Game Thread: Heat at Knicks

by Tommy Dee on April 11th, 2010 at 2:49 pm

With Miami assured the playoffs, one has to wonder which team they’d prefer to face in the first round. They are currently .5 games back of 5th place Milwaukee and are set to face the Hawks should Atlanta stay a game ahead of the aging Celtics. Either way, they’ll face one of those two teams in the first round. I suspect they’d hope to face Boston.

As far as the Knicks, well, there’s been a lot of chatter recently. I really prefer to soak games like this in, because I know it won’t be this bad again for a long time. How much better? I don’t know. I just know it won’t be this bad.

Still my favorite all-time Knicks-Heat highlight.

Yes, even more than this.

And this.

If anyone has the highlight from the 1997 playoffs of Chris Childs trying to dunk on Zo but hitting it off the back rim, do us all a favor and upload it to YouTube.

  • ds2488

    Im kind of pumped for this game. Hopefully Gallo and Douglas and Walker all play well and show Wade that they are better than the young core surrounding him. I really think we have a shot at him. It will be interesting to see if Gallo is put on Wade…that seems like a really bad idea, Wade is just too quick for Gallo.

  • blackwood

    ds2488 my friend how are you? Gallo on Wade and we will have to see gallo be a highlight many many times lol. I hope you are right and we do have a chance @ Wade but you know my feelings on that. I just hope he does not kill us lol…..Hey have you noticed how there are a lot of post saying Gallo is playing much better because this one and that one is out? I am just wondering who else they think is going to score when aside from Lee who else is left to score lol.

  • ds2488

    Blackwood, Im doing well man. How about you? Thats why im curious about if Gallo will be put on Wade…that could be a highlight reel waiting to happen there.

    Lol. True, someone has to pick up the scoring anyway. Thats been my problem with this whole year. Why let Harrington and Lee pad their stats when it doesn’t help this franchise at all? All those shots and stats should have been going to Gallo and Chandler and Douglas and Hill all year. Our core would be looking much more attractive to any free agents now if Gallo and Chandler had been our go-to-guys all year.

    Anyway, looking forward to a good exciting game tonight. I’ve been really excited by Gallo’s development lately..hopefully he can keep it up in a tough matchup against Wade.

  • LB2NYplz

    lmao another delusional knick fan

    dwayne aint comin here

  • Mucha

    I want to see Gallinari and Beasley guard eachother. Beasley will be a very good player if Pat Riley trades him in my opinion. But Gallo brings intangibles to the table and Beasley doesn’t – which is why he was such a special prospect in my eyes.

  • DVJ

    Why would Wade embarrass Gallo?
    I think Melo is a better offensive player than Wade and Gallo did just fine against him. Melo did have more points than Gallo but Gallo almost had 30 and the Knicks won. That was far from an embarrassment IMO.

    We’ll see what happens.

  • ds2488

    its more of a matchup issue to me..Wade’s a much quicker more finesse player and a guard. Carmelo is fluid but more powerful and skilled then quick and a forward. Its just a really tough matchup for a slower forward like Gallo to defend a quick guard like Wade.

  • ds2488

    lmao another ridiculous hater

    Nice response. I really enjoy your brilliant reasoning on that.

  • Mucha

    Wrong impression, Melo TORCHED Gallinari even though Gallo played hard. Gallinari outscored Anthony in the 3rd quarter and did a great job offensively but he couldn’t stop him.

  • ds2488

    thats true, although I still think Gallo did a good job on him defensively. The only thing he can do is give them some space and force them to shoot a contested fadeaway, which he pretty much did to Carmelo every time.

    Unlike most perimeter defenders, he doesn’t have the benefit of any help defense or interior blocking to pick up his man if he gets beat. Therefore, he can’t allow people to get past him because it will be an uncontested layup. So he can’t do anything else against perimeter players.

    I believe Wade, like Ginobli, is just too quick for Gallo. He can get around him on any play.

  • fauci933

    Agreed. I liked the defense Gallo played on Melo. He forced him into taking contested shots often, and that’s all you can really do against elite scorers like him. Wade can drive to the basket better and is much quicker, and I think Gallo will just be a step behind him the whole time if asked to guard him.

  • bb_dot

    putting Gallo on Wade would be a bonehead move only D’Antoni could come up with..

  • harris

    You’re a good Knick fan ds2488, but honestly, what difference does it make? Besides, you know as well as anybody, that when it comes to defense the head coach doesn’t have a clue.

    Don’t forget we are going into this game without one of our
    “ball movers”. How can we possibly hope to compete?

  • ds2488

    Lol. I don’t know how the team will cope without Al Harrington to spread the ball and get good looks for other players. Its a real testament to this teams talent and fortitude that they haven’t given up yet and are still playing these games.

  • starksoakmase

    i hope you MD haters are watching the Laker-Blazers game!

    Tie game 5 sec remaining, portland ball, lakers 1 foul to give.

    Give a foul right. MD is an idiot because he wouldn’t do it.

    The smart veteran Fisher fouls, webster puts up a shot. 3 free-throws with 3 secs left. Blazers win.

    I guess the 10 time champ Jackson is an idiot, right?

  • Mucha

    Yes Gallinari tried to play hard defense on Anthony and I liked it – he contested every shot but he just couldn’t stop him so the notion that Gallinari can stop Wade because he “did just fine against him (Melo)” (DVJ quote) is baseless.

  • Mucha

    That’s what I’ve always said. It IS a very tough decision to make.

    The idea that Mike D’Antoni’s a bad coach because he never fouls at the end of games is stupid because 1. Phil Jackson’s (arguably the greatest coach in NBA history) Lakers didn’t foul against the Raptors and Chris Bosh MADE a 3-point shot to tie the game 2. Phil Jackson’s Lakers fouled Martell Webster who took the shot when he felt contact and won the game at the FT line.

    Mike D’Antoni haters must admit that – either – Phil Jackson’s a bad coach or fouling can easily backfire and THEREFORE Mike D’Antoni’s decision not to foul is to a certain extent a legitimate decision.

  • Mucha

    The Lakers are overrated btw.

  • Boots

    Either Orlando or Cleveland has a real good chance of beating the Lakers. If Gsaol isn’t a Superman each game, the Lakers struggle. Bryant’s finger must be worse than they are letting on. He’s been having too many “average” shooting nights the second half of the season.

    Just my peceptions of course.

  • bb_dot

    nobody said you should foul when the game is tied. you should foul when you are ahead by 3 and send the guy to the line for 2. Obviously don’t foul while someone is hoisting a 3. How many games did we loose because we didn’t foul while being 2 ahead and then ate a 3? Come on!

  • DVJ

    No shots but both of you are wrong.

    The Lakers are playing without their starting center.
    Bynum is 15 and 10 each night. Not to mention the amount of shots he affects each night just by being in the paint.
    When Bynum comes back the Lakers will continue their dominance and earn their 2nd title in as many years.

  • Boots

    This is great tonight! At last, I get to watch a Knick’s game on a real TV after a season watching games on my laptop. I get SunSports through Comcast down here . Fifty inches is better than 15 inches. No giant joke implied.

    It is interesting to have the Heat announcers on the TV and the Knicks announcers on an ear. They often are making the same technical points about the game, i.e. Coach’s re-insertion of Gallo in the 1st. The Miami guys are very complimentary of Gallo. While our guys pump Lee, they talk Gallo and some Walker.

    The different broadcasts also show diferent replays and highlights.

  • Boots

    No argument. I commented based on how the’ye been playing. How they will play is a different story when Bynum comes back if he is in game shape and sharp. The fact that they seem to be holding him out should be of worry to Lakers fans.

    Maybe I should have said, Without Bynum, “If Gasol (or Odom), isn’t a Superman each game, the Lakers struggle.”

  • ds2488

    Man, I don’t know how Sergio got so much worse all of a sudden, but he’s just tough to watch at this point. Terrible. Its either a turnover or a bad shot with him, mixed in with like 2 or 3 awesome assists. I really don’t enjoy watching him anymore.

    Gallo’s shot selection is awful tonight. He keeps getting mismatches and settling for fadeaways. Really bad.

  • starksoakmase

    I believe i’ve heard arguments on this blog for both situations.

    The point is that giving a foul in both cases when the guy is behind the arc is a big gamble because even an excellent defender and smart player like Fisher can be caught in a situation where he gets caught giving a foul and the guy with the ball throws up a shot and goes to the line.

    Calling MD an Idiot for not giving a foul in either situation is absolutely ridiculous.

    the best play is to play your best D. Period!

  • Boots

    Not sure whether S-Rod is a poor decision-maker who will never “get it” or a young man who came to the NBA too soon without developing his game, and some hard summer and good coaching will help him develop. He is an enigma.

    Gallo may not want to get third foul for the half on an offensive foul. He does seem to drive more in the third quarter. Maybe they are actually firing him up at halftime, or maybe Gallo needs to get pissed of. He seems to play better when he’s riled up by an elbow or some the hard fouling he’s been taking inside the last few games.

  • Boots

    Sometimes, he gets quicker fouls inside than outside, but either way it is good experience for him. Hey, they’ve won how many games? Sad but true, it doesn’t matter who he guards tonight this time next week.

  • bb_dot

    of course it’s a gamble and sometimes you pull back and live with it and at other times you go for it. But there have been a number of occasions it did cost us a game and I recall yelling at the TV “foul, foul, foul!!” Obviously we have a different take on DA’s coaching ability, but to me the “giving foul” aspect is only one of many shortcomings. He may not be an idiot, but I do not like his coaching.. ;)

  • starksoakmase

    Fair enough, but just because it doesn’t work, doesn’t mean it wasn’t the right decision at the time.

  • Mucha

    Gallinari’s playing like he just fell in love with a girl.

  • Mucha

    Rodriguez is a scrub.

    I told you lol.

  • Mucha

    Don’t forget the Mavericks.

    I still say Mavs-Cavs.

  • DVJ

    The Brooklyn arena for the Nets still hasn’t broke ground…that place is never getting built. Plus the Nets may need to look for a new owner due to “The Russians” business dealings in Zimbabwe.
    When it rains it pours for NJ.

  • ds2488

    Pathetic offensive effort from Gallo and an even worse defensive effort from Lee like usual. Lee has just watched as his man Beasley has been unguarded all game. Lee just stands under the basket waiting to get rebounds instead of guarding his man. Terrible.

  • Boots

    Yeah, hated when one of my key players got a boyfriend . . .

    . . . coached womens ball.

  • starksoakmase

    Are you sure it hasn’t broken ground? I thought it has.

    I like the Russian. he seemed like a cool guy in his 60 minutes interview.
    Whats this Zimbabwe business?

  • Boots

    Too many “ifs” surrounding the Nets to seriously attract a big name.

  • harris

    That is great news-would love to see that entire Atlantic Yards project fall apart.

  • DVJ

    Check this out, I tried to post the link but for some reason it won’t go through so I’ll just copy and paste the juicy parts. The story is in the Nets section of the NY Post.

    “A New Jersey congressman says he will demand a government inquiry into Mikhail Prokhorov, the Russian billionaire poised to buy the New Jersey Nets, for his extensive business dealings in Zimbabwe — a bombshell that could blow up the $200 million team deal and threaten the future of Brooklyn’s Atlantic Yards, The Post has learned.

    Democratic Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., a member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, wants to know if companies controlled by Prokhorov in Zimbabwe violate federal rules that forbid American citizens and companies, and subsidiaries set up in the United States, from doing business with brutal strongman Robert Mugabe, his regime or associates.

    “This is disgusting,” Pascrell said. “Obviously, the Board of Governors of the NBA didn’t do their job properly when they vetted this deal.”

    Pascrell said he will ask the Treasury Department, which oversees the sanctions, to investigate Onexim. In 2008, Onexim became a 50 percent owner of Renaissance Capital, which has been actively investing in Zimbabwe since 2007.

    There’s a lot more in the article. You should check it out.

  • ds2488

    LOL at Lee’s Defense. Not only are we going to lose him for nothing, but he makes Beasley look amazing. Im sorry, but I just don’t know if Lee is really capable of guarding other 4′s either. His defense is just terrible.

  • Mucha

    Mike D’Antoni should bench Gallinari at this point.

    3-pointer after 3-pointer… AWFUL.

  • pak14life

    when gallo drives hes been having sucess today the jumpshot isnt there but he keeps jacking it up.Almost like hes to lazy to drive to the paint.

  • Boots

    Anybody notice that when Gallo was talking to Barron, that Gallo is as tall or taller than Barron?

    Thought EB was a seven footer.

  • HaS

    “Calling MD an Idiot for not giving a foul in either situation is absolutely ridiculous.

    the best play is to play your best D. Period!”

    That would be fine IF the Knicks or whatever team you’re coaching is a good or dammit even a FAIR defensive team, but this team isn’t and hasn’t been and that’s why it is a stupid play.

  • bb_dot

    if you take Lee and Chuckster away we have a real problem offensively. It’s easy to hate on those guys, but as a matter of fact nobody else can provide consistent offense.

  • harris

    not to mention consistent “ball movement”.

  • harris

    I see where T-Mac has put in another banner performance tonight. It must be “the system” that’s holding him back.

  • ds2488

    Man, Gallo really can’t get a call. There have been more than a few close ones that haven’t been calls. That being said, he brings it on himself for just camping out at the 3 pt line for the 1st 3 quarters. Still promising that he can put up more points than shots considering how bad he is shooting. But he needs to realize more quickly that his shot just isn’t falling and take it to the rim.

  • Mucha

    lol

  • Mucha

    Terrible effort tonight.

  • Anandp1001

    yuck. terrible.
    doesn’t help when no one has any energy. Gallo clearly was being lazy today; 5-20 and not taking it to the hole

    its easy to just say DAntoni messed up our offense today, but when u have 2 PGs on the floor and Gallo as well, and Lee, all guys who can facilitate and penetrate, then that’s largely on the players.

    just a lousy game

    hopefully we can see TD and Gallo get better, keep walker and barron, and lose the rest of these clowns.

  • HaS

    Two more of these to go.

    Why am I still watching this crap?

    *vomits*

  • harris

    Aren’t you all pumped up for Washington tomorrow night?

  • HaS

    Their record on back to backs doesn’t bode well for tomorrow night’s game.

  • harris

    Lol!

  • HaS

    Sessions is a better point guard than anybody on this team. I think if the Knicks sign any point guard who isn’t significantly better than him and for the reasonable price of 4 million it wasn’t the best decision to pass on him.

  • Boots

    D-Wade on SunSport post-game talked about how Gallo might not be the fastest player, but is a “good position player” and beat him (Wade) “to a spot” a number of times and made him “back out.”

  • Boots

    Because you are a Knick addict like the rest of us.

    Can’t stop picking at the scab, can you? :-)

  • BrooklynFinest1

    Why do some of us as knick fans get excited that other teams superstars say nice things about gallo or t douglas? That do not mean they want to play with them and to me they can sing all the praises they like but its funny you get all this advice when that team just got finished kickin our butts.

  • Mucha

    They better play harder tomorrow night.

  • bob go knicks

    The coach makes the call about weather to foul or not,but its up to the player to make it a SMART foul.I’M sure Phil Jackson didnt tell Fisher to foul Webster while he was shooting a 3

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  • bob go knicks

    with 2 games left?Who do they have on the bench thats better than GALLO?

  • bob go knicks

    I was at the game tonite.man it was a site to behold.

  • blackwood

    Come on starksoakmase your better then that! You saw that was a silly reach in foul by fisher and not a ordered foul by the coach.

  • Mucha

    During the game bob, during the game.

    He was just jacking up 3-pointers.

    Mike D’Antoni should NOT even think about benching Gallinari with 2 games left but if he was pathetic in the 3rd quarter yesterday – I think Mike D’Antoni should’ve sent a little message.

  • blackwood

    We may not always see thing the same way DVJ but way to splash some dirt!! I hope this whole sham blows up!! NBA dont need a Russian mafia member involved with it (hockey can tell you that lol) that under handed land grab and abuse of power was an ugly thing in BK and the media never stood with the people on that one!

    Only one NY basketball team and there will never be another!!

  • bob go knicks

    Gallo is prolly the smartest baller on the whole Knicks team,I dont think it would take a benching for him to snap out of it ,just a little talk

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