Previewing the Atlantic Division: New York Knicks Edition

by Jim Weeks on Sep 17, 2008 5:00 AM EDT in Green Bandwagon Comment 10 comments

2008 Record: 23-59

2008 Record Vs. the Celtics: 0-4. That includes this game, which was awesome for so many reasons:

1. It was one of those games where the final score was not indicative of how much of a blowout it was. And the final score was 104-59.

2. Isiah Thomas somehow lasted the season. I have no idea how.

3. The score was 104-59.

Departures: Renaldo Balkman, Randolph Morris

Additions: Chris Duhon, Danilo Gallinari, Patrick Ewing Jr. (Listed as Patrick Ewing on the roster. Not sure if that's harder than Jr.), and Anthony Roberson. Right now said roster lists 17 names. I'd guess that Fred Jones (free agent) and Jerome James (buyout candidate?) won't be back. Yet I don't know if Ewing Jr. can play. Something to watch. Oh by the way this is the point where your friendly BullsBlogger from Blog-A-Bull demanded that I remind everyone how bad Duhon is. Okay that didn't happen. But it could. Seriously, they do not like Duhon over there.

Key Story Heading into Camp: I'm tempted to go with something Stephon Marbury related. But it's all about Mike D'Antoni. Can he turn around the Knicks? Will they play like the Suns? Should he have taken the Bulls job? Do Curry and Randolph give him nightmares? Will he clean house? Is he allowed to clean house? Does his mustache hold magical powers?

X-Factor: Let's not kid ourselves. I wasn't going to do a New York Knicks preview in the Stephon Marbury era without including my favorite YouTube clip of all time. It's coming. In the meantime let's remember that Marbury could play a role if healthy, motivated, and right. That's a lot of ifs. And that hypothetical role is not what you'd want from a guy making $20+ million. Still a role nevertheless. Yet now that I'm halfway through this I have to admit I really want to see what D'Antoni will do for Jamal Crawford. He's an under the radar scorer and not just when Kirk Hinrich is guarding him. If I ever pulled off that move in a pick up game I'd immediately follow it with an O.J. Mayo style ball toss. Initially my teammates and opponents alike would be outraged as I walked around waving to a non-existent crowd. Eventually they'd come around.

View From the The Other Side: I caught up with Seth from Posting and Toasting and asked him what fans of the NBA had to know about the Knicks. His response:

"How about the fact that we do, actually, have guys that fit Mike D'Antoni's style of offense? People are distracted by New York's rather portly frontcourt, and fail to notice the surplus of fine athletes beneath the surface. Newcomers Danilo Gallinari and Anthony Roberson are lights-out shooters who can run the floor aptly, while Wilson Chandler and Patrick Ewing Jr. are two athletic freaks who can attack the glass and make game-changing plays. Sure, there's some dead weight at the top of the rotation, but we've got plenty of talent ready to break out in the upcoming season.." Seth from Posting and Toasting

I imagine that aspects of that will make the media guide. The whole "some dead weight at the top of the rotation" probably won't. But I have to admit I've been in the "D'Antoni with the Knicks makes very little sense" camp. So I'm intrigued. And if you're wondering, I never recovered from the trade of Shawn Marion, his subsequent tanking as a fantasy basketball player after I refused to send him away in a deal for a much more productive player, and the disintegration of the wildly entertaining Run and Gun Phoenix Suns. I haven't even remotely processed it yet. True story.

Random Point of Information: Do I owe you a YouTube clip? YES SIR!

Stephon Marbury reaction to Zach Randolph (7/1) (via MSGOnline)

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Comments

Awesome post. I see the Knicks going 24-58 this season.

It's never just a game when you're winning. - George Carlin

by DennardC on Sep 18, 2008 7:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It will be very interesting to see who D’Antoni plays. There are a lot of options, several of which are bad options, and his decisions there will go a long way to deciding how competitive NY is night-in night-out.

by NBR on Sep 19, 2008 6:15 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Randolph and Curry

For me any wondering about who will play leads me right to Randolph and Curry. I don’t think we’re going to see the 2006 Phoenix style. But I still expect the Knicks play at a faster pace than those two would like. Overall I’m fascinated. And I didn’t even mention Marbury…

Green Bandwagon: Repeat in '09 or bust. Are you on the bandwagon?

by Jim Weeks on Sep 19, 2008 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes they’re the two I fear the most (from a Knicks point of view) too. They’ve proven beyond a doubt that they can’t function together. David Lee has to be used to complement them, errr keep them apart.

Two others, who I want to see play often and together, are Chandler and Gallinari. They could be a very interesting combination in a small ball lineup with both playing the forward spots … or a big lineup with those two guys on the wings.

by NBR on Sep 19, 2008 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Gallinari's Back

Have you heard much about it? Ailing backs always scare me a bit.

Green Bandwagon: Repeat in '09 or bust. Are you on the bandwagon?

by Jim Weeks on Sep 19, 2008 1:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

34 wins and a bit too much to read probably

hey i’m a mess like most knick fans. we are the types that seem to be looking on the floor for empty bags of heroin for a sublime fix outside the garden. but the floor is littered with newspapers and soda cups and cigarette butts and zach randolph’s and stephon marbury’s and jerome james’ and we are being crowded by all sorts of knucklehead fans to top it off.

but it’s true when seth says we have some interesting pieces. this kid wilson chandler is a couple years in the making but he will thrive in a wide open system because he is wild and athletic but needs to reel it in a bit he has a good touch from mid-outside too, he just needs to fit into the pace of the nba game and it will start to fall. same goes for david lee and nate robinson. endless energy, all over the floor, and they will benefit from a more wide open court. jamal crawford hurt (olympic medalist) deron williams worse than kirk hinrich if you didn’t know… (bust the seperation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvSZx-iyziQ ) … also crawford and curry have great esp, and chemistry goes a long way in this game. galinari is unproven, but the kid is a natural, but the kid is a kid, i like that he has a mean streak – somethign that can be said for basically none of the import players in the league. quentin richardson was top three if i am not mistaken in his time with d’antoni in pheonix in three pointers made.

and the thing i have to stress the most – as is evident by that nationally televised celtics knicks game from last year, which i did not miss a second of, and was the most despicable outing i have ever witnessed from my beloved knicks – this team was anti-motivated last year and even the year before and even the year before that! so a change for the better could potentially go a looooong way. but two and three years ago, the knicks pulled out some of the most miraculous wins i had ever seen. they have grit and desire – but they are easily discouraged. and the wrong guys are in the leadership roles. crawford should be the main man.

sorry for going on so long. i could keep going trust me.

anyway, good luck to you shmucks this year.

stingy

by stingy d on Sep 24, 2008 10:39 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

The Knicks

At the very least there is light at the end of the tunnel now. Under Isiah Thomas I never thought things would get any better. Only worse, particularly financially. There are some nice players, a respected coach, and a serious change in leadership. Of course I don’t want to see the Knicks win a championship, but it’s more fun if they’re battling the Celtics. Thanks for stopping by.

Green Bandwagon: Repeat in '09 or bust. Are you on the bandwagon?

by Jim Weeks on Sep 24, 2008 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs