No sh*t. This game went as expected. The Knicks got off to a good start, which was a bit of a surprise, but the 2nd quarter was horrendous, with the Knicks getting outscored 35-16. The main reason: lack of cataylst David Lee (out with the flu), and a tired team overall. The Knicks couldn't hit a shot, looked sloppy, and most of all couldn't stop the layup line for the 76ers. Only Kyle Korver's 3-point parade stopped the easy baskets for Philly. He came off the bench and dominated the action, hitting 11-14 overall and 6-7 from behind the arc. New York made no effort to defend him, deciding to let him chuck in the 2nd quarter, and he chucked the 76ers to a 15 point halftime lead.
It should be noted this is an anomaly; the Knicks own bench scoring, but the lack of Lee and really any other bench player (so long Francis and Robinson; where the eff were they?) hurt them. So when they fell behind by 20 midway through the third, desperate for a spark, we knew what was coming. BALKMAN b*tch. Indeed, the Panasonic BALKMAN is the top choice for last ditch effort to get back in a game. He took over with his effort as he is known to do, and the Knicks got to within 5 points by the start of the 4th quarter. There was BALKMAN scoring easy baskets on dunks, fighting for rebounds, doing the things that, well, David Lee does.
But he tired, the Knicks tired, and Korver was too much tonight. Really though, the Knicks just cannot play defense against bad team on the latter half of a back to back. It was pretty predictable. They fouled like crazy in the 4th, simply because they couldn't play defense (result: 12 FTA in the 4th for Philly, versus 15 in the first three quarters).
I may owe DepressedFan a beer, but know this: BALKMAN.
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Not to nitpick, but... garbage time is defined as the last five minutes of the fourth quarter of a blowout, when you get the 12th man off the bench into the game. It is the only time Jerome James should see actual game action. Or Steven Smith, in your case.
The opening minutes of the third quarter, with a 20 point deficit, is not garbage time... it is "Sh*t, we desperately need a spark... Renaldo, go hustle your ass off for the next 12 minutes, and let's see what happens" time.
Garbage-Time-Renaldo. At least you didn't predict the Knicks would make the playoffs, like Brandon did.