N.Y. Knicks: Game Three Exposed Coach Thibodeau's Dilemma at the Point

From the desk: KICKING CANS DOWN 33RD STREET WITH JIMMY

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

PLAYOFFS: ROUND ONE

GAME FOUR
Knicks

vs.

Celtics

A Rose By Any Other Role Is Still Not a Rose

And herein, we see Coach Thibodeau's dilemma...

If you start Derrick Rose, the bench has no real sustenance.  With Rose in the starting role, the bench contributed 40 points (or 42.5% of the Knicks scoring).  Nerlens Noel led a four-man effort with twelve points and eight rebounds in 22 minutes.  Alec Burks led with 23 minutes.  Otherwise, Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quickly contributed four points each in 13 and 15 minutes, respectively.

Derrick Rose led the floor with a game-high 30 points and five assists and tied for game-high with 39 minutes.  That's not optimal utilization of Derrick Rose.  He led all players with a minus-16, which is contrary to when he plays off the bench and usually leads the team in plus/minus.  This being said, Elfrid Payton did not play.  Coach Thibodeau would love it if Elfrid Payton of Dec-Feb can find his way back onto the floor.  Game Three proved beyond a doubt the Knicks need this.

In his first post-season, Julius Randle continues to struggle.  After averaging 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and a league-high 37.6 minutes during the regular season, Julius averaged just 14.6 points in 35.6 minutes through three games against the Hawks.

The Knicks lost by eleven and were held under 100 points for the first time since their May 11th overtime loss against the Lakers.  RJ Barrett is averaging just 13.6 points per game, and in Game Three was limited to just seven points.  In May, Barrett eclipsed twenty points in a game four times while averaging 17.1 points over the final nine regular-season games.

Scoring just 13 points and getting outscored by 16 points in the second quarter proved devastating.  The difference in the final score speaks for itself.  Atlanta also penetrated and exposed the Knicks' interior, outscoring New York 44-30 in the paint.

There's an argument that the Knicks could and should be up 2-1 in this series.  Game Four will go a long way towards supporting that theory or not.

N.Y. Knicks: This Season Was Brought To You By The Letter "F"

From the desk: KICKING CANS DOWN 33RD STREET WITH JIMMY

((((( ( (FORTY)))))))

SUNDAY

BOSTON CELTICS

vs.

NEW YORK KNICKS

FROM

Eighth Ave Gym

No one, media, fans, or otherwise, predicted this season's regular-season win total would start with the letter F.  But the Eighth Avenue crew blew right through the letter T with continued winning through the teens, the twenties, and thirties.  

Holy F, what an accomplishment!

Moreover, no one could have imagined chanting M-V-P this season for one of their own.  But that's just what happened.  Under the tutelage of Coach Thibodeau, Julius Randle has become one of the premier stars of the league.

Against Charlotte on Saturday, Julius Randle led the floor with 33 points in 46 minutes.  It's the 15th time this season he's eclipsed 30 points in a game, and along with ten rebounds and a game-high 13 assists, Julius notches his sixth triple-double this season.

Reggie Bullock was next in with 17 points in 40 minutes.  Led by Derrick Rose's 15 points, the bench accounted for 44 points or 37.2% of the Knicks scoring.  Immanuel Quickly led the Knicks with a +18 and 13 points in 24 minutes.

On Sunday. the tentatively fourth-ranked Knicks end the season against the number seven Boston Celtics.  Today's games will greatly impact the final standings for the Knicks, the number five Hawks, and the number six Miami Heat.

POSTGAME

Celtics   92

Knicks   96

FINAL

The Knicks take the season series Celtics, three games to two, and lock up the fourth spot in the conference.  They wrap up the season on a three-game win streak and finish with a 41-31 (.569) record.  Their +2.4 point differential is fourth in the conference.  Julius Randle finishes an incredible season with 20 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists in 37 minutes.  For the season, he averages 24.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, and six assists, in an NBA high 37.56 minutes per game.

RJ Barrett led the Knicks with 22 points in 33 minutes.  It was the 33rd time this season he scored 20-points or more.  Last season he accomplished the feat 15 times.