2007-2008: The Knicks season some insist never mattered
March 22, 2008 – 8:08 amThe first few months of the New York Knicks 2007-2008 basketball season were simply dreadful. Who could forget that humiliating massacre in Boston, aired on national television, culminating with a diehard Knick fan throwing his orange and blue jersey onto the court–and that’s just one example. Head coach Isiah Thomas was sure to point out on a regular basis that the Knicks were just like all the other teams in the east in terms of games lost (except of course Boston). Isiah maintained then that the Knicks were still in contention.
Fast forward to this month of March. Most of this month has been nothing more than extended garbage time, and promises to continue along those lines for the remaining month in the season. For whatever reasons, the players who have started for most of the season are not suiting up to play any longer.
So what does that add up to, from November through April for these New York Knicks? If it didn’t matter in the beginning, and apparently it doesn’t matter now as we close in on the end of another season without the Knicks in the playoffs… did this Knicks team’s season ever really matter at any point in time in ‘07-’08?
Was this Knicks season essentially over on the first day of training camp, when Isiah was not present to run practice in South Carolina because he was still testifying in the sexual harassment trial in New York? What was Herb and the rest of the assistant coaching staff thinking that day, when they had to run the drills instead of Coach Thomas, who was about 750 miles away from Knicks basketball on day 1?
Was it over when Marbury left Phoenix by his lonesome? Did things start to go south when Isiah started to blame the fans for his team’s performance at the garden? Perhaps it was when team leaders Zach Randolph and Quentin Richardson each mouthed off to Isiah in front of the entire team? Maybe when Stephon decided to have season-ending surgery on his ankle?
Or was it even over before all of these occurrences, when, during the summer pro league in Vegas, a chillin’ Eddy Curry showed very little interest in meeting up with the other Knicks to form a bond with his new players–including Zach Randolph. Maybe it was when Jamal Crawford showed up to training camp about 20 pounds too buff–it fucked up his shot something terrible, and took him a few months just to get back to his normal shooting percentages of 40% from the field.
Who knows exactly when this season ended? All we know for a fact is that it is actually over, and that the Knicks are now losing on purpose to try to get a good pick in the 2008 NBA Draft Lottery. Good luck with that.
20 Responses to “2007-2008: The Knicks season some insist never mattered”
Good AM Defenders.
KnicksDefense, as a fan and unfortunately, one is only left to wish them good luck.
I don’t know if anyone else has been following this story but the Dolans are making a play for Newsday. That would mean that
Khan and Berger will have insiders’ access to the transformed world of the NYK. The one (c)%^-block I could imagine is
Woody Johnson as payback for the Jets stadium downtown. Note to the Dolans:
GET NEWSDAY IN YOUR STABLE OF ASSETS BY ANY MEANS NECESARY.
Have a great day Defenders and God Bless.
KFL
By Steady on Mar 22, 2008 at 8:37 am
Great post KD…it pretty much sums up the whole season.
Knicks will get the #1 or #2 pick this year.
Hopefully West will make the pick.
By DaVonn Obama Jefferson on Mar 22, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Good Afternoon Deeeeeee-fenders
@KnicksD
I think the season DID matter in the begining.
So many of us were guessing how many games the team would win,40,45,over 50,some said.
I think we all truly believed The Knicks would be in the playoffs despite many sports writers
saying we wouldn’t be.
Well they were right, we were wrong.
There are many “But ifs” we could use.
Let’s face it, this team,despite our beliefs,does not have the character,heart or leaders to
win their way into the playoffs.
They have more talent than most teams.
AND IT’S NOT COACHING!!!
I’m sure at some point in the season IT suggested Curry and Zach play some defense.
And he must have asked Steph to “be a leader” on the court.
He must have said “share the ball” to the team at least once.
He must have made the players practice their free-throws.
And he had to come up with a defense plan to defend.
It is sad that all the players,which he went out to get,by trade or draft,let him down.
They did not put in the effort to be winners.
This team can’t win if your best players don’t show up every night and play both
ends of the court.
Teams like Philly,Seattle and Memphis making a living in our painted area,while the Knicks are
on the bench laughing,smiling and planning their “after-school” activates.
And there goes your season……….Go Lottery!
By D L T Knicks on Mar 22, 2008 at 3:27 pm
It ain’t over.
By Jay Bee on Mar 22, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Yo don’t think, Jay Bee?
By Bronxboy in Md on Mar 22, 2008 at 4:43 pm
AND IT’S NOT COACHING!!! No Comment by D L T Knicks — March 22, 2008 @ 3:27 pm,
It’s not all coaching. Some of it has to do with the fact that Thomas can’t build a team. When Layden was around, he got blamed. But Thomas the coach was able to get the players he wanted, ie Marbury, Q, Crawford, Zach, Curry etc and those players can’t play as a team. No that’s not coaching. It has to do with Thomas’ lack of management skills. Everywhere he’s been as an executive or a coach he destroyed things. So if a team doesn’t play defense, it isn’t the coaches fault? Or the GM. The GM is supposed to build a team that can win. Thomas hasn’t done that. A coach is supposed to get his players to play hard on offense and defense Thomas hasn’t done that.
When Larry Brown was here, Brown got blamed for the Knicks lack of success. Why was it Brown’s fault that the Knicks failed back then but not Thomas fault now? Why was it Layden’s fault that the Knicks didn’t win, but not Thomas’ fault now. Why does Thomas get a pass with you guys, but Brown and Layden didn’t? Maybe its because you guys lick Thomas’ balls.
The problem with Knickdefense, first off is the name because the knicks don’t play defense. Second is the fact that people here blamed Brown and Layden for the Knicks’ lack of success when they were here, but now they give Thomas a pass. People here like African, peace etc totally lack credibility. If it was Layden’s fault the knicks didn’t win when he was here and Brown’s fault the Knicks didn’t win when he was here, they it certainly is Thomas fault the Knicks aren’t winning now. Get some credibility guys.
Thomas was a great defensive player in his playing days and has complied a team that doesn’t play defense. What does that say about Thomas management and coaching skills?
By ed drossman on Mar 22, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Q & Nate out tonight…….good to see the youngins getting an opportunity tonight!!!
Go for yours, Wilson & Randy! LGK!!!
By PaulNoize on Mar 22, 2008 at 8:10 pm
four minutes in….the Scholar in for Morris. Clyde wonders how this fits Isiah’s stated plan of playing the kids? He & Breen are harping on it a bit….
By PaulNoize on Mar 22, 2008 at 8:21 pm
LOL….The Scholar repays my ribbing with a sweet jumper and then a pump-fake setting up the drive & stuff.
By PaulNoize on Mar 22, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Malik Rose - airball from fifteen, Jaric hits a three, 24-11 Wolves up. “These games are a real test of your professionalism.” - Mike Breen.
By PaulNoize on Mar 22, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Defensive unit in now featuring Crawford on offense….Mardy a couple of bad TO’s against Foye!
37-20 Minny up with a minute left in the first quarter.
By PaulNoize on Mar 22, 2008 at 8:31 pm
T’Wolves set a franchise scoring record in the first quarter, 42 points. Way to tank.
By PaulNoize on Mar 22, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Knicks with a comeback behind The Scholar. Not Kidding. It’s the year 2000 all over again, Rose is on fire….or the Wolves don’t play much “D” either. =)
By PaulNoize on Mar 22, 2008 at 8:41 pm
69-56 we trail at half. Time to be out.
By PaulNoize on Mar 22, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Asking Steph to be a leader, or Eddy and Zach to defend, isn’t coaching. Setting an offseason regimen for Eddy to get in shape, and telling Stephon last year what he told the cameras this year: leadership and defense: and then harping on the specifics of how to do this, would be coaching. Coaching means more than asking guys, it means enforcing what you ask, repeatedly. It also means making reasonable demands, demands which fit intelligently into an overall gameplan. Telling Steph in the offseason that his job would be to defend and distribute the ball, and then quietly (i.e. without the loud benching six games in) insisting on it through the season, would be coaching Steph to improve his point guard game. Telling Zach that he’d need to work on his midrange jumper and passing, to allow Eddy to roam the low post, and then telling Eddy he wouldn’t play unless he met requirements, and sticking to those requirements, would be coaching. Drilling his team on how to play hard-nosed D, with quick rotations and recoveries, would be coaching.
What did the Knicks get? Repeated days off. Twenty-minute gameday shootarounds. Thirty-minute practices. No emphasis on defense whatsoever. Confusion in their roles. If anything, Isiah’s been more miserable a failure as a coach–lacking the drive, intelligence and effort–than he has a GM. A good coach could have gotten a decent season out of Steph. A good coach could’ve coaxed some form of coexistent game out of Zach and Eddy. A good coach would’ve established regular bench rotations, with role players like Nate for scoring, Balkman for D, Lee for rebounding. A good coach would’ve used Randolph Morris earlier in the season, especially if Eddy wasn’t meeting his weight requirements.
Isiah has failed every aspect of coaching this team. He’s met only Dolan’s standard of speaking no ill about his employer, and it’s been depressing to watch. This team could’ve been a playoff team, with some intelligent and determined guidance. Instead, they had Isiah.
By Mike on Mar 22, 2008 at 10:26 pm
Great post Mike!!!
I couldn’t agree more!!!!!
Isiah cannot coach…especially in NYC where the fans are smart and
have more knowledge of the game than anywhere else.
By DaVonn Obama Jefferson on Mar 23, 2008 at 9:16 am
Good AM Defenders.
Useful post Mike. I see you got that coaching thing down.
DVJ, many NYC fans may be knowledgeable about the game and can probably smell a baller the minute he steps on the hardwood. What NYC fans don’t always know is the NBA script and the game behind the game. I for one (conspiracy theorist as it may sound) think that there is an okidoke when a team doesn’t protect a first round pick in a trade. The unconditionality turns out to be a guarantee. Behind closed doors, they can agree to trade a player plus a lottery pick. The “plus lottery” implies tanking–especially if they’re on a “4-year rebuilding program”. Owners poppin’ off in the media about their moality and what they would not do are cloaked in the veil of hypocrates. This business of losing to win is probably why an addicted winner like the Boss could not remain as an owner in the NBA. Black Magic revealed a side of the Boss that we see play out every season with the Yankees. And then there’s the other side that we hope he transformed from over time by embracing his Hispanic son-in-law in the business, hiring Asians and African Americans for the front office, rewarding a loyal Jewish employee after many years of OJT under Bob Watson and Michaels. It boggles my mind how fans and media assume they can cause billionaires to sell off a flagship, highly lucrative venture. Only in America and only in NYC.
KFL (the love is gone for this season. It will resume come lottery or what, May?)
By Steady on Mar 23, 2008 at 10:10 am
Frank Isola said Ernie Grunfeld for gm, I agree.
By ed drossman on Mar 23, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Good PM Defenders!
Mike all I can do is CO-SIGN on post #15! Such a well written thesis on the lack of coaching skills of OUR BOY Isiah “Monty” Thomas. Your analysis was on point and your conclusion certain. Thanks for dropping the INTEL Mike….
@STEADY,
We’s be POPPIN!!! Gracias Mi Amigo! The Dukies could not scale the Men of the Mountain. Joey A is the sure nough TRUTH. wouldn’t you say Mr. As It Goes….LOL LIVES with the skip pass and the beautiful Ooop di Hoop NO LOOK, but he KNOWS WHAT’S GOOD and we’s b feelin his COOL VIBE…Yo LIVES, BTW, your “Blow Me Club” Black Card is inthe Mail…You’ve got Emperor Staus…LOL LOL LOL
@BRONX,
Tell me this Kid “KLOVE” the BIG BRUIN is not TRUTH…19-11-7 BLOCKS; against the next quote unquote ‘DHoward’ Mr. D. Jordan….He reminds me of a young McHale in college and he got some Dave DeBush in him too…That tough mental framework, plus the association DNA…The Knicks could use this bruiser…Sam didn’t play way last night so adios to the surging Panthers…Great coaching job by Jamie Dixon….I’m sure you agree Mike….
HAPPY EASTER to those DEFENDERS that participate in this Holy Tradition…
Keep it POPPIN!
By Cooleyhigh on Mar 23, 2008 at 1:55 pm
@ Cooley,
Man, you don’t have to sell me on Mr. Love, bruh….we’re trackin’ in the same direction, for all the reasons you mentioned. IMHO he should be our pick, no if’s, and’s, or but’s about it.
I also believe we should try to get his teamate, Mr. Collison. That kid is tough as nails, and he’ll eventually be better than Jordan Farmar, whom I happen to like.
By Bronxboy in Md on Mar 24, 2008 at 10:46 am