{"id":250832,"date":"2021-05-16T01:52:07","date_gmt":"2021-05-15T22:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/knicks-messy-point-guard-situation-big-concern-for-playoffs\/"},"modified":"2021-05-16T01:52:07","modified_gmt":"2021-05-15T22:52:07","slug":"knicks-messy-point-guard-situation-big-concern-for-playoffs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/knicks-messy-point-guard-situation-big-concern-for-playoffs\/","title":{"rendered":"#Knicks’ messy point guard situation big concern for playoffs"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#Knicks’ messy point guard situation big concern for playoffs<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

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The Knicks\u2019 standards have become so high, even their overtime victory over the Hornets on Saturday afternoon didn\u2019t feel as exhilarating as it should have been.<\/p>\n

Not with the playoffs around the corner and the looming possibility of facing the mighty Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo in a 6-versus-3 first-round matchup. Not with the Knicks\u2019 point-guard situation looking queasy and confusing due to Elfrid Payton\u2019s massive regression and Derrick Rose\u2019s health.<\/p>\n

The 40-win Knicks left the Garden court to a standing ovation in the middle of the afternoon from the pandemic-limited crowd of 1,981, but still in the dark on whether they will face the Bucks, Hawks or Heat in the first round. They\u2019re also still in the dark on whether they will get the best-case scenario of the fourth seed and home-court advantage against Atlanta.<\/p>\n

Saturday night was all about what transpired in Brew City. The Heat faced the Bucks. A Heat victory would mean the Knicks likely would be packing for a trip<\/a> next weekend to Milwaukee \u2014 not the ideal scenario.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be watching,\u2019\u2019 Julius Randle said after posting his sixth triple double in a 33-point, 11-assist, 13-rebound gem. \u201cI think it\u2019s the only game<\/a> on tonight, if I\u2019m not mistaken. So of course I\u2019ll be watching. I watch games anyway. But obviously when it has something to do with us, I\u2019ll be watching. So whatever happ<\/a>ens, happens. We\u2019ll be ready for whatever the challenge is.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

The Knicks have one regular-season game left to this glorious 40-31 season, in which they\u2019ve won 15 of their last 19 games. The Celtics arrive at the Garden at 1 p.m. for Fan Appreciation Day. It may be meaningless for the Knicks. It may be for home-court advantage.<\/p>\n

\"Knicks\"
Elfrid Payton guards LaMelo Ball during the Knicks\u2019 win over the Hornets on Saturday.<\/figcaption>
Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Saturday, the Knicks blew the 18-point lead they built methodically in the first half and needed to dominate overtime to repel the Hornets. It was that close. Charlotte point guard point guard Terry Rozier, who would look good in orange and blue next season, could\u2019ve won it in regulation with a last-second jumper.<\/p>\n

It was good-enough Knicks win, but hardly a great one. Most troubling situation for the Knicks is the point-guard situation, with a perplexing melange of Payton-Rose-Alec Burks-Immanuel Quickley-Frank Ntilikna.<\/p>\n

In Thursday\u2019s win over the Spurs, after their return from an 11-day Western trip, Rose was rested. Tom Thibodeau would rather sing Karaoke at a Manhattan bar than rest a key player.<\/p>\n

But Rose, who had tweaked his ankle in Los Angeles, sat out Thursday, and Thibodeau sat his all-time favorite player again in the final 11 minutes of Saturday\u2019s fourth quarter and all of overtime. Thibodeau kept Rose at exactly 25 minutes \u2014 which was his minutes restriction while with the Pistons.<\/p>\n