No, no, come on, come on.
Brian Mahoney from the AP is live in Cleveland. We want to get his take on what's happening right now, what the environment is at All Star weekend.
What's the feel with the Knicks right now? Brian? Are you here? Are you with us?
I am with you absolutely?
Hey, Brian, how is it in Cleveland?
Have you been enjoying the snow storm that's been going on?
The snow and the ice.
It's cold, It is cold, for sure. It's it's fun to be back at All Start. Don't get me wrong. You know obviously last year they couldn't really do this, so it's SIT's back to normal for the most part now with all the events back. But it's it's cold. It's we're not We're not in a warm weather city for sure.
In Cleveland, Yeah, no doubt.
At least you're somewhat enjoying festivities instead of having to be on the on the beat of drama in Brooklyn and in New York. At least like a week break for everyone who's wanting to know what's going on with Tibbs, what's going on with this next organization? Would love to get your take though, because there's a lot of blame that's being thrown around. Who should be to blame for the Knicks and their woes? All of those twenty point leads that they've blown in the last like eight games.
What are you hearing?
What's like really going on in terms of the reason that this team is struggling and what do you think happens next?
Well, I mean there's a lot of you know, being here on the road, I've seen a lot of national people, there's a lot of you know, we can't believe how it get so bad so fast. You know, this was a you know, a good news, feel good story last year at the Nicks nicking the playoffs and Tom Tiba winning Coach of the Year, and it would just look like a great mix. And you know, people like to see, you know, once in a while the next have a good team and then they're surprised that went so bad
so fast this year. I think they just, you know, unfortunately, the moves they made this year, they sort of built a team that is, you know, a competitive team. They're in every game most games anyway, but they're just not good enough to win a lot of them. They're you know, this team ultimately falls short, and it's a you know, a top to bottom failure. So far, Unfortunately, some players haven't played well enough, some moves they made weren't good enough.
And Tom Thibodau has made some coaching mistakes.
Yeah, for sure he has.
But I think that it's interesting that the blame falls on him when the players that he are very clearly Tibbs guys. And now the news comes out that he wasn't super thrilled with the Evan Fournier signing, wasn't super thrilled with Kemba as well as Cam Reddish, And I'm curious as to, you know, the move with not re
signing Reggie Bullock. I know that's kind of a niche question, but it feels like there was a shift within the organization maybe of trust where they were bringing in the Tibbs like mold guy, like a Derreck Rose, like a Taj Gibson, and then they end up getting kind of rid of them and going a different direction.
What do you think is is the reason for that?
No, it's a very good question, you know, obviously, you know, look, they felt they needed to upgrade the offense. You know, I think Jeff bang Gunde during doing one of their games this year, said, you know, look they you know, they tanked a bit in that Atlanta series. Afterwards, you know, they played so poorly offensively that they felt they had to go out this summer and upgrade that. And you know,
the moves to get porny A and Kemba Walker. We're done that and they say, okay, maybe we can afford to, you know, sacrifice a little bit of defense and you let a guy like Bullet go, and you know, again it hasn't worked out. I understand why they made the move for sure, watching the end of last season, but also they took away some of the strength of the team.
And you know, you probably saying some regards. Okay, a guy like Tom Tibodeau, you you know, I'll be able to deal with that, but you have to have a certain kind of player, and this team doesn't have all those kinds of players.
Yeah, And it's like you have to earn the minutes for tips. You have to earn him. In practice, nothing's given. He'll give you a DNP if he doesn't like what you're doing. So I guess the question is if things go this direction, because right now Tibbs is saying, oh, well, now post All Star break, we're gonna start playing the young guys.
What's the reason for that.
Are the expectations no longer surpassing Obviously it's not going to be possible, but winning to the level of last year and now it's kind of a punt season.
Yeah, it was interesting hearing him say that after the game the other night. You know, he was talking about winning in one regard, that's all his focuses on winning, And then a few minutes later he said, Okay, we have these young guys, and you know, developing our young guys what we have to do, which obviously those are contractory feelings for the most part. So you know, they're still close to being in the play in position. I mean, that's only three games out maybe or so, so they
could try and keep going. But with this little bit left in the season, they may I think it's worth it. And in that regard, then, yeah, they have enough guys here young, so you do have to start to give more minutes, I guess. And that's not the kind of thing he ever wants to do, but it may just be what management tells him to do.
I'm curious as to what happens postseason. Tim signed a five year deal right off the jump, and I think the world is sort of wondering could he be on the chopping block legitimately? What does your feel on that? And is that just still to be determined or are we at a not at the tipping point as to where we can make a prediction on that.
Yet I hate, I hate to make one because you never know what My feeling on the one, Renownd is, Look, the guys a winning record in New York. You know no one has that in no long time.
Yes, so how could they not want to keep him around? He's proven he can do well here. On the other hand, he's on the Knicks, and they make reaction and decisions sometimes, you know, I would I want to give leon Rose benefit a doubt that that he's not going to be that kind who has done, you know what some of the previous presidents have done and just kind of bail out on things too quickly. But at the same time, you know, these being the Knicks, you just never never
can know. They have a history of making the wrong move sometimes.
Yeah, and James Dolan isn't always one of those those owners that want to have multiple coaches on the payroll all at the same time that it takes a lot for him to get there. Sometimes shifting over to Vinettes, what's kind of the vibe now that all the drama of the Harden trade has settled.
It seems to be pretty good. You know, I wasn't around them much when things really went bad but hard, and they were on the West coast trip then when things seem to really fall up the deep end, and you know, I didn't realize how bad it seems to have gotten. And now that that trade is done and he's gone, Uh, you know that that win against the Knicks was was a great win, you know, to come back there and win that game, and you know, winning at home the first night when they had Drummond and
Curry playing was a you know, routing Sacramento. So, uh, this seems to have really improved things. Now again, doesn't matter unless Kevin Durant gets healthy and then Benson's comes back think to play and all that stuff. But certainly they seem to be in a much better place mentally than they were, you know, ten days ago.
Now, Harden said that this had very little to do with Kyrie, but that's not true.
Is it?
I can't imagine it is, you know, I mean, obviously, if you're gonna find a reason you frustrated as a NETS player, I mean you have to look there, don't you.
Yeah, yeah, I mean, and now you're getting to a point where you have a guy like Cam Thomas who's able to get buckets in late game situations without all that drama.
Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, getting him more it helps. And you know, I can understand why Harden is disappointed obviously. You know, this has been two years in a row where Kyrie is not there all the time and James hardness to play heavy minutes because of that, And I don't think that's necessarily was fair to Harden. And so you know, is that the only reason you want to go? I don't want to say that. I think that would be unfair, But I certainly can't imagine
they played no factor at all. You know, we saw he was appointed after the Nets change our mind in December and brought Kyrie bank and and uh, you know that certainly it all added up to him wanting out.
Do you believe that this situation happens the way that it does if Kyrie was not a part time player, that he was a no time player.
If Kyrie hadn't played role this year would have one. That's a it's a it's a good question. I uh, you know, I I think maybe he would have made it through the season. Maybe and you know, and then you know he's playing was to go into free into the summer, and maybe he would have stuck with that. If he was so frustrated he would have been left or you know, just wanted to go, he would have left. But uh, you know, it's very possible that when the
Nets changed our mind, that that sped things up. You know, I certainly, you know, Harden needs to win the title, is the bottom line. He you know, Kevin Durants won, Kyrie Irvings won, Harden hasn't won, and he needs to make sure they're doing everything possible to win. And the Nets were not. Kyrie not playing all the time wasn't going to help him here. So that certainly, you know, would have this point at him.
Yeah, it's interesting that on one end k Carden's full goal is to win right now, but on the other end, we're seeing you know, reports that he's out on the road partying, that his conditioning isn't up to par I'm very curious as to how this actually ends up shaking out, whether any of those things change now that he's in Philly. What what's the vibe with Ben and when we can see him return.
You know, that'll be interesting because you know, they play in Philadelphia in a couple of weeks on market. Yeah, I don't know what they want to have been to who's played there, you know, if he has you know,
mental health struggles. Uh So that's a tough place. So you know, do they on the one hand, not bring him back before then on the other hand, if they don't bring him back before then, you know, this is a team that doesn't have a lot of games left and they're you know, pretty far back into standing, so they need to get things going.
So it'll be.
Fascinating to see, you know, how soon you know, physically and mentally he's ready to get on the court.
So I'm curious, says to how things are shaking out also with Kyrie, because I've I've seen some news that there's a potential and this has been whispering for months now that possibly that New York will change their mandate or maybe he'll be able to figure out where the Nets pay a fine, like what is actually true here?
And is that actually going to change before playoff time?
I mean, just use the Steve words, Steve Nash's words. They're optimistic, you know. I think everyone is sort of looking at things are you know, getting better and numbers are going down, and you know they believe in the way happen. I understand, you know, the mayor you know has said, you know, I'm not sure myself what to do, but I don't want to rush this and send the wrong message. But the playoffs are still you know, two months away, so I think the Nets can you know,
hang in there. The problem is if it doesn't happen. I think, you know, a lot of us all thought at some point Kyrie would say, I prove my point and I'm going to get the vaccine. There's been no reason to believe that's going to change it all during this whole season. He seems to have sort of dug
in more. Even so you know, if the man it doesn't change, they have to, you know, realistically think you know, he's not going to play at all this year and on games and you know, and you know they can't win if that doesn't happen, and.
If that doesn't happen and we get a halftime kai all the way through playoffs. I know we're not in the prediction game all the time, but I have to ask you, like, if you had to put odds on Kyrie getting an extension this summer, if he does, and at what length, where would you go with that?
You know, I think the Nets have to be careful with that. You know. Again, I he you know, he took a leave of absence last year. He has not been committed to doing what it does to play all year this year. These are his own personal issues. I understand that. I'm you know, I don't want to say, but.
He's never available full full games except for the years when.
He was with Braun right, So you know, you can't then pay him maxim money in my mind to you know, if you're not going to be there all the time. Now, you know what you know? Is there a middle number where the Nets will say, well, we're going to extend you, but we're giving you only this, uh, you know, And as that matter of Kyrie, I'm not even sure, you know, it's hard to really tell what's important to him at this at this point in his life and his career, so it's going to be tough one for the Nets
to navigate it. It's such a hard question to answer because we've never seen this. You know, how many you know guys are they with his talent who you aren't sure whether they want to play basketball anymore? And that's where we kind of are with Kyrie.
Where are we with Joe side?
Do you think because he's kind of the key piece, his only goal is to win at any cost, has there been any whispers about what his sentiment.
Is on this?
You know, the only really wizards we hear is obviously you know, he believes in vaccines and science, so there was some disappointment there. But at the same time, he also you know, wants to do what everyone takes to win, as you mentioned, and bringing Kyrie back was part of that, so you know, he did. You know, they all have done what they had to do for this season to give us out what they felt was the best chance.
But you know, going forward up this year, they have to sort of evaluate the whole thing because there's dollars and cents involved, and and commitment levels and talent levels and all those kind of things. And he's a tough one to evaluate.
Brian, thank you so much for joining us all the way from Icy Snowy. Got your surrels on, your bug boots on. Hopefully you don't have your sneaker game going because I think you'll have to leave those in the hotel.
You don't want to wear anything on your feet on the strip, that's.
For sure, and that's what the All Star Game is all about. Brian, thanks so much for joining us.
Thanks to take care.
Thank you.
Brian Mahoney from the AP Live in Cleveland. The Danis pleasure doesn't nothing. I measure, there's getten.
A lot of a lot of hate here. I'm Tristan Criek here on the fan. A lot of hate here for Tibbs. The pitchforks are out for Tibbs.
I tell you what. I was talking to a couple of co workers, Big.
Knicks fans, and they're like, Tibbs is an idiot, Tibbs sucks. Tibbs won Coach of the Year last year. So my question is does a coach go from being elite Coach of the Year status to becoming absolute garbage overnight?
Or is there more going on here?
Because I believe that there's a lot of blame to go around, and I think Tibbs is the last person that should be fired or the last person that should be on the chopping block, the guillotine, whatever you want to say, right, because let's put this into perspective. Say you're an employee, you get hired, You get hired right off tops for five years. They've got the trust in you to sign you immediately to a long term deal. They know everything about you, they know your history, they
know your reputation. You guys got a great relationship. You've laid out the plan for success, and the business that you're coming into to run has been successful for I mean a long long time. And you come in and you ignite the culture. All of a sudden things are going swimmingly. All of a sudden, you are performing well above expected, I mean well above well above expectations.
Like the team the Knicks going to the playoffs. Excuse me, Okay, we've.
Got to play in tournament here, we've got a playing Okay, so the Knicks, we're like a nine hour ten seed, right, no.
Four seed.
They had home court advantage with Tom Thibodeaux. He got a couple of his guys in Derrick Rose, and he's like, oh yeah, we'll bring him in for you.
We know he's a TIBs guy. All of a sudden, you're a four seed.
Yes, you did get bounced by okay, a team that went to the Eastern Conference finals in the Atlanta Hawks, so there's no shame in that. And then okay, you win Coach of the Year Tom Thibodeaux for the New Nicks, and one year later you say, Okay, I've outperformed expectations. The city is electrified by me. They think I'm doing a phenomenal job. Flowers and roses and everyone's excited. The garden's going crazy. It's back to the nineties era.
Week go.
And then you say, listen, in order for me to get to that next level, which is to really compete, I have some additional resources that I need.
Can you get me x y z. And instead of getting you what you need, what you got was Evan Fournier. Yikes.
I love me some Evan Fournier, but I only like him when he's playing in the Olympics. I am not a fan of domestic Evan Fournier basketball. And I don't think Tom Thibodeau is either and then you go out and get a feel good story in Kemba Walker. Kemba Walker is injury prone. He's never played defense his entire career. He's a New York kid that literally the Boston Celtics had to pay to get rid of. And you're like, we are going to get this guy into the starting
lineup for Tom Thibodeau. And you know, Leon Rose and Worldwide West, they know everything that there is to know about Tom Thibodau and what he needs and what he wants to succeed, and they give him Evan Fournier and Kemball Walker, my lord, and then when it doesn't go the way that you expect as a fan base, as a front office, as ownership, it's like, well, Tibbs is the one to blame.
Really, is that true? Is that true?
Why?
Because you gave him an inferior amount of resources and the type of resources that he asked for, and then you still expected him to not only perform to the level that he did last year, but even above. And Okay, so it's Julius Randall's fault because Julius Randall is now playing more minutes than he's ever played.
His usage rate is through the roof.
And you've got Kemba now being benched, and now it's trade deadline time, and what do you do? You say, everything is on sale, everything must.
Go, anything can go. We just need some pieces that fit into the Tibbs model. And what do you do? You go get Cam Reddish. Cam Reddish can't the same Cam Reddish that.
The Atlanta Hawks went on a tear right after they traded away that Cam Reddish. No shade to Cam Reddish. He can be a very very good player in this league at some point, but he is not a Tom Thibodeau player. Hence the reason he got multiple dnps to start the year and to start his career for the New York Knicks. So the question is what is a Tom Thibodeau player. Well, you've got to be healthy, you've got to play defense, you have to be a dog.
That is the most important, And the most most important is you have to buy in too doing all those things.
You have to say, Okay, Tom, I get you. I'm gonna do it.
But not only am I gonna do it. I'm not gonna do it begrudgingly. I'm going to do it because I know that's what takes it takes to win from for you. Evan Fournier is not a defender. Evan Fournier is not tough. Evan Fournier is not a Tibbs player. And surprise, surprise, when the news came out, Tom Thibodeau was not happy with the signings of Evan Fournier, Cam Reddish and Kevin Walker and they're shopping Kimba and Kemba's coming out with quote saying, well, I'm here now, I
don't know what to say. Goodness gracious, and so it's Tibb's fault and that Tibbs on a five year deal should be should be fired.
How dare us?
You may or may not like what Tibb's methods are, but you sign him to those methods for five years and he got you to the four seed and you were a struggling franchise not even thinking about a move and a world that you could imagine hosting a playoff game at the garden?
Are are we serious?
Are we all living in the same universe right now? I cannot believe it really quick. Let's go to Doe from Middletown, Dough, what's up?
This is boh, hey, how are you? How are you to I'm a big Knicks fan. I've been to a Knicks fan fault. Maybe it was twenty twenty five years, going back to the Patrick Ewing days. It Mike, Mike? Then? Is that the way how Tom Thibodeau is. I I'm kind of sad to see Reggie Reggie bull bullet when he was gone and that was that was that was his player, that was his that was his dog right there when he was gone. And then then when they signed Evan Forty and Kevin Walker are like, okay, they're
they're dressing away from his idea of his team. And now like, I'm disappointed that how this team is coming together, that they were coming together just coming along. And and my question is that who's who's going to take the blame that after the season? Is will Tom still be around or will upper management will be changed?
It's a great question.
It's a great question from bow and unfortunately, should and will are two totally different things. Who should be to blame the people who make decisions and give you the raw materials to then bake or cook or whatever or build a team with right create something and you're just gonna say, oh what Tibb's teams are giving up multiple twenty point leads. These are not his players. He is the kind of guy where you earn your minutes in practice.
We're talking about practice. Yes, for Tom Thibodeau, who has been called the Penguin by people that are not me.
That is his style. You earn everything you get.
You don't come in here and just get it, unless you're Julius Randall. But that's because he proved it last year.
And you're right, Bo, the people who.
Make those decisions and give Tom the players that he has asked specifically, not for he wanted to resign Reggie Book. Reggie Bullock was a great piece, good role player, a good defender. And I know we as New Yorkers, are not huge fans of Frank Noliquina. Frank Nilikina got barbecued, chicken got cooked by Trey Young, but Frank Milikina had
a history of being Trey Young up. In twenty eighteen, the Knicks had one hundred and twelve one oh seven victory over the Hawks, and Frank was locking Tray down. He had zero points in the first half, seventeen points overall. Tibbs trusted Milikina. Now you might say that was.
A bad move.
Maybe that changed the entire history or course of that playoff series. Maybe it did, maybe it didn't. So does Tibbs deserve to be fired?
I don't think so. Will he be fired? Could he be fired?
People who were in charge, they're looking for people to blame. The shives are out, as they say, and the guillotines coming down. And we've got a secret illuminati in the clouds where they're pulling strings and we don't know where they are or what they're up to, but we know that they're connected to the more important historical events in sports. And they have to also run the New York Knicks. Obviously, James Thullen is a factor. He's not going anywhere either.
So will Tibbs be fired?
I don't know.
Should he be fired? I don't think so. But listen, Tibbs, if you gave him everything that he wanted. Also, by the way, the guys.
Who are on this roster who are Tibbs guys, are completely injured. You've got Derrick Rose who's down.
R J.
Barrett who's down.
That's a big piece, and he's got a bunch of young guys, and he wants to win games now, and people are coming out with the guillotines for him because he doesn't want to play the youth movement, but he's also got pressure in order to fulfill those expectations, not only from last year, but also to surpass them.
Doesn't nothing imagine would be a fiction of the f anything one more. I was so good being bad. There's no way I'm turning back.