The Knicks couldn’t pull out the second game of a road back-to-back in Chicago, but there were some signs of encouragement (along with some signs of discouragement).

Where are the transgressors? Who will take this to heart? I don’t want New York to lose, but I do want them to be very slapped up and tossed around. None of this silly slowing it down, keeping it close, making a run, starters are OK for a five-minute stretch. I wanna see these plonkers slumped. In the staircase, wallet missing.

Some where-am-I, throat closing panic. I want these Knicks to be LeBron James but I want Isaiah Stewart to actually get those Rochester rock mitts on James’ golden goofy collar. Push that rug burn back. Get Thibs to coach on his toes and make changes that affect winning, eschewing his formulaic rigidity. 

That’s a horse of different plumage though. This team is too good to just get beaten like a rug. So let’s you and I take the wins where they are with this leveled-up, deep group. After this affair, I think we saw the very first instance in history where Nerlens Noel had hands for an entire game. I know what you’re thinking: that sounds ableist, and I can’t stand for it. Well, ya better believe it, bud. Nerlens, I assure you, did not have butter paws on this odd Chicago evening in the year of our unknowable lord, 5782. The other major contact point was Kemba Walker and Julius Randle running a side pick-and-roll:

It happened. It worked. We already know Julius can do some star-level shot making and that was on full display today as the Knicks dropped the game into Randle’s post-up glue factory. And that’s the way Thibs likes it.

In the end, an early hole led to NY just steadily chipping away in the paint to tighten the reins. Unfortunately, when they had to ramp up the tempo, the Knicks just didn’t know how to scream into sets and zip the ball around to the open man and make the defense pay. Their processing is so slow, it might be why Thibs was barking orders to run almost everything through Randle. Force this team to learn the reads and counters and play together. Maybe, in time, that tree will bear fruit.

• Poorly officiated affair. Mike Breen, ever the apologist, said that this was the Z-team after 69 other refs had to bow out because of COVID protocol. The unevenness made it impossible for the players to figure out where the line was. In spite of that, the Knicks carried themselves fairly well, never pouting and taking plays off. In the second half they just were playing their game and bringing it straight to the chest of Chicago’s wing-laden lineup. 

• Clyde said it right away, “The players must make the adjustment, not the officials.” It didn’t rhyme but it felt like it did, somehow striking that golden tone. Sage wisdom from the old Yogi. Unfortunately, the officials did not take heed as they adjusted throughout the night. 

• When it comes to Clyde and golden tones, that’s not all, friends! Clyde also tossed out a joyful, if semi-toneless, “Happy Birthday to yoooou“ to his old friend and back court mate, Earl Monroe. Black Jesus turned 77 yesterday!

• The Bulls, who strangely remind me of last year’s Clippers (sans Kawhi) were early adopters of putting a handsy wing on Randle, and now with a depleted front court they relied on it exclusively. At many points in the game, the Bulls had all wings on the floor, and they all guarded Julius together, 1-on-5, as the ball stuck to Randle’s fingers. 

• To Julius’ credit, he was not bothered and he scorched their smaller players, shooting 13-19 on the night. Alex Caruso and Lonzo Ball drew the majority of the assignments, but the Knicks did a good job getting switches on ghost screens and dribble handoffs to send Julius into the post against the un-brolic arms of the Windy City.

• Defensively, Julius doesn’t proffer the same engagement, dropping so low that DeMar DeRozan was able to walk into his office and toss up some velcro hooks at the fuzzy hoop. That guy has such a soft touch. The Knicks do seem to be lacking a long-limbed wing defender that can cut someone like DeMar down to DeSize.

• In the absence of Mitchell Robinson and Taj Gibson, RJ Barrett took up the big boy mantle and went after the glass, hauling in 14 defensive boards to lead the team. Sadly, RJ shot horrifically again (2-12) and missed some momentum-stunting free throws in the second half. 

• One lineup I liked had the Knicks running with IQ, RJ, Rose, Burks, and Randle. That group pushed the pace and cut the gap. The offense got up the floor and into sets early. It reminded me how they were trying to push the tempo in the preseason. Now the starters set things in motion with 12 seconds left on the shot clock and the bench scrambles to make up the deficit. Two-big lineups aren’t especially necessary. 

• The team generally shot piss poor. Particularly in the first half, 35.1% as a team. Evan Fournier (1-7), Derrick Rose (3-11), Kemba Walker (3-9), and Immanuel Quickley (4-11) all sputtered right along with RJ. Despite this, they went 26-31 at the charity stripe and held a large advantage until the late stages of the game when they had to foul to try and get the ball back.

• Rebecca Haarlow did a sideline report where she said she spoke with Fournier about the need to be aggressive in the minutes you get. She boiled it down to Fournier saying he needs to look to score as much as possible. As if that’s the only way to be aggressive. Incisive passing can be aggressive. Actually going after the rebounds instead of letting them drop to the floor can be aggressive. Driving all the way to the glass instead of stopping short of the rim and putting up funky touch-shots can be aggressive. Looking for yours does not imbue aggression. 

• This team sucks at passing, and they don’t do it with any level of temerity. The one time they had a great passing sequence, Zach LaVine was crying his eyes out on the opposite baseline instead of getting back on defense. The Knicks playing 5-on-4 challenged the defense with the pass instead of the dribble and they got an easy dunk out of it.

• How does Nerlens have decent touch with either hand around the rim? Of all the people! An off-hand jump hook has just as much chance of going in as a tip dunk for this guy. He is one of the most puzzling players. I kind of love it, but I always feel a very palpable worry. I did not count any dropped passes today, but maybe I’m delirious.

• Speaking of delirious. Wally took a dump on LeBron at halftime. I almost liked him for a second (Wally). If you didn’t know, Bronzino took a massive cheap shot and split Isaiah Stewart’s eye socket. It had him leaking and freaking. For more on my thoughts.

• Draw two and KICK, god damn you. It’s never been draw two and fire. Or draw two and try to draw one more and up fake and jab and pivot and sling a fucking rocket at someone’s shins one pass away. You know who I mean.

• A few things about this picture. First of all, there’s plenty of time to make the pass here, Immanuel Quickley is a deadly shooter, has a quick trigger, is wide open, hands making a perfect target. That’s gonna be a crucial bucket. Julius has three Bulls on him. Obi is calling for the oop, and nobody ever finds him. Brick. 

• In general the ball is moving, but it’s so slow. The game just moves faster than New York is processing it. I think this is the team’s biggest weakness. They are making the pass that’s there but they just don’t see it coming. Gotta start getting a good sear on the leather. Maybe it’s the switchover from Spalding to Wilson.  

• Can’t help but feel like this spiritless team is sorely missing Mike Woodson and Theo Pinson. For all the maniacal workers in this group, where are the free spirits making sure that joy is the juice that charges the battery? 

• At one point IQ got LaVine on a switch, and rather than feed Julius in the post like they were setting up to do, a bloodcurdling “GO AT HIM” fried the internal wiring of everyone that was tuned in. As much as I am deeply confounded by Thomas Thibs’ unbending reliance to the best-laid plans, I love that psycho shit.   

• As a prickly old Jewish mope, the whitefish salad on pumpernickel with caper and tomato of it all. My fine spindle, barely wavy hair, is deeply jealous of the glorious braids and cornrows, twists and tied dreads. Everyone looks phenomenal and it adds a special vibrance and personality to the league that just makes me love it more. Now if only we could get the Lopez twins to get some box braids for their neck hair.

• The United Center had advertising for something called “Liqui Moly.” IDGAGD what it is, so don’t tell me. It reminded me of this:

Over on the Strickland Discord (subscribe to the Patreon), our friend and yours, Omar, said it: “Can’t be the game plan to leave Coby all alone in the corner.” Alas, dear reader, it kinda sorta was. The Knicks stunt from the corners to keep any and everything out of the paint, it leads to them having one of the best at-rim FG% defenses in the league. If the passing lane isn’t covered while you drop in to say hi, Coby White is going to line ‘em up and knock ‘em down sooner or later. We’ll look at the film.

Second night of a back-to-back, I ain’t cried yet. Back home for a LeBron invasion on Tuesday. Make sure you secure your cheap shot goggles. Stand clear of the closing dorks, please.