Adjustments The Knicks Must Make To Win Game 4

Author: Danny Gardner

Editor: Brian Symons

Game 3 was nothing short of a disaster for the Knicks. Their offense was anemic, their defense was lacking, and the 11-point margin on the final scoreboard didn’t even come close to depicting how badly they were outplayed. Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks were getting virtually whatever they wanted, and they let the Knicks know it too. It is no secret that the Hawks are far more talented than the Knicks, but that does not mean that there are no changes that can be made to give the Knicks a better shot in this series. Benching the atrocity that is Elfrid Payton was a good start, but there are some other things Thibs can do to put the Knicks in a position to win.

1. Make Trae Young work defensively

Trae Young has been a problem for the Knicks defense through the first three games of this series. They simply have no answer for him defensively. However, one way to hinder a terrific offensive player is to make them work defensively, and Trae is a particularly atrocious defender. Set more screens with Bullock to get Young switched on to Rose, Randle, and Barrett. Part of the problem with starting Bullock and playing him so much is that it allows for Young to hide defensively, so possibly exploring more of Burks or Quickley with the other starters could be an option worth exploring as well. Attacking quicker when the switches occur is key. The Knicks (and Randle in particular) are far too slow to attack offensively, and it allows for defenses to set up their traps and their double teams a lot easier. However they do it, forcing Young to work on the defensive end will go a long way toward helping the Knicks slow the Hawks’ star.

2. Use multiple ball handlers when Rose sits

I don’t love having Rose start simply because I love the dynamic of him and IQ coming of the bench together, but I recognize it is a necessity given how bad Payton has been in the starting lineup. The issue however, and this was clear last night, is the team now lacks a primary ball handler when Rose sits. The team tried a trio of Burks, IQ, and Reggie Bullock but that unit was a disaster offensively. When Rose sits, Quickley, Burks, and RJ should be on the court together. This way, you make up for a lack of a primary ball handler by using three secondary ones. Payton puts them in a tough spot, but the Knicks have to be creative in order to solve their point guard problem.

3. Get Randle and RJ going

This one is fairly simple, Julius Randle and RJ Barrett need to make their shots. Randle, who was an All-Star, the league’s Most Improved Player, and will soon likely be named to one of the All-NBA teams, is having an absolutely miserable series. After averaging 24.1 PPG on 46/41/81 percentages, he is scoring only 14.7 PPG while shooting 24/30/86. He has looked tentative, slow, and most concerning of all like he has lost all confidence. He needs to attack before the double comes and get to the line so he can hopefully rediscover his confidence. RJ looked solid in games 1 and 2 but was awful in game 3 and hasn’t shot the ball well overall. One way to get him going I think would be to allow him to initiate more of the offense when Rose and Randle are on the bench. He’s a capable passer in the pick and roll and can be strong finisher especially when attacking weaker defenders. Simply sticking him in the corner and hoping he hits shots is not a great way to get him going when his shot hasn’t been falling. I love his approach and his energy; he just needs to be more involved.

SPORTS ARE OUR UNIVERSE

The Mets are...Injured

Author: Billy Taylor

Editor: Brian Symons

Injuries have been rampant in Major League Baseball this year, and many big-name players are going to be watching from the sidelines for an extended period. But no team has had quite the luck the Mets have had in terms of the sheer number of injuries they have endured. At the time of writing, the Mets have sixteen major league players on the injured list (yes, 16!). With seven out of the nine Opening Day starters sidelined. Yet, they continue to stay afloat at the top of the weak, yet talented NL East.

The slew of injuries for the Mets started when J.D. Davis and Brandon Nimmo landed on the I.L. with finger and hand injuries, respectively. It was unfortunate to lose the two hottest hitters in the Met lineup, but that was just the beginning for the New York Mets. Albert Almora Jr. then ran face first into the outfield wall, attempting a valiant effort to make a play. Luis Guillorme was sidelined with an oblique injury, Michael Conforto and Jeff McNeil are on the I.L. with hamstring and quad injuries. Taijuan Walker suffered a “side” injury, which he reportedly had been dealing with for a couple of weeks. This came off the heels of Jacob DeGrom going on the IL with lat tightness and back issues. As if that wasn’t ridiculous enough, Pete Alonso and Tommy Hunter landed on the I.L. May 21st with hand and back injuries.

And of course, the scariest injury the Mets endured was to Kevin Pillar who took a pitch to the face from Jacob Webb on May 17th against the Braves. It was a scary situation for everyone involved and certainly put a damper on the rest of the game. Pillar is fine, thankfully. It also helps that he is tough as nails, it took Pillar less than one minute to get back up after taking 94 MPH to the face. According to Marcus Stroman’s Twitter, Pillar came into the locker room the next day and said, “Am I in the lineup today or what?”. If Pillar could see out of both his eyes, I truly believe he would’ve convinced Luis Rojas to play. According to Tim Healey of Newsday, Pillar underwent surgery on May 21st to repair his broken nose and will be able to resume baseball activities in 10-14 days.

This could certainly be interpreted as the lowest point of the season, especially coming off two ugly losses to the Miami Marlins. But it doesn’t really feel that way, at least for me personally. Considering how the Mets are currently constructed, they could be performing a lot worse as a team. The Mets are made up of a plethora of veterans on one-year deals, AAAA players, and prospects with potential talent ranging from low to somewhat highly regarded. Johneshwy Fargas, Brandon Drury, Jake Hagar, Jonathon Villar, Kevin Pillar, Khalil Lee, Cameron Maybin, Wilfredo Tovar, Patrick Mazeika. You get the idea. Some names you recognize, others you’ve never heard before, and some you will never hear from again. Despite this, these Mets have a real competitive drive and will to win. With veterans like Marcus Stroman, Francisco Lindor and Dominic Smith leading the enthusiastic vagabond crew, players coming through in big spots, and rallying behind the warrior mentality of Kevin Pillar, this team has undeniable chemistry.

Many Met fans are frustrated, and I get it. But this can be a completely new team when they get healthier; God willing. Not only are the aforementioned players injured, but they also have very important pieces like Noah Syndergaard, Seth Lugo, and Carlos Carrasco still on the shelf. There should be a ton of reinforcements on the way for the Mets. If they can find a way to carry the vibe they have right now as a team and get healthy, they could end up being one of the best teams in the franchise’s history.

METS ARE OUR UNIVERSE

The Yankees Injury Bug

Author: Zachary Patlin

Editor: Brian Symons

The Yankees have been on a roll lately, winning 7 of their last 10 games and coming off of a sweep of the team with the best record in the AL prior to the series, the Chicago White Sox. The Yankees rotation the last time through has not given up a run. Yes, you read that right. Their last five starts have seen 35 scoreless innings pitched from their starters, including the no hitter by Kluber and three 7 inning shutout outings by Montgomery, German, and Cole.

The bats are still missing a key couple of pieces, however they seem to be doing just fine as of late. Giancarlo Stanton is due back on Tuesday May 25 after going on the IL due to tightness in his left quad. Aaron Hicks on the other hand has elected to take surgery on his right wrist, which could potentially keep him out for the entirety of the season. Voit will join the IL with a grade two oblique strain, a lingering injury that can keep him sidelined for an extended period of time.

On the pitching side of the ball, Darren O’Day has begun a throwing program and can be brought back to the team in the next couple of weeks. He adds a lethal righty arm out of the pen to pair with all the flamethrowers the Yankees throw into the game in big innings. Also, Zack Britton has begun a rehab assignment and the Yankees look forward to slotting him right back into the setup man role in the 8th inning. An injury to Corey Kluber on Tuesday will also shut him down for 4 weeks. It is determined that the injury is a subscap strain.

The biggest injury the Yankees have faced thus far has been losing Luis Severino to Tommy John surgery. Severino had in fact started a throwing program and had begun to face live hitters at the Yankees facility. They would love to have him fully built up and back by mid summer to a lot into the number two spot of their very good rotation following Gerrit Cole.

The Yankees did not start this season off the way they would have liked by any stretch of the imagination. After falling to 5-10, they have won 22 of their last 30 games and they look to be the team everyone thought they would be. And I think they can be better. They have yet to hit their power stride on offense, which may be scary to the opposing teams. Let’s see if they can get some key players back, keep the pitching going the way it has been, and get the bat production up to what everyone knows this team can do. That would be one scary combination for other teams!

SPORTS ARE OUR UNIVERSE