The Knicks head into the All-Star Break two games above .500. Could they have been better? Absolutely! There were several games (Cavs in particular) where they should have won. But you can't knock on them for only being mediocre. As I recall, the projections for this year were that the Knicks would be below the Nets in standings and hardly a concern for any team. That, however, is not the case. No one goes into the Garden now and says, "It's the Knicks. Easy win." Not the Spurs. Not the Heat. Maybe the Lakers or a healthy Mavs, but I have a feeling that will change soon. The trade deadline is almost here and I'm dying for the Knicks to make a trade. Randolph and Curry aren't doing anything on the bench so let's ship them out. A 2nd round draft pick is still a draft pick. My wish list for the trade deadline would be filled with one player. Just one. Nene. Carmelo can come here whenever he wants (free agency please). Nene would complete this team. When Chandler is healthy again (he's getting there) and Gallo can play on the road, Nene and Amare would dominate the front court.
Just recently, the Knicks placed two Rookies on the NBA ROOKIE LADDER http://www.nba.com/rookieladder/ . Fields, of course, is on the list at a low #4. I don't think he gets enough credit. This kid seals games for the Knicks. And when he is good, they usually win. In the last three games, he has scored double digits in both wins. In the loss to LA he scored 6 and took only one 3 and missed. The other two games he was 5 of 6 from downtown. Correlation? Possibly. The other rookie on the list is Timofey Mozgov, who cracked the ladder at #10. Sure he's averaging 10 and 7 in the last few games, but a lot of that is fueled by his easy jams in the Clips and Detroit games. However, I am not discrediting him. I think he could get a lot better. One could argue that he needs a mentor. Whatever the Knicks do, I do not believe trading either is wise.
Can't wait for the Rookie vs. Sophomores tonight at 9.
The Yankees are heading into spring training with several smaller yet essential improvements. Sure, no blockbuster signing, but they did change the catching position, finally. And they may have overpayed for Soriano, but his addition may end being worth it. How many times have we seen Joba blow the lead in the 8th? When Kerry Wood came on board, there was a lot less worry. We couldn't get Wood, but we may have gotten someone as good if not better for the entire year. Granderson has time to adjust and nail down that fire swing we saw at the end of last year, and Gardner should have mended by now. Things are looking good.
However, for the Rays, things look awful. I wouldn't doubt if the Orioles and Jays put them back in the cellar. Ah, one can only dream.
Stay classy New York and thanks for stopping by.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
About the Knicks
Many people have many different views about the Knicks: why they are great, good, bad, or just average. But the truth is that they can't really be judged so harshly just yet.
Sure, their record is 25-22 and they are putting up substantial wins. But don't jump to conclusions. And yes, they have lost to some bad teams as well as elite teams. Hear me out first. Please.
The Knicks don't lack offense or defense. Any one player who gets minutes can rattle off 23 points with ease. Toney Douglas and Shawne "Extra E" Williams are obvious examples. Chandler consistently puts up good numbers. And Gallo can drop 29 on a given night. We're not even talking about Felton or Amar'e. They don't lack defense either. Douglas harasses the ball handler so much, at times the guard will just give him the ball if only to be left alone. And Felton can pick up 6 steals if he pushes hard. Turiaf can block 6 shots on a good day and Gallo and Chandler have been heralded for their tight guarding of above average players. Amar'e is 5th in blocks per game with 2.2! So what do they lack? Why aren't they elite?
Quite frankly, they haven't had the chance to show that they are elite. This is such a young team and every night they grow. I want you to name every player on this team that averages over 20 minutes a game that was here last year. In fact, 3 of the starting 5 weren't here 12 months ago. But they are trying their best to communicate and learn. If given the chance to grow, they have the potential to be an elite contender.
What the Knicks truly lack is consistency. If you look at the stat lines, they should have won more games than 25. They have the top 3 pt shooter, 6th assist leader, 2nd scorer, and a slew of other elevated stats. Put this together and you have a great team. However, not everyone is the 6th assist leader every night. Nor does Gallo with his 88% free throw percentage get to the line every night, even if he should. On days when everything clicks, the Knicks are unstoppable. But, when inconsistent, they look out of place in the top of the charts. Amar'e has shown he can score every night, but one man isn't enough. Go ahead and look at the rest. Fields has great games with 19 points and 10 rebounds. But if he's off, he can't find his rhythm.
That's another thing. The Knicks get themselves into trouble by sticking to one play. "Let's shoot the three ball; if it doesn't go in, we'll take more of them. Odd are one has to go in." Or "let's get the ball to Amar'e. He can work out of the triple team." When you commit to either one wholeheartedly, you lose the opportunity to exploit the defense and remain in the game. What they need is a balanced offensive attack. One play there might be a double team on Amar'e and the wings can't hit a three. What next? Basketball's greatest move: drive to the rack and get fouled. Free throws are free for a reason.
All in all, I think the Knicks do have a chance to get past the first round of the playoffs, especially as D'Antoni begins to utilize his bench more. Mozgov's monster night may be a one shot deal, but D'Antoni can at least trust him a little more nowadays. Even Randolph's 5 rebounds were a plus!
The Knicks have the components: a point guard who can score and set up surefire plays; a go-to guy who you can trust with the game on the line and conveniently an All-Star starter; two wings who can score when its most needed; and a shooting guard who can hit the three, grab the steal or rebound, and make slower or smaller defenders pay. Throw in the extra ingredients that every contender needs, that guy who stands in the corner and drains threes and some backups with great energy, and you have yourself a formula for success!
Just wish I could say the same about the Nets. . .
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