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Just so we are all clear here, what we are trying to express here, in addition 
to giving you some inside information and knowledge, is that the ship is going in the right direction and that, as fans, patience is a wonderful thing.
Agreeing or disagreeing, as my dad would say, “is what makes a horse race.”
Information aside, I’d also like to think that we give you some insight to help you create your own thoughts, thus staying away from the trap many young sports minds fall into. That major outlets reputation for sports supremacy overrides one’s very own common sense.
Here are a few examples. I’ve been around this team for a while now, and haven’t seen one journalist, outside the NY market, there working on a “season preview.” Now, I’m not there every day, but my point is that the beat writers who are really have this group of Knicks covered and understand the team much more than an outsider looking in. Obviously, it’s impossible for magazine people to be there day in and day out, but I’m baffled at how many outlets can say that a team, who is playing much better defense and has a more structured and selfless roster, can possibly lose more games than they did last year. This team is better and will win more games against the average NBA teams, and there are plenty, this season.
Now, contrary to some belief, I am not waving the blue and orange pom poms. I am merely stating that it is in no way out of the realm of possibility that this team can win 36-40 games.
With that said here are a few pieces of “news” that I found pretty interesting today. One about the Knicks and one about the season, just to give you an example of how, as a fan first, the national media can make me shake my head.
Bill Simmons, who is a pioneer in this space and whose Atrocious GM Summit, to this day, is still one of the funniest pieces of sports ficton I have ever read.
That said, Bill’s take on the Patrick Ewing Era is well-thought, and another excerpt has come out because Sports Guy is promoting a book. As smart as his take is, like most of Bill’s reads, he is a gung ho Boston fan and here in lies the problem.
“…Knicks fans did their damnedest to talk themselves into the Patrick Ewing era. Everyone believed Ewing was the Evolutionary Russell, a destructive defensive force who would own the league someday. Only it didn’t happen … and it didn’t happen … and then it seemed like it was happening, only it turned out to be a tease … and it didn’t happen … and at some point everyone except for the delusional Knicks fans realized that it was never going to happen…”
Now as a Knick fan, I remember the Ewing comparisons to Bill Russell were made, but for those who know me know I hate comparisons for this very reason. Knick fans aren’t upset at Patrick for not winning 100 championships like Russell, they just wanted one. So when a player comes out and they are compared to a Hall of Famer what chance do they really have based on this example?
If you asked ANY Clipper fan would you take a hall of fame career from Blake Griffin, they would say yes, but to say you wouldn’t take a Karl Malone career because he didn’t win a ring makes you a moron. Malone isn’t ring-less because of his lack of greatness, but that doesn’t mean he should be carrying Kevin McHale’s bag to the gym.
Essentially, what Simmons has done is take Ewing and make him fuel for why the New York and national media should never have compared him to a Bostonian legend.
I say, let’s stop comparing period. Ewing was a great player whose only disappointment was that he didn’t win a ring. If Walt and Willis concede he is the greatest Knick, that should be fine with a Celtic fan.
“…You know those movie scenes where a male character dies in a hospital bed and his wife stands over him talking like he didn’t die, and everyone else in the room feels awkward, and then finally someone comes over and says, “Honey, he’s gone” and tries to pull her away, so she starts screaming, “Nooooooo! Nooooo, he’s fine! He’s gonna wake up!” and then she collapses and has a crying seizure? That was every Knicks fan from 1995 to 1999. When Hakeem turned Ewing into ground beef in the ‘94 Finals, Ewing dropped dead in a “This guy’s carrying us to a title someday” sense. But the Knicks fans kept standing there over the hospital bed waiting for him to wake up…”
The irony here is that Ewing played like Russell defensively during this series he had 30, count em’ 30 blocks and 8 in game 5, and if Sports Guy were a true, knowledgeable source on this subject, knowing what I know about his wit and ire, he would have sent someone to whack referee Jake O’Donnell. It was Jake who called a ridiculous moving screen on Ewing down the stretch of game 3 leading to Cassell’s 3. Remember a All-Star who didn’t get a call in the 4th quarter of a close, HOME playoff game? Me either.
Anyway, the moral of the story is that comparisons are dangerous and the simple fact remains that Ewing never won the big one. But put a 33-year-old Ewing on this roster now and you’ll see what a Hall of Famer is all about.
After calling my hoops therapist and neatly putting the past away, I decided to take a look at this season where I caught a glimpse of SI’s take. They have the team 15th in the conference :
“…God bless long-suffering Knicks fans, whose sojourn in the hoops wilderness has compelled them to think the likes of forward David Lee and swingman Wilson Chandler are pillars instead of glue… Chandler is a solid defender, but 43.2 percent from the field for a guy who can slash to the hoop is problematic…”
Problematic? Really? Vince Carter shot 43% last year, and is 44% for his 
career but SI interestingly thinks Carter is an upgrade over Hedu Turkoglu and made the point that Carter:
“enjoyed equally razor-thin advantages in steals, blocks, rebounds, field-goal percentage and three-point percentage, and outscored Turkoglu 20.8 to 16.8.”
Obviously the idea is not to compare Chandler to Carter, the idea is to understand what you are reading. The only reason it can be “problematic” is because the Knicks don’t have Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson. Substitute Chandler FOR Carter and the team is probably still on top in the Southeast.
Like we said, just trying to give you a little perspective on perception vs. reality in the media world.
Keep your eyes peeled.
“…has a more structured and selfless roster…”
There’s a logjam of 3’s and 4’s no true shooting guard, 3 back point guards (if you count the rookie and Nate who is a combo imho), and no Center (Darko looks destined for spot minutes and Curry is perennially injured).
How is this team “structured”?
Wilson Chandler is no Vince Carter.
Tommy,
There is little doubt that the Knicks are a better team this year, but that’s sort of irrelevant to how many games they are going to win. What is relevant is whether or not they improved more or less than the rest of the NBA.
By that standard, IMO they are “relatively worse” – which could easily translate into fewer wins even if they are a better team.
Just go through the list of NBA teams.
This is what you will find:
1. Several teams that were missing key players last year for part or most the season that are now healthier. The Knicks had their moments last year at the guard position, but they weren’t missing any all star caliber players like Washington, Boston and others.
2. A few teams that drafted higher and/or better than the Knicks did this year.
3. Several teams that made trades or signed free agents that clearly upgraded their roster (most at the top of the NBA) .
4. Several teams that have a better young core of players that are just as likely to improve as much or more than the Knicks are.
5. 2 or 3 teams (like the Nets and Bucks) that cleaned house and will be worse. Hooray.
On a net basis, for the Knicks to win as many games as last year, they are going to have to be better than last year. To improve their record, they are going to have to be a LOT better.
I don’t see that as highly likely.
It’s going to take an UPSIDE SURPRISE from Gallo, Chandler, Douglas, or Hill and I just didn’t see it in pre season.
Chandler looks like the same “3 point happy” perimeter player that refuses to use his brains and athleticism to become an efficient inside scorer. Instead he chucks 3s at 33% and defenses laugh at him.
Gallo has a lot of promise, but he’s not ready.
Hill is a multi year project “at best” and a bench role player at worst.
Douglas could provide an upside surprise if he can start shooting well, but if he can’t his impact as a 10-15 minute backup will be limited.
We already know what Lee, Harrington, and Nate can and cannot do.
I hope I am wrong, but I think the experts are right. This team still stinks even if it got a little better.
That’s what I’ve been saying all summer (well once it was apparent Donnie wasn’t going to blink).
Haven’t commented in a long time. i’m real excited for the season. the team hasn’t shot well in the pre-season so my enthusiasm is a bit tempered, but i’m still optimistic that D’Antoni and this team can overachieve with a full training camp and less mid-season roster moves.
Tommy, real good points man. It seems like the NBA has by far the least knowledgeable scribes covering it, and it maddens me how absolutely wrong so much of the information is out there every year. Nice job pointing some of it out Tommy.
Great post Tommy…the media is exactly the same in all sports… They have a crazy obsession w/ the top heavy teams and then beat writers go back and forth w/ their fan base about their stars. ALL SUMMER ALL YOU’VE HEARD IS HOW GREAT AND ELITE THE CELTS, CAVS, AND MAGIC ARE and last night the Cavs lose to a very good Boston team and now according to Sir Charles & Co. the Cavs are on the outside lookin in…THE MEDIA IS PATHETIC!!! I will say this though, the Cavs got exposed last night in that they have NOBODY except for Lebron that they can rely on…
What makes Boston & LA championship teams are their WILL TO WIN!!! Even the much hated Heat (well @ least i still hate them w/ all soul) won a championship cuz of Wade’s will to win…
I think that plus another year of familiarity in this system and new intensity for defense will get us more wins PLUS D’antoni is another key to a successful season, here’s why…
Lee, Nate, Jeffries, & Chandler are from the Isiah era and all they know is losing…BUT D’Antoni is a winner who won’t expect anything less…if we would have been going into this season w/ lets say M.Jackson at the helm i would be worried cuz he hasn’t won as a coach and w/ no experience these players would have no inspiration to change their culture…MikeD on the other hand came in and exiled Marbury, traded Randolph, and exiled Curry proclaiming NO MORE BULLSHIT IN MY HOUSE!!!! and he makes his players accountable while still makin them feel very much apart of the team, and HE WINS GAMES!!! Something all these players have to respect.
WHAT WE NEED NOW IS TO DEVELOP THE WILL TO WIN…THAT MEANS YOU DLEE…STEP UP!!! THAT MEANS YOU NATE…STEP UP!!!! THAT MEANS YOU WILSON…STEP UP!!! THAT MEANS YOU AL (YOU HAD IT IN GS) STEP UP!!!
SO I SAY COMMIT TO DEFENSE…LIVE UP AND GIVE IN TO D’ANTONI’S BASKETBALL CULTURE & PHILOSOPHIES… AND HAVE THAT WILL TO WIN!!!
STOP LETTING HATERS (THE MEDIA & SOME FANS) DETERMINE YOUR DESTINIES AND PAVE YOUR OWN!!!!!
I’LL BE AT THE GAME TONIGHT GOIN LUNATIC FOR MY KNICKS!
Good story TD, Im a HUGE Ewing fan, I went bananas when we won the lottery that day.
I was stationed in England in a room full of haters when we lost game 7 to Houston. The next day me and a Knick fan met in a grocery store and console each other in conversation for about 2 hours about the loss lol.
I like how Bill Walton said Ewing NEVER got his true ROBIN, like DR had Tim Duncan, Mike had Pippen, Grant and later Rodman, Shaq Kobe, then DWade and so on. Hakeem was IMHO the only winner that had no true ROBIN but had Clyde for the second chip
This season everyone is calling a wash, I hope they at least compete on defense with grit like the Ewing era Knicks, Oak, Mase, Starks, Harp etc. I think once Curry is deemed ready he will be showcased for trade unless he can be a force down low and I still think they want his salary gone for the more athletic Amare type center, I hope Darko can contribute, Ive felt day one of picking him up this system is for him. Also, we need someone to take the leadership mantle and wear it noticeably and lead us to victories and the playoffs.
I dont think we get LeBron but hopefully Im wrong, if we dont, lets get the right pieces for us to compete for the chip and try to get Durant the next year. We still need a REAL STUDE TYPE POINT GUARD. Whats another year, we’ve suffered this long. I dont beleive Im saying that but we knicks fans gotta be realistic it maybe be 2-3 more years to battle for a title. GO Knicks GO!!!