Another week of NBA action, another set of tidbits in the film room. As we think about what we’re thankful for this holiday season, I’m very thankful for Synergy, the video and statistical service that allows us to quickly and neatly dive into these tidbits. While this week has a heavy emphasis on offensive sets…
The Basketball Writers
The Basketball Writers
Tagged julius randle
Yeah, Let’s Just Blame David Fizdale for NY Knicks’ Endless Dysfunction
To absolutely no one’s surprise—outside of Madison Square Garden, anyway—the New York Knicks are a complete and total tire fire only 10 games into the 2019-20 season. After ruining Kristaps Porzingis’ #RevengeGame on Friday with a 106-102 win over the Dallas Mavericks, the Knicks returned home two days later only to get blown out by…
50 Important Predictions for the 2019-20 NBA Season: Part 2
If you didn’t read Part 1, do it now. We hit big trades for the Denver Nuggets, the optimal usage for the Los Angeles Lakers and some thoughts on the race for eighth in the Eastern Conference. So let’s keep this thing rolling and get bolder than before. 18. The Brooklyn Nets do not trade…
2019-20 NBA Season Preview: Atlantic Division
The 2019-20 NBA season is just around the corner. After an offseason chock-full of player movement, the title race appears as wide-open as it has been in years. Over the coming weeks, we will examine one big question hanging over each team heading into the season. We’ll start today with the Atlantic Division, where the…
How NY Knicks’ ‘Offseason of Plan B’ Could Work (or Backfire)
Give the New York Knicks credit: They appear to have learned from their “money-to-burn” debacle in 2016. However, that doesn’t mean their plan B this offseason is guaranteed to pay off. When the salary cap jumped an unprecedented $24 million in 2016, the Knicks quickly came to terms with Joakim Noah on a four-year, $72…
NBA Frontcourts of the Future: Julius Randle & Mitchell Robinson
“The NBA is a guard-oriented league.” Modernized spacing concepts lead to wider driving lanes, making it easier to be a guard than ever. Crunch time sets still revolve around isolations and ball screens where handlers that can make the reliable play are paramount. Teams are even beginning to downsize their rosters, playing more guards than…
Yes, NY Knicks’ Newcomers Can Fit the Rebuild
As you might have heard, the New York Knicks haven’t had a banner free agency campaign. They didn’t land any of the blue-ribbon players they coveted, and then they claimed they weren’t planning on offering Kevin Durant a max contract. New York subsequently settled on Julius Randle, Taj Gibson, Bobby Portis, Reggie Bullock, Wayne Ellington…
PODCAST: NBA Free Agency Preview, Part 2
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) catch up on the latest NBA free-agency rumors and predict where the top non-max free agents might land. How realistic is a Houston Rockets sign-and-trade for Jimmy Butler? Would the Boston Celtics be better off divvying up their cap space rather…
Plan B if Brooklyn Nets Don’t Land 2 Stars in Free Agency
A small number of NBA teams have a decent chance to land a megastar in free agency, and the Brooklyn Nets are one of them. They are reportedly the frontrunner to sign Kyrie Irving, and they’re also in the running for Kevin Durant. Yes, General Manager Sean Marks cleaned up the previous regime’s mess so…
Must the L.A. Lakers Be Destroyed?
Some great movies are made, and also ruined, by the plot twist. The script for the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2018-19 season had the hype necessary for fans to watch, care and enjoy a bag of buttery and heightened expectations with their ‘ great time out’ at Staples. The storyline was not only intriguing. It was…