The Knicks in 4 or 5 take are hilariously disrespectful.
Both teams got beat by the Pacers last year in the same fashion. They were within 1 game of each other in the standings this season. And the only time the Knicks even played against the Harden-edition of these Cavs, they lost by 15.
Have some respect.
Cavs match up so much better with the Knicks than the raptors and pistons and you have to be blind to not see this. If you think it’s “Knicks in 5” you don’t know shit about basketball
Knicks the rightful favorite and Game 1 could get ugly with the rest disparity. The fact that the Knicks shooting has been historic levels over the last couple of weeks, there is a world where they hit a cold streak too and the Cavs can steal a game or two in NY just from shooting variance. Only one other tm than NY has shot 50% from the field in at least 6 straight (02 Suns) playoff games over the last 20 playoffs and their 56% FG% over the last five games is the single highest 5 game playoff shooting streak since the 85 Lakers. +10% net 3pt advantage this playoffs as well.
Sam Merrill credits the way Dan Gilbert takes care of the whole organization, including the families, as a big reason why he re-signed in Cleveland this summer.
"From top to bottom, it's a first-class organization."
I’m gonna say it… The Knicks are a great matchup for Cleveland.
Brunson is going to be brought into every action and have to defend Harden/Mitchell
They don’t have an Ausar/Scottie Barnes level defender for Mitchell if they want to keep OG on Mobley
Dean Wade has given Brunson hell defensively
Having Mobley roaming when KAT brings the center out and tries to facilitate will limit those sets.
Knicks only chance is magnet ball.
This is Duren's real problem in this series.
Two at the level on Cade, his first read is always to Duren.
Mobley tags the roller, and that's an elite tag defender (DPOY). Ausar's man rotates to cut off the corner. Ausar is left open but can't space.
They need to set the pick higher up the floor and let Duren hit the corner on the short roll when Mobley comes over to tag OR build in a sequence for Duren to hit Ausar on a cut.
You can say "Duren just needs to go up strong and finish!" but like, that's Evan Mobley. his chances are not great. Also, Duren is a mechanism guy. He's played All-NBA FOR HIS ROLE.
I will never understand how in basketball someone is allowed to pull all their body weight into you initiate the bump and some how it’s a foul on the defender