New York Knicks (2x NBA Champions)

[mross34]

It won't work with D'Antoni though. His floor general likes to play games in the 80's and 90's while D'Antoni likes to score 120.

While having a guy who can slow it down and be a leader is nice, it conflicts with what the head coach wants to do. The same can be said for Melo. He's an amazing scorer, but he likes the ball in isolation. He isn't an open-court runner. It contrasts with what D'Antoni has been teaching and building his offense around. That's exactly why Felton was there...to push the ball in the open-court.

I like the players New York has, but the system isn't conducive to the strengths of their players anymore. If these guys were playing for Popovich, Carlisle, Phil Jackson, etc, I'd say they will be contenders by the end of the year. But not with D'Antoni who I think is an awesome coach. He's just caught in a weird spot now....

Uh... Billups came over from Denver who leads the league in offense.

As far as I'm concerned, the Knicks are a Kendrick Perkins-type 5 away from being actual title contenders.

 

[colobuck79]

I think team chemistry is mostly overlooked by folks these days. Sure you can put together a roster of superstars, but will they click as a team? If the Knicks add a strong rebounder/shotblocker and somebody like Chris Paul, they would look unbeatable on paper. Whether they would be champions remains to be seen. [/end Bobby Knight talk]

 

[mross34]

I think team chemistry is mostly overlooked by folks these days. Sure you can put together a roster of superstars, but will they click as a team? If the Knicks add a strong rebounder/shotblocker and somebody like Chris Paul, they would look unbeatable on paper. Whether they would be champions remains to be seen. [/end Bobby Knight talk]

I've watched every game the Knicks have played since the trade and they're already starting to click. Look at the box score from yesterday. Every starter had 4+ assists.

Here's the thing about Melo and STAT playing together: unlike Wade, STAT is used to playing off-ball. Once they gel a little more, the Melo-STAT combo will be lethal.

 

[billmac91]

Uh... Billups came over from Denver who leads the league in offense.

As far as I'm concerned, the Knicks are a Kendrick Perkins-type 5 away from being actual title contenders.

Uh...George Karl was phasing Chauncey at out at the point and letting Ty Lawson run a lot of the show. Chauncey was seeing a lot of time at the 2 when he left so Ty could push the ball.

Now Karl has Lawson and Felton which is almost unfair in that system....

 

[colobuck79]

Don't get me wrong, Melo is one of the greatest offensive players I have ever seen. He can manufacture shots from anywhere on the court and carry a team offensively night after night. But after watching him night after night for 7 years, I will tell you that he lacks intensity, especially on defense, and seems to lack that intangeable killer instinct. I know Knicks fans think that will all change now, but you have to ask yourself how many times have you actually seen a leopard change his spots.

 

[jlb1705]

Don't get me wrong, Melo is one of the greatest offensive players I have ever seen. He can manufacture shots from anywhere on the court and carry a team offensively night after night. But after watching him night after night for 7 years, I will tell you that he lacks intensity, especially on defense, and seems to lack that intangeable killer instinct. I know Knicks fans think that will all change now, but you have to ask yourself how many times have you actually seen a leopard change his spots.

He's in NEW YORK now. You become better at everything just by being there - kinda like spending 15 minutes with Tim Tebow. Jay-Z made a song about it.

 

[colobuck79]

He's in NEW YORK now. You become better at everything just by being there - kinda like spending 15 minutes with Tim Tebow. Jay-Z made a song about it.

My bad, I like totally forgot about the big apple factor.

 

[mross34]

He's in NEW YORK now. You become better at everything just by being there - kinda like spending 15 minutes with Tim Tebow. Jay-Z made a song about it.

I know this is dripping with sarcasm but the deficiency people constantly point to with Carmelo has been his effort and motivation. Couldn't it be possible that by playing in the city he loves, for his childhood team, he steps it up a notch in that area?

 

[billmac91]

I know this is dripping with sarcasm but the deficiency people constantly point to with Carmelo has been his effort and motivation. Couldn't it be possible that by playing in the city he loves, for his childhood team, he steps it up a notch in that area?

wouldn't that be the Wizards? I thought that WB tattoo on his shoulder was for West Baltimore?

And if he wasn't going 100% b/c he was in Denver, on a playoff team mind you, what does that say about him?

 

[mross34]

wouldn't that be the Wizards? I thought that WB tattoo on his shoulder was for West Baltimore?

And if he wasn't going 100% b/c he was in Denver, on a playoff team mind you, what does that say about him?

He was born in Brooklyn and lived there til he was 8. He cites Bernard King as his hero growing up. I realize King played for both teams, but King is a Knicks icon. He seems pretty happy to be a Knick to me.

As far as him not going 100%, to me it says he might not perform at his peak when he's unhappy with his living situation? Isn't that pretty normal amongst people?

 

[billmac91]

He was born in Brooklyn and lived there til he was 8. He cites Bernard King as his hero growing up. I realize King played for both teams, but King is a Knicks icon. He seems pretty happy to be a Knick to me.

As far as him not going 100%, to me it says he might not perform at his peak when he's unhappy with his living situation? Isn't that pretty normal amongst people?

It's just silly how people are playing into the New York thing. Sure he lived there till he was 7 or 8, but just a few years ago he was in a movie repping Baltimore hard talking about "stop snitching".

Anyways Melo is what he is on the court. Great isolation offensive player with limited defensive skills. He may focus more in New York but he's still a sub-par defender. It's the combination of defensive responsibilities he's always lacked...whether it be mental or physical.

Things like chucking guys through the lane, help defense, closing out. He isn't a guy who will just get abused when his man has the ball. It's everything else. And I don't think that will change much...guys who do all of those little things typically do it from an early stage and it carries with them. A guy who played a zone defense at Syracuse and never did those things in Denver doesn't signal someone who will just pick it up in a new city whether it be New York, Miami, anywhere....

People want to make a huge deal out of how he defended LeBron in the last few seconds last week, but again, one on one defending isn't his issue. Not to mention LeBron did beat him but A'mare made a fantastic play.

 

[y0yoyoin]

It's just silly how people are playing into the New York thing. Sure he lived there till he was 7 or 8, but just a few years ago he was in a movie repping Baltimore hard talking about "stop snitching".

i agree with this...hes got a tattoo of WB which stands for West Baltimore...does he have any NYC tattoos? none that i know of...and i guarantee he cant remember any of new york besides maybe from age 5-8

 

[BengalsAndBucks]

It's just silly how people are playing into the New York thing. Sure he lived there till he was 7 or 8, but just a few years ago he was in a movie repping Baltimore hard talking about "stop snitching".

It's silly how because he has a West Baltimore tattoo or played a character from there in a movie, you're assuming that the Knicks weren't his childhood team or that he isn't now fully motivated and happy because he's playing in one of the best arenas in the NBA, in front of one of the best fanbases in the NBA, and with another top 10 NBA player.

Yeah, the Knicks point guard is older, Melo's never been on the All-NBA defensive team, and Amare has had knee problems in the past. But the Knicks also have two of the best scorers in the league, and Chauncey compliments them PERFECTLY because he is such a great knock-down 3 point shooter. They still have to upgrade the center position if they want to be serious contenders, and their bench is pretty thin, but I wouldn't be remotely shocked to see them knock off the Heat or the Celtics in a playoff round. Any time you have three guys who can put it in the hoop like Amare, Melo, and Billups, you have a shot.

 

[Mike80]

It's silly how because he has a West Baltimore tattoo or played a character from there in a movie, you're assuming that the Knicks weren't his childhood team or that he isn't now fully motivated and happy because he's playing in one of the best arenas in the NBA, in front of one of the best fanbases in the NBA, and with another top 10 NBA player.

Yeah, the Knicks point guard is older, Melo's never been on the All-NBA defensive team, and Amare has had knee problems in the past. But the Knicks also have two of the best scorers in the league, and Chauncey compliments them PERFECTLY because he is such a great knock-down 3 point shooter. They still have to upgrade the center position if they want to be serious contenders, and their bench is pretty thin, but I wouldn't be remotely shocked to see them knock off the Heat or the Celtics in a playoff round. Any time you have three guys who can put it in the hoop like Amare, Melo, and Billups, you have a shot.

Defense wins championships, even in the NBA.

 

[Mike80]

Is that seriously the best analysis you can come up with?

"Melo is fat, Amare has bad knees, and Billups' career is about over." Yeah, that really summarizes the entire situation.


Nevermind that Anthony is one of the top 3 or 4 scorers, and top 10 player overall, in the NBA. Nevermind that Amare has had a fantastic year and was carrying the Knicks on his "bad knees" the whole season while entering the MVP conversation. It's true that Billups is clearly on the back end of his career, but he still has plenty of talent and the legs to give the Knicks leadership and big plays in close games. He may not be able to give them 42-45 minutes a night, but he is still a great PG and can do big things for them in the playoffs.

I'm not trying to say that the Knicks are automatically title contenders, because they aren't yet, but they are definitely going to be a good team. In all reality, the significant players that they lost in the trade were Raymond Felton and Danilo Galinari, and they got Carmelo Anthony and a few seasons of Chauncey Billups in return. They will improve.

Why yes, it is. I could TRY to improve it, but I think I gave about the same effort that Marshmelo gives on the defensive end with the analysis as it currently sits.