Thursday, December 30, 2010

Getting numbers is not enough to beat these Knicks


Ever since Amar'e Stoudamire called out his teammates and seemingly took control of the locker room the Knicks have been on a tear. Much wants to be made about who the Knicks are beating. I'm glad the media talking heads have stopped but some fans are still claiming the Knicks haven't beat anyone. That's so far from the truth it isn't funny. Without boring you with stats, just reciently the Knicks handily defeated Durant and Westbrook and the OKC Thunder while giving the business to the Boozer/Rose led Chicago team. Both teams are considered elite in their respective divisions and sport a record 2-3 games better than the Knicks.

The kicker with this Knicks team is they are not afraid to compete. You simply cannot lay off this group and cruise because they will make a run and can "drop the hammer" like Amar'e Stoudamire favorite gesture after a big play. In every win, the opposing teams have been able to get their stats. Against OKC the other day Durant and Westbrook got their numbers and the Knicks blew them out for nearly the entire 48 mins. Against Chicago, Rose got theirs and then some yet the Knicks prevailed. Checkout the recient 3 game losing streak. It took a great player in Paul Pierce to hit a last second step back jumper to defeat the Knicks. If it wasn't for a bonehead clock operator (curses!!! *mojo jojo voice*) not putting the .2 back on the clock the Knicks would have won with Stoudamire's prayer. Against Miami last week the three Queens had to play their best came collectively to beat the Knicks, scoring a total of 84pts between them. Knicks scored 91 as a team. Cleveland is the lone blip as everybody including some Knicks admitted they took that game off that day. Last example I'll make is the recent Miami loss. Lebron had a near triple double, bosh had a double double, IIgauskas dropped 14pts/10rebs in 14 mins, while Wade gave the Knicks 40pts. See my point. The only way you're gonna beat the Knicks in 2010 is if all your teams top playes have career games at the same time. Even then the Knicks are always right on their heals fighting tooth and nail always staying within striking distance of pull out an upset victory. Erase the first 10 games and this is your New York Knicks basketball club. Your season averages aren't good enough....you must bring your "A" game or you will lose.

This is coming from a Knicks team that's not even complete. The Knicks are a team that is in dire need of a rotational big man compliment what Amar'e, Turiaf, and Wilson Chandler have been able to do inside on both ends. Even though that Rookie Landry Fields has been balling, he's still a rookie and at times he gets that "deer in the headlights" look and needs to be taken out. Knicks need to either test Azubuike's knee out or make a trade to bring in an adequate shooting guard for the rotation. Billy Waller and Roger Mason both had their shot and floundered. I'm not Captain Patience the way Donnie Walsh has been. I guess he's waiting to see what happens with Melo. At the same time the season goes on and whatever moves need to be made there will be a gelling period. In my humble opinion, the Knicks can't wait till after the all-star break when the trading deadline is over. They need to add these small pieces to their rotation and reinforce the seemingly dog mentally this team has adapted this year.

Couple names:
Dalembert in Sacramento - he's a prototypical lunch pail NBA center. Rebound, block shots, dunk. He will get starters numbers in those categories in bench player minutes

Varejao in Cleveland: he's been playing well this year in a full-time starter role averaging nearly a double double with decent blocked shots. He's an uptempo player with a great motor....he's what we all wish Mosgov could be

Mike Dunlevy in Indiana: dude can light it up from the outside and fill up the stat sheet at times. He's been hurt but playing decent right now on a team that's treading water around. 500

Nene in Denver: dude is a tough Guy. He gets his 14/7/1 with a chip on his shoulder. He'd fit well next to Amar'e instead of nose to nose with him.

Honorable mention (to avoid more rambling) Zaza Pachuilla (atl), Speights (Philly), Koufos (Minn), Fernandez (Port), Mayo (Memphis)

"Now its sing song time!!!"

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Sunday, December 19, 2010

Pump the breaks...need service after 3 game skid

Lets face it...the Knicks are back, but they haven't arrived yet. Against Boston they fell victim to experience and the hand of a cold blooded assassin. In Miami, the Knicks were simply out classed and overpowered by the 3 Queens. What hurt the most was losing to the scrappy Cavaliers. The Cavs have a losing record but they don't suck. They play hard and they don't give up. They're a well coached team and the players play with pride. The coaching played a huge part in making Amar'e look human. The Cav players did a great job of cutting Stoudamire off and making him work for possession. 23pts is very pedestrian like for Amar'e Stoudamire this season.

What am I getting at? Well lets look at what the Orlando magic did last night via trade. They basically get rid of old Vince Carter, mediocre Mickeal Pietrus, overrated Rashard Lewis and seldom used Gordon Gortat for Turkalou, Jason Richardson, and Gilbert Arenas. Real NY basketball heads know that's a grade "A" fleece job. This is the great Orlando magic team that was in the Finals a few years ago and was dominating the eastern conference. Its not like they are a bad team now. They were floundering a little and the highers up knew they were not good enough to compete with the top tier teams in the league. I believe they reloaded pretty good. They needed to get better ball handlers without losing their outside threats to open the inside for Dwight Howard. Mission accomplished. The Knicks have their own holes to fill. At this point the Knicks are good enough to get into the playoffs. What's the point of getting there if you can't beat anyone? Sticking with Orlando. Are the Knicks prepared to compete with Dwight Howard inside? Are they going to be able to compete with Richardson, Hedo, Arenas and Jameer Nelson on the perimeter? The Knicks aren't good enough.

The key now is to understand the teams strength along with the coaches game plan. It doesn't need to be revamped because it works. However the team does need reinforcements. #1 is poor Ronnie Turiaf. He's the lone big man out there assigned to do the dirty work and be the glue Guy inside. He's always hurt and forces Amar'e to start at center. Knicks need reinforcements inside. At least one player to throw in the mix to slide Amar'e back to the power forward and help Ronnie out there. #2 is the holes on the perimeter. Shawne Williams has been a big surprise but the Knicks can't expect to win with the rookie Landry Fields and the inconsistent Gallo out there. They both have been great at times but the Knicks need someone that can be at least pretty good every single night. They also need an extra rotation player in the backcourt with more experience than Landry.

I believe in Kelenna Azubuike. He's a legit nba shooting guard. He's excelled in golden state even though he jumped around from starter to 6th man often under Nutty Don Nelson. Its almost Christmas so I think he might be almost ready to contribute after recovering from knee surgery. He'd be that solid rotation Guy to plug into the mix with Landry Fields in the backcourt.

Melo, Melo, Melo, Melo.....how much is it gonna cost to get him? New Jersey made a move to get the same picks the Knicks wanted to ship over to Denver. The Knicks look to still be on the fence with Denver's stingy management. Do the Knicks need Melo? Yes...I know I've flip flopped on that subject, but after watching the Cavaliers put clamps on Amar'e and watching Gallo all but disappear when they needed him to produce buckets....I'm back on the bandwagon. Knicks need a true consistent scorer lined up next to Amar'e.....period. The Knicks can't properly compete without one. It's the difference between them crawling from pretenders to contenders *Clyde voice*

Go Knicks!!!!
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Monday, December 13, 2010

"The Knicks are back!"..."How sweet it is!!!"

I've been in disbelief the last few weeks. The last time I wrote a blog the Knicks were tail spinning. The offense was stagnant. Guys were just shooting every time they got the ball behind the 3pt line. Nobody was driving the ball and attacking the defense. They yweren't passing the ball. They weren't playing defense aside from blocking shots. They weren't rebounding. The pick and roll was horrible. It was a scene that us true orange and blue diehards were used to. It wasn't anywhere near Christmas and fans wanted D'antoni fired. I wasn't there yet, but I was definitely ready to abort the Gallo project for help inside....Well, Christmas is around the corner and the difference between the first 10 games and the last 14 is night and day.

The Knicks are running a beautiful ad campaign right now. They are connecting the past to the present. This time the organization didn't throw its fan base under the bus with that "formidable....you hear that Boston?" embarrassment. Its ironic that the Knicks next game is against those same Celtics. This time around they probably aren't laughing at us while licking their chops. The 2010 Knicks are the hottest team in the NBA. That is not fiction, that is a fact. 13-1 in the last 14. The proof is in the stats...and the truth is in STAT!

What brought on this resurgence? Did the Knicks trade for Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul? Nope...for the first time in a decade all the pieces seem to be falling in place for our Knicks. Raymond Felton is making a name for himself and that name is All-star! (Check the stats and the record people!!!) When Amar'e came through he told us his name was STAT. In New York we're calling him MVP! (How many 30pt games does he need to prove that?) Wilson and Gallo have become solid NBA starters in this league. Wilson was ready from day one this year....Gallo needed Amar'e to badger the team in the media to figure out he's allowed to dribble in the NBA....also what can you say about our rookie Landry Fields? John Wall was the favorite amongst his jockers and Blake Griffin is a super freshman being drafted last year but never playing a game. Who's the top rookie behind those two rock stars? Landry!!! He was overlooked because of the school he went to but he is turning out to be the steal of the draft. If you disqualified Griffin and went by winning record, Landry is hands down the Rookie of the year. Clyde Frazier said it before I could. Believe it brother.

What's left to believe? That the Knicks can pull out a victory in their next to games....game 1 being the hated Celtics and....*wait for it*.......those 3 Queens in Miami!

"Bong!!!" Lil' Fame voice
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Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Its not just the missing that's killing

I was deeply disturbed by Gallo's comments about missing his 3pt shots. He's killing himself for missing so many if them. Its not that he's missing shots. Its the fact that he takes so many uninspired 3pt shots. They are momentum killers and it allows the opposing team to get out and run. That's building their confidence. Not to mention the Knicks are bailing teams out because you can't really defend a Guy that is taking the shot whether you defend it or not. That has to be on teams scouting reports because every team the Knicks face are basically doing the same things to the Knicks.

The Knicks have gotta wake up. I'm not ready to abandon D'antoni yet because his offense works. His players aren't playing basketball. Now its not all his players because Felton, Wilson, Landry, Amar'e and Turiaf have come to play everynight. They aren't settling for 3pt shots just because they feel they are open. Gallo, Douglas, Rodger, and Walker are the most guilty of this crime. I believe its wrong to put this on D'antoni even though his philosophy calls for a lot of 3pt shots. Thing is guys need to know what a quality 3pt shot is.

The Steve Nash conspiracy needs to stop. Felton is doing a solid job this year. He's not a slow footed sliding/angling, hold the rock to the last second guard. He's a pedal to the metal power guard that can get to the rim and finish easily. He's hitting his outside shots. He's finding the open man. The problem lies on the players around him with no regards for what's going on out there at any particular time. As the co-captain he should be getting in the face of guys like Gallo and the other shooters. Stop taking these halfway contested shots! Its one thing if ball movement finds a player wide open. The guys are just taking shots because they are behind the line. Shooting is a rhythm. You simply can't just take 3's just because you are a "good shooter".

How come rookie Landry Fields has figured it out? The dude shoots when he's wide open. The rest of the time he spends playing basketball. He drives and moves the ball very well. He crashes the boards. The dude moves without the ball. The dude knows when to take his man and "finish his breakfast" (r.I.p. Franchise). Why can't Gallo, Douglas and the other shooters figure that out?

No trades on the horizon? All this blogger is asking for is a true center to start games. Knicks need a proven rebounder/shot blocker/finisher. No big name...just someone that has experience. At this time I would trade Gallo to do it. I'm more than comfortable with Amar'e, Wilson, Felton and Landry starting games. Shawne Williams and eventually Azubuike could make up for the "loss" of Gallo. Everyone has a hard on for Melo, so what's the big deal?!?!? The time to do it is absopositively right freakin now!!!
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Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Give Shawne Free

Anybody know who Shawne Williams is? Most only know what's written or said about the kid from the past. He's a typical guy from the inner city. It cracks me up to type that because that's where I'm from. I also played basketball and I know what you can get into playing especially at a high level. You're popular. Everyone wants to be around you. Everyone wants to see you destroy your next defender on the basketball court. You're going to attract the wrong attention. What's not really analyzed is the fact that you more than likely will grow up with kids that will walk that fine line between good and not so good. Some will turn out downright bad! I've never been arrested. I know guys that have been. I've never been stabbed, shot, or sold a drug in my life. I do know guys that have and still are doing those things (allegedly :/). Point being, these are my friends. You have a choice to follow or lead. Some cases you might not have much of a option depending how harsh your circumstances are. Now I don't know Shawne Williams personally. I'm just painting a picture for you through my own experience. Shawne Williams has never done jail time, but he's known to have kept some grimy company. He's had a couple of brushes with the law and his door was almost closed altogether because of this. How do you cut off childhood friends when you are basically still a child.

The problem is the dude became a public figure as soon as he was drafted into the NBA. He was only 20 years old. How many people can hold down a part time job at McDonalds at 20 years old while going to school? How many have the attention span to stay focused at a full-time job at that age? People do it but these are the impressionable years where you are trying to figure out this space we call life. What are you doing? Where are you going? Why am I doing this? Why am I still friends with this person? Why won't she add me on BBM? Who's this guy commenting on my girls facebook page? While this is happening, imagine making a million dollars a year with nothing but free time, basketball, a camera and a microphone in your face? What happens when you go out with your boys from the "inner city" that you grew up with who you love like brothers and you run into a heated situation with another group that aren't too happy to see you blowing money and getting all the girls?

No excuses for this guy. Alot of you that read or probably skimmed through that first paragraph don't want to hear about that. These guys at face value have been giving a silver spoon and in some cases totally screwed up their opportunity at making millions playing a game most of us play for fun. This perspective is also fair. At the same time, people are allowed to evolve. You are not human if you don't. We have environmental issues, and family issues to break free from so you can figure out how you want to leave your life in your own space. Some never realize they have that choice and never evolve. Shawne Williams is 26 years old now. He'll be 27 in February. He's seen the street. He's seen the red carpet. He also knows what it's like to stand outside looking in, hoping someone will notice him and let him in the backdoor. Donnie Walsh was in Indiana when his nba journey began. Donnie, now with the Knicks, has given the man a second shot at redemption.

I think of Shawne Williams as that infected soldier that was chained up in the backyard of the movie "28 days Later". The dude has got to be hungry. The media is ignoring him and to his credit, he is keeping himself out of their columns with off the court nonsense. The Knicks aren't winning right now. Team captain and face of the team Amar'e Stoudamire is calling his team basically a bunch of pansies. Shawne Williams is no pansy. Only evidence we have of this in a Knick uniform is his brief showing in the pre-season. He was very active and was a tough cover in limited minutes. He was good enough to beat out fan favorite Patrick Ewing Jr. I personally think Shawne Williams can contribute to the Knicks in the 8 man rotation. If I were to compare Shawne to anyone in the league, it would be Stephen Jackson. Jackson had his share of retardation in his career but I think we all are in agreement when I say Stephen Jackson is a warrior on the basketball court. Their games are eerily similar, especially early on in Stephen's career. With that said, why not give this kid a shot at playing. The Knicks that are already on the court aren't doing the job. It's not like he's going to kill anyone's minutes. Timofey Mosgov's minutes need to be eliminated all together. Anthony Randolph probably needs more minutes. When Ronnie Turiaf get back healthy, he's going to be a lock to play. Wilson is also a lock to finish most games with 30 plus minutes. There are the dinky little minutes that Roger Mason and Bill Walker have been getting. Shawne Williams could slide into that slot. Shawne is more of forward but he can surely play shooting guard at times. The Knicks have nothing to lose at this point. The Knicks are desperate. Shawne Williams is sitting on a 1 year contract with no guarantee he'll ever be asked back on any NBA roster in the future. I'd take my chances with this guy. He's got more to lose and his focus should be at an all-time high. Amar'e wants his players to play with urgency. D'antoni has got to see Shawne Williams tail wagging at the end of his bench. Give that dog a bone.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Pieces don't fit the puzzle


I'm one of the few out there that still believe's in D'antoni's offense. Just about every possession there's a play to be made. Problem with these Knicks is not the fact they are missing their shots. Its the fact that they come down the court and settle on simply taking 3 point shot after 3 point shot. They are simply bailing out the opposing defenses and igniting the fast break which instills confidence in the other team. Its also killing the concentration the Knicks showed during the first 5 games of the year. Is the sky truly falling for the 10th season in a row?

Captain Patience Mr. Donnie Walsh has done a wonderful job thus far with regaining cap flexibility, attracting a superstar player, and stocking youth. The problem with his finished product is he banked on these young guys to somehow mature at the same time and fight for a playoff spot. We all knew there were questions to be answered. Donnie said it himself as well as D'antoni. D'antoni gave fair warning during the pre-season that there were question marks and the season was riding on whether they were going to come out positively. Biggest question mark is whether or not Gallo can step into a lead role as a possible #2 option behind Amar'e Stoudamire. So far this season Gallo is proving to be who he is. A bit role player. He's a legit double diget scorer but in the mold of a solid starter. Gallo is not a go to threat. Could he eventually become one? That lies the problem because the Knicks aren't supposed to be an eventually team in 2010. They are supposed to be a team built for right now. Signing Amar'e to that 5 year deal says so.

What they the hell happens now?

First off, what made the team successful straight out the gate? Not 3 point shooting...but none other than good old fashioned New York style defense! Surprisingly what was the Achilles heal starting off the season? Rebounding! All I read and hear from people is that the Knicks need another alpha dog. Yes the Knicks need legit second scorer to help Amar'e, but how does another scorer improve the defense and rebounding? If the Knicks were to trade for a legit second fiddle, we'll be watching a lot of one on one before long and probably more losing.

The Knicks need to reestablish that defense they showed those first 5 games. Its a shame how a throw in Guy in the David Lee trade, Ronnie Turiaf, is the one that truly needs the help. His energy on finishing plays inside along with his stingy defense is sorely missing since he's been hurt. That's what needs to be replaced and stockpiled onto the roster. Ronnie is not a starter, but he is a hell of a bench Guy. He needs an anchor in front of him. Timofey Mosgov was starting but lost his spot only to get it back. He clearly has the ability, but the Knicks are not in the wait and see business this season. He needs to be benched and brought along slowly. He fouls too much, turns the ball over and just needs to get used to the bullshit calls of the NBA officials. As I stated in a previous blog, the Knicks need to get a legit nba center. I mentioned Erick Dampier who is currently a unrestricted free agent, and Sam Dalembert who's in limbo on a young Sacramento team. There are other options and the Knicks need to explore them. They can afford to move players as well because the Knicks have tons of redundant talent. Azubuike is also due to make his debut in a month or so. Shawne Williams is another player who in my opinion could provide similar production to what we're currently seeing out of Gallo and Wilson.

I believe in the 2010/11 season its playoffs or bust. The Knicks don't have to repeat the sins of the past by trading for has beens with long contracts. The Knicks need players with experience that can fit immediate roles and have minimal impact on the cap. I don't think the Knicks have time to wait for guys to wake up. Right now the defense needs to be fortified. The team has to become a defense creates offense type of team to keep the confidence up which is what's needed to make the D'antoni offense look good. Time is not ticking anymore....its literally banging.



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Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Time to tighten up

Let go the nonsense written about Isiah Thomas link with the organization. Forget about Phoenix, 7 seconds or less and Steve Nash. Totally ignore Carmelo, and CP3 for now. Open your eyes and see what the Knicks have become after being in limbo for the last two years. They have come full circle and become a team that defends like their tradition indicates. Nobody could have predicted the Knicks would be leading the league in blocks like they are. They are averaging nearly 3 times as much as they did last season. It shocks me to write that. What shocks me even more is actually watching games and witnessing it first hand. Tack on the amount of changed shots by sheer intimidation and you realize this is no early season fluke. The 2010/11 Knicks defend that rim.

What's the buzz amongst fans though? What are the reporters reporting? They are talking about everything I asked you to ignore at the beginning of this piece. The asking price for Carmelo is probably too high at this time. Yes the Knicks need another alpha dog but they need not sell their soul to do it. Why the hell are people still talking about Chris Paul when Raymond Felton has been playing very well against the leagues best. He's gone toe to toe against Rondo, Andre Miller, Derrick Rose, and John Wall. He's basically gone even in each match up with comparable statistics.

What are we looking at and how can these Knicks improve? To answer that you first need to ask this question. Who are they trying to beat? Boston, Miami and Orlando...hello?!?!? Ronnie Turiaf has been a joy to watch but his energy needs to be preserved. The future at the center spot is Timofey Mosgov. He's not ready yet. He could possibly find his game by December or towards the end of the year. The Knicks time is now. I never thought I'd endorse this Guy, but Erick Dampier is a free agent right now. He's looking for a team. Ignore the fact he's been a huge under achiever and embrace the fact this man is a huge steal at a veterans minimum salary. He's gonna rebound, and defend plus he's only 35 years old. Inserting him at starting center allows Turiaf to go nuts all year backing up the 4-5 spots all year. I believe this is the cheapest way to solidify the front court. It also allows the Knicks freedom to toy with finding that true second option on offense. Another name I'll throw out there is Samuel Dalembert. He's an expiring contract on a sactown roster that includes that rookie Phenom Demarcus Cousins. Maybe the Kings do Dalembert a solid and laterally trades him to a team he can start on? Both Dampier/Dalembert take an already furious shot blocking team makes them downright scary.

Quietly the Knicks are awaiting the emergence of Azubuike from his patella injury that deleted his entire season last year. Patella tendons aren't acl's. Players tend to bounce back faster from this injury. Buike is the answer at the 2 spot. Landry Fields has been great and Walker solid. Buike is a legit scorer in this league. He could give you 13-18pts per game as a starter. Think John Salmons with a 3pt shot. I believe its absolutely crucial to make a move at center that compliments the defense now to coincide with Azubuike's emergence.

The timeframe between now and the trading deadline is absolutely critical for the Knicks season. Carmelo Anthony is out there. Denver could wait to trade Melo at the deadline. The Knicks need to know who they are by then. Defense, and a balanced offense. The time is now to tighten up before bad habits begin to set in. A move should be made not now, but right now.
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Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Asbestos good for the Knicks



Remember playing tag as a kid? Remember chasing down a slower friend only for them to call "base" or say "time out" just before you tag them? That's essentially what happened to the Knicks Tuesday November 2nd when the game was cancelled by asbestos. As a fan I was pissed because it ruined my night. I was going to hangout with my father at my place and then get him to drop me somewhere to hangout after. After I let that go, I took a deep sigh of relief because the Knicks were primed to get their first 30pt blowout coming off 2 heart breaking loses against Boston and Portland. The Knicks were that fat kid running for his life from their psycho classmate in the school yard. The fallen asbestos was the basketball God's calling "BASE!!!" for us. Whew indeed...



Let's face it...Orlando is on the other side of the NBA spectrum from the Knicks. Orlando has had about 3-4 successful years with basically the same coach and personnel. They are a team good enough to contend for a NBA championship. The Knicks are a newly assembled team with a ton of question marks. They already are facing injuries to two of those question marks. Their confidence has got to be down after giving away two winnable games to contending teams. A lost to Orlando could have been devastating to this young season especially with the fiery Chicago Bulls in the on deck circle.

The Bulls in the Derrick Rose era have built a reputation on being a scrappy, get after it kinda club. Rookie head coach Tom Thibodeau has made a living in the nba for years as a defensive specialist. He was Doc River's right hand man in Boston and was credited for installing the concepts they used to win the last few years in beantown. In Chicaco, with the injury to newly signed Carlos Boozer, Thibodeau has the team playing uptempo with Derrick Rose basically running wild with his options athletic enough to catch his drop off passes around the rim. Luol Deng has been taken off the baseline and been put in a position where he can have more freedom to score. He just came off a 40pt game against the Portland Trailblazers. The Knicks have their hands full but not quite as much as they would have with a offensively potent Orlando Magic team.

What separates Orlando and Chicago is their perimeter shooting. Orlando just has too many deep threats and the Knicks have been cursed with leaving shooters wide open throughout the years. Chicago doesn't have that luxury. Chicago does have the bodies down low that can compete with Orlando's bigs on the boards. Surprisingly the Knicks have gotten more physical and defensive minded inside but haven't been able to grab a rebound to save their lifes. The Knicks are averaging 8 blocks per game this year up from just 3 blocks per game the previous year...read that stat again if you need to. That stat alone helps to cancel out their rebounding woes. The bread and butter of these Knicks under D'antoni has been the jumpshot. It's seemed to fail them in their first 3 games. Gallo has been shooting 18% from the 3 point line. Toney Douglas and Chandler have been shooting roughly 25% from 3. They can't shoot blanks forever. Chicago likes to pack it inside and dare teams to shoot it so if there is a game the Knicks can crack open the offense, this is it. Hopefully the extra rest and practice time will settle down this club. Anthony Randolph is set to make his season debut. The adrenaline should be flowing so I expect some extra help inside especially on the defensive end.

Tomorrow...we'll love the Knicks tomorrow...it's only a day a way my dudes. Go Knicks!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Boston is the true season opener

Right off the bat, these aren't the same Knicks we've watched over the last 10 seasons. No way am I saying the team has finally arrived, but at least the guys have shown up to be counted. Who showed up??? Did the Knicks show any signs of identity??? Did they improve on any of the faults that have plagued the team and the fans for so long??? Is D'antoni ever going to admitt he's really Mr. Mcfeely from "Mr. Rogers Neighborhood"?



Alot of questions were finally answered in the "Season opener" against Tornoto. First question was "What the hell is the rotation going to be?". The pre-season was a train wreck of sorts, kinda just going through the motions. Guys were just out there trying out their new uniforms while getting a good sweat under the lights.

A little compare and contrast:

Jesus Shuttlesworth is not DeRozan - Let's face it...unless you like break away dunks, DeRozan is a bum. Dude can't dribble. He can't take his man off the dribble. He has a horrible first step and he can't pass or shoot. Ray Allen in his twilight years can still play this game and very well. The Knicks have Landry Fields starting at the shooting guard spot. Our boy Landry is no slouch. If you've caught his soundbites he's just playing basketball and doesn't care who is in front of him. His beady eyed focus on the court is evidence on of that. Like Clyde stresses, "see the ball and your man". Landry does this by instinct. Let's not forget, Landry has already met Ray Allen in pre-season. He stripped him rather savagely at center court then broke out for an uncontested dunk. The dude is definitely not afraid to go after it.

D-Bags vs. T-bagger - Yes the Celtics are a bunch of d-bags lead by super D-bag Kevin Garnett. He enjoys yelling expletives while his primary sub "Big Baby" foams as he screams hysterically after a made basket. The O'neal duo are old but still are big, strong and savy enough to cause a problem for their opponents...The T-Bagger is Reggie Evans for obvious reasons (google it!). Amar'e had his problems being harrassed by basically only Evans. What's gonna happen when the Celtics defense drop 3 of their goons in front of Amar'e and dares him to make a play? Who's gonna step up? Timofey Mozgov can help but he had trouble dealing with the retards they have in Toronto. He might foul out against those savy Celtics before D'antoni has a chance to take him out the game. Thank Donnie for Ronnie...Turiaf should help Amar'e if the game gets tough inside.

Gallo (giggity) vs. Pee Pee - I affectionately call Paul Pierce "Pee Pee", frankly because he is a dick. He's just not a likable character...kinda of a cornball by New Yorks standards. Regardless of that, he is a beast. Gallo is going head to head with him. We have two different mindsets. Gallo didn't have anyone worth mentioning in front of him and didn't even try to assert himself. Wilson Chandler on the other hand saw Raptor blood. Wilson showed a willingness to take it right to Toronto en route to a 22 pt night. He's had them before but nothing so assertive. Wilson has had his success facing up against the Celtics so it will be very telling if Wilson carries that aggression over to the next game. Diehards have been praying for it and this blogger has all but given up on him. I'm praying he proves me wrong and has a great game.

Coaching - Doc is a master at game plan and adjustments. The Knicks could be in for a long night if the Knicks aren't ready. Fans that have given up on the team years ago are expecting the Knicks to give up around the 2nd quarter and pack it in. The Knicks have guys that play with pride like Raymond Felton. Last year the lead guard was Chris Duhon...nuff said. You can't expect to rally the troops when the point guard needs a Red Bull at just about every time out. Should be interesting, but this game is the real test for the acquisitions the Knicks made this off-season. D'antoni's offense will get open shots that guys just have to make. The real game will be won once the bodies start hitting the floor.

Go Knicks!!!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Player Spotlight: Anthony Randolph



Before I start...I understand the kid sprained his ankle in practice the other day. I hate to kick a man when he is down but since the dude has some down time...I have to break his game down hopefully someone will link him to it. Knick or not...I want to see the kid succeed in these league they call the NBA...

I also don't want to speak about the past. It's been well documented when the trade was announced that the kid was in Don Nelson's dog house. As crazy as Don Nelson is, he may have had the right idea. The problem with the culture of the current NBA player is they think they already arrived. Truth be told they all have, but not everyone can step in and become Lebron James or Tim Duncan right off the bat. This is where Anthony Randolph is. He believes he is skilled enough to contribute, but along his journey through fantasy land, he never stopped to smell the roses. The kid simply doesn't know how to play the game of basketball. Let me explain...

Again let's not talk about the past. The dude barely played high school ball, and only had one year in college. He never won on either level. Never mind that. Like most fans of basketball, I fell in love with Anthony Randolph's highlights on youtube. He can be seen flying like a bat out of hell, blocking shots, rebounding and taking the ball full court and dunking it over 4-5 defenders. One highlight in particular that is overlooked is a one on one scrimage against Micheal Beasley(youtube Beasley Anthony Randolph and it should pop up). Beasley is not known for his work ethic but he can be seen abusing Randolph with not a single ounce of enthusiasm on his part. The body language is similiar to what we've seen this pre-season. He seems to want to coast. In my opinion, he might feel since it doesn't count he doesn't need to "go hard". The truth in the matter is you play how you practice. Practice is where you break habits and get yourself right for games. Amar'e is a prime example of supreame work ethic because he is like a run away train no matter if Shaq is down low or his mother.

I actually had the opportunity to attend the Knicks/Raptors game in Montreal. Me and my crew left at halftime because we simply had enough. The first strike was watching Randolph spectating 15 feet out with his hands at his side watching his smaller teamates fight for rebounds down low. That's his job. At 6'11" he needs to make his living attacking the painted area not lolly gagging on the perimeter. Which brings me to strike 2. Who told this kid that a step back jumper should be in his arsenal? I almost threw up on the ladies in front of me when he did that on one play. It wasn't even a hard jab. It was something that I do to my 7 year old kid when we are screwing around on the weekend. Dirk Norwitski doesn't even have a step back jumper. Who does Randolph think he is Paul Pierce? Strike 3 chimes in when he attempts layups in position near the basket. Best way I can describe it is a fade away hook shot. Charles Smith will be proud to know another player his size can not finish in traffic with authority. It's sad to see someone so big shy away from contact. The dude reminds me of Trevor Ariza, but if you are talking about your first bigman off the bench, this is definately not a complement.

Potential??? If you ask Anthony Randolph what his game is, he has a laundry list. He shouldn't be allowed to do his own laundry. You can't mix darks with your whites. I paint a perfect picture now, don't I? Let's start off with his focus. Why is he taking step back jumpers at 6'11" with his athetisism??? When he faces up, his focus needs to be attack the basket. If he has to settle for a jumper, let it be with the defense back pedaling trying not to foul. He's too busy doing the opposite, which is stepping back trying not to get fouled. All layups need to be two handed dunk attempts. None of this one handed, "referee please save" nonsense he's shown. Now what is his potential??? Lamar Odom...tired of hearing that comparrison? How about Larry Nance??? Larry was one of the first 6'11" dudes playing small fwd/power fwd making plays all over the court.

Who's at fault? Coaching?...how long can you say that? Eddy Curry has had that nonsense following him since he was in Chicago. Now the Knicks have Anthony Mason following Curry with a bed pan. I don't want Anthony Randolph to spend the next 5-6 years doing the same thing. It's not gaining weight because Kevin Garnett, Rodman, and a journey man like Mikki Moore have made careers while still being bean poles compared to their peers. Anthony Randolph needs to study this game. He needs to watch tape. Request footage on guys like Larry Nance and see how they were successful. Just because they have a three point line doesn't mean you should take them. They make mini skirts in "plus sizes", that doesn't mean fat chics should wear them to the club. I gotta million of them.

Take it in stride brother Randolph...I'm just a blogger. Don't put me in the hater bracket. You are a New York Knick now. I'm writing all this for your own good.

"Go Knicks"

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Diehard Knicks Blog: 2010/11 season preview




It's been a long time I shouldn't of left you...without a strong blog to read through...

I'm back dudes and dudets...Without further delay lets welcome these Knicks back to the garden!!!



This has been the most anticipated season in franchise history, coming off possibly the greatest off-season in NBA history! The Knicks put their name and money out there hoping to reel in 2 superstars to revitalize the team/city/brand of basketball. Some fans that talk to me are still crying about Lebron's decision like Donnie did something wrong. They are also still complaining about trading/swapping those picks with Houston. Does anyone really care what Jordan Hill is doing right now? Well I'll tell you...he's sitting at the bottom of the bench behind Yao, Scola and other front court players in Houston. Time to let all that go. Amar'e is here!!! Did he come for the money? Did he come because he thought Lebron was coming? Those of you still on that debate clearly have not been paying attention to the Knicks coverage of the team all off-season. Let it go my brother's and sister's!!!

Breakdown!!!:

Amar'e Stoudamire - Everything starts and ends with Amar'e. He set the tone the day he was video taped walking down 8th avenue after catching a broadway play with his agent in July. He's here and he's not screwing around. He was in the city before day one...he's been filmed working out and every report that has been made involved Amar'e with his shirt off *pause*. Every player has to be aware of the words spoken out against them. Amar'e seems to be one step ahead of the haters and has done nothing but work tirelessly this off season. This is the face of the team now. It's not a matter of will he be able to carry this team, it's a matter of who is ready to follow this example and ride majestically into battle in spite of the bright lights, i.e. ESPN, Post, Daily News hater nation. During pre-season Amar'e has been scoring just about a point a minute. He doesn't wait for the double team to come and there is no front line that can stop him from scoring the basketball. He's been passing at the right times. He's also shown an ability to face up and put the ball on the floor and take what he wants. He's also shown confidence with the 3pt shot. The man is in the best shape of his life. He reminds me of Bernard King out there. Knicks are lucky to catch Amar'e at this stage of his career.

Gallo, Wilson, Randolph: I group these guys together because they are the "question marks" everyone talks about when they mention the Knicks this year. When will these players man up and just play basketball. "Deer in the headlights" can describe all three. Gallo coasts and settles on the offense to free his jumpshot. That's the easy way out because D'antoni's system frees up a jumpshot every possesion. Gallo has to realize that he is the #1 option out on the perimeter. The ball should not simply migrate to him. He has to take the initiative and instill his will on NBA defenses. He's done in europe and he's done it in practice. There is something about those lights with this kid that freezes him. Wilson is another sad case. He's playing out of position but he's still playing and playing alot. He kinda hop steps around the court looking for his teamates help and for the defense to bail him out. I'm not sure if he can truly be relied on to be a starter in this league. I believe he's more suited off the bench backing up both foward spots. Anthony Randolph simply said is a bum. This kid doesn't know how to play basketball. He's athletic and he can do alot of things. It means nothing if the kid has no clue what is going on in front of him. He shies away from contact prefering to attempt hook shot layups and step back jumpers. This kid wants to be Bosh and Kevin Garnett but doesn't know how to be Joe Schmo at your local YMCA. I will go as far as to say the kid doesn't deserve to be a rotation player...at least not right away. The Knicks have players that know the game sitting on the bench that have been clearly out playing him in pre-season.

Landry Fields, Shawne Williams, Toney Douglas: Another grouping...these players simply said...do not give a f***. They play basketball. Landry has that beady eyed look about him at all time. Like Clyde says, "You got to see your man and the ball". Landry is fully aware of this concept. It's something you can't teach. This kid is a ball player. He's shown a no fear aproach and doesn't get geeked by the "star" put in front of him. He's already embaraced Ray Allen with a strip in the middle of the court on way to a break away dunk, and gave Iggy from Philly a little run for his money with his scoring ability. The pre-season finale with Toronto probably solidified Landry's role in the rotation and could possibily start. Don't be suprised Knicks fans. Knicks might have the steal of the draft. Toney Douglas is defense and scoring think Bobby Jackson from his Sactown days with crack sprinkled on him. Shawne Williams is another player that can play this game. He's a Stephen Jackson clone. He barely played in pre-season but he's a live body that doesn't hesitate to make make a play whether its to move the ball immediately or take what the defense gives him. He's a strong rebounder, defender and jumpshooter. Don't be suprised if he plays on day one.

Billy and Roger: Billy can shoot...Roger (at least in pre-season) can not. Roger's defense is probably better on the perimeter but its a wash. I believe it's a matter of who proves they can hit that jumper consistantly...cuz the open shot will be there

Felton and Timo: The Knicks wanted a legit point guard and a center after making the Knicks fans watch Duhon and Jared break our spirits for 2 seasons. Mission accomplished!!! Felton annoyed everyone by being out of shape for basically the whole pre-season. He's ready to go now. He'll essentially will be what Duhon tried to be. Felton doesn't get tired and will not hit a wall because of "over use". That's still laughable to me that Duhon got a free pass from everyone for that. It's a damn shame because you're point guard needs to be your best conditioned player no matter what type of offense you are running. Whooo saaaaa!!! Timofey Mosgov....think Andrew Bogut. The kid is getting used to the puss referee calls and the language barrier. He's the perfect compliment to have next to Amar'e...drink and be merry my friends (the kool-aid that is!!!)

Melo: Say Whaaaaaaaaaat????...yes. Gallo, Wilson and Chandler all have a bullseye on their backs. They need to step up. The Knicks can afford to trade all three, insert Melo at the 3 and still have players like Landry, Shawne Williams and *tada* Azubuike to fill in their slots. Shoutout to Captain Caveman Ronnie Turiaf as well because he can fill the energy bigman role well off the bench if Randolph in fact is traded.

Let's go Knicks!!! No time to complain and look all sad in the face my brother's and sisters!!! This is our time...The possibilities are endless and the players...at least most of them, can actually play this game and play it very well!!!

"Knicks on 3...1,2,3...KNICKS!!!!" - Cap'n Stat!!!

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Knicks season could mimic Liberty's



The Knicks aren't the only professional basketball team playing at the worlds most famous arena. The NY Liberty is a storied franchise thats been around for 13 years now. Its sad that not many NY basketball fans really follow the team. Don't get me wrong because the Liberty have a strong fan base that pack the Garden during the summer. I'm just saying you'll have a hard time hearing any drunk guys debating about them at the local pub. Regardless of that fact this team is currently 17-11. They have the 3rd best record in the WNBA and are in second place in the Eastern Conference. That's a little misleading because they Lady Libs are currently riding a 6 game winning streak, 8-2 in the last 10. About 15 games ago they were a losing team, as in below .500. These Libs have come along way. There's no fluke here because they have alot of talent. Most of the talent on the roster was aquired this off-season. This is where the Knicks similarities begin.

Just like the Knicks, the Liberty were only returning 5 players from a team last year that missed the playoffs. Janelle McCarville was the lone star. With a game similiar to David Lee, she was the fan favorite. Essense Carson and Leilani Mitchell also returned this year after coming off up and down years. Kia Vaughn and Sidney Spence also made the 2010 from last year. Neither player saw much minutes and didn't seem to be in the plans going forward. Liberty fans were praying for a miricle. With Carol Blazejowski as the Liberty GM the fans weren't expecting much of anything, especially since the GM traded away their 2010 pick for Sidney Spencer the season before. Yikes.



Well the Liberty fans prayers were answered and the chips began to fall. With the contraction of the Sacramento Monarchs franchise, the Liberty were able to pick up Nicole Powell in the dispersal draft. Nicole Powell was the Monarchs Leading scorer and one of the better players in the league. They were also able to sign super veteran Taj Mc Williams-Franklyn to anchor the center spot while drafting Kalana Greene who was an outstanding player for the national champions at UConn. What really suprised fans was the trade that brought in Cappie Pondexter to NY. The team traded away 2 fan favorites to get her, but the Liberty have the WNBA version of Dywayne Wade in return. All this talent and 15 games ago they were fighting not to fall too far below the timeline that they would not have a shot at making the playoffs.




Relating to the Knicks, they too are bringing in alot of talent that has never played together before. Alot of these players haven't even played key roles for their teams yet. There are tons of unknowns. With the unknown, many fans are extreamly optimistic about the upcoming season. Only time will tell and what's telling is there will be a learning curve. For example, Nicole Powell was amongst the lead leaders last season with 16pts per game. This year for the Liberty she's only averaged 8pts per. During their 6 game winning streak she drop a few 20 pt games so it took her roughly half a WNBA season to get her act together. I'm expecting the 2010/11 Knicks to struggle the first 20 something games trying to get used to their new teamates. I'd say around Christmas time, these Knicks should have shaken the cob webs and gotten the ball rolling. It's going to take patience. That's the difference between the Liberty Fans and Knicks fans. If the Knicks start the season 8-12 the newspapers are gonna cry bloody murder and the fans will be ready to jump ship.



You gotta walk before you can run...Knicks are gonna need us to do more than boo like spoiled brats...but eventually they will do just fine.

Dolan gets Stern Warning...Knick fans rejoice...for now



I was in a middle of a heated debate about Isiah Thomas, Dolan and the Knicks when I decided to refresh a website on my phone. Skimming for Knicks related news like anyone else I come across the tag: "Isiah Withdraws Acceptance Of Knicks Position". In the middle of a friend monologuing about how dumb Jim Dolan is, I break the news. All at the same time I hear exclamations of "YES! THANK YOU!!!", "FINALLY!!! SOMEBODY HEARD US!!!" and in true New York fashion, "GTFO!". Yes...I believe someone did hear us. The Knicks official fan page on Facebook has been bombarded with obscenity laces comments on everything posted there. Even a contest posting for free tickets to the home opener were filled with lines that I'd love to post here but I want to keep it PG-13 round these parts. I even posted a blog last night asking what we did as fans to deserve the drama in what was a very exciting time until the Isiah hiring.



I'm sure you've read all the lengthy quotes by David Stern and Isiah putting an end to this ordeal...For now. Best believe Isiah's name will resurface with regards to the Knicks management. Donnie Walsh hasn't named a GM as of yet. At one point it looked like Chris Mullin was gonna be brought in. There's still buzz that Mullin may be brought here in some capacity. Then there was the hiring of Allan Houston to be groomed by Donnie Walsh as a possible successor. It's funny how Donnie is now saying he's in no rush to hire anyone. Could Dolan have put a freeze on hiring to try and weasel Isiah Thomas back into the fold? Personally I'm shocked Isiah "turned down" the consultant job and not the college coaching job. He might feel he has an obligation to the players he recruited this summer to be there this fall. 2012 is coming approaching my friends and so is the end of Donnie Walsh's contract. D'antoni will be on notice as well. I hate to paint a dark picture but I'm sure we have not heard the last of this Dolan/Isiah man crush.

***



Can't leave this blog without a cool glass of Kool-Aid can we?

Newest Knick Roger Mason Jr. must of had a whole pitcher of Kool-Aid since he officially signed with the Knicks the other day. The dude is talking playoffs. Why not? This year is very different. You only have to take a look at the roster to see that. So get you a tall glass with ice and a pitcher of "ORANGE" or "BLUE" Kool-Aid and relax. Put on some Mary J. Blige "No more Drama" music and just ride it out. There are better days to come my babies. "OH YEAH!!!"


Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Dolan Days of Summer



Leave it to James Dolan to wait till the period of the summer where nothing usually goes on to drop the bomb on the entire Knick community. Seriously, what is really going on with this Dolan and Isiah man crush??? All of these reporters have been quoting sources this entire off-season but nobody has heard a peep as to why Isiah of all people is back in the fold? Make no mistakes, Isiah back as a "consultant" means a whole lot. I mean every team has guys that are granted access to the team just to give their two cents because someone admires them. Isiah took the pretardation status of the Scott Layden era and developed it into something you see on the Maury Povich show. Total embarrassment and shame. That's what Isiah managed to bring to the franchise. Now his moves weren't all bad but every single move he made, outside of drafting David Lee, all became a worst case scenerio. That was the issue. So why even entertain this man again? Why did it have to be announced and made official? What was the motivation? What is the damn point?



The Knicks off-season up until this point has been probably one of the best this franchise has seen. Donnie Walsh has built a beautiful roster of young and exciting players. The recent buzz amongst the fans was whether or not there will be a trade after the signing of Roger Mason Jr. That's all out the window now. Now there is speculation and the "sources" are talking about drama behind the scenes. Is this professional sport or a daytime soap opera? To quote the rapper Too $hort, "It was all good just a week ago!" This is what I can't understand. Why drop this burden onto the fans. Alot of fans are talking about dumping the team if Isiah becomes GM somewhere down the line. I've spoken to some that flat out jumped ship already after this consulting announcement was made. My question is: What did the Knicks fans do to deserve this? Can't we have a period in the Dolan era where there isn't some wacky event or freak accident that totally destroys any hope that dwells amongst the Knicks Purists?

I urge you diehards out there to let this announcement fall by the waist side. Ignore the propaganda in the papers about Donnie resigning, or other rumblings. Alot of these papers have agendas because they think the readers want to read slander. Remember when we used to bleed orange and blue? The only drama we read about back in the glory days of the Ewing era was drama on the court. Nobody cared about the Dave Checketts/Riley beef. Nobody cared about the Don Nelson mutiny. What fans cared about was the drama that appeared on the court. The Knicks were bringing that drama to opposing teams. This current roster Donnie Walsh has assembled seems to have an identity that will bring that competition back to the Garden. I know its all on paper now, but Miami is already the paper champion for the 2010/11 season. Why can't our fans have a little fun. It was like Chrismas morning last week. Now the feeling is more like the tuesday morning after memorial/labor day weekend. Back to the same old garbage.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Eddy Curry for Fishlips? Add Ariza/Wilson and we got a deal!

Marc Spears of Yahoo sports reports the Knicks are interested in re-acquiring Jared "Fishlips" Jefferies. Sounds like bullshit to me because Curry makes double what Jared makes...Knicks would have to take player's back...

Peep this complainers....

Eddy Curry and Wilson Chandler for Ariza and Jared...trade works salary wise.

Trevor Ariza was signed to a multi year deal last off season and played a lot of 2 guard....that was before they were able to get Kevin Martin. Keep in mind that kid from Arizona is also on their roster and can play backup shooting guard. They need a cheaper alternative for their rotation at small fwd and I believe Wilson Chandler fits that bill.

Ariza would then be the hands down alternative at shooting guard for the Knicks. His Starks like mentality on defense and his Sprewell attitude on the fast break would be welcome additions to the Knicks in 2010. His jumpshot has also improved from his Knicks days.

Put that in your blog and quote it.

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Knicks can turn it around like Kidd

Much like the Knicks the past 10 years, the New Jersey Nets have had more than their fair share of losing throughout their history. During the Knicks Ewing years, they had a little window where Derrick Coleman, Kenny Anderson and Drazen Petrovic had the Nets competing for the playoffs. Other than that, they were always a franchise in the cellar relying on players like Sherman Douglas, Armon Gilliam, and Chris Morris to get them through 82 game seasons. They actually built a team in the late 90's that consisted of Keith Van Horn, Jayson Williams, Kendall Gill, Kerry Kittles and Sam Cassell that had success.



After becoming everyone's favorite team to watch, they got bit horribly by the injury bug. They also made a few chippy moves that slowly eat away at the teams talent level. Just like a bad team, they chose to chase superstar players instead of trying to build on the young pieces within the team. They made that infamous 4 way trade that sent Sam Cassel to the Bucks, Terrell Brandon to Minnesota and Stephon Marbury to the New Jersey(forgot the other details but we're not talking about that are we?). Marbury inherited a talented group that simply could not stay healthy. He went on to play some of his best individual basketball of his career. They managed to get the #1 pick which turned out to be Kenyon Martin, but even he was taken down with a freak fracture of his leg while scrimaging in practice. Instead of trying to build around Marbury and getting him much needed reinforcements, they make another trade. They traded star point guard for star point guard again, but this time they got the lucky charm in Jason Kidd.



All of a sudden the Nets were all healed up after just about 3 seasons in the infirmary. They also made the draft day trade of Eddie Griffith for Richard Jefferson, Brandon Armstrong and Jason Collins. That draft trade was a miricle in itself for obvious reasons. Training camp opens and Jason Kidd makes a statement. I can't find reference to it since its been a while. Jason made a statement telling the press that "people are going to be surprised by the way we play". Well surprised we were because the Nets went from the laughing stock of the league for 3 seasons, to the top of the basketball world. They went from the nba lottery, to the nba finals in one season. Kenyon Martin, Keith Van Horn, Kerry Kittles and the rookie Richard Jefferson became the ultimate targets in a relentless fastbreaking offense lead by Jason Kidd. They devestated the Eastern Conference. The franchise also finally got it right and made subtle moves to improve the squad which made a second finals appearence the next year.



Relating to the current Knicks revamp, there are some paralells. The Knicks brought in a proven winner in Amar'e Stoudamire. He's had some injuries in the past but bounced back better than ever each time. He's also proven to be a spiritual man, having made a pilgrimage to Isreal to learn more about the culture his mother introduced to him as a child. His presence could possibly shed some light on the Garden that seemingly had a dark cloud hovering over it the last decade. The Knicks also made a trade of their own that didn't even need to happen. David Lee was already going to sign with Golden State, but for whatever reason, Golden State felt compelled to trade the Knicks Anthony Randolph, Turiaf and Azubuike. They all have had their share of injuries, but the potential of the trio could make them all fixtures in the Knicks rotation for years to come. Especially 3rd year player, Anthony Randolph. He's shown some scary flashes of brilliance and the Knicks are getting him at the right time. The Knicks point guard situation also has never been better with the acqusition of Raymond Felton. He's not Jason Kidd but he's on the 2nd tier level of point guards of this generation. He's in an offense that could highlight his strengths and light a fire under this new team.



What's the buzz going to be like at the practice facility? Will Alan Hahn, Howard Beck, and Frank Isola boast about the chemistry building on the court? Or will we hear stuff about Duhon talking smack to Nate Robinson while he shoots half court jumpers for no reason like last year? First of all, thank God the Knicks don't have Duhon and Nate on the roster. This year it all seems different because it is. 2/3rds of the team is literally different. 95% of the roster is built for speed (that other 5% is Eddy Curry). D'antoni has no excuse now but to run his offense. Donnie Walsh is not in salary cap mode. D'antoni even has a "bad back" that's preventing him from coaching at the World Championships this summer. Everyone is going to be around the team this summer to build that foundation. I'm not Jason Kidd, but I believe alot of people are going to be surprised by the way the 2010/11 Knicks play. It's now or never.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Idle Worship

The Knicks have completely revamped their team from last year. They added 5 rotation players and 3 second round rookies to a depleted roster that only consisted of 5 players, including Eddy Curry. Is it enough to have promising youth? The fanbase has been crying about building with the draft for years. The Knicks don't have a player over the age of 28. They have Wilson Chandler, Toney Douglas, Gallo, Bill Walker and Anthony Randolph still on their rookie deals. Their potential all of a sudden isn't enough for the fanbase anymore...now they need a superstar.



Wait don't the Knicks already have a superstar on the roster? Amar'e Stoudamire is every bit a superstar. He's arguably the best power forward in the NBA. He puts the POWER in power forward. He had a freak accident with his detatched retna and seems to have overcome his microfracture surgeries. That's not enough to save him from the boo birds of gotham. All of a sudden Amar'e isn't SUPER enough. They need super DE Duper!!!



The Knicks fanbase are star struck by the Lebron fiasco. Their attention has been immediately spun towards Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul. It doesn't even seem to matter than each player is currenty under contract. It also doesn't matter than the Knicks already have players at the small forward and point guard position that could do the job. The Knicks actually have 3 small forwards in Gallo, Wilson, and Anthony Randolph(kid needs a nickname) with the potential to be all-star calibur. Gallo alone showed that he is capable of taking on scoring responsibilities. For the final 8 games in April of last season, he averaged 22 points, 2.8 assists and 5.9 rebounds in 39 minutes per game. Believe it or not but those numbers rival Carmelo Anthony's. What if Gallo comes into camp in shape and actually makes those numbers a reality for the New york Knicks over the course of the season? What the heck would they need Carmelo Anthony for? Granted, Gallo's skillset is closer to a Peja Stojakovic when he was with Sacramento, but Peja was putting up 20/5/2 during that time period. Peja was no slouch while with the Kings. Peja also played next to Chris "Don't mention me and Darko in the same sentence" Webber who was quite similiar in stature to Amare while in his prime. This would be a wait and see approach but why shop around when you have good stuff at home?

Anthony Randolph is an intriging player because he is a 6'11" player that can block shots like Camby and handle the basketball like Lamar Odom. He can be a key reserve that will rack up minutes backing up all front court positions. He allows Turiaf to start and can slide Amar'e to center for stints or man the position himself according to matchups. You can't have that option if you trade this kid for Carmelo Anthony...or Chris Paul for that matter. Speaking of which, What is so wrong about giving Raymond Felton a chance to run the point for the Knicks? He's not Chris Paul...he's not Steve Nash either. Why does he have to be 2 of the best point guards the league has ever seen? Why can't the dude be a solid point guard just like so many other starters in this league? How good was Terry Porter in his Portland days? How good was Terrell Brandon in Clevland/Minnesota? Derek Harper in Dallas? Nick Van Exel with the Lakers? Mookie Blaylock with Atlanta? There are a list of point guards that were awesome. They weren't Stockton, Isiah or Magic but they were very good point guards on some great teams. Raymond Felton needs his chance to prove himself. He's never played with a finisher inside like Amar'e. He's never played with a shooter like Gallo. He's an uptempo point guard as well who's been asked to pound the ball for 90% of the shot clock. He'd be in an offense that allows him to do the things he's good at.

When did Knicks fans become star struck? Yeah the Knicks haven't had a huge name here in quite some time. Reality of it is these "stars" all laughed at us when the Knicks were down. They see their boys team up in Miami and now they wanna do the same. Chris Paul came out looking like a clown with his no leverage trade demand. The Knicks also look foolish mortgaging 2 seasons just for Lebron, Wade and Bosh to go to Miami like they probably always planned. When do you say to yourself "enough already!" The Knicks can't keep its own players on eggshells wondering if they will be on the next plane out when a "superstar" becomes available. What if they don't trade Carmelo or Chris Paul? Who's next? We need to gather some sort of pride as a franchise and fanbase. Are we chasing championships or are we star gazing? Are we Knicks fans or are we superstar groupies?

Stop....now think about it!

Friday, July 23, 2010

A Point Guards Song



Once upon a time, after alot of losing, there lived a center named Patrick Ewing and he didn't know what he was doing. He needed an Ace. Someone to erase his mistakes and get him easy baskets so his energy won't go to waste. (Clyde eat your heart out!!!)



Mark Jackson was drafted 2 years after Patrick Ewing and the two meshed well that first season. They became somewhat of a Stockton/Malone tandem that was rare to see in the Eastern conference of that day. "Jax" won rookie of the year averaging 13 points and 10 assists, a bonified double double. The Knicks thought so highly of him that they drafted Rod Strickland who went on to have a stellar career in the NBA in his own right. Right away there was rumblings in the locker room and in the media about whether Jax and Rod could co exist. Many thought Rod Strickland was the better, faster more gifted playmaker. It might have been true, in fact it was, but it didn't stop the Knicks from trading Rod away for the old champion in the twilight of his career Maurice Cheeks. Mark was still on the team through all this. Still trying to get more dynamic at the point guard spot, the Knicks draft Greg Anthony who was fresh off of leading the UNLV "Running Rebels" to a national championship. "Jax" could not get a break and finally was broken way from Knick organization as part of the infamous Charles Smith trade.



Where am I going with this? Simple...Mark Jackson is 3rd place on the all time assist list. He's behind John Stockton and Jason Kidd and in front of Magic Johnson and Oscar Robinson. He bounced around the league but at the end of the day he is in the books as one of the greatest passers of all time. Rod Strickland went on to make max level money with the Bullets/Wizards and is one of the best point guards of his era not to make the all-star team. Maurice Cheeks was a world champion with the 76'ers. Greg Anthony...well he was more known for his fight with Kevin Johnson and nearly punching Phil Jackson in the face after hitting a 3 in a playoff game, lol. Bottom line with the history lesson...Point guards are a dime a dozen. Being good at what they do means nothing as well. Throughout history, point guards have changed addresses just as much as head coaches have in the NBA.



Kelly Tripuka on MSG's "Knicks Night Live" (awesome show btw)said Chris Paul reminded him of Isiah Thomas. Now I see where he's coming from but Chris Paul is not Isiah Thomas. If Isiah stood on his heart he would drift off into outter space. That statement is true even after his playing career was over. Staying on the subject, Chris Paul is arguably the NBA's best point guard at this point. With that said, he only played 45 games last year and in his absence Darren Collison emerged as a more than capable starter. Darren Collison averaged 18 points and 9 assists as a starter and often ran the team better from a team standpoint than Chris Paul did. Does it tarnish Chris Paul's status in the NBA? Absolutely not. Paul is still the best, but the job can be done easily if someone with the right talent comes along.



Back to the Knicks, ironically Isiah Thomas saw himself in a young point guard once. As the Knicks President/General Manager, Isiah's biggest move was trade for, again, arguably one of the best point guards in the league in Stephon Marbury. Marbury was 20 points and 8 assists walking into any arena. At one point he was in the same sentence as Oscar Robertson as being the only other player to average that over the first few seasons they played in. If you said Marbury was the best, at the time you weren't too far from the truth. Long story short, Isiah's gamble cost the Knicks cap space, talented role players, upcoming rookies and future draft picks. That's exactly what its going to cost to get Chris Paul. Not saying that Chris Paul is going to end up on ustream eating vasaline and dancing on his nightstand like a chippendale dancer. What I am asking is...what if Chris Paul doesn't work out. What if he has an injury that sets him back and he is never the same? Easy...someone will come in and do the job like history suggests. At the present time, the Knicks already have a starting point guard in Raymond Felton. How catastrophic would it be if the Knicks traded for Paul and he gets hurt again. The Knicks would lose the farm and still have Felton doing what he was signed to do, but without anyone to pass it to.



Donnie has proven to be very patient. So patient he's the butt end of jokes amongst Knick fans. After the great work he's done so far this off season, he should "take his nap" and catch the highlights of the Chris Paul rumors on ESPN like the rest of us. Let Raymond Felton come in and do the job he signed up to do before Chris Paul opened up his big mouth. His word carrys no weight and he has 2 years left with no trade clauses in his contract. If he is as good as Isiah Thomas he'd grow a pair and take the team he's with to where it needs to go himself.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Pop goes the Weasel



There is one thing about the NBA that holds true time and again. If it works for one team, it becomes the trend of the entire league. Nothing has changed this time around when Chris Paul makes it known at Carmelo Anthony's wedding that he wants to try and "take his talents to south beach"(shoutout to "Cash" from ultimateknicks.com forums) and team up with Melo on the Knicks. It's not really possible for that to happen but it put the Knicks nation on alert because it is very possible to get at least one of them in the near future. It's no shock that Chris Paul would be the first to openly speak about "corroberating" with other "superstars" about "joining forces" on the same team. Chris Paul is very much the loud mouth on the court. He's always talking and screaming things at his opponents. Former Knick Nate Robinson knows all about that having shared heated words with Paul seemingly everytime they faced each other. It's a shame how someone that was inciating such altercations nightly would be so willing to leave his club to try and do what the "South beach studs" did.



As reported via CBS Sports, Chris Paul has notified his team that he would like to be traded to the Knicks, Lakers, or Orlando. The Knicks just signed Raymond Felton and he isn't eligible for trade until December 15th. The Lakers are currently running the triangle offense and don't need a ball hogging point guard. That leaves Orlando who actually could use his talents roughly 235 miles north of south beach. They have Jameer Nelson, draft picks and fillers to make the best offer in my humble opinion. If he wants to take showers with Dwight Howard that's his business. All jokes aside, Orlando and New Oreleans should make this deal. New Orleans already has a top notch replacement in Darren Collison who average 18pts/9 assists as a starter last year. That team needs some rotation players and flexibility for the future. Orlando needs a player that can find the shooters and make life a little easier for Dwight Howard. Paul also has the abilty to create his own shot which Orlando just doesn't have right now. Match made in heaven. Not bad for a copy cat.



The Knicks need not budge. Raymond Felton brings defense and toughness to the point guard spot. That's something that hasn't been seen since Ward and Childs were here. Raymond also brings energy, speed, ball handling and finishing ability that hasn't been seen since Rod Strickland was backing up Mark Jackson. Felton above all else is durable having only missed 11 games in 5 years as a pro. Chris Paul thought of as the best point guard in the league, arguably so but he's coming off a year where he only played 45 games. I wonder what fans will say about? Some are still crying about Amar'e microfracture and detatched retna for which he bounced back quickly from both without setback.



Again Knick fans have to gather themselves and remember where they are from. Most Knick fans are New Yorkers born and raised. Old school New Yorkers would say "F*** outta here! We don't need you!" Somewhere during the last 10 years we've lost our grit. We are Dave Debusschere. We are John Starks. We are Charles Oakley. We are the greatest city in the world and have been through alot to sit and hope some "superstar" would come to New York to save us. FUGGETABOUT IT!!! Let's embrace the guys with the stones to choose the Knicks first without trying to conspire with their shower buddies. Let's embrace Amar'e that took the first step showing this is where he wanted to be. Let's embrace Raymond Felton who took less money and less years to play in the Mecca. Let's embrace Gallo for wanting to "feel the pressure" of the big stage in NYC. Let's embrace the enthusiasm of Turiaf and Anthony Randolph who know this is their opportunity to be somebody in this league.



Grow a pair New York...seriously...at least until Carmelo demands a trade.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Athleticism, Shot Blocking? We got that



Despite what expectations the media and the franchise set for itself the last 2 seasons leading to the beginning of the 2010 free agency period, Donnie Walsh did well. He's also proved he was well prepared to implement his Plan B. In fact, Plan B might have been Plan A all along since it is now clear that there was some form of tampering going on that will likely get addressed in the next NBA Collective bargaining agreement.



The signing of Amar'e Stoudamire proved that the Knicks in fact were in control of their own destiny. Even before that "Decision" the Knicks already had a deal in place with Golden State sending David Lee for Anthony Randolph, Kelenna Azubuike, and Ronny Turiaf. Once it was finalized, the whole climate surrounding the Knicks changed. Now all of a sudden, the Knicks can block shots...all of a sudden Amar'e was the eldest statesman at 28 years old. The Knicks all of a sudden are young and athletic. Amar'e Stoudamire's statement before the official press conference, "The Knicks are back!!!", all of a sudden doesn't sound too far from being a reality. All the Knicks needed was a point guard. Rumors spread immediately that Amar'e was pushing the Knicks to sign Luke Ridinour because he was close to Nash and was able to hit the 3pt shot consistently. Donnie didn't take the easy way out...he instead went for the proven defender...proven ball handler. A kid proven to have guts, strength and toughness with the speed and creativity to run and uptempo offense.



He chose Raymond Felton who played AAU basketball for Dan D'antoni in the 8th grade and also won a national championship leading the North Carolina Tar Heels uptempo attack. There is no question the man was born to play a running style. You would be a fool if you said he had a chance to display those skills under a Larry Brown coached team. Larry wants to slow the pace and for the PG to give up the ball early. He also was adamant about getting the ball inside to the post where frankly there is no threat in Charlotte. Early in his career, that organization had Felton playing shooting guard. Regardless of his past experience, Felton is essentially "Home" now. D'antoni wants his point guard to push the ball and force tempo. He wants his point guard to operate in the pick and roll making creative decisions. He needs his point guard to react. Raymond Felton will be like a kid in a video game store this season...especially with the horses he's inherited.

On paper the Knicks are right there with the best talent the Eastern Conference has to offer. Chicago has a potential starting line-up or Boozer, Deng, Noah, Rose, and Ronnie Brewer. Compare that to the Knicks probable starting line up of Amar'e, Gallo, Turiaf, Felton and Wilson Chandler. I'd say the Knicks are on par with that team...again...on paper. Games aren't won on paper. They also aren't won on WWF style, pyrotechnics laced, circ de sole'esque, Rocky horror picture shows either.



The Knicks will run. Not because they finally have the players that can do it...well yeah...but they will run because that's what the coach in place demands of his teams. The Knicks will not be "Suns East". I think the level of toughness is different now. These Knicks will defend and if you are caught sleeping...players 1-10 will all dunk on you. This is where we are now and this is what Knicks fans should take with them during the days leading up to training camp.

"Knicks are back" Indeed!!!

Friday, July 16, 2010

What happens in Vegas...transfers to NYC



Vegas Summer league is currently underway and this much we know...these games are sloppy and frustrating to watch at times. The pressure is on a lot of these guys to prove they can contribute to a pro level team home or abroad. Not many surprises so far...I believe Charles Garcia might be the one player on every body's mind when looking at the Knicks Vegas roster. So far this blogger has seen more action in Vegas...er at least on the court.

Highlights:



Landry Fields - he's a ball player. He can do just about everything well out there. He's very focused and aware of what's happening around him. He mentioned getting used to the speed of the game. He's done well so far not doing too much yet being very productive within the flow of the game. He's a keeper.

Patrick Ewing Jr. - his strengths are his defense and slashing/finishing ability. I've noticed a tweak in his shooting form as well. He's been able to knock down some threes this summer with confidence. He needs to work on his handle and in between game as well if he wants success in the nba. He's definitely a Nba talent.

Toney Douglas - he is NOT a point guard. As pointed out to me by Tommy Dee via twitter he is tied for fourth in Vegas with 6 assists per game. In the 3 games played so far, I can't recall Toney making and impact with his passing ability. He's a drop it off kinda guard. He's not making anyone better and is always thinking shoot when a pick is set for him. With that said, his offensive and defense is on point. His role as a pro is simply a guard. He will fill Nate Robinson's role off the bench but at 6'2" and wont be such a liability on defense (and in the cabeza O_o).



Not much else to speak on. Jerome Jordan is a project at center. Andy Rautins is a 3pt specialist. Marcus Landry will stick somewhere...blah, blah, blah...

***





Captain Optimistic aka Phil Weber aka "The Riddler" sat court side with Clyde and Mike Crispino to talk about the "wheeling and dealing" the Knicks have done the last few days. I've never heard anyone in the league talk with such joy and optimism in my years following the league. This season you can't help but drinketh of that Kool-Aid. The Knicks have a whole new roster of players that play with pride...they play with energy and they play with spirit. That is the direct opposite of the type of talent the Knicks have had the past few years. You get a sense that this group will mesh well together. There won't be the type of freelancing and selfish basketball we've seen in the past. Too many Knicks fans take the easy way out, like Lebron James choosing Miami, by saying "Oooooh the Knicks suck"...That's past tense at this point because the bad seeds..and vibes have been deleted off the roster. The Slate is clean...and there is still plenty of flexibility to make some more improvements to the roster.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Lebronathon: We all got hosed



Former Knick and I wanna say former New Yorker Mark Jackson proclaimed that he was proud of the way Lebron James handled this situation. He stated that he sat down with his kids to show them an example of sacrifice, and class. No way was this handled with any class. No way is this something I would use as a positive lesson to my kids on how to handle themselves in any situation. No way as a competitor...no way as a New Yorker should anyone proclaim that this fiasco was in anyway "OK".

Make no mistake about it. This was not a "Decision" by Lebron James alone. This was something that has been planned ever since they became friends. Ever since they signed their contracts a few years ago to all finish in 2010 they knew what they wanted to do. They were going to handcuff the league into making space for all 3 of them to play on the same team. We are all victims here. It's sad to hear the reaction of the Cavs owner Dan Gilbert. He totally lost touch with this "betrayal" angle. As I explained its deeper than that. This has been a high jacking of the NBA. You can hear it in the conference call Bosh and Wade made after the "Decision". They automatically started talking that "one day it's me, one day it's him, one day it's him" nonsense. Come on now...how can we look at this with grown up common sense and not see this was something totally staged. I mean he had a "Special" broadcast on ESPN to announce this like he's Barack Obama announcing the Wall Street reform.



The angle the news outlets are shooting at us is he game up money, stats, and notoriety for a chance at winning a title. Going back to Mark Jackson, the word "Sacrifice" is coming into play. No sacrifice here. The only sacrifice made was the energy and attention placed on this whole fiasco. It's almost sacrilegious how people were carrying on. At the end of the day that's what these super ego "superstars" crave. They want to be adored. They get power from manipulating the masses to lose themselves in an effort to please them. Like Pharaoh's in Egypt and moguls of today. Let THIS be a lesson to all. Don't let your appreciation or admiration for an entertainment figure corrupt you to the point where you lose yourself in the spell of their narcissism.



Before you jump down my throat, teams had to put themselves in a position to sign 1 or 2 of these guys. We'll talk about the Knicks since that is my blogs primary focus. The Knicks put all their eggs in the 2010 basket because they had no choice. After being in salary cap hell ever since Patrick Ewing was traded for the bums he was traded for almost a decade ago, they had to try. Scott Layden should have a permanent handicap sticker in his car window for what he did to the Knicks. Isiah tried at least to get the big names. Too bad he didn't think to evaluate who he brought over or what came out of his mouth. Donnie was brought in to press ctrl+alt+del on the Knicks franchise. In that respect, he succeeded. He also succeeded in attracting a talent that legitimately wanted to play in New York in Amare Stoudamire. If Lebron signed with the Knicks would their be an uproar. Probably, but more like an NBA conspiracy to get the Knicks back on top. What happened with this "Lebronathon" is 3 guys getting together and trying to handicap the league for an opportunity to legitimize their need to be adored.



Howard Beck of the NY Times tweeted last night: "OK, just one question: How many of you would honestly object if those three guys just got signed by your team?"

Knick Great Clyde Frazier said it politely but clearly angered: "He(Lebron)took the easy way out"

That's old school. That's a competitor. That's the NY way. Who did you beat to get to the top? As I said in my last blog...if they win multiple championships together, when they talk about it years later, what satisfaction will they have in saying they beat nobody to get their rings. Fans say automatically, "Well there's Kobe in the West...". So we are just supposed to follow a 2 team league. Why even play the season? Wade said himself tonight "a championship is a championship". It doesn't work that way. Simply having the hardware means nothing. Sheeet Greg Kite has a few rings. In his case, they mean absolutely nothing to anyone, not even his family and friends. The greats know who they beat and they still talk about it and us fans can agree cuz we saw it with our own eyes. That's respect that is due. That's why there are Legends and then there are Posers. No way would Barkley in his prime leave The Suns or Philly to play with Micheal Jordan. Jordan himself had a shot at playing with Ewing in NY. Reggie and Gary Payton also had that opportunity at the peak of their careers. As competitors they didn't even think about it.

This is where I stand on this whole fiasco. I stand by it and to quote Forrest Gump "That's all I have to say about that".



*drops the mic*