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New York Knicks Archives
New years is a time for reflection. A time to take stock of the things done in the past year with hopes that we will learn from our mistakes and become better for them. Yesterday, GM Isiah Thomas gave Head Coach Isiah Thomas a vote of confidence that his job is safe. Yes you read that correctly, couldn't make that up. So much for the 2 week deadline for criticism Isiah placed on himself. By the way, the team went 1-5 during that stretch...
Judging by the last 4 years under the leadership of Isiah Thomas and James Dolan, there is about as much reflection on past failures at MSG as there is accountability. Rather, Knicks management likes to look ahead, focusing on how best to save face and deflect blame while not caring in the slightest about winning or the fans.
With the holiday season coming to a close, now is as good a time as any to look back on the wonderful things Zeke and Jazzy Jim have given Knicks fans over the last four years.
1. Stephon Marbury - If you like losing basketball, then Marbury is your man at the point. Before coming to NY, Steph had built an extensive losing resume, from alienating Kevin Garnett and breaking up a young, talented T'Wolves squad to winning a paltry 0 playoff series. Isiah recognized this and brought his preternatural ability to fail to the Knicks. Over the past four years Starbury has registered 0 wins in playoff games and 1 remarkable scene of infidelity in a truck while killing any team chemistry that has sprouted up from time to time. Luckily, we still have 2 more seasons of him at about 21 million per year...
2. Steve Francis - Because having Stephon Marbury on the roster wasn't enough the Zeke pulled a savvy trade to create the losingest backcourt possible at the highest cap number imaginable. Trevor Ariza and Jalen Rose's expiring contract were traded away to acquire "The Franchise." Like they say at MSG "you've got to give something, to get nothing."
3. Eddy Curry - For the bargain basement price of two first round picks, two second round picks and enough bad contracts to ensure zero cap flexibility for the forseeable future, the Knicks received a "franchise center" with a history of weight and heart problems. To his credit, Curry did begin to come into his own a bit last year averaging 19 points and 7 rebounds a game. Fortunately, Isiah refused to trade him at the peak of his value this summer, instead opting to pair him with Zach Randolph to form an interior defensive presence almost as intimidating as
Steve Nash sans the shot blocking ability.
4. Jerome James - According to Isiah, Big Snacks was acquired for his "girth" not his ability to consistently fill a DNP spot. According to NYC buffets, business has never been better.
5. Jared Jeffries - Using the familiar negotiating strategy of outbidding himself, Isiah was able to sign bonafide offensive blackhole Jared Jeffries to an untradeable five year contract in 2006. Two years and roughly 10,000 unnecessary pump fakes later, Knicks fans are glad to have a guy who brings such "intangibles" as missing layups and being an overrated defender to their roster.
6. No All Stars - The natural progression from Isiah's free agent signings and trades bring us to the fact that the Knicks haven't had a player appear in the All Star Game since 2001. Conversely, several Knick players and personnel have appeared in court during that time...
7. Anucha Browne Sanders - Winner of the largest payout ever for a game of HORSE at MSG, 11.6 million dollars.
8. Head Coach Isiah Thomas - From the makers of General Manager Isiah Thomas, comes an inept head coach with no control of his players and a 41-70 record over the last two seasons. Puzzle piece pins sold separately.
9. Double Digit Losses - One of the key accessories included with Head Coach Isiah are blowouts as the Knicks lead the league with 14 double digit losses this season. I was going to research the number of double digit defeats over the course of Thomas' tenure but decided it was best if the loaded gun on the table remains next to the half-empty bottle of Jameson rather than my temple.
10. Isiah's Contract Extension - This post has focused primarily on Isiah; however, it wouldn't be fair to James Dolan if we didn't mention his contributions to Knicks fans. Not only can the fat man play some serious jazz music and grow a goatee but he also appears to have an uncanny sense for detecting "evident progress" where there is none. Since signing Isiah to a 3 year extension worth 24 million dollars late last season, the Knicks are 12-36. Thus, everytime you look to the Knicks sidelines and see Isiah with his head in his hands or staring blankly from the bench you know who to thank.
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Despite the giant pink slip-related madness that ensued outside of MSG yesterday afternoon, nightfall brought a strong performance from a motivated Knicks team. Following the Pacers debacle on Monday, I wrote that as currently constructed and coached, this team was headed nowhere. Like a majority of Knicks fans I want to see Isiah go. But as I have always contested, Stephon Marbury's play at point guard is the Knicks' biggest problem.
I attended last night's game, my first of the season, and was glad to see the young Knicks playing hard with Stephon Marbury out of sight and mind if only for one night. The offense looked crisp and selfless, there was a discernable energy both on defense and on the boards and the team generally looked to be in harmony on the court as well as on the bench. Here are a few observations from last night's win and my thoughts on what the Knicks should do going forward:
- Although he is far from perfect, Jamal Crawford is clearly our best option to run the offense. We know Jamal's strengths: ball-handling, getting to the rim and (although streaky) mid to long range jump shooting. We also know his vices: weak defender, turnover prone, careless with the ball, etc. However, dating back to the Larry Brown regime, Crawford's most redeeming quality has been his team-first attitude and willingness to learn and improve. Crawford dramatically raised his game under Brown's tutelage, developing better all-around skills (especially passing) and increasing his basketball IQ. He is the Knick that is coolest under pressure and according to most things you read, the one that garners the most respect in the locker room due to tenure and his poise. Last night, Crawford played a controlled game at point guard maintaining a good balance between passing and scoring. He made many good decisions and a few bad ones, but given the opportunity to run this offense his instincts will improve and he can make those around him better.
- Fred Jones, who I admittedly have trashed on a regular basis, is a good fit at the two spot beside Crawford. Given the fact the Knicks have so many guys that need the ball in their hands to be effective, Jones serves to balance out the lineup providing hustle, some defense and the ability to finish in transition.
- When Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph are on the court together, the offense is stagnant. Guys aren't moving or cutting, basically everyone is standing around watching Crawford try to create on the perimeter or the ball is force fed inside to one of the bigs and never seen again. I can't stress this enough so I'm going bold on ya - David Lee must start and play at least 35 minutes a night. Like Jones, Lee doesn't need the ball to be effective; however, that's where the likeness ends. Lee generates his own points through offensive rebounds and smart, persistent cuts to the basket where he is developing into an excellent finisher down low. In addition to his excellent rebounding skills, his athleticism and proclivity in starting fast breaks with solid outlet passes keeps the Knicks moving and injects life into the offense. A starting 5 of Zach Randolph, David Lee, Q, Fred Jones and Crawford is the most balanced and effective at both ends of the floor.
- Which brings us to Eddy Curry. He has had a hard time getting going this year and his game has regressed noticeably from a year ago. Watching him last night, I think this is a product of him being put in spots where he is less likely to succeed. As my co-worker Dan points out almost daily, Eddy Curry "is what he is," in other words he's a big that's only as good as the situations you put him in. I don't feel that his game will ever mesh with Randolph's for the simple fact that neither is a good passer and as such it will be difficult for them to develop a high-low chemistry. In addition, when they are on the court together there simply isn't enough room for them to both operate and each of their games are restricted and worse off for it. A second unit featuring Eddy Curry as the lone big will give him an opportunity to own the block and draw favorable matchups. Additionally, Randolph should be able to use his athleticism more with first unit due to the added breathing room. Maybe it will even persuade him to pass a little more...
- As for the remainder of the bench, Nate Robinson deserves at least 20-25 minutes a night. Nate is a guy that can pick a team up when down and make things happen on both ends, especially in the transition game. Another guy I came away impressed by was Malik Rose who offers the Knicks a solid veteran defensive presence at forward. Countless times Rose provided excellent weak side help in defending Lebron and even got an emphatic block. He's a good option to rotate in at the 4 spot for brief stretches. Jeffries and Balkman are also decent plays based on the matchup. Balkman is very skittish and hasn't seen a pump fake he didn't try to block into the stands. He has good defensive skills and is explosive in transition, however he must develop greater poise before getting viable minutes. Essentially, the Knicks rotation should not exceed 8-9 players.
- Finally, I simply don't see Steph fitting in with this current roster. He will most certainly be relegated to a backup role, coming off the bench for 25 minutes or so. Unfortauntely, I don't see any scenario where his presence off the bench helps this team. I feel, as always, he will try to do too much on the offensive end in terms of scoring and hurt the rhythm and tempo of the offense as a whole. I fear this selfish play will be further exasperated by his reduced minutes and serves as the biggest threat to the Knicks overall success.
The reasons for Steph's absence from the Knicks are tough, it is never easy to lose someone you love, especially a parent. However, from a purely basketball stand point - based on last night's play and the team's performance when he is on the court - the Knicks are best served with Marbury out of the equation. Isiah isn't going anywhere folks. The best thing we can do this season is cut ties with Marbury as soon as possible and roll the dice with Zeke's boys. As I said yesterday, this is the only way the young guys will truly develop as a unit and the best chance that the fans and management alike have to see what exactly we have here.
Steph will not be joining the team in Charlotte for Friday's game, let's see if the Knicks can build on the Cavs blowout....
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Mike Dunleavy Jr. He was my guy, he was my guy I tell you. For three straight seasons - 2004-05 to 2006-07 - I drafted him onto my fantasy teams and believed that he would develop into a good all-around NBA basketball player. Unfortunately, year after year he failed to live up to expectations; never fitting into Nelly's system and eventually getting shipped to Indiana where he continued his inconsistent play. This year I was officially done with him and for the first time my fantasy basketball team did not open with Mike Dunleavy Jr. in the starting rotation.
Naturally, Dunleavy has finally started to come into his own this year, flourishing in Jim O'Brien's fast-paced offense in Indiana. He is currently averaging career highs in points, assists, 3 pointers, 3 pt %, FG %, FT %... more or less across the board. So when MDJ went off for a career-high 36 points last night doing a little of everything - hitting circus jumpers, off-balance layoffs in transition and ripping threes - against my pathetic Knicks, it hurt on many levels.
First off, MDJ should never go off for 30+ points. If your team can defend at all, a big MDJ game should be of the 20 points 5 rebounds variety not 36 and 7. Secondly and most importantly, its simply time to accept the fact that this Knicks team is going no where with Lord Marbury at point guard and The Zeke coaching. The Knicks play with no fire or defensive acumen and run an unorganized offense reminiscent of a mediocre high school team.
This team has quit on its coach yet given they play in the parallel universe known as Madison Square Garden, coach has gotten a full vote of confidence from the owner. Basically, we as Knicks fans are totally screwed for the forseeable future unless a miracle (Marbury buy out & Isiah firing) were to occur. While it wouldn't remedy all of the problems associated with the current roster, it would at the very least give the young talent an opportunity to develop; allowing us the fans to finally see what exactly we have here.
So until there is a little light at the end of the tunnel or any signs of life in general, it is just easier to write about performances by the opposition. You can read about the poor play of the Knicks and the organization's general dysfuntion in your favorite New York paper. Wednesday night, I make my season debut at MSG as the Knicks take on Lebron and the Cleveland Cavaliers. I mean, he's no MDJ but that LBJ he's got some game... should be interesting to see if the Bron Stopper, Q-Rich (ha), can hold him under 36.
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Yesterday, I posted with my thoughts on the state of the Knicks and the fallout from Stephon Marbury going AWOL. I approached this ugly situation with my glass half full and considered Marbury's actions as the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. I also chose to defend Isiah's desicion to bench Marbury, seeing it as a sign that he is growing as a coach, realizing the negative impact Steph has on the young roster. The final line of my post read as follows:
"Marbury has shown his hand Isiah, now it's your move."
Essentially, Isiah had finally reached the crossroads of his Knicks coaching tenure and this was his chance to give his "team first" mantra some teeth. He was in a position to prove to the 14 other players on the Knicks roster as well as the fans that Marbury's selfish, me-first actions would not go unnoticed this time. He had the opportunity to set a refreshing precedent in the Knicks locker room that if you feel you are above the team, your detrimental actions will be met with the appropriate discipline whether it be a fine and/or suspension (both of which were more than warranted in this instance). Most importantly, before yesterdays game Isiah Thomas had the opportunity to begin to change the culture of a downtrodden franchise by putting a hefty dent in the tyrannical reign of Lord Stephon over the Knicks roster.
Unfortunately for Knicks players and fans, Isiah Thomas' response spoke volumes about the sorry state of the New York Knicks. The cover-my-ass mentality of the team's upper management was on full display for the world to see as anyone who cares about this team got to see first hand the dirty motivations that drive descion-making around these parts. Stephon Marbury was not punished for skipping out on his team, rather he sat out the first 9 minutes of the game before playing 34 minutes including crunch time late in an 84-81 loss.
Earlier today, a damning article surfaced (reported first by Johnny Ludden of Yahoo! Sports) stating that before the Clippers game, Isiah Thomas had sent Jamal Crawford to gauge whether the team felt Marbury should play in that night's game. Ultimately, Isiah told Jamal Crawford that if one guy spoke out against Marbury playing, he would be benched. As it turns out, Crawford and the Knicks held a vote which unanimously declared that Marbury should not play in Wednesday night's game.
After reading this article I felt like a fool. I had put my faith in Isiah calling him the right man to oversee the growth of this roster. Given his tremendous leadership qualities and no nonesense attitude as a player, I expected him to make the right move. I was certain he would vouch for the 14 guys, all of whom he has brought in and molded in his tenure in NY, over the one guy that he was finally done placating. But it was not to be and remained business as usual at MSG - save your ass first focus on the success of the team second.
Now, perhaps Isiah was caught in a Playmakers scenario, with James Dolan playing the role of Wilbanks and Stephon being a carbon-copy of DH without the game-changing talent. However, Isiah had to of known that even if he appeased the owner in order to keep his job, his actions would lose him the respect of his players and hit him where it hurts most - the team's on court performance.
Ultimately in New York, if you don't win, you don't stick around long. Ask Larry Brown, Ray Handley or the immortal Richie Kotite. To date, Isiah has defied this logic but given the events of 11/14, the end of the Zeke regime is just around the corner.
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Coming into the NBA season, my plan was to wait five game before writing any material regarding the play of the New York Knicks. This is because during the Zeke regime in NY, I have experienced a myriad of dizzying highs and lows which have often occured in a span of just a few days. Thus, I am conditioned not to shell out praise prematurely and to take every win with a grain of salt because disaster is always lurking with this team... whether it be at an afterhours HORSE game or in the backseat of a truck.
Watching the Knicks pull off a classic win against the Denver Nuggets at a MSG last Tuesday, I was compelled to jump on the computer and bang out a gushy post applauding all the wonderful things I had just seen. Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph effectively coexisting on the court. Jamal Crawford and Stephon Marbury looking like a two-headed floor general, showing a great ability to score as well as make the right pass. The knicks young, versatile bench players - D Lee, Nate and Balkman - providing a little bit of everything be it defensive grit, scoring or rebounding when the team needed it most. Balkman's sick "Hustle Harder" tattoo which is spread out on the back of his calves. Lastly and most importantly in my mind, Isiah Thomas coming into his own as a coach and sticking to an 8 man rotation with defined roles.
However, as much as that win brought back memories of the old days at MSG, when opponents knew it would take a hard-working 48 minutes of basketball to beat the Knicks in NY, I stopped myself from writing and decided to wait the extra two games as originally planned. I cannot begin to describe how much things have changed in one week but I also cannot honestly say I am shocked either.
Stephon Marbury has looked terribly out of place ever since the Denver game in which the Knicks played a more wide open run and gun style to match that of the free wielding Nuggets offense. Against the Magic and Heat, two teams that play conservative, slow-down styles on offense, Steph struggled to run the Knicks half court offense effectively and the team looked better with Jamal Crawford, Nate Robinson and Mardy Collins at the helm. Marbury's reluctance to sacrifice scoring in favor of consistently feeding Curry and Randolph in the post coupled with his bad habits of driving wildly to the rim early in the shot clock and forcing shots when he is not prominently involved in the scoring all take their toll on the flow of an offense.
The news of Steph leaving the Knicks before their game in Phoenix and returning home broke Tuesday, just as I was getting ready to pen my first Knicks post and as such I decided to let all the details unfold. Basically the Cliff Notes version of the confrontation goes as follows. During the plane ride to Phoenix, Steph learned through Eddy Curry that he would be coming off the bench for the Suns game. Steph then confronted Isiah and they got into heated argument on the plane. Finally, Steph left Phoenix and headed back home but not before telling teammates (according to the Daily News):
"Isiah has to start me, I've got so much (stuff) on Isiah and he knows it. He thinks he can get me. But I'll get him first. You have no idea what I know."
Quite a mess; however, it may take an incident of this magnitude to remove Marbury from this roster, a move i feel will improve the team this year and into the future. The fact is, the Knicks have a very above average young roster and Marbury's ball hoggery and poor decision-making has stunted their growth. The core guys - Curry, Randolph, Crawford, Nate, David Lee, Mardy Collins, Balkman and Q Rich - are unselfish, hard working and collectively display a variety of complementary skills. I feel that once given the opportunity, these guys will function well as a unit and develop into a winning team together with (i can't believe im saying this) Isiah Thomas being the right man to oversee their growth.
I am as heavy a critic as Isiah as you'll find; however, if he sticks to his guns with Marbury and either benches, or buys him out (a move I have been waiting over 2 years for as trading is out of the question regardless of what Chris Sheridan says) this organization can finally get out of neutral and dive head first into the process of grooming a winner in the not-to-distant future.
Marbury has shown his hand Isiah, now its your move.
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