosion. In transition this is particularly helpful, because Leslie is able to attack gaps and put defenders on his hip, often creating contact for a foul or an easy finish as the defense lags behind. The latter happens here:</p>
<p><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/UWz1NEKOJWg" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640"></iframe></p>
<p>On a Knicks team that generally lacks transition speed, a player like Leslie can stretch the defense and create space on the secondary break for a trailing big or wing shooter. In the half-court, however, Leslie doesn't temper this style of aggression. As an explosion dribbler (someone who relies on a strong and quick first step to blow by defenders but is unable to redirect with secondary dribbles or moves), Leslie is prone to driving to the rim without a backup plan. He therefore gets caught in mid-air a bit too often, leading to turnovers or awkward shots or some other type of mishap.</p>
<p>On this play against the New Orleans Pelicans, Leslie drives to the rim from the left wing. Notice from where on the floor he begins his drive:</p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2978855/CJ_Leslie_Jump_Pass_1a.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Cj_leslie_jump_pass_1a_large" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2978855/CJ_Leslie_Jump_Pass_1a_large.jpg"></a> <br id="1375109530393"></p>
<p>As <span>Jon Brockman</span> sticks a hand in, Leslie loses control of the ball. Remember, he's a string bean. He doesn't have the strongest hands when protecting the ball, and instead relies on his size to keep it out of the defender's reach. Here, Brockman's pinching in slightly knocks it loose:</p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2978863/CJ_Leslie_Jump_Pass_1b.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Cj_leslie_jump_pass_1b_large" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2978863/CJ_Leslie_Jump_Pass_1b_large.jpg"></a> <br id="1375109566696"></p>
<p>Now look where Leslie is: the free throw line. Without secondary dribbling moves, Leslie relies on his first step explosion to propel him by the defense. His final ball decision, whether it be a pass or shot, must come after one or two dribbles. While this is not necessarily a problem at the rim because he's often in a position to draw contact, it creates a lot of mid-air decision-making away from the hoop. Once he reaches the free throw line on this play, he's toast: pull-up jumpers aren't his style, and he's caught in the air with hands poking at the ball. The result is a deflected pass.</p>
<p><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/fynz525Bz6E" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640"></iframe></p>
<p>Or here, in transition, when some resistance on the way to the bucket forces him into an awkward side step, leaving him well short of the rim. Left with nothing else to do other than shoot, Leslie's lame duck scoop shot is swatted.</p>
<p><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/I5N5k-qZhFM" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640"></iframe></p>
<p>What's important to realize about Leslie's game in this respect is that it isn't a skill-set flaw. Outside of <span>LeBron James</span> and <span>Kevin Durant</span>, there aren't too many 6-9 players that can adeptly maneuver with the ball after a straight-line drive fails. The fix here is tactical; a deeper understanding of his skill set can wipe away these ball-decision issues. Should Leslie start his drives closer to the basket, he won't even need secondary dribble moves.</p>
<p>Here Leslie catches the ball in the post. This time, he's much closer to the hoop to start out with. And when he initiates his final two-step push towards the rim, look where he ends up:</p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2978871/CJ_Leslie_Close_Catch.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Cj_leslie_close_catch_large" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2978871/CJ_Leslie_Close_Catch_large.jpg"></a> <br id="1375109608315"></p>
<p>Smack in the middle of the paint. He's very dangerous in that position, and is able to draw his defender in the air with a smooth up and under. There aren't any perimeter hands poking at the ball, and he's able to gather after the one-two without pressure.</p>
<p>Yet throughout Summer League, Leslie fancied himself a point guard and couldn't help but initiate the offense, whether his own or the team's, from the perimeter. If he ever wants to become a more consistent offensive threat in the NBA, he'll need to examine his mental approach to that side of the ball.</p>
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<h2><u>Jeremy Tyler</u></h2>
<p>Jeremy Tyler was a monster on the offensive glass during Summer League, at times a man among boys. When he chose to throw his weight around on the glass, he was a devastating force. But on other areas of the floor, he didn't utilize his massive frame to his advantage. Particularly during half-court sets when he was trying to establish position in the post, Tyler was out-muscled and pushed around.</p>
<p>On the left is Tyler's position as he initially battles with <span>Josh Owens</span> on the left block. On the right is where he's looking for the ball only moments later.</p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2978879/Tyler_Post_Position_1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Tyler_post_position_1_large" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2978879/Tyler_Post_Position_1_large.jpg"></a> <br id="1375109643739"></p>
<p>As you'll see in the video, he simply got moved off his spot to the point that CJ Leslie doesn't even attempt to enter the ball.</p>
<p><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/KMBZfVWRNPY" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640"></iframe></p>
<p>On another such play against Jon Brockman, Tyler starts out at the second hash mark. By the time he catches the ball, he's been shoved all the way to the baseline and 15 feet away from the hoop.</p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2978887/Tyler_Post_Position_2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Tyler_post_position_2_large" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2978887/Tyler_Post_Position_2_large.jpg"></a> <br id="1375109678604"></p>
<p>Here it is at full speed:</p>
<p><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/mNANkVPEcAs" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640"></iframe></p>
<p>So, why? How do we know it's not just a matter of strength? Take a look at how Tyler leverages his body in the post in that first example against Jon Owens:</p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2978895/PHOTO.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photo_large" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2978895/PHOTO_large.jpg"></a> <br id="1375109705376"></p>
<p>His back, instead of his knees, are bent. This redistributes the resistance from Tyler's quads to his knees and ankles, which, as with any human being, are considerably weaker. So when Owens gives him a little shove, Tyler can't help but slide a few steps further from the rim. He also hasn't angled his body into Brockman, and therefore does not carve out any space for the entry pass. Instead, he sticks a hand out and relies on his other arm to fend off Owens' entire body weight (which doesn't work, obviously). In order to ensure that Owens doesn't deflect the ball when it comes, Tyler would have been forced to jump out to meet the ball, meaning he loses even more precious ground.</p>
<p>Position is 80 percent of the battle when it comes to post-ups. What makes <span>Dwight Howard</span> so devastating isn't his immense skill; it's his ability to create seals only feet from the rim, allowing for an easy drop step and dunk. If an offensive player can catch the ball within six feet of the rim with the defender pinned behind his back, the battle's won before it's even started - a quality look is almost guaranteed. Throughout Summer League, Tyler lost the position battle.</p>
<p>In some sense, Tyler's post positioning issues aren't dissimilar from C.J. Leslie's most glaring problem: their offensive initiation points force their offensive games to overextend. In Tyler's case, his post moves become too complicated. Check out how another lost positioning battle against Jon Brockman ends:</p>
<p><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/GKBsCvl9E2c" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640"></iframe></p>
<p>When Tyler's drive baseline is cut off, he tries to spin back middle and re-seal Brockman that way. Instead, he nails Brockman in the chest with a lowered shoulder and earns himself an offensive foul. In the second example, that same spin move lead to an awkward gather and hook shot that only hit the backboard. Tyler used this spin quite often during Summer League, and only a few times did it lead to an easy finish or dunk. At this point in his career, it is simply not refined enough for its consistent usage. He was much more effective when relying on drop steps or hooks, moves that require power and quickness over fluidity and dexterity. But remember, he's 22 years old. As a long-term project, he's certainly worth a look for a roster spot.</p>
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<h2><u>Toure' Murry</u></h2>
<p>What stood out about Toure' Murry was that he didn't. In a week of basketball that helped players recede into their most selfish selves, Murry managed to remain under control. He rarely took bad shots; he didn't over-push the ball on the fast break; he moved at a slower pace and rationed out his explosion for moments when it was needed.</p>
<p>Sure, there was that <a href="http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/07/20/toure-murry-with-the-steal-and-behind-the-back-pass-to-jeremy-tyler-for-the-reverse-slam-video/">nifty behind-the-back-pass</a>, but for the most part Murry impressed by displaying poise. See here, when he has a chance to challenge a defender early in the shot clock in a one-on-one opportunity, but doesn't.</p>
<p><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/SnaEJCYOi_o" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640"></iframe></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 9px;">And that's it, really: he plays</span> within himself. Make some three-pointers, run a bit of pick-and-roll, don't do too much. Murry isn't an explosive scorer or devastating shooter or wonderful ball-handler. He was an average offensive player at Summer League. But plays like the one above stood out because Murry didn't succumb to the 100mph rate of operations at Summer League.</p>
<p>The other side of the ball is where Murry excels, and it showed. Though he did foul too much and might have been a touch over-aggressive, his defensive instincts, particularly in one-on-one situations and extended ball pressure, were superb.</p>
<p>You might remember that <span>Pablo Prigioni</span> did much of the same throughout this past season. By nagging ball-handlers all the way up the floor, he ate away at the shot clock and prevented opposing offenses from initiating offensive sets quickly. The downside of such pressure is allowing the ball-handler to slip by, thus creating a five-on-four. Murry, at times, was guilty of this:</p>
<p><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/xCZKfM_ZtgU" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640"></iframe></p>
<p>But the large majority of his ball pressures were effective and disruptive because he stayed disciplined in his defensive principles - most simply, forcing the the ball to the opponent's weak hand. Good defenders stay in front of their man; great defenders dictate their man's ball direction. Murry made a consistent effort throughout Summer League at the latter.</p>
<p>On this play he does just that, pressuring New Orleans guard Will Cherry all the way up the floor.</p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2978903/Toure_Murry_Full_Court_Pressure_1a.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Toure_murry_full_court_pressure_1a_large" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2978903/Toure_Murry_Full_Court_Pressure_1a_large.jpg"></a> <br id="1375109747958"></p>
<p>But as Cherry has the ball in his right hand after a spin move to create space, Murry finds himself on Cherry's left. Instead of backing off now that the ball has crossed half court, Murry flips his stance to force a Cherry crossover, which in turn puts the ball in his weak hand.</p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2978911/Toure_Murry_Full_Court_Pressure_1b.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Toure_murry_full_court_pressure_1b_large" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2978911/Toure_Murry_Full_Court_Pressure_1b_large.jpg"></a> <br id="1375109780955"></p>
<p>When a big man comes to screen for Cherry, he must now cross back left to right. All that extra time Cherry spends crossing and re-crossing - both to put the ball in his dominant hand and to create and re-create space - waste 10 seconds off the shot clock. By the time Cherry finally moves the ball to a teammate, over half the shot clock has disappeared.</p>
<p><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/n9Q6XDYNC-I" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640"></iframe></p>
<p>With three roster spots still open, we can probably expect at least one of the SummerKnicks to sneak onto the team. Still, none of them appear ready to contribute in any meaningful way. But if we're keeping an eye on the bigger picture, there's definitely some skill to work with here.</p>
https://www.postingandtoasting.com/2013/7/29/4525870/knickstape-summer-league-knicks--toure-murry-jeremy-tyler-c-j-leslieDylan Murphy2013-07-19T20:15:20-04:002013-07-19T20:15:20-04:00Recap: SummerKnicks 91, SummerClippers 80
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Summer League ends with a quality Knicks victory.</p> <p>At some point soon, we'll talk more about what Summer League performances mean for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/">Knicks</a> as they turn their attention toward training camp. For now, here's what I saw from a final consolation game that included some genuinely exciting individual performances.</p>
<p>- <span>Jeremy Tyler's</span> experience and moments of excellence throughout the week made him a sure thing for training camp, and today only solidified that. Against decent enough competition in <span>Samardo Samuels</span> and Brandon Davies, Tyler earned his 20 points with a more varied, efficient attack than anything we'd seen all week. In previous games, it seemed like he'd fall in love with one or two moves and otherwise rack up off caroms and the like. Today, he did his share of smashing in transition, but also canned short elbow jumpers out of the pick-and-roll and created looks for himself with nimble foot work and a bit of touch. Tyler wants to finish righty, and has increasingly shown an ability to find that right hand spinning from either baseline. To my eye, Tyler benefited today from starting his attacks a step or two farther from the rim. He's got the footspeed and finesse to exploit extra space, and at least today, the resulting looks were less crowded than those generated from the deep post.</p>
<p>Higher usage and more work away from the rim meant less (none) of the ravenous offensive rebounding we'd come to expect from Tyler in Vegas, but we know he's got that. On defense, I feel like Tyler's been communicating more and more (or I've just been sitting closer), though a lack of agreement with guards is inevitable about half the time anyway. I know Tyler was frequently out of position to contain the pick-and-roll, but it's hard to tell in this setting why that was the case.</p>
<p>But yeah, Tyler went from looking intermittently good all week to looking very good all day today, and I'm excited to watch him <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/jonahballow/status/358348748939726851">compete for a roster spot </a>in a few months.</p>
<p>- Terrence Jennings kinda assumed the niche Tyler had occupied previously. Especially early in the game, he fought for position and Go-Go-Gadget-Arms'd several put-backs. Away from the rim, Jennings mostly slipped picks and tended to favor hovering at intermediate range over rolling hard to the rim (he'll fit right in with the Knicks!), but got a couple nice looks out of those sets, even if they didn't fall. He's got a righty hook, too, and backed into a couple such makes, one from each baseline. One thing Jennings hasn't really corrected this week: flailing like he saw a scorpion on every defensive play. He does not not foul.</p>
<p>- And on that note, I'd like to credit Eloy Vargas for consistently going straight up. He hasn't really seen the minutes or touches to show much this week, but I suspect that discipline on defense and that genuinely silky outside stroke could earn him a spot somewhere someday. I don't expect it, but I'd be happy to see the Knicks bring Vargas to camp for a longer look.</p>
<p>- For the second straight game, Toure' Murry didn't shine like he had been earlier in the week, but he had his moments. The play <a target="_blank" href="http://www.postingandtoasting.com/2013/7/19/4539568/nba-summer-league-final-score-knicks-91-clippers-80#comments">highlighted here</a> was particularly shidiculous. Didn't even realize he'd nutmeg'd a bro before watching that replay (of which I am a co-star). I still would have liked to see Murry hit some threes or make some more incisive passes out of the pick-and-roll, but he's made his point this week: he's big, he can handle, he can run a pick-and-roll competently enough, and he at least shows the form to be a decent shooter. And though he got shook backdoor a few times, I thought today might have been Murry's best defensive showing against perhaps his toughest match-up yet: the big and eminently deadly <span>Reggie Bullock</span> (who is quite good). Murry jumped passing lanes a lot with mixed success, but worked through screens to tail Bullock around the arc as well. Anyway,<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/IanBegley/status/358345659239239680"> we'll be seeing more of Murry </a>as well, which I like.</p>
<p>- <span>C.J. Leslie</span> chilled a bit today, and it suited him. He demonstrated a more discerning eye for attacks off the dribble, turning a first step past DaJuan Summers into a big dunk and another into an and-one finish. He still drove into trouble a few times, but those occasions were fewer and further between. I gotta say, though, I've been waiting for Leslie to show something defensively, and he does get the odd steal, but I see may more blown pick-and-roll coverage and and overplaying on the perimeter than sound floor defense. It's Summer League and, as was the case with Tyler, it's hard to assign blame, but still, Leslie didn't do much to impress on that end this week. He did hit a jumper or two today, so there's that.</p>
<p>- I can't imagine Tony "Not That One" Mitchell making this or any team, but he is a supremely bouncy individual and finally made that clear with a couple huge finishes in transition and impressive plays to recoup loose balls or maintain pace. Mitchell's pretty unrefined, even for this setting, but quite gifted and suuuuuper fun.</p>
<p>Those were the guys who stood out to me today and, if you throw in Tim Hardaway Jr. (who had lighter wrist protection on today), that's pretty much the list of guys who stood out to me this week. I look forward to seeing to what extent y'all agree and will keep an eye out for news about this group's future with the actual Knicks.</p>
https://www.postingandtoasting.com/2013/7/19/4539214/summer-league-recap-knicks-91-clippers-80Seth2013-07-19T17:46:01-04:002013-07-19T17:46:01-04:00Final Score: Knicks 91, Clippers 80
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Summer League ends with a win.</p> <p>'Twas a splendid conclusion to a kinda muddy Vegas Summer League, and it included some of the best work we've seen from a few promising Knicks. I will recap once I'm done filling my whole body with lunchfoods. For now, the undisputed highlight of the afternoon:</p>
<p align="center"><iframe src="http://www.nba.com/.element/iframe/2.0/video/third_party_player/iframe.html?videoID=/video/games/knicks/2013/07/19/20130719-lac-nyk-play2.nba&team=knicks&playerHeight=324&width=576" frameborder="0" height="430" scrolling="no" width="595"></iframe> <br id="1374270241350"></p>
https://www.postingandtoasting.com/2013/7/19/4539568/nba-summer-league-final-score-knicks-91-clippers-80Seth2013-07-19T14:16:24-04:002013-07-19T14:16:24-04:00SummerKnicks vs. SummerClippers
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Summer League ends today :(</p> <p align="center"><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/_bTdLi0YUVM" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe> <br id="1374256333586"></p>
<p>This hurts me to say, but it all ends today, guys. We'll be back next summer, and we'll keep in touch and stuff, but the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/">Knicks</a>' entry in Las Vegas Summer League 2013 will conclude with a consolation match against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Clippers</a> today at 4 PM Eastern.</p>
<p>Prior observations lead me to believe this is gonna be ugly. I haven't heard anything about <span>Tim Hardaway Jr.</span> yet, but he was still wearing a splint on his wrist yesterday, and I think it's safe to assume he won't play. Given his absence, the way the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.hothothoops.com/">Heat</a> game looked, and the fact that this is the final opportunity for a lot of guys to perform in front of a congregation of NBA decision-makers, the play might get suuuuuper disjointed. But hey, enjoy it! It's basketball! Bad as today may be, it's our last opportunity to watch players run around in jerseys that say "KNICKS" until the fall (well, at least until I suit up my turtle squad). Hopefully we'll see a little extra something from Toure' Murry or <span>Jeremy Tyler</span> or Eloy Vargas or Terrence Jennings or any of these other bros before that final buzzer.</p>
<p>4 PM real time, 1 PM here time. WOO!</p>
https://www.postingandtoasting.com/2013/7/19/4538750/summer-league-game-thread-knicks-vs-clippers-7-19-13Seth2013-07-18T00:16:10-04:002013-07-18T00:16:10-04:00NBA Summer League Recap: Heat 113, Knicks 66
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Well, that was bad.</p> <p>Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooope. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.hothothoops.com/">Heat</a> dashed whatever dreams we had of a Vegas Summer League championship with, like, a sledgehammer. Good god was that a hideous game of basketball. Sloppy play turned into a big deficit, which turned into lightly-used bench guys gunning for themselves, which turned into an even bigger deficit that nearly set a Summer League record. So many missed long twos, so many turnovers, so many transition dunks the other way.</p>
<p>The beauty of Summer League (even in the postseason) is that only the individual performances matter, but even those were pretty much farts across the board. A few exceptions:</p>
<p>- <span>Jeremy Tyler's</span> work off the dribble. Dude finally made use of that footwork we've been seeing, turning a handful of baseline back-downs into volcanic dunks out of spin moves. He got beat over and over again on defense, but rebounded well (especially on offense) and generally played like he cared. At least on offense.</p>
<p>- J'Covan Brown kept playing feisty defense over picks and stuff. He is little but rather tough.</p>
<p>- Eloy Vargas showed off more of his range on some pick-and-pops and long spot-ups. I'd have liked to see him roll to the rim more, but he does have that range to spread the floor. He was perhaps the only big to play help defense with his hands straight up, too.</p>
<p>- Toure' Murry had a pretty rough evening (he got mad and kicked a ball right at us on press row), but showed some outside touch late in the game. Still a lot of reaching on defense, and more fouls than steals to show for it this time.</p>
<p>- Terrence Jennings rolled perfectly and earned an and-one this one time.</p>
<p>- <span>Chris Smith</span> ran a couple clean pick-and-rolls. He also shanked several thousand long, contested twos and got dunked on so violently I think both he and I lost some teeth, but...</p>
<p>- Uhhhh at least one of C.J. Leslie's half-baked stumbles into the paint ended in a nice feed and finish for <span>Jerome Jordan</span>.</p>
<p>Uhhhhhhhh ummmmmm...nope, that's it. This was awful. A truly devastating playoff defeat. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/">Knicks</a> will finish Summer League with a consolation game against the loser of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Clippers</a>-<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Mavericks</a> on Friday at 1 PM Eastern.</p>
https://www.postingandtoasting.com/2013/7/18/4533570/nba-summer-league-recap-heat-113-knicks-66Seth2013-07-17T21:23:21-04:002013-07-17T21:23:21-04:00SummerKnicks vs. SummerHeat
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>PLAYOFFS!</p> <p>Good evening from Las Vegas, babies. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/">Knicks</a> play the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.hothothoops.com/">Heat</a> tonight at 10 PM Eastern. It'll be on MSG and NBA TV. Tim Hardaway Jr. won't play. They're in the playoffs now, so you should get very upset about this game.</p>
<p>Comment along here and be nice and stuff. I'll update throughout and write up a recap later. <3</p>
https://www.postingandtoasting.com/2013/7/17/4533466/summer-league-game-thread-knicks-vs-heat-7-17-13Seth2013-07-17T08:00:08-04:002013-07-17T08:00:08-04:00The Knicks' Summer League playoff run begins
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>PLAYOFFS</p> <p>This is it. This why you play the games. This is where men become legends. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/">Knicks</a>' path to the Las Vegas Summer League Championship begins tonight against James Nunnally and the rival <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.hothothoops.com/">Miami Heat</a>. The 15th-seeded Knicks tip off against the 18th-seeded Heat at 7 PM Vegas time (10 PM Eastern) in the Cox Pavilion. If they win, they'll play again at 7 PM on Thursday against the second-seeded <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Bulls</a>. If they lose, they'll face the loser of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Mavericks</a>-<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Clippers</a> game at 1 PM on Friday. Don't ask how these seedings and match-ups are determined. Just trust me and get EXTREMELY EXCITED. </p>
<p>Will Tim Hardaway Jr. return, or will he abandon his team at the season's most crucial juncture? Will Jerome Jordan step up as the veteran leader this inexperienced team needs? Who will coach the Knicks? Tune in at 10 to find out (on NBA TV for sure. On MSG...I think.). I'm so nervous.</p>
https://www.postingandtoasting.com/2013/7/17/4530880/the-knicks-summer-league-playoff-run-beginsSeth2013-07-15T18:57:06-04:002013-07-15T18:57:06-04:00SummerCats 84, Summerknicks 71
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Knicks fell to 1-2 in the Las Vegas Summer League regular season. :(</p> <p>The Summer<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/">Knicks</a> lost to the SummerCats. <span>Cody Zeller's</span> pretty excellent and Jeffery Taylor played splendidly as well. Let's talk about a few Knicks, shall we?</p>
<p>- <span>C.J. Leslie</span> stood out the most to me in this game, for reasons both positive and negative. He handled the ball a lot early, which hasn't consistently been a good look for him and probably wouldn't be the look in a real NBA setting. He produced off the dribble, though, with an early drive-and-kick to <span>Jeremy Tyler</span>, and a couple angled blow-bys toward the rim. He's got a quick first step, which, combined with his overall gangliness, makes him an easy target for fouls on the move. Leslie's just eminently trip-able. He also reliably followed his shot, dropping in a couple put-backs and keeping some caroms alive (Dylan pointed out that Leslie lands "dynamically" like <span>Carmelo Anthony</span> does, with knees bent so he can transition easily into a second jump). He did try to over-create a bit and, especially in the middle of the floor, got himself into trouble when driving with head down and no apparent plan in mind, often missing passing windows in the process. Anyway, Leslie projects to be more of an off-ball player if he makes it up, and he continued to do good things in that context, too. He knows how to fill lanes and make quick decisions once the ball arrives, both in transition and on the weak side of pick-and-roll stuff. His jumper, though, looks different every time. If Leslie's gonna stick around, he'll need some Hoplattention. Nice game, though.</p>
<p>- Toure Murry didn't see as many minutes or make as much of an impact today as he did yesterday, but had his moments. We saw the drives and finishes-- even with the left hand, though he clearly doesn't want to go that way. We saw savvy use of space and productive passes out of the pick-and-roll, if not needle-threading bounce-passes or anything. We saw the diligence to get over picks and the arm length to pick pockets when he got beat. He did get beat a bit too often, though, on silly, basic stuff like poor positioning and careless close-outs. Murry's jump shot doesn't look like a sure thing (though we've seen him pull up way more than we've seen him catch and shoot), but he does have a useful righty floater.</p>
<p>- Jeremy Tyler hurt his ankle and didn't get to show much, but I heard him say afterward (while limping) that he'll be okay.</p>
<p>- Terrence Jennings keeps blocking shots, which is nice, but the same arm-swinging instinct that earns him blocks gets him a ton of unnecessary foul calls (five in 20 minutes today). He did a nice job battling Zeller for rebounds, but got sealed and cooked a few times as well. Jennings was 5-9 from the field, but not, as I remember it, as deadly with that funky pick-and-pop jumper as he had been.</p>
<p>- J'Covan Brown played very well in 21 minutes. He was the only Knick to hit outside shots with in anything resembling a convincing fashion, and he just generally made quick, wise decisions with the ball, like timely outlet passes and swings around the perimeter and stuff. I suspect Brown's not big enough to get serious training camp consideration, but he managed to stand out today.</p>
<p>- <span>Jerome Jordan</span> looked pretty slow and pretty weak on defense. He too often compounded poor positioning with a flimsy challenge on the ball. Offensively, Big Rome just kept turning smooth post moves into missed shots. Unless I missed something, he made precisely one of his drop-steps out of the post into a basket.</p>
<p>With all the <span>Metta World Peace</span> excitement (post coming up with some media stuff from his impromptu Vegas introduction), I'd be lying if I said I noticed anything about the way Eloy Vargas (1-7 from the field, but 7 rebounds and a couple big blocks), Justin Brownlee (started, but I can't remember a single thing he did), Tony Mitchell, Liam McMorrow, or <span>Chris Smith</span> played. If they moved smartly off the ball or rotated well on defense or gave good high-fives or something, I didn't notice.</p>
<p>Up next: THE PLAYOFFS! Not sure when we'll find out the schedule/match-up stuff for the postseason, but I'll let you know when I know. <3</p>
https://www.postingandtoasting.com/2013/7/15/4525958/summer-league-recap-bobcats-84-knicks-71Seth