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The NBA Playoffs are finally here and for the second
consecutive season the Knicks will be taking part. The Knicks are going to start to rekindle
their rivalry with the Miami Heat starting Saturday, April 28th at 3:30 P.M. ET .
Here are 10 things that should get you excited about the first-round match-up
with the Heat as if it wasn’t exciting enough to watch your team in the
playoffs.
10.) Lebron Comes to Madison
Square Garden
When Lebron James became a free agent in the summer of 2010,
he entertained the idea of joining the New York Knicks. We all know how it turned out in the end,
with James joining his buddies in South
Beach
9.) Which J.R. Smith Will Show Up?
Knick fans are starting to realize what Nugget and Hornet
fans already knew in that Smith is the definition of a streak shooter. This has resulted in some games in which
Smith has been unconscious at the Garden.
The night that sticks in most fans minds is the game in which he knocked
down seven 3 pointers in a half against the Celtics. On the other hand, there are times where Mike
Woodson and Knick fans like are left shaking their heads in disbelief. Smith is a huge x-factor coming off the bench
in this series and if he can provide for highlights than head-scratchers it
would make an above average Knicks offense that much more potent.
8.) Can the Knicks Grab a Victory?
The Knicks are making their second consecutive trip to the
playoffs, but this is only the third time in the last decade they are doing
so. They have not won a playoff game,
let alone a series, since Jeff Van Gundy was head coach in 2001. A terrible taste was left in the mouth of the
Knicks players, staff and fans alike because of a sweep at the hands of the
Boston Celtics. Can the Heat provide mouthwash
for the Knicks this time around?
7.) Mike Woodson’s Future
Mike Woodson led the Knicks on a ferocious charge after
being named interim head coach, going 18-6 to end the season. With the great
job he did, Woodson has given himself a legitimate chance of being named the
head coach on a full-time basis for next season. Woodson can boost his chances by having the
Knicks put on a good performance this postseason. The way to get that done is by having the
Knicks show the same defensive intensity they showed throughout the end of the
regular season.
6.) Which Amar’e Will Show?
Amar’e Stoudemire had a tough regular season, but was able
to end it with a high note against the Bobcats Thursday night, scoring 21
points and throwing down a monster dunk over Tyrus Thomas. Will Stoudemire be able to bring that
aggressiveness into the playoff series against the Heat? With Stoudemire sidelined the Knicks were
unable to find a consistent scorer behind Carmelo Anthony. Hopefully Stoudemire will fill that role like
envisioned when the season started.
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5.) Shooting Guard Match-Up, Shumpert vs. Wade
Iman Shumpert lived up to the hype that was surrounding him
upon getting drafted as being a defensive stopper. Shumpert has wowed the crowd all season long
with his aggressiveness and prowess on the defensive end, finishing seventh in
the NBA in steals per game with 1.7.
Those steals would more times than not end in a highlight play at the
other end. Shumpert will have his hands
full in the series against Dwayne Wade. Shumpert
will not be able to stop Wade cold in his tracks, but can he at least slow him
down some? This will be a fun match-up
to watch.
4.) Carmelo Anthony on Fire
The Knicks were carried single-handedly by Anthony to finish
the second half of the season once Jeremy Lin and Amar’e Stoudemire went down
with injuries. Anthony put up dominant
stats throughout the month of April, averaging 29.8 points per game and
shooting 49.5% from the field and 46% from 3 point land. The Knicks will need the same effort from
Anthony if they have any hope of making some noise against the Heat in the
first round.
3.) Chandler
Culture Change
The defense chants have rang throughout the Garden for
years. For the first time in what seems
like forever, the Knicks are actually responding to them. Chandler
is the reason behind this turnaround. He
defends the paint as well as any big man in the NBA and set the tone for the
Knicks right when he walked through the doors for the first time. The Knicks were a laughing stock on defense
last season, and have made a complete 180 degree turn into a top five defense
this season. Will that play continue
throughout the playoffs?
2.) Bomb Squad
Steve Novak has come out of nowhere to become the most
beloved player for the Knicks. Every
time he enters the game the crowd gives a loud cheer, and whenever he touches
the ball on the court the crowd gets into a feverish buzz. There is good reason for fans to react in
such a way, as he shot an unheralded 47% from 3 point range this past season.
1.) Superstar Match-up
Carmelo Anthony and Lebron James have been going at it for
years, dating all the way back to their high school days. They are now on the biggest stage of all to
showcase their skills in the NBA playoffs.
Anthony is playing arguably his best basketball of his career, and it
could not have come at a better time for the Knicks. This adds even more intrigue to this match-up
because you know Lebron James will come in prepared and ready to go. It is not time for Anthony to show why the
Knicks traded all those players for him, and to show James what he is missing
when you get a New York home
crowd behind you.
