The 2022 New York Knicks: Kemba Comes Home

[Hassan Darkside]

Re: The 2022 New York Knicks: Kemba Comes Home

I know we talked about the stubborness of Thibs but I was actually glad that he was forced to start Mitch and play Obi and Randle together because I don't see him doing that any other way. Hopefully we get more of this.

Defensively, we definitely need some work but there were some really good individual defensive possessions by RJ and Fournier.

It's also nice to be able to have other guys create offense besides Randle and Rose.

[Jeffx]

Re: The 2022 New York Knicks: Kemba Comes Home

I know we talked about the stubborness of Thibs but I was actually glad that he was forced to start Mitch and play Obi and Randle together because I don't see him doing that any other way. Hopefully we get more of this.

Defensively, we definitely need some work but there were some really good individual defensive possessions by RJ and Fournier.

It's also nice to be able to have other guys create offense besides Randle and Rose.

After the s***-show we've had at coach for the past few years, I'll put up with Thibs' stubborness long as they play smart, winning basketball.

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: The 2022 New York Knicks: Kemba Comes Home

I don't think stubbornness and meaningful winning go together.

Chris Herring's book on the 90's Knicks comes out on January 14, should be good.

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: The 2022 New York Knicks: Kemba Comes Home

O Captain My Captain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGwFZqQ_Gns

Love seeing the way he handles the playoff struggles, puts it on himself and just wants to prove everyone wrong.

[bigeastbumrush]

Re: The 2022 New York Knicks: Kemba Comes Home

It’s early in the season but…RJ is pissing me off.

[Hassan Darkside]

Re: The 2022 New York Knicks: Kemba Comes Home

It’s early in the season but…RJ is pissing me off.

What I thought my happen to him is what's happening to him, and that's him struggling with going from the 2nd option to becoming the 4th option on offense. His usage rate his rookie year was 24%, last year 23.4%, this year it's down to 18.2 which is 9th on the team through 4 games.

He's an underrated passer, but not that great of a ballhandler and I've never understood why other Knicks fans gush over his ballhandling ability.

It's probably too early to freak out and he's due for a 20+ point game that will make us all relax a little bit, but I'm wondering how much playing with other high usage players is limiting him.

It's possible he's on that Oladipo development path, where he's a solid young player but doesn't really break out until year 4 or 5. But I don't know if, like Oladipo, he'll be breaking out for another team.

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: The 2022 New York Knicks: Kemba Comes Home

It’s frustrating to watch because he worked on his shot and that paid off, but you can clearly see the times where he gets the ball, wants to take it off the dribble, and just doesn’t have the moves to shake the guy in front of him so he either gets tangled up and has to pass it out or gets tangled up and throws up a prayer.

Optimistically, he’s just trying to keep his value low so we don’t have any restricted free agency competition. But really, I’m not sure if he’ll have the ball enough to really break out unless they stagger him with the bench.

[bigeastbumrush]

Re: The 2022 New York Knicks: Kemba Comes Home

Extend Mitch.

Guy goes down with a potential season-ending injury every single game. But just extend him now while you can get him for cheap and don’t have to bid against anyone else.

[ehh]

Re: The 2022 New York Knicks: Kemba Comes Home

Nearly blew that one but take the W and move on.

I know Kemba and Fournier aren't great, but damn they are such a massive improvement over Elfrid and Bullock.

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: The 2022 New York Knicks: Kemba Comes Home

I’m pretty big on Fournier so far. He gets a ton of open 3s and makes them and has just enough handle to add some razzle dazzle when the guy closes out on him. Kemba, I’m not sure yet. I like his pull up 3 potential but I wish he could take more of the offensive load like D Rose does so we didn’t have to run the Randle iso quite so much.

On Randle, I like the vision he has when he gets double teamed most of the time but I feel like I need him to get better at anticipating the play, on both ends. There’s times where the double is coming from a mile away but he doesn’t react until he has to pick up his dribble and make a cross court jump pass, and that lack of foresight bleeds into him not always being where we need him to be as far as help defense. Small things, but I think it would help us out a lot, especially when Mitch isn’t on the floor.

[ehh]

Re: The 2022 New York Knicks: Kemba Comes Home

Extend Mitch.

Guy goes down with a potential season-ending injury every single game. But just extend him now while you can get him for cheap and don’t have to bid against anyone else.

He is made of glass but tough to blame him for that one; that's all on Nike.

[ehh]

Re: The 2022 New York Knicks: Kemba Comes Home

On Randle, I like the vision he has when he gets double teamed most of the time but I feel like I need him to get better at anticipating the play, on both ends. There’s times where the double is coming from a mile away but he doesn’t react until he has to pick up his dribble and make a cross court jump pass, and that lack of foresight bleeds into him not always being where we need him to be as far as help defense. Small things, but I think it would help us out a lot, especially when Mitch isn’t on the floor.

Yes. He's improved in these areas but he doesn't have a natural feel for the game or great instincts. He still reverts back to forcing things or playing bullyball or missing easy reads because he's in such a rush or playing with tunnel vision. Last night was frustrating to watch.

[bigeastbumrush]

Re: The 2022 New York Knicks: Kemba Comes Home

He is made of glass but tough to blame him for that one; that's all on Nike.

It’s like todays NBA players are more concerned with aesthetics than actual injury protection.

I need my bigs suited up with knee pads, ankle protectors and calve sleeves.

I literally cringe every game I watch when I look at RJ’s legs. Protect those knees.

[Jeffx]

Re: The 2022 New York Knicks: Kemba Comes Home

Clyde not holding back on Zion, lol. Did the Knicks dodge a bullet?

https://fadeawayworld.net/nba-media/...hat-weight-off

[Hassan Darkside]

Re: The 2022 New York Knicks: Kemba Comes Home

RJ must have been reading this thread.

Definitely the best game he's played, filling up the whole stat sheet efficiently. He's all of a sudden pretty much back at last year's averages.