What is the real issue with these Knickerbockers? Is it the offense. Is it the defense? Is it the effort? Maybe its the talent? All the promise we found with Jeremy Lin and a revamped lineup has evaporated faster than the mist this dream flew in on.
It’s too simplistic to blame the Knick problems on the effectiveness of their biggest star player Carmelo Anthony. We all knew that Anthony wasn’t the young player who came to Denver almost a decade ago. It’s too easy also to take a shit on the head coach Mike D’Antoni. We all know that even with a peak performing engine guided by MVP point guard Steve Nash D’antoni still couldn’t sniff the ass of an NBA Finals series.
So maybe these Knickerbockers are who we thought they were all along? A mediocre 9th or 10th seed in the Eastern Conference.
Oh and yeah, trade ‘Melo and fire D’Antoni.
Mike D’antoni been on the hotseat for five years b. I’m starting to think hes got naked pictures of Dolan or something cause any other coach with his record would have been gone.
where is the NCAA bracket post?
I don’t think Melo or D’Antoni individually are the problem. I do think Melo and D’Antoni collectively are the problem. With the offensive talent this guy has to offer, you need to be willing to draw up some designs and have movement to get him open looks. The way D’Antoni seems to run this offense is to put whoever the best players who are not tired or in foul trouble out there and let them freeball it. There is little to no team discipline on offense. I know this guy has preached if you feel you can make a shot, take the shot, but that doesn’t work with everyone. His efforts have been so focused on improving the defense (which they have a bit) that there’s no real direction on offense. It’s like he knows everyone is capable of scoring so he just lets them play. This is the NBA.. every team has talent. It’s drawing up the right design to allow the talent to mesh that needs to happen. By no means is this an easy task, but better coaches have done more with less.
It’s evident the key players aren’t buying into his system.
I’m not superstitious and I don’t believe in “god” (GODS plural, maybe, in pantheistic and polytheistic sense) but fuck…
This team is CURSED, and has been since the waning days of Van Gundy. The old heads know of what I speak– ridiculous fourth collapses; retarded three quarters no shows followed by one brilliant quartet etc. Charlie Ward, Allan Houston and whomever else wearing idiotic WWJD bracelets and thanking the fucking Creator Who Makes All Things Possible– all things except playing hard defense, not making dumbass turnovers, completing the 3 etc.
I like Lenny Wilkens a lot– BRRRROOOOOOKLYNNNN!!!! as Dontrevius Wenters would bellow– but he had no chance. Coach Isaiah was an evil motherfucker who got what he deserved on the court and should have suffered more off it. Etc etc.
Which leaves us where?
There hasn’t been a Knicks team with ANY dependable discipline since before Van Gundy and I don’t see this crew changing that. LEX is 100% correct but it’s not going to change anything. Donnie Walsh failed, D’Antoni failed and I don’t see anyone short of peak-Phil Jackson being able to get the current bunch of misfits to cohere… Alas!
Trade Melo?.. Hell nah.. He is still good money.
you said the answer to the knicks problem already
“We all know that even with a peak performing engine guided by MVP point guard Steve Nash D’antoni still couldn’t sniff the ass of an NBA Finals series”
i dont care how much of nice guy Dantoni is. That shit dont work. He is not equipped mentally to be a NY Coach, PERIOD!. He still doesnt know what to do with all this talent we have. It didnt work in Phoenix and it damn sure aint working in NY.
The Dantoni System is wack…. it never worked.
bye bye dantoni….at least finish the fuckin season.