WEBVTT

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Can we keep it a bucket?

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The New York Knicks are
having an outstanding season
that surpassed my greatest

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expectations, and yet the vibes
around the team just feel off.

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Mocking the Knicks used to be as New
York as dog droppings on the sidewalk or

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fresh steaming trash, but they're
making it harder for me these days.

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The Knicks are actually solid and
they're built to ascend for a while.

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Since the trade deadline, for example,

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the Knicks possessed the
NBA's third best net rating,

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which is the calculation
of points differential per
100 possessions behind only

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two teams, Boston and Philly,
pretty good. And speaking of nets,

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they outlast the Brooklyn's Fugazi dynasty
in the making and against all odds,

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a Tom Thibodeau coached team is
scoring the NBA's most points per 100

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possessions, despite generating the
worst assist percentage in the league.

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But after clenching a playoff spot,

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Thibodeau was as excited as
Trump being led into a courtroom.

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Perhaps it's because RJ
Barrett has congealed as a
mid-level starter rather than

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as the franchise skyscraper
they anticipated he'd be.

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And without a true primetime star player,

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the Knicks are a
rent-controlled city apartment.

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The ceiling is low and New Yorkers
expect the penthouse winner.

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Jalen Brunson is out-producing
his contract by averaging
28 points a game since

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January 1st, posting up
defenders distributing the ball,

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comfortable creating his
own shots on the perimeter,

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and getting into the lane for drives to
theri. Yet he will somehow snuff from

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the All-Star game. Unfortunately,
with the playoffs over the horizon,

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their lone all-star,

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Julius Randall has had the body language
of some poor transplant who has had to

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trudge through Times
Square against their will.

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Maybe he just gets it from his
head coach. To make matters worse,

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Randall also sprained his ankle corralling
a rebound last week against the Miami

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heat, and is expected to be reevaluated
days before the playoffs begin.

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And even at the end of those dark
thoughts about Randall is a ray of hope.

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In his absence,

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Quentin Grimes has risen off the bench
to drop 20 a night while bothering

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offensive stars on the other end.

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The Knicks finally have a
team that potential free
agent who wants to be a part

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of a contender, would
consider looking into.

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Maybe a free agent like Pascal Siakam
or Jaylen Brown would be enough to lift

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this team into contention. Thanks
for watching, and as always,

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remember to keep it a bucket.