Post Game thoughts: Orlando Magic vs New York Knicks 3/1/2011

    I'm happy this game was as close as it was but I just feel like the Knicks played overall better than the Magic tonight.Sans the first quarter, Amare and Billups had this game in control with pesky defense and good execution of the offense. Melo, although inefficient, still had a solid game but needs to start converting and keep getting to the line. And it's like beating a dead horse, but the bench NEEDS to step up.
   I'm not sure whats up with Fields because his offense has been tanking since Melo got here. Maybe its the rookie wall but I refuse to believe that Melo has negatively impacted him. Landry since day one has made a big impact in games without needing plays drawn up for him or taking a high volume of shots. I would expect it to go away.
   Not much else to say except, why is Shawne Williams guarding Dwight Howard, D'antoni? Yet again we were killed on the glass. Why not give Sheldon Williams more than 3 minutes to prove himself? It's amazing how short of a fuse D'antoni has with players who cannot shoot the 3, like Sheldon Williams, compared to Bill Walker who seems to be his new go to guy off the bench. Its no secret we need size but don't expect it with Pringles as our coach. He will utilize the small ball until he dies.

Post Game thoughts: Miami Heat vs New York Knicks 2/27/2010

           It was only a month ago when the Knicks made a comeback against the Miami cHeat at the garden. We had Felton running the floor with Gallo and Chandler on the wing hitting deadly three point shots. Stoudemire was the big gun and was being doubled all night in a high scoring matchup, while LeBron James was absolutely shut down by Shawne Williams. Chris Bosh, who torched the Knicks in the first two games, was not playing that game.
           Fast forward a month and I feel like I'm watching Patrick Ewing take Alonzo Mourning back to school. This game was a physical battle with great defense from both teams. Watching Melo hit a tough turn jump shot, jab steps, and spin moves on the LeBitch makes it seem like Bernard King was reincarnated into number 7.(Side note: can Bernard King's jersey please be retired as soon as possible)?
           Let's talk about Mr. Big Shot himself. If you read my last post about the trade you already know how much I hate when Billups notoriously pulls up for a 3 pointer in the worst situation. But damn does this guy have balls to take that go ahead 3 pointer with a minute remaining. On top of that he comes up with a huge steal on the next possession leading to 2 Shawne William FT's. This guy is a winner and it's a shame he is near the end of his career because I think a prime Billups would be the perfect PG for this system.
           What about this defense, or lack thereof, that everyone is talking about? Holding the "big 3" to 86 points on the road is pretty damn impressive. How about D-wade, who shot 5-15 for 12 entire points(props to Anthony Carter for that sick block and fast break layup on Wade in the 3rd quarter). The Knicks forced 18 turnovers on the Miami Heat tonight but more importantly, they played vexing defense coming up with huge blocks(says STAT himself on LeBron with 7 seconds left), steals, and deflections. This not only led to fastbreak opportunities but intimidation as well, as seen with the cooling of the hot shooting Chris Bosh, who was shut down in the 4th quarter by Stoudemire.
           Finally, this game shows the benefits of what a superstar can do for your team. Melo made timely hoops, rebounded, played great defense, and made this rally possible. Without him Billups would not be able to make any big plays and Stoudemire would not be able to make that huge block on Lebron because they would've been blown out at that point.
          But this game is only 2 days after that embarrassing Cavs loss and it just shows how much of a question mark this game is. If we can get this game from Walker every night that would be incredible. However, the rest of the team NEEDS to step up if the Knicks want to be anything more than the 2nd coming of the Hawks. We need some size in this lineup somewhere and I'm not talking about Jared Jefferies(please don't tell me about how he can help us with his defense and rebounding, this guy is a scrub in every way possible). The bench has to step up as well. This small ball thing is not good in the long run and it will be more evident in a 7 game series. Just like how we should not take anything away from the terrible loss two nights ago, we shouldn't take much from this great win either. More time is needed to determine what kind of team this will be for the next 25 games and for future seasons and beyond.

Melo to the Knicks

          As you've all probably heard, Carmelo Anthony along with Chauncey Billups, Sheldon Williams, Renaldo Balkman(Welcome back, we missed you!), and Anthony Carter will be heading to the Big Apple, according to various sources. In return, a package(to say the least) of Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Timofey Mozgov, and the 2014 first round draft pick going back to Denver. Also involved is Corey Brewer, who will be coming to NY from Minnesota in exchange for Eddy Curry and Anthony Randolph.
         Let me start off by saying that this was a great trade for Denver. They have 3 young, legit starters in Gallo, Chandler, and Felton who can supplement Nene, who they are looking to extend, as well as two first round draft picks from both Minnesota and NY. They were going to lose out on Melo in the FA market and now can easily rebuild and even compete in the West for playoff contention. Kudos to the Denver front office for staying put and asking for more and they got it in Felton and Mozgov. This trade could've been Gallo, Chandler, AR and Curry and it would've been an A+ trade for us. Mozgov if nothing else is an asset, so yeah despite the fact that he has been mildly inconsistent this year he could've been useful for making another trade in the future. As of now we have no assets aside from Fields and lets be honest, we cannot afford to give him up. Russian centers are hard to come by these days guys, especially ones who are 7'1 and can alter shots and box out well(although he never gets the actual rebound).
        As for Felton there's a reason why Denver insisted upon swapping their PG with ours. Felton is younger, quicker, having a better year, and is much better suited for the uptempo, fast break ,Mike Dantoni 7 second or less ball. With Billups, whose already 34, we will see a slower tempo and a lot less execution. We will also see more playing time for Toney as the the backup PG and when he is in the game the ball movement is minimal to zero. You guys will see it for yourself when you're yelling at the TV screen asking why Chauncey Billups is pulling up for a 3 pointer on a 4 on 1 fastbreak.
        Finally there is no need to throw in a 1st round draft pick if Mozgov is there. We have bent over for Denver and there is no other way to put it. I'm certainly going to miss Gallinari who was really coming into his own as a player. He showed an incredible ability to slash and get to the FT line. Chandler really stepped up this year as well with his shot blocking and his automatic mid range jump shot. Finally Felton was such a pleasant surprise averaging around 9 assists and being in serious consideration for an All star berth before his recent skid of inconsistent play.
         What scares me the most is how Isiah Thomas may be behind this whole trade. Quite frankly it's a disgrace that his name is still around the way he has ruined our franchise. From the Marbury trade to raping women in Madison Square Garden(Wtf?!?), this guy is an embarrasment in every sense of the world. I don't want to hear about his great drafting ability because it's incredibly overrated (see Channing Frye over Bynum, Marcus Camby over Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant just to name a few). Walsh was playing this correctly by being patient, like the Denver front office, but Dolan couldn't handle it. He just had to listen to his bromantic partner Isiah and grossly overpay for a player who is obviously not on the elite level of Kobe, LeBron,Wade, or Durant. Of course this is all speculation but it will be quite sickening if Walsh resigns only to see Isiah snake back into the scene.
          But this is a good day because Carmelo Anthony has opened up a whole new realm for New York Knicks basketball that has not been seen since Ewing was drafted in 86. Depending on the new CBA we are a legitimate option for Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, and Deron Williams in 2012( Hey, it's like 2010 all over again!). Although we cannot trade for any of them due to our lack of assets( see Mozgov, 2014 draft pick), there is no doubt that the 1-1A punch, as STAT calls it, of Amare and Melo will attract players from across the league.
         At the end of the day the NBA is a stars league. We all have heard the concept before. Get the superstars and find the supporting cast later. We saw it in Boston and we're seeing it in Miami. With STAT and Melo we have two top 10 players in the NBA, which is incredibly impressive. But let's look at this more closely. Where is the defense going to come from? Corey Brewer is a nice defender but its not enough. What about the rebounding? Will Turiaf be reliable to start at center or will we have to sign Earl Barron from the D-league soon. How many years does Billups have left in him? How many minutes can he play? Can Toney Douglas handle the PG responsibilities when Billups is sitting?Will STAT and Melo learn to play some defense? Considering they are veterans at this point in their career, the obvious answer is no. However I'm willing to be patient with this because Miami and Boston are running the east for the next 2 years at least, and we needed to make a move. There are no excuses for Melo and Stoudemire. These guys need to get it down and show that they are no 2nd tier stars but rather can hang with the best of them.
          

Post All Star Game Melo Drama

   Haven't made a post in a while so I'll try to cover my thoughts as much as possible. We needed the All star break in the worst way and it happened. Good thing we finished with a winning record heading in because at one point it seemed like we could lose easily to any team in the league. But this is the NBA and teams go on hot and cold streaks, I still expect the Knicks to finish around 42-45 wins and stay in the 6th seed in the East and be a legitimate threat to Chicago in the first round.
    I'm sure all of you and your mothers have heard about the Melo drama for the past week,  how NJ is back in competition, how Felton and Billups will be swapped, and how Isiah Thomas of all people is back on the scene. Quite frankly its terrible how we went to having complete leverage to Denver asking for way too much. Although every source is different and the trade is changing every two minutes, the general idea is that Gallinari/Chandler/Felton/Eddy Curry's expiring contract/2014 1st round draft pick/Anthony Randolph will be traded for Carmelo Anthony/Billups. The are mention of role players as well such as Shelden Williams and Renaldo Balkman who aren't really significant.
   Make no mistake about it, swapping Felton for Billups would be a huge mistake. I know Felton has been inconsistent but he's been the best point guard we've had since Mark Jackson(back in the early 90's). Bilups over here will slow down the tempo, cannot distribute as well, and has just been playing worse this year than Felton. Not to mention that Felton is only 26 and is just hitting his prime right now. With Melo and Amare, I believe Felton would elevate his game to a whole new level.
    Also there are talks of including Timofey Mozgov as well. Why Denver? Why must you have every young player on our team with potential? This is Carmelo Anthony who, lets be honest, is not on the same level as Kobe, LeBron,Wade, or Durant. We cannot gut our roster for a guy who, although arguably is the best scorer in the game today, does not do anything else really. Yes his rebounding has drastically improved but what about his defense? or his passing? Does he really make his teammates better? Don't we already have a Carmelo in STAT..?
    Take out the Felton/Billups swat. Do not include Mozgov or for gods sake Landry Fields. This trade should be Gallinari/Chandler/ Anthony Randolph/ Eddy Curry for Carmelo and whatever other players that need to be included (Roger Mason, Sheldon Williams, Renaldo Balkman, etc.). That is an A+ trade in my opinion. As of now we are getting the lower end of the deal.

Post Game thoughts: New York Knicks at Philadelphia 76ers 2/5/2011

Games like this make me wish I could just stop watching the NBA altogether. WTF was up with that nonsense at the end. Not only did Dantoni should've called a timeout, but the fact that Shawne Williams had to take the shot of all people? Why not Amare, Gallo, or Felton(who had a great game). I hate these Sixers because they always seem to do well against us.Their team is not good at all despite the fact that Doug Collins is doing a great job with them. This game was just gruesome to watch. The offense collapsed in the 4th quarter and we aren't doing a good job at rebounding, although this game was a little better.Turiaf, while I love the effort from him, is too inconsistent. I understand he his importance as a shot blocker but his inability to even attempt an open shot makes it seem like we are playing 4 on 5.

This game was a lost from the moment we lost the lead. It became a series of bad shot after bad shot with no ball movement, poor rebounding, and bad defense. I love STAT as much as the next guy but his rebounding has become a serious issue at this point. And why is Elton Brand always going to put up a career night against us? Can someone tell Stoudemire to just appear to play defense so we might have a chance?

Dantoni was out-coached yet again, making this two games in a row. Mozgov was doing a great job containing   Brand after he exploded for over 20 points in the first half. And why the hell is Shawne Williams shooting so much? Can someone please get him down to earth, this guy is a corner 3 point specialist and thats it. He should not be creating by his own and the fact that he passed up a wide open three from the corner for a weak attempt at a runner could explain why Stoudemire threw his fist in anger at the end of the game, which I don't blame him for.

Overall there were no positives that came out of this game. Chandler continues to struggle and it's no coincidence that we've been in a slump when he's not performing well. He is our X factor and he better get it together sooner than later. This team needs the All Star break in the worst way and I would not be surprised to see them fall 2-3 games under .500 by that time. If we lose the 6th seed in the east to the Philadelphia 76ers I would consider this season to be a disappointed because I honestly believe we are a better team than them.

Post Game thoughts: Dallas Mavericks at New York Knicks 2/2/2011

Never be fooled by Dirk. Just when you think he's done, he goes off hitting his fadeaway jumpshots as if they're layups. He was unstoppable in the 3rd quarter and we had no answer. It didn't help that Amar'e got absolutely shut out in the 2nd half(literally: 21 points in the 1st half and none in the 2nd). And can Shawne Williams stop trying to create shots for himself? He should be there to hit wide open corner threes, play defense, and help with our atrocious rebounding. This game was a mismatch in hell from the start.

In reality this is a game that we shouldn't have any shame in losing, but I think this team is at a point where it should not be blown out by anyone, especially with the Philadelphia 76ers knockings at the door. Felton continues his horrendous shooting and its clearly hurting us. As of now Toney Douglas is doing a better job out there on the court.

We were neck and neck until half time but this team could not buy a bucket to save their lives. Why did no one not get the ball to Gallo, who had yet another effective game with 27 points and was getting to the FT line at ease. For people that say we don't need Melo because we have enough offense, let this game be a lesson. When Amar'e gets shut down like he was in the 2nd half we need someone to take over, and clearly Felton could not. Shawne Williams and Bill Walker should not be expected to create shots for themselves, they are reduntant as players and one of them needs to get out of the rotation.

Why couldn't Mozgov get some more playing time? After his eruption against the Pistons, Mozgov only played 16 minutes tonight, a good amount during garbage time also. I think I feel more comfortable with a 7 foot center getting some rebounds over our small lineup of backups.

Overall the only one that brought their A game for the entire match was Gallinari. He shot the ball well, rebounded, got to the FT line, and played solid defense. Fields seemed to be looking for his shot too much tonight, he's much better when he lets the game come to him. STAT is better than this, he cannot get shut out like he was tonight and expect to win against an elite team like the Mavs. Also, his rebounding needs to get better, too many second chance points for the Mavs tonight. The Knick's defense is still too inconsistent, this was a game where our defense was needed for us to win and a major reason why we got blown out by the 3rd quarter.

Post Game thoughts: New York Knicks vs Detroit Pistons 1/29/2010

Mozgov?!? Is this the same guy who let Blake Griffen fly over him? I hope tonight was no fluke game from him because he came to play! He rebounded, hit the open shot, played great defense and was a force inside the paint tonight (no sloppy dropped passes by him like in the beginning of the year). If this guy can be as half as effective as he was tonight, then there is no reason that he should not be starting at center while STAT goes to his natural power forward position and dominate guys like he did tonight. I will be disappointed if Mozgov does not get any significant playing time next game because he earned it.

Other than that i think we did a great job beating a team that has no right winning at MSG tonight. We are a better team and showed that tonight despite being behind at halftime. Great game by Gallo, who is really coming into his own as a player. We know that he can shoot the lights out, but his slashing and his ability to get to the FT line has improved dramatically this season. His defense has shown a vast improvement from last year and you can tell he looks more polished. All he needs to do is be more consistent and he can become a borderline all star in my opinion.

Great game from Amare tonight as he just dominated the Detroit frontcourt. Felton is still in a bit of a slump and it's disappointing because he was in the All star conversation before. Hopefully he breaks out of it because this offense relies so much on the play of our PG and his ability to find the open man as well as break down the defense. Toney Douglas has shown maturity as the backup PG though and he is not taking the horrible shots that he took earlier in the season. If he can keep it up and Mozgov can be a consistent 10/10 starter than we have a legit team with Turiaf,Douglas, Chandler, and Shawne Williams off the bench.

Kelenna Azubuike Update

"Azubuike returned to practice Wednesday and said he believes he finally is on the verge of impressing the coaching staff enough to get him back on the court for a game. He may get his chance now that Shawne Williams likely will be suspended for a fight with the Hawks' Marvin Williams late in the game. Both players were ejected."

"Azubuike would be a logical suspension replacement for Williams, though the rehab on his knee, on which he had patellar-tendon surgery, has been filled with stops and starts. He returned to scrimmages in mid-November, then shut it down again in December as he worked on his gait. Azubuike simply was not explosive enough in scrimmages for D'Antoni to consider playing him."


Azubuike returning can only help this team in the long run, especially with Wilson Chandler's recent slump and Shawne William's probable suspension. He can be a spark off the bench with his deadly outside shooting and his defense can't be worse than Bill Walker's. And you know Mike D'antoni loves his three point shooters so expect Azubuike to get minutes if/when he get's back from his injury.


Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/mike_barks_back_at_charles_Q25Rql1WSAl0fJbya0d01I#ixzz1CRlbkivt

Post Game thoughts: New York Knicks at Atlanta Hawks 1/28/2010

This was a game I did not expect us to win in all honesty. On the road, second night of a back to back, and Wilson Chandler not suiting up all did us in. On top of that, I'm not really feeling the 7 man rotation by Mike D'antoni, but I don't blame him because of our clear vacant bench players. Props to Shawne Williams for not backing down, I feel that the Knicks of old would just let players push them around but these guys won't be bullied.

As for the game it's clear our defense intensity needs to stay at a level that is consistent. After being down by 25 points at the beginning of the 4th quarter, the Knicks just put themselves in a position to lose. I'm sorry guys but playing defense for the 4th quarter only is not what's going to bring the Knicks to the next level. Granted the Hawks are a good team and caught fire tonight with Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, and a monster game from Horford. However, the lack of rebounding and defensive intensity is embarrassing at times..

Right now it's clear what our two biggest needs are (besides Carmelo Anthony). This would be a backup point guard(sorry Toney Douglas), and a LEGIT starting center (hello Marcus Camby). In this fast break offense players like Felton and Stoudemire who are constantly running the floor need a rest, and I cannot stress how much of a weakness our bench really is.

Overall I liked the whole little comeback that the Knicks made but honestly, do you think anyone on the Hawks were afraid they might lose? At the end of the day playing catchup is the hardest thing to do, getting blown out by the 3rd quarter really did us in tonight.

Post Game thoughts: Miami Heat at New York Knicks 1/27/2010

What a game! After that 6 game skid against some of the worst teams in the NBA, the Knicks have now won 2 in a row including a great win over the "Almighty" Miami Heat. To be honest it, Chris Bosh not playing helped a lot since he has torched the Knicks this season. Great defense from Gallinari and Shawne Williams on LeBron James, who shot a dismal 7-24. Props to Dwayne Wade for that scoring frenzy he did in the 3rd quarter, although his missed free throws might have been the difference for this game. Gallo showed up big in the 4th quarter, and Fields continues to impress me with his smart play, timely shots, and of course his rebounding.

Honestly, this game shouldn't have been as close as it was. The Knicks missed a lot of easy buckets early on and out hustled,outworked, and overall outplayed the Miami Heat. This game shows how weak our bench can really be at times, aside from Turiaf who was recently demoted for Chandler. While Toney Douglas and Shawne Williams definantly have their moments, when they are at the court at the same time the offense is clearly stagnant and bad shots keep going up.

But this was a win against one of the best teams in the NBA. STAT said it best, no one is afraid of the Miami Heat. 

Welcome!

Welcome to Knicks Hype, just another blog about everyones favorite and most controversial basketball team. I'll keep this post short and simple, I've been a knick fan my whole life and I made this blog for the purpose of just venting my thoughts about the Knicks, as well as to discuss some other off topic fun stuff. For my first post I just want to congratulate Amare Stoudemire on becoming the first Knicks all-star game starter since Ewing in 1992! Now let's go out and get Melo already, stop being so stingy Denver!