tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99670702024-03-07T01:37:08.556-05:00The New York Knicker-BloggersThe latest, the greatest, all-you-can-eat spot for all things related to the New York Knickerbockers (and eventually all things Mets, Yankees, Giants, Jets, and Nets). We'll cover every angle of the orange and blue this season--from courtside to couchside.WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1110390391872754082005-03-09T12:23:00.000-05:002005-03-09T12:46:31.876-05:00Knicks defeat Wiz, 93-83With 7 victories in a row at the Garden there are shades of '94 in the dejected eyes of visting teams these days. The Knicks victory over the Washington Wizards, highlighted by Crawfor'ds alley-oop to himself off the glass for the dunk in traffic, is the latest game during which the Knicks have been able to hold opponents scoreless for large stretches of the game. Clearly, the emergence of Sweetney as a force in the paint, Crawford's discovery of the pass, and the late arrival of the Tim Thomas that Isiah thought he was getting a year ago have all been integral in this mini-winning streak. However, it is the commitment to defense that really gives these wins promise. The defensive intensity of late shows that maybe these guys haven't given up on the season, maybe they do care, and maybe they don't like losing. Now, the knock on this team has never been lack of talent, these New York Knicks have talent. The only question is whether or not they will sublimate their talents to the team concept. Is winning important to these guys? Will they pass first, then shoot? Will they make that extra defensive rotation with the shot clock winding down? It seems as if they may have decided to change the way that they have been answering these questions for most of the season....<br /><br />Knicks vs. Wiz:<br /><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=250308018">ESPN </a><br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/09/sports/basketball/09knicks.html">NY Times</a><br /><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/288177p-246700c.html">NY Daily News</a><br /><a href="http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/40882.htm">NY Post</a>WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1109861399422660932005-03-09T09:49:00.000-05:002005-03-09T13:04:58.516-05:00Better Living Through Power ForwardsThe Knicks have traded away all active (my apologies to Bruno Sundov) centers on the roster. The only big man on the side line is coach Herb Williams, and he is just slighlty more likely than Bruno to have a game changing offensive rebound. So, how is it that the Knicks suddenly find themselves a team with a newfound presence in the paint? Maybe there is a basketball method to Isiah's unmitigated financial madness. Mike Sweetney has emerged as a viable scoring threat down low, and his ample posterior commands post position. Tim Thomas is attacking the basket rather than lurking on the perimeter. Newly acquired Mo Taylor has proven (what everyone already knew) that he can score in the paint. And all of this inside play has opened things up for the Knicks bread-and-butter, the Marbury/Thomas pick-and-roll.<br /><br />The Knicks are 5-2 since paring all centers from their roster. They are winners of their last seven in the Garden. One of today's papers referred to them as being in "the thick" of the playoff race in the East. Looking back at the <em><a href="http://knickerbloggers.blogspot.com/2005/02/knicker-bloggers-second-half-preview.html">Knicker-Blogger's Second-half Preview</a></em>, the Knicks are staying the course for playoff contention: they are 5-0 in "should-win" games (including 2 of the tougher should-wins of LA and Indiana) and 0-2 in "tough" games. That being said, the Knicks are going to have to start stealing a game here and there from the NBA's upper-echelon teams if they want to keep their good times rolling straight into the postseason. With home games against Seattle and Miami in the next week there is no better time than the present to start putting a few upsets in the playoff piggy bank.WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1109717170933217172005-03-01T17:15:00.000-05:002005-03-02T15:10:37.526-05:00Thomas (the Tank) Out-Duels Kobe (the alleged sex-offender), Lakers<div align="center">Knicks win in overtime, 117-115</div><div align="center"></div><div align="left"></div><p>Q: "Who's #31?"</p><p>A: "Not Shaq" </p><p>This exchange occurs midway through the first quarter after Lakers center Chris Mihm fouls a driving Steph. It doesn't matter that the Texas alum shows promise each time he takes the court, or that he made the All-Rookie second team last year. What really matters, to opponents anyway, is that he is decidedly not Shaq. This minor fact is especially important to the Knicks as the only true center on the New York bench is coach Herb Williams. On Isiah's "athletic" team (the tallest player plays small forward and the 5-spot is manned by a platoon of gentlemen ranging from 6-9 to 6-9.</p><p>Nevertheless, #31 is not Shaq and these other things are not problems. In fact, the Knicks front line is dominating in the early going. Sweetney--a flurry of headfakes and bulk--is a young man playing with the craftiness of an aged vet. The greatest by-product of trading Nazr is the chance for Sweets to step into the starting lineup. </p><p>On the other side of the ball, Lamar Odom is the Laker eliciting the most Oohs and Aahs from the Garden crowd. Meanwhile, Kobe is booed each and every time that he touches the ball. The boos start slow, spread out, but they course through the Garden (faster than allegations of sexual impropriety on Internet) as he holds the ball longer, longer, too long. With other visiting players the boos start strong, but eventually falter. Conversely, the more the people see Kobe play the more they seem to boo him. Maybe some didn't know that they didn't like Kobe when they arrived, but after seeing him play they know it now. They boo. And except for taking over at the end of the first half, the end regulation, and the opening moments of OT Kobe's presence was absent from large stretches of the game. </p><p>The amount of cognitive dissonance required to be a Kobe Bryant fan is approaching red-state levels. How does a mother bring her young son or daughter to this game adorned in a Kobe jersey, as a Kobe is an admitted adulterer and an accused rapist? How does any true Laker fan harbor any love for this guy after he exiles Shaq and Phil, effectively breaking up the dynasty? The Knicker-Blogger is all for irrational behavior, but the prevalence of Kobe jerseys throughout the Garden is incomprehensible. A couple sitting a few rows down is decked out in matching Kobe jerseys. How cute. It would seem that this guy can probably get away with a whole lot if his lady-friend is so understanding when it comes to Kobe's actions. As she chants <em>"Go Kobe, Go Kobe"</em> to the tune of that old standard <em>"Go Sheila, it's your birthday!"</em> One (and by one I mean to say I) can't help but chime in the with the infinitely catchier, <em>"Go Kobe, Go to Jail. Go Kobe, Go to Jail."</em> The two Lakers fans are not amused. Actually, the guy definitely cracked a smile while the girlfriend, well, she did not smile. </p><p>Still, Kobe is not the real story tonight. The Knicks center-less frontline is the story. Sweetney is just working the paint. In the second quarter Kurt Thomas got the loudest applause I've ever heard for a defensive stop. He stands up Lamar Odom as he slashes through the lane seemingly un-deterable towards the hoop, once Odom has stopped driving the Lakers iso him and Thomas on the elbow, but Odom cannot shake Kurt. Odom tries to kick the ball out and Steph swoops in to pick it off. The Garden goes crazy.</p><p>However, as the game wears on it becomes clear that Tim Thomas is the star of this game. Not Kobe, not Steph, but Tim "no longer referred to as Tiny" Thomas. He cannot be stopped. Every single Laker, three of the Laker girls, and the dude who used to carry around Shaq's edition of <em>Bartlett's Quotation Dictionary</em> all try to guard Thomas at some point in the game. People in the stands are yelling for whichever Knick has the ball to just "Pass it to Thomas." It is surreal. He is hitting shots with three defenders draped over him and his hands tied behind his back. The man who until recently barely averaged 10 points per, scores 17 points in the 3rd quarter alone. During a timeout my brother has to call Thomas' mom just to make sure she is taping the game. </p><p>On the broad shoulders of Tim Thomas the Knicks climb to a 83-68 lead at the end of the 3rd quarter. Lakers coach, Frank Hamblen spends the final minutes of the quarter sitting in his chair discussing the Slavic involvement in the European Union with Vlade Divac (sartorally resplendent in jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt). </p><p>Yet, somehow, predictably, the wheels come off. The center (so to speak) will not hold. The Knicks start the 4th quarter with Crawford at the point, Penny as the two-guard, Ariza at small forward, Taylor as power forward, and Malik Rose at center. Although this organization is only a guess as all the players are roughly the same height. Regardless, with no true point guard on the floor the team repeatedly turns the ball over with the help of series of poor passes. On defense, the referees seem only able to maintain respiration by breathing through their whistles; Herb's b-lineup racks up fouls at a clock-stopping rate, and the Lakers are hitting their foul shots. All of a sudden the lead is down from 14-15 and hovering around 9-11. </p><p>Steph, Timmy, and Kurt check back in with a little over 7:30 remaining in the regulation. The score is 89-78, good guys. Still, the music of a referee's whistle sets the beat as the Lakers continue their parade to the free throw line. </p><p>A pair of Brian Grant free throws make the score 101-92 with 2:27 left. Following the free throws Mike Sweetney brings the ball up the floor. The Knicks are nursing a 9-point lead with just over two minutes left and they let their potentially portly, second-year power forward bring the ball up the court! Steph just jogs up the sideline and hangs out on the wing? To Sweetney's credit he moves the ball up well, and even breaks some Laker ankles with a nifty cross-over. He does all of this right before he turns the ball over. Thankfully the Lakers turn it over on their subsequent trip down the floor leading to a Marbury layup. </p><p>Knicks lead 103-92.</p><p>Kobe is fouled next trip down the floor. He hits 1 of 2. Knicks lead 103-93.</p><p>Steph is fouled next trip down the floor. He hits 2 of 2. Knicks lead 105-93.</p><p>The Knicks hold the Lakers scoreless on their next trip, but cannot capitalize as they turn the ball over on a shot-clock violation. Another late game shot-clock violation. The chants of DEE-FENSE are punctuated not by clapping rather by the sound of knees knocking and hearts pounding throughout the Garden. </p><p>Chucky Atkins hits a 3. Knicks lead 105-98.</p><p>Kurt Thomas is fouled. He hits 1 of 2. Knicks lead 106-98. </p><p>The crowd starts leaving.</p><p>Odom hits a 3. Knicks lead 106-101. </p><p>Marbury receives the inbounds pass. The Lakers are not pressing. Rather, than holding the ball, milking the clock, Steph fires a baseball pass down court to Tim Thomas. The pass is intercepted by the Lakers. </p><p>Another 3. Knicks lead 106-104. There are 19 seconds left. Steph is fouled.</p><p>With the heavy departure of so many Knicks fans, the Lakers fans can be heard supporting their team. Bad vibes and hung heads. The obnoxious Lakers fans a few rows down are going nuts. The boos (from the Lakers' fans) are plainly audible when Steph steps to the line.</p><p>Steph hits 1 of 2 shots. Knicks lead 107-104.</p><p>Kobe hits a 3 with 4.4. seconds remaining. Knicks no longer lead, as the score is tied at 107. </p><p>Crawford forces up a shot, well-defended by Kobe, at the buzzer that does not fall. </p><p>Ah, Overtime.</p><p>Momentum is entirely on the Lakers side, as is about half of the remaining crowd. The Knicks heads hang low, shoulders slouched, eyes on the floor. </p><p>Please, not again.</p><p>The Lakers win the opening tip of the overtime session and quickly jump out to a lead. Everyone has seen this before. A close game goes to overtime, and one team dominates the extra session en route to a 8-10 point victory. </p><p>The Lakers lead 115-111. </p><p>With the Knicks trailing 113-115 Crawford skies high up to intercept a Laker pass, the Knicks are fast breaking, Marbury misses the driving layup, Kurt Thomas misses the putback, Tim Thomas gets above the rim, above the crowd of Lakers who decended around the hoop, Tim tips the ball in! Tim Thomas is finally playing BIG, and using his 6-foot, 11-inch height around the rim. He backpedals down the court, hand still raised, basking in the delerium of the remaining crowd. </p><p>The Lakers no longer lead, the Knicks no longer trail, the score is tied 115-115.</p><p>The Lakers bring the ball up the floor. Steal! Marbury gets the steal (and doesn't pass it to Sweetney to handle). The Knicks call a timeout with 12.1 seconds left. </p><p>After receiving the inbounds near midcourt Marbury is fouled by Atkins as he dribbles around the perimeter. The sweat is pouring from my brother as if he has been on the court also trying to defend Tim Thomas. The night's third heart attack has begun to reverberates from the tips of my fingers down through the cuticles of my toenails. </p><p>Steph hits the first foul shot. The Knicks lead 116-115. </p><p>The Lakers call a timeout to ice Steph. If he misses this shot everyone knows that the Lakers will somehow score to win. It is a given.</p><blockquote>"This is either the best thing or worst thing that has ever happened to me."--my brother during the time-out.</blockquote><p>Steph hits the second shot. Exhales and exuberation. The Knicks lead 117-115.</p><p>The Lakers call a time-out. The Garden P.A. goes straight into playing the Bachman Turner Overdrive classic <em>"Taking Care of Business,"</em> which it follows up with the greatest amp-up song of all-time, <em>"Black Betty"</em> by the oft forgotten Ram Jam. This is arguably the best combo of songs after a big play at a sporting event, there is no better soundtrack to high-fiving and drinking beer out of plastic cups. </p><p>Meanwhile, no one in the Laker huddle is really listening to Hamblen. Kobe stairs above his head, across the court, and at the basket he needs to get to in a matter of seconds. Caron Butler stands outside the huddle going through the motions of his jumpshot. </p><p>The inbounds comes into Kobe, Kurt Thomas d's him up just outside the 3-point line. Tick, tick. Kobe drives past Kurt into the paint, tick, tick, dishes to a cutting Luke Walton who gets caught off his feet, tick, tick, and passes the ball back to Kobe, tick, tick, Kobe faces up to basket only to find Kurt Thomas blocking his way to the hoop, tick, tick, Kobe turns away from the basket, tick, tick, puts the ball on the floor, tick, tick, BUZZZER. Kobe slams the ball off the court in disgust and charges for the locker room. </p><p>The Knicks lead 117-115.</p><p></p><p></p><p>*<em>Fun Fact 0' the Night</em>: During virtually every time out there was some sort of corporate sponsored shooting contest. From Foxwoods to Continental Airlines, from HSBC to HBO it seemed like every corporate sponsor was offering someone something to make a shot from somewhere on the court. Normally there are a few of these a game, and these sorts of things alternate time-outs with the Knicks City Dancers, the Knicks City Kids, and those kids that do the flips and the crazy jumps. However, it seems like the Knicks City Kids must have come down with a collective case of the chicken pox and in turn infected the jumpers because every time-out the crowd was shown another middle-aged overweight guy from Astoria who made Chris Dudley look like Mark Price. </p><p><br />and the news:<br />NY Times: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/01/sports/basketball/01knicks.html?">recap</a>; <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/01/sports/basketball/01rose.html">Bryant as choke-artist </a>(wink, wink, nudge, nudge)<br /><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/285549p-244562c.html">NY Daily News</a><br />NY Post: <a href="http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/40573.htm">recap</a>; <a href="http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/40575.htm">Intensity=Infighting</a>; <a href="http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/40574.htm">Kobe</a><br /><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=250228018">ESPN</a><br /><a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2005022818">Yahoo/AP</a> </p>WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1109604864535484082005-02-28T10:33:00.000-05:002005-03-03T13:19:32.150-05:00New Knicks, Old(er) Reggie<div align="center"><strong>Knicks dispatch Pacers, 90-79</strong></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left">Of odds, ends, video montages and emerging folk heroes.....</div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left">--the worst part of showing up late to a Knick game is missing the video montage shown on Garden-vision right before the Knicks' starting lineup is introduced. It's a slickly produced highlight package that features Knicks all-time greats producing some of the franchises all-time greatest moments against a morphing backdrop composed of the NYC skyscrapers. Those hairs on the back of one's neck (the sort of hairs that no one could conceivably want, but are oddly integral to describing any sense of suspense/anticipation/etc.) inevitably rise to attention as soon as Starks slams home "The Dunk." By the time Patrick jumps--seemingly over the Chrysler Building--for a monster jam any true Knick fan is amped up enough to step into the lane and take a charge from the love-child of Shaq and Wilt Chamberlain. World domination would not be entirely out of the question if only this could somehow be cued up to the morning alarm clock at Knicker-Blogger HQ.......<br /></div><div align="left">--If you squint while watching Marbury or Crawford, you could almost see them playing on any stretch of blacktop in any city in America. There is a flash and bravado to the way they each dribble the ball up the court and cross-up their defenders. Kurt Thomas, on the other hand, is not someone who looks like he's out for a day in the park. Kurt is a man doing some work; get him a hard-hat and a lunch pail with a plastic-wrapped sandwich and some lunch beers. Playing center while listed at (a generous) 6 feet and 9 inches he has to hustle and muscle his way through every game. Even his nearly automatic 15-footer is obviously the prize won of innumberable hours shooting after practices and before games. It was with these hard-earned, automatic buckets that Kurt outscored the Pacers 6-2 in the last minutes of the 1st quarter, giving the Knicks a 27-24 lead.<br /></div><div align="left">--The Junkyard Dog is back in the rotation playing some real minutes tonight. Each thunderous dunk elicits a chorus of barks and growls; he's still the paws-down fan favorite of the squad. The Dog has been the most noticeable victim of Herb's experimentation to find the lineup that suits whatever it is that he's looking for. </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">--Malik Rose took the floor for the first time as a New York Knickerbocker with about 8 minutes left in the first half. </div><div align="left">--Approximately fifty-three people booed when Reggie hit a 3 to close the Pacer deficit to 53-51 in the 3rd quarter. No one in my section made a sound. Coming to the game, Reggie's second-to-last at the Garden, it had seemed that he would loom large in this game's unfolding. He didn't. Louder than the boos was the growing indifference. Of course, the Knicker-Blogger had a few choice words for Reggie to pass on to his sister, Cheryl, but she totally had it coming. The Knicks began to pull away soon after Reggie's 3. More importantly, there was no fear that Reggie would inevitably pull the Pacers back into the game before it was over. He sat during crunch-time. </div><div align="left">--Flowing with the crowd out towards 33rd Street and another Saturday night in New York City, a voice cracking with either puberty or drink is chanting. <em>"Free Artest, Free Artest!"</em><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="center"><strong></strong></div><div align="left">and the news....</div><div align="left"><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=250226018">ESPN</a></div><div align="left"><a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/recap?gameId=2005022618">fox sports</a></div><div align="left"></div>WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1109372960988733582005-02-25T17:31:00.000-05:002005-02-25T18:09:20.990-05:00The Cautionary Tale of the GM who Cried Trade<em><strong></strong></em><br /><em><strong>Gather round the campfire children, as the Knickerblogger weaves a yarn full of terror, suspense, and daring-do......</strong></em><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">T</span>here once was a land of winter and ice, where polar bears and east European hockey players roamed the tundra in search of penguins and their pucks. Then a magical film based on a more magical book spawned a renaissance of the Jurassic era which oddly enough brought a basketball team to the tundra. The polar bears rejoiced while the east Europeans were afraid. Would the people of Toronto, embrace Mr. Naismith's game from the south and shun their unshaven hockey heroes of old?<br /><br />Well, it turns out that hockey players were to be safe, albeit only for a short spell, as the basketball team was entrusted to the most genial of GMs, a fantastical man who made his name displaying his most mesmerizing talents. Isiah was his name and he brought a smile that shown brighter than the Canadian sun. The reception for the Raptors was never far greater than luke-warm, but let us not forget that in those mountainous climes luke is as warm as it ever gets.<br /><br />Now the future was bright, but all was not right. The basketball bounced, the nba on nbc pundits pronounced, and the Raptors were too frequently trounced. The team floundered, opportunities were squandered, and not even Marcus Camby could swat the trouble away.<br /><br />In the darkest dark of the Candian night, Isiah strove south with suspicious speed as fast as he feets thought that they might....<br /><br />(to be continued)<br /><br />*I can't deal with Isiah right now, and by extension the team. The Knickerblogger will be back in section 302 tomorrow night for the Pacers game and Reggie Miller's last appearance on the Garden court. Actual coverage of the team, and what the recent trades have turned the team into will return to its regularly scheduled time after that. At present the depression and rage are too fresh to think objectively. So, stay tuned for the ongoing saga of <em>The Tale of the GM Who Cried Trade</em>.WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1109277682491832702005-02-24T15:37:00.000-05:002005-02-24T15:41:22.493-05:00Happy Deadline Day!<div align="center"><strong>(someone please disable Isiah's cell-phone and buy this man a calculator)</strong></div><br />Hot off the presses, the Knicks have traded away both backup point guards and two centers in exchange for more Malik Rose, San Antonio's first rounder, Maurice Taylor, both players' bad contracts, and the exclusive rights to the future bad contract that Knicks management will offer to the aformentioned draft pick. Happy Deadline Day, indeed. <br /><br />developing....WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1109190373459448902005-02-23T15:12:00.000-05:002005-02-23T15:26:13.460-05:00Knicks' Comeback Stalls in Motor CityTough Game #1 of the second half is behind us. The Knicks are one loss closer to the lottery and another win shy of the playoffs. The final score of 97-88 does not convey the tone of the game as the Pistons led wire to wire and would intermittently pull ahead by 13-17 points. A quick, meaningless spurt during garbage time kept the final score respectable, and must have drawn the ire of those in attendance as the game was prolonged by a series of Knicks' timeouts. In the end, there was just bad news all-around as the Pistons threw one alley-oop to a backdoor cutter after another. The Knicks big men were as ineffectual as the Pistons were dominant. Oh, and the Pistons didn't even have their coach as Larry Brown was kept behind closed doors with the flu.<br /><br />Marbury summed it up himself when he said, "right now, we're just not that good."<br /><br />the news....<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/23/sports/basketball/23knicks.html">NY Times</a><br /><a href="http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/40317.htm">NY Post </a><br /><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/283666p-243049c.html">NY Daily News</a>WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1109089405887231602005-02-22T11:22:00.000-05:002005-02-22T18:30:07.633-05:00Knicker-Blogger's Second-Half PreviewFor the sake of argument, for the sake of this website, and for the sake of rationalizing all the money that has been spent on ticket plans, souvenir cups, and throwback jerseys (purchased thankfully on ebay rather than at the Garden) let us say that the Knicks are going to pull themselves up by their high-top straps and make the playoffs. Let us talk about this with out a hint of cynicism, let us drink the kool-aid that they must have been serving at Knicks practice yesterday as everyone talked about the playoffs and second-half turnarounds.<br /><br />The New York Knicks, currently with a record of 21 wins and 32 losses, will make the 2005 NBA playoffs if.....<br /><br />1) The Knicks can make the playoffs<strong><em> IF</em></strong> they can stay healthy. Over the late stretch of horrible-ness they have been decimated by injury. For this team to turn it around they need Timmy Thomas' finger to heal, Nazr's groin to stay strong, Crawford's ankle to holdup, and the Junkyard Dog's foot to stay on the floor. And of course, it wouldn't hurt to have Houston's knees un-arthritic.<br /><br />(and speaking of Houston....)<br /><br />2) The Knicks can make the playoffs<strong><em> IF</em></strong> Allan Houston realizes that he is not going to get back to 100% this season. If Allan were to realize his current limitations and accept them, he could still play 15-20 minutes most nights. Even as he has dragged his knees around the court this season the majesty of his jumpshot is still unmistakable.<br /><br />3) The Knicks can make the playoffs <strong><em>IF</em> </strong>they play better down the stretch than every other team in the Atlantic and the Chicago Bulls. Not to just state the obvious, I've broken out the abacus, carried the 1, and done the math on this:<br /><br />The teams that the Knicks currently trail in the Atlantic are Boston (-6 games), Philadelphia (-5) games and New Jersey (-2 games). Of these teams, only Boston and Philly would qualify for the playoffs if they started today. Boston would be the 3rd seed as the winner of the Atlantic Division and Philly would be the 8th seed. New Jersey should be mentioned along with these two as the old and newly-improved Vince Carter gives the Nets a puncher's chance to make a run. Lastly, the Chicago Bulls would be the 7th seed out of the central division.<br /><br />How many of the Knicks remaining 29 games will they have to win to pass these teams for a playoff spot?<br /><br />The crime lab down at Knicker-Blogger headquarters has come up with a formula to tabulate how these competing teams will likely finish the season.<br /><strong>Top-Secret Super Formula:</strong><br />3 parts current winning pct. + 1 part winning pct. over last ten games<br /><br />By this math (and be forewarned that the Knicker-Blogger has no love of math, and majored in English as a younger man), the teams will finish with the following records:<br />Boston: 46-36<br />Philly: 42-42 or 41-43<br />NJ: 39-43<br />Chicago: 45-37<br /><br />Boston won't likely finish that well, but we must trust in the power of the formula (and least the knowledge that between Boston/Philly/NJ one of them will finish that well). So, if these records are approximately accurate then the Knicks need go <em>at least</em> 20-9 down the stretch which would put them at 41-43. Realistically (well, not really), they probably need to go 21-8 or 22-7, unless two of the teams above them collapse. Now, Philly or Boston collapsing seems about as likely as NJ making a good run (read: likely to quite likely), but that still leaves the Knicks outside looking in.<br /><br />Looking at the remaining games it isn't out of the question (as long as the question is being answered by the type of folk reading this site) for the Knicks to actually do this. Giving them the wins they should have (against the likes of Atlanta, Charlotte, etc.) the team must win 6-8 of the "tough" games.<br /><br /><strong>Tough Games:</strong><br />Indiana (they play Indiana 3 more times and I have placed one of the two home games into the "should win" category), Washington (also 1 of the two home games against Washington is a "should win."), Seattle, Miami, San Antonio, @Detroit, @Orlando, @Miami, @Seattle, @Lakers (the home game versus the Lakers is a questionable "should win."), @NJ (home game versus NJ is in "should win" category, but is more of a "must win."). @Indiana, and @Cleveland.<br /><br />Should the Knicks win 6-8 of these and win the easier games on the schedule they will be in contention to for a playoff spot in the last week of the season...<br /><br />Tough Game #1 is tonight in Detroit. This game holds "tough game" status only because the Pistons are the defending champs (and because they walloped the Knicks last time the teams met). Still, the Pistons have been lackluster and inconsistent this season, and have shown themselves to be beatable.<br /><br />Please pass the kool-aid, Maholo.WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1108827573113751142005-02-19T10:03:00.000-05:002005-02-19T10:39:33.116-05:00"Hey Trevor, did you check today's mail?"At approximately 9am EST yesterday morning Trevor Ariza recieved his invitation to join in the Rookies vs. Sophs game out in Denver. He rushed up the stairs to pack his bags, but then it hit him harder than a Shaq shoulder in the lane: David Stern and his cronies running the All-Star love fest had sent him an <strong><em>unvitation. </em></strong><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br />Unless Ariza opted out of this game, which I can't imagine a teenager doing, how do the powers-that-be keep him out? He is a rookie that has started 12 games and appeared in all but one of the Knicks 53 contests. Meanwhile, Slovenian guard Beno Udrich "earns" a spot on the rookie squad and the guy has never started for the Spurs. Moreover, Ariza has already played 941 minutes this season, which is more than half the guys who were picked to play for the squad. <strong><em> </em></strong><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br />Ariza is currently waiting by the phone to recieve the unvitation to partipate in tonight's Slam Dunk contest.....WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1108661753577356992005-02-17T12:19:00.000-05:002005-02-17T18:02:30.826-05:00Bad is Better than Worse<div align="center"><strong>Knicks beat Bucks, 109-80</strong></div><div align="left"><br />About 5:30pm I was sitting at my desk in my almost-cubicle and reminiscing about how great of a ticket scalper I was. But, was the NY Knicker-Blogger good enough to unload two tickets for a matchup of last place teams? Could his dashing good looks and inexplicable enthusiasm for the Knicks persuade some fanny-pack wearing rubes visiting from their red state--or some suburban teenagers with a bag full of whippets they bought down in the Village--to pay good money for the Knicks/Bucks game?<br /><br />Probably not, so I called up my brother and headed for the game. Surprisingly, the fans were flooding into the Garden as if this team weren't awful. As I'm being patted down like a known felon leaving a gun show, my brother asks me if other teams with records like ours ever draw this good a crowd. Well, the Lakers could, maybe the Celtics, the Kings' fans are supposed to be real good, but not too many teams. And, this is why the Knicks (the franchise, not the team) are great; this is not the Nets (who are threatening to take over the Atlantic, again), or the Hawks, or any of the other teams that play before empty seats. The ushers at the Garden will never have to move fans down into the expensive seats so the game looks packed for the tv broadcasts.<br /><br />Ah, I digress.... the Knicks came out and looked like the opponent of a last place team missing their best player (Michael Redd didn't play) is supposed to look: they looked better. Just not better by too much. With an early 18-12 lead the Bucks took a timeout and got <em>the</em> business from coach Terry Porter. Out of the timeout, the Bucks' rediscovered defense suffocated the Knicks and their sudden insistence on offense subdued what passes for Knicks' defense these days. The game was tied until Jamal Crawford hit the last shot of the 1st quarter to give the Knicks a 20-18 lead at the break. </div><p align="left">Crawford, as mercurial as ever, stuck to his normal pattern of play:</p><p align="center"><em>astounding/atrocious/astounding/amazing/airball/astounding/atrocious</em></p><p>Bastard son of the tri-state teams, Keith Van Horn, started the second quarter for the Bucks. A smattering of applause made its way around the Garden even though the time of his entrance didn't allow for an actual "moment." I wished he could have come in during a play stoppage while Tim Thomas was at the line airballing foulshouts. What would the look on Isiah's face have been if the Keith got a huge ovation while his "athletic" Thomas gets booed during introductions?</p><p>The Thomas / Van Horn deal (remember that Nazr was basically a spare part in the original architecture) has completely bombed. Going into last year's All-Star Break the Knicks were winners of five on the bounce and Marbury and Van Horn were playing with enough chemistry to make the the periodic table nervous. Then, Timmy Thomas shows up, the Knicks lose 6 of 7 (or something like that) after the Break, squeak into the playoffs by the hairs on Moochie Norris' chinny-chin-chin, and are unceremoniously swept by the Nets. Not to mention, that Thomas didn't play in the last 3 games of that series after getting beat up by Jason Collins. Yes, that Jason "I couldn't even intimidate K-Mart's locker stool" Collins.</p><p>Anyway, Moochie is the only Knick that is overtly warm to Van Horn when he takes the floor. Van Horn looks tentative, like on one of those nights when Van Horn for Tim Thomas might seem like a remotely good idea. Meanwhile, Penny carries the Knicks through stretches of the second quarter, doing all he can to get them to halftime with the lead. </p><p>During a timeout shortly before the half the Knicks City Dancers are on the court mesmerizing my brother like an oasis in the desert (not to say that his sex life is like a desert...), and on the Garden-Vision is an ad* for the Dancers' and their new deck of playing cards**, on sale at all Garden gift shops. Of course, my brother nudges me and solemnly says "we're totally going to go buy those at halftime." </p><p>And we did. </p><p>The third quarter looked much like the second, with less a prominent role played by Penny: the Knicks held their lead, though ever a tenuous lead. More importantly, the best play of the game, of the past 20 games, occurred during the third quarter. Marbury had the ball on the left wing, beyond the 3-point arc, he's got himself crouched down low, dribbling, dribbling, dribbling, then he stands up, spins himself like a top (clockwise, I think), and as he finishes the first revolution (but before the second) the ball shoots out of the blur and hits a cutting Tim Thomas for a layup. There was no dunk and it was a bit too and1-ish for my tastes, but this pass literally took the breath out my lungs and the foam off the top of my beer. Some would say, that it was the sort of the thing that would suck the paint off your house and give your kids permanent orange afros. </p><p>Moments later, a guy, who I'm pretty sure was the main character from <em>American Psycho</em> showed up and sat two seats over from me. With his fancy clothes, his shiny face, and slicked hair all he was missing was the chainsaw. He clapped and yelled too loudly at all the wrong times seemingly to show his frightened lady -friend how big a fan he was. At one point I could swear that he was about to cut off the faces of the three small children sitting behind him (who were struggling to learn the nuances of the DEE-FENCE chant) to use them as coasters on his inevitable expensive coffee table. </p><p>Ah, I digress once again....as the players meander onto the court for the start of the fourth quarter the NFL theme music (the orchestral CBS tune NOT fox's robotic cacophony) is playing on the PA, and there's Curtis Martin decked out on Garden-Vision! The appearance of Curtis--and the standing O he received--was the best omen I've seen at a Knicks game in a long time. </p><p>And by the power of Curtis a strange thing happened. The Knicks actually started to pull away. With Sweetney dominating the paint and Crawford stringing together an unusually high number of good plays, the Knicks held their lead. By Curtis, they even extended their lead. Fans left early. Fans left early with smiles and high-fives! </p><p>Of course, the Knicker-Blogger stayed until the end just to make sure, but they won. They won going away. The lead did not wane, the team did not falter. This isn't much, but it is the hopes for the chance at optimism in the second half. </p><p></p><p><strong><em>Random Thought O' the Game</em></strong>: Ariza didn't step on the floor until there was 4:20 remaining in the first half. Not too long ago he was in Herb's starting lineup. Weird, huh?</p><p></p><p></p><p>*during the Knicks City Dancers ad the achievements of each dancer were highlighted. Some have pre-med degrees, others have done a lot of modeling, but by far the best fun fact was that "Christie is afraid of fireworks." That's all the info we have about Christie. No education, no odd jobs, no beauty contests, just a strong aversion to sparklers and roman candles. Clearly, Christie didn't have a summer internship as, well maybe as anything, but definitely not as...say, a rocket scientist. </p><p>**the best part of the playing cards is that for the price of $16.99 they came with a DVD documenting the making of the cards. </p>WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1108582396927449632005-02-16T14:03:00.000-05:002005-02-16T14:33:16.930-05:00Herb and Pat are BFF: Ewing stands up for CoachIn a telephone interview with the <em>Daily News</em> Patrick Ewing stood up for his closest pal, Herb Williams. While all too careful to not criticize the Dolans (his would-be bosses someday) or Isiah, Ewing did reveal his feelings about Phil Jackson and Larry Brown.<br /><br /><blockquote>"I have a lot of respect for Phil Jackson and Larry Brown," Ewing said.<br />"They are both great coaches. But I think what they did was wrong. When they were first starting out I'm sure they wouldn't want someone saying that about them."<br /></blockquote><br />Ewing can see that Herb has been set up to fail, and that most likely he will be brushed aside in the offseason. However, Ewing maitains, and rightly so, that this isn't Herb's mess and no marquee coach is gonna make this team an instant winner. After all, as Pat says, "they just don't have the horses to win right now."<br /><br />Daily News: <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/281252p-241022c.html">Ewing Centers on Herb</a>WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1108483939515515252005-02-15T11:12:00.000-05:002005-02-15T11:40:45.770-05:00"I'll flip ya, flip ya for real."And then there were three, Flip will now take his rightful (as in he has quietly been one of the winningest coaches of the past decade and took his team to within a game of the Finals last season) place alongside Phil and Larry in the media debate surrounding the next coach of our New York Knickerbockers.<br /><br />The immortally unintelligible words of everyone's favorite usual suspect came to mind this weekend, as I saw Kevin McHale's shoulders lumbering onto the floor in Minnesota. The Timberwolves have fired head coach Flip Saunders and McHale has made the move that everyone has been waiting for Isiah to make. And then, to prove that the Knicker-Blogger isn't the only one watching to much TBS Superstation, Stephon Marbury echoes the words of Finster by acknowledging that, "Flip is real."<br /><br />Steph started his career under the tutelage of Saunders and admits that "[Flip's] the dude that taught me the NBA game."<br /><br />NY Post: <a href="http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/39896.htm">"Flip is real"</a>WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1108479010639823242005-02-15T09:49:00.000-05:002005-02-15T11:11:10.576-05:00Allen Iverson, Not My Valentine....Knicks get hearts broken on V-Day, falling in last seconds to Philly. Now, the Knickerblogger only saw highlights of this game, as he had himself a lovely date with his Valentine. <br /><br />Maybe it was the wine, or maybe it was wine, but somehow another last second loss didn't seem to sting as much as usual......<br /><br />...the news....<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/15/sports/basketball/15knicks.html?">NY Times </a><br /><a href="http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/39897.htm">NY Post</a><br /><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/281072p-240892c.html">NY Daily News</a><br /><a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2005021420">Yahoo/AP</a><br /><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=250214020">ESPN</a>WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1108395394168613622005-02-14T10:23:00.000-05:002005-02-14T11:00:53.526-05:00Tiny Tim Comes Up BigKnicks top Bobcats, 102-99<br /><br />A bouncing shot from the corner, high off the rim, to the backboard, did it touch the shot clock?, and then, finally, as the buzzer sounds, through the net! Beleaguered small forward, Tim Thomas, saves the Knicks from their own worst enemy; their fourth-quarter selves. A game against one of the only teams more hapless than our hometown also-rans, the expansion Bobcats, that seemed thoroughly in the bag at halftime turned into a nailbiter. There have been many late leads squandered in the Garden this winter, and almost as many big shots at the buzzer, but far too few of these operatic sequences have ended with Knicks wins.<br /><br />However, Sunday afternoon the Knicks made a shot when they needed one, and more importantly(surprisingly/luckily) they were able to keep an opponent from making one in the same spot. Too many times, visiting teams have driven the length of the floor with time ticking down, and shredded the Knicks' defense on the way to relatively easy baskets (see Jones tying bucket at the end of regulation versus the Heat on Thursday). Now, the Knicks didn't exactly put the clamp on at the end, but Bernard Robinson's (very open) shot missed.<br /><br />People always say, "it's better to be lucky than good." At this point it seems fairly safe to say that these Knicks are not good, but at least for one day they were able to be lucky.<br /><br />Et cetera, et cetera....<br />--Crawford was back on the floor and chipped in 23 points.<br />--Steph's streak of five consecutive games with 30+ points was broken as he <strong><em>only</em></strong> managed 16.WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1107986321154221902005-02-09T16:38:00.000-05:002005-02-09T16:58:41.153-05:00Knicks vs. Heat: Knicker-Blogger PreviewHome, sweet home. Can the confines of the Garden help the Knicks cool off the hot, hot Heat and put together back to back wins for the first time since, since, since before anyone had ever heard of Freddie Mitchell's hands?
<br />--<em>Super Snub</em>: Can Stephon Marbury continue his recent scoring streak and will his recent exclusion from the All-Star game fuel his occassionally waning fire?
<br />--<em>Centers of Attention</em>: Nazr was bullied and battered the last time he ran into He of Many Names, can he hold Shaq to modest 20/10?
<br />--<em>Losers, Repent!</em> It being Ash Wednesday, one has to wonder if the Knicks will give up losing for Lent. Can they embark on a biblical winning streak that will last them 40-days and 40-nights?
<br />--<em>Beer Money</em>: if any of the 1.67 people who read this site happen to be at the game tonight with a few extra dollars, I'll be sitting in section 302 and could always use another beer.
<br />WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1107973460482402472005-02-09T13:20:00.000-05:002005-02-09T13:24:20.483-05:00Most Overpaid PlayersESPN.com's "Page Two" has cobbled together a list of the top ten most overpaid players in the NBA. Not surprisingly it's like a summer bbq at the Dolan's: 6 members of the list are currently on the Knicks roster or were on it not too long ago, and just for good measure there is another guy on the list whose name keeps popping up in trade rumours.
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<br /><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=list/050209/nbaoverpaid">TOP TEN MOST OVERPAID PLAYERS</a>
<br />WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1107897018258567392005-02-08T16:08:00.000-05:002005-02-08T16:10:18.256-05:00Jazz force Knicks to Beat Them.There was no way they could do this again. Was there? As the seconds of the fourth quarter ticked on, as the Knicks lead waned, it sure seemed like watching the final moments of Saturday night's heartbreaker in Sacramento all over again.
<br />WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1107815338135488942005-02-07T17:26:00.000-05:002005-02-07T17:35:24.300-05:00Tonight: Knicks vs. Jazz @ 9pm. The woeful Knicks hit mormon-town looking to end the dismal road trip on a high note. They have lost every other game on this trip. I'm not going to the trouble to come up with any storylines for tonight's contest as, well, as it just doesn't seem worth the energy at this point. Still, the NY Knicker-Blogger will be planted on the couch come 9 o'clock with the remnants of the 6-foot sub from yesterdays Super Bowl fiesta. Hopefully there will be something worth writing about tomorrow.....
<br />WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1107789457432588552005-02-07T10:06:00.000-05:002005-02-07T10:17:37.433-05:00Knicks fall to SunsI kind of boycotted this game (and by boycott I mean that I watched large chunks of it, but would keep my sanity by continuously seeing what else was on). I got my b-ball fix in other ways; by watching BC remain undefeated against Seton Hall; watching Notre Dame fall apart in the final minutes before a record setting crowd at the Carrier Dome, and attending the matinee Nets/Pistons game. And not that I want to spend any time at the NY Knicker-Blog talking about the Nets (unless we decide to pay homage to the late, great Drazen Petrovic), but there were a few noteworthy things about the game--which I did not pay to attend.
<br /><ul><li>Vince Carter was amazing; he ended up with 41 and was just scoring at will against the Pistons. I know that I didn't want him in a Knicks uniform, but he showed glimpses of his pre-dunk contest brilliance. </li><li>The PA announcer at Continental doesn't have the chops to handle Vince: he kept awkwardly referring to him as "VC" and had nothing but lame comments like "Did you See VC!" </li><li>Darvin Ham was the most popular player in the building: during the halftime shootaround he was joking with his teammates and with several of the Nets, by far the life of the party. </li><li>The Nets didn't seem to like each other that much. While there was no Steph/Kurt Thomas bile on the court, you just didn't see them really joking around with one another. Vince Carter spent more time kissing Larry Brown's whistle at halftime than he did talking to any of his teammates. </li></ul>WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1107790454152811042005-02-05T11:22:00.000-05:002005-02-07T10:34:14.153-05:00Collapse, by the New York KnicksKnicks--choking in final moments--lose to the Kings, 116-115
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<br />This one hurt, this one was like skinning your knee as a kid. Maybe you see a little blood, but you know that it's not so bad; you know you're ok, and yet you just can't help but cry at the surprise and indignity of it all.
<br />WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1107548292355783752005-02-04T15:17:00.000-05:002005-02-04T18:01:06.906-05:00NY Knicker-Blogger Game Preview: Knicks vs. KingsThe Kings have been hot as of late, but it is possible that Webber, Peja, Bibby, and Mobley could all be on the bench with injuries tonight. So, can the Knicks' starters beat the Kings' reserves?
<br />--<em>Fighting Words</em>: apparently Steph and Kurt had a few heated moments at practice yesterday; do they hate each other or do they just hate losing?
<br />--<em>Steph stepping up</em>: Steph hasn't played well in a while; can he score more than the 10 he put up in Denver?
<br />--<em>the King's Court</em>: the Knicks haven't won on the road since 2004 and a Friday night crowd at Arco isn't exactly the best-case scenario to the break that trend.
<br />--<em>Doubting Thomas</em>: Timmy should be back in the lineup tonight, but will he take back his starting job from Ariza.
<br />--DEEFENSE: I know the Knicks don't seem to play any, can Herb get them playing some tonight?
<br />WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1107529719581024852005-02-04T10:05:00.000-05:002005-02-04T13:36:16.590-05:00Calling All CoachesIs Isiah going to LA? Is Larry coming back home to New York? Did Phil just beat Marat Safin in a three-set tiebreak at the Australian Open? Confusion, rumor, and innuendo have not been this rampant in the NBA since the 1994 Sonics cheerleaders forced the team into those paternity tests.
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<br />It seems that so far everyone is denying everything, well, except for Phil Jackson who is open to coming to New York, open to returning to LA, and according to the Tuscaloosa Herald will be opening a home for wayward small forwards (his first guest will be Timmy Thomas).
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<br />After Larry Brown saw how bad the team was last week, I wouldn't think that he would be jumping at the opportunity to clean up this mess. Taking over these Knicks isn't exactly like heading to the Piston's; a team that had made the Eastern Conference Finals the season before he pulled the rug out from Rick Carlisle. Still, Larry Brown is the NBA's version of Kung Fu's Caine, roaming the open plains of the association looking for teams in trouble, and you can never count out his wanderlust.
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<br />However, if Larry leaves Motown I don't see him coming to New York. I think he would go coach the Lakers. I know that all the talk in the papers is about Phil Jackson returning to LA, hugging Kobe, tussling what's left of Mitch Kuptchek's hair, and taking back his job. I also know that few things can guarantee an event's occurrence better than the Larry Brown denial of aforementioned occurrence. Nevertheless, I really see Brown taking the Lakers position before Jackson does. Don't forget that Larry has lived in LA and been part of the city's basketball culture, having coached UCLA all the way to the NCAA championship game in 1979 (I think it was '79). Furthermore, the weather is a hell of lot nicer in LA than it is in midtown Manhattan, (since Brown grew up around here, we know that he knows that) and these sort of things matter to a guy in his late 60s who just had hip surgery.
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<br />More importantly, Jackson just left LA and wrote an entire book about how awful that last season was. Granted, Jackson seems like a megalomaniac and would probably write a trilogy of books containing his thoughts on the virtue of the double-knotting of shoelaces. Still, the mere fact that the Lakers <em>want</em> to bring him back does more for Jackson's cachet and reputation than anything else he could accomplish if he actually does go back. Having those guys come crawling back to him, begging his forgiveness for firing him, will do wonders for Jackson's ego. So obviously he isn't going to stop them from putting his name in the papers; each time an "unnamed source within the organization" floats his name to a reporter it gives Phil another <em><strong>I told ya so</strong></em> in the bank. Lastly, the best case scenario if Jackson goes back is that he turns the team around and in two seasons they win another title. Sounds good, right? Not really. Do you think Jackson really wants to legitimize Kobe as one of the all-time greats? Do you really think that he wants to let him within walking, or leaping, distance of the hallowed ground thus far only tread by Jackson's first love, MJ? I don't.
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<br />On the other hand, if Jackson comes to the Knicks he would actually have the chance to enhance his already mammoth reputation. The biggest knock against Jackson is that he has always coached guys who would make the First-Team All-Forever Squad; everyone (including the NY Knicker-Blogger) has at one point said something along the lines of
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<br /><div align="center"><em>"Anyone could have won coaching Jordan."</em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><div align="center"><em>or </em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><div align="center"><em>"Hell, if I had Shaq and Kobe, I could coach that team blindfolded and high and still win at least one title."</em></div>
<br />For better or worse, the Knicks have no one on that level. This team gives Jackson a real chance to flex that brain of his that we all hear so much about. He would be able to give Bill Belichick a run for his money in the overrated, over-hyped coaching genius department. Also, coaching the Knicks would allow Jackson to take the job of his mentor and hero, Red Holzman. Jackson has long championed Holzman's place in the pantheon of greatest coaches.
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<br />Of course, coming to the Knicks carries with it the risk of sullying Jackson's pristine resume. This is a team that needs work, a lot of work, and someone as image conscious as Jackson would never let himself go out a loser. I don't know if the allure of having Holzman's job is enough to make him run the risk of it not working out on the biggest stage.
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<br />Now if we could figure out a way to trade Isiah and Bruno Sundov to the Lakers for the rights to Larry Brown's next erratic move, everyone would win, and Phil would have the time to get started on that shoelaces thing.
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<br />And onto the coaching news.....
<br />NY Post: <a href="http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/21737.htm">Knicks vs. Lakers for Phil</a>; <a href="http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/21737.htm">Post vs. News over Isiah</a>; <a href="http://www.nypost.com/sports/21730.htm">Vecsey</a>
<br />NY Newsday: <a href="http://www.newsday.com/sports/basketball/knicks/ny-spknix034133509feb03,0,3683921.story?coll=ny-knicks-bigpix">Knicks over Lakers for Phil</a> (I can't tell if it is good or bad to have Newsday agree with me)
<br />Detroit News: <a href="http://www.detnews.com/2005/pistons/0502/03/F04-78561.htm">Larry to stay, Isiah to LA</a>
<br />ESPN: <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=bucher_ric&id=1982925">Ric Bucher wants to watch while Phil and Kobe kiss</a>
<br />WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1107379058089157082005-02-02T15:43:00.000-05:002005-02-02T16:17:38.090-05:00Ariza for Dunk ContestThe lone bright spot over the past few weeks has been the play, and more specifically the dunks, of Trevor Ariza. We need to get this kid entered in the slam dunk contest immediately. Someone track down Kenny "Sky" Walker and let's get the two of them working weekends to come up with something. I can't wait to see, and hear, Dikembe Mutumbo jump out of his seat and make the craziest Cookie Monster squeal when Ariza throws down All-Star weekend.WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1107373938403043322005-02-02T14:48:00.000-05:002005-02-03T15:30:14.486-05:00Rocky Mountain Low (or What Would Oakley Do?)<div align="center"><strong>Knicks bow to Nuggets, 96-7</strong>
<br /></div><div align="left">Another road game, another okay start, another awful finish, another loss. Once again, things started well, just like the Clippers game, but eventually fell to pieces. </div>
<br /><div align="left">In the early minutes, when teams feel each other out, the Knicks' talent always keeps them close and usually even gives them the lead. However, towards the end of the first quarter most teams usually move to a higher gear and really start to compete. This is the point, as soon an opponent decides to assert itself, that these Knicks fall apart. This point came last night after a Marbury shot gave the Knicks a 21-20 lead: the Nuggets went on a 5-0 run to end the 1st quarter.</div>
<br /><div align="left">The second quarter was predictably horrendous, no one was getting their hands up on defense, no one was getting back in transition, and no one could even manage to post up the diminutive Early Boykins. The Nuggets were driving to the basket at will and their dunks were as common last night as Knicks losses were in January. And oddly enough no one seemed more perturbed by the lack of defensive intensity than MSG announcers John Andariese and Mike Breen. Every time K-Mart would throw down another dunk and pound his chest as he skipped up the court, Andariese would get infuriated. Moreover, he kept making clear that he wasn't upset with Martin, rather he kept calling out the Knicks big men for letting themselves be embarrassed. Possibly with the exception of Tommy Heinshon up in Boston, I don't think I've ever heard an announcer who wanted to see someone get knocked to the floor so badly. In spite of his growing dementia, you just knew that Andariese was right on the money when he asked, </div><div align="left"></div>
<br /><div align="left">"How do you think Charles Oakley would have reacted to that?" </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div>
<br /><div align="left">And let those be our watchwords from now on, some people ask themselves what would Jesus do, others what Oprah would do, but here at the NY Knicker-Blog we will always ask ourselves What Would Oakley Do? </div><div align="left"></div>
<br /><div align="left">With a little over ten minutes left in the game, just after Martin scored his 26th and 27th points of the game (on another dunk), with Mike Breen blasting apart the Knicks effort, I ask myself </div><div align="left"></div>
<br /><div align="left">What Would Oakley Do?</div><div align="left"></div>
<br /><div align="left">I believe Oak would have turned this game off and seen what was playing on Cinemax. So, I turned off the game, and, not having Cinemax, went to go check out ESPN News. </div><div align="left">
<br />NY Post: <a href="http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/39707.htm">Worse than Ever
<br /></a>NY Daily News: <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/277083p-237370c.html">Last Place</a> </div><div align="left"><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=250201007">ESPN</a></div>WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967070.post-1107380788257060162005-02-01T00:00:00.000-05:002005-02-02T16:48:05.320-05:00WELCOME TO FEBRUARY!January 2005 is officially over! Celebrate, bring on February on Valentine's Day, Presidents' Day, and hooray for Black History month! Good riddance to January, the worst month in the history of the New York Knicks.
<br />WWOD?http://www.blogger.com/profile/00038792877716876496noreply@blogger.com0