Knicks (1-1) at Celtics (2-1) Preseason Game #4 10/17/23

[Silas]

Nice well rounded win.

Great first half.

[liam]

Nice well rounded win.

Great first half.

They won it in the first half.

[radiohead]

Frustrated with JB. He’s making all the same mistakes as last year, as well as playing way too selfishly as last year. Has stop the dumb, forced hero ball.

And he rarely makes the extra pass, either, even with four other excellent shooters out there.

I feel exactly the same way, but upon checking the box scores, JB is leading the team with 6 assists (and 4 turnovers). He does pass the ball, but there are times when he “needs to get his” which leads to unforced turnovers. That’s the part that he needs to polish. Last year he tried too hard at times in order to earn his extension. Now he’s doing the same in order to justify the huge contract. He just needs to play team ball. It took years for JT to get it. Hopefully JB learns to do that as the season progresses.

I don't think it is about the contract. It is about status. It is about recognition. It is about individual accolades.

He wants to prove he can be one of the best players in the league. Not just to win a title but to win a title while being one of the top players in the league.

Unfortuntely I think he also wants to prove he's the best player on the team by trying to force awkward competition with Tatum constantly.  I don't like that.  I think as he's trying to compete with Tatum this team will never see its potential.

I really hope he fixes this. This is our best chance at a chip and he’ll need to play team ball for us to get there. He also can’t be traded so he needs to buy in with Joe and the staff.

[liam]

Sammy Hauser with 15pts, 2rbs, 2 asts, and a stl.

[Muzzy66]

There's really no reason to be calling plays for Jaylen on the perimeter as much as they're doing.

I wonder if the team would be better with a more off-ball shooter type than a slasher like Jaylen.

They don't really need Jaylen's 25ppg with Jrue & Porzingis joining. An 18-20ppg high efficiency shooter would probably add more to the offense.

Yeah, a Ray Allen would be best. Or, a Shane Battier type + extra big man help is arguably better as well.

I don't think anything is set in stone, but my guess is Brown is eventually traded. If they win 1-2 titles, maybe he sticks around longer. The offense really should be running through Tatum and Porzingis if they're on the court.

Yeh, this was my prediction even before JB signed his deal. 

Everything I've seen (and heard) from JB suggests to me that he wants to be a #1 guy on a team, and I don't think he's going to be happy in Boston so long as Tatum remains the #1 guy on the team. 

I honestly don't think JB would have even re-signed with Boston if not for the fact that it was the only way he could get his supermax money, and there was no way a guy with JB's personality (high ego, chip on shoulder, big pusher of rights and getting what you deserve, etc) was goign to take less money then he felt he deserved.

I wouldn't be all that shocked if JB ends up demanding a trade a year or two from now.  I hope I'm wrong, but I'm half expecting that to happen.  He always seems a wee bit bitter about his situation here and I just don't think he'll ever be truly happy until he's on another team in the full spotlight.   

I'm not saying this in an overly critical sense either because frankly, JB is a borderline superstar level talent and is still young, and he probably is good enough to deserve to be a franchise player and have his own team.  I can completely understand (being in his position) why he would feel hard done by living in Tatum's shadow. 

This team really needs a secondary player who has the mentality of "I just want to win and I don't care about stats".  I don't see JB being at that point for a while now.  He's still trying to earn his rep, prove himself as an individual, demonstrate that he's one of the best.  I dont see a willingness in him to sacrifice personal glory for the success of the team. 

A guy like Jimmy Butler - who is a bit older, no longer cares about personal accolades, and just wants to win - that would be the perfect fit.

[Surferdad]

Sammy Hauser with 15pts, 2rbs, 2 asts, and a stl.

He really solidified himself tonight as first “big wing” off the bench.  The eight guys are the starters plus Horford, Pritchard and Hauser.

[Atzar]

Think you guys are being a bit hard on Jaylen tonight.

There will always be a lot of "my turn" in his game but I thought he came out tonight looking to share the basketball, contrary to the talk.  Made some very good extra passes and he led the team with 6 assists.  I don't see him trying to force competition with Tatum and I never have, no matter how much people have tried to push that narrative.  Turnovers are too high, I agree. 

[Silas]

Think you guys are being a bit hard on Jaylen tonight.

There will always be a lot of "my turn" in his game but I thought he came out tonight looking to share the basketball, contrary to the talk.  Made some very good extra passes and he led the team with 6 assists.  I don't see him trying to force competition with Tatum and I never have, no matter how much people have tried to push that narrative.  Turnovers are too high, I agree.

He really has trouble when he goes to his left.

[jpotter33]

JT with 28 on 9-15 FG, 5-8 3FG with 8 rebs, 4 assists, 3 stls, 1 blk, and 2 TOs. Great overall game for him.

This is close to what I think/hope we'll see from him this year - much improved shooting efficiency and an uptick in rebounding and assists.

Per game, I'd like to see around 25 pts, 9-10 rebs (definitely possible if he's the starting 4), 5 assists, 1 stl, 1 blk, 2 TOV and shooting 48 fg% and 38 3pfg%. That's an MVP year for him if he hits those numbers and the team is as successful as predicted.

[liam]

Think you guys are being a bit hard on Jaylen tonight.

There will always be a lot of "my turn" in his game but I thought he came out tonight looking to share the basketball, contrary to the talk.  Made some very good extra passes and he led the team with 6 assists.  I don't see him trying to force competition with Tatum and I never have, no matter how much people have tried to push that narrative.  Turnovers are too high, I agree.

Agreed.

[Muzzy66]

Think you guys are being a bit hard on Jaylen tonight.

There will always be a lot of "my turn" in his game but I thought he came out tonight looking to share the basketball, contrary to the talk.  Made some very good extra passes and he led the team with 6 assists.  I don't see him trying to force competition with Tatum and I never have, no matter how much people have tried to push that narrative.  Turnovers are too high, I agree.

Maybe.  But to be fair it's not just "tonight" that is triggering the concerns.  It's the fact that we've been seeing these same traits from JB for years now, and it's hard not to feel concerned when we start seeing flashes of the same all over again. 

I think there was some small hope that now with his big contract locked up, JB might feel personally validated - like he no longer has something to earn/prove, and that he might show a greater willingness to buy in to his role on the team.

I hoped that for a while until he opened his mouth and openly stated that he doesn't see himself as a #2 on the team.  That basically proved that he still thinks he is as good as (or better then) Tatum and isn't willing to accept anything less then a #1 role, and that's worrying because we kinda need him to if this team is to reach it's max potential.

[liam]

Now to the Hornets!

[SHAQATTACK]

Now to the Hornets!

Now to the Kornets ?

More than one 

[Birdman]

Sammy Hauser with 15pts, 2rbs, 2 asts, and a stl.

Take that any night

[cman88]

I have to say KP looks really good in this offense.

Wide open on almost every pick and pop.