Game 3: Sixers at Knicks

by Myles A. Mills on October 31st, 2009 at 1:24 pm

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.

About Myles A. Mills

Myles is a sophomore at The Browning School, an all-boys private school on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. He's been a Knick fan as long as he can remember, and 02-03 was the last season he could remember in entirety. He hopes to one day see the Knicks in the playoffs. Myles is also fond of the Mets, and follows them vehemently, but his the bulk of his time goes to the Knicks. Myles wants to be a radio hosts on WFAN or ESPN 1050 radio, and he hopes to write for theknicksblog.com for years to come. View all posts by Myles A. Mills →
  • dino2008

    we better see more of douglas and please play hill. why the hell would you not let your 8th pick play when we stink is beyond me. we arent the celtics or the lakers were not competing for a chaompionship, hell were not even competing for anything more than the 8th spot, to lose in the first round so why wouldnt you develop Hill.

  • J_Starks3

    Myles, please explain to me how is it that Mike D is supposed to be the master mind of the NBA offensive game and the Sixers run better than our team?? You know what, I will answer that. Because the media gave him too much credit coming out of Phoenix. He had great, great players over there and here he just simply doesn’t.

    Myles you can also forget for any major improvements on the defensive end. Remember he left the suns because his boses suggested he put a little more emphasis on the other side of the court. Not happening!!!!

    I finish my post the same way a finish most of them. All of this will be forgotten if got ‘ol number 23 decides to wear a Knick uniform next year.

  • DatNewYorker

    Hill is not ready to step on the floor yet. If you think our D is bad now wait until he gets on the floor. He will get better though. THe game is too fast for him now.

    Now, about this starting five. How is Jeffries or a Lee going to match up against Samuel Dalambert and Elton brand? Samuel will out rebound Jeffries all day. Elton Brand will have an easy 25-30. This starting five will have us down by 20 by the time the bench is put in. Milicic and Lee would be a better match up. If Milicic does not play 20 minutes tonight I’m going to the next home game with some FIRE DANTONI signs. Who’s wit me?

  • HaS

    The only “good ol’ number 23″ suiting up for the Knicks next year will be Toney Douglas.

  • pleasepleaseplease

    Project or not, an 8th overall pick that can’t crack the rotation of the worst team in the league is a disaster. Especially if those picked after him already light it up.

  • itzyung1

    lol now people are riding Hill and he has barely even played. Wow you people crack me up

  • J_Starks3

    I mean LBJ

  • J_Starks3

    I don’t think is a “riding hill problem” is more of a getting him minutes problem so we can see what he’s got. Then we can ride him!!!! LOL

  • pleasepleaseplease

    The fact that he doesn’t get any minutes despite the team being god-awful is worrying.

  • Ben Kopelman

    agreed.

    Hill needs to be on the floor. losing with him on the bench is just counterproductive

    also — b jennings put up 17 / 9 / 9 last night is his first game ever…

  • Myles A. Mills

    5 turnovers and a loss though, Ben. But that was an impressive debut.

    Coming from a huge Jordan HIll fan, that pick looks…iffy..

  • Dave the Rave

    Hill and Douglas are learning and will get worked into the roration in a few months. Rooks don’t play a lot till they know the NBA game. D’A won’t embarrass his vets and play the rooks over them till end of the year. Playing the rooks a lot now will be painful to see and it will mean D’A has already given up. The vets need to play together to gel now. But these guys won’t gel if Duhon continues to suck. He looks slower than last year and can’t keep up with younger pt guards. Translation: this year will suck. 24 wins if lucky. I’ll bet on 22 wins at most.

    DTR

  • itzyung1

    I was completely with you until you said 24 wins

  • HaS

    I know what you “meant”, I guess you didn’t what I meant.

    I don’t think LeBron is coming to the Knicks and taking number 23 from Toney, I think he’s either going to take his player option or re-sign with the Cavs. If he did decide to leave, why would he come to this sorry excuse for a team and roster?

  • HaS

    “Rooks don’t play a lot till they know the NBA game.”

    This rings true when a rookie is on a winning team! Not on a team that sucks. Plus these vets are on mercenary contracts, they won’t be here after the year is out. Also, _’antoni didn’t have a problem inserting Toney ahead of Hughes (although it was only for second) so early in the season. So what is your logic for that? Toney knows the NBA game already? Or just more than Hughes? Toney didn’t shoot a whole lot better than Hughes in preseason and if there is one thing Hughes can do it’s play defense, so explain that one to me.

  • itzyung1

    Its time for everyone to chill out.
    We are a very talented team thats just in need of some focus which comes along with Leadership. Right now mentally we have a team full of rookies playing around. We need that Vet to get everyone into the game.
    As it was seen yesterday they didn’t lock it down yesterday until we were down by 20 and they didn’t want to lose that bad again.
    The Heat game was unfortunate but you aren’t going to beat the Heat when D Wade drops 30 and then he has Beasley and O’Neal getting 20+ It just wont happen.
    If Mike D isn’t going to use Darko he should at least trade him and curry to the Rockets for Mcgrady because he is what we need, a veteran Go-To guy to tie this team together.

  • Mucha

    The fact that the 8th pick doesn’t play for a 32 win team is scandalous.

    I like Hill, he’ll be a good player but why draft him if you’re not willing to give him some PT. I mean seriously.

    I wasn’t a Ty Lawson fan, and I wasn’t a Brandon Jennings fan. But they’d be valuable starting point guards – Jordan Hill is not even playing! I mean what the hell?

    Philly’s a bad match-up – either Gallinari or Harrington will have to catch fire to beat the Sixers.

  • itzyung1

    He meant starting and getting major minutes.
    Larry Hughes is in the Bench Rider role now anyway he isn’t playing no more.

  • HaS

    Then Hill could get those same “minor” minutes that the 29th pick is getting. No one is expecting Hill to start and play 30 minutes a game. You guys try to clarify and then trip yourselves up. Hill should be playing. Period. 5 mins, 10 mins, something!

    So since you like explaining other people’s points for them, explain playing a game with 4 forwards and a point guard.

  • HaS

    BACKUP point guard,

  • itzyung1

    No Hill cant get minor minutes because he has two or three PF’s higher than him on the depth chart.

  • HaS

    The team is bad, he should be getting game experience. There’s no two ways about it, like I said if that’s 5 or 10 mins then cool. But to get 2 mins in a blowout that was over shortly after halftime? Then a DNP in a game where no one seemed to have it going until the 4th quarter? Maybe he could have given them a spark. We’ll never know what the kid can do until he gets out there. If the Knicks face another rookie forward and he doesn’t get any burn I’m gonna really be pissed.

  • HaS

    “We are a very talented team…”

    Dude, watch the games please.

  • HaS

    More 3′s? Maybe they can break the record for attempts this year!

  • HaS

    The records by btw are:

    Most three-point field-goal attempts, game:
    49 – Dallas vs. New Jersey, March 5, 1996

    Most three-point field-goal attempts, one half
    28-Phoenix at New York, January 29, 1995

    Both well within reach!

    Go Knicks!

  • itzyung1

    There is a difference between Very Skilled and Very Talented.
    Lakers Very Skilled
    Knicks Very Talented
    I watch the games I just deal with the loses in a smarter way.

  • Bob

    do yu think maybe they realize they made a mistake by picking him,and they dont think he will ever amount to anything.maybe in practice,he is just THAT bad

  • Bob

    a very talented team?we are one of the least talented teams in the NBA!Where is everyone getting this Mcgrady stuff?Like the rockets are ones waiting for this deal.ya cant just go out and get a mcgrady when ever you want

  • Bob

    Why is everyone so sure that JORDAN HILL is gonna be a great player?Man,i see “BUST” when i see this guy play.and if D’antoni is keeping this guy glued to the bench,he cant see much more than i do.i mean if this guy was any good,(on this pathetic team) he’d be in the rotation at least

  • HaS

    What smarter way is that? lol. The team doesn’t get the 8th pick in the draft without being a bad team. Hill should not be getting DNP’s. I’m not saying he starts, I’m not saying he get’s 30+ mins, I’m not saying he gets 20+ mins, I’m saying he sees SOME action, get his feet wet, gain some valuable experience. The Knicks will play other bad teams this year and if the Knicks face other 1st or 2nd year Forwards, he should be in there battling. Period.

  • Eduardo15

    Agreed