Scouting the Knicks: Take your foot out the grave

I been quietly observing the Knicks these past few weeks since  the season got reinstated. The Tyson Chandler trade from heaven. Signing Bibby. Shumpert looking like a draft day steal in preseason. Picking up Baron Davis off fresh off of clearinb amnesty waivers. It was fun for a hot second because it seemed the basketball gods had thrown us a bone for the first time in 10 years. The season starts and all it took was a third quarter implosion for every single Knicks fan to abandon ship. You guys should be absolutely ashamed of yourselves!

I bought my 8 year old son his first Knicks hat just before Christmas so he could have it in time for the game. I taught him his first lesson in becoming a fan of a team. NO FLIP FLOPPING! Once you are a fan, in the Knicks case you need to also understand that the Celtics are public enemy number one. I went into depth teaching him the history of every NY sports team and I think he understood what responsibility he has now. I learned this on my own following sports all my life. I wonder what in the world happened to New York fans especially when it concerns the NY Knicks? Sure we've had a rough decade. Quite embarrassing to say the least. As of today none of that matters because of whahts going on with the team today. The Knicks have the talent and the ability to manuver the roster as it sees fit. It should be all sunshine eand Daisy's for all of us.

Lockout....shortened training camp....short preseason....early injuries. Did I miss something? Forget the Knicks for a second. Dallas and Boston have yet to win a game. Do you see the media throwing them under the bus? I mean the Knicks beat Boston on Christmas but you would never have known if you watched the NBA tv highlights or listened to the bums on TNT. What is it about having New York on the chest that brings on such hate and disrespect? Fans are undulging in self hate already. Its only been 3 games! Reggie Miller was killing the Knicks last night while calling the Lakers game. In my opinion, the refs were calling alot of stupid calls. Travels, offensive fouls, not calling fouls on the shot allowing the Lakers to capitalize on the turnovers. Lets just ignore the fact that the Knicks are hobbled and trying to run the offense through Melo for the first time without a real training camp. Lets ignore the fact that Landry and Tony Douglas are playing gout of position and over their heads as fill in starters. Baron Davis and Shumpert are hurt. One never played a game for the Knicks the other is a rookie. One could take the dark road and say the Knicks are in trouble if they are waiting for those guys to save them. You could also skip through the tulips and acknowledge that Shumpert is probably a first team all rookie selection/rookie of the year candidate. Baron is also a walking 15 points and 7 assist guy. Add those elements and the Knicks would probably be undefeated right now.

I ask you Knick fan. Where are your balls? I'm not talking Spaulding either. Find your courage. Drink your kool-aid and get back on the bandwagon before I start naming names up in here! Lets give this time. Its a short season, but its still 60 something games to be played. I think its ironic that "Sactown" is up next. Grow a pair will ya? The Knicks are on the road now. Lets get ready for the home stand and get behind our guys till health and reinforcements get here!

Build the power within

All the players are begining to gather at the MSG facility. We're hearing about all the new muscles Toney Douglas and Landry Fields have packed on now. We're hearing about Carmelo being healthy, focused and arguably in the best physical shape he's ever been to start a season. A'mare is hard at work in florida and should bring his topless practicing self to westchester by Wednesday. Chancey is in denver resting his nuggets....you see the theme? Its no wonder they don't release a calender so fans can really admire the body's of professional atheletes that are supposed to be inproving their already near peak conditions anyway. Landry in a speedo. Get it done!

In all seriousness, the talk of building and improving players from within is the way the Knicks should focus. What else are we hearing? Grant Hill? That dude signed in pheonix a few years ago because the Knicks weren't good enough. Now he's on the last legs of his career and he's on our radar again. At this stage of the game how much better is Grant Hill than Landry Fields? The Knicks don't have a need for a utility guy with Landry on the roster. Carmelo is the man at the 3. At the 2 the Knicks now have Iman Shumpert who's going to make an impact without a doubt this year. Grant Hill in my opinion is thinking about post career right now. Are the Knicks also looking to have him smiling for the camera and possibly behind the scenes one day?

Another guy mentioned is Anthony Parker. He's being sold to fans as a sharp shooter. If you believe that then you believe anything. Anthony Parker is a bum. If you watch games then you know the Knicks would be better off signing Shawne Williams who knows the system and has a point to prove....and he also can be labeled a sharp shooter if Anthony Parker is. Its a joke in my opinion.

The Knicks have financial stability and once Chancey Billups is off the books they will have wiggle room to make real improvements year to year. Press the easy button. Allow the the guys in house to build chemistry. These players aren't terrible. What the Knicks do need is a center. They have Jerome Jordan in europe playing very well. He is putting up numbers that translate to 20pts and 7 rebounds per 36 mins. He's playing against grown men that play the chippy euro style. He's getting banged out there. He's ready for the nba now. Its not your fathers euro league. The talent is very strong. No one is expecting Jerome Jordan to be Patrick Ewing. He could very well be servicable to platoon with the kid from kentucky and a veterans minimum guy.

Let's not try to hypnotize fans with nonsense. Fans that are talking about other low level players like Anthony Parker like they are going to do something need to take a chill pill. I got another blog coming to speak on Chris Paul. Get your mind right everyone!

Knicks are back (almost), blog is back, and goes is the drama

I can blow a big sigh of relief now that its basically a fomality that my Knicks are gonna play some ball in 2011/12. Its been hard for me as a blogger because I want to talk basketball not get into my political views and just stress myself out. I mean I put it in my introduction. True fans want to hear about the game. I'm in a union with my day job and I don't need to sit home or in the toilet at work reading about labor disputes with the NBA. I have a huge opinion on what transpired this summer/fall. I'll leave that to guys that sell papers and talk smack on tv. Basketball is back baby. My new Knicks gear is on back order. Christmas is coming. Fresh gear and fresh season. Santa gets extra cookies this year!

Ok got that outta the way.....

Rumors are spreading, there's rumors a gwon! *in my Greggory Issacs voice*

Chris Paul's agent formally requested a trade to the Knicks. It was immediately shot down by Paul as "just rumors, I can't control that". Its irritating to see these guys react like they are being attacked. Melo did the same thing last year. They know what's going on. Someone is feeding these "sources" with information good enough to put reporters names and reputation on the line and in print for all to see. Let's not forget....Chris Paul started this! He was the one that was talking smack at Carmelo's wedding infront of alot of people. There were reporters present that can confirm his shananagans. So yeah, Chris Paul wants to be a Knick. Will it happen? That's another story.

Can it happen? Absolutely. The Knicks have Chancey Billups contract that is almost equal to Chris Paul's salary wise. It would only take adding Balkman's contract to the deal to make it work on paper. The Hornet's are going to try and fleece the Knicks but the Knicks already gave up all their future picks to Denver. What the Knicks do have is Landry Fields, Toney Douglas and Iman Shumpert. Now would you sell your Knicks soul for Chris Paul? The Knicks as a franchise has gone all in when it comes to selling out just to get star players. Why stop now?

I personally hate Chris Paul's game. I think he trash talks too much during the game. His trash talking gets personal and he screams at the top of his lungs saying all types of things. I saw this myself live at MSG. He's  rubbed me the wrong way ever since. I don't even think he's that good as far as passing and creativity. Chris Paul's game is alot like Stephon Marbury's game when he was in his prime. Stop and think and you probably would agree. Paul forces the issue with his dribble and is a shoot first, pass when Im in trouble kind of point guard. Deron Williams in my humble opinion is the guy the Knicks need to try and get....thats if they even need to do that.

The Knicks have an opportunity to solidify their team this year. They need a center and a shooting guard. They have Landry Fields coming off a all rookie season and a rookie in Iman Shumpert that is looking to be something special as a scorer a la Latrell Sprewell at the shooting guard spot. Why not add a center and another vet to solidify things and make a run right now? Chancey Billups is old now, but hes not dead. Derek Harper came to ny old as hell and would have won the finals mvp if the Knicks would have won it in 1994. Steve Nash, Jason Kidd....just bloggin.

Anyway this is my blog...im back, im orange and blue and I know what to do! Write, write, write!!! Go Knicks!!!

Lockout 2011: Silence is orange and blue

As rich people argue back and forth about how much more or less rich they are gonna be in collective bargaining, nobody looks to benefit more from this than the Ny Knicks. After a nightmare first round plagued by injury, the knicks could use the extra few months off that this lockout looks to bring. Chancey Billups went down with a few unlucky sprains and contusions to the same knee/thigh area. It can be argued that his presence alone could have sparked the Knicks chances of going deep in the playoffs. His understudy Toney Douglas, who became the 3rd option and then the 2nd option when Amar'e went down, just had shoulder surgery. That injury to Amar'e back was another freak thing but was something that was bound to happen having carried the Knicks with it most of the year. The extra time off will allow all these guys to get back to 100% in time for when the NBA opens its door again for business.

Looking deeper, the knicks are basically brand new to each other. That Carmelo trade gutted the franchise of its forward momentum. There was an identity building at msg through alot of home grown talent backed by a few off season additions. With that said, the end result of the trade left the Knicks with very intimidating talent and huge expectations of taking the next step towards greatness. The group will have a good chance at walking into training camp fresh and eager to figure out the best way to win with the super talent they have. No team in the NBA has the upside the Knicks have without even thinking about how they can upgrade the roster in the future.

As is, if you put these guys through training camp, they can compete and defeat any team in the league in a 7 game series. That includes Chicago, Miami and Boston. Chicago has no outside shooting. Aside from Derrick Rose they have no offense. Their defense and overall energy is not enough to match the walk in the gym talent the knicks have. Miami's big three got away with overwhelming teams with individual match ups. The Knicks fire power trumps theirs along with coaching. Add the fact that neither team plays lock down defense and the Knicks should always beat them in 7. Boston has been together longer and won a championship. Their execution is a given, but they took 4 games to finally blow out a team that only had Carmelo and Toney Douglas at full strength. Give the Knicks a training camp and equal healthy rosters and the Knicks win every time.

With all that said teams will look to get better. Chicago will get a shooter probably. Miami will reload their role players while Boston will reinvent themselves as guys get older. The Knicks will have 2nd year player Landry Fields back and sure to improve his game. They drafted an intriguing player in Iman Shumpert. They will get 2010 2nd round pick, a 7' center, Jerome Jordan back from overseas. They added big body Harrylson of Kentucky in this years 2nd round. They have veteran free agent guys like Jeff Foster and Kurt Thomas available to plug holes as well. The Knicks are right there ready to compete with anybody as soon as they are allowed to.

The statements above are a fact of life. No kool aide sippin or blind faith from a diehard homer here. The Knicks barely have to lift a finger and they will instil fear throughout the league. The real kicker with the lockout is the possibility of the cap going up 7 million dollars. That was one of the proposals made by the league as they try to issue a hard cap for teams to follow. That extra money will put the Knicks over the top to add either Chris Paul or Deron Williams after next season. As a knick fan you can't be any happier by all of this. To add to it, the New Orleans hornets are currently owned by the league office aka, the nba! They already sold the knicks the second round pick they wanted in the draft. I see that as a sign for things to come. That team is in danger of being moved to another city and they can't afford Chris Paul. They can't even afford David West that's why he opted out of his final year despite the lockout. The Hornets with no ownership or ties to the city would be more likely to trade Chris Paul.

Kick your feet up knicks fans. This is clearly our time to shine.... Its been a long time coming.

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Stat and Melo vs Z-bo and Craw

The rub: No matter what anyone says about Zach Randolph after his performance against the Spurs, heads would have rolled if the Knicks didn't try to get under the cap. The big prize was Lebron. They say hindsight is 20/20. Means nothing if you are blind to that fact. Its still a fun scenerio to talk about. Who's really better? Zach or Amar'e? Was it worth it to shuffle shooting guards for 3 seasons? Was trading eventually all their starting calibre small forwards for 1 alpha dog really worth it?

Bottom line with the Amar'e/Zach conversation is Amar'e can't rebound. End of conversation. Why is it the end? Zach is not a threat to drop 40-50 like Amar'e, but he will give you 20/10 the minimum every night. The kicker with Zach is he will drop 20/20 on you too. Has Amar'e even come close to that as a Knick? Zach is also low maintenance. He's gonna get 4-6 points off put backs in traffic. He doesn't need plays called for him. So you can forget about Zach for a while on offense because he finds his way to the ball anyway. Amar'e is more explosive than Zach. Amar'e uses that to bully his man. That gets Amar'e in trouble with charges at times. Zach is an old school guy that uses head fakes, spins, hook shots, floaters, step back jumpers, etc. He can also spot up and do the same explosive plays Amar'e does without having to jump over his man every time. He's just more efficient. The knock on the dude is his off the court stuff. He never had a problem playing basketball. As a knick he was excellent. The team was horrible, but their was that little stint under D'antoni where he played superb ball with David Lee. They had a great two man game going, totally controlling the boards and the points in the paint. If the Knicks didn't join the espn hype machine, maybe they could have added a starting calibre shot blocker with size to support that winning combination.

Knicks also had the best ball handler in the league at the 2 guard spot in Jamal Crawford. He Is also the best bad shot maker in league history. History? He leads the league in 4pt plays. End of conversation. Nobody could strip him of the ball and he could get anywhere he wants at any time. That's a dynamic we all never appreciated while he was here. The knicks have been trying to find that talent since he was traded. Landry Fields was thoroughly exposed in the playoffs. He's a rookie but if he had the confidence of a Jamal Crawford the Knicks could have completed with anyone. It all comes down to defense. Anyone talking about Jamal's defense on Atlanta? As a team Atlanta handles business. The Knicks going forward had the ability to do that. Knicks had to get under the cap though. Can't knock it for reasons explained above. I just gotta say one thing. You gotta move the ball but nothing is happening you absolutely need someone to move the ball by themselves and attract defensive attention. Believe that.

Its all hypothetical now. Using your imagination, could a Zach, Wilson, probably Gallo, a resigned David Lee(probably cheaper), say a Joakim Noah/Dalembert/Tyson Chandler type, Crawford and decent point guard with a jumpshot win in Ny. Yes, no question. Hypothetically, the knicks can still win the way things are right now. Knicks have Melo, Amar'e, Chancey Billups, Toney Douglas, and Landry Fields all locked in for next year. Knicks need a legit center that can rebound, bang and finish. They need a legit shooting guard that can score the ball with his jumpshot and ball handling ability. They need a spot starter at the 4/5 off the bench to preserve the health of Amar'e Stoudamire. They need a legit back up point guard that can push the ball and create to preserve Chancey Billups. Can they do it? If anyone can its Donnie Walsh. His situation with the team is key.

After keeping Chancey for another year at his current near Max salary, the Knicks can't afford any big names. The difference now is ny is more attractive to play. Who wouldn't want to play with Amar'e, Melo and Chancey? Knicks will probably have their fair share of veterans who will come over cheap just to try and piggy back on a championship. A Championship in Ny is not a tough sell. At least not now. Their is the outside possibility the Knicks hold back yet another off season just to try and get Chris Paul. As we already witnessed in the playoffs, health is not a given. Every season that goes by the window of opportunity closes a bit. I got the feeling, at least I hope the Knicks take this off season seriously. If not? Well they might as well have kept Zach and Crawford.

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After the sweep, Knicks must build to complete (in rhyme form)

That sweep from the Celtics last week was bitter sweet. Bitter moments/heart skipped a beat but you know what was most unique? The buzz from the city, gritty new York really stood behind with pity. Knicks lost by health and even when there was no help they was moving in stealth. Almost took 2 down in beantown before they broke down. Who knows if that didn't happen we'd still be around. Bottom line this is our town, The Mecca of basketball. Word gets around on how we get down. We are thirsty and it hurts see cuz we havent seen the big lights since 2003. No chip since the 70's. Amar'e and Melo will be the remedy. Still we need a melody of cohorts that will build around the ball court to take us to the top again of our sport. Get us a center that will take down the boards and risk his body when he's defending the floor. We need another shooter that's a player for sure that won't settle for bricks laying like he works construction out doors. May his jumpshot be pure, defense secure, and his handle penetrate like the movies hardcore. More talent on the bench would make sense hoping the caps dense cuz we're gonna need every cent to be spent. All the nay sayers will have time to repent. All the haters we'll see you later watch espn. This the real garden orange and blue veins will never harden. I go back to the days of Bernard and them. Starks oak and mase, and other hardened men. Regardless of ticket prices we'll all be tuning in. While this blogger will be writing excitedly going in. This just a little extra rhyme thanks for your time go tell a friend..... ;-)

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Just one game

The Knicks are down 3-0 against the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2011 NBA playoffs. Who saw the Knicks reaching this point on July 1st, the start of last years off season? Alot has transpired since then. Being totally honest, since Carmelo was traded for at the February trade deadline the Knicks were never allowed to settle into an identity. The crew before him had several months to figure it out. They weren't perfect and they started out slow but they eventually developed an identity. Guys knew where the ball was going and knew their role. The group facing the Celtics now just started to figure out the spacing and how to at least function as a team. Then Amar'e and Chancey go down. They never had that much experience playing without that much fire power at once. How do you adjust really? Then you have the rookie Landry looking spooked to the point where you have to call on Roger Mason to play a key role when he hasn't played all year. Its tough but after all of that I still believe the Knicks can win just one game.

Knicks arent playing for their playoff lives right now. They are playing for their pride. Pierce and Ray Allen went Xbox 360 on the Knicks. Jared Jefferies was the second leading scorer behind Melo in game 3. They can't go out like that. They gotta take this personal. They gotta take game 4.

To win game 4 the Knicks have got to forget structure. They have to play their games. Right now the Knicks are a drive and dish, isolation and spot up shooting team. They can't look to match up with the Celtics. They have to think D'antoni basketball and shoot the best shot and shoot it often. First off Carmelo needs to be the power forward. He's the Knicks best rebounder. He's averaging a double double in the series. Shawne Williams should be the small forward spotting up and moving the ball. Amar'e at half strength is the best center in this series if he can go. He doesn't need to drop 40pts as much as he needs to simply be a threat to score, especially with his jumpshot. Landry Fields needs to be taken out of his misery. Roger Mason should start in Landry's place and keep the bulk of the minutes. Forget Chancey for this series and roll with Toney and Anthony Carter. Douglas needs to look for his shot when ever he has it. There's no sense in restricting him to finding the open man when he's basically the 2nd option at this point. Allow Landry to play forward off the bench to loosen him up a bit. Regardless of what the Celtics do, the Knicks should be able to compete by keeping it simple. Defense shouldn't be as hard as the Knicks are making it. The Celtics have no post presence. How hard is it to not leave Ray Allen open? I mean he's gonna get his looks but not put on a clinic. Face guard him and don't help off of him! That's pretty much it. Rondo is loosey goosey but the brother can't shoot! If nobody doubles him he can't make passes. Bottom line stop doubling on defense. Its blatantly retarded.

I still believe in our Knicks. We booed our guys in game 3 and they earned that. We need to get behind them in game 4. Pride is at stake here. Make no mistake, this knicks team is not a complete team. The knicks need another scorer that can create their own shot. They also need a serviceable center. Regardless of that fact, the Celtics arent as good as the knicks are making them look. Injuries or not....

Knicks in 7!!!

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We must protect this Garden!!!

"When us become we!" You saw those ads on msg, cable tv, and the train stations. I dunno where the ad teams head was at, but that's how New Yorkers talk when it comes to their home teams. At least that's what they used to do. I say "used to" often in my blog because that's what it is. New York used to go hard for or teams. You wanna blame it on Dolan, Layden, Isiah? Fine. Wanna get deeper and blame Bloomberg and gentrification? I can dig that too. Bottom line is somewhere along the course of the last decade, New York fans lost their pride. Not just in their teams but in their city. The garden used to be the big stage. The stage didn't start and end at the court, ring, and well...stage. The extension of the performance has always been the goonies that filled those seats. At the same time if you suck we will boo your ass. Why? Because the team we follow are like extended family. True new York sports fans would boo their own kids if they didn't put fourth the effort in their respective sport. For instance, if I miss a couple shots in a row when I'm shooting around the basketball with my son, he will not hesitate to tell me I suck. I will then have to drain the next 10 straight in his face just to let him know his daddy can shoot. Its vice versa. Im never gonna let little man off easy. That's just how we roll. That's the heart of the city.

What happened in game 3 against Boston was horrific. No fan or hater could have predicted what transpired especially after the Knicks almost won 2 games in Boston. They came into our house and had their way. They didn't just come into msg and do this. They might as well walked into every knick fans living room and copped a squat then dragged their butts all over the carpet. You gotta understand, John Starks went to war for New York. If that Guy needed a place to stay at any point in his life in ny... He is welcome to sleep on anybodies coach. I'm not exaggerating. Patrick and Anthony Mason jr can walk freely anywhere in the city. Those are our boys. Their fathers rock with us. If they get caught out their doing the wrong thing we'll straighten them out. You think im exaggerating still?.... Just think about how you feel about Dwight gooden and strawberry in baseball. How do you feel about Mike Tyson and Zab Judah in boxing? I could go on. The feeling is real.

This is what I don't think is clicking with our current team. We all rock together. Its not about what Boston did. Its what the knicks let them do to us. You mad Carmelo? You mad Amar'e? Just like I tell my son...You better stop crying before I get to you. Before we get crazy and start booing. Before the media starts crucifying you in the papers. Show them where you from. New York is on your chest you are rocking with us. Don't let anyone come in here and do what Boston did again.

Knicks in 7 you suckas!

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Game 1: Death by execution

The Knicks first half performance was too loosey goosey for a playoff game. So much emphasis is placed on swagger these days, or swag if you have teenage children. The Knicks definately out swagged the Celtics for two quarters. Shots were falling, cats were getting dunked on and Carmelo Anthony was smiling. Cheesing actually, if you don't mind my 90's slang. Someone forgot to tell our players that new York invented swag a hundred years ago and the world is just catching up. In todays terms, its Kinda played out. The reality if it all was the Knicks simply caught the Celtics of guard. Doc Rivers mentioned at the half that his team broke alot of their defensive rules and could not score the way they are capable because they couldn't crack the Knicks offensice attack. He was absolutely right on all accounts. The second half told that story.

I can talk about how the Celtics came out harder in the second half. I can talk about their guys making timely hoops/stops. Two key plays told me the Knicks were going to lose game 1. Both happening in the second half. Both starting "Chucky Cheese" Carmelo Anthony. More on that name later. The first play was early on in the second half Carmelo got the ball early in the shot clock with the knicks still holding a comfortable lead. Carmelo launches a shot 30 plus feet out that would have made Chris Duhon proud. I contemplated suicide after witnessing that shot and D'antoni looked like he could have stabbed Carmelo on the spot if he was close enough. The second play happened during crunch time if the 4th quarter. The Knicks were looking to let Carmelo do his thing. Carmelo got the ball about 22ft from the basket but gets called for an offensive foul because he felt he needed to brush the swag off his shoulders. There was no need for Melo to throw his elbows that far away from the basket. Paul Pierce was defending him and was playing tight but he wasn't trying to foul Melo that far away from the basket. The referee had no choice but to call it because the elbow swung around Pierce's neck and cleared around to the other side. The expression on Melo's face and the feeling I'm sure most of us had at that point was: "This game is over".

It was a horrible way to lose. To add insult to injury there was still great time left to get a great shot after Jesus Shuttlesworth hit that shot to wash us of our sins. Toney Douglas got the ball across half court with nearly 10 seconds left and passed it to Melo. He stood there for 2 seconds before chucking up a contested 3. There was plenty if time and a lane to drive to hopefully force overtime. I would count that as the third bad play because the game was already done by that time.... Don't think I forgot about the 2 quick fouls in the first 2 minutes of the first quarter. Not a good day for Melo.

"Chucky Cheese".... Its the chain restaurant/arcade your kids keep annoying you about taking them on your off day. I'd like to use it for Mr. Melo. #1 he hasn't seen a shot he would not take. The guy seems to have no feel for the moment or the defense. He just takes shots. That explains "chucky". The "cheese" comes from his smile that always seems to be there after he makes a couple shots. Just play ball Melo. He claims he idolized Bernard King. Bernard had the killer Ghostface when he played even when vs was dropping back to back 50pt games and countless 30/40pt games. Focus damn you. The Celtics showed in the second half that they arent playing around....

Game 2.... Show us why you are here! Bring it!

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Quick Knicks can take the cripple C's

Quick Knicks can take the cripple C's

Knicks are in the playoffs you suckas! Its been a while. Last time the Knicks made the playoffs with any type of success the team was filled with toughness. If it wasn't physical it was definately mental. That was roughly a decade ago. David Stern changed the rules and this generation has given birth to a league of cry babies. Those teams that have enough players that live by the old code are the ones that are most successful in the playoffs. Enter the Celtics....
The Knicks have players that fit their coaches system now. Not many people believe in the system because the philosophy isn't built around defense. That's blastphamy in New York city. We know are basketball... At least I can say we used to. Just like players, we as fans live by the old code. No harm no foul, go hard or go home. "Stop the ball!", "Put a body on him!" and the nyc special "fauk otta here wit dat bullshyte son!" Again its not the same anymore. Kids are more into xbox than the black top. Its not just them because the 30-50 year old crowds that know the deal are at home on the weekend with their 47" screens and surround sound and a bucket of popeyes chicken playing xbox too. Old school is on hiatus... Enter the New York Knicks.

D'antoni is 60 years old. He's from the old school. If you don't believe that then you never heard his older brother assistant coach Dan speak. They know the right way to play. Thing is little brother Mike feels his coaching style cracks the code of the smash mouth old school. Its not just seven seconds or less just chuck up a prayer. Its a philosophy that takes advantage of the simplicity of the game. Pick and roll, pick and pop. Backdoor plays, finding the open man, shooting the ball when you are open. Simple stuff. So why are so many fans upset still because the word defense isn't first? Defense wins championships. Its a tired cliche. How about just man up and play "D"! To have preach defense to grown men is just a testament to the times we live in. You simply man up and play defense. Its not so much having to do coaching. Its about the contents of a mans heart. Anyway Knicks fans cry about defense but cried harder for Carmelo Anthony. Donnie Walsh could have gotten a true center and went with the troops we had. He was forced to get the people what they want. Quit crying about defense because that's not what you want. What you want is to win. The way things are set up the Knicks could possibly shock the world.

The Celtics have 4 all-stars and a tough bench. They have the notorious knick killer Paul piece and the shameless Kevin Garnett who curses worse than your favorite drunken homeless man on your train ride home. What died that have to do with the Knicks? They don't play defense anyway right? The Knicks have to play faster. They have to spread the floor and knock down 3's. They need their main options to take over when its crunch time. The Knicks already do that! My theory: if the Knicks play their game and not get pulled into jail ball when the Celtics get desperate... They will beat the Celtics in 6!

The Knicks have a team full of 3pt shooters. Melo is a legit threat now. Add Shawne Williams, Landry, Toney Douglas, Bill Walker and Mr. Big Shot Chancey Billups. That's a modern day bomb squad. Amar'e is better than Garnett at this stage of the game. You can expect Amar'e to dominate inside no matter who is on him. The x factor is Carmelo Anthony. If you need someone to take the last shot of any game Kobe Bryant is #1. If Kobe had to pick a player I bet he'd take Melo anyday of the week. He's basically everyones #2 big shot maker. Don't sleep on your team diehards! Everyone wants to talk about the negative. Everyone is in awe of the guys that already did it. Remember kids, only you can prevent forest fires.... Wait, what? Just believe brothers and sisters. Never estimate the power of the "6th man".

I repeat Knicks in 6!

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Live free Diehards

Bless me Diehards for I have sinned. Its been a month and 13 days since my last blog. Don't hold it against me. My blood has been boiling to the point it was starting to clot. Carmelo was saying alot of diva'esque things talking about minutes and not changing his game. He was talking about next year for the love of Spalding! Amar'e also sounded so depressed. The confidence that carried the team all year was nil. The brother looked done. I gotta admit, I had to throw my phone to prevent me from posting anything. I actually wrote 3 blogs since my last blog post. One of them you would have thought I was the bastard child of Mark Berman and Peter Vescey. I just couldn't click on the post icon and put garbage like that out there. I know this is supposed to be a spot for diehards. This is true but at the same time I don't want to be crybaby. We've cried enough. We have been crying since Ewing was traded. This is a new time in Knick history. I almost forgot what it was like to believe in your team. I "misremembered" that competitive fire that still burns every time they show John Starks, Mase, Oakley, Houston, and even Chris Dudley on tv. Clyde and the Pearl's voices on tv/radio should have kept things in perspective. The autographed picture of Bernard King I have on my fireplace should have slapped the urine out of me.

The knicks ended the season on a huge run. They clinched the playoffs. That didn't click for me until I read on the internet that the Celtics are locked in to face our Knicks in the first round. Its only right. I don't care if its basketball. I hate Boston! When I think of Boston, all I see are Red Sox! The Yankees have owned them for all eternity. With the Celtics, they have been the thorn in the Knicks side since Mr. Russell was patrolling the paint. Things feel different this time. The Knicks can actually shock the world in this series and I say that with a clear mind and a straight face. Alot of your favorite experts, even notorious knick haters have been saying the Knicks have a strong chance.

The real season starts now and I got my mojo back....BROOKLYN!!!

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Knicks are very scary

How closely are you guys watching this team? Carmelo Anthony, Chancey Billups and Anthony Carter have only been Knicks for 4 games. What are you seeing with your own two eyes? What I'm seeing is a group of guys that flatout know how to play this game. They are eager to lead even though they aren't familiar with the concepts of what D'antoni wants to do out there. Carmelo is has been off shooting 39% from the field. He's consistantly been a 45% shooter for his career. He's been taking Carmelo shots all in the flow of the offense. He's been missing shots he usually makes with his eyes closed. At the same time, the dude is cold blooded. He talks in interviews like everything is under control and has a tone that suggests there is a mass murder about to take place. Defense's need to be very afraid of what these Knicks are becoming.

How often has Chancey Billups hit a momentum changing shot? Gotten points when the Knicks absolutely needed them. How often has he gotten to the line forcing the defense to bail him out? We got a champion is Chancey Billups. He simply gets the job done and is unflappable and understands what tempo is. He understands the flow of the game. He makes incredible reads and there is no doubt who is in charge of the team. This is a guy that has been here only 4 games! What the heck happens when he is used to his teamates and the orange and blue that he now wears on his back?

The forgotten veteran in the deadline trade is Anthony Carter. He has been a ball mover and unforgiving defender. He understands the need to take a step in and shoot the baby jumper. He gets the ball and as soon as he recieves it, he flicks it to the open man. The Knicks have never had a player come off the bench this intangible at point guard since Childs and Ward were splitting time. You can't sleep on experience. Anthony Carter brings that to the game, practice court and locker room. His knowledge will become infectious as time goes on and must not be understated.

This brings me to everyone else. Right now, every player aside from the alpha dog Amar'e Stoudamire has had a deer in the headlight look about them. They are caught watching their new teamates expecting them to carry them. As I'm suggesting in this piece, there is a presence...a swagger oozing from the pores of our new Knicks. Their will is destined to infect the rest of the roster. Against Orlando the whole team was flat and collectively shot 37% from the field, yet still only lose by 6. Don't disregard the fact that Orlando took their play to playoff level proportions to overcome what this new Knick team was doing to them. Miami played their "A" game the other night, as did the lowly Caviliers. Same Cavs team that whooped the Lakers not too long ago just to quiet the crybabies.

Knicks fans...Stare at your team in awe for the first time in a decade instead of disbelief. This Knick club is on the cusp of doing something special. I'm not even talking about next year or in a few years. Right now this group is going to do nothing but gel and get better. Alot of people are sleeping on this Jared Jeffieries pick up off waivers. The same defense Miami almost beat the Knicks with the other night is what Jared excelled at in his last days as a Knick. Jared was the lone man up top guarding the point guard at 6'11" while the other for players stacked up around the paint closing out shooters and the lane. This time around the Knicks don't have David "Jazz hands" Lee patroling the paint. They have Amar'e who is 4th in the league in blocked shots out there. The overall awareness on defense is better than its been in 10 years. Carmelo said practice makes perfect. You watch...this is what we all been waiting for.

Stat crazy, Melo cool

Do you hear that diehards? That's the sigh of relief from everyone of us still humming across the universe. Its so good to talk basketball again. Carmelo is finally here. Half African American, half Puerto Rican superstar basketball player with nyc roots. Gotta love it. Brooklyn in the house!

I can describe the difference in having Carmelo Anthony and Chancey Billups in a word: Attention. I know you heard your favorite sports commentator say "but it was against the Milwaukee Bucks!" Why discredit that team now? Cleveland is next. The Cavs beat the Lakers a few weeks ago. You think they are saying stuff like that about teams. This is the nba. Its a professional basketball league. Its the best on the world. The 12th man on any roster can be a successful starter on any Tan on this earth. With that said the team the Knicks played last night were a legit top 3 defensive team. Seriously google it. That same team took Atlanta to the brink of elimination last season. They have injuries to thank for that....Blah, blah, blah.

The attention that Carmelo, and Chancey brought to the table last night made the Bucks defense scramble at times and the poise if these new Knicks took the heart from them when they needed it. The old players can be described with another word: surprising. If Gallo, Wilson, or Felton dominated or brought their "A" games it was often in dramatic and surprising fashion. You admire their heart, but they weren't scaring anyone. A team like the Bucks could pencil the Knicks in as a game they could win. Now as they proved without one day if practice. Teams are gonna have fits trying to contain reputation the Knicks are rolling with now. Speaking of reputation, Amar'e is good but he is his item worse enemy. He plays with great fire and is quite the bully on the court. That fact has brought him to the brink of suspension after receiving his 15th technical of the season. One more and he has to serve a one game suspension. In the past Carmelo was guilty of random acts of douchebagdom, slapping former knick Mardy Collins then running scared enroute to losing half a season to suspension. We all called Melo a goon for that. Melo has since changed his mindset and streamlined his game with simplicity and poise. In the 4th quarter Carmelo Anthony took control of the game and called for the ball. He scored 11pts to close the deal. Amar'e fouled out getting his last tech from the bench in a game the knicks needed him. Its all good now Knicks fans. We have a backup. As my dad would say, "Puerto Rican in the house!"

¡Wepa!

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Son las Stat y Melo

Stat and Melo

By now you crunched the numbers to death. We have debated the prospects of getting Carmelo Anthony since Lebron's decision way back in July. July my babies! It was already known that Carmelo was not going to resign with Denver. Amar'e set the stage when he became the first player to sign in the 2010 off-season. The scene at Carmelo's wedding painted a perfect picture. It wasn't so clear back then, but its ever so vibrant right now. However you feel, and I have debated that in this spot for several months...The Knicks got Carmelo...nana nana naa naa!!!

Sweet Dick Mcguire did we need this trade in NY! I know we gave up a ton, but the reality is, what did the Knicks really give up? Gallo was the 27pt two nights in a row, 8 points 4 games in a row player. Chandler has been our rock on both ends of the floor. That being says the dude is on the wrong team right now. If it were possible to keep Chandler and still get Melo then you do that. Denver asked for the kitchen sink, and the Knicks had to give it up. Mosgov is a "as soon as" player. Knicks are trying to grab lighting in a bottle not waiting for paint to dry. Admire Mosgov in 2 years. Hopefully by then the Knicks will be heavy contenders for the NBA championship. Raymond Felton was a nice player and I think he gained tons of respect this season. He was the co-captain by trade not just by name. He's competitive and takes competition very serious. I have tons of respect for him and I have no doubt that he would have had a great playoff for oit Knicks.

Now we gotta be fair. Just getting Melo doesn't mean the Knicks win this year. The same holes the Knicks had before the trade still exist now. The team needs a legit rebounding/shot blocking center. That kinda needs to be addressed before the deadline as well and definately before the playoff rosters have to be set. They have Billups for now with a serviceable veteran in Anthony Carter as the back up. That situation will have to be addressed this off season. If they can at least get a serviceable guy at center right now, the Knicks could be ready to make a playoff run.

Man is it great to be talking basketball right now. Right now? Us Knicks fans are "drinking rum and red bull".... Shizzle!

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Melo or not, Donnie is still cool

All-star break is here. No more regular season games to squander. No more boo birds in the garden chanting another teams players name. No more questioning the questionable Nuggets management. It's now sing song time. This Carmelo Anthony situation must be resolved this weekend with an outcome decided sometime after the big game is over with this Sunday. It would be an even more embarrassment to the Nuggets and the League if they allow Carmelo to play another game for the Denver franchise. Notice I didn't say the Knicks are the ones expecting to be embarrassed. Read on...

Donnie Walsh has run this organization like a mafia boss. All his moves have been precise. People like to talk about him being a senile, sleepy head senior citizen. Did he sleep on Amar'e Stoudamire? Did he sleep on Landry Fields? Did he sleep on Raymond Felton? Did he sleep on the David Lee trade? Did he sleep in his bed? Well probably...I'm just saying! Don't be a spoiled brat Knick fans. I'm hearing sports radio, cats on the train, I'm getting texts, emails, tweets, and facebook notifications asking me what the hell is wrong with Donnie. NOTHING! The Knicks are not gonna give it all up at one time only to be left looking for someone to call. That's where the Knicks will be if they trade all those pieces for Carmelo. If the guy worth it? Well Lebron James would have been worth it. Kobe when he was in his 20's? Yeah. Wade? Yeah! Not Carmelo. Carmelo brings consistant offense. He's a walking 20pt game or better. He can score on anyone in the league and is a legitimate go to guy in the clutch. That's worth alot...Not 4 starters, a huge ending contract and a draft pick. Denver is the one that's desperate. The Knicks whether they make this trade or not set themselves up to be involved in anything they want going forward. Is that flexibility worth giving up to get Amar'e a second all-star? Who are they gonna play with? You can never say the outcome of this situation is Donnie's fault. Dude is playing it the way he should. They aren't trading basketball cards in a school yard over here.

The brightside of this trade if the Knicks were to throw all the pieces in the basket is Shawne Willams and Mr. Kelenna Azubuike. Remember that dude from the Golden State trade? Quietly the dude has been getting ready to finally make his debut from a torn patella tendon. If Landry is traded Azubuike would be like picking up a free agent mid-season. He can bring about 14 points with 5 rebounds. Kid plays defense and shoots the lights out with a career 40% 3pt stroke and 45% overall from the field. Shawne Williams could be Melo's back-up the same way he's rotating behind Gallo and Chandler now. There's talks the Knicks could pick up Earl Barron again. Amar'e, Melo, Chancey, Azubuike, and Barron as your second half starters? The Chemistry would need time to gel. How far will the Knicks dip before they get a feel for each other? As a compeditor, you want to compete with the crew that's out there. The future is still bright but the Knicks still have to pray for guys to want to come to NY. Donnie isn't even signed. Do we wanna promote Allan Houston to take over this situation? What about Jim Dolans boy from Chicago? Yikes

Blog on Bloggers...

Latest rumors cut reality check

As a fan of basketball, I must admit I have fell in love with the group of players Donnie Walsh has put together this season. Its not so much the talent as much as it is the attitude on the floor. Every single player aside from Curry, Randolph, and through no fault of his own Azubuike, "gets it". Its a term we basketball junkies use often and there really isn't another way to explain it. With the Knicks talent level it takes a certain level of concentration to win even though they sincerely do "get it". They have proven they can compete and often beat any team on any given night no matter the environment. You get a feel that these guys will put it on the line for each other. Under normal circumstances, this team only really needs a legitimate big man and an upgrade to the backcourt.

Lets face it...This Carmelo Anthony situation has been a cancer for this team since the new year came around. Knick fans have dealt with cancers within the organization for the last decade. Its a shame how all the drama this year is taking place because a Star player miles away doesn't want to resign with his ball club. We haven't had a break since Ewing got traded, can't expect things to change now. I feel bad for the current players. I also feel bad for the young fans that thought they were finally gonna have a real basketball team to latch on to this year.

Stoudamire's 5 year contact is the window the have to work with as far as getting as much talent and chemistry here to compete for a championship. What is the big picture? Are the Knicks a franchise trying get the most value out of their trades right now? Are they trying to fleece the league the way Denver is trying to do right now? Right now the Knicks are trying to seize an opportunity. Boston is making a last stand and Miami and Orlando also seemed to have made their end game moves in the quest for an NBA championship. Its Kinda now or never like Bon Jovi out this mofo. Knicks might want to take this Carmelo deal anyway they can get it and then set the focus on resolidifying the chemistry built so far.

Btw, extend Donnie Walsh you douches!

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Il Gallo è canto

I wrote a piece a few weeks ago sharting on Gallo and whether or not the dude was even needed in the grand scheme of things. He just happened to be injured. Yeah, that's funny because Gallo is coming on like gangbusters while Wilson Chandler is nursing an injury this time. Is it a case of the brother reading blogs like this one and wanting to prove he is not just going through the motions? Is that Carmelo Anthony talk annoying him to the point where he is determined to prove that the Knicks need to hold on to him? Whatever it is my babies...The Rooster is singing!!!(Google Translator Son!!!)

There is a noticable bounce in Gallo's step. He's no longer marching around the court looking like a Frankenstien freak. He's puting the ball on the floor and creating plays. He's been making some serious passes off the dribble, often faking shots to drop it off for his big men. Very Lamar Odom'esque. Very Hedo Turk'esque. His explosiveness going toward the basket has been night and day as well. I can't recall the game, I'm thinking it was Detroit, but he drove the lane and raised up majestically and banged home a dunk that looked like something Lebron, or Josh Smith normally pulls off. I literally almost broke the light on my ceiling from my celebratory jumping jacks. Something is definately different about Danilo Galinari. He's proving he is no chicken *rimshot*.

The argument is still clear though. The Knicks have 2 expendible pieces in Wilson and Gallo. They both can be spectacular and most often they can be a consistant 3rd option that can carry a team for stints a game. Do the Knicks need Carmelo? Will Dallas sweep in and steal him for the remainder of this season? Tired of writing about it, thats why I haven't posted any blogs in some time. The Knicks need reinforcements. They need to plug up the holes. Mozgov came in and showed us what the Knicks could be if they had a guy that could at least give you a double double and be a pulse inside. He had 50/30 or what ever his stats were, but then dropped a duece in the follow up game against Dallas. When do the Knicks get better? The trading deadline is fast approaching, but if Dallas takes Carmelo away or if Denver simply stay true to their douchbaggerocities and doesn't even trade Carmelo...what is the Knicks plan B? Is ther enough time to improve and prepare this roster for a meaningful playoff run? It's not good enough to just show up. Knicks have got to reinforce the rotation to give the Boston's, Miami's, Orlando's and Atlanta's of the east a run for their money.

Shizzle...

Donnie needs to be taken care of...Isiah too

Nothing has really been said specifically about Donnie Walsh's future with the Knicks franchise. The air however is thick. It's like walking into an office when everyone was just in the middle of talking badly about you. Only thing is we are feeling it all around Knicks Nation. I don't want to spend too many keystrokes on this subject, but Donnie Walsh deserves better. He came in and did what he said he was going to do. He rebuilt the cap situation and brought professionalism and respect back to the Garden on all levels. When he was hired you could read Mr. Dolan's body language. He did not like the idea of turning the franchise over to this guy. David Stern may have black mailed him on that one. Dolan kinda needs to put Donnie Walsh and his family on perminant payroll for saving face.

Did I say saving face? The prick slapped us all in the face by re-hiring Isiah freakin Thomas as a consultant. To add insult to injury the dude was still the coach of a college team. So now they want to take down an entire college and the NCAA too? That's old news, but oh that buzz is still buzzin. I'm sure some under aged kids read my blog, but what I'm about to suggest will probably make sense to even the slightest Knick fan. If Mr.Dolan re-hires Isiah Thomas in any shape for or fashion...(toning it down several notches)...lets just say the fans will relieve themselves on the situation. No threats here...this is just for pure entertainment purposes only.

Yeah so...Yeah

Go Knicks!!!

Diehard to Knicks: Tell Denver Nuggets to kick rocks!

The Nets have moved mountains to try and appease the greedy Denver nuggets. They have basically all 30 first picks to offer and found a team in Detroit that would take Troy Murphy when they have no use for him. Denver still wants more and Melo still hasn't given any indication that he would sign an extention with the Nets. Its become embarrassing and downright pathetic. Its the same old thing with the Nba. Everyone has to copy what another team did or wanna make sure they can pull better value than another team got. Denver is afraid to lose Melo for nothing but a trade exemption. That's the price you pay for raping a superstar player to put bodies in their arena seats. Denver sucked for alot of years. Melo saved that franchise. The least they could do is trade him to where he wants to go and move on. Its ridiculous because Denver is still a playoff team as is. The players are frustrated but still showing up every night. The fans are in limbo. As a knick fan, I would be on suicide watch knowing my playoff team is in serious danger of being blown up for no good reason except that the Denver franchise doesn't want to get "Lebroned" or "Boshed". Give me a break. The Nuggets need to say straight up that they will not trade Melo and give the fans one last shot at the playoffs.

What should the knicks do? Right now the knicks are already a playoff team. They don't even need Melo as much as they need a real center and help on the perimeter. The knicks should make two lateral trades, cap space for cap space and then sign Melo outright in the off season. Bong! Game over, insert coin to continue.
Lets remember who is the real desperate team. Its the Nuggets! After the Nets, who else is willing to add Melo? They are not trading him to a rival. So who? The Bulls? Makes sense but who cares? Life goes on and the knicks are gonna be alright. They will definately be alright if they can get a center that can rebound, block shots, finish and move the ball. They will also be better if they got a shooting guard that could create his own shot a little.

The knicks have enough to trade for Oj Mayo and a Guy like Sam dalembert and still hold on to theit current 8-9 man rotation. How? You mean to tell me Memphis wouldn't take Anthony Randolph for Mayo? You mean to tell me sactown wouldn't trade Dalembert for Eddy curry and sone second rounders? Please...It can be done.

Get a grip Knick fans and remember what city you are from!

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Maybe Plan B is the new Plan A... Again

Anybody else sick of this Melo madness? Anyone want make the eerie comparison to the Lebron douchebaggery from the summer? This time the "villian" isn't the player, its a whole franchise! The Denver Duggets went about thus whole situation the wrong way. Melo didn't sign his extention. Its in their best interest to try to get value for him so they don't get embarrassed like Cleveland and Toronto did. Did you taste the sarcasm in that last sentence? Years ago a team would just get what they could immediately just to avoid the media frenzy. Its not the best example, but the Knicks dumped Ewing off fairly quickly. They got what they thought was best for the team. Best part was all parties were able to move on. Melo is in his prime. He gave them 6 great seasons. As looking as they get decent value, why not make this easier and just trade Melo to where he wants to go?

Which brings me to my point? Do the Knicks even need to trade half the team to get Melo? The Knicks aren't strapped for scoring and they already have at least 5 players that can fill in and play small forward and play it well. In the Knicks last game against Utah, Shawne Williams and Billy Walker combined for 48 points filling in for the injured Gallo. Just want to mention Gallo is small forward and the fact that Wilson Chandler is a natural small forward playing out of position...Yeah so...Getting back on track, this Melo trade to the Nets might be a blessing in disguise.

Why have the Knicks been so successful this year? Its not just because they signed Amar'e. The players the Knicks picked up in the off season share the same dog mentality. They complete every game and show the same determination on offense as they do defense. The Knicks don't need a trade that could quite possibly destroy the team chemistry. What they do need is rebounding help and experience in the backcourt. The Knicks have assets that are not part of the rotation that could be flipped to achieve this. You mean to tell me Anthony Randolph, Roger Mason, Eddy Curry and Azubuike's contracts can't pull some roster upgrades?

Question for my diehards: Would you trade Eddy curry's and azubuike's contracts for Hinrich and Blatche??? Washington needs the money for their rebuild .Knicks need the talent. Hinrich would take alot of pressure off Felton and would add experience and depth to the bench. Blatche is insurance for Amar'e and adds depth inside to mix either in front or behind Ronnie Turiaf. *Bong Bong*

"And that's all I have to say about that..." - Forrest Gump

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Not to kick a good Gallo when its down but...

Its only one win. Ok it was against the San Antonio Spurs. Their record is the best in the league. Better than Miami, Boston, Orlando and whoever else scorn Knicks fans fantasize about. "But the Spurs are old!" (Cover your ears) THEY HAVE THE BEST RECORD IN THE LEAGUE!!! (You may uncover them now)....

That's not the point of the blog. The point I wanna make is Gallo. The Knicks have redundant talent at his position. That's the same position that Carmelo Anthony plays if anyone is paying attention. Wilson Chandler has awakened this year. He's now what Isi...ur I mean all of us wanted him to be. He really is a mix between what Richard Jefferson used to be and a few notches under what Shawn Marion used to be. He's also the new Latrell Sprewell. Not in infamy, but in role with the team. Who's playing the role of Allan Houston? Wilson Chandler has played 3 positions since D'antoni has been around. Gallo has only played Carmelo Anthony's position.

I keep saying Carmelo Anthony's position because the majority of Knicks fans are dying for him to smile for the cameras at Msg. It makes you wonder if winning is really the goal for fans. Winning is what the Knicks have been doing. They're at a point now where they need to think about patching up holes, not overturning the roster just to get a player the Knicks already have filled twice already.

Now if Wilson Chandler was hurt would my blog be titled "Hate to kick the Mayor when he's down"? Maybe...but he isn't hurt and he has been the most consistent Knicks not named Amar'e Stoudamire. Aside from scoring the brother is averaging about 2 blocks a game. I'm not knocking Gallo because he's been playing well. More times than anything the kid has to be kicked in the nuts before he wakes up. Some days he disappears.

D'antoni has been calling Gallo's injury a time to experiment. Experiment with a more traditional line up? Trying to decide if getting Carmelo is even worth it? What we do know from this experiment is Wilson Chandler is a force at small forward. Amar'e owns any power forward you put in front of him. Ronnie Turiaf's intensity and intangibility is sorely needed to start games because he takes pressure of other players to be something they are not. When Ronnie Turiaf threw his shoulder into the chest of that spurs player after he dunked it all the proof you need.

Again *beating that dead horse*....

....how do these Knicks get better?

They need to look no further than this Spurs game and then review tape of previous games. Knicks need help inside, whether it's a rebounder/shot blocker/finisher or a scorer/rebounder. They also need a true prototypical nba shooting guard. Landry Fields at this point is a rotation Guy but the Knicks need a polished scoring threat at that position. Gallo might need to be shipped for the overall improvement of the team. Again before any Gallo purist beat me up...what position does Gallo play again? You might want to read this blog again.

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Knicks could use some more Landry and a little Casspi on the side

Carl Landry and Omri Casspi of the Sacramento Kings are supposed to be on the trading block as per the many busy bodies you see on basic cable. In my best "Brain" (pinky and the brain...google it!!!) voice, "Are you pondering what I'm pondering?"

Carl Landry is a hard working post scorer. He excelled in a reserve role with Houston then fell into kind of a rut with his current team, the Sacramento kings. The Knicks need help inside. Amar'e seems to be unbreakable but even the great Karl Malone and Charles Barkley had a Antoine Carr or a Rick Mahorn to back them up. Knicks need to drop a power forward with the same motor as Ronnie Turiaf in the rotation mix and Carl Landry is that guy. Don't confuse the dude with his brother, former Knick Marcus Landry. Marcus was a Shawne Williams type if back up tweener type if small forward that could play some shooting guard. Carl Landry is a true no nonsense blue color power player.

I mentioned Antoine Carr. Remember Mark Bryant during his time with Houston and Portland? Remember Armon "the hammer" Gilliam? If you are too young ask the older heads at the water cooler, lunch room barber shop, etc. All the great post players had a guy on the bench that was a handful in 15-20 mins a night and often carried their teams for stretches of games while their starters were in foul trouble, etc. In today's NBA you can look at Boston's "Big Baby" as an example of this type of player. Amar'e needs that, Ronnie needs that...the Knicks need that! Patrick Ewing had Anthony Mason in the 1994 playoffs. Ewing was hurt and wearing stockings to help his gimpy legs. Mason was the one guarding Hakeem "the dream" and making plays from the post. In 1999 finals the Knicks had a young Marcus Camby and Kurt Thomas. The Knicks have....nobody. I did mention Ronnie Turiaf. Ronnie is more like Chris Dudley. Not knocking brother Ronnie at all because Chris Dudley was a valuable warrior for our Knicks. Our 2010/11 group needs help.

Now don't get me wrong. Carl Landry is not Chuck Norris all of a sudden. He is an option that fills an alarming void in the Knicks rotation. I didn't even get to Landry's current teammate, Omri Casspi who's Israeli roots have made him a hero to the Jewish community especially in NYC. Shawne Williams fills the role Omri would fill but 2 Shawne's on the bench is alllright with me.

"Get er dun!!!"

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