Knicks Left Standing as Last Undefeated Team

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The Knicks are off to their best start since the 1999-2000 season and setting records in the process.  They are the first team in franchise history to win the first three games of the season by 15+ points and set an NBA record by knocking down 43 three points in those games.  The Knicks are also the last standing undefeated team in the NBA, as the Clippers beat the Spurs and the Bulls beat the Magic earlier in the week.

What makes this start so impressive, even though it is still early in the season, is that the Knicks are playing without three key rotation players in Amar’e Stoudemire, Iman Shumpert and Marcus Camby.  Camby is expected to make his season debut Friday night against the Mavericks, but Stoudemire and Shumpert are out for multiple weeks.

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One reason for the great play is because the Knicks have three seasoned veterans at the point guard position that have the respect of their teammates and can run an offense.  Raymond Felton, on his second go-round with the Knicks, Jason Kidd and Pablo Prigioni have been getting everyone involved in the offense and offer a calming influence when on the court.  The three players have combined for 42 assists compared to 17 turnovers, seemingly to always put their teammates in the easier position to score.

Kidd has been forced into the starting lineup with the injury to Stoudemire and ran with the role.  He starts at the 2 for the Knicks and the offense clicks with him on the court.  It’s another player willing to make an extra pass on the court in the starting lineup and the savvy-ness of Kidd cannot be measured as he is capable of hitting anyone cutting to the basket.  For at least one week, these three have combined to make Knick fans finally realize losing Jeremy Lin was not as bad as many people made it out to be.

Another positive to the three guards is that they can all handle the ball well as the lead guard or play off the ball.  Kidd has become an exceptional spot up shooter and Felton demands attention at the three point line; this enables the Knicks to play any three of the point guards on the guard together because they can adapt to different roles, something that is a vast improvement over the team from last season.  Last season, the Knicks were unable to even get one consistent ball handler on the court, leading to a bevy of turnovers and no cohesion on the offensive side of the ball. 

Another factor in the great start to the season is the play of J.R. Smith.  Throughout his career, Smith has been looked at as an enigma, someone with all the potential in the world but never mature enough to harness his ability.  Smith admittedly has said he has never missed a shot he has disliked, is known for outbursts and chucking up bad shots whenever he pleases, driving coaches nuts; thus far through this season none of those negatives are showing.

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Smith seems to have been harnessed by head coach Mike Woodson, as Woodson allows Smith to be himself but is very hard on him at the same time.  Smith respects Woodson and plays hard for him every night.  Smith is more under control this season and it has shown, as he is the second most efficient player on the Knicks with a Player Efficiency Rating, a metric used by ESPN’s John Hollinger to measure players efficiency on a per-minute basis, with a 20.3 behind only Carmelo Anthony’s 24.0.

Anthony is another player who has set the tone for the Knicks, as he finally looks comfortable in his role with the team.  Anthony has always been looked at as a one-dimensional player, only showing up on the offensive end of the court, but thus far this season that is not true.  He leads the Knicks in scoring, like he should, but he also leads the team in rebounding and blocks.  He has also shown an improved effort on defense, going toe-to-toe with Lebron James in the first game of the season and guarding Thaddeus Young both nights against Philadelphia. 

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Anthony also looks more comfortable as the whole burden of leading the team no longer falls upon only his shoulders as the veteran presence of Kidd, Camby, Rasheed Wallace and Kurt Thomas has really helped Anthony.  All of those players bring loads of experience and a wealth of knowledge for not only Anthony but the rest of the team to benefit from. 

The Knicks cannot get full of themselves though, as they are still only three games into the season with a long way to go. Felton put it in perspective saying, “We can’t be satisfied right now.  We’re not going to lay it down like ‘We’ve got everything figured out.’ We still got a long way to go.  We still got to get better on defense, we still got to execute better on offense.  We still got a lot of things we got to do.  We’ve got to rebound better.”

Felton is 100 percent right with what he said; the Knicks cannot get comfortable because they have had a successful first week.  They have a great opportunity to build on this early success though, as a banged up Mavericks squad visits Madison Square Garden Friday night and a game in Orlando against an inferior Magic team next Tuesday. No one will remember this start if the Knicks begin to struggle or they have another early exit in the playoffs, so it is imperative to just keep building off of this and make this into something special.

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 Take Preseason Opener in Washington

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Final Score: New York Knicks: 108 Washington Wizards: 101

Knicks Take Preseason Opener in Washington

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In what is out of character for a Mike Woodson led team, the Knicks did not have to rely on defense tonight as they scored at a ferocious pace in beating the Wizards 108-101.  The first preseason game saw the Knicks knock down 18 of 33 three point attempts, good for 54.5 percent.

The Knicks got off to a hot start tonight, as Raymond Felton was working the pick-and-roll game fluently with Tyson Chandler.  The Knicks scored 38 points off 11 assists, four of which were from Felton, in the first quarter which ended with the Knicks up 17. 

Felton, whose conditioning has been called into question, looked to be in great shape last night, running the offense well and pushing the tempo when needed.  He showed great explosion and looked like he could have played a full compliment of minutes. 

For as good as the first quarter went, the second quarter was bad.  The starting lineup in the second quarter was Felton, Pablo Prigioni, John Shurna, Steve Novak and Chris Copeland, an average lineup at best that has a very small likelihood of being on the court in regular season play.  The Wizards took advantage of the Knicks lineup, racking up a 22-0 run to start the quarter and get them back in the game. 

The pick-and-roll options were no where to be seen, as Chandler was getting a rest and Amar’e Stoudemire and Marcus Camby were both out with injuries.  The Knicks offense became very stagnant in the second quarter, as they settled for too many jump shots and allowed the Wizards to get into a rhythm and get back into the game. 

The game was close until the fourth quarter, when the Knicks, specifically Steve Novak, J.R. Smith and Prigioni started to heat up and light it up from distance.

Novak was a big difference maker in the game, as he continued right where he left off last season as the best 3 point shooter in the NBA, going 7 for 7 from downtown.  Novak led the Knicks in scoring tonight, totaling 21 points.  Carmelo Anthony, who rested for long portions of the game, totaled 17 points thanks mostly to a strong opening quarter ands taking the Knicks to an early lead.

Anthony will be someone to keep an eye on this season.  He is now the most prominent player in the NBA without a ring with Lebron James winning his first last season and has a lot of people to prove wrong.  Could that change this season?

Anthony is said to be in the best shape of his career, after winning another Olympic gold medal this summer.  Anthony is also healthy this season, as last year he battled through right thumb and left wrist injuries that played into him losing accuracy on his shot.  If Anthony can bring the perimeter shooting from the Olympics with him to the Knicks, he will be a major headache for opposing defenses.  It will be yet another weapon in the arsenal for the Knicks and Mike Woodson to put to use.

The injury report for the Knicks tonight was pretty lengthy, with Stoudemire sitting out with a bruised knee, Camby out with a left calf strain, James White with a sore right hamstring, Rasheed Wallace with a lack of conditioning and Ronnie Brewer, Iman Shumpert and Chris Smith all with knee-related injuries. 

Next up for the Knicks is a visit to the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut to take on the rival Boston Celtics on October 13 at 7:30 P.M.

Knicks Loss Ronnie Brewer for 6 Weeks

Knicks Loss Shooting Guard for 6 Weeks

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On Friday, the New York Knicks announced that newly acquired shooting guard Ronnie Brewer underwent arthroscopic left knee surgery and will be out for six weeks.  The procedure was done by Knicks orthopedic surgeon Dr. Answorth Allen.

Brewer was in high spirits though after the surgery Friday, as he was able to send out a tweet to his followers, “If y’all haven’t already heard I had successful meniscus surgery.  Started rehab this morning.  Minor setback for a major comeback.  I appreciate the prayers and get well soons from everyone.  Much appreciated.  Will for sure be 100 (percent) for season opener.”

The time table given by the doctors is right in line with Brewers tweet, as the Knicks start camp in 25 days and have their regular season opener in 8 weeks, meaning the 6 week timetable will give Brewer two weeks of preseason to get into shape.

The Knicks say that Brewer suffered the medial meniscus tear in the past two weeks, but cannot pinpoint a specific incident that caused the injury.  Brewer’s agent, Henry Thomas, gives some insight saying that the injury occurred from “wear and tear over time.”

Shooting guard Iman Shumpert is still recovering from his own devastating knee injury that he suffered in the first game of the playoff series against the Miami Heat this past season.  J.R. Smith could be called upon to be the starter initially at shooting guard for the Knicks, even though his skill set is better for coming off the bench.  This injury does open up minutes though, which could mean we see what James White can do in extended playing time; it is a good opportunity for him to show that he belongs not only in the NBA but in an NBA rotation.

Injuries were a problem for the Knicks last season and played a big part in the outcome of the year.  Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, Jeremy Lin, Baron Davis and Jared Jeffries all missed time during the regular season with moderate to significant set backs.  Davis, Shumpert, Stoudemire also missed time during the playoffs, as Lin missed the series all together.  Staying healthy will be a deciding factor to just how deep this Knicks team can go in the playoffs.  

Knicks Sign Ronnie Brewer

Knicks Sign Ronnie Brewer

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The New York Knicks and shooting guard/small forward Ronnie Brewer agreed to a contract Wednesday.  Terms of the contract were not made known by the club per team policy, but it is believed to be a one year deal worth the veteran’s minimum of $1.4 million.

This is a good signing just on value alone for the Knicks, as Brewer had seen his per year salary rise his first six years in the NBA, playing for $4.7 million this past season with the Bulls.

The 6’7” Brewer has career averages of 9.0 points per game on 50.1% shooting in his six seasons in the NBA with Utah, Memphis and Chicago.

The Knicks like what Brewer brings on defense more than what his offensive game is.  Brewer will be relied upon early on to be the stopper, a role left vacant with the injury to Iman Shumpert. 

Brewer should be penciled into the starting lineup, as he has started 267 out of 418 games in the NBA; Him starting would also allow the Knicks to move J.R. Smith back to 6^th man, a role both him and the Knicks would benefit more from. 

The Bulls declined his $4.37 million option, letting Brewer to instead test the market.  After not finding many suitors, he settled for a one year deal with a contender in the Knicks. 

Brewer is the latest in a flurry of moves made by General Manager Glen Grunwald this off-season for the Knicks.  With the roster now standing at 14 players, the Knicks are expected to look into adding another veteran power forward.  Keep an eye on Kenyon Martin and Andray Blatche as two potential targets.

Linsanity Officially Over in New York

Linsanity Official Ends in New York

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Just as quickly as Jeremy Lin became a sensation in New York, he has been shown the door from Madison Square Garden.  Midnight struck on the magic of Linsanity in New York as Jeremy Lin will be going back to the team that cut him, the Houston Rockets, with a big contract the New York Knicks felt was too much to match.  The Knicks had until midnight Tuesday, July 17 to make a decision, but it had been being reported since Sunday July 15^th that the Knicks were not going to match.

Lin signed a big three year, $25.1 million contract that included a “poison pill” third year in which his base salary would have skyrocketed to $14.8 million.  Lin got basically $1 million for every start he made last year, which is unheard of even in the NBA where bloated contracts are common.

One reason the Knicks decided against retaining Lin was the money he would have cost them.  As a tax paying team, the Knicks have to pay two and a half times every dollar they are over the salary cap, meaning in the third year of Lin’s contract, he would have effectively been costing the Knicks nearly $30 million.  That was something the Knicks management was unwilling to do after deliberations throughout the weekend and decided it was best to let him walk and go a different route.  Even with the massive amounts of money the Knicks could have made off Lin, it was not worth the money they would have to pay.  They will still reap tons of money as they sold-out their season tickets even before Lin came back.

That other route for the Knicks was to make acquisitions to replace Lin.  With Lin in limbo, the Knicks got going adding three veteran point guards.  The Knicks stole Jason Kidd for the mid-level exception at three years and $9 million from the Dallas Mavericks and signed Argentinean veteran Pablo Prigioni to the rookie minimum.

The sign and trade for point guard Raymond Felton is what really set off the end of Linsanity rumors that eventually came to fruition.  Felton was quoted as saying that Lin would be sent packing once the Knicks finalized the trade for him; Felton was right as Lin’s offer sheet was not matched.

The moves the Knicks made at point guard will more than make up for Lin in my opinion.  Lin had trouble meshing with Carmelo Anthony once he returned from injury, having his stats drop dramatically when on the court with Anthony.  Players will blame Anthony for such a drop off, but Lin should have some blame placed on him as well as his turnover rate was sky-high and he lost all aggressiveness with Anthony on the court.

Felton had an outstanding half of season with the Knicks before being shipped out in the Anthony trade two seasons ago.  His return people hope will rejuvenate Amar’e Stoudemire, who struggled last season no matter who was on the court. 

Kidd and Prigioni will also bring veteran leadership and experience that Lin just does not have yet. Kidd has experience against and beating the Miami Heat, while Prigioni has played competitively for nearly 17 seasons in the Olympics and overseas. 

Another thing these veterans bring is shooting ability.  With the offense undoubtedly going to be run through Anthony, the Knicks will need shooters on the court to space the floor.  Felton and Kidd are better spot up shooters than Lin, which will help in the long run.

One thing that has not been talked about but is a big reason for Lin not being brought back is James Dolan.  Everyone pokes fun at Dolan because of the ineptitude of the Knicks recently and some of his bone headed moves, but he is not someone to cross, which Jeremy Lin may have done.

Lin hag agreed to a contract with the Rockets at first thought to be worth four years and $28 million, which the Knicks responded with saying they would definitely match; Mike Woodson went as far as to call Lin his starting point guard for next season.  Within a day, the Rockets and Lin announced the signing of a three year $25 million contract, which included the $14.8 million third year instead of a third year of $9 million with a team option on the fourth year.

This move reportedly infuriated Dolan, as he felt slighted and betrayed by Lin, who had received his break with the Knicks and turned around and basically turned on them. 

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There was also word going around that some people within the Knicks organization and staff, namely head coach Mike Woodson and Anthony, was not happy with Lin.  Woodson secretly did not fully buy into the whole Linsanity thing, feeling Lin did not have as much potential as some fans thought he did, something many advanced NBA scouts share.  Woodson, along with Anthony, was also not happy that Lin was not more willing to play in the playoffs when the Knicks were in desperate need of players with Iman Shumpert and Baron Davis both going down with season-ending injuries.  The unwillingness to play rubbed them the wrong way, as it gives off and impression of putting yourself in front of the team because of looming free agency; especially when Lin deemed himself 85% ready.  No one is 100% healthy come playoff time, so someone considered 85% is a pretty healthy and expected to play.

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No one except the Knicks and possibly Lin will know the real reason as to why Lin will no longer be playing for the Knicks.  Money is usually not a problem with the Knicks, so do not always believe everything you hear in the media.  At the same time, maybe money was the issue, which would mean that the new Collective Bargaining Agreement that was put in because of the lockout may actually be working.  When a team as big time and rich as the Knicks are afraid of looming tax problems, it would seem the CBA is doing its job of making teams think twice about flying past the salary cap.

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Jason Kidd Chooses Knicks over Mavs

Jason Kidd to Sign with Knicks

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In what is thought to be quite a turn of events, point guard Jason Kidd will be joining the New York Knicks.

Kidd, formerly of the Dallas Mavericks, was thought to be heavily considering re-signing with the team.  In fact, as of this morning, the news was that Kidd had actually agreed to three year $9 million contract and that the Knicks were now putting their focus on Raymond Felton.

But as quickly as that news started to spread, Kidd had a change of heart and decided to become a Knick.  After being outbid by the Lakers for Steve Nash, the Knicks needed to make a move and adding Kidd was a great pickup.  The Knicks gave Kidd the same contract, signing him for three years and $9 million.

Kidd will bring a lot to the Knicks that they have been lacking.  He brings championship caliber leadership and is a highly respected veteran around the NBA.  He adds size to a Knicks backcourt; being a bigger body he should be able to play with any other guard on the Knicks roster.  Also, Kidd will aid the Knicks in the rebounding game, an area in which they struggled at times with this past season. 

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Kidd also would be an outstanding mentor for Jeremy Lin if the Knicks are able to bring him back.  Kidd knows a lot about the game of basketball and has been able to change the type of player he is as he has aged.  He has a plethora of knowledge that he would have no problem sharing with Lin, as Kidd enjoys taking on younger players and mentoring them.  Don’t forget that the Knicks also have another young guard in Iman Shumpert who could learn a thing or two from Kidd as well. 

A reason for the change of heart for Kidd, one that is not basketball related, has not been talked about much.  That reason is an opportunity to be closer to his kids.  After going through an ugly divorce earlier in his career, he now has a possibility to make up for lost time with his children, being a short distance away instead of halfway across the United States.

Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler Receive Awards

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The Knicks as a team did not reach the goals they had set for themselves, but some players did receive personal awards.  They will graciously accept these awards, but obviously would rather be on a stage like Lebron James and the Miami Heat winning a championship next season.

In addition to winning the Defensive Player of the Year award, Tyson Chandler was put on an All-Defensive team. Shockingly, it was not All-NBA First team, but instead Second team. 

Dwight Howard was the First team Center and Serge Ibaka, who many thought should have been the DPOY, was also on the First team as a Forward.  But Chandler deserved the award after how much he turned the Knicks defense around from one of the worst defenses in 2010-2011 to a top five defensive efficient team with Chandler on board. 

It needs to be noted that the voting for the DPOY and All-NBA Defensive teams are done by different groups; DPOY is done by a select group of media, and NBA coaches choose the All-NBA teams.

This is not the first time that the DPOY was placed on the Second team All-Defense, as it occurred in 1986 to Alvin Robertson and again in 1995 to Dikembe Mutombo. 

Iman Shumpert also impressed coaches throughout the season with his defensive play, as he garnered four first-team votes and five second-team votes, making for a total of 13 points.  He was four points shy, or two first place votes, of making All-NBA Second team Defensive.

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In addition to the DPOY award and making All-NBA Defensive Second Team, Chandler was named to the All-NBA Third team.  He was not alone in receiving this distinction, as Carmelo Anthony was also added to the team.  Chandler and Anthony were joined by Miami Heat's Dwayne Wade, Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo, and Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki.

The All-NBA First team included Miami Heat’s Lebron James, Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant, Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard, Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant and Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul.

The All-NBA Second team featured Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin, Minnesota Timberwolves’ Kevin Love, Los Angeles Lakers’ Andrew Bynum, San Antonio Spurs’ Tony Parker and Oklahoma City Thunders’ Russell Westbrook.

The All-NBA teams were chosen by a group of 120 sportswriters and broadcasters handpicked throughout the United States and Canada. 

Iman Shumpert Named to All-Rookie First Team

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Today Iman Shumpert was named to All-Rookie First team by the NBA.  Shumpert is joined by Cleveland Cavalier Kyrie Irving, Minnesota Timberwolf Ricky Rubio, Denver Nugget Kenneth Faried, Golden State Warrior Klay Thompson, San Antonio Spur Kawhi Leonard and Detroit Piston Brandon Knight.

Normally there are only five players named to the team, but there was a three-way tie between Leonard, Knight and Shumpert so all three were given recognition.

The All-Second Team featured Houston Rocket Chandler Parsons, Sacramento King Isaiah Thomas, New Jersey Net MarShon Brooks, Minnesota Timberwolf Derrick Williams and Cleveland Cavalier Tristan Thompson.

Shumpert averaged 9.5 points 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game this season.  He was also seventh in the NBA in steals at 1.7 per game.  Shumpert suffered a serious knee injury in Game 1 against the Miami Heat in the playoffs, tearing his ACL and meniscus.  He faces a 6-8 month rehab process, with the Knicks hoping he is able to return in December or January.

New York Knicks vs. Miami Heat Series Roundup

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NBA Playoffs Series Review: 

Miami Heat beat New York Knicks 4-1

The Knicks came into the playoffs riding a hot streak, but were unable to continue their great play against a better Miami Heat team.  Injuries were a concern heading into the post-season for the Knicks and it got worse throughout the series.  The Knicks were unable to build any continuity in this series, starting a different lineup basically every game with a different Knick going down every game or another player being deemed unable to play for the series.  Even with all those problems and knowing what they were up against, the players never gave up; even if at times the execution, aggressiveness and intensity were not at levels they needed to be at.

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 Injuries doomed the Knicks from the beginning.  Heading into the playoffs, players like Jared Jeffries and Baron Davis were already nursing nagging injuries.  They gave everything they could, but in the end it was not enough.  It was also not the end of the injuries for the Knicks.  Tyson Chandler developed the stomach flu before Game 1, greatly impacting his performance throughout the series. Game 1 we saw promising rookie Iman Shumpert tear his ACL and lateral meniscus; he is looking at an 8 month rehab.  Game 4 Baron Davis suffered a horrific knee injury, tearing his ACL and MLC in addition to partially tearing his patella.  His career is potentially over, facing a 12 month rehab. Let’s also not forget Amar’e Stoudemire hitting his hand on a fire extinguisher case resulting in a laceration on his left hand that required 15 stitches.  He missed Game 3 because of the injury and is lucky to only miss that as doctors told Stoudemire that he was a millimeter away from hitting a nerve, which would have ended his basketball career on the spot.  These injuries and constant changing of the team was just too much for the Knicks to overcome.

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 The Heat just seemed more prepared than the Knicks.  Right from the start of the series, it was evident that the Heat and their coaching staff had made the necessary adjustments.  They changed their defensive approach against the Knicks, specifically, Carmelo Anthony.  The Heat decided to front Anthony, making it difficult for the Knick guards to get Anthony the ball in good spots on the court.  If Anthony did end up with the ball, he was far away from the basket and then faced double and triple teams, forcing him into tough situations.  Mike Woodson and the Knicks were able to figure it out for spurts, but were unable to overcome the Heat as they just seemed to be one step ahead of the Knicks the whole series. 

Another thing that stood out was the play of Steve Novak.  He became a folk hero in New York, knocking down 3 pointer after 3 pointer after being inserted into the rotation.  But his disappearing act in the playoffs was alarming.  Novak managed to only get off nine shots in the five game series.  A lot of this can be credited to the Heat’s stifling defense but it is still worth noting that he got up 17 shots in three regular season games against the Heat.  This was a disappointment for the Knicks, as the Heat were one of the worst teams in the NBA at defending the 3 point shot.  It was an area the Knicks should have thrived in, but instead they floundered; another example of the Heat coaching staff preparing their team better than Mike Woodson and his Knicks staff.  The front office will have a difficult decision to make with Novak this off-season.

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The bench had been a strong point for the Knicks all season but did not have the impact in the series as hoped.  Novak, as mentioned earlier, was neutralized by a swarming Heat defense.  J.R. Smith was a gamer, but struggled mightily from the field.  Smith shot 24-76 from the field, good for 31.6% and an even more disappointing 5-28 from 3 point range, good for 17.9%.  One positive for Smith though was, outside of Carmelo Anthony, he was the only player on the Knicks who was able to get his own shot.  They did not fall as often as you’d hope, but he was aggressive and never backed down from tough match-ups with Lebron James and Dwayne Wade.  Smith has said in the past that he will test the free agent market this season, but as a Knicks fan I really hope he is back.  Sure he is immature at times, but he brings it every game and with a little guidance would become an outstanding player.

The defense was not up to the level it needed to be for the Knicks to pull off an upset.  Injuries really set the Knicks back from the beginning of the series.  Jared Jeffries was limited throughout because of a sore knee he was unable to overcome from the regular season.  Jeffries anchored the defense on the 2^nd unit and without him they struggled to keep the Heat at bay.  Losing Iman Shumpert in Game 1 was a huge blow as well. Shumpert is quickly becoming one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, defending the opposing teams’ best players on a nightly basis.  Tyson Chandler being under the weather was the biggest blow.  Since coming over as a free agent this past off-season, Chandler has changed the culture around New York.  He turned the Knicks from a laughing stock on defense the past few seasons into a top 5 defensive team this season.  Without him manning the middle and setting the tone from the beginning of the series, the Knicks were doomed. 

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In the playoffs the stars are supposed to shine their brightest.  For the Knicks they had the unfortunate draw of having to face three of them in Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.  Those three outshined the Knicks star duo of Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire.  Outside of a spirited Game 4 performance in which Anthony and Stoudemire combined for 61 points and 16 rebounds, the rest of the series was pretty much lackluster.  Stoudemire struggled with foul trouble and inconsistency, finally blowing up after Game 2 when he suffered the laceration on his hand.  Anthony had 3 big scoring outputs, but they were not the more efficient outings, taking a high number of shots to reach those totals. Anthony was unable to carry the Knicks against a superior Heat squad alone.

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 So ends the roller coaster Knicks season.  This season was like a roller coaster that was really hyped up, but ended up falling short of expectations.  There were low points and high points throughout the season.  I am happy as a Knicks fan that they were able to overcome so many distractions throughout the season to make the playoffs, just hoped for a better performance.  The Knicks did end their 13 game playoff losing streak which is something to build off of for next year.

Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks Game 4 Post Game Recap

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Final Score: Miami Heat 87 New York Knicks 89

The Knicks live to fight on for another day after pulling off a thrilling victory this afternoon at the Garden over the Miami Heat.  They also ended their losing streak at 13 for consecutive playoff losses, winning for the first time since April 29^th 2001.  The Knicks avoided getting swept for the second consecutive post-season with the win tonight as well.

-Amar’e Finally Shows

Amar’e Stoudemire, who missed Game 3 because of the laceration on his left hand, returned to the lineup tonight and finally played like the STAT Knick fans became accustomed to seeing last season.  He showed a lot of heart and guts in playing tonight, not wanting to give up on his teammates and fans after hurting himself after Game 2.

Stoudemire finished with a double-double, going for 20 points and 10 rebounds.  Stoudemire got off to a blazing start, scoring six points and grabbing two rebounds in the first quarter before foul trouble forced him to the bench.  Stoudemire faced foul trouble throughout the first half, but was still able to provide a dominant performance despite that and the huge wrap on his hand.

Stoudemire had an eight-layer wrap administered to his hand before the game so he could play tonight.  Stoudemire, who has been inconsistent with his effort on the defensive end and on the glass, could have easily coasted and use the left hand as an excuse as to why he didn’t play well.  But that is the last thing on Stoudemire’s mind.  He is a competitor and a fighter, and gave a very spirited and effort filled performance this afternoon.

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 Stoudemire is well aware what he did was not smart, quieted some critics after this afternoon.  He was determined to return to the court for Game 4, owing it to himself and his teammates and fans to give it a go.  He not only gave it a go, but put on his best performance in a game the Knicks really needed him in.  Tonight, Stoudemire played more like the Power Forward he is labeled as.

-Melo Lights up the Garden

After putting forth a lackluster performance in Game 3, Carmelo Anthony came out determined to end the Knicks playoff woes.  That is exactly what he did with the help of Amar’e Stoudemire.

Anthony put on a show for the fans in attendance, scoring 41 points on 15-29 shooting, adding six rebounds and a team high four assists.  Anthony was not letting the Knicks lose tonight, knocking down clutch shot after clutch shot in the 4^th quarter to keep the Knicks in the game.  The stat that sticks out the most to me is that Anthony only had one turnover in Game 4, cutting that number down from five in Game 3.

The ball movement tonight with Anthony was also much better.  Anthony found teammates on a number of occasions who stepped up when needed.  It was a pleasure to finally see Anthony co-exist with Stoudemire on the court, as the two combined for a dominating 61 points, 16 rebounds and five assists.  The two also combined for +20 in the game, something that hadn’t happened all post-season and rarely happened in the regular season.

When Knicks management added Anthony into the fold last season, these are the types of games they expected every night.  Better late than never I say, as for at least one afternoon the dynamic offensive duo had the Garden rocking.

-Defensive Effort

The Knicks made a concerted effort tonight on the defensive end.  This helped them stay in the game as their offense outside of Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire sputtered for most of the afternoon.  The Knicks can keep up with the Heat when they put forth a defensive effort like they gave in Game 4. 

Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh combined for 66 points, but the Knicks made them work for their scores as they shot a combined 22-49, good for 45%.  They forced the threesome into 11 turnovers as well.

The Heat’s Big 3 are going to get theirs, but the key for the Knicks was shutting down the role players that surround them.  The Knicks held the Heat to 3-19, 15.8%, shooting from the 3 point line and held the bench to a combined nine points. 

The Knicks held the Heat to 41.1% shooting overall, which was the key to this victory, as the Knicks didn’t fair much better on the offensive end, shooting only 42.7% for the game.

-Injury Bug Hits Again

As if the Knicks haven’t suffered enough injuries this season, especially to the backcourt, the injury bug wasn’t done going through the Knicks.  After already being without Jeremy Lin and losing Iman Shumpert in Game 1, you can now add Baron Davis to the injured list.

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 Davis suffered a horrific knee injury in the 3^rd quarter, dislocating his knee cap.  Watching Davis lay there in pain was sickening, as the injury was visibly nauseating.  The reactions of players and fans alike told you everything you needed to know about the injury.  A stretcher was asked for right away, as Davis could not get off the court without one.  Our wishes and prayers go out to Baron Davis for a speedy recovery on such a devastating injury. 

With the injury, Mike Bibby was forced into extended action and he did as well as anyone could have ask him.  This was quite possibly the best performance Bibby has put on as a Knicks given the circumstances and everything going on.  Bibby knocked down huge 3 point shots, and helped on the boards grabbing five rebounds.  If not for such a great performance by Bibby in relief duty, the outcome of this game could have easily been worse for the Knicks. 

Game 5 between the Knicks and Heat will be Wednesday, May 9^th back in Miami at 7:00 P.M. ET.  The Knicks will look to avoid elimination again, and could help be on the way in the form of Jeremy Lin?  He would be a welcomed addition with the loss of Baron Davis. “It was a great feeing.  To win here in the Garden – the fans are tremendous,” said Carmelo Anthony.  Hopefully he and the rest of the Knicks have a chance to do it again and can pull out a win Wednesday night.

New York Knicks vs. Miami Heat Post Game Recap: Game 2

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Final Score: New York Knicks 94 Miami Heat 104

The Knicks put on a better performance tonight than in game 1, but still came up short against a strong Heat team.  The Knicks fell to 0-2 in the series, in the process tying the NBA record for most consecutive losses in the playoffs at 12 games.  The Knicks will need to show a little more urgency and aggressiveness in game 3 if they hope to end the playoff losing streak.

-Offensive Flow Improvement

Carmelo Anthony led the charge tonight on offense, coming out of the gate strong and finishing with 30 points.  Anthony scored 14 of the first 24 points for the Knicks, setting the tone early and often.  Mike Woodson and the Knicks made the necessary adjustments so that they could still run their offense effectively.  Instead of keeping Anthony on the wings and the blocks on one side of the court, the offense was run more towards the top of the key.  It balanced out the court more and gave the Knicks more options.

With Anthony playing so well, the Knicks were able to run more of their conventional pick-and-roll offense, balancing out both sides of the court.  Starting Point Guard Baron Davis and back-ups J.R. Smith and Mike Bibby were able to make plays feeding off of Anthony’s great effort.  Davis finished with six assists, while Smith had five and Bibby added two.

Amar’e Stoudemire was also much more active tonight, scoring 18 points and grabbing seven rebounds.  Stoudemire was able to avoid foul trouble and looked much more comfortable tonight compared to Saturday afternoon.

-Tyson Chandler Shows Up

Battling the flu is not an easy thing to do, especially when you’re expected to be a vocal point of your team.  But that is exactly what Chandler did tonight, having a much better turnout tonight in game 2 than in game 1.  He was still not 100%, but he was much closer to his regular self, showing much more aggressiveness on offense, defense and the boards. 

Chandler led a pretty dominant performance for the Knicks on the glass tonight, especially on the offensive end.  Chandler had six offensive rebounds tonight and seven total.  In limited action, Jared Jeffries compiled three offensive rebounds of his own.  Anthony and Stoudemire did a good job of cleaning up the defensive glass, combining for 14 defensive rebounds and 16 total.

-Where is the aggressiveness?

Much like in Game 1, the Knicks were not aggressive enough in attacking the paint to get to the foul line.  They attempted only 19 free throws compared to 27 for the Heat.  The Knicks have to make a more concentrated effort in getting to the foul line.  Right now they are giving in to easily to the pressure from the Heat and letting it fly from the perimeter way too often.  It is okay to take perimeter shots when they are there, but many of these shots are contested and forced towards the end of the shot clock.  The Knicks need to get more flow and continuity to their offense and it will open things up for them.  Too often the Knicks are stagnant, standing around watching Anthony or Smith dribble and take pull up jumpers.

-Rotation Changes

It still perplexes me as to why Landry Fields gets so much run with the first unit.  Obviously, the injury to Iman Shumpert has caused changes to be made.  But Fields is not the answer in my opinion.

When Anthony is double teamed or Davis and Smith break down the defense off the pick-and-roll, passes are wasted to Fields.  Fields will position himself somewhere along the 3 point line and he is where they kick it to.  But Fields is hesitant to let fly from the perimeter and will usually just waste time dribbling and then kicking it back out to the top anyway.  It is wasted time and movement by the Knicks that results in nothing.

Smith and Steve Novak need to be in the game more in those situations because of the skills they offer.  Both Smith and Novak are more than capable 3 point shooters, and the Knicks need to take advantage.  The Heat are one of the worst teams at defending the 3 point shot, so it would be beneficial for the Knicks to work that into their offense more once they return home for Game 3.

-Injury List a Mile Long

The Knicks, for the second straight season, picked the worst time to start to have injuries mount.  Iman Shumpert is out for up to 8 months after tearing his ACL and lateral meniscus and will be missed.  In addition to him, the Knicks have two rotation players in Baron Davis and Jared Jeffries who cannot give you extended minutes you need in the playoffs.  I believe Mike Woodson needs to give a chance to other people on the bench like Josh Harrellson and see what they have.  Giving them a shot may give the team a spark they need.

You can also add another name to the injury list now.  Details are still coming out, but it is clear that Amar’e Stoudemire injured his hand.  He was seen coming out of the arena tonight in a sling with bandages covering his hand.  He supposedly punched the glass case that holds the fire extinguisher, shattering it.  It is believed that Stoudemire received stitches in his hand and his status for Game 3 and the remainder of the series are up in the air.

The Knicks return to action Wednesday for Game 3 in the series against the Heat.  It is do or die time for the Knicks now, who will be returning to what will surely be a raucous and loud Madison Square Garden crowd.  

New York Knicks vs. Miami Heat Pre-Game News and Notes: Game 2

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Monday, April 30 2012 7:00 P.M. ET
New York Knicks vs. Miami Heat

Game 2 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals 1-0 Series

The Knicks look to bounce back after a putrid performance in Game 1 against the Miami Heat. The Knicks had one of their worst performances in their franchise's playoff history, tying the least amount of points scored and turnovers in a game. The Knicks have to adjust to the Heat's different defensive strategy they have thrown at them if they want to make this into a series.

-Injury News and Notes

The Knicks suffered a big loss with Iman Shumpert going down with a torn left ACL and lateral meniscus Saturday afternoon. He will be out for the remainder of the series and will be a part of a 6-8 month rehab process.

The news remains the same for Jared Jeffries, who is battling a sore knee. It was reported that he was in a lot of pain after playing only seven minutes Saturday. He practiced Sunday and will give the Knicks whatever he can. Expect him to be limited again though and to be on a strict minutes limit again.

Starters Baron Davis and Tyson Chandler both came out of Game 1 worse than they entered. Mike Woodson says it will be a miracle for Chandler to suit up against the Heat tonight and that Davis is a true game-time decision. Chandler is still battling a case of the stomach flu. Davis has been battling a number of nagging injuries all season and you can add a back injury to that now as well.

*Update: Tyson Chandler and Baron Davis will both in fact be in the lineup tonight starting for the Knicks. Landry Fields will join them in the starting five, replacing Iman Shumpert, along with Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire. Woodson said he decided to start Fields over J.R. Smith at the shooting guard position because he wanted to keep Smith's scoring with the second unit off the bench.

-Bring Defensive Intensity

In Game 1, the Knicks did not present much of a challenge for the Heat a reason for that was their lack of intensity on the defensive end of the court. The Heat were able to get into the heart of the Knicks defense and attack the paint causing high amounts of fouls on the Knicks players. The referees had a hand in the problems making a number of questionable calls, but the Knicks have to not let the officials get in their heads and just keep playing their game.

One area they need to improve on is pressuring Lebron James. They allowed him easy access to the paint, allowing for easy lay-ups and a ton of free throw attempts. The Knicks need to focus more on keeping James on the perimeter and forcing him into taking contested jump shots. The Knicks best chance to winning is making the Heat a perimeter orientated team. The Heat are strongest in the open court and attacking the basket, so slowing the pace and forcing jump shots is the Knicks best defensive strategy.

-Reverse the Roles

The Knicks were dominated in Game 1 and one place it stuck out like a sore thumb was the foul line. The Heat attempted 22 more free throws than the Knicks. Some of that can be credited to the Heat being the more aggressive team but a lot of credit should be given to the referees for giving the Heat so many chances. If you haven’t read it yet, the officiating was abysmal in Game 1.

The Knicks need to come out as the aggressor this time around and set the tone for the game. Carmelo Anthony struggled to start off last game, so getting him going from the beginning would be a huge boost. Stoudemire getting involved would be beneficial as well as he was a non-factor Saturday.

-Second Chance Opportunities

The Knicks have two areas they need to take advantage of against the Heat. The first is 3 point shooting. The Heat are vulnerable to teams that can knock down perimeter shots because of the emphasis they place on the wings and athleticism. That leads into the other area the Knicks need to dominate, which is on the glass.

The Knicks have to take advantage of a smaller Heat front-court. The Knicks need to work the offensive glass and rack up second chance points to slow the Heat down. On the other hand, they need to limit the Heat's second chance points. The Knicks will have trouble keeping up with the Heat because of how athletic they are, so slowing the pace down will be the best option for the Knicks. Making it as much of a half-court, drag it out, beat-em up game as possible is the best option for the Knicks. If they are able to come out as the more aggressive team, beating up the Heat down low, the tone of this series can turn in their favor very quickly.

New York Knicks Grades for Game 1

Game 1 could not have gone much worse for the Knicks and their fan base.  The following post breaking down the grades for the team will reflect that.

Coaching: Grade: D

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There is not much to be said about this one.  Since the last meeting between the Knicks and Heat on April 15^th, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has done more to change game plans than Knicks head coach Mike Woodson and it showed in Game 1.

The first evidence on this was the difference in how the Heat guarded Carmelo Anthony.  They started off fronting him in the post and mid-range areas with whoever was guarding him, most cases being Lebron James or Shane Battier.  A trap would then come from another member of the Heat defense.  This effectively took Anthony out of the offense, forcing him to pass the ball to his teammates hoping they would make a playoff or into tough shot attempts.  The Heat were well prepared on stopping the Knicks superstar and the Knicks had nothing to retaliate with.

The only reason this grade is not an F is because Woodson did have his squad ready to come out and compete mentally and physically.  But Anthony had a rough start, causing a collapse of the Knicks offense and a hole being created that Woodson could not get his guys out of.  A potential reason for this happening is the success the Woodson and the Knicks have been having running their half-court offense through Anthony recently.  Once that was shut down by the Heat, the Knicks were lost on offense and the Heat built an insurmountable lead. 

Woodson flashed some of his frustration uncharacteristally picking up a technical foul early in the 3^rd quarter.  A combination of his team struggling and some questionable calls from the officials put Woodson over the edge.  Look for Woodson and Knicks to have a more complete game plan the next time these teams face off Monday night.

Backcourt: Grade: D+

Baron Davis is single handedly responsible for this not being an F.  Even though the Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks struggled in the 1^st quarter on offense, Davis picked up the slack scoring 10 points.  He knocked down two 3 pointers and even finished a fast break with a dunk.  It was still obvious watching that Davis is limited because of numerous injuries he is playing through.  Davis would eventually hurt his back and not return to the game.

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Iman Shumpert was quite most of the night as well.  He had a nice sequence early in the game against Dwayne Wade but was not heard of much from after that.  Being a rookie playing in his first playoff game it looked like he was slightly intimidated; especially with whom the opponent for the Knicks was.  Sadly, Shumpert was not able to finish out the game as he suffered a left knee injury in the 3^rd quarter.

The injury is a devastating one for Shumpert and the Knicks, as he tore his left ACL and lateral meniscus.  He will miss the remainder of the playoffs and will be sidelined another 6-8 months.  Surgery is scheduled for Monday afternoon back in New York. 

Frontcourt: Grade: F

It is hard to argue with this grade.  When your two superstars in Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire effectively do not show up for a game, there is no higher of a grade you can give.  Anthony was shut down and dominated by Lebron James right from the outset.  James smothered Anthony on defense for most of the night barely giving him enough space to breathe.  Anthony missed his first seven shots of the game, and ended up with 11 points on 3-15 shooting. 

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For whatever reason, Anthony seemed hesitant at times on offense.  He was not his normal attack the defense self that he has been for the last month.  Let’s just hope this was an off game for Anthony and that he will bounce back.  Anthony did at least grab 10 rebounds and was aggressive in doing that.

Stoudemire was mired in foul trouble for a lot of the game and was unable to get into much of a rhythm.  His highlight came in the first quarter when he finished with a thunderous dunk through the heart of the Miami defense.  Other than that he was pretty much a non-factor, scoring only nine points on 2-7 shooting.

Defense: Grade: F

The score should provide all the reason you need behind this grade.  While the Heat scored 100 points, the Knicks tied a franchise low in scoring 67.

The health of Tyson Chandler will be something to pay attention to throughout the series.  Without him playing up to his normal abilities, the Heat slashed through the Knicks defense at will.  There was little resistance given and the Heat took advantage ending up with 33 free throw attempts compared to 11 for the Knicks (this was not all the Knicks fault as it seemed that the referees had strict instructions that Lebron James and the Heat needed all the help they could get.). 

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Another thing that does not help this is the availability of Jared Jeffries.  He is battling a knee injury and is visibly restricted by it.  He is limited to only 15 minutes per game, and was said to be great amount of pain after Saturday afternoon’s game logging only seven minutes.  With all three of the Knicks defensive stoppers in Chandler, Jeffries and Shumpert either battling injuries or already out, it will fall upon the other Knicks to step up their game.

Bottom line is that the Heat came prepared in stopping the Knicks superstars and the Knicks could not do the vice versa.  The Knicks looked lost on defense while the Heat prepared a game plan and worked it to perfection.

Bench: Grade: B

The bench was the only real positive for the Knicks in this one.  J.R. Smith, Steve Novak and Landry Fields all did what was expected of them in the game.

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Smith struggled at times with his handle, turning the ball over four times, but he was not alone in that as the Knicks tied a franchise high with 24 turnovers.  Where Smith exceled was attacking the paint.  He showed no fear going up against James on the defensive end was confidently shooting the ball from the perimeter.

Novak did what he normally does, knocking down both his 3 point attempts.  He also added four rebounds, something the Knicks will need more of with the health concerns of Chandler and Jeffries.  Fields provided energy and a spark off the bench in his short 18 minutes of playing time.  Look for Fields role to change for the remainder of the series though, as he is likely to rejoin the starting five with the injury to Shumpert.