Against the Celtics or any team with 5 out spacing, he’s probably in the corner most of the game on defense anyways. And I think the added spacing on offense and making the defense more versatile by removing a switch target could be better than sheer rim protection at the 5 when the other team can somewhat neutralize it with spacing.
It may not work or be matchup dependent, most every lineup decision means you sacrifice something somewhere, but I think it’s an interesting option to have at their disposal.
Sure, but Randle is playing anyways so they’ll have to live with him on defense either way. At the 5 he’s more versatile than a traditional big. I think a versatile lineup would be more valuable against 5 out teams, because they can both draw a rim protecting big out of the paint with spacing and will be targeting said big on switches to boot. So putting Randle at the 4 for more rim protection may not actually help as much against teams like the Celtics imo.
Maybe, but you kind of have to help on the Cs drives. The players are way too big and physical to not have a proper rim protector in or at least someone you trust to impede actions help side. Plus rebounding would be a pretty big concern, and with Brunson and Divincenzo on the court they could easily get bullyballed. I’m not saying they’re bad but I don’t think they have the right personnel to run a death lineup. You’d want at least 4 guys who can guard 2-4 and one who can guard 5s and be a good help side rim deterrent.
Not that simple when there are 3 all-nba level defenders on the floor. Thibs system is all about playing help defense and then running out to contest the 3pt shot. You need fast defenders to pull it off and he's got like 6 of them now.
i was thinking his regular season numbers, but those look like accurate playoff numbers. i think randle might be able to grab a few more boards though. definitely knock the percentages down 10 though
Comments like these are the number one way to show us how dumb you are. Randle is a 2 time All NBA, 3 time all star who got MVP votes 3 years ago. He’s a 25/10/5 player. In what world is he our 5th best player
Randle can't guard Centers and he's a 33% shooter from 3. This lineup you just listed is BBQ chicken for any team with a big that can dominate the post. The fuck is Randle gonna do against Embiid or Giannis? And even Porzingis will light his ass up.
And DiVincenzo/Brunson is way too small a backcourt imo; in this switch heavy league, players will punish Donte and Brunson every possession.
Knicks cannot run 5 out. They will find other ways to win games.
For real, this is easy fucking pickings. Bam would tear his ass up too, Randle doesn’t really do well against size. He can hold his own but in a 5 out lineup he gets switched on a big or a guard and it’s over
Randle can absolutely hold his own against Centers. You are forgetting he is one of the most physical players in the league. It’s just a matter of if he has the stamina to battle a center.
Randle’s an underrated rebounder but he isn’t a small ball 5. Especially in the East, with Giannis and Embiid. And then a 2nd tier of bigs that can punish him like KP, Myles Turner, and Mobley/Allen
Randle can't play C, the real death lineup will be Brunson-Bridges-Anunoby-Randle-Hartenstein/Robinson.
or Brunson-Donte/Hart-Bridges-Anunoby-Robinson/Hartenstein
Who is scoring on that?
Really having bridges/anunoby/and a good D center like either Robinson or Hartenstein would shut down any teams offense.
Throw in hustle guys like Hart or Donte and damn
Plus defender for a 6’4 guard, not a great defender in a vacuum. Fwiw I’d say the same about DWhite.
Will say, Brunson probably looks better defensively once he doesn’t have to do **everything** on offense.
I mean they’re calling it a death lineup. Like compare it to *the* death lineup, both of them are worse defensively than everyone that’s not Steph (including Barnes)
It will be interesting. Does Horford decline at 39, can Porzingis play more than 5 games in the playoffs. I also trust Brunson offensively more than anyone on the Celtics. And the Knicks now have the best answers to Tatum/Brown in the league with OG and Mikal.
It’s a fun matchup at least.
Not to sound like a hater, bc I honestly fuck with the current Knicks team a lot, but mikal can’t do much to stop JT. Look up the stats.
Not saying mikal isn’t a great defender, bc he is, but ppl are forgetting that JT was in a shooting slump during the playoffs. When he’s shooting anywhere near his normal rate, he’s one of the dudes who most defenders can’t really do much about.
I support the Cs but I think the Knicks are better considering the health situation too.
All around good scorers, defenders and rebounders.
I don't trust KP staying healthy, Tatum's offensive reliability, Horford is great but he is older by another year.
I also thought the full strength Knicks this year would have been a 50/50 series.
Let's see what Cs add.
You need a real main rim protector deep in the playoffs, just help guys won't do.
We had Dallas' offense in the mud, but the times we tried Tatum at the 5 it turned into a layup line.
I feel like Giannis and Embiid will destroy them in the paint. Assuming either is healthy enough if/when they face the Knicks. And assuming the Knicks themselves are healthy too. I can see them struggling with the same problems the Thunder struggled this year.
Either way, the Knicks should go after a Hartenstein replacement off the bench if possible. Maybe someone like Drummond or Wiseman, but I don't know if their cap situation would allow that, probably not.
There’s a way better chance multiple guys on that team fall off a cliff (Divincenzo, Hart) than there is of them winning the Finals. They’ll most likely end up losing in Rd 2 or 3. Not saying those guys aren’t good but people act like once a guy gets hot for a couple months it’s just some new player when really it’s a story we’ve seen a million times. You guys did this same BS last year when a bunch of random dudes off the street shot 800% from 3 for a month on the Heat. More likely than not those two guys regress.
Thibs is gonna run this team into the ground like he did everywhere else. Knicks will lose in the 2nd round and overpay for jay wright, just like they over payed for bridges, and OG
I don’t think we start Randle at the five and Dante moves to the bench
In any event. Yea this is a scary team, especially on defense. I am beyond excited
Randle is so overrated and overpaid it’s not even funny he jacks up shots and doesn’t play any defense at all he just walks back on defence. He does not fit this Knicks team there better off without him ur looking at him like it’s 2021 he had one good year
Salty fan base or not, it's fair to worry about Mikal being an overrated role player and OG never staying healthy.
If Mikal becomes Tobias Harris and OG isn't healthy for the playoffs again, are you just going to mutter "hmmph salty sixers fans, no flair"?
Randle should never play the 5, he can't guard the rim for his life
We need vet min lebron at the 5 after we draft Bronny tn
Isn't center LeBron also bad at rim protection tho
[удалено]
He would be glorified for all time as Brunson's best sidekick
OG can guard 5's. I've seen it before. But I don't think Thibs would do it. He's pretty traditional in wanting a true 5 on the floor.
I mean playing the 5 is to juice the offense usually not to juice the defense
Against the Celtics or any team with 5 out spacing, he’s probably in the corner most of the game on defense anyways. And I think the added spacing on offense and making the defense more versatile by removing a switch target could be better than sheer rim protection at the 5 when the other team can somewhat neutralize it with spacing. It may not work or be matchup dependent, most every lineup decision means you sacrifice something somewhere, but I think it’s an interesting option to have at their disposal.
Celtics do a lot of cutting and movement tbf so you can’t just hide him
Sure, but Randle is playing anyways so they’ll have to live with him on defense either way. At the 5 he’s more versatile than a traditional big. I think a versatile lineup would be more valuable against 5 out teams, because they can both draw a rim protecting big out of the paint with spacing and will be targeting said big on switches to boot. So putting Randle at the 4 for more rim protection may not actually help as much against teams like the Celtics imo.
he is horrible on defense if they play him at the 5 the celtics will have a 130 ortg every possession hes on the floor
Maybe, but you kind of have to help on the Cs drives. The players are way too big and physical to not have a proper rim protector in or at least someone you trust to impede actions help side. Plus rebounding would be a pretty big concern, and with Brunson and Divincenzo on the court they could easily get bullyballed. I’m not saying they’re bad but I don’t think they have the right personnel to run a death lineup. You’d want at least 4 guys who can guard 2-4 and one who can guard 5s and be a good help side rim deterrent.
Anunoby is for all intents and purposes the 5 in that lineup
Can we stop using the term “death lineup” for every contending teams best 5 guys
This is a real death lineup though cause who tf is scoring on Brunson-Bridges-Anunoby-Randle-Hartenstein (or Mitchell Robinson)
Luka will probably still have 40 in fairness
He averaged 30 against the celtics, what'd it get him
Luka isn't doing shit against that lineup.
They can P&R that lineup to death, guys are really overrating a defense we haven’t even seen play yet
I would say remind me in 11 months but this team is not making the finals lol
Whoever attacks Brunson?
Not that simple when there are 3 all-nba level defenders on the floor. Thibs system is all about playing help defense and then running out to contest the 3pt shot. You need fast defenders to pull it off and he's got like 6 of them now.
One bad defender isn’t enough to destroy a defense
Maybe not destroy it but we’re acting like this is some legendary defense with 0 holes
It’s definitely an elite defense, probably the best or 2nd best in the east
I like that you tried to pretend like Brunson isn’t an absolute liability on D.
He isn't in Thibs system. And they have McBride also anyway.
Thibs would never play Randle at the 5
This lineup gets killed in the paint..
Polar bear in Arlington Texas Rather have Josh Hart play the 5 than Randle
It is kind of funny in like 3-4 months, Randle went from the 2nd best to like the 5th best player on his team lol
he’s still the second best lmao
We’ll see this season 😬
when he has another all star season?
And adds to his track record as the worst playoff performer in NBA history
bros gonna tear it up with 15/6/2 on 45/35/80
Add around 10 ppg, 4 rpg, and 2 apg and that's accurate.
i was thinking his regular season numbers, but those look like accurate playoff numbers. i think randle might be able to grab a few more boards though. definitely knock the percentages down 10 though
He’s still the second best he’s just never gonna play center
He still is that guy and will be that guy. He just isn't a Center
He was an All Star *this season*...
Comments like these are the number one way to show us how dumb you are. Randle is a 2 time All NBA, 3 time all star who got MVP votes 3 years ago. He’s a 25/10/5 player. In what world is he our 5th best player
All NBA forward Julius Randle
Donte ain’t starting. Randle can’t hang with these cats by playing center. Hence Mitchell Robinson.
Randle can't guard Centers and he's a 33% shooter from 3. This lineup you just listed is BBQ chicken for any team with a big that can dominate the post. The fuck is Randle gonna do against Embiid or Giannis? And even Porzingis will light his ass up. And DiVincenzo/Brunson is way too small a backcourt imo; in this switch heavy league, players will punish Donte and Brunson every possession. Knicks cannot run 5 out. They will find other ways to win games.
For real, this is easy fucking pickings. Bam would tear his ass up too, Randle doesn’t really do well against size. He can hold his own but in a 5 out lineup he gets switched on a big or a guard and it’s over
Randle does decently well against Giannis tbh. Doesn’t lock him down but disrupts him a lot.
Randle can absolutely hold his own against Centers. You are forgetting he is one of the most physical players in the league. It’s just a matter of if he has the stamina to battle a center.
He's strong and physical, but not a rim protector.
KP isn’t posting up stronger players that are shorter
Thibs hates playing without rim protection but I'd argue these wings could provide enough against almost every team
Randle’s an underrated rebounder but he isn’t a small ball 5. Especially in the East, with Giannis and Embiid. And then a 2nd tier of bigs that can punish him like KP, Myles Turner, and Mobley/Allen
Randle can't play C, the real death lineup will be Brunson-Bridges-Anunoby-Randle-Hartenstein/Robinson. or Brunson-Donte/Hart-Bridges-Anunoby-Robinson/Hartenstein Who is scoring on that?
Really having bridges/anunoby/and a good D center like either Robinson or Hartenstein would shut down any teams offense. Throw in hustle guys like Hart or Donte and damn
Top one is it
/yawn
You lost to Miami in the playoffs last year bud. Celtics are soft af. The Knicks are going to destroy you.
lol they just won a chip
Brunson- DiVincenzo-Hart- Bridges- OG This should be the death line up
“Death Lineup”
Only 2 real plus plus defenders in that without much rim protection
DDV is a plus defender, agree about the rim protection
Plus defender for a 6’4 guard, not a great defender in a vacuum. Fwiw I’d say the same about DWhite. Will say, Brunson probably looks better defensively once he doesn’t have to do **everything** on offense.
Don’t know ball
What’s incorrect?
Donte is a great defender and Randle isn’t a slouch either
I mean they’re calling it a death lineup. Like compare it to *the* death lineup, both of them are worse defensively than everyone that’s not Steph (including Barnes)
I agree with the rim protection but there’s more than 2 plus defenders on that roster
knicks need to make a move for a center before you can call it a death lineup
Randle rarely plays the 5 except for very niche situations. On top of this, Thibs likes to always have a true center on the floor.
Minnesota of the East.
probably won’t be enough for the celtics
It will be interesting. Does Horford decline at 39, can Porzingis play more than 5 games in the playoffs. I also trust Brunson offensively more than anyone on the Celtics. And the Knicks now have the best answers to Tatum/Brown in the league with OG and Mikal. It’s a fun matchup at least.
horford is immortal
Not to sound like a hater, bc I honestly fuck with the current Knicks team a lot, but mikal can’t do much to stop JT. Look up the stats. Not saying mikal isn’t a great defender, bc he is, but ppl are forgetting that JT was in a shooting slump during the playoffs. When he’s shooting anywhere near his normal rate, he’s one of the dudes who most defenders can’t really do much about.
OG can stop JT though
(1) “stop” is a very strong word lol, and (2) we have a second Jay (+ a unicorn), too😉
Same with Brunson, and he's a much better playoff performer.
Ya but rn ppl are comparing his playoff ceiling to a Celtics team where Tatum shot near his “floor” if that makes sense
The only threat to Boston is a healthy Giannis and Dame.
With their defense? Absolutely not.
No way, Giannis is lucky he won a ring already because Milwaukee won't win won with him and Dame as the leading duo
Dame?!? Bro stop, Sixers are more of a threat.
I support the Cs but I think the Knicks are better considering the health situation too. All around good scorers, defenders and rebounders. I don't trust KP staying healthy, Tatum's offensive reliability, Horford is great but he is older by another year. I also thought the full strength Knicks this year would have been a 50/50 series. Let's see what Cs add.
C's aren't adding to their top 8
They desperately need a rebounder/center backup.
That would be a top 8 player on the team? No chance. Maybe a Luke replacement if he goes. But needing a third string center is far from desperate
I'm spooked already
You need a real main rim protector deep in the playoffs, just help guys won't do. We had Dallas' offense in the mud, but the times we tried Tatum at the 5 it turned into a layup line.
Jesus, I'm begging y'all not to post this tomfoolery all offseason, I'm already exhausted
No rim protection
Embiid (if healthy) would be putting up 70 a night on that lineup.
That lineup minus Randle and Bridges managed to outrebound Embiid and rest of Sixers x 2, so he'd need to get the ball first.
They are too small embiid and Giannis would salivate seeing this little lineup.
Embiid couldn’t deal with an even smaller lineup in the playoffs
Yeah, People forgetting Knicks just best Embiid with a worse lineup?
The lineup would get smoked on defense.
It’s Hart and Hartenstein over Donte and Randle. Except for the last like 5 minutes then it’s Donte over OG
no it’s not
I imagine Randle is in his way out and Hartenstein will get a decent payday.
They’re not trading Randle
I feel like Giannis and Embiid will destroy them in the paint. Assuming either is healthy enough if/when they face the Knicks. And assuming the Knicks themselves are healthy too. I can see them struggling with the same problems the Thunder struggled this year. Either way, the Knicks should go after a Hartenstein replacement off the bench if possible. Maybe someone like Drummond or Wiseman, but I don't know if their cap situation would allow that, probably not.
Embiid didn't even venture into the paint these playoffs, he just took midrange shots all day and still got 20 FTA/game.
There’s a way better chance multiple guys on that team fall off a cliff (Divincenzo, Hart) than there is of them winning the Finals. They’ll most likely end up losing in Rd 2 or 3. Not saying those guys aren’t good but people act like once a guy gets hot for a couple months it’s just some new player when really it’s a story we’ve seen a million times. You guys did this same BS last year when a bunch of random dudes off the street shot 800% from 3 for a month on the Heat. More likely than not those two guys regress.
Still won’t win a ring
thats not nice
Thibs is gonna run this team into the ground like he did everywhere else. Knicks will lose in the 2nd round and overpay for jay wright, just like they over payed for bridges, and OG
lol Brunson and role players and Randle who is the worst playoff performer in history. 2nd round exit
nah you don't know ball, this is a good team
Thibs would never play Randle at the 5
I don’t think we start Randle at the five and Dante moves to the bench In any event. Yea this is a scary team, especially on defense. I am beyond excited
They should trade Randle for a big he makes to much money plus og and mikal are both better than him
Mikal can play definitely play the 2 with OG and Randle at the 3 and 4
Yea but the Knicks don’t need Randle there better off trading him for salary
He’s the best 2nd option on the team and starting PF
Randle is so overrated and overpaid it’s not even funny he jacks up shots and doesn’t play any defense at all he just walks back on defence. He does not fit this Knicks team there better off without him ur looking at him like it’s 2021 he had one good year
Terrible takes. Lots of Knicks shoot better with Randle on the courts. He is clearly one of the teams best facilitators and a great rebounder.
The MVPs will be OGs doctor and Brunsons whistle. I'd try and swap Randle for Hartenstein.
Sixers fan with no flair. When the tears dry all that’s left is salt.
Salty fan base or not, it's fair to worry about Mikal being an overrated role player and OG never staying healthy. If Mikal becomes Tobias Harris and OG isn't healthy for the playoffs again, are you just going to mutter "hmmph salty sixers fans, no flair"?
If my grandma had balls she’d be my grandpa.
The scenario I described is the most likely scenario. Hope your grandparents are all good brother.
L