N.Y. Knicks

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The next Knicks head coach? We’re beginning to have our (Phil) of drama!

Posted by fantasyfurnace on May 26, 2014
Posted in: NBA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 11 Comments

“Mike Woodson was fired as coach of the New York Knicks on Monday and Steve Kerr, a leading candidate to replace him, said later in the day that he expects to hear from new team president Phil Jackson soon.” -Ian Begley-ESPN Posted April 22, 2014

The head-coaching vacancy in New York continues amidst speculation and rumors of who Phil Jackson's choice will Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images.

The head-coaching vacancy in New York continues amidst speculation and rumors of who Phil Jackson’s choice will be. Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images.

 A little over a month has past and still no word from the Zen Master. No white smoke has been spotted permeating the roof of Madison Square Garden either. And so the drama continues…. But what have we learned thus far? Only that Phil Jackson failed to get his man, Steve Kerr. Not enough years and not enough money was offered for a man that has never coached in the NBA. We may never know the real reason why James Dolan balked at giving Kerr what he asked for, but in either case, it did manage to put some ‘egg’ on Phil Jackson’s face. Is the Jackson-Dolan honeymoon already over? We’ll see.

Meantime, Jackson’s inability to sign Kerr begs a couple of questions; Why the long wait to get someone signed? Who are the best candidates out there? Complete conjecture on our part about the first question, but it is plausible that Jackson is waiting for the Oklahoma City Thunder series to be over so that he can sign his reported second choice, Derek Fisher. Which leads us to the 2nd question…Is Derek Fisher the best coach out there? Like Kerr, Fisher has failed to coach a single NBA game, and given his role as an adept floor-general, plus his recommendations from his peers including perennial All-Star Kevin Durant among others, he seems at least ‘capable’ of handling the post.

Is a former coach like Jeff Van Gundy a better choice? Sure! However, chances are Van Gundy still remains in the Dolan dog house for his abrupt and stunning resignation he turned in to the Knicks organization just 19 games into the 2001 season. Van Gundy was in his seventh season with New York, the longest tenure by a Knicks head coach since Red Holtzman guided the team for 10 seasons beginning in 1968. His 248-172 record make him the third winningest coach in franchise history. Although this all took place almost 13 years ago, the fact that we haven’t heard his name bandied about makes us believe that Dolan has chosen not to forget his walking away from the game and from him.

Although clearly one of the most talented of all head coaches available, his hiring seems unlikely given his stunning departure from the organization. Also, he might =be too unmoldable for Phil Jackson's liking. Photo: AP

Although clearly one of the most talented of all head coaches available, his hiring seems unlikely given his stunning departure from the organization. Also, he might be too ‘unmoldable’ for Phil Jackson’s liking. Photo: AP

Additionally, there is also the possibility that Phil Jackson is looking for more of a novice that can be molded into Phil’s way of thinking and coaching. Sort of what Erik Spoelstra has been to Pat Riley. Spoelstra, if you’ll recall, was just an assistant coach on the Heat from 2001-2008 before landing the head coaching job in April of 2008.

Finally, there’s another young, talented and successful ex-head coach out there that hasn’t even been asked to interview for the position; former Knick point guard, Mark Jackson. His Warriors team improved every year he coached there, culminating into a 51 win season this past year. Is Mark Jackson a ‘Yes’ man? Nope! Has he had some run-ins with Golden State’s management? Yes! Did he fire two assistant coaches in his short tenure there? Yes again. However, if Phil Jackson is looking to turn around a franchise devoid of a championship since 1973, then why not hire one of the best possible coaches available to help you in that process?

Speculation here again, but as Phil Jackson’s health continues to improve, there is a remote possibility that this former Knick will want to take over the coaching reigns at some point; perhaps it’s one of the reasons why Kerr wasn’t offered  that 5-year deal.

For now, the next biggest clue as to whom will coach the Knicks in the 2024-2015 season might be disclosed after the Thunder-Spurs series concludes. More than likely an offer will be extended to Derek Fisher shortly thereafter, thus putting an end to all this drama. Is Fisher the best choice out there? No. Is he probably Phil Jackson’s? Yes, and that’s all that matters….isn’t it?

Derek Fisher, the overwhelming reported choice of Phil Jackson to take the reigns of the N.Y. Knicks. Photo: AP

Derek Fisher, the overwhelming reported choice of Phil Jackson could be poised to take over the reigns of the N.Y. Knicks. Photo: AP

 

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“MELO-MANIA AT THE MECCA!!”

Posted by fantasyfurnace on January 24, 2014
Posted in: General, NBA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 18 Comments

On a cold, bleak, frigid January night in New York City, history was made! With former Knick greats such as  Allan Houston, Patrick Ewing, and Larry Johnson gracing the refurbished Mecca known as Madison Square Garden, Carmelo Anthony put on a shooting clinic that will forever be considered ‘one for the ages’!

But it wasn’t only Melo’s unbelievable performance that impressed, it was the way it became contagious for a team that was having a horrid year through the first half of the season and had just finished losing their third home game in a row to the team with the 3rd worst record in the NBA, the 76ers. “I’m tired of losing”, is what the now seven time All-Star said at halftime. Carmelo didn’t have one assist in this historic game, at least not statistically, but emotionally he single-handedly lifted the spirits (and the game) of the other Knick players to a level not seen all that often this season.

Carmelo Anthony goes up for a jumper in an historic night at Madison Square Garden, January 24, Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images. Photo:

Carmelo Anthony goes up for a jumper vs the Bobcats in a historic night at Madison Square Garden, January 24, 2014. Photo:, Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images

The crowd was the most electric that the Garden had witnessed in quite some time as Melo set an all-time record for most points in a game by a Knick, and the most at the current Madison Square Garden. It was also the most points (125) scored by the Knicks this season.

It was the kind of night that made all the Knick fans, the players and even the media, cease all conversations regarding the fate of coach Mike Woodson, the bickering and complaining during post-game interviews by Tyson Chandler, and even the idiotic antics of J.R. Smith not so long ago and instead was replaced with cheering, standing ovations, and chanting of “Meh-low”, Meh-low”, “Meh-low” with a couple of “MVP! MVP! MVP’s! thrown in just for good measure.

It was sheer joy (and madness) watching someone who was so much in a zone as Melo was tonight. You just didn’t want it to end. The one thing you DID want to see was Carmelo breaking the record even though by the fourth quarter he clearly was winded and was traversing the floor of the Garden with rubbery legs. It brought back some memories of that night some five years ago when Kobe Bryant put on a similar performance setting, which was then, the all-time Garden record for points scored at 61. And there was another game way back on Christmas Day in 1984 when Bernard King set the Knick record at 60 (in a losing effort 120-114 to the then N.J. Nets)) which stood until tonight, almost thirty years later.

#30 Bernard King, whose 60 points on Dec. 25, 1984 vs the N. J. Nets stood for almost 30 years was broken by Carmelo Anthony on Jan. 24, 2014 Photo: Koustroun/AP

#30 Bernard King, whose 60 points on Dec. 25, 1984 vs the N. J. Nets stood for almost 30 years, was broken by Carmelo Anthony on Jan. 24, 2014 Photo: Kostroun/AP

What is left to be determined however, is the impact that this herculean display by Melo will have going forward for a team fighting to stay alive in the playoff hunt. It doesn’t matter that as currently comprised, this team will not advance very far in the post-season should they get there, because in sports stranger things have happened. Still, until and unless Melo gets some help, it will be more of the same for some time to come..

Time will tell whether or not on this one  bleak, frigid, January night when history was made, if it was the game that helped to catapult the Knickerbockers through the remaining 39 games. For those who were at the game witnessing the shattering of a record that stood for almost three decades, it was one they will not soon forget. And in this arena, which is not on Madison Avenue, nor is it square, nor even in a garden, one Carmelo Anthony poured in 62 points, electrifying a crowd, a fan base, and hopefully, even more importantly, his teammates…

Carmelo Anthong acknowledging the crowd after scoring his record setting 62nd point with 7:29 left in the fourth quarter, Jan. 24, 2014 Photo:

Carmelo Anthon acknowledging the crowd after scoring his record setting 62nd point with 7:29 left in the fourth quarter vs the Bobcats, Jan. 24, 2014 AP Photo/Bill Kostroun  

The state of the N.Y. Knicks-1/3 into the season…

Posted by fantasyfurnace on December 20, 2013
Posted in: NBA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 8 Comments

Politicians give State of the Union addresses to it’s masses as a way of reporting on the condition of it’s City, State or Country. What will follow will be our state of the state of the N.Y. Knicks as we try to make sense of their profound regression from last season.

As this report is being published, the NBA season is approaching the 1/3 mark already-a fair enough sampling of what we might expect from this bunch as the next two-thirds unfold. We can say with conviction, right at the outset, that the state of the Knicks is not very good. We should have realized that this was going to be a long season from the get-go as we saw how they struggled to beat the Milwaukee Bucks, arguably one of the worst teams in the league, on opening night. They blew a 25 point lead and were losing with less than three minutes remaining in the game before pulling away.

It was as ugly a win as their ‘victory’ over these same Bucks on Wednesday, December 18th, a game that the Knicks didn’t deserve to win as they needed to go into double OT to beat a team who didn’t even have their two best players on the floor. A game that saw a gaffe by Andrea Bargnani attempting a 3-pointer with 13 seconds left on the game clock, on a kick-out with a fresh 24 second clock , and with the Knicks in the lead . If he holds onto the ball and kills some clock while waiting for a foul, the Knicks don’t go into a 2nd overtime, and Carmelo Anthony doesn’t break his career mark for minutes played in a game-55:27.

We’re also here to report on a game that was perhaps the Knicks most poorly played all season; the 41 point blowout at the Garden at the hands of the Rondo-less Boston Celtics. 10 points in the first quarter? 25.6 % shooting from the field in the first half? It just doesn’t get much worse than that. The Knicks threw up more bricks that afternoon than it took to construct the first 20 floors of the Empire State Building! If you haven’t had a meal in the last 4 hours and would like to see some of the “lowlights” of that game, here they are:

Lastly, how can we leave out the debacle against the Wizards on December 16th, 2013, when Mike Woodson had a brain freeze for not calling a timeout with 6.9 seconds to go in the game and down by just one point. Instead, the beleagured headcoach decided to take his three remaining timeouts home with him…

Coach Mike Woodson shoulders much of the blame for the loss to the Wizards on Dec. 17, 2013 for not calling a 'timely' time-out with 6.9 seconds remaining in the game. Photo Getty Images

Coach Mike Woodson shoulders much of the blame for the loss to the Wizards on Dec. 16, 2013 for not calling a ‘timely’ time-out with 6.9 seconds remaining in the game. Photo Getty Images

Knick players as well as some fans can sugar-coat their horrific season by saying that they’re only three games out of first place but the facts are this: The Knicks play in one of the worst divisions in all of sports and they do not have a very good team. With the exception of Carmelo Anthony, the team is devoid of another consistent scorer. Melo is also being worked way too hard as his minutes, at some point in the season, will catch up to him.

J.R. Smith worked hard to get that new contract but now that he has it he has regressed into an 11 PPG player. Of course ever since his elbow was introduced to Celtic Jason Terry’s jaw last season, J.R. has not been the same. His shooting percentage dropped like a ton of bricks and he was no where to be found in the playoffs last year. Couple that with knee surgery in the off-season and J.R. is no longer J.R.

Will things change for the better once some of the injured Knicks return? Why should they? Raymond Felton when he is totally healthy, is at best, an average point guard. He never was one of the elite guards in the league because of his inconsistency. Defensively, Pablo Prigioni is a decent facilitator but not a scorer. Iman Shumpert is half the player he was last season and part of that probably has to do with all the trade rumors that have been circulating around the league and the press since the season got underway.

If Andrea Bargnani was THAT good, Toronto would never have let him “Escape to New York”. The former 1st rounder, as Knick fans have seen, comes to this team replete with flaws. A seven footer should average more than 5 rebounds a game-period! If the Knicks wanted a center who could shoot threes and not rebound, they would have never gotten rid of Channing Frye!

#77 Andrea Bargnani goes up for one of his 82 3-point attempts this seaon making just 24 of them for an anemic 29.6 % average. Photo:

#77 Andrea Bargnani goes up for one of his 82 3-point attempts this season making just 24 of them for an anemic 29.6 % average. Photo: Getty Images

So how was this team able to win 54 games last season? Several ways… Those hundreds of threes they were unloading were going in-they’re not this season. Rasheed Wallace, together with his defensive prowess and leadership skills, helped the Knicks get off to a 16-4 season a year ago while Jason Kidd (for a part of the season) and his basketball savvy, chipped in his talents as well. J.R. was shooting lights out, averaging around 18 points a game, and lastly, the Knicks were one of the stingiest in the league at turning the ball over.

Mike Woodson has taken a lot of the heat for the team’s demise and rightfully so. For those that would argue that point, why is it that when the Knicks were playing wining basketball last season, Woodson was called a defensive genious and team savior, but now that the team has gone in the opposite direction, we’re not allowed to put any blame on him…

As for the Knicks owner, Jim Dolan, his incompetency is only exceeded by his ineptitude. Do not look for the “rich one” to spend large chunks of money by the Feb. 15th deadline. Remember, he  just got through spending a small fortune on the reconstruction of Madison Square Garden and we’re not expecting him to be making any trades because there is no one to offer of any real value anyway.

And so the state of the state of the N.Y. Knicks is not good and neither, we think, is their future this season. Additionally, we are not all convinced that Mike Woodson will be on the Knicks sideline by the time the season comes to a merciful conclusion.  In the meantime, as long-time Knick fans often do, we’ll be watching and hoping that we won’t see games like the few we described above.  We hope that they will find new ways to win and not old ways to lose…

Knick fans are growing impatient as the weeks go by.

Knick fans are growing impatient as the weeks go by. Most would like to see a return to team defense, pride, and competitiveness but question if that can happen with this team as currently comprised and with this coach.