Tom Thibodeau hints at Elfrid Payton playoff role with Frank Ntilikina twist
NY Post
It sounds like Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, once the playoffs begin Sunday, is going to dance with the one who brought him — maligned starting point guard Elfrid Payton.
Thibodeau, however, did reference the possibility Frank Ntilikina will have a role in the first round against the Hawks because of the Frenchman’s past success defending Atlanta’s superstar point guard, Trae Young. Ntilikina, a 2021 restricted free agent, has been out of the Knicks’ rotation most of the season. Payton, meanwhile, hit rock bottom down the stretch of the season, failing to score more than two points in any of the final four games. In the season finale Sunday versus the Celtics, his body language even looked off-putting and he struggled massively in 14 scoreless minutes, with layups blocked on both of his drives to the rim.
PHOENIX — Wednesday brought some cautiously optimistic updates for the Knicks frontcourt.
The Greatest Escape in franchise history was perpetrated by Glen Sather, when the general manager extricated himself and the Rangers from the final five years of Scott Gomez’s contract by moving the $7,357,143-per-year center to Montreal on June 30, 2009 after two years in New York.
The Yankees publicly are on the same page: Hal Steinbrenner, like Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone before him, said that issues with the club’s fundamentals did not hover over the team all season.
The first day of the rest of Daniel Jones’ dwindling time with the Giants arrived Wednesday, with Jones in the building, in the meetings, on the practice field (although not doing very much) and not at all part of the game plan for the next game, relegated to a non-participant role for the remainder of the season.
There will be a little extra magic for Knicks-Spurs on Christmas Day.
The quickest way for the Giants to climb out of quarterback hell is also the quickest way to extend their stay there for at least three more years.
The Lakers’ decision to keep Bronny James away from G League road games has sparked some debate about the level of preferential treatment the franchise is giving to LeBron’s son.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The Rangers continue to flex their strength on the road this season.
One of Tom Thibodeau’s stated points of emphasis for the Knicks this season — to increase their volume of 3-point attempts to take advantage of their proficiency from the outside — is starting to come to fruition.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — It’s the best-case scenario for Filip Chytil and the Rangers.