My Preview

by Andrew Smith on October 28th, 2009 at 10:04 am

We can write all that we want in the season previews about what to
expect, but we all know that none of us have any clue what will
happen, and more than anything we are all just hungry for some hoops.
I’ve read a lot of previews, but the one that sums up my take on the
season comes from Kevin Pelton of BasketballProspectus.com:

“In their first season adjusting to a major stylistic change on the
sidelines, the Knicks won 32 games. They lost Quentin Richardson while
adding Darko Milicic and rookies Jordan Hill and Toney Douglas, not to
mention a healthy Danilo Gallinari. So why are people expecting New
York to get worse? To me, this feels like an overreaction to a summer
that could have been ugly had the Knicks not been able to re-sign
David Lee and Nate Robinson. With them in place, there’s plenty of
talent in the Garden and the right coach to mold it.”

To me, the more a team is scrutinized in the offseason, the easier it
is to create negativity. I do understand the concern of many fans that
the players might not have an incentive to win if the focus of the
organization is solely on free agency period of next summer. But, I
think that mindset is outweighed by the competitiveness that Coach
D’Antoni exudes and he simply won’t allow his team to fold. His system
has developed an aura of team chemistry that has been missing from
this organization for too long, and if the positive vibes can
continue, I think this team has a chance to sneak into the postseason.
If a player is out to get his to try and get a contract next season,
he will sit.

I know I will be in the minority on this, but I think there are only
four playoff locks in the Eastern Conference in Boston, Cleveland,
Orlando, and Philadelphia. I think Chicago is the next best in the
batch. I do have doubts of them making up for Ben Gordon‘s scoring
output, but Derrick Rose should be able to carry them into the
postseason.. I think Atlanta has digressed with the acquisition of
Jamal Crawford, and that Washington is very injury-prone, but both
should fight their way to .500. Last year, the Pistons made the
playoffs with a 39-43 record, and I think the Knicks will face a
similar fate this year. Now, you can try to label me as a kool-aid
rah-rah guy, but I predicted 32 wins last season, and I am reasonable
in understanding this team’s limitations. To me, this year’s opening
night roster is more balanced offensively, and better defensively than
last year’s opening night roster— bottom line. I am predicting a
38-44 season in which they sneak into the postseason as an 8 seed. As
negative as us Knicks fans have been programmed to be over the last
few years, I hope that all fans would sign for that right now.
  • BiggieSmalls

    I think most people on this blog are in the same range of predictions — 35-40 wins

    The difference is that some are happy with those results and some think with a more aggressive off season the expectations COULD have been more. (39-44)

    The time for predictions is over and it is time for everyone to get their gear on and root for the home team.

    The first nail in the “Lebron stays in Cleveland” coffin was set last night. Shaq looked old and Lebron was a one man show in the loss to the C’s.

    GO NY GO!!

  • itzyung1

    I say 40 wins and Playoffs.
    If we play The Cavs in the Playoffs and Beat Them or take them to 7, He’d be stupid not to come to NY.
    Im also interested in what kind of Moves Donnie is going to pull this season.

  • jbug187

    If you don’t have any clue what will happen, why are you writing a preview. Let’s save that job for people that do have a clue.

  • HaS

    In order for the Knicks (at the eighth seed which is already a stretch) to face the Cavs either they would have to get the number one seed or Knicks get the 6th or 7th and Cleveland gets the 3rd or 2nd respectively.

    Not happening. If the Cavs did get the number 1 seed it would be difficult again for him to leave a top seed. If they lose early or don’t make the Finals they’ll probably make a coaching change or anything else they would have to do to get LeBron at the very least to give the organization another year.

  • HaS

    I’m gonna go with a 33-49 record as my prediction barring injury or trades.

  • Mucha

    PLAYOFFS if the key players stay healthy (Nate Robinson, Al Harrington, David Lee and Danilo Gallinari). And again, I hope that Donnie Walsh will try to make a move for Jerryd Bayless – he got a DNP yesterday.

    The Knicks are better than the Heat in my opinion – but we’ll see if Dwyane Wade goes unconscious once again. And I’ll definitely keep an eye on Gallinari and Beasley.

  • MiamiMoe

    I think predicting records as a fan, player, or coach (even though i know they have to cuz they get nagged w/ the question on a daily basis) is irresponsible…as a fan or team member YOU GO INTO EVERY GAME !EXPECTING! TO WIN, then you go into All-Star break and asses your team… then you WILL your way to the playoffs the rest of the way…if you think you’re a .500 team you will play like it and ACCEPT losses which is simply UNACCEPTALE and that’s the mentality this team needs!!!!
    We talk about about a commitment to defense and winning ans people laugh or brush off the notion, but last year we cared less about either and we were a bad team…
    So far (yea i know it was preseason but let me make my point) We commited to defense and won games (except for the 1st Celts game which was our only disappointment)…SO IT CAN WORK AND WE CAN DO IT…WE SHOT A SORRY 30% AND WON/STAYED IN GAMES SO WE ~CAN!!~ DO IT!!!

    THEY CAN’T LET THE HATERS WRITE THERE DESTINIES FOR THEM…PAVE YOUR OWN NYK!!!!

    Look @ the Giants their SB year, no one picked them to win the div let alone the SB. They were picked to lose every playoff game and there was NO WAY THEY WOULD BEAT THE MIGHTY PATRIOTS…

    BUT THEY CAME TOGETHER AND THEIR ~WILL TO WIN~ CARRIED THEM TO SB CHAMPS!!!

    EVERYONE IN THE NBA HAS GOT TALENT…EVERYONE!!…BUT ITS THEIR WILL TO WIN THAT MAKES THEM ‘SUPERSTARS’

    I DON’T HAVE ANY PREDICTIONS CUZ I GO INTO EVERY SEASON W/ AN 82-0 MENTALITY, ALL I HAVE IS HOPES AND ADVISE FOR THE NYK…
    COMMIT TO DEFENSE…COMMIT TO D’ANTONI…COMMIT TO A WINNING KILLER INSTINCT MENTALITY…
    I’LL BE @ THE GAME TONIGHT REPIN THE NYK TO THE FULLEST

    LETS GO KNICKS~!!!

    F**K THE HATERS!!!!!!!!

  • NashWonder

    I’m with you MiamiMoe! But I don’t believe people who say the Knicks will win 35-40 games are necessarily haters. They’re are definately haters but I think that if the Knicks go .500 or around that neighborhood that we as fans should be satisfied. We don’t have a guy who can take over the fourth quarter and that showed itself alot last year especially at the garden when the knicks went into the fourth with a lead and the other team’s guy would go off and we would be stuck shooting jumpers without anybody drawing a double. I believe in this team but I think it is imparative that we get off to a good start (like 6-4/7-3 the first 10 games). Cuz if we don’t, then I think everbody will start to panic and the chemistry that has been established could fall apart. But MiamiMoe I will root for them to be 82-0 like I’ve done for the last 20 years! GO KNICKS!!!!!

  • HaS

    LMMFAO!!!!

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    if the wiz stay healthy
    they will win 50 games..

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    the knicks are winnin 35 games cuz danni boy step the bar at 40
    what a weak coach the knicks have.

    unless DOUG starts an puts up 10-18 pts with 6-9 assist i don’t think the knicks are going to win many more games this year
    or jeffries puts up good numbers then he is traded for a player that can’t play.lmao..

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    the cavs might miss the playoffs an don’t be suprised
    in sports anything is possible..

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    lol i know thats a krazy statement but u never know
    but if shaq plays anything like he did last season they going to be a little better than last year but the c’s N orlando got there #

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    i say donnie trades or 2 best players
    we recieve 1 ok player
    an 1 that has health probs
    it’s groundhogs day allover again

  • MrFurious

    boy it just drives me nuts when i see…”we have a weak coach”…it’s just ignorant. it’s like the fact that he won at PHX consistently and that we improved significantly from the Thomas era didn’t happen last year. We have a extremely young team sans any all-stars. But sure, its ALL the coaches fault!

    Try paying attention when watching games this year instead of spamming the forums with your semi-coherent, literacy challenged posts.

    Beyond that…

    I’d say 35-40 wins. Hopefully, sniff the playoffs. I can deal with that given the youth and scrap on this roster.

    If this team makes the playoffs D’Antoni should be coach of the year.

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    any1 with baskbetball knowledge knows danni boy is a weakass coach he won cuz he had players that fit is bullshit well
    did he win any rings?

    lmao danni boy isn’t winnin anything in this league again
    he gotta change his coaching style can’t run that rucker style in every city u coach…real talk…

    what a weak coach to say i think 40 wins is enuff to get in the playoffs
    u always gotta set the bar high even if u don’t think it can be reach atleast u set a tone that u believe in the team at a higher level…real talk..

    an then to say AL is ya best player.that’s a big joke best players play in the 4th. so LEE IS THE knicks best player cuz he plays the whole game on a consistent high level…

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    but i do know this if this team can’t hit 3′s on a consistent level everynite they mightn’t win 30 games cuz that’s danni boy’s game play CHUCK UP AS Many 3′s as u can..lmao.what a weak coach

  • Bob

    dont be rude!

  • Bob

    HEY MOE LONG TIME NO HEAR!.for the game tonite,are you doing “JOE’S STONE CRAB”?

  • illsun

    well by that logic, anything can happen.
    dont be surprised if David Sterns head confesses that he is really a woman.

  • illsun

    news flash, jbug.

    noone can make magic predictions. not even peopel with “a clue”
    this is all moot.

  • illsun

    do the world a favor, stop talking.

  • illsun

    and type properly.

    fyi, d’antoni doesn’t run a rucker style offense.

    its based off of the screen and roll, the most efficient basketball play and taking good shots before defenses get set.

  • illsun

    instead of harping on players defencies, he gameplans around putting players in position to do the things that they do best.

  • MiamiMoe

    NAH BUDDY I’M GONNA GET DRUNK @ BAYSIDE!!!! IT’S A MIAMI THANG

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    lmao..
    i’m a fan of real basketball not
    what danni boy promotes

  • jho

    Wilson Chandler is part of your key players right? Duhon too, Nate or Douglas are not capable yet of running the point full time for our squad.

  • jho

    I love your enthusiasm, but unlike football and to a certain extent baseball, basketball is more fixed at the top of the food chain than those two other sports. Realistically there are 4-5 championship caliber teams every season and everyone else is just hoping to get better or add that other piece to push them into that championship quality.

    I could see 10-12 teams in any given NFL season win a title. Baseball the same. Basketball we have the Celtics, Lakers, Spurs, Cavs, Magic. Maybe Nuggets or Blazers if they make a big jump but I doubt it.

    Seriously though if the Knicks reach the 2nd round of the playoffs or even push it to 7 games in the 1st round i’ll be jumping for joy.

  • jho

    You’re giving D’antoni a bad rap, he’s much better than you’re making him out to be. Any coach can only go as far as the talent he has. If D’antoni had that Lakers’ squad last year or any of the squads that Popovich had to win titles, you could reasonably argue that he would have won titles with those squads too. Let’s give the guy a chance.

    You can’t seriously think that Doc Rivers is that much of a better coach than D’antoni? Your players make you look great or can make you look like a fool. This guy can coach, and I think he’s going to surprise us this year even without that superstar on our squad.

  • Mucha

    David Lee best player in the 4th??

    Another joke.

    Don’t you remember all his missed free throws and all the contested jumpshots (bricks) that David Lee took in Cleveland last year?

    Nate Robinson plays well in the 4th – from your perspective he’s our best player.

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    your rite about talent around the coach but it can go both ways

    the problem i have with him is that he doesn’t preach D an has this team chucking up 3′s
    doesn’t call a timeout an tell them take it to the hoop
    that’s bad coaching to me

    i know he’s here for the money
    he also doesn’t believe in this team
    so the players will not play there hardest..

  • Mucha

    Wilson Chandler is not a game-changer and Duhon is clearly a below-average point guard. Obviously they are key players because they are starters – you are totally right from that perspective – but they’ll not define our season, Chandler is somewhat replacable (we already have Gallo and Harrington) and Duhon doesn’t bring much to the table.

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    danni boy isn’t a overall coach
    so even if he had kobe or lebron he still doesn’t win a chip
    phil jack
    popovich
    are way better overall coaches than danni boy he doesn’t deserve to be amongst coaches like that especially PHIL

    his basketball I.Q isn’t that high to me
    plus he will never coach a team better than he had with the suns

    goodluck danni boy
    but u did the rite thing an took the money

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    i said no1 is consistent as lee throughout the game on the knicks…

    but in all honesty the knicks organ is a joke

    especially there head coach..