Knicks Need to Focus on The Now

Just remember, you NEVER pass on a sure thing, no matter the cost. Antonio McDyess, Stephon Marbury, these guys are proven game-changers and all-stars who can win now and put a team over the top.

When did NESN start writing about the knicks?

Lol, thats a good 1, i am excited about the team Donnie put together

Tommy,

I agree that the Knicks need to stay focus by not mortgaging off the farm, and then you turn around to imply that the Knicks shouldn’t pass up an opportunity for a game changer. You explain both sides to mean that DW has to decide to stay focus on the now or take a chance for a game changer!

LOL

How’d those trades turn out?

Tommy,
So what should they do? You know how folks flip sides to make their points, so they don’t have to seem wrong. DW is going to get the blame either way if it don’t work out, so I’m sure we all are going to know which way they choose to go. I personally wouldn’t mortgage the farm and wait to see if Melo really want to be here or ZNOT!

I think the difference between the Knicks and the Bucks or Hawks is their coaches attention and emphasis on defense. That will keep the Knicks from overtaking wither one of those teams imo. Probably even with an addition of Carmelo.

So even with Melo and Amare two players better than anyone on the Bucks or Cats, we won’t manage to get a top 5 seed. A lineup with Melo and Amare would be better than or at least equal to his suns teams. With those two we are easily a 3/4 seed.

Are you comparing McDyess and Marbury to Amare or Melo?

The Hawks have benefited from a top heavy Eastern Conference the last few years. They are really not that good. Now with an overpaid star set for life and a sixth man who shot a fluky good percentage last year(and is now complaining about a contract) I see the hawks getting leapfrogged by a couple of teams.

Weren’t the Bucks worse than a Miami team last year with 1 player? I like Skiles, but I hate the Corey pick-up. they are gonna butt heads. you know it.

The Bobcats are not gonna be too good. They lost Chandler AND Felton AND Thomas has no reason to play hard anymore.

Knicks have a shot to make some noise if the PLAYERS commit to defense.

Basketball is a team game, it’s not about who has the better name players and most winning coaches preach defense, _’antoni is the only exception to this rule lol.

Never mentioned the ‘Cats. I think they’ll miss Tyson and Felton, but if their defense remains solid they’ll be in the race. I think the Knicks will challenge for 7th or 8th, with Carmelo I’d say maybe 6th and maybe 5th if Bogut misses a significant amount of time.

No way the Knicks get a 3rd seed this year, to get 4th one of the top teams would need to have an injury, to get 5th one of those teams would need to have a chemistry issue or injury.

“Knicks have a shot to make some noise if the PLAYERS commit to defense.”

I agree with this, but it starts with the coaching staff. They’ve got to demand it and put a philosophy in place for each team every game.

With Amar’e and Melo the Knicks are definitely a top 4 team in the East.

Absolutely!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSNV4Je3PrQ

I guess that is where we will disagree.

Good defensive players make good defensive teams. The coaches play a part, but its all about desire.

Plus people make the mistake of Judging D’antoni on total points allowed. It should really be opponent FG% since when you shoot fast, the other team get more shots up, which will always lead to more total points.

I will be judging Mike very hard this year on D. If the knicks suck on D, its on the coach cuz they got good defensive players.

“Good defensive players make good defensive teams. The coaches play a part, but its all about desire”

That’s the thing, not all players like to play defense, but if their coach comes up to them and tells them “defend or say hello to the bench”, make no mistake they’ll defend.
What happens to a good defender with a defense-minded coach: lock down players.

I just actually read the article. I found it a bit patronizing coming from a Boston outlet.

“If Mike D’Antoni can get the most out of the talent he has, a No. 8 seed in the East isn’t entirely out of play. The Knicks have a chance at being competitive, but they have to work hard and earn it.”

“That’s pretty much the perfect storm, but if the Knicks are going to be competitive right away, they probably need it all. Good luck to them.”

Am I oversensitive or right? God I hate Boston!

Its like, ” oh look at the cute little knicks, maybe they will be decent”

grrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I really want to stick it to the C’s this year.

How as fans do we focus on now when the temptation of a Melo and Amare 1-2 punch is out there. If the team starts off badly watch how fast everyone will be willing to give whoever for Melo and curse Donnie for assembling the team we have now. Defense is a desire imo, it can be coached but you have to want it. Watching the Bulls teams of the 90′s from Jordan down to Pippen they are HOF players who layed it on the line to come up with a steal, block or more importantly lock down their man. That’s desire and talent something we have to see if we have that on out team.

“With Amar’e and Melo the Knicks are definitely a top 4 team in the East.”

Possibly. Definitely not definitely.

Call me crazy, but I don’t think it’s all about star power. Carmelo and Amar’e are both the same, they love to score and rather not play defense if they don’t have to. Those two in the front court (especially if the “coach” goes against Amar’e's wishes and plays him at the 5 any significant time) are a recipe for disaster under a “coach” who has admitted his lack of emphasis on defense.

Don’t be surprised if he plays Carmelo at the 4 either.

Sadly with the success they had over the years and the additions they made this year I think they can honestly act that way smh. Somewhere I read that they called the Celts the 2000 All Star team vs the 2009 All Star team in the Heat.

[...] agree with Tommy Dee of The Knicks Blog who wrote: I think many fans agree and are excited about the prospects the team now has. But as I [...]

McDyess to Amare?

That would be a crazy comparison.

Who would ever think that?

I agree with HaS. I wouldn’t be surprised one bit to see D’Antoni want to fun a smaller set team where he starts Amare at the 5 and Melo at the 4.

The many possibilities would be very fun to watch. I also agree with Tommy saying a sure thing is a sure thing and better than a maybe. I’d rather trade for him and get him under contract than hope he gives up $15MM and becomes a FA. Either way it works out and Melo comes to the Knicks is cool with me but I think realistically I’d rather be proactive and try to trade for him and be willing to put an over the top package together to do it in order to pair him with Amare. If we knew FOR SURE that he plans to become a FA and sign with us then fine. But we can never REALLY know for SURE. I’d rather trade for him now and get him under contract.

With all the rumors flying around it’s inevitable to speculate and wonder, but in the end, as fans, all we can do is just hope for the best with the present roster, and if any trades happen before or during the season, then we deal with it and keep going about it the same way.
On the defense talk. If your coach insists on D and threatens you if you don’t push it, great players will definitely stand out right after they force the bad shot, get the board and finish off the fast break.

Gallo at the 2? Randolph at the 3?

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/knicks_tall_order_enKa256I39VK90Xv4ijzbK

Carmelo Anthony’s an average defender but he’s not a spaghetti strainer either.

Melo and Amar’e are All-NBA 2nd team players. They were considered 2 of the 10 best NBA players last season.

They would definitely give the Knicks homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

I really want to see what they can do on the court. I think they are special, but they will have to prove it this season.

I think you can look now further than the difference between Amare under D’antoni and under Gentry. Coaches play a far bigger factor than you might suggest.

was Amare a lock down defender 2 years ago under Gentry?

Did his contract year maybe anything to do with his improved play last year?

I think this year is the true test for Mike’ defensive acumen.

The question is special in what way and what leads anyone to think of this team as such?

LMAO @ Gallo at the 2.

I wonder back in 2004, where did the sports media rank the sun? did they even think the sun would make the playoff?

It’s easy to be a pessimist now considering the last 10 years, but this a new era.

I say this team wins at least 50.

“Carmelo Anthony’s an average defender but he’s not a spaghetti strainer either.”

No, to the contrary I think Carmelo is/could be a good defender, but he plays like a “spaghetti strainer” at times.

If Amar’e and Carmelo play to their best ability on that end of the floor I agree they could challenge for that 4th seed (I still think they’d fall short at 5th) but I have a hard time believing those 2 are going to motivate each other to play defense lol and the “coach” could care less as long as they’re both “hitting shots”.

This team really has a shot at 6 or 7 seed in the east, we have amare& felton plus the young guys, who are only gonna get better, i am anxious to get it all started. i will worry about carmelo either when we trade for him or if he signs as a free agent.

“I say this team wins at least 50.”

Last year people here said that team would win 40.

Homers, gotta love ‘em.

Like totally awesome!!1!

actually, i’m being conservative. I’m treally thinking more like 60!

the knicks will not get cp3 or mela,remember is said it,for the simple fact that’s it’s the KNICKS.

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this team has a shot at being a lottery team more than any other thing,for the simples facts that they don’t have a good p.g and no center.

like i been said if gallo ant-ran t-doug or chandler have a krazy season they will make it to the playoffs

yo HaS u know the average age on this blog is 18-19 rite.

Lets Go Knicks im pumped about this team, im excited to see Gallo and Randolph get best, im excited about seeing if Will can play the two, Im excited to see Mozgov play,and im excited to see if Felton really was held back by Larry Brown.

i just threw up.

why not just say 72 wins?

Our Knicks were dead-last in opponent FG% last year.

Did we have great defensive players? Absolutely not. No coach in this universe could have turned that team into a defensive juggernaut, but since when did being the worst defensive team in the league become acceptable?

So many of our players CLEARLY could have put in more effort on the defensive end. Asking for accountability from ALL players, not just Nate Robinson, might have been helpful in this regard.

You disproved what you were trying to say. McDyess and Marbury weren’t game changers.

But the overall concept is right. Acquire what will make you win at the fastest rate.

Even though the Suns of D’Antoni came close to the title, I wouldn’t exactly call the guy a “winning coach” after the last couple of years. That coming from a fan of his.

With Amar’e, Melo, Randolph, Gallo, and Felton, the Knicks are a top four team in the East. Without all five, not necessarily.

50?!

Fifty wins makes the Knicks a four seed on the brink of the three spot. C’mon that’s unrealistic with all the random injuries that could plague this team. Even if fully healthy, it’s hard to see them getting forty-five.

Felton is a good point. Why does that man get the cruel words? He’s good!

there are 2 star p.g cp3 d-will then there is good p.g
rondo
rose
westbrook
parker

felton is a ok p.g he’s on the level of DUHON

dice is his prime is a better overall player than AMA-RAY

“actually, i’m being conservative. I’m treally thinking more like 60!”

Hmmm… I wouldn’t call that “conservative”, but my Mom always told me “if you have nothing good to say, it’s better to say nothing at all”.

LOL

If the Knicks even sniff 60 wins I will eat my left arm.