Monthly Archives: October 2009
Ahh another frustrating half of minimal defense and an obsession with the 3. As for now seems as though the Knicks haven’t taken Duhon’s comments seriously. Got killed right out of the gate tonight. Will take a large comeback to prevent the team from starting 0-3. Let’s hope for the best. Hope you guys enjoy the updates from the game.
-Ben
As I’m sititng at msg frustrated at another slow start guess who strolls in the door…. Stephon Marbury. He’s sitting 20 feet away recording the game and seems to be enjoying himself. What a wacko quite fitting he is here on halloween night! Would love comments on this one. Knicks are down 57-43 in the 2nd. Feeling a comeback.
Via Hahn’s Twitter:
“In dress rehearsal for tonights game, it is revealed: Danilo Gallinari will start. #Knicks”
Might be tough for Gallo with Iguodala and Thaddeus Young on the perimeter, but the kid has played great so far this season. Hopefully, he can keep it up and propel the team to a much needed victory in the home opener.
I am heading out of the house now headed for the Garden… Due to time constraints I will make this post short. First, I have never been more proud of Chris Duhon. It is about time someone came out and called out players for their lack of intensity (Nate Robinson, Jared Jeffries etc). As much as I respect what Nate can do on the court his attitude is simply horrific (ala Stephon Marbury). It’s a shame to see a guy with all the talent in the world who just can’t seem to screw his head on straight. Quite disappointing that the Coach of this team isn’t holding people accountable for their actions and the point guard is… It always blew my mind how you could make it to play on the highest level in the world and not have that competitive spirit burning at all times… Jeez have some pride!
It would be devastating if the Knicks came up short against the 76ers tonight. Reason being is that Chris Paul and the Hornets are coming into town on Monday. To start out 0-5 would be terrible for the Knicks, their fans and the city. The Knicks must play defense and DRIVE TO THE BASKET when the lanes are open! Enough settling for 3 pointers all game. The worst play of the game last night was the end of regulation when the game was tied. Four seconds left with the score tied 82-82 and the Knicks pull up for a long 3 pointer. All you need is one measly point… Go to the basket and force the Bobcats to stop you while avoiding a foul. The Knicks make it easy for the other team and until they change their attitude on the court (which is what Duhon was referring too) and tweek parts of their offensive and defense game plan we are in for a long season. Hopefully the home crowd can change their fortunes tonight at the worlds most famous arena. I know i will be there doing my part. I’ll try and send updates via the cell at halftime.
Where: MSG
Watch: MSG
When: 7:30 PM
Starting Lineups
Knicks (0-2)
PG – Chris Duhon
SG – Wilson Chandler
SF – Al Harrington
PF – David Lee
C – Jared Jeffries
Rest of rotation: Danilo Gallinari, Nate Robinson, Darko Milicic, Toney Douglas
Sixers (1-1)
PG – Lou Williams
SG – Andre Iguodala
SF – Thaddeus Young
PF – Elton Brand
C – Samuel Dalembert
Rest of rotation: Mareese Speights, Jason Kapono, Willie Green, Royal Ivey
Injuries: Eddy Curry (torn plantaris muscle)
Game Notes
The Knicks played the Sixers in the preseason and lost by 8, and considering the two overtimes the Knicks played last night and the fact that the Knicks haven’t played well against the Sixers over the last couple of years, I can’t say I expect a win tonight. But, then again, I wouldn’t expect a win against anybody the way this team is playing. With the Sixers, it’s simple. The Knicks like to run, but the problem is, so do the Sixers, and they do it better. Unlike the Knicks, the Sixers have a post presence in Elton Brand. They also have a shot blocker in Samuel Dalembert, a go to guy in Andre Iguodala (not elite, but a top shooting guard,) and an awesome young player in Thaddeus Young. I like Wilson Chandler’s upside, but I’d take Thaddeus Young over him any day of the week. Maybe tonight will be the night that the Knicks realize they simply don’t have the shooters to hoist up 35 threes every night. The Suns would score the most points, but they would also be close to the top of the league in field goal percentage. The Knicks won’t beat anybody shooting 40% from the field, so D’Antoni needs to have them attack the rim. The switching on defense is also a problem. Just last night, David Lee would end up guarding Raymond Felton, and that just can’t happen. If the energy wasn’t high on the season opener, how can we expect it to be the day after a deflating loss that saw the Knicks come back from a 20 point deficit and lose in OT? I have no clue, but they really need a victory tonight with the Hornets coming in on Monday.
For those that missed Chris Duhon‘s sound bytes after last night’s game, the Knicks’ point guard had the following to say regarding last night’s loss (via Alan Hahn):
Chris Duhon rips the team: “It shows in our lay-up line, it shows before the game. That’s why we come out and we’re not ready to play.”Over the last four seasons, I have not had the opportunity
to get to many Knicks’ games. One game I did have a chance to see was the team’s pre-season matchup with the Boston Celtics before last season. During pre-game warmups, I remember the team screwing around. I remember Patrick Ewing Jr. trying an assortment of dunks instead of practicing an assortment of shots that he would actually take during game action.
Instead of going to Knicks’ games, I was able to see plenty of college basketball. One game that really stands out for me was when UNC came to Boston College three years ago. Before that game, I remember the routine that Coach Roy Williams made his team go through. The Tar Heels did some team exercises, including one that had the team collectively diving on the floor in a synchronized fashion. Now I cannot tell you if the Tar Heels do that before every game, but they did that night.
Tar Heels Warmups
Chris Duhon had every right to make the comments he made. Last night, the Knicks looked terrible. If not for the fact that the Bobcats could not score the ball, the Knicks would have been embarrassed for a second straight game. Some of that is the coaching. I am not going to let Coach D’Anoni and his staff get off easy. But the biggest problem is not the coach. At a certain point, the players have to respond and play the game the right way. Look at D’Antoni’s facial expressions during the game. Do you think he calls some of the offensive plays that actually take place?
Over the summer, Donnie Walsh made a strong effort to land the future hall of fame point guard, Jason Kidd. When that ship sailed, his next target was Grant Hill. If it was not evident what he was looking for at that time, then now it is crystal clear. This team needs some guidance on the floor. Over the first two games, this team has lacked focus, both offensively and defensively.
Coming into the season, Al Harington vowed to be a leader for this team. Aside from his play in the first quarter of the Miami game where he hustled and took the ball to the rim, Harrington has not helped this team get on track. Wilson CHandler has looked absolutely terrible during the first two games. Can anyone believe he put a wide open corner three off the side of the backboard last night (or was it the top, I forget)? His head is not in the game thus far.
I can go on and on about the poor play of this team, but that has gotten old… fast. The bottom line is that this team needs more structure on the floor. D’Antoni can only do so much. It is time for the players to step up their focus and intensity. Donnie Walsh was looking for a veteran to lead this team… one that would help show this team what it takes to win in this league. Walsh did not bring that player to NY, and the Knicks are 0-2, and counting.
Plenty to talk about with Anthony “Rice Balls” Donahue today at 2 PM including the first two games of this season and tonight’s home opener. I’ll be on chatting with Rice Balls as well. Plus, more great phone calls from you guys.
Twitter: AnthonyMSG
MMillsTKB
(646) 478-5554
“…You’ve heard tons about the infamous memo dispatched by the league office in July warning teams that the salary cap for the 2010-11 season could drop from the current $57.7 million all the way down to somewhere between $50.4 million and $53.6 million.
What hasn’t been widely publicized is that more teams than not, at this early stage, expect next season’s cap to wind up closer to the higher figure.
The NBA’s public position on the matter has not changed. Commissioner David Stern re-iterated again last week in briefings with reporters leading into opening night that his number-crunchers continue to forecast overall league revenue in 2009-10 to decline from 2.5 to 5 percent.
Yet as one Eastern Conference executive told ESPN.com this week: “We are projecting a number somewhere in the 52-to-53 million range. We had been working off the doomsday 50.4 [million] number, but now … we think 53.6 [million] could be very realistic…”
A lot of what’s happening is depending on if the owners agree to let Victor
Prokhorov and his 9.5 million dollar net worth into the league. There has been talk of some shady things surrounding Prokhorov, and with discussions about tainted referees still lingering, it’s going to be interesting to see if the league can knowingly expose itself to the threat of more bad publicity. If the deal goes through then the Nets have to obviously be considered major players in the Lebron sweepstakes.
The Knicks are second, behind the Nets, in cap space.
“…2. NEW YORK
$53.6 million salary cap: $23.4 million in cap space
$50 million salary cap: $19.8 million in cap space
What it means: It’s worldwide common knowledge, as D-Wade noted, that the Knicks’ original free-agent fantasy was signing LeBron along with another max player (such as Wade or Chris Bosh) in the summer of 2010 to start over under coach Mike D’Antoni, who is beloved by James, Wade and several other members of Team USA from their time with the national team. But with first-year salaries for the big names expected to be in the $16 million range, New York can only afford one max player … unless it can (gulp) move Eddy Curry for an expiring contract during the season. This, furthermore, is a best-case scenario for the Knicks that assumes unrestricted free agents-to-be David Lee and Nate Robinson are no longer on the payroll…”
Obviously, Stein forgot to mention the possibility of moving Jared Jeffries off the books for an expiring, as well as Curry…
Another Big C joint.
Box ScoreI’m really not going to get into too much depth about how the Knicks played some of the worst basketball I have ever seen in my life in the first quarter. I’m not going to rant about Al Harrington‘s unclutchness, or mock Chris Duhon for his ability to be the only starting point guard in the NBA that can play 56 minutes and end up with 13 points. I just won’t; it’s too depressing. I’ll just say this: Don’t get down by 19 points in the first quarter to a terrible team without their starting shooting guard. Not that the Knicks are anything special themselves, but I think we all know that they are capable of beating the Bobcats convincingly. And they showed that. Unfortunately, the offense was flat again, and the defense was nonexistent until the second half and later. The Knicks will probably be drained tomorrow night for the home opener against the Sixers, but you just can’t drop to 0-3 with Chris Paul and the Hornets coming in on Monday.
I will say this, though. Danilo Gallinari is the real deal. He’s due for a big year, and it’s only a matter of time (that time may be tomorrow night,) that Mike D’antoni inserts him into the starting lineup.
I still think this team is capable of competing for a playoff spot. Changes just have to be made. The Knicks simply don’t have the shooters to throw up 35 threes a night, and that ultimately falls on Mike D’Antoni. Not attacking the basket in crucial moments is inexcusable. The switching on defense doesn’t make sense. David Lee would end up guarding Raymond Felton. Jared Jeffries defense on Raymond was one of the worst one on one defensive plays I have ever witnessed. Then I saw Danilo Gallinari’s defense on Stephen Graham. The lack of a superstar on this team is so evident. They simply don’t know what to do in the clutch. Al Harrington disappears after the third quarter.
Tomorrow night at the Garden, maybe the home crowd and better shooting can propel the team to a victory. Let’s hope, because what we’ve seen so far has been underwhelming to say the least.
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