The Knicks won a game against us 119 to 92. It happened on a Wednesday, which is a day that usually feels longer than it actually is. It was not particularly close, but honestly, what is?
Watching Karl-Anthony Towns grab 20 rebounds feels like watching someone try to empty the ocean with a bucket. He just keeps going. Even when you think the ocean is empty, there is more water, or in this case, more missed shots to collect.
The Return of the Defensive Stopper
Christian Braun (CMB) came back from injury and played defense like he was trying to remember where he left his keys. He is six feet and seven inches tall, which is a height that seems adequate until you are standing next to a seven footer. He blocked shots and took the ball away as if it did not belong to the other team in the first place.
He looked a little tired, but we are all tired. My uncle used to say that effort is just what happens when you run out of ideas. CMB had a lot of effort in that first half, even if the second half felt like a long walk in wet boots.
Analyzing the Analysts
I saw a television segment where Kenny Smith omitted Scottie Barnes from a list of important players. He included Brandon Ingram, Bam Adebayo, and Joel Embiid instead. It is a strange feeling to be ignored, like when you wave at a neighbor who is clearly looking at their phone.
People get upset about these things on the internet, but lists are just words in a specific order. Eventually, everyone on every list stops playing basketball. Some of them go into real estate. Some of them just disappear.
The Giannis Question and Other Mysteries
There is talk about trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo because the Eastern Conference is currently a bit of a mess. Boston does not have Jayson Tatum right now, and the 76ers are still trying to figure out how legs work. It feels like a good time to do something, but maybe doing nothing is also a choice.
Our bench offense is currently a mystery that nobody is really trying to solve. When they come onto the floor, the scoring just... stops. It is like the hoop has been replaced by a very small, very stubborn bird that refuses to move.
We could trade for a superstar, or we could just wait and see if things get better on their own. Usually, they do not. But there is a certain comfort in knowing exactly how much we are going to lose by. It provides a schedule to the disappointment.
I once bought a signed Primoz Brezec jersey at a garage sale in Scarborough. It was five dollars. I think about that jersey a lot when I watch these games. It reminds me that everything ends up in a garage sale eventually.