Early Atlantic Division Parity
Why couldn’t I have bought tickets to tonight’s Knicks-Celtics game instead of last week’s? Well, at least I got to see Allan Houston play in a Knick uni for the first time in two or three years. That’s something.
I’m not going to over-analyze what I saw tonight because most of you defenders were right there with me holding down this spot with the play-by-play.
Great stuff tonight from Nate, Zbo, D Lee, Stephon, and I liked Q’s defense tonight as well. These two teams played like they’re going to be fierce competition in the Eastern Conference this year. Jersey-pulling, smack-talking, face-grabbing, it could have been a WWE match out there except there was some fine basketball being played at times. I didn’t know Nate could thread the needle on some of those consecutive passes he made, I hope that continues.
No minutes tonight for Mardy Collins, Randolph Morris and barely any for Jared Jordan(10 seconds is generous, more like 8 seconds). Maybe next time they can show their skills with some minutes.
KG, well, he looks like a beast out there, as does Paul Pierce. Ray Allen was off tonight, but then again, Jamal couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn tonight, he still found ways to contribute.
Though 16 is an improvement from the last game (20+), I’d like to see the Knicks continue to work on reducing their turnovers, their regular season goal should be about 12, ideally.
Yes, JohnQ, the Knick perimeter defense is still porous, but you have to like their effort, and the confidence the knicks showed tonight in facing the team that beat them by 40 last week and finding a way to win this time around.
You can’t read too much into the pre-season games, but for those that saw this game, it was less of a pre-season game and more of an intense playoff-like game.
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If you check the last blog entry, there is a link to a new Alan Hahn article that reports that Demetris Nichols has requested to be cut if he is not going to make the final roster. The kid has balls, what can I say? I guess he does not know the story of Trevor Ariza, and he’s going to find it out the hard way. Isiah has not cut him yet, nor has he cut Walker Russell, Isiah might not make another cut until after the pre-season games are over on Friday. Maybe we’ll do another poll soon. 10 out of the 50 that voted last time got it right when they picked Allan Houston to be next off the island. I was not in that bright 10 who chose correctly, maybe you were. They say the AH7 comeback could have been a publicity stunt to distract the fans from the ABS trial because it did not make any sense to come back to this particular over-loaded roster. Who knows? Winning is the best distraction for this team, for any team.
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steady,
I know all about the MVP debate and I know that the dude didn’t deserve what he received but in terms of passing the ball on the court it’s very uncanny for him to thread those needle the way he does. I’m the last person to give credit to another teams player but I’ve watched him throw passes to people in difficult positons. Maybe I should of said if he had half the smarts of Magic Johsnson but he’s not playing anymore so that’s why I mentioned Nash. I have NO and I mean NO love for unwarranted praise upon Steve Nash but he’s one of the better passers playing in the 21st century.
Or maybe I should of said he was willing to give the ball up which he is starting to do. Using smart was probably the wrong wording
If anyone remembers the Celtics before the KG trade, Ryan Gomes and Powe gave us all that we can handle and more. He was a vital part to the loss handed to the Knicks last season. He’s back from his foot injury and ready to get back in the swing of things:
At the start of training camp coach Randy Wittman, impressed with Gomes’ consistency and knack for being in the right place at the right time, decided to give him ample opportunity to play small forward. Gomes was doing well until a foot injury 4 minutes into the Wolves’ preseason game Oct. 15 in Memphis knocked him out for two preseason games.
Its good to see PJ Carlesimo back in the head coaching biz. Ever since Sprewell choked the dictator out of him, he’s been reduced to an assistant coaching role. Now, as coach of the Sonics, he’s been given the task of bringing Durant and the rest of the young team to the forefront of the league.
“The Sonics closed the half with a 12-0 spurt in a span of 1:24 for a 68-61 lead at intermission.
The Sonics led by as many as nine points in the fourth quarter but allowed the Warriors back into it.
“We’re young in terms of us being together and being able to execute,” Sonics first-year coach P.J. Carlesimo said. “It was the careless passes and busted rotations that hurt us the most.”
I sense from the back and forth about a “pass first point” gaurd that that phrase is not apt, rather it seems to be that “the uncanny ability to pass” suggest that it is an ability, “art” if you, which can be honed. Perhaps some may be more adept at it naturally but by the way Nate hit those thread the needle passes it suggest that the art of passing can also be improved and honed. Thus to use the phrase of one player or another being “willing to give up the ball” becomes more of a reality once a player has decided to hone the art of passing in a manner that too many casual observers makes such passess uncanny. This suggest that willingness to pass has less to do with the equation but rather the ability to pass in maner that yields more offensive efficiency is moreso part of appropriate debate. Court vision would probrably be another factor and as Peaceman mentioned what the defense is willing to yield in terms of passing lanes is yet another. But Nates improvement, displayed during the game against the Celtics, again seems to suggest that the art can be learned
Steady:
Thanks for the hight praise, but I know that Lives is the real deal, the true King of da F’n Hill. as you put it. I also assign you, Cooleyhigh, Barf and Anti. among others far above myself in the “Hill” hierarchy. At any rate Modi appreciates our input about interviewing
Defenders and will take if from there.
Back to D.Nice for a moment: I do not believe the Newsday speculation
that Isiah is trying to punish D. Nice to teach him a lesson. I prefer to believe that Zeke is waiting for the last minute to arrange a trade that will result in either (1) keeping Nichols on roster (2) enabling him to land on another team’s roster or (3) facilitate his move to Europe or Developmental League while retaining his draft rights for the
future. I want to see D. Nice play tonight and hope he gets some
showtime. LGK
If I told you, I’d have to kill you.–Just playing!Be patient, he’s worth the wait.I’ve passed on the positive vibe here, and I’m sure that will continue outward.You guys have a beautiful thing happening here.And I am very content to be a small voice.Again many ups to Starbury for, casting his bread upon the water.And the Starbury crew for such astute and passionate commentary.Undoubtably it will come back manyfold.NYC is a tough place, we all know that.It will test you, and keep on testing you.Let’s continue to treat each other as men, and of course, as women too.LGK
Modi,
I must add that BARF came on to KKnation thanks to blog beat down on this monicker named Mak or Maukunat. There were some peeps like myself that blog at both blogs Isoal and Berman’s.
Interesting enough,Berman’s NY Post Knicks blog, I brought up a topic about the “percieved racist media” toward the hating of Isiah, and Mak grew somewhat aggitated, he was calling me out to stop with the accusations, because of the sprited discussions such notions would bring. I agreed to temper my idea on the media and some bloggers suspected racism and hatred of Isiah. But for me to that I didn’t want to read from Mak any public blog diss or slight on Isiah.
Steady, “Anti- was kidnapped over the summer and held hostage in some idiot’s basement but then we later found out that his laptop broke down and he could not get to his local library to check in on the family then @ KK (but he found us nonetheless).”
I tried to do the library thing, but it was just senseless for me to keep up it with your Defenders posts, since, as we all know, blogging as a Knicks Defender is all day. So, I had to chill. I would’ve got a new laptop earlier, but unfornately just before my original laptop gave me the dreaded, blue screen of death, I bought my landlord’s nice Specialized bike on a discount, so it set my budget back.
It’s funny just the time I came online with my new computer , I went sraight to KKnation and it was somewhat empty. So, it didn’t take me long to figure out the rest of the Defenders were at Hahn’s, chilling. Then around that very time the word “Wacky” appeared and u guys went exiting from there like escaping from wild fire smoke there in Cali. The rest is history, this is my/our new homebase. The Knicks Justice League hangout joint.
Steady,
“your presentation sound more like the familiar MSM bunk”
Returning to your “African” roots? LOL.
Monta Ellis is back on the floor and Coach Nellie is paying very close attention:
After committing a turnover on his first touch, Ellis blew by Sonics rookie Kevin Durant for a layup. Ellis then took it to the rim again, leaping backward into a crowd that included big men Nick Collison and Chris Wilcox.
The reverse layup didn’t fall, but seeing Ellis drawing contact in midair was a good sign for Nelson, who had been waiting on Ellis since his scary collision with Brandan Wright on Oct. 5.
“I’m anxious,” Nelson said before Tuesday’s 126-122 overtime win. “I’ve seen everybody else.”
I don’t understand the constant referring to Nate’s mental capacity. Hahn mentioned it also in the summer. Nate has always shown flashes of “stupendous” ability, but it takes bowling balls to play ball at 5’7″. Sh*t, it takes balls to play at the YMCA with that height. Driving to the hole against someone sometimes who is a foot taller than you? I think it was a lot of nervous energy in Nate for the first 2 years. He seems to be a little more relaxed, as well as focused. Nash is ambidextrous; that’s a unique talent.
Post-up Prince,
“…also assign you, Cooleyhigh, Barf and Anti. among others far above myself in the “Hill” hierarchy. At any rate Modi appreciates our input about interviewing.”
Thanks for the compliment!
As I recall, Prince you came to KKnation with a new, refreshing voice, and fitted in quite nicely as a Defender. You posted like you always there.
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I must add, around Early January of 2006, names I recall seeing frequently on Isola, KKnation : Peaceman, Valimir, Bokonom, Lives, Starburyfan,Ewing’s Curse, and a more I may have missed. Sorry for those I didn’t mention.
Now, on Berman’s during that time, even before me: BARF, George M, GSwizz, Jeff.
BARF, TMAN, and Anti-NYSN, thanks for the insight.
Riley keeps making deals like this, yet no one calls for his head.
Riley keeps making deals like this without any media scrutiny. Players who seem to be on the back-end of their careers.
Knicks’ Ill Decisions Lead To Waste
Basketball
http://www.nysun.com/article/65123
Knicks training camp
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkxMjcmZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTcyMTIxODImeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2
Nate Robinson is Knicks’ first guard off bench
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2007/10/24/2007-10-24_nate_robinson_is_knicks_first_guard_off_.html?ref=rss
Hey, I think I was blocked when I tried to link to the Miami Heat potential deal. If the trade to obtain Ricky Davis and Mark Blount is accurate, this deal doesn’t make sense for Miami. It’s great for Minnesota: they can continue their growth as a “Celtics West.”
Heat Close to obtaining Davis, Blount from Minnesota
H-MD Where’s the link?
I’m interested in that deal.
I was about to post something on Minny’s “plump and juicy” state. They are PRIMED for picking if teams are willing to let go of some serious talent.
They are a PRIME target for “1 for 2″ deals.
The Knicks are in that boat too so maybe someone should cal I.T. and try to do a 4 or 5 for 2 deal with both NY and Minny. They’ve got a some great young -need to be developed on the bench- talent.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3077037
Still can’t create a link!
ESPN. I can’t send a link; must be blocked on my end.
new post by BLOGZILLA fellas, c u there
Cool, as long as I get to be Box
PostUpPrince, I was thinking the same things for a while. In fact, I had one last hope that Zeke was going to keep DNice all along but faking like he was going to cut him just to keep the other borderline guys in check, a kind of you-too-could-be-next kind of thing. But after reading this bit from Poppinn’s links, I’m now convinced he’s a goner:
Now Zeke might have a major surprise up his sleeve, but if DNice is as prudent as he is cocky, he better start siccing his agent on some GMs.
So, we might as well start prepping for the onslaught now: just what are the advantages in Zeke’s keeping DNice here right to the last day? I mean, it looks spite, but is there some real advantage to the Knicks for him to play it out like this?
Charles:
Can’t take Syracuse T.V. reporter as having knowlege the rest of us
lack. I won’t mind if D. Nice is in Europe or Development League, as
long as Knicks can retain his draft rights. I agree, no need to keep
D.Nice in suspense until last minute unless Isiah has something going
or else still wants to see him play again before he makes final decision to keep, trade, or waive. We’ll know soon enough.
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