Knicks Drop Sloppy Game in Chicago

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: New York Knicks: 85 Chicago Bulls: 93

Knicks Drop Sloppy Game in Chicago

The Knicks dropped a tough, hard fought and sloppy game in Chicago Saturday night, falling to the Bulls 93-85.  It was the fourth game in five nights for the Bulls and third in four nights for the Knicks; it showed as both teams looked tired, having trouble knocking down shots and struggling to get anything going.

The Bulls came into the game sporting the best rated defense, and it showed as the Knicks shot only 32.1 percent from the field.  As expected, the Bulls out-rebounded the Knicks, but the margin was much closer than expected at 47-40 in favor of the Bulls.  Here are some positives and negatives from the game tonight:

-Positives

•             James White gave the Knicks good minutes off the bench again with Carmelo Anthony sitting out with a laceration to his left middle finger that required five stitches.  White was rewarded with 13 more minutes tonight after 17 against Miami Thursday and made the most of them.  White finished with a team high +10 +/- and gave the Knicks a good defensive effort, doing a solid job on Luol Deng for the portions he was in the game.

gettyimages.com/york-knicks-v-chicago-bulls-20121208-200654-626.jpg

•            Tyson Chandler was again a monster in the middle for the Knicks, grabbing a season high 18 rebounds to go along with 14 points.  Chandler also showed up big time on the defensive end like Knick fans have become accustomed to seeing, taking his counter-part for the night Joakim Noah out of the game and out playing him.  Noah scored 10 points and had 11 rebounds, but turned the ball over a career high nine times.  It is an impressive feat for Chandler, as Noah came off a career game Friday in which he went for 30 points and 23  rebounds and added six assists.

•             Kurt Thomas again put in a strong effort for the Knicks.  He does not play many minutes,   but you know what you are going to get when he is on the court.  Thomas also helps the Knicks in areas they are weak in, like rebounding.  The Knicks were outrebounded by the Bulls tonight, but they showed effort and energy in attacking the glass even though they were under-manned and lacking some size.  The Knicks were paced by Chandler’s 18 rebounds.

-Negatives

•          The offense lacked without Anthony tonight.  The Knicks were unable to find a consistent scoring threat, as no one had the hot hand for the Knicks tonight.  Against the Heat, the Knicks relied on the pick-and-roll; against the Bulls they had no such success.  Because of this, the Knicks were unable to get many open looks from the perimeter, making only eight three pointers compared to the 12.1 per game they had been making entering the game.

•          J.R. Smith once again struggled, unable to pick up the slack left with Anthony being injured.  It wasn’t for an effort of trying for Smith, as he took 14 shots, eight of which were three pointers, but made only four shots and two from long range.  Smith also struggled with his handle tonight, turning the ball over five times.
•          Ball Security was not where it needed to be for the Knicks tonight, as they turned the ball over 15 times.  The Bulls scored 14 points off the Knicks turnovers and the lack of cohesion led to a stagnant offense that the Knicks could never get going.  The defensive pressure put on by the Bulls definitely played a part, but some of the struggles for the Knicks tonight were self-inflicted.

gettyimages.com/york-knicks-v-chicago-bulls-20121208-180615-275.jpg

•         Raymond Felton put on a masterful performance Thursday against the Heat, but he struggled some against the Bulls.  With Anthony out, the onus fell upon Felton to carry the offense, leading to Felton taking 30 shots from the field.  Felton was able to only make nine of his attempts, scoring 27 points but not doing it efficiently.  Felton said after the game that taking 30 shots is not something he wants to do often.  Not to make excuses for him, but he was hit on his injured left hand early in the game and could have affected him as the game went on.

What to Watch For: New York Knicks vs. Orlando Magic November 13

http://www.eventgrabber.com/event_images/1332245914_Screen_shot_2012-03-20_at_8.17.25_PM.png

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Pre-Game News and Notes

New York Knicks vs. Orlando Magic

The Knicks will look to move to 5-0 for the third time in franchise history Tuesday night against the Magic.  Good things happen when the Knicks start seasons this strong, as in 1993-1994 they lost in the NBA Finals and in 1969-1970 they won the NBA Championship.  Tonight is the start of four games in six nights, the first three of which are on the road.  Here are some things to keep an eye on for the game tonight.

-Keep up Defensive Pressure

The Magic’s offense thus far this season has been offensive.  They are averaging just 87.8 points per game, lowest in the NBA.  It has been even uglier for the Magic in their last four games, all losses, averaging only 77.5 points per game in that span. 

This is something that should continue, as the Knicks are the top team in defensive efficiency currently in the NBA.  The Knicks are playing suffocating defense, holding opponents to a lowly 40.7 percent shooting from the field.  This one has ugly spelled all over it if you are not a Knicks fan.

-Match-ups Against Carmelo Anthony

Early reports are that the Magic will start with Arron Afflalo getting the assignment of guarding Carmelo Anthony, who is leading the NBA with 27.3 points per game.  It will be an interesting thing to keep an eye on throughout the night as Afflalo is a good defender but does not have the size to match-up with players like Anthony; he is more suited guarding shooting and point guards.

If Anthony takes Afflalo to the paint like he should, it will be interesting to see who the Magic turn to.  Power forward Glen Davis does not have the lateral quickness or speed to keep up with Anthony on the perimeter.  In the post, Davis could pose a problem for Anthony but Mike Woodson will definitely put Anthony in position to take advantage of whoever guards him. 

Where the Magic can attack Anthony is on the defensive end, as he has expended much more energy there compared to past seasons.  Because of that extra effort, forcing Anthony to guard someone like Davis would take a toll and theoretically make Anthony less effective on the offensive end of the court because of his energy level being lowered.

-Bench Play

The Knicks bench will play a pivotal role in the game tonight and should be a strength going forward.  The bench for the Knicks is far superior to the one the Magic will use and the Knicks need to take advantage.

J.R. Smith has been playing some of the best basketball of his career and has been a consistent second scoring option behind Anthony for the Knicks with Amar’e Stoudemire.  Smith has helped out on the defensive end and on the boards also, doing everything the Knicks wanted from him and more. 

-Avoid a letdown

This is a quintessential trap game for the Knicks, as the Magic are an opponent that will be looked over by plenty of opponents this season.  With big games against the San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies Thursday and Friday it is not uncommon for players to look past tonight’s game and to the future ones instead. 

This is where the presence of veterans like Kurt Thomas, Marcus Camby, Jason Kidd and Rasheed Wallace come in handy.  They know the ropes of the NBA game and will have to keep everyone focused on the task at hand.  This is a game the Knicks should win by double-digits easily and command right from the opening tip.  

Knicks Grind Out Win, Continue Hot Start

Friday, November 09, 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: Dallas Mavericks: 94 New York Knicks: 104

Knicks Grind Out Win to Continue Hot Start

http://l.yimg.com/iu/api/res/1.2/Ucq_wMNBh3yf.Eea3UFScw--/YXBwaWQ9eXZpZGVvO2NoPTUxMjtjcj0xO2N3PTMxMztkeD0xO2R5PTE7Zmk9dWxjcm9wO2g9NTEyO3E9NzA7dz0zMTM-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_US/Sports/AP_NBA/201211092156789722119-p2.jpg

The Knicks entered the fourth quarter in a close game for the first time this season and came out with the same end result; a double-digit victory.  The Knicks were able to win a tough fought, grind it out game against a much underrated Mavericks squad, winning 104-94.  The Knicks are 4-0 for the first time since the 1993-1994 season when they started 7-0.  According to ESPN’s Stats and Info, the last two times the Knicks started a season 4-0, they won at least 57 games and went to the NBA Finals. 

Tonight was an impressive win for the Knicks because they got it done when they were not at their best.  They did not light it up from downtown like the previous three games, but the effort on the defensive end never gave up and is the reason the Knicks pulled out he victory tonight.  They got baskets when they needed them and played off of their defense, forcing nine turnovers while turning over the ball only nine times. 

Many of those timely hoops came from Carmelo Anthony, who had another strong game even with the Mavericks throwing everything and everything at him.  Anthony scored 31 points on 10 of 22 shooting all while enduring a mugging throughout the night from the Mavericks.  Anthony added seven rebounds and another two blocks, showing intensity on the defensive end again.

http://l.yimg.com/iu/api/res/1.2/dycJAkD_cR9qPSVLDxVQmA--/YXBwaWQ9eXZpZGVvO2NoPTUxMjtjcj0xO2N3PTM2MjtkeD0xO2R5PTE7Zmk9dWxjcm9wO2g9NTEyO3E9NzA7dz0zNjI-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_US/Sports/AP_NBA/201211092006724181263-p2.jpg

Anthony did let the refs and Mavericks get into his head a little bit, evident from the technical foul that was called on him but he was able to put it behind him enough to carry the Knicks in a hard-earned victory.  He also was able to do all this while in foul trouble for most of the game, playing only 29 minutes tonight.

With Anthony in foul trouble, the Knicks needed someone to step up and J.R. Smith rose to the occasion.  Smith continued his great start to the season, scoring 22 points and really picking it up when Anthony was forced to the bench in foul trouble. 

Smith scored nine points on three of five shooting in the pivotal third quarter with Anthony on the bench.  He also was flawless from deep, knocking down all three of his three point attempts. 

http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/gettyimages.com/dallas-mavericks-v-york-knicks-20121109-174628-063.jpg

Where Smith made a big impact was on the defensive end; he didn’t give in to either O.J. Mayo or Vince Carter, the top guns for the Mavericks tonight.  Smith added four steals and one block to his stat line on the defensive end. 

The Knicks endured their worst defensive quarter in the 2^nd, giving up 34 points and allowing the Mavericks to take control of the game.  They didn’t control the game long though, as the Knicks came out with a vengeance in the second half and clamped down on the Mavericks.  The Knicks held the Mavericks to 13 of 37 shooting in the second half and only 37 points in total. 

Mayo had a strong game for the Mavericks, leading the way with 23 points and five of 10 shooting from beyond the arc.  Darren Collison on the other hand was shut down by the Knicks after having a hot start to the season, going one of eight from the field tonight with eight assists and four turnovers.

http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/gettyimages.com/dallas-mavericks-v-york-knicks-20121109-173432-524.jpg

Ronnie Brewer continued to validate Anthony when he said Brewer was the most underrated signing this offseason, giving the Knicks the defense they expected when they signed him but also giving help in the scoring column and on the boards.  Brewer stuffed the stat sheet, scoring 13 points while adding eight rebounds, two assists, two steals, one block and no turnovers.  No turnovers are the most impressive thing here, as Brewer is just another piece of the puzzle to the Knicks better ball security this season.

Marcus Camby made his season debut tonight for the Knicks and picked up right where he left off in grabbing rebounds at a high rate.  Camby grabbed four rebounds and scored two points in his eight minutes of play, as head coach Mike Woodson has decided to go with Camby and Rasheed Wallace as his big men off the bench, pushing Kurt Thomas to a reserve role.

Wallace was the first big man off the bench tonight and played 18 minutes as he is still getting into game shape after being retired for the past two seasons.  Wallace finished the game with six points and six rebounds as he looks to be in position to get meaningful minutes off the Knicks bench.

The Knicks will have three days off before embarking on a stretch of eight out of 10 games on the road, starting in Orlando against the Magic Tuesday night at 7:00 P.M. ET.

Knicks Left Standing as Last Undefeated Team

http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/001/969/234/hi-res-155299076_crop_exact.jpg?w=340&h=234&q=75

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.

http://cdn.knicksnow.com/uploads/image/image/8801/player_large_ray_J_Pablo_660.jpg

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.

http://media.zenfs.com/en_US/Sports/AP_NBA/201211052113764123261-p2.jpg

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. 

http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/27/files/2012/11/6710596.jpg?1ffde8

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.

Amar'e Stoudemire Out 2-3 Weeks

Amar’e Stoudemire Shut Down

http://thegrio.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/amare-upset.jpg?w=488

The New York Knicks announced today that starting power forward Amar’e Stoudemire will be out 2-3 weeks with a ruptured popliteal cyst behind his left knee.  Stoudemire returned to New York City Sunday morning for a follow-up MRI on his knee bruise he suffered October 10^th in practice and this injury was found.

Stoudemire had been drawing rave reviews from head coach Mike Woodson for being in tip-top shape coming into training camp and not missing a beat during two-a-day practices.

Sadly, Stoudemire is no stranger to injuries, as this just adds to a laundry list of them that has become quite extensive in his time with the Knicks.  Before coming to the Knicks, Stoudemire dealt with chronic knee problems and a detached retina.  Since joining the Knicks, he has developed lower back problems, the laceration of his hand in last season’s playoffs and now the knee issues.

This injury will have a huge impact on the Knicks roster.  With Stoudemire going down, it is almost all but guaranteed that Chris Copeland will make the final roster.  The Knicks cannot go into the season with Kurt Thomas as the only healthy power forward on the roster.  Look for Henry Sims to also get a much closer look at from the Knicks, as an able bodied big man is a necessity now.

Thomas is a solid backup, but asking him to play big minutes at the 4 would be problematic for the Knicks.  Look for the starting lineup to get a little shook-up, with Carmelo Anthony potentially sliding over to the 4 for the time being with Jason Kidd being inserted into the starting lineup. 

The other thing that suffers is the continuity of the team.  This is yet another lost off-season for Stoudemire to work on his chemistry with Anthony.  They are not yet on the same page offensively and are even further behind on the defensive end, looking good only in spurts.

Because of this, if the Knicks come out strong with Anthony as the vocal point of the offense Stoudemire needs to be moved to the bench.  There is no reason Mike Woodson should try and force something to work when one thing is working well.  It will take a lot of guts to make such a move, but it is a move that would become a necessity if the Knicks play well without Stoudemire.

At this point, winning should be of the utmost importance for the players on the Knicks; personal statistics and glory should be put on the backburner.  Stoudemire has been quoted saying that he will do whatever it takes to win and coming off the bench may be one of those things.  If the Knicks are rolling with Anthony as the vocal point from the start of the games, let Stoudemire be the vocal point with the second unit and do his thing.  No one likes to admit they were wrong, but it would benefit the Knicks as a whole if Stoudemire came off the bench, allowing him and Anthony to be the vocal points of the offense while the other is resting on the bench.  

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

http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_404h/2010-2019/Wires/Online/2012-10-14/AP/Images/Knicks%20Celtics%20Basketball.JPEG-0474b.jpg

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.

http://media.zenfs.com/en_US/Sports/AP_NBA/201210132138779266252-p2.jpg

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.

Raymond Felton Looking For Bounce Back Season

Playing for the New York Knicks is something that only a select few individuals get an opportunity to do.  Rarely do players get a chance at multiple runs with the Knicks, but Raymond Felton is a player that has a second chance.

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/felton.jpg

When Raymond Felton signed with the team as a free agent before the 2010-2011 season he was living out a dream of being a Knick.  Felton went on to build a great relationship with newly acquired Amar’e Stoudemire, putting up career high numbers in nearly every statistic, averaging 19 points, nine assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 38.4 minutes per game.  He was becoming the leader of a young Knicks roster looking for leadership, proving to be more than capable of playing Mike D’Antoni’s up temp, fast paced type of basketball.

Felton only played 54 games with the Knicks in his first go-round as he got traded to Denver as part of the blockbuster trade that bought Carmelo Anthony to New York.  Felton was disappointed by the trade and his numbers reflected that as he became a backup to young gun Ty Lawson in Denver.

Following the 2011 playoffs, Felton was again on the move in another three-team trade, this time landing in Portland.  The trade happened before the lockout was put in place and Felton suffered.

Felton struggled mightily in his season in Portland, coming in overweight and out of shape.  His stats plummeted, as his work ethic and conditioning were questioned throughout the season and he was used as a scapegoat for the underachieving Trail Blazers. 

Felton did not seem to be engaged since leaving the Knicks, disappointed that he was traded after showing such willingness to play for the organization and with how well he performed.  New York is where he wanted to be and luckily for him, the Knicks wanted him back as well.

This off-season, Felton was reacquired by the Knicks in a sign-and-trade the Trail Blazers in which the Knicks also landed former Knick Kurt Thomas.  Thomas was quoted as saying, “He’s definitely motivated, he’s definitely excited, he definitely wants to come back to New York. He’s looking forward to this season.”

After hearing about the trade, Carmelo Anthony offered his opinion on Felton, who has been playing against for most of his basketball life.  “He wants to prove everybody wrong,” Anthony said.  “He loves to win.”  That competitiveness is something that Anthony loves about Felton, adding, “When (Felton) was here in New York, they were rolling.  He was having an All-Star year when he was here.  So, to bring him back (to New York is) an extra incentive for him.”

“I am hearing from everybody, ‘He wasn’t in shape last year,’” Felton said.  “I played in the league seven years, about to be eight, came in out of shape one year and that’s all everybody wants to talk about. … I look forward to this year and shutting up everybody’s mouth.”

Felton has a lot to prove this season in New York and is motivated to get it done.  He will be under the microscope and under immense pressure from the start.  The Mecca of basketball is not an easy place to play, but Felton already has experience playing here and knows what winning can do for the fan base

http://www.dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Raymond-Felton-and-Jeremy-Lin.jpeg

The pressure does not stop there for Felton, as he is the person being asked to replace the sensation that was “Linsanity”.  If Felton struggles at all, the fans will be calling for his head and further question the front office’s decision to let Jeremy Lin walk in favor of Felton.  Replacing Lin is the easy part if you ask Felton himself, as he said that he is a competitor and better player than Lin is. 

Felton has a full plate this season with the Knicks, as the fan base and organization is expecting to take a step forward with him at the helm after what Lin did last season.  Felton will be given the responsibility of running the first team offense, as Felton is expected to be named the starting point guard in a lineup that will also include Anthony, Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler. 

I am a believer in Felton, as the intangibles he brings to table is a great fit for this team.  For one, he runs the pick-and-roll game very well.  The chemistry he developed with Stoudemire his first run with the team will hopefully carry over and turn Stoudemire back into the dominant force that he was and not the shell of himself he looked like at times last season.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2010/10/11/sports/11KNICKS/11KNICKS-articleLarge.jpg

Felton also adds another tenacious defender in the backcourt, something the Knicks lacked from the point guard spot.  Felton will take pressure off the big men like Chandler and Marcus Camby because he is not the revolving door at the head of the defense that Lin was last season.  The competitiveness that Anthony was so excited about from Felton really comes out on the defensive end.

Head coach Mike Woodson will look for Felton to be a leader on the court as he has been thrown into one of the toughest situations in the NBA.  Felton has to figure out a way to get both Anthony and Stoudemire playing their best on the offensive end while both on the court, not taking turns with one or the other on the bench.  No other player has seemed to be able to do so yet, but Felton is more than ready for the challenge and he will take it head on to prove everyone wrong about him once again.

Linsanity Coming to an End? Knicks Sign and Trade for Raymond Felton

Linsanity Over in New York? Knicks Acquire Raymond Felton

http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/482/735/106381698_display_image.jpg?1288754925

In what is being considered a very surprising move, the New York Knicks have acquired point guard Raymond Felton from the Portland Trail Blazers as part of a sign and trade.

As part of the deal, Felton and the Knicks agreed to a three year contract worth $10 million. 

To finish the sign and trade, the Knicks also received big man Kurt Thomas.  In exchange, the Knicks will send Dan Gadzuric, Jared Jeffries and a 2016 second round pick. Rumors are swirling there may also be rights to a European player exchanged.

This is a big surprise to some because it was widely considered that the Knicks would be matching the offer that restricted free agent point guard Jeremy Lin received from the Houston Rockets.  Lin and the Rockets agreed to a three year $25.1 million contract that would have ballooned to almost $15 million in the third year.

http://www.usmagazine.com/uploads/assets/articles/49517-jeremy-lin-5-things-you-need-to-know/1329332136_jeremy-lin-article.jpg

Even with such an increase, it was thought that the Knicks would match any deal for Lin, who had become an overnight sensation this past basketball season.  Lin played a big part in the Knicks making the post-season, so it was considered that nothing would keep him from coming back. But, with the acquisition of Felton, matching Lin’s offer sheet is no longer a guarantee.

Matching Lin’s agreement with the Rockets would have put the Knicks into a catastrophic hole of luxury tax in the coming seasons.  This has never been a problem for the Knicks, as owner James Dolan has been willing to pay any amount of money to put the players on the court that he wants.  But with this hesitation, it would seem that the new Collective Bargaining Agreement may actually be working.

The new CBA was put in place to make teams think twice about handing out big contracts by increasing the luxury tax penalties for teams that went over the salary cap.  For once, the Knicks and their management are being cap conscious, hence why the decision to add Felton instead of matching Lin.  Felton will not cost them as much in luxury taxes and will give the Knicks more cap flexibility in the coming years.  If they matched and retained Lin, they would be stuck with very little money and virtually the same team for the next three seasons.

It has not been said yet what the Knicks will do with Lin’s offer sheet, but it is getting harder and harder to believe that they will match.  If the Knicks do match for Lin, you can except to see basically the same Knicks squad for the next three seasons with very little changes in terms of the roster.  You can also expect to see a lot of two point guard sets if Lin is retained, as the Knicks will have to find playing time for Jason Kidd, Felton, Lin and newly acquired Pablo Prigioni.