Gavin Schall here, the host of the daily Locked On Knicks podcast, with your daily Locked On Knicks newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Knicks and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Knicks’ Rollercoaster Weekend: Analyzing the OKC Loss and Milwaukee Win
Jan 12, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) celebrates his three point shot against the Milwaukee Bucks during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner/Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The New York Knicks experienced a tumultuous weekend, showcasing both their vulnerabilities and strengths. Friday night’s embarrassing 126-101 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder at Madison Square Garden was a stark contrast to Sunday’s impressive 140-106 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
The OKC game exposed some of the Knicks’ ongoing struggles. Despite a promising start, the team faltered in the fourth quarter, allowing the Thunder to outscore them by 20 points. This collapse highlighted defensive miscommunications, poor offensive execution, and an inability to counter OKC’s five-out strategy effectively.
One concerning trend is the Knicks’ performance against top-tier teams. They’re currently 0-5 against teams with better records and 9-11 against .500 or better teams. This includes a 1-6 record against the top eight teams in the NBA, raising questions about their ability to compete at the highest level.
However, Sunday’s game against the Bucks showed the Knicks’ resilience and offensive firepower. Jalen Brunson’s 44-point performance in under 29 minutes was particularly impressive, demonstrating his ability to exploit defensive mismatches and knock down tough shots.
Karl-Anthony Towns also shined against Milwaukee, contributing 30 points and 18 rebounds. The duo of Brunson and Towns, currently the sixth-highest scoring pair in the NBA, proved their potential to carry the team offensively.
Despite these positives, concerns remain about the consistency of wings Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby. Both players have struggled with their three-point shooting lately, with Bridges, in particular, showing defensive lapses that are uncharacteristic for a player who finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season.
The Knicks’ ability to bounce back from the OKC loss with a dominant win over Milwaukee is encouraging. However, questions persist about whether this team can consistently compete with the NBA’s elite and make a deep playoff run.
For more insights and a deeper dive into the Knicks’ recent performances, tune into the Locked On Knicks podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Knicks Podcast:
• Jalen Brunson’s injury scare and quick return against Milwaukee
• The impact of Mitchell Robinson’s absence on the Knicks’ defense
• Josh Hart’s consistent contributions in both games
Monday movers: Isaiah Collier and the resilient Pistons
Jan 12, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (13) lays the ball up against the Brooklyn Nets during the fourth quarter at Delta Center. | Rob Gray/Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Isaiah Collier
If you thought tracking incremental improvements was just for teams, think again. Jazz rookie Isaiah Collier had himself a game on Sunday, with a career-high 23 points, seven rebounds and assists, plus a block, in 37 minutes on the floor. It was Collier’s longest sustained playing time this season.
I covered Collier over his McDonald’s All-American weekend in April 2023. As a USC signee he was in the shadow of Bronny James, also in the same “McDAAG” class. Collier was quiet, polite, and a little shy off the floor, on the floor, all those traits inverted. When I’ve circled around to check on how Collier’s been doing this season I haven’t been surprised to see him taking a secondary role. Sometimes the best thing for a rookie is to have a working balance between competitive pressure and developing at their own pace. What I have been surprised by is how much Collier, up to now, has been flying under the radar.
He had a sixth-sense for the game in high school, in his knack for passing, knowing where teammates would be, and dictating the pace of the game — a rarer thing for a young athlete. It showed it again in his single season at USC. The Jazz don’t necessarily want Collier to be the one deploying these things, they have Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson, and Keyonte George as a backup for them, but when Collier’s been trusted by the team to handle the ball it’s paid dividends.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Watch Roundball Rock is (almost) back. Giannis, Jayson Tatum, and Wemby star in NBC’s NBA promo. (NBC Sports)
Analysis Amid struggles, what’s the end game for the Suns? (NBA.com)
Roster Tom Thibodeau praises the makeup of the Knicks’ team, highlighting their cohesion and outstanding performance this season. His comments reflect a strategic confidence in the current roster structure. (Posting and Toasting)
Preview Following a dominant win against the Bucks, the Knicks are set to face the Pistons. The team needs to be ready for Detroit tomorrow, maintaining their momentum and focus for back-to-back games. (Posting and Toasting)
Rumor Bleacher Report suggests a trade every NBA team, including the Knicks, should propose right now. Speculative moves could alter team dynamics significantly. (Bleacher Report)
Analysis An evaluative look at the NBA’s best and worst value contracts places the Knicks’ deals under scrutiny, providing insightful analysis on their financial decisions. (Bleacher Report)
Preview The Pistons will battle the Knicks at Madison Square Garden at 7:00 PM ET. Read the preview.(NBA)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Waiver Wire Wisdom: Navigating Fantasy Basketball’s Ever-Changing Landscape
Jan 12, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Noah Clowney (21) passes the ball away from Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray/Rob Gray-Imagn Images
As we dive into Week 13 of the NBA season, it’s crucial to approach your fantasy basketball strategy with a keen eye on both the present and the future. The key is to play for the short term while keeping long-term potential in mind.
Donovan Clingan is an interesting addition. With Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams out, Clingan started and showed promise. However, his value may be limited when Ayton returns. This could be an opportunity to sell high on Clingan if you believe his current performance isn’t sustainable.
Noah Clowney and Nikola Jovic are two players with more long-term value. Clowney’s minutes may fluctuate, but he’s worth rostering for potential future gains. Jovic, despite coming off the bench, has shown promise and could see consistent minutes moving forward.
Click the button below to see which under-rostered players need to find their way onto your team.
NBA East Squad: Luka Doncic Shocking Trade, Jimmy Butler Rumors, and a Bulls Full Reset
In this episode of the Locked On NBA Eastern Conference Squad Show, hosts Sean Woodley, Tony East, Danny Cunningham, Wes Goldberg, and others discuss the shocking Luka Doncic trade to the Lakers. They analyze the Mavericks’ decision-making process and potential motivations behind the trade. The conversation shifts to Eastern Conference trade rumors, focusing on Jimmy Butler’s potential move from the Miami Heat. The panel explores possible destinations for Butler and speculates on other teams’ trade deadline strategies, including the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic. The episode concludes with a rapid-fire round where hosts predict player-team pairings for the upcoming trade deadline, offering insights into potential moves across the league.
Jalen Brunson ANNIHILATES The Houston Rockets In A Big New York Knicks Win
Gavin Schall is joined by Geoff Rasmussen the co-host of the fantastic Hot Hand Theory Podcast to discuss Jalen Brunson’s heroics in a thrilling Knicks win over the Houston Rockets. Gavin and Geoff dive deep into a lineup change that helped key Brunson’s electric final minutes, the health, play and long term plan for Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges propping up the Knicks with his two way play and a scintillating 1st half run for Ariel Hukporti.
OG Anunoby Seemingly Avoids Serious Injury... And LUKA IS A LAKER???
Alex and Gavin break down the weekend that was for the Knicks, which featured a let-down loss to the Lakers and an OG Anunoby injury scare -- luckily, one that seems to be more of the “sprain” variety than something more severe. But first, the guys need to talk about maybe the most shocking NBA trade of all time, with Luka Doncic going to the Lakers and Anthony Davis heading to the Mavericks.
