Recapping Three Games in Four Days (Raptors x2, Pacers)
Interesting weekend, especially coming after the trade announcements that added two potentially influential pieces for the playoff run in the remaining 29 games. Not only that, but the Knicks played two teams that, while theoretically competitors for a playoff spot, have been wracked by injury and issues of team cohesion, so it seemed like a good opportunity to break in the new players against beatable teams.
Nevertheless, we're also talking a part of the NBA season when players can be dragging quite a bit, especially when confronted with a home and home series like the Friday night-Sunday noon series with the Raptors. When I first saw this on the schedule, I thought "well, at least it's not a straight back to back", but having 36 hours and having to play on the road at noon on Sunday didn't seem to be much of a bonus for the Knicks.
Knicks, Raptors Split
The weekend back to back provided an abundance of riches for both teams, considering the Knicks had a highlight-filled rout on Friday night (127-97 win, 32 for Wil Chandler, 26 for Nate Robinson), and the Raptors returned the favor with a very energetic 111-100 win on Sunday (28 points, 10 rebounds for Bargnani, including several clutch baskets and defensive plays).
Neither team got what it wanted (a sweep to gain some games in the race for the final playoff spot), but under the circumstances the end result was what you would expect. The Knick rout came a bit too easily (the Raptors seemed to stop playing altogether in the second quarter), and the Raptors, as disappointing as they've been all season, found plenty of motivation from the beatdown they received to come back and give the Knicks a good dose of their own medicine. They attacked consistently in transition, and took advantage of the first appearances of Wilcox and Hughes and some of the inevitable awkwardness that accompanies the introduction of new players. Some of the new lineups were unsettling (in particular, a Chandler-Richardson-Hughes-Wilcox-Robinson lineup), and they gave up big runs to the Raptors in the second and third quarters.
Even with the Raptors' renewed energy in the second game, the Knicks still could have taken it if they had anything like their usual energy, but just about everyone except for Harrington was below par for stretches -- Duhon had six turnovers, Nate did not wake up until midway through the third quarter, and even Lee shot 6 for 15 and missed some easy shots. Chandler followed his 32 points on Friday with 2 points on 1-6 shooting. As good as Al was (one of his best performances of the season with 31 points, 72% TS), he couldn't do it on his own.
(Weirdest motivational pre-game speech: a Raptor announcer highlighted the need for the Raps to "stop talking about winning", and then said "everyone wants to go to heaven, but few are willing to die to get there". It was meant to be exhortative, but delivered as it was with a certain Canadian reserve, it was very weird)
Pacers: More Questions than Answers
Which then brings us to the "real" back to back portion of the weekend, the game against the Pacers on Monday night at the Garden following the game in Toronto. I'd guess that if you had to make 3 games in four days as unsettling as you could for NBA players (short of giving them less than 24 hours of rest, or making all the games morning games), this might be the way you do it. Of course, the Knicks couldn't complain too much with two of the games at home, but it was hard to tell where the Pacers and Knicks were playing on Monday night with the comical way they were bricking everything in the first half...at one point, they were a combined 20 for 71 and 2 for 21 from three. And we're talking UGLY misses that either missed the rim totally or threatened to shatter the rim or backboard.
As Mike Breen and Clyde pointed out, the Pacers could be forgiven their ineptitude given the absence of their 3 leading scorers. But what was the Knicks' excuse, apart from some mental fatigue and the continued adjustment of the new guys? This game continued the disturbing trend from the Raptor game of being very lax on defense, in particular transition defense and getting over screens. In fact, looking at the defense closely, Larry Hughes probably acquitted himself better than any other player -- he was the most effective defender on Marquis Daniels (who had 28 points and victimized Wilson Chandler the most) and used his hands well on most Pacer penetration. Otherwise, the Knicks really struggled with getting over the screens set by Murphy and Foster up top which freed Daniels, Jack and Rush for either outside jumpers or drives into the lane.
What saved the Knicks was Nate Robinson, who (Sunday aside) continued a month of great play by taking over the game midway through the third quarter, and turned a snoozer into an exciting game. Nate's scoring explosion in the second half also continued another interesting trend over the last five games -- the complete domination of the offense by Nate (and concomitantly, the relegation of Duhon to a secondary option) in the fourth quarter...most of the plays run against the Pacers were essentially isolations off of high screens that freed Nate to drive or dish off to the perimeter.
You can't beat 41 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, a game winning steal and bucket, and multiple fist bumps to Will Ferrell for excitement at the Garden, and watching Nate dominate has been thrilling. Nonetheless, there's been a slight but notable decline in the play of Duhon and Lee as Nate has taken over. Nate shouldn't be blamed for this, but I do have questions. Duhon had his second straight six turnover game and several of his passes from his typical penetration into the key lacked any zip. Breen and Clyde speculated his ankle might still be an issue, given he played 46 minutes against the Spurs after the All-Star break and seemed to favor the ankle late in the game, but nothing has been said about any health issues.
At any rate, it's hard to complain about winning two out of three, but it was not a weekend with high style points, especially if you factor in Toronto's effort on Friday. The Knicks remain eight games under .500, and it's going to take a greater level of defensive effort and offensive balance to make up ground for the final playoff spot.
Nevertheless, we're also talking a part of the NBA season when players can be dragging quite a bit, especially when confronted with a home and home series like the Friday night-Sunday noon series with the Raptors. When I first saw this on the schedule, I thought "well, at least it's not a straight back to back", but having 36 hours and having to play on the road at noon on Sunday didn't seem to be much of a bonus for the Knicks.
Knicks, Raptors Split
The weekend back to back provided an abundance of riches for both teams, considering the Knicks had a highlight-filled rout on Friday night (127-97 win, 32 for Wil Chandler, 26 for Nate Robinson), and the Raptors returned the favor with a very energetic 111-100 win on Sunday (28 points, 10 rebounds for Bargnani, including several clutch baskets and defensive plays).
Neither team got what it wanted (a sweep to gain some games in the race for the final playoff spot), but under the circumstances the end result was what you would expect. The Knick rout came a bit too easily (the Raptors seemed to stop playing altogether in the second quarter), and the Raptors, as disappointing as they've been all season, found plenty of motivation from the beatdown they received to come back and give the Knicks a good dose of their own medicine. They attacked consistently in transition, and took advantage of the first appearances of Wilcox and Hughes and some of the inevitable awkwardness that accompanies the introduction of new players. Some of the new lineups were unsettling (in particular, a Chandler-Richardson-Hughes-Wilcox-Robinson lineup), and they gave up big runs to the Raptors in the second and third quarters.
Even with the Raptors' renewed energy in the second game, the Knicks still could have taken it if they had anything like their usual energy, but just about everyone except for Harrington was below par for stretches -- Duhon had six turnovers, Nate did not wake up until midway through the third quarter, and even Lee shot 6 for 15 and missed some easy shots. Chandler followed his 32 points on Friday with 2 points on 1-6 shooting. As good as Al was (one of his best performances of the season with 31 points, 72% TS), he couldn't do it on his own.
(Weirdest motivational pre-game speech: a Raptor announcer highlighted the need for the Raps to "stop talking about winning", and then said "everyone wants to go to heaven, but few are willing to die to get there". It was meant to be exhortative, but delivered as it was with a certain Canadian reserve, it was very weird)
Pacers: More Questions than Answers
Which then brings us to the "real" back to back portion of the weekend, the game against the Pacers on Monday night at the Garden following the game in Toronto. I'd guess that if you had to make 3 games in four days as unsettling as you could for NBA players (short of giving them less than 24 hours of rest, or making all the games morning games), this might be the way you do it. Of course, the Knicks couldn't complain too much with two of the games at home, but it was hard to tell where the Pacers and Knicks were playing on Monday night with the comical way they were bricking everything in the first half...at one point, they were a combined 20 for 71 and 2 for 21 from three. And we're talking UGLY misses that either missed the rim totally or threatened to shatter the rim or backboard.
As Mike Breen and Clyde pointed out, the Pacers could be forgiven their ineptitude given the absence of their 3 leading scorers. But what was the Knicks' excuse, apart from some mental fatigue and the continued adjustment of the new guys? This game continued the disturbing trend from the Raptor game of being very lax on defense, in particular transition defense and getting over screens. In fact, looking at the defense closely, Larry Hughes probably acquitted himself better than any other player -- he was the most effective defender on Marquis Daniels (who had 28 points and victimized Wilson Chandler the most) and used his hands well on most Pacer penetration. Otherwise, the Knicks really struggled with getting over the screens set by Murphy and Foster up top which freed Daniels, Jack and Rush for either outside jumpers or drives into the lane.
What saved the Knicks was Nate Robinson, who (Sunday aside) continued a month of great play by taking over the game midway through the third quarter, and turned a snoozer into an exciting game. Nate's scoring explosion in the second half also continued another interesting trend over the last five games -- the complete domination of the offense by Nate (and concomitantly, the relegation of Duhon to a secondary option) in the fourth quarter...most of the plays run against the Pacers were essentially isolations off of high screens that freed Nate to drive or dish off to the perimeter.
You can't beat 41 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, a game winning steal and bucket, and multiple fist bumps to Will Ferrell for excitement at the Garden, and watching Nate dominate has been thrilling. Nonetheless, there's been a slight but notable decline in the play of Duhon and Lee as Nate has taken over. Nate shouldn't be blamed for this, but I do have questions. Duhon had his second straight six turnover game and several of his passes from his typical penetration into the key lacked any zip. Breen and Clyde speculated his ankle might still be an issue, given he played 46 minutes against the Spurs after the All-Star break and seemed to favor the ankle late in the game, but nothing has been said about any health issues.
At any rate, it's hard to complain about winning two out of three, but it was not a weekend with high style points, especially if you factor in Toronto's effort on Friday. The Knicks remain eight games under .500, and it's going to take a greater level of defensive effort and offensive balance to make up ground for the final playoff spot.
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