In addition to having their Big Three ready to go for Game 1 of the first round of the postseason this Saturday, the Nets also anticipate having Joe Harris (left gluteal strain) available, writes Ryan Dunleavy of The New York Post.
“We expect Joe to be ready for the weekend,” Nets head coach Steve Nash said of Harris, who missed the last three games of the regular season due to his injury. “When he practices and how much he practices is to be determined, but I think he’s feeling better, looking better, and he went through our very light, half-speed practice and did his shooting (Tuesday), so all signs there are good.”
Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York teams:
- Mike Mazzeo of Forbes takes a closer look at just how expensive the Nets‘ roster will get if and when the team signs Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving to contract extensions.
- When general manager Scott Perry signed a new contract with the Knicks last May, it was just a one-year extension that locked him up through 2020/21. However, there’s an expectation that Perry will work out a new deal to stick with the team beyond this season, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on a recent episode of his Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip to RealGM).
- As Marc Berman of The New York Post writes, Knicks point guard Elfrid Payton played some of his worst basketball of the season during the final few games of the regular season, raising questions about his postseason role. Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post argues that it’s time for the club to bench Payton, who averaged 1.8 PPG on 19.2% shooting in his last six contests (14.3 MPG).
I have a feeling Nets will be even better than we think. Danger danger
If all 3 are healthy and stay healthy I think they easily win the East and probably the Finals barring LeBron-AD making a run. They really improved their depth post Harden trade, so to me it’s their ring to lose.
What do the Lakers have to do with the NBA Finals?
Even if they win tonight they might get past the first round playing a team like the Suns, but they would get swept by Denver in round 2.
Bold prediction. Let’s revisit this at the beginning of the conf finals.
Lil D, if I haven’t already, I would like to change my EC vote from MIL to BRK. Will Robinson
The Celtics showed me something, particularly Jayson Tatum, when they beat the Wizards for the 7th spot. The Nets beat them three times this season, yet they played like they wanted the Nets in the 1st Round.
I hope the Nets give them what they want. Four game sweep, record points scored, and Brooklyn moves on to the 2nd Round.
F the Celtics!
Or…. now just hear me out. Maybe they just played hard because they really wanted to not lose the game and be forced into a do or die game to make the 8th seed. Crazy right? Imagine a team in a play-in tournament actually playing because they want to make the real playoffs, and not because who they will or won’t play in round 1. Your take is awful.
Lol if you “saw something” from the Celtics last night you may need to get your eyes checked…
It’s been said ad nauseum but this Celtics roster is just junk. Walker hit shots last night but he still can’t do anything at the rim and their role players are almost as bad as Washington’s. Langford looks terrible.
Tatum might win them a game. But it’s 4-1 best case scenario.
Never play Lbrick again. Jared Harper>Lbrick
Too bad Celtics are without Jalen. They could of put a scare on Nets. This is going 5. Want to see chemistry of Nets.
13,000 fans allowed for playoffs at MSG. Now this will be home court advantage. It’s been a long time for fans. No playoffs then virus. Let’s Go Knicks !!!!
No they wouldn’t. Beating the Wizards was easy, they suck.
Brooklyn is ten times better than Washington. Westbrick is a joke.
No you’re the joke to Westbrook. Jalen is Celtics best 2way player. It could of been a real series.
Wizards will beat Pacers. Again while you n Rockets watch.
Payton has been bad. Don’t get why though. To me Frank is a better defender. So it’s time to play him coach. Payton is a FA so it’s a bad time to play bad. Always said he’s a solid backup PG. Someone will sign him.
I agree it’s time to play Frank especially since he’s better on defense and you may want to increase his trade value.
Rotation will tighten in the postseason so Frank and Elfrid may both be out of minutes. Especially if the strategy is going to be let Trae get his and stifle everyone else. In that case you don’t need either one of them, would prefer the offense from IQ/Rose.
Frank has no trade value and a few postseason appearances will likely not change that. He is, imo, one of the worst players in the league and that includes his above average defense. I can’t imagine anyone trading for him as he’s been pretty available for a while with no takers.
Isn’t he going to be an FA anyway? I don’t think he was going to get a QO. If there were any team that wanted the rights the Knicks would’ve had, they probably could’ve offered the traditional future 1-55 restricted draft pick (equivalent to the $1 the Mets gave the Cubs for Cameron Maybin, but probably worth less unless the team is a championship contender).
The more interesting player with Bird rights in NYC who played about as much time this season as FN is Spencer Dinwiddie. It’ll be interesting to see if he can make it back at all during the playoffs. He’s almost definitely opting out of his $12M option since he views himself as worth starting point guard pay. He’s a good player, no doubt, and the Nets could re-sign him with his Bird rights, but it would kill any potential wiggle room to sign anyone else, if it’s not gone already.
Frank is a better defender than Payton. A guy who started at PG for 4th seed in East. Frank will be better than Payton when it’s all said and done. Knicks haven’t tried to trade him. Obviously think he’s worth more than offered. Can use him in as add in on trade or come off books next yr and use his cap space. Payton is gone next yr. So he still might get his shot in NY. I’m sure you gave up on Randle too.
I guarantee that the Knicks would have taken any offer for Frank. A second rounder and he would have been gone. It’s not an issue of the Knicks thinking he’s ‘worth more than offered’, it’s that no one offered anything. He played a grand total of 322 minutes the whole year despite being healthy for most of the season. He saw his playing time halved this year (less than 10 minutes a game). Please let go of the idea that he has any value. He doesn’t.
And no, I didn’t ‘give up on Randle’. I actually liked the signing at the time, and I don’t see what one has to do with the other, unless you’re trying to tell me that Frank can break out like Randle has (he can’t).
lmao, I found the Hoops Rumors article on the Knicks signing Randle, and there I am in the comments defending it:
link to hoopsrumors.com
So, again, no. I did not ‘give up on Randle’.
Frank Nit will never have trade value of any significance.
The name Alec Burks is not being mentioned. It’s like a thread from last year.
Love AB. Phasing out some of Payton and giving those minutes to Burks, IQ, and Rose seems like a good plan for the playoffs.
I’m guessing that Payton will (as he should) continue to serve the (limited) starting role he’s been playing for most of the season. There are reasons he plays/starts, and, at this point, its not important whether Berman and Vaccaro understand them.
What these boobs should be writing about is how Thibs has, over the past month, set up more streamlined rotations, built mostly around the top 4 perimeter players (Barrett, Bullock, Burks and Rose). How Quickley has also retained a clear path to closing minutes. How Payton, for the most part, has not. Then maybe a bit on how the matchup with the Hawks (Young) could highlight the things that Payton brings to the table that are our other PGs do not.
Defense and team defense is what keeps Payton playing. Thibs trusts that part of his game. Knicks have depth at PG. So even if Payton gives 20 mins. That can be enough. You don’t want to ride Rose. His mins have to be managed. He’s most effective that way. Quickly right now is more an offense spark. Frank will get mins. Simply cause he’s part of the depth. Up to him to show up. Rotation guys are that for a reason. You can’t expect they will start and be as effective. Good thing is our bench has been solid most of yr. We need it now.