Knicks Defense

Say it aint so.

Wait, it is so.  We’re beating Philly right now with 2 minutes remaining in the fourth.

Toney Douglas is shining in the starting point guard slot.  From a distance, he resembles another point guard that used to bring it up for the orange and blue:  Charlie Ward.

But upon further inspection, Douglas is more athletic than Ward, is a better scorer plus he has a longer frame.  Charlie Ward was a more true point guard than Douglas at this point, but, Douglas has developed his point guard skills over his rookie season.  When Douglas was drafted he looked more like another former Knick: Fred Jones–an undersized two on a team with too many undersized twos.

Gallo is also playing better…

This could get interesting up in Boston when we visit Nate Robinson and the former NBA Champions.

Even if we don’t make the playoffs I’ll still be interested to watch this team if it means the development of young talent such as Bill Walker, Toney Douglas and Danilo Gallinari.

The Knicks are up over the red-hot Mavs by 25 point going into the fourth quarter!

It’s not going to be easy against the Mavs tonight, they have won 13 in a row since their trade deadline splash which brought them Caron Butler to play along side last season’s acquisition, Shawn Marion.  Consider that they also have Dirk–it is an understatement that they’ve got a great front court for Jason Terry and Jason Kidd to throw lobs to.

Toney Douglas will start tonight at the point guard position for the New York Knicks.

I think Bill Walker and Toney Douglas are proving to be keepers (for the right price, of course) on this soon-to-be roster of future ex-Knicks.

Gametime 8:30pm eastern time.

I’ve heard a lot of negativity surrounding the Knicks and their opportunity to improve their roster this summer.

In particular, a co-worker had mentioned to me today Joe Johnson’s quote about not wanting to go to another loser such as the team he did a sign and trade to join in Atlanta four years ago.

My response is twofold:

1. Anyone that thinks the current Knicks roster will resemble the roster the Knicks will come into the 2010-2011 season with is probably unfamiliar with the situation. The simple fact remains that we got under the cap to fundamentally change the roster from what we have right now. Assume anyone not named Chandler or Gallinari will not be a Knick next year, barring a miracle.

2. Joe Johnson is not even plan B. Joe Johnson is plan C or D, due to the simple fact that he will be a 10 year veteran by the time he has a new contract, wherever he signs. I figure if we are seeking out cornerstones to rebuild a franchise from scratch, you go for the young ones rather than players pushing 30. So Joe, you stay in Atlanta and get Crawford his first whiff at playoff basketball in 12 years of his professional career. Hope you like getting knocked out the box in the first round every year, because that’s what’s in store for you should you resign with the Hawks this summer.

‘just bloggin’

What are we playing for?

Are we just going through the motions?

Padding individual stats for the inevitable move? The players, except for a few, know they have no invitation to come back next year.
I don’t know if Wilson Chandler is a keeper. Something in his game is missing. Statistically this is not true, but I’ve seen enough of Wilson Chandler these past few years to know his game isn’t complete. I think it is the competitive spirit. He’s got the tools, but I don’t see the will to compete for the victory every night. Last game, yes it was there, “emphatically” as Marv would have said. I’m probably very wrong, but he hasn’t reached his potential in New York. Maybe he’ll be like Trevor Ariza and blossom someplace else.

I’m not crazy about Sergio Rodriguez so far. He’s definitely better suited than Duhon, but Sergio needs some rebounders on this team, because he needs that quick outlet to run-and-gun, and we’ve seen the Knicks really suck worse defensively and on the boards since we sent Jared Jeffries packing. Sergio hasn’t had the opportunity.

This team really misses Jared Jeffries. He was their best team-player and he NEVER got the recognition this year, it all went to Lee–perhaps unjustly. If we are a 20-something win team this year, half those victories are linked to what Jared Jeffries gave the Knicks this year.

I never gave Jeffries a proper sendoff, so I am doing it now.

Jared, we appreciate what you did for the Knicks this season defensively, but your contract was a hindrance to the 2010 bonanza we’re about to have. Thanks for being a Knick these past few years. There were worse players than you, despite what most Knick fans think (Balkman, Curry, James were all worse, to name a few).

Think big. Donnie Walsh is.

I no longer understand what the direction of the team is at this point.  If this is a throwaway year from here on out, so be it.

We just reserved our renewal season tickets at last night’s game.  We’re moving closer!  It was between a section in the 300’s closer to half court, row e, or a section in the 200’s, row b.  The difference is about 800 bucks per seat for the season.  We currently have two seats in the 300’s closer to behind the basket.

The game sucked.  Why do people get their career highs against us?  I think I know the answer to that question:  we can’t play defense.  With Jeffries went any semblance of team defense.  I am sad to see Jeffries go but if you’re going to make a big omelet in 2010, you going to have to crack some eggs.

The highlight of our experience at MSG last night was going to the Knicks Team Store and buying some stylish new Knicks gear.  I got the new world champion warm-ups, I really like the look.

I saw Frank Isola, he walked right in front of me in a tunnel in the 100’s. Since he has blogged here on Knicksdefense before as ” News Man”  I was going to say hi.  Then I remembered what prompted him to write on here, I called his Macbook laptop girly, which obviously pissed him off.  Well Frank, you were right about Isiah.  I apologize for defending him for 3 years.  He was a complete disaster for the Knicks organization.  Your laptop is still girly.

Saw Luis Biggs too, he’s becoming the garden’s manufactured celebrity.  He’s the heavyset guy that dances for the cameras during a timeout in the fourth quarter.

The last game of a forgettable month for Knicks fans begins tonight when they face the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Knicks picked up a much needed win when they took Washington to overtime and were able to close out and snap their 8-game losing streak.

Hopefully they can continue and make it two in a row tonight.

I have to mention some non-knick news, apparently Phil Jackson got his panties in a bunch over the Cavs recent flip-flop regarding the reacquisition of Zydrunas Ulgauskas (I can’t stand plays whose names are as difficult to spell as Big Z’s.) Apparently Coach Jackson thinks it is unfair and he believes the NBA should not have allowed the trade which gave the Cavs Anwtawn Jamison essentially for nothing.

Does Phil Jackson remember when he got Pau Gasol ESSENTIALLY FOR NOTHING??? Many people(myself included)at the time of that transaction, believed the NBA should not have allowed that trade to take place. When the shoe is on the foot the spineless Jackson who only goes to ready-made teams complains it is unfair. I hope somebody kicks the Lakers’ ass this summer, but it is unlikely because there are certain people in the league that get hooked up. Phil Jackson got hooked up by Laker legend Jerry West, Danny Ainge got hooked up with Kevin Garnett thanks to Kevin Mchale.

Well, at least Donnie Walsh is friends with Arn Tellem. Wait, wait, who, if anyone, does Arn Tellem represent from this upcoming free agent class of 2010?

…In other news, the lowly Nets are about to beat the Boston Celtics. Go figure.

Nate Robinson will have his season debut tonight against the team he loved to play for, the New York Knicks.

Tracy McGrady is listed as probably for tonight’s game, despite having banged knees during last night’s game and asking to come out of the game.

The Knicks are 0-2 since the trade deadline, lets see if playing on the road makes any difference… I won’t hold my breath.