I understand y'all not wanting Jose out there because he's not making shots, but he didn't cost NY the game, nor did Fish. Players missed shots. Rolo missed a LOT of easy ones late. Made me so mad (but I still got love for him). Grant didn't even score (0-5). He just made his free-throws. Gallo got a late bucket, but he also missed a late one, and didn't shoot efficiently for the game. Jose ain't making shots, but he's not taking many either. It's not like he's taking 18 shots and only making 6 of them like 'Melo. That's a lot of empty possessions. Don't expect NY to win with 'Melo missing because he will be shooting (as he should). If NY does win, great, just don't expect it. He went off in Washington and NY barely won. For what it's worth, he did shoot 40% from 3 last night. He and Jose will shake off the rust from both of them missing all those games last season and 'Melo will get his lift back. They need a good amount of playing time for that. Give them about 2 weeks with Arron back.
Cheating refs got the Cavs going in the 3rd and kept them going in the 4th. Gave them phantom and LeFlopping foul calls, multiple defensive 3 second calls, etc. Players missed defensive assignments late, like Delly getting loose late, making shots and making plays through Tristan. That was on Kris and Gallo because they were supposed to be guarding Tristan and Delly. Can't be Jose if he's guarding Mo. Lj hit some late shots, which is on 'Melo. They got out-rebounded, especially in the 4th (that's on Seraphin, Lance, Grant, D-Will, Kris, and Rolo because those guys rebounded poorly). That said, NY did not lose this game on the defensive end. They weren't perfect defensively, as noted above, but they were very good, as the Cavs shot under 40% from the field, under 26% from 3, and under 72% from the line. Only reason they scored 96 is the cheating refs giving them 500 free-throws.
Fish had the shot-makers out there and they didn't make shots, and neither did the usual non-shot-makers. Only Kris — who is usually inefficient, O'Queens, and D-Will were efficient (Jose helped those guys with 5 assists — 2nd highest of the game, and the ball stuck when he wasn't in the game, leading to more missed shots.). That isn't enough. You can't win scoring 86 points and on 39% from the field. Playing Early more or the the guys who didn't do any better while in the game (Gallo and Grant) wouldn't have saved NY, and neither would Arron because wouldn't have even played that many minutes. They make a few more shots, they win the game. And NY missed great looks too. That was a team loss.
