Last night, I was sitting around watching the end of the game and completely out of the blue my girlfriend asked:
"So, what is a blowout"
Not being able to tell if she was being sarcastic and adding additional insult to the absolute waxing I had just watched the Bucks put on the Knicks my response was simply:
"This!".
We shared a laugh and and after she clarified that she was curious how many points actually constitute calling a game a "blowout" (quick note: The 600 points they lost by last night definitely qualifies) I got to thinking about how many games the Knicks have been in that have turned out to be blowouts. The Cavs game was my immediate thought due to how insane of a loss that is to have on your record along with the recent Raptors game which is a little more palatable given they are the reigning NBA Champions. Regardless of the fact that these teams are really really good, The Knicks sometimes show promise and pride and fight and other times the Knicks get kicked in the teeth before they even get the starting lineup announced like last night in Milwaukee.
Flat, defeated and no momentum from the limited made buckets, the Knicks were taken out of this game early in the first quarter. An abysmal 2p/1a from the rookie, Barrett is getting a first hand look at life in the NBA with back-to-back games that require you to travel between time zones. Having the utmost confidence from his head coach, Fizdale said “He looked like a rookie today,’’ and instilling more confidence and patience he added “Sometimes that’s what he’s going to look like. But it’s a good learning lesson for him. I remember days watching Giannis [Antetokounmpo] looking pretty crappy when he was 18, 19. That’s part of the deal for these young guys, going through the lumps of the league.”
A much needed vote of confidence, I'm sure.
Speaking of confidence, Julius Randle really believes he is the savior of this team. It shows based on how many times he brings the ball up the court and wastes valuable time on the shot clock holding the ball 15-20 feet from the basket. A decent outside shot is helpful but this team needs him to operate from the inside out. He is an above average passer and it is beyond me why he isn't featured down low, drawing doubles and kicking out to the shooters (Morris, RJ, Dot and Trier-who needs more playing time but more on that another time).
This game was a good barometer of where the Knicks actually stand in this league. It is painfully obvious that they are not equipped to compete with the elite teams but the fact that they show up and are competitive with the majority of teams for at least 3 quarters of a game is at the very least a positive step in the right direction. A winning point guard, a Steve Balmer type owner and a Masai Ujiri President/GM and this team is heading back to where we can start calling Gotham City "The Mecca of Basketball" again.
I suggest everybody put that on your Holiday Wish List and see if there is a little bit of winter magic for us Knicks fans.