Season Opener: Knicks @ Spurs
We didn’t actually expect to beat the Spurs, right?
Pop has lost a grand total of two home openers since the 1997-1998 season. For context, that was when Titanic was smashing the box office and President Clinton was smashing interns. You may not even remember it, but I do, and that was many moons ago.
He absolutely did have sexual relations with that woman.
That grumpy bastard Popovich doesn’t lose the first game on his home floor and he most definitely wasn’t about to lose it to Marcus Morris, who shafted them of both his gritty Anderson-bopping and Davis Bertans incredible red hipster hair in one go. The Spurs are seasoned and smart and their coach is the probably the greatest we’ve ever seen. This loss was all but sewed up in July.
How the hell do you trade away the lead singer of Arcade Fire based on a “verbal commitment”?
By the way, what’s the deal with Pop hating on the Knicks for signing his guy? Yes, they’re an easy and generally deserving target and I’m sure he’s super butthurt over losing Mook, but where does the dude who acts like every reporter he’s ever met is sleeping with his daughter get off calling anyone in the league unprofessional? Come on, Pop, don’t you know we’re on the way up?
“I saw the text messages, Doris Burke, and I googled “scissoring”, you’re fucking dead to me, you hear me? Dead!”
Anyway, I’m off topic here. The Knicks lost. Pop got us.
It’s all good, though, friends: there were a number of positives to take away from the 120-111 loss.
First and foremost, RJ Barrett. Handsome, charming, beautiful RJ Barrett. Yes, it’s one game, but this dude looks like he’s got the damn goods, baby. He put up a beauty in his NBA premiere.
21 points on 9/13, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals.
It was all pretty effortless and there were some highlights for the reel, too.
I personally didn’t know he had the chutzpah to put down dunks like he did off that Payton feed and that save he turned into an assist to Randle was just straight baller behavior. That’s just something great players do.
Remember Andy Rautins? Fuck Andy Rautins. Rowan Alexander Barret, Jr.
Speaking of Randle, he had a great game himself.
25 points on 10/18, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals.
He did step out with cramps during the Spurs final blows and he had some unsavory heaves early in the shot clock just before that, but this man showed enough to make a fan believe he’s in for a career year.
I know this won’t stick, but I want to start calling him Orange Julius.
Guaranteed to give you cramps in the 4th quarter of a close game.
Maybe Blue and Orange Julius? I don’t know. Dude needs a nickname.
Other good signs:
Knox’s efficient game off the bench; the stroke looks smooth and he’s clearly gotten stronger.
Morris had another offensive showcase (just stop jacking threes before Melo’s legal team sends you a cease and desist).
Payton was a hellraiser on defense and his passing warms my heart (shot still looks like a lawnmower running over a golf ball, though).
That last one may not be all that great. With DSJ’s jumpshot in hospice and Frank’s sub-3 minutes of turnovers and fouls, it looks like Elfrid grabbed the starting role. Dude is probably not the answer, and if the other two are ever going to be the answer, it’s going to be hard to find out with them riding pine.
I could get into the bad stuff (fouls) and worse stuff (Portis) but I’ll stick with the positives. This time of the NBA year is all about hope.
Now, let’s see if that notion holds when they run into Brooklyn…
