Marcus Morris

This New York Knicks team is not who we thought they were

November 4, 2019 by Bob Konarski

New York Knicks, David Fizdale, Julius Randle

The New York Knicks have started the 2019-20 NBA season 1-6. There was a lot of optimism surrounding this squad at begin the season. They made moves to help them compete and continue developing their young talent this year.

However, fans were hopeful that those players, Julius Randle, Marcus Morris, etc., were going to help the Knicks compete. It’s even crazy to believe that some thought the Knicks could be a playoff team. Yes, myself included, believed that if the Knicks played to their potential they could sneak into the playoffs.

The new Knicks players did a lot of talking this off-season about being ‘dogs’ and ‘picking up their man for 94-feet’. Despite, all of that talk, they went back to being the same old Knicks.

The old Knicks get down on themselves way-too-easily. They take bad shots in crunch time, have careless fouls and passes and get dominated rebounding. A lot of that has to do with coaching.

Head coach David Fizdale is now coaching for his job. He mentioned after last night’s blowout to the Sacramento Kings that some players are “doing too much.” On the contrary, Fizdale is the one doing too much. He continues to have head-scratching coaching decisions that make fans want to pull their hair out.

Fizdale think players are “doing too much” because that is now how he coaches the New York Knicks. He created that culture around this team. They played together like a team for a few games then go back to isolation and one-on-one basketball.

He also has unnecessary substitutions in times that don’t require them. Case-in-point, the Orlando Magic game. Kevin Knox had the hot hand in the second half as the Knicks were back in the game. Fizdale decides to sub Morris in for Knox and basically lost the game. That was the tipping point already.

A coaching change could come soon. This Knicks team was suppose to be complete different and competitive, they are anything but that. These games have been unwatchable at points. Something needs to change already in this young 2019-20 season for the Knicks and it starts with the head coach.

New York Knicks: RJ Barrett is being used in an interesting way

October 29, 2019 by Alexander Wilson

While New York Knicks veteran free agent signing Bobby Portis lit up Monday night’s game against the Chicago Bulls, fluttering a trio of tres late in the fourth quarter to seal the win, rookie RJ Barrett also impressed.

Portis finished with 28 points on 10-14 shooting from the field and 4-4 from beyond the arch. His stellar performance fueled the Knicks to their first win of the season and a glorious one as they trailed by 18-points in the first quarter. The Knicks have started slow most games and fought their way back to blow it once more in the end, but that narrative changed on Monday, and they can now put the first one of the year behind them.

However, Barrett, who has been exciting over the first three games, continued his streak in game four of the regular season. His 13 points on 7-15 shooting from the field helped New York overcome a feisty Bulls team led by Chicago, but the exciting thing was how he orchestrated the team.

With veteran point guard Elfrid Payton leaving the game with a sore hamstring, Barrett took over as PG on offense and ran the team with confidence and poise. His five total assists and 15 rebounds saw him finish with a double-double. The Duke product has been nothing but impressive thus far in the season, and he could play a significant part in luring superstar free agents to the Knicks in the future.

Maybe, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving made a mistake after all. Barrett’s development will be the focus during the 2019-20 season, but the veterans already seem to mesh. Julius Randle and Marcus Morris seem to be building chemistry and increasing their shot selections.

The New York Knicks saw a significant positive against Chicago:

Four of the five Knicks starters earned double-digit point totals, which shows head coach David Fizdale is finally learning what combination of players works best. The only player that fell shy was Payton, who left in the second half. Portis, who played the most out of any bench player, earned the highest grade on the team with a +/- of +31.

New York Knicks: The silver lining that has all of us salivating

October 28, 2019 by Alexander Wilson

Over just three games, the New York Knicks have already shown us where their weaknesses lie, and ‘who’ their strengths tend to be throughout a game.

To start the year against the San Antonio Spurs, veteran point guard Elfrid Payton put on a defensive show with five steals, solidifying himself as the go-to starter for the Knicks. However, the player that has most impressed is none other than rookie, RJ Barrett.

The Duke product has averaged 21 points per game in three games, including 2.7 assists and five total assists. He has been active all over the court, showing his hustle and tenacity towards the rim. Nobody expected Barrett to start his first season with a bang, considering his struggles in the preseason.

Following the Knicks’ 118-95 loss to the Boston Celtics on Saturday night, head coach David Fizdale commented on Barrett’s 26 point (9-20 shooting), seven-rebound performance.

“He’s a stud, that’s the only way I can put it. He’s a stud,” Fizdale told reporters postgame.

The New York Knicks have a potential star in their presence:

The loss to Boston was the first time in his young career in which he led the team in scoring, and we can expect him to do that plenty more times this season. The positives are just bleeding from Barrett’s game — his shooting as been stellar, especially from downtown.

He’s knocking down .538 percent of three-point shots (4.3 attempts per game). Also, his field goal percentage is fantastic at .510. We can expect these numbers to crash down to reality eventually, but his hot start to the season provides optimism for a Knicks team that’s in dire need of a true superstar.

RJ’s priority this season is to develop and refine his abilities because he will play a significant part in convincing established superstars to bring their talents to the Big Apple. The organization didn’t have the effective lure this past offseason, leaving them with Julius Randle and Marcus Morris, two quality veterans, but not game-changing players.

Barrett’s influence will only continue to grow in size, and he’s aware the future lies on his shoulders. So far, so good, RJ.

The New York Knicks season began with an intriguing loss

October 24, 2019 by Bob Konarski

The New York Knicks kicked off their season in San Antonio last evening. The team supported their new statement uniforms on the road against the Spurs.

The game was interesting to say the least. The Knicks started the game with lackadaisical defense as the Spurs jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter. Their defense was sub-par as the Spurs were manhandling them on the glass for the entire game.

However, the Knicks were able to make things interesting going on multiple double-digit runs to get back into the game and take the lead. At one point, the Knicks were up 7 points in second half, having total control of the game.

But, as all Knicks fans know, that doesn’t last. The Spurs continued to dominate the boards and got to the basket seemingly at will. Their shooting was something else as well, as it seemed like every big shot went in.

Despite the awful rebounding, help defense and careless fouls and passes, the Knicks played better then expected. The refs were not on the Knicks side, they never are. The fouls were 32-12 in favor of the Knicks. Horrendous.

Point guard situation

RJ Barrett and Allonzo Trier was the starting back-court with Barrett running point. He is not a true point guard, but coach David Fizdale had enough confidence in him to be the guy. This comes after Fizdale saying that none of the three true point guards on the roster earned the starting spot.

After an initial rocky start, the offense got grooving. Everyone was pushing the ball up the floor and it was paying dividends. Elfrid Payton helped greatly. Payton had a very strong showing running the offense when Trier when out. He ran the offense well and was able to push the tempo and his teammates followed. Payton’s performance, despite his fouling, made him the clear favorite for the starting point guard job.

Dennis Smith Jr. and Frank Ntilikina did not make things easier on themselves trying to get that job. Smith Jr. couldn’t contain Dejounte Murray or Bryn Forbes, as they ran circles around the rusty Smith Jr. His shot still needs loads of work. Ntilikina had careless passes which led to easy Spur baskets in big situations.

Despite the negatives, the New York Knicks play was captivating. Barrett, Julius Randle and Marcus Morris stole the show. Those three provided the Knicks with big time offense when needed. Kevin Knox, too, had huge back-to-back threes for the Knicks. Even though it’s only one game, his shot looks stronger then last season.

Randle, Barrett, Payton and Morris sparked the team to have a lot of energy and cohesiveness. The teams defense was ‘tenacious’ as Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier would say. They got steals when needed, leading to fast breaks led by Barrett and Payton. The rebounding was atrocious but they can work on that. Getting Mitchell Robinson will be a big boost.

However, the Knicks had a decent showing. A lot of positives and negatives but the Knicks played hard and like a team. It’s an encouraging start for this young squad.

The New York Knicks 2019-20 season preview and prediction

October 23, 2019 by Bob Konarski

The 2019-20 New York Knicks season is finally here. It has been one roller coaster of a summer. The Knicks were suppose to be the big winner this off-season in free agency and we all know how that played out.

The Knicks did make moves to get the right players for this team. They’ve added the likes of Julius Randle, Marcus Morris, Bobby Portis, Wayne Ellington and Elfrid Payton. GM Scott Perry thinks they added to correct players for what the Knicks are trying to accomplish.

The New York Knicks will be battling up-hill all season long. No one is expecting much out of them this season. Las Vegas has put the Knicks season win total at 27.5. The main goal for this season is to continue developing their young core. This consists of RJ Barrett, Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson and Dennis Smith Jr.

However, that is not going to be the overall goal for this team. Morris, Portis, Ellington and Payton are on the record talking about their “dog” mentality. That mentality was present for the first preseason game then absent for the following games. Maybe that is going to change once the season begins? Because the Knicks are looking to “shock people.” They got to back up all their talk from this summer, that’s maybe the biggest thing of all.

If the Knicks do play to their potential, as a team, they are capable of winning at least 30 games. The playoffs is a gigantic stretch this season. Anything over 30 wins will be considered a win of a season for the Knicks.

The Knicks also still don’t have a official starting point guard, it’s expected for be announced today. It’s between Smith Jr. Payton and Ntilikina. It appears it’s leaning towards Smith Jr. but he isn’t 100% healthy to begin the season. Not the smartest move throwing him out there.

Coach David Fizdale also mentioned that he will be going with a 10-man rotation. It makes sense to do that once the season gets rolling but not right off the bat. The Knicks talked about having one of the deepest benches in the league. Why would you not rotate everyone and see what works the best? Some of Fizdale’s decisions are questionable.

The Knicks will be better then what they were last year. They just can’t play down to opponents or get down on themselves. Fans already got a glimpse of that in the game against the Washington Wizards at the Garden. The Knicks didn’t starting really playing hard until the fourth quarter was nearly over. All we can say was it was preseason but that look like the old Knicks.

The season should be different and better than last season. The Knicks have to play as a team and grow together. Fizdale needs to coach to his strengths and have an offensive scheme if they want to make any progress this season. Our prediction for the New York Knicks, 31-51.

This New York Knicks team has an up-and-down attitude to them

October 18, 2019 by Bob Konarski

As fans know, the newest member of the New York Knicks said, “we ain’t taking no sh*t.” Marcus Morris is trying to be the ring leader in bringing the toughness back to the Garden.

Morris has a gritty, hard-nose, no non-sense mentality. It appeared in the first preseason game, where he was ejected at the start of the 3rd quarter. Morris made it very clear that the Knicks ain’t playing.

Kevin Durant came out and criticized the Knicks for not being cool and they responded. Typically, the Knicks might not have said anything. This new attitude they have is appealing. The fans can thank Morris.

Morris’ type of attitude might be contagious to other players on the team.

Julius Randle spoke to reporters about Durant’s comments and the expectations for the Knicks this season. Morris’ attitude could be rubbing off on Randle. He said he “doesn’t care” about expectations and that people have been talking about him for all of his six-year career. The “I don’t care” attitude could translate to the court with their aggressive play on both sides of the ball.

How Randle spoke to reporters had a Morris vibe to it. Lets not forget, the two spoke together at media day.

Bobby Portis, has had his fair share of attitude problems in the league. He has gotten into it with teammates and doesn’t back down to anyone on the court. Portis, along with Morris, just has that demeanor about them where you don’t want to cross them. This is something that the Knicks have been lacking on the court.

This New York Knicks team will not be backing down from any opponent this season. They have an air about them where they really aren’t doing to take any sh*t from anyone, except the Atlanta Hawks.

The Knicks also have an attitude of not been fully into to the game. That was apparent with their play against the Hawks on Wednesday. Let’s hope that it this team isn’t energetic one game then out-of-it the next. It seems like it could be that way. A lot of “dog” talk, no bites just plenty of barking.

The New York Knicks got bullied by the Atlanta Hawks

October 17, 2019 by Bob Konarski

There’s been plenty of speculation if the New York Knicks team can make the playoffs this season. After last night’s performance, it is clear that they are not even close.

The Knicks were playing careless, lackadaisical basketball up until the middle of the fourth quarter. It was an exciting ending but the Knicks fell short to the Atlanta Hawks 100-96.

Dennis Smith Jr. played is first game of the preseason, but he didn’t look healthy at all. Smith Jr. has been dealing with lower back injury for weeks. He looked sluggish to begin the game with two quick fouls, lackluster defense and an iffy improved shot. He was chasing around Trae Young more then anything. Smith Jr. should rest that back until he’s actually 100% because he was far from that.

The other point guard battling for time, Frank Ntilikina, played well defensively. He was able to shut down Young in the second half with his 7-foot-wide wingspan. Offensively, he struggled and didn’t appeared confident in his shot after missing a few. Ntilikina made two big plays down the stretch to get the Knicks in striking distance, but it wasn’t enough.

The point guard will be interesting as both guards didn’t separate themselves from one another last night. Elfrid Payton did not play last night per Coach David Fizdale’s decision. He is still in the mix for time as well.

RJ Barrett, Julius Randle and Marcus Morris were the main stand outs for the Knicks. Barrett continues to improve in some aspect every game. Barrett even ran point and the offensive appeared to have more pep in its step when he did. He was able to push the ball up the floor and had the offense in a good rhythm.

With the point guard position is total question, fans wouldn’t be surprised if Fizdale went more with Barrett at point and Ntilikina over Smith Jr. while his back heals. Both can split time running point.

Randle continued his solid preseason. He hasn’t blown fans out of the water with his play, but it’s there. Randle can do a little bit of everything and is very aggressive driving and having the ball in the low-post, which is great for the Knicks. Morris continues to make scoring look effortless for the Knicks, but he seemed off energy wise last night as well.

Kevin Knox also played well coming off the bench last night. He shoot it well and had good court vision in transition. Last season, he would have drove into multiple defenders. Last night, he was able to do that but finally find the open man. Good progress so far for Knox.

Despite the few positives, there was plenty more negatives. The Knicks boxing out was the most frustrating. They were not getting a man and the Hawks had a field day on the offensive glass, 16 offensive rebounds. Also, the Knicks, and even the fans, were out of it last night. There was a lack of enthusiasm and energy from both. The Knicks bench didn’t seem like they were in the game either. It’s the preseason we know, but still.

The Hawks dominated the Knicks in all aspects of the game last evening. Literally every aspect, field goal and 3-point percentage, assists, all rebounds, turnovers, fast break points and points off turnovers, etc. Stats don’t mean much in this preseason game as it was tough to watch for the Knicks. These dogs that were suppose to do the bullying looked like a bunch of poodles last night.

New York Knicks: Will Marcus Morris hurt or help Kevin Knox?

October 16, 2019 by Alexander Wilson

The New York Knicks went on a spending spree this offseason, diving into the deep end of a talented second-tier of free agents after not being “cool” enough to appeal to the likes of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

Brooklyn is the hip part of New York City now, or instead, their front-office is just capable. The Knicks have struggled in recent years, there’s no question bout that, but are looking to turn a new leaf with their signings. Julius Randle and Marcus Morris headline the group of misfit toys, but some might say the veterans will only hurt the development of the Knicks’ youth.

I say the Knicks are trying to win, if not for the fans, then for the sake of head coach David Fizdale’s job. Ultimately, injecting competition into a group of young players is a positive thing. These players are built to respond to adversity and change, which is why they’re now featuring at the NBA level.

New York Knicks: Is Marcus Morris helping Kevin Knox or hurting him?

Knox, who had a historically bad rookie season, averaged 12.8 points, 1.1 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game on his way to a 17-win campaign in 2018. He’s looking to elevate his game and increase his production in the form of scoring, and his bulkiness might indicate and improvement. One of the biggest hurdles for any young player his size and strength, two things Knox lacked in his first professional season.

This year, he has more muscle mass, which will give him the confidence to attack the rim with the more gusto. However, his playing time could be sliced in half by Marcus Morris, a player no a one-year deal with the Knicks.

After being asked about the reality of coming off the bench, Knox stated:

“I just got to bring that spark off the bench if that happens,” Knox said after the Knicks’ practice on Monday. “Come off, bring energy — those championship teams, that second team is always really good. You’ve got players that go out there, bring energy, keep the level up.”

Knox hauled in seven rebounds and 12 points against the Washington Wizards in the Knicks’ first preseason game of the season – a win. He missed the next game in which they lost due to a strained right calf. Being healthy is the priority for Knox if he wishes to see regular action, but he is embracing the fact that he may have to come off the bench in a less than ideal role. That’s part of growing, though, and it will help him find his groove going up against a far more savvy veteran.

New York Knicks played a lot worse in preseason home opener

October 14, 2019 by Bob Konarski

The New York Knicks were back in the Garden for the first time since April. The Knicks hosted the Washington Wizards in a home-and-home series to open the preseason.

There were only a few bright spots in this game as the score shouldn’t indicate that it was close. The Knicks fell to the Wizards 115-99.

Marcus Morris was in uniform and avoided suspension from the opener. He set the tone for this Knicks team after one preseason game.

Morris had another strong outing with 21 points, 6 boards and no ejections. He opened the game with 10 points in the first quarter. Morris shot the ball very well throughout his 31 minutes, 8-13 from the field and 3-7 beyond the arc. His shot looks likes it’s in mid-season form already. Morris is looking comfortable in the blue and orange already.

RJ Barrett lead the team with 35 minutes played. He added 15 points on 6-15 shooting and 7 rebounds. He’s being aggressive and not afraid to take his shot. This is what coach David Fizdale likes in Barrett, as he has earned the starting two spot, for now.

Allonzo Trier had a strong outing with 14 points in only 17 minutes played. Trier seems to be the odd man out in the back court. He didn’t get a lot of playing time in the opener at Washington either. However, when Trier enters the game, he makes the most of his time and provides instant offense for the Knicks. He’ll have to earn more time on this team.

Julius Randle did not have as strong an outing as he did in the opener. Randle had 14 points on 50% shooting from the floor and 8 boards.

Mitchell Robinson and Elfrid Payton both played very poorly.

Payton went scoreless on 0-9 shooting from the floor. He was pretty much invisible except for bringing the ball up. Payton appears to be a player that won’t hurt the team, but doesn’t move the needle either. Any momentum that he might have had in trying to earn he starting point guard spot took a few steps back.

Robinson was back to his rookie form. He was committing dumb, lazy fouls. At one point, Robinson had 4 fouls in 9 minutes. At one point, he bumped into someone shooting a three for his 5th foul, that sums up his performance.

The Wizards spoiled the Knicks preseason home debut. They went on big runs and the Knicks had no response. There was no ‘bully season’ this game as the New York Knicks were the ones getting bullied.

New York Knicks need to remember where they are in rebuild

October 14, 2019 by Alexander Wilson

The New York Knicks seem to be shifting away from a youth mindset and towards a veteran experience one. So far during the preseason, the starting team has featured predominantly veterans, which isn’t a negative thing considering the increased potential of success.

Free agents Julius Randle and Marcus Morris have been influential so far, showing their efficiency on offense but the ability to play defense as well.

However, head coach David Fizdale must remain consistent and prioritize the younger players on the roster that are in dire need of experience and will be the future of the franchise. He has done an excellent job so far, getting RJ Barrett playing time and ensuring he adapts to the NBA level quickly. Only live game experience can help him in that facet, and he shouldn’t take his foot off the gas in regards to playing him alongside the veterans.

Through two games, Barrett has looked good at times and bad at others. That’s only natural for a rookie looking to leave his mark.

The first-round pick added 15 points on 6–for-15 shooting in his home debut during the preseason. Despite the loss, the team is developing chemistry and learning how to play with one another, which is the entire purpose of the preseason and will be beneficial moving forward.

The New York Knicks need coach Fizdale to create a positive culture:

The mentality and ideology Fizdale has appropriated to the team has been a good one. He has been preaching a team-first approach with this season’s roster and losing Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving to the Brooklyn Nets certainly hurt the team’s appeal. Randle, the former New Orleans Pelicans, has been a fantastic addition so far, and his positivity was a welcomed trait.

Randle’s experience should help the Knicks weather more storms during the 2019-20 season. The issue in 2018 was the Knicks’ lack of ability to respond when opposing teams got hot. That is what happened against the Wizards on Friday night.

“After eight minutes, we just kind of relaxed, let our guard down,” Randle said. “That’s the NBA. They started hitting a bunch of threes and feeling good about themselves. They went on a run and we didn’t respond.”

Overall, the veterans will have an impact, especially in regards to helping the younger players, but the Knicks must give opportunities to their youth, as they represent the future.