Clearing something up because I’ve gotten a bunch of texts about this: The Knicks did NOT have a timeout remaining on that final play. They called one with 2:43 to go in the fourth and another with 10 seconds left. That was their final timeout.
Mike Brown said he thinks Mikal Bridges got off "a good shot" at the end of the game. Said he was off balance but "I don't think it's under duress."
Knicks let go of a 12-point, fourth-quarter lead and lose to the Hawks 107-106. The series is tied at one game a piece.
Great point from Eric Nehm. Knicks opted not to use the use-it-or-lose-it timeout. 3 minutes passes. Then they took a timeout 17 seconds after losing their UIOLI while Brunson was in transition.
Jose Alvarado comes in. Two assists. A tech. This is Alvarado ball.
Confused by that challenge from Atlanta. Know it was Daniels' third foul, but seemed pretty clear he unintentionally hit Hart in the face, and the Hawks had lots of time to look at it when it was being reviewed for a flagrant. Hawks now out of challenges for the game.
Really did not think we would see this many non-KAT, non-Brunson minutes in this series.
UNLEASH CMB
The Trae Young chants have come out early
@robmahoney.bsky.social's got game, but I am certain that dude feels the same way about Luke Kornet as I do
Luke Kornet is unquestionably the best basketball player of all the NBA bloggers.
KAT has made a few super defensive plays tonight.
An extra benefit of the Mitch hacking for the Hawks: It messed with the Knicks' rotations. Now, they begin the fourth quarter without Brunson or Towns on the court.
If Brown is gonna pull Robinson when he gets hacked, I wonder if starting next game we see him sub Robinson in early in first and third quarters, when teams are less likely to be in the bonus.
This is not what I meant when I said this series could get testy.
Same story every year. Playoffs. Jalen Brunson takes the court. Jalen Brunson cooks.
A theme to watch all series:
Mitchell Robinson's offensive rebound rate during the regular season was 24 percent. The Hawks offensive rebound rate during the regular season? 24 percent. An individual matching the production of an entire team.
Turn it over against the Hawks at your own peril. All they wanna do is run.
The Athletic's NBA staff makes its predictions for each first-round series and the rest of the playoffs: www.nytimes.com/athletic/720...
What other NBA player has the emotional range to have that beautiful moment with Steph and Kerr and then pick up two techs and get ejected for seemingly no reason all in a span of 30 seconds?
JB Bickerstaff has won the NBCA Coach of the Year Award. This is the coaches association's award, voted on by fellow coaches.
It’s now or never for this version of the Cavaliers.
Story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/719...
Have updated this story to include a few more coaches whose names could come up this summer: Sam Cassell, Ben Sullivan and Jenny Boucek
Draymond Green. Still a defensive wizard.
Called around the NBA asking team execs, agents and coaches about which up-and-coming assistants are the top ones to watch for head-coaching jobs that open this offseason.
Here is what we learned.
Story with Eric Nehm: www.nytimes.com/athletic/719...
Very Hooli Nucleus vibes from Amazon
I would've paid whatever was left in my bank account to hear Eric Collins for that moment
To be clear, by the way, I think the Amazon broadcast is fantastic. But I have such a soft spot for the great local broadcasts. I wish they had the chance to call some of these postseason moments.
Would have paid any amount of money to hear Eric Collins call those four Coby White minutes.
NEW EPISODE of Katz and Shoot, previewing the Knicks-Hawks series with @jledwardsiii.bsky.social.
Listen/Subscribe: www.patreon.com/posts/episod...