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

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UtvU5d1ewbQ/UIFJCxIsWeI/AAAAAAAACEU/5NfCcUX-_eE/s851/raptors.jpg

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.

http://media.greenradio.topscms.com/images/66/7f/cf8caf6a4124a0f6d683f99a6047.jpeg

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 Re-Sign J.R. Smith

J.R. Smith Returning to Knicks

http://www.yardbarker.com/media/3/f/3fcb9fc345f285a4608b1979c54e7edebe5c48ba/xl/jr.jpg

The New York Knicks and shooting guard J.R. Smith have agreed to a new contract after Smith declined his player option earlier in the season.

After declining a $2.5 million dollar option, Smith and the Knicks agreed to a two year contract with each year being worth $2.8 million, a 20% increase from last season’s salary.  The second year of the contract is not guaranteed, as it is a player option.

Smith’s role with the Knicks this year could see an increase because of roster moves.  With Landry Fields verbally reaching a contract with the Toronto Raptors, Smith is expected to step into the starting shooting guard role.  Also, with Iman Shumpert shelved for the time being, Smith will have to pick up some of his minutes as well.

Retaining Smith is a good move for the Knicks in my opinion.  People who saw him play with the Knicks last season after returning from China can make a strong argument that it is not by looking at the stats; Smith shot 40.7% from the field and 34.7% from three point range in the regular season, below his career averages of 42.7% and 36.9%.  His numbers in the playoffs against the Heat were even worse, dropping to 31.6% and 17.9%.

But if you look past the shooting numbers you can build a strong argument for Smith being a good player to retain.  He plays good defense, stepping up against bigger players such as Lebron James and being able to guard both guard spots as well.  He also provided the Knicks with another ball handler when Jeremy Lin went down with an injury. 

Where Smith helps and isn’t given credit for is on the boards.  He rebounds well for a shooting guard, something the Knicks are going to miss with Fields north of the border.

Smith also showed great growth under head coach Mike Woodson so it will be interesting to see how much more development he can have in a full season under Woodson.  Smith has all the talent in the world and the tools to be a top NBA player, he just needs a coach and staff that are willing to work with him through his rough patches and help him grow as not only a basketball player but a person as well. 

Landry Fields and Toronto Raptors Verbally Agree to Contract

Landry Fields Verbally Agrees to Contract with Toronto Raptors

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSgDV2zqaUM_dnfc8YhMgZt0FTyAkPnIDujtlIqf2K0bxUOTWo3opum0na7G4_jEELDoCmdGifSTQ0nHrNUkv_rRf6uD4teF52uV7HEc-KmMt7ufoBPcnWDWssgqLPe8qd4rFTuBy7vmyA/s1600/alg_knicks_landry_dunk.jpg

New York Knicks restricted free agent shooting guard Landry Fields has verbally agreed to a three year $20 million dollar contract with the Toronto Raptors.  He cannot sign the contract until July 11^th, which is the first day NBA players can sign contracts. 

The Knicks will have three days to match the offer on Fields once he signs.  Heading into the off-season, the main priorities for the Knicks were to re-sign Landry Fields, Jeremy Lin, Steve Novak and J.R. Smith.  Fields current offer from the Raptors at approximately $6.7 million annually is not what the Knicks were expecting to pay for Fields, so there is a very good chance his contract will not be matched as the Knicks need to match offers for Jeremy Lin. 

Since Carmelo Anthony has come on board, Fields has not been the same player, seeing his numbers sink like a rock since Anthony’s arrival.  Fields shooting numbers were the most glaring decrease, as his 3 point shooting percentage dropped from 39.3% to 25.6% and his free throw percentage went from 76.9% to 56.2%.  His overall shooting percentage dropped as well, from 49.7% to 46.0%.

Fields is a player who best fits in a system where he can play off the ball and use his intangibles.  He is a strong rebounder for a shooting guard and is capable of playing above average defense, especially when he moves to small forward.

It seemed at first that the Raptors only gave Fields this offer sheet to deter the Knicks from using him as a trade piece in a sign-and-trade for Steve Nash; but with Nash heading to the Los Angeles Lakers the offer seems to stay standing.  The Knicks had wished to bring Fields back on their own terms, but will likely let him walk and look elsewhere.  Look for them to step up their efforts in re-signing J.R. Smith or looking outside the organization at players like O.J. Mayo or DeShawn Stevenson.

http://www.nba.com/media/act_oj_mayo.jpg

http://netsarescorching.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/GYI0062942734_crop_450x500.jpg