Knicks Blown Out by Raptors in Montreal

Friday, October 19 2012

Final Score: New York Knicks: 88 Toronto Raptors: 107

Knicks Blown Out by Raptors in Montreal

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The Knicks struggled tonight against the Toronto Raptors, getting blown out most of the game after a very strong first quarter eventually falling 107-88 to the Raptors.  The Knicks struggled with continuity and had a lot of lapses on the defensive end, leading to easy baskets for the opposition.

Amar’e Stoudemire made his first appearance this preseason and played well in his return.  Stoudemire finished with 18 points and five rebounds and one block in 27 minutes. 

Stoudemire clearly needs to get his endurance up, as he had his shot blocked a few times as his left started to wane as the game went on but showed great burst when getting some rest as he had some monstrous dunks.  Stoudemire also had his jump shot working, scoring from multiple areas on the court.

Carmelo Anthony struggled with his shot tonight, going 0 for 7 from three point range and 8 for 20 overall.  Anthony was able to get to the line frequently, knocking down 8 of 11 free throws.  Anthony finished the game with 24 points, six rebounds and three assists. 

Anthony and Stoudemire need to step up on the defensive end, as offense is no longer the main problem with both of them on the court.  Anthony finished -18 tonight and Stoudemire -15, as the effort just was not where it needed to be tonight on the defensive end of the court. 

Raymond Felton really struggled tonight also; turning the ball over six times and being badly outplayed by Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry.  With the point guard struggling, the offense was never able to get into a rhythm and was off all night.  The Knicks need to get back to the pick-and-roll offense, as at times they were very stagnant tonight and just hoisted jump shots from the perimeter.

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Pablo Prigioni and Jason Kidd did have solid games in the backcourt off the bench, combining for nine assists and only two turnovers between them.  Prigioni also showed great effort on the defensive end, getting three steals.

James White was solid for the Knicks tonight too.  After a slow start, White got a talking to from the coaching staff and came back into the game with a sense of urgency and played with higher intensity.  White’s stats won’t jump off the stat sheet, as he scored six points and had two assists, but did play great on the defensive end.  If White can knock down the corner three point shot, he will have a valuable role on the second unit for the Knicks.

The glaring problem tonight for the Knicks was in the paint, as the Raptors outscored the Knicks 46-44 in the paint and out rebounded the Knicks 45-32.  The Knicks did not bring the intensity needed tonight, as the Raptors showed up and brought it to the Knicks.  The Knicks struggled to get second opportunities, as the Raptors attempted 19 more shots than the Knicks did.

Another big discrepancy in the game was in shooting percentages, as the Raptors shot 46.2 percent from the three point line, going 12 for 26 and the Knicks shot a putrid 5 for 27, good for 18.5 percent.  Perimeter defense is something that should be shored up once Ronnie Brewer and Iman Shumpert return from injury, but perimeter shooting can be a problem for the Knicks all season as Steve Novak is the only consistent threat the Knicks have from deep.

Next up for the Knicks is another game against the Celtics Saturday night at 7:30 P.M. in Albany, New York.  The Knicks lineup will have a different look to it, as many starters may not see the court at all.  Amar’e Stoudemire has already been ruled out of the game, as it is the second game of a back to back.

Knicks Drop Celtics in Second Preseason Game

Saturday, October 13 2012

Final Score: New York Knicks: 98 Boston Celtics: 95

Knicks Drop Celtics in Second Preseason Game

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If the preseason is any indication of how the regular season is going to go, the Knicks and Celtics are going to have some memorable match-ups this coming season.  For a preseason game, the competition was fierce and players were going at it with high intensity.  Like any time the Knicks and Celtics meet on the court, there was trash talking and tough play, as there was two technicals and flagrant fouls.  The Knicks were able to take this one against the Celtics 98-95, with fans hoping more of the same come the regular season.

The Knicks pick-and-roll offense once again was clicking tonight even without one of the main weapons on that scheme in Amar’e Stoudemire.  Tonight, Tyson Chandler and Chris Copeland took advantage as the screener. 

Raymond Felton, Jason Kidd and Pablo Prigioni all ran the pick-and-roll well tonight, rotating as the main ball handler while on the court.  They provided precise alley-oop passes to the rolling screeners and opened up great scoring opportunities with the lanes being created. 

The ability to play the pick-and-roll led the Knicks to 44 points in the paint, outscoring the Celtics who manage 34.  When Stoudemire returns from injury, he will add yet another dimension to the offense, as he can be the screener or set up at the wings prepared to take jump shots.

Defense tonight was a strong point for the Knicks, as the second unit really stepped it up in the fourth quarter.  Led by Kidd and Prigioni each getting two steals, the second unit played outstanding and was a big reason the Knicks came out on top tonight.  Copeland, who didn’t play in the first half, scored 21 points in the game and grabbed four rebounds, putting on his best Carmelo Anthony impersonation.  The performance tonight should give Mike Woodson and his staff a positive feeling of where the second unit is heading, even without top gun J.R. Smith, who sat out tonight with a sore left ankle.  

There were some negatives the Knicks need to work on tonight, with one glaring negative being transition defense.  The Knicks managed only two fast break points compared to the 12 the Celtics score; a number that could have been much higher for the Celtics.  Rajon Rondo presents a nightmare for any opposing defense, but the Knicks will need to limit these opportunities for their opponents as they are more geared towards grinding it out in the half-court.

The Knicks need to also continue to build continuity on the offensive side of the ball, as they became very stagnant at points tonight, with players just standing around the perimeter watching the play.  Anthony needs to continue his development of becoming more of a facilitator on the court and Woodson needs to keep working on schemes to get people into better positions to score.  The offense still is a work in progress right now, especially with a main cog like Stoudemire sidelined currently.

Back to Copeland, who played himself into a roster spot with tonight’s performance.  Copeland gave the Knicks spirited effort tonight, banging in the paint with the Celtics bigs and playing very physical down low.  He attacked the basket on the offensive end, scoring 21 points and attempting 13 free throws, making nine.  Copeland also looked very strong as the screener in the pick-and-roll with Kidd and Prigioni throughout the fourth quarter and overtime.

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Copeland gives the Knicks something they lack in a young inside presence.  With the age of Kurt Thomas and Marcus Camby, who is already nursing a calf injury, it would not be the worst to have a young alternative in Copeland on the bench.  The health of Stoudemire isn’t a given either, so having as many able bodied options as possible is a must.

The Knicks will look to continue building on what has been a strong preseason thus far as they will travel north of the border Friday, October 19^th to play against the Toronto Raptors at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

Knicks Sign Rasheed Wallace

Knicks Sign Rasheed Wallace

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The New York Knicks, already the oldest team in the a little older this week with the addition of power forward/center Rasheed Wallace.  The Knicks and Wallace agreed to non-guaranteed contract for the veterans’ minimum of $1.7 million for one season.  Wallace ended his retirement to play for the Knicks, last playing in the NBA during the 2009-2010 season for the Boston Celtics. 

 “I’m not expecting to come in here to average 25 points.  I’m not expecting to come in here to average 35, 40 minutes,” said Wallace.  “I’m not one to complain.  I know I’m not the number 1 guy here. I’m willing to accept my role.”  Wallace is expected to help the Knicks off the bench as a backup to starting power forward Amar’e Stoudemire. 

Wallace will add another dimension to an already deep Knicks team, as he is an above average post defender and can knock down an outside jump shot.  His veteran leadership will also be coveted, as the goal for the Knicks front office this off-season was to surround Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler with veterans as the Knicks are in win-now mode. 

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Part of the reason Wallace came out of retirement and joined the Knicks was the feeling that the Knicks could win this season.  Wallace’s agent, Bill Strickland, also added that the relationship that Wallace has with Knicks head coach Mike Woodson made it an easy choice for him, as Wallace was either going to join the Knicks or stay retired.

Woodson and Wallace go back to the 2003-2004 season, when Woodson was an assistant on Larry Brown’s Detroit Pistons staff that won the NBA championship.  After some coaxing and convincing from Woodson, Wallace decided he would give it a go in late August and started making appearances at the Knicks training center in Greenburgh, New York.

What exactly will be Wallace’s role with the Knicks people will ask, and that is still up in the air.  “It’s not like we’re looking at a player who’s going to play a lot of minutes,” Woodson said.  “He’s an insurance policy and (a) what-if.”

As stated earlier, Wallace should see some minutes as the backup to Stoudemire and can also fill in at center when needed.  Wallace will have some catching up to do, being away from the NBA for two seasons and playing only in North Carolina Pro-Am leagues.  Here is a video of Wallace at the pro-am but please be advised, the video contains strong language and is not suitable for all ages.

Even without viewing that video, it is common knowledge that conditioning will be a concern for Wallace and the Knicks.  “If he gets in and plays 5-10 minutes, we’ve got to hope it’s the best 5-10 minutes to help us win basketball games.  We’ve got enough guys on this team that we don’t have to play guys a lot of minutes,” Woodson said. 

“We’re not looking to have Rasheed play 40 minutes a night…. He’s a veteran player who knows what it takes to get himself in game-ready shape and we have high confidence that he’ll be ready to go when it’s time,” said Stoudemire when asked about the signing.

No matter how its cut, this is a low-risk, high-reward move for the Knicks.  If Wallace proves to be too far from basketball shape, they can cut him no problem since his contact is not guaranteed.  But if he gives the Knicks any type of production, he can be a valuable piece on what has become a very deep team both on and off the court with his knowledge of the game and experience.