Dec 25, 2011; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amare Stoudemire (1) and small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the first quarter against the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE

Who, in the National Basketball Association, should be deemed as “superstars”?

To me, the “superstars” in the league are Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose, Dwight Howard, Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, and Kevin Love.

Why are they “superstars”? Well, for one, they hustle for 48 minutes a night for 82 games. They put in as much effort on the offensive end as they would on the defensive end and vice versa. They act as the leader of their team. And they’ll dive for every loose ball or jump for any ball that’s up in the air.

Guess who haven’t been acting like “superstars” as of late? That’s right, OUR “superstars” Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony.

Lets go into why:

1. On Monday night’s matchup vs. the Bulls, Amar’e Stoudemire had three rebounds. Let that sink in. Three rebounds. And how many offensive rebounds did the Bulls have? Oh, a measly 22 offensive boards compared to the Knicks’ 9. I cannot tell you how many times I saw Taj Gibson and Joakim Noah jump and leap over everybody to grab the ball while Amar’e just stood there, as if he had no chance of grabbing the rebound. Amar’e is 6’11″, he could have grabbed several of those rebounds without question. It’s as if he just wants no part in playing defense. Hell, Jeremy Lin had three blocks Monday night. How many times has Amar’e had three or more blocks this season? Zero times. That’s right, Jeremy Lin outblocked Amar’e Stoudemire. Want more proof of Stoudemire’s lack of dedication to defense? On Sunday, Tyson Chandler instructed Amar’e to guard Evan Turner because he had a clear path to the hoop. As Turner proceeded to jump and dunk the ball, what did Amar’e do? He just stepped away and wanted nothing to do with him at all. That’s not an exaggeration at all. Tyson literally directed Amar’e to guard Turner and he didn’t even listen. Just slid away and didn’t want to play defense at all. What kind of “superstar” just consistently refuses to play defense at all?

2. Carmelo Anthony’s body language during this losing streak and, well, since his return, has been nothing short of atrocious. The guy just wants to shoot, and shoot, and shoot. Well you know what, basketball isn’t just shooting. It’s about shooting, passing, rebounding, stealing, defending, and blocking. Whenever Carmelo doesn’t get the rock he looks pissed off and dismayed. During the Knicks’ loss to the Mavericks, Carmelo kept smiling and kept chumming it up with some Knicks fans. Keep in mind, this was when the Knicks were losing. What leader smiles and chums with fans during a loss? Have you ever seen Kevin Durant smile and chum around with some OKC fans during a loss? No, you haven’t because Kevin Durant is a leader and a real “superstar”. When D’Antoni sits Carmelo on the bench because he can’t make any shots, yet keeps shooting like there’s no tomorrow, he looks pissed off and infuriated. Now some don’t understand why D’Antoni sometimes sits him when the Knicks are in a tight game. I’m not the world’s biggest D’Antoni fan but I agree with him when he does it. Carmelo may be a “closer” and such but shooting 8-21, 5-13, and 2-12 isn’t helping your team, it’s just hurting it. And considering Carmelo doesn’t really play a lick of defense either, he’s basically a black hole if he isn’t making shots. When Carmelo has the stroke, he’s pretty much unstoppable but he hasn’t had that stroke much this season. It’s a good chance it’s the system. Mike D’Antoni’s system is an up-tempo system that doesn’t have any real use for ISO situations. Carmelo is pure ISO. But to me, that’s no excuse. Kobe Bryant played how many years in the triangle before playing in Mike Brown’s system? Have you seen him complaining or failing to adjust? No, he hasn’t. In fact, Kobe is having a great year. If Carmelo wants to be the “superstar” he should be acting like, he needs to stop sulking and start acting like a team leader by hustling on every play and being a team player rather than a selfish player.

3. Ah, leadership. This is what our two “superstars” are really lacking. Where in the hell is the leadership? There is no doubt that Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire are the team’s two most talented players. As such, they should be the leaders of this team, just like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are for the Heat. But they aren’t, simply put. They’re not addressing their flaws or improving upon their flaws. They’re not calling the group meetings. They’re not acting leaders on the court. Keep in mind, outside of Amar’e, Carmelo, and Tyson, this is a relatively young squad. So where is the leadership mainly coming from? It’s coming from Tyson Chandler. And while Tyson should be one of the leaders of this team, he shouldn’t be the only leader. Amar’e and Carmelo should be as vocal as Tyson has been, if not more vocal. This may sound like nitpicking but for two guys that are making over $18 million dollars each, they should be doing a lot of things off-the-court as well as on-the-court.

Tonight marked the 70th game since Carmelo Anthony joined the Knicks. It’s quite clear the experiment has been an utter failure so far. Let’s be real, the results haven’t been that pretty. So where do we go from here?

Blow up the team and start from scratch? That route isn’t quite easy. While Carmelo is certainly movable, Amar’e and his uninsured knees certainly aren’t.

Stick with this squad? Well if we do, and continue to lose this season, guess who has our first round pick? Not us, but the Houston Rockets. Remember our good old friend Tracy McGrady? Well we traded our first to acquire McGrady/dump Jared Jeffries and it’s only top five protected. So unless the Knicks continue to bomb the rest of the season, we have no pick in the first round. Keep in mind, this is probably the most loaded class since the legendary class of 2003.

Fire the coach? What good will that do? There’s no way D’Antoni comes back next year anyway. And do you really want Mike Woodson coaching this team? Look how well the Hawks have played post-Woodson. That’s no coincidence.

What do I think we should do?

I really don’t know. The rational side of me says to see what this group can do in a different coach’s system. It might just be D’Antoni, it might not be. There’s no real way to know. But the emotional side of me has a much different idea. The emotional side of me wants to blow this up and build around Tyson, Lin, and Shumpert. I know, it’s crazy. But I really think Lin, with some more experience under his belt, can be a great young point guard, Tyson is an elite center and an excellent leader, and Iman is an excellent defender and someone who can be very valuable for this team in the future. And I really love the draft class this year. There’s some real talent in this year’s draft that I would love to have on the Knicks. Obviously, Carmelo can net a high pick or two, but Amar’e won’t be able to net anything due to his knees. Again, this is just the emotional part of me speaking but I’m slowly starting to think this might be the only path to success considering how much of a disaster the Amar’e and Carmelo duo has been.

Of course, things can change. If Amar’e and Carmelo start to play some defense and show some hustle, they may be able to regain their “superstar” statuses. But until then, they are just selfish, overpaid players that refuse to play defense.

Feb. 15, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin (17) celebrates with power forward Amare Stoudemire (1) during the first half against the Sacramento Kings at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Well, the All-Star break is the unofficial midway point of the NBA season, so it’s time for the report card. Let’s get straight to it, here are the grades-

PG Jeremy Lin: A
Does he turn over the ball too much? Yes, he does. But let’s be honest here. He could turn over the ball ten times a game. As long as he keeps dishing out the assists and the Knicks keep winning, it gets a pass. This man literally came out of nowhere and saved the Knicks season on February 4th vs. the New Jersey Nets. The Knicks have gone 9-3 since he first received some serious minutes, and that includes a seven game winning streak over teams such as the Lakers, Timberwolves, and Jazz as well as a win over the defending champion Dallas Mavericks. The man has taken New York and the league by storm and has performed well in just about every game except for the game vs. the Heat, where he was completely gassed. With six days of rest (He barely played in the Shining Stars game) before the Wednesday game vs. the Cavaliers and an additional four days of rest before the Sunday showcase game in Boston, expect Lin to be well rested and in vintage form.

SG Landry Fields: B
If there is one player who endured a brutal stretch this year (and partially last year after the addition of Carmelo), it has to be Fields. For nine straight games this season, Fields recorded nine or less points. He was brutal to watch and not the same man who was on the “All-Rookie 1st team” last season. However, on January 18 vs. the Suns, everything changed. Landry has scored 10+ points in 15 of 22 games. He has regained the confidence he lost and has really looked like the Landry Fields we’ve known and loved. However, he’s lost his ability to hit the outside shot as he’s shooting 26% from three compared to 39% last season. He also hasn’t been making his free throws, as he’s only made 60% of his shots from the charity stripe. If Fields can regain his stroke from beyond the line and make his free throws, he might become one of the most complete twos in the league.

SF Carmelo Anthony: C+
Carmelo, to say the least, has had an interesting season. It’s difficult to grade him. He shoots too much. He was the point-forward for quite a while. He was the only guy who could make shots on this team at one time. He’s been nicked by injuries. Carmelo Anthony has had six games where he has scored 30+ points, but only has had seven games where he has shot better than 45% (his career average) from the field. That, of course, excludes the Utah Jazz game where he injured his groin considering he only played about six minutes in that game. This is a problem, but one that may be cured with the addition of J.R. Smith and the emergences of Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak. Carmelo doesn’t have to be the one to take the three anymore because he’s not the only one who can make it now. So while I gave him a C+, take it with a grain of salt due to the numerous situations I discussed. But one quick thing to note, Carmelo has averaged 15 ppg and is averaging 38% from the field since he came back from injury/Lin has been the starting PG but has only taken three 3s. If there is anybody to keep an eye on for the rest of the season, it’s Carmelo.

PF Amar’e Stoudemire: D
If you’ve been following me on Twitter or have seen some of my pieces here, you know what my thoughts on Amar’e are this season: He’s been a shell of his former self. He is not the same Amar’e Stoudemire who had a legitimate case to be MVP last season and once was able to dunk and score under the basket all the time. Ever since his back issues vs. the Celtics in the playoffs, Amar’e has changed. He hasn’t been dunking what he once was able to dunk 24/7. The shots from the field haven’t been falling. He’s been arguing calls more than he has been playing defense. It’s really sad that I’m about to say to this but if Amar’e isn’t scoring in the post or scoring at all, he’s crippling the team. In fact, there’s been plenty of times this season where Jared Jeffries, despite his inability to score, has contributed more to this team just on defense than Amar’e has on both offense and defense. Amar’e is a career 53% shooter from the field. How many games has he shot that or better? About nine games. He averaged about 25 points per game last season. How many games has he scored 25 points or more? Four games. I thought this was because of a lack of a Point Guard but even with Lin, nothing much has changed. In the seven games that Lin has been the starting PG, Amar’e has only scored more than 20 points just twice. And keep in mind, this has all been occurring in Mike D’Antoni’s system, the system Amar’e has thrived in just about his entire career. Unless someone can direct him to the fountain of youth, I don’t think you’ll see the Amar’e of last season anytime soon.

C Tyson Chandler: A
I don’t think there’s a bigger fan of Tyson Chandler than I am. In fact, I thought long and hard about whether to give him an A+ but unfortunately, I couldn’t due to his technical foul issues. Tyson has nine technicals already, and is only four away from a one game suspension. This wouldn’t be a big deal if the Knicks had a real backup center but they don’t. If he’s out for one game, the Knicks will probably be horrid defensively for that game. Besides that, Tyson has been absolutely flawless. He has been worth his contract and more. I personally think he was a snubbed all-star and I personally think he should be a legitimate candidate for Defensive Player of the Year. The Knicks are currently 12th in opponent points allowed, and are 7th in defensive efficiency. Last year, the Knicks were 21st in defensive efficiency. That is a drastic improvement in defense, and you have to remember, the Knicks play an up-tempo system. That’s very impressive. Also, don’t forget, Tyson is contributing 12 points a game, grabs about 10 boards a game, and has a double-double in about 1/3 (11 games) of the games the Knicks have played. Except for the technicals, he has done everything humanly possible to help this team win, and that’s exactly what you want to see.

G Iman Shumpert: B+
Except for that one game in Memphis where he shot 5-20 from the field, Iman has had a pretty solid season. He’s been great on D, has shown some real hustle and fire, and hasn’t looked like a rookie at all. He’s exhibited some real confidence and has been turning some heads around, including mine. I thought the Knicks reached when they drafted him, but once again in back-to-back drafts, the Knicks made a fool out of everybody. The PG experiment failed but what would you expect? The guy is a swingman. I don’t have many complaints about him, except maybe the fact he’s been injury prone this season but so has everybody else this season. Iman can only go up from here and will be a very valuable player for the Knickerbockers for years to come. Oh, and he was completely snubbed regarding the Rising Stars Challenge. It was a crime he wasn’t involved.

SF Steve Novak: A+
Yes, you did not read that wrong. Steve Novak has received an A+. Is it too high? Yeah, it is. So why did I give it? Well, because when Amar’e and Carmelo were out, he was the man to step up and has been lighting it up from beyond the three point line day in and day out ever since. Ignore every game before February. Ignore every single one. Whenever he played, it was mainly garbage minutes. It’s hard to judge a player that way. So let’s take a look at February. He’s had seven games of 10+ points in only 11 games off the bench. He’s shot 38% or better from beyond the three point line in seven of 11 games. He lit up the 4th best defensive team (In terms of opponent points per game), the Dallas Mavericks, for 14 points in the fourth quarter. So yes, it might be ridiculous to give Steve Novak an A+ but you know what? He’s been just important to this team as Jeremy Lin has been if not more important.

PF Jared Jeffries: B
Don’t look at the box score. It does not do Jeffries any justice. He’s one of those guys where you may look at a box score and say “Oh, he’s terrible. He doesn’t contribute!” but trust me, he’s been as important as Tyson has been on the defensive end. During the seven game winning streak, Jeffries was tremendous defensively when he replaced Amar’e at PF. He defends his man well and is one of the very best at drawing charges and creating offensive fouls. People may get on him because he really can’t do much offensively but if there’s one guy who he’s been great off the bench, it’s Jeffries.

F Josh Harrellson/C Jerome Jordan/SG J.R. Smith/PG Baron Davis: N/A
We haven’t seen these guys enough to where I can give them a grade. Jorts played pretty well before he fractured his wrist, but I definitely want to see more before I can give a proper evaluation. But from what I’ve seen, he can be a Ryan Anderson Lite, in the sense that he’s a big Power Forward who can make some shots beyond the three point line. Jerome Jordan has only played garbage minutes. No way I can give an evaluation on that. J.R. Smith has only played four games. Not enough for a proper evaluation but from what I’ve seen, he could be a real difference maker in the playoffs. J.R. Smith is a real talent and someone I have really wanted to the Knicks to use their “exception” on for a while, so I’m very excited to see what J.R. can do for this team going forward. And Baron Davis, “the savior”, is finally on the court. He’s only played three games and he hasn’t looked good. It’s clear he’s rusty and slowly coming back but if he can even be half of the player he has been his career, he can be quite serviceable off the bench and give Jeremy Lin some much needed minutes to breath. Time will tell.

PG Mike Bibby/PG Toney Douglas/SG Bill Walker: F
Feed them to the sharks. Mike Bibby showed signs of life in Washington and Detroit but has been completely useless otherwise. Toney Douglas has been serviceable to this team the past two seasons but has been nothing short of a nightmare this season due to a multitude of factors: 1) Being told to play PG when he is nothing but a SG, 2) His shoulder injury, and 3) A lack of confidence. Unless this team suffers a few injuries, you won’t be seeing Toney Douglas in non-garbage time anytime soon. Bill Walker’s not horrible, it’s just he takes some incredibly dumb and unnecessary shots. He’s not the very worst option off the bench but he’s very far from being the very best. He’s scored the most in games the Knicks have usually lost. It’s not a fair correlation, but its somewhat true. He won’t see non-garbage minutes anytime soon unless Shumpert, J.R., and Novak get seriously injured.

Feb 11, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin (17) drives past Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio (9) during the first quarter at the Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-US PRESSWIRE

Thanks for saving my job. Without you guys, I’d probably be at home waiting for my house phone to ring regarding an opportunity to be an assistant coach.

Sincerely,
Mike D’Antoni

(My friend Aaron Cheris gave me this idea a few days ago. You can follow Aaron on Twitter at @aaronhowie)

In all seriousness, the New York Knickerbockers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight 100-98 at the Target Center. Mr. Linsanity himself, Jeremy Lin, had 20 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds while Kevin Love, Minnesota’s leading scorer, had 32 points and 21 rebounds. Let’s get to the details shall we?

For the fifth game in a row, Jeremy Lin was the primary difference maker for the Knicks. While he didn’t score 38 points like he did on Friday, only shot 8-for-24 tonight from the field, and didn’t perform that well during the second half, he drew a late shooting foul and nailed the game-winning free throw. Enough cannot be said about what Jeremy Lin has done the past five games. You’ve seen ESPN highlight him, you’ve seen Newsday and the New York Daily News write about him. He has been the story of the year so far in the NBA. And for the naysayers, think about this. There are plenty of undrafted NBA players who have had successful careers such as Jose Calderon, Ben Wallace, Bruce Bowen, Avery Johnson, Udonis Haslem, Raja Bell, and Knicks legend John Starks. While it’s probably impossible for Jeremy Lin to continue this level of production, why can’t he average 12-15 points per game and 7-10 assists? That certainly doesn’t seem impossible to me, especially in a Mike D’Antoni system where the point guard is the heart and soul. Personally, I thought this was the more important game for him than Friday’s vs the Lakers. While the Lakers are a great team, this was the second of a back-to-back and one against a terrific point guard in Ricky Rubio. Rubio has been nothing short of astounding so far so to see a guy like Lin go toe-to-toe with him and come out as the victor is something to be very happy about if you’re a Knicks fan.

As for the rest of the team, there were a lot of solid performances. Landry Fields had 19 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. One thing I’ve noticed recently is that Landry’s free throw shooting needs to improve. Last year, he shot about 77% from the charity stripe while he has shot about 61% this year. That’s a significant decrease and something I would like to see him work on during practice. Besides that, nothing I can say but positive things about Landry since the January 18 game vs. the Phoenix Suns.

Tyson Chandler came up big again tonight as he had 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. Tyson Chandler has been almost as pivotal to this team’s 5 game winning streak as Lin and Novak have and I personally think he was snubbed regarding the All Star Game reserves. While Nikola Pekovic (21 points and 13 rebounds) was a problem for him at times, Tyson did a fairly good job on the defensive end, like he normally has all season. Jared Jeffries continued his great season by scoring 8 points and grabbing 8 boards. He receives a lot of unfair flack, such as that playoff game vs. Boston (Garnett made a brilliant move and there was nothing Jeffries could have done. If you disagree, watch it again until you realize that.) but he’s been huge for this team all year. The box score may not show it but he’s made a few key offensive/defensive plays this year that have impacted many games.

And now it’s time to discuss two of the Knicks’ biggest players tonight: Iman Shumpert and Steve Novak. Iman Shumpert had 20 points, 4 steals, and 2 assists in 29 minutes of play off the bench. Tonight Iman was terrific as he made circus shots and hustled throughout the night. One play that I remember in particular is when he kept up with Rubio (I believe) and kept trying to steal the ball from him until he finally did and made the easy layup. For not even one second did Iman not try to take the ball away from Rubio and it paid off with an easy two points. That’s true hustle right there and Iman exhibited it all game until the very moment he fouled out.

Steve Novak, once again, was HUGE for the Knicks tonight. I’m not even going to lie, if you told me that Steve Novak was going to be huge in four games this year, I would have laughed right in your face. How wrong was I. I don’t even want to know where we would be without Novak considering he’s made huge shot after huge shot. Novak had 15 points and 6 rebounds tonight. However, his biggest moment was his three to tie the game with 36 seconds left to play. Novak has scored 15+ points in three of the last four games and has made 16 of 31 three pointers in the past four games. In other words, Novak has shot about 52% from behind the 3-point line. That’s remarkable and it could mean he will play a big part in this team’s future considering the Knicks have needed a strong 3-point shooter. He may have been the guy all along folks.

So where do we go from here? Well Amar’e Stoudemire is set to return for Tuesday’s game at Toronto. Carmelo Anthony‘s status, on the other hand, is fairly uncertain as he is still out for a groin injury. However, speaking of our superstar duo, there is one thing I must say. Amar’e and Carmelo need to adapt to Lin, rather than Lin adapt to them. Lin and the Knicks sans Carmelo and Amar’e have set the blueprint on how to win, and Carmelo and Amar’e need to follow it. It shouldn’t be a problem so much for Amar’e because Lin is a pick-and-roll PG in a pick-and-roll system and Amar’e is one of the best finishers of pick-and-rolls. I’m not too concerned about him considering he’ll benefit from Lin than anybody else on the team. My concern is with Carmelo. Now that we have an actual point guard in Lin, that should hopefully mean less ISO for Carmelo as it slows down the pace of the offense. If it doesn’t, well we have a big problem. New York City’s opinion can quickly change from good-to-bad and vice versa at the drop of a hat and if Carmelo continues to slow down the offense with ISO and take shot after shot, when we have a point guard, he will hear boos and criticism. I don’t think Carmelo wants to hear criticism so I expect him to be a team player once he returns but it’s definitely something to keep an eye on. Finally, I have just four quick subjects I would like to bring up:

1) Tonight was the third game in a row where Mike D’Antoni did not insert Toney Douglas into the game. The last time he stepped onto the court was on Monday vs. the Jazz (3 minutes). This is something interesting to keep monitoring because it could either mean that D’Antoni is letting Douglas recover from his shoulder surgery or it could be something else we do not know of.
2) Kevin Love had 32 points, 21 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, and went 10-for-10 from the free throw line. This is one of those times where you just tip your hat because there’s nothing you could have done. Kevin Love is the best Power Forward in the NBA and should be starting in the All Star Game (Yes people, he’s better than Blake Griffin. Much better. Stop watching SportsCenter highlights and start watching Timberwolves games on League Pass)
3) Who’s Baron Davis?
4) I apologize to Mike D’Antoni. While I’m not a real fan of his system, the emergence of Lin shows how it was basically impossible for him to win games without an actual point guard. So with that, Coach D’Antoni, I’m sorry for criticizing you so much this season.

Hey everybody, I know that many of you will be watching that team with Jeremy Lin (Our beloved New York Knickerbockers) take on Kobe Bryant and the Lakers tomorrow, but if you have a moment or two and would like to hear some analysis on the Knicks and the rest of the National Basketball Association, as well as other sports topics, tune into “Fanatic Radio” on WVAU internet radio tomorrow at 8 p.m.. I will be joining hosts Michael Gardner and Dan Goldman to discuss the state of the New York Knicks, as well as other topics. To tune in, visit WVAU.org and click on “Listen Now” at the top of the page at 8 p.m.. “Fanatic Radio” runs every friday on WVAU Internet Radio from 8-9 p.m. To learn more about “Fanatic Radio”, like their page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fanaticradio

Dec 25, 2011; New York, NY, USA; Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE

Of course, you probably remember the last time the Knicks took on the Celtics as it only happened a little over a month ago. The Knicks led early but eventually then fell behind before Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks to a victory. Oh, and Kevin Garnett got away with putting his hands around Billy Walker‘s neck after the game concluded without a fine or suspension. That still marvels me to this day, but anyway, tonight will be an interesting matchup for the Knicks. Before the season started, many pictured these two duking it out for the Atlantic Division title but that’s yet to occur. The Knicks are basically in free-fall mode as they have gone 2-10 after a four game winning streak. The Celtics are 11-10 and have been fairly hot. After starting 5-9, the Celtics have gone 6-1. 2 of those wins include very impressive wins over the Magic in which they held them to a Celtics franchise-low 56 points and made a massive comeback in the second half to defeat them. Meanwhile, while these two currently sit in second and third place, the Philadelphia 76ers currently reside in first by 4.5 games.

In order for the Knicks to succeed tonight, they must cut down on turnovers and try to attack in the paint. Jermaine O’Neal is not the man who he used to be in Indiana so the Knicks need to take advantage of that. Also, Rajon Rondo is currently suffering from a sprained right wrist and has been out for Boston’s last eight games. However, according to Comcast SportsNet’s A. Sherrod Blakely, Rondo “will play and start tonight”. As you may recall, Rondo torched the Knicks on Christmas day with 31 points, 13 assists, 5 rebounds, and 5 steals. Since he is playing, it’ll make a win over them sweeter than last time considering they didn’t have Paul Pierce on Christmas Day.

You can watch tonight’s game on MSG/ESPN at 8:00 PM EST or listen on the radio at ESPN 1050 AM.

Knicks news to be aware of:
1) Former Denver Nuggets PF Kenyon Martin signed with the Los Angeles Clippers today for $2.5 Million. K-Mart was on the Knicks’ list and word is that Carmelo Anthony urged the Knicks to sign him. He would have been a nice fit but there’s an even better former Denver Nugget coming from China soon: SG J.R. Smith. Smith would provide the Knicks not only a guard, which they desperately need, but a guy who can shoot threes as he is a career 37% shooter from 3-point land. If the Knicks can sign Smith and get decent production from Baron Davis, this could be a team that can go on an absolute tear through the standings.

2) New York Knicks SF Carmelo Anthony was named a starter for the Eastern Conference in the All Star Game. While it is a great honor to be named a starter, Carmelo should sit it out. He’s been nicked up and affected by injuries this season and the rest could only help.

3) The New York Knicks return to Madison Square Garden to take on Deron Williams and the Nets tomorrow night and face Deron’s former team, the Utah Jazz, on Monday night. This is a pivotal three game stretch for D’Antoni as rumors are swirling, more than ever, that his job is in great danger. If the Knicks lose tonight and both games at the Garden, they will fall to 8-17 and 9 games under .500. Can the Knicks turn things around after an improved performance vs. the Bulls? Tune in tonight to find out.

The New York Knickerbockers chucked 43, yes, 43 3-point shots tonight. I don’t care what team it is, who the coach of the team is, and who the players on the team are, there is literally a 0% chance of winning if you chuck up that many 3-point shots in a game. And wouldn’t you know? The Knicks lost in Miami 99-89. Keep in mind, this was without Carmelo Anthony who sat due to his numerous injuries. Whether the Knicks win this game even with a banged up Carmelo is for another time but let’s break this game down because there’s a lot of things that need to be addressed.

First off, there is absolutely zero reason as to why the Knicks chucked up 43 3-point shots. I understand Carmelo wasn’t playing but

43 3-point shots is absolutely ridiculous. The fact Mike D’Antoni allowed this to happen is laughable, and frankly, its the final straw for me regarding D’Antoni. A head coach is supposed to lead and direct a team, not just stand idly by as his team doesn’t even try to score inside when they have a terrific power forward and a top 5 center. A competent head coach doesn’t let that happen. No way, no how. And I understand that James Dolan isn’t a fan of mid-season coaching changes but it’s time for one. I understand D’Antoni is an “offensive guru” and his track record in Phoenix shows he knows how to coach but I think even he knows he’s just not right for this team. Dolan, please, just take D’Antoni out of his misery. We’ve all seen enough.

Second, let’s talk about Amar’e Stoudemire. Even with Carmelo out, Amar’e only mustered 12 points. Yeah, the player we signed to a MAX contract last year could only muster 12 points even though he was easily the best player and best scoring option on the team. I don’t think it’s Carmelo that’s been affecting his season, I think it’s been Amar’e. He shot 5-14 from the field tonight, grabbed 6 boards, and dished out 3 assists. Look, I understand there’s no point guard but that shouldn’t mean Amar’e can become completely average. There’s no excuse for that. And I love Amar’e but he needs to step up already. You’re being paid star money, it’s time to start acting and playing like one.

Can’t complain about Tyson Chandler tonight. Scored 9 points and grabbed 12 boards. That’s a normal night for him. Billy Walker played well offensively tonight, despite the 6 turnovers, as he was the only player, besides Chandler, to have a good FG% tonight. Toney Douglas had another Toney Douglas game, as he shot 18 times and only made 6 shots. He’s been nothing short of horrific this year, I’m sorry. I like the guy, I’m rootinng for the guy, but he’s been terrible this year. But it wouldn’t be fair to single him out as we have a bunch of other players who deserved to be called out. Mike Bibby, who is somehow still on this roster amazingly enough, shot 9 times and only made 2 shots. Jared Jeffries, yeah JARED JEFFRIES, shot two three pointers tonight. Why? Well because everybody wanted to beef their stats tonight because Carmelo wasn’t playing. Look, I’m sure that’s not the reason why but the way they played tonight made it look like they were. I mean, we’ve seen some Knicks players play carelessly over the years (Marbury, Curry, Randolph, etc.) but those rosters were terrible. This is a roster that has two superstars and a great center. This is a team that can win the way it is currently constructed. It’s time for people to start stepping up already. (more…)

I will preface my statement by telling you that [the Magic] have categorically denied this, but my sources tell me that they have inquired about Tyson Chandler and Amar’e Stoudemire going to Orlando for Dwight Howard

Now, if the Magic did indeed inquire about Amar’e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler for Dwight Howard, it would not work financially as it would put the Magic over the cap so it is certain SF Hedo Turkoglu would be coming to New York as well in the deal. However, if this trade were to evolve into a three-team or even a four-team deal, it would be uncertain where Turkoglu would go.

This is obviously a very interesting deal for both sides. Amar’e is a superstar without a doubt, but Dwight Howard is arguably the best or second best player in the league depending on who you ask. If the Knicks have an opportunity to acquire a player of that caliber, they cannot pass on it. While Amar’e put the Knicks back on the map last year and has done wonders for this organization and Tyson Chandler just signed recently, the National Basketball Association is and always will be a business. Players like Dwight Howard do not come around often so if the Knicks are given a chance to trade Amar’e and his injury concerns as well as Tyson Chandler, the Knicks must pull the trigger on that deal.

So if the Knicks were to acquire Dwight Howard, their big three would simply just become a big two right? Well, not exactly. Deron Williams could possibly be on the way if the Knicks acquire Dwight Howard. According to ESPN’s Chris Broussard, the Knicks are on Deron’s list of preferred teams if the Nets cannot acquire the Orlando Center. Of course, in order for Deron Williams to come to the Garden, the Knicks would need to restructure Carmelo Anthony’s contract and try to get Dwight Howard to take less than the maximum. Would that be possible? Well, it might be difficult but certainly possible if Carmelo, Dwight, and Deron are willing to take a little less in order to form an absolutely terrific trio.

But alas, that is just a fantasy for now. As of today, January 23, the Knicks have a terrific trio in Amar’e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, and Tyson Chandler. While the team may be struggling currently, it cannot be denied the Knicks are currently set for the future as they are now. Even if they don’t acquire Dwight Howard, the Knicks will definitely be okay and will, hopefully, be an Eastern Conference powerhouse for years to come.

Where do I begin with this one?

Well, I guess I can begin with this: Amar’e Stoudemire was completely nonexistent in the fourth quarter, in overtime, and in the second overtime. That’s not an exaggeration. Stoudemire had 0 field goal attempts once the third quarter was complete. Keep in mind, Amar’e Stoudemire is 6x All-Star. The fact Stoudemire didn’t have a single field goal attempt is startling and actually is a great example of Stoudemire’s season thus far.

Carmelo Anthony, who would probably admit he had a terrible first three quarters, kept the Knicks in the game during the fourth quarter and overtime as he scored 25 points, shot 33% from the field tonight, grabbed 10 boards, and dished out 5 assists. He almost singlehandedly kept the Knicks in it late in the game after he was booed by the crowd earlier. In all, it was an okay night for Carmelo despite his struggles early in the game.

Iman Shumpert and Landry Fields both performed well as they combined for 36 points, 14 assists, and 4 steals. Landry Fields performed very well during the Knicks’ past three games as he averaged 15 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists. Hopefully Fields can continue his solid play as the Knicks need their players to contribute as much as possible right now.

Bill Walker tonight was on fire as he made 5 of his 6 field goal attempts and scored 15 points. However, he only played 11 minutes tonight despite his great shooting. Why D’Antoni only played him for 11 minutes is beyond me but the Knicks sure could have used him at certain times tonight.

So where do the Knicks go from here? Well they embark on a four game road trip starting Tuesday where they play at Charlotte (Let the Boris Diaw nightmares begin again), Cleveland, Miami, and Houston. Before the season began I would have said the Knicks should go 3-1 or even 4-0 on this road trip but now? I would be content with the Knicks going 2-2 based on the way they’ve been playing lately. D’Antoni’s job status continues to be more in question with each loss and of course tonight’s loss didn’t help. This is going to be a very important week for the Knicks because if they keep struggling, D’Antoni might not be the Knicks’ coach one week from today.

1. Sorry for the terrible pun.
2. I do not have any “sources” or any “inside knowledge”. I know as much about D’antoni’s job status as you do.

So let’s get started shall we?

As of today, January 20, the New York Knicks are currently 6-8 and have lost four games in a row. Many predicted the Knicks to either win the Atlantic division or narrowly losing the division to the Boston Celtics. Keep in mind, this was before the season started. Right now, the Knicks are 4 games back of the Philadelphia 76ers after 14 games. In every other city, except for maybe Miami due to the fact they are the Miami H3at, there wouldn’t be people calling for the coach’s head after just 14 games. But this is New York, where no job is safe despite your past experience. And unfortunately for Mike D’Antoni, despite his great resume at Phoenix, his seat might be starting to heat up.

Obviously, D’Antoni 100% gets a pass for his first two seasons. Everybody around the country knew Donnie Walsh’s plan: shed as much cap space as possible before the summer of 2010 by any means possible. That meant Chris Duhon starting at point guard for 137 games, Al Harrington being the team’s best player (Yes, the same Al Harrington who famously blew two games for the Knicks by hanging on the rim after a dunk), and Cuttino Mobley, who never even donned a New York Knicks uniform due to a heart condition that was found by the Knicks. I don’t think its a stretch to say neither Phil Jackson or Red Holzman would have been able to take the 2008-09 and 2009-10 Knicks to the playoffs so the fact D’Antoni wasn’t able to is far from surprising.

2010-11, while it wasn’t a throwaway year, was pretty difficult to evaluate D’Antoni on. Half the roster changed dramatically after the Carmelo trade. But, like his days in Phoenix and the previous two seasons, the main complaint about D’Antoni was the lack of defense. However, that’s simply D’Antoni’s system. The Knicks made the playoffs, but got swept by the Celtics in the first round. In the offseason, Mike Woodson was hired after fans pleaded for there to be more of an emphasis on defense. The Woodson hiring and the Tyson Chandler signing had fans expecting an excellent team on both sides of the court.

So that just about leads us to present day. What are the Knicks statistically right now? Well, they’re 18th in points scored and 16th in points allowed. Unfortunately though, that doesn’t show what the Knicks have really been this season. The Knicks have been a mess on both ends of the court. There’s been an incredible amount of miscommunication, a ridiculous amount of 3′s being shot, and mismatches on defense. Now, remember, D’antoni’s system relies on a point guard. Let’s be frank, the only “real” point guards the Knicks can currently put on the court are Mike Bibby and Jeremy Lin. Baron Davis is expected to play in the next two to three weeks. But is he the savior? He had a good season last year in Los Angeles and Cleveland but he’s always been injury prone. The only thing the Knicks can do is wait and see.

So should D’Antoni be fired? Well, if you asked me, I wouldn’t be able to give a straight answer. I have never been a fan of D’Antoni’s system because it doesn’t emphasize defense at all. Those obviously aren’t grounds for firing the guy but frankly except for the wins vs. Sacramento and Detroit, every game has been pretty ugly and very close. I’m sorry but a team that has Amar’e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, and Tyson Chandler shouldn’t be playing close games vs. the Charlotte Bobcats or allowing Boris Diaw to score 27 and 19 points in two games. The team hasn’t been playing well and I think it’s time for a new voice and a new system. But by firing D’Antoni, it’s almost a lock Mike Woodson would become the head coach. I can go on and on about my thoughts on Mike Woodson so I’ll just leave it at this: Mike Woodson would probably not do any better than what D’antoni is currently doing with this team.

So will the Knicks keep D’Antoni for the rest of the season? Will they keep him if the Knicks finish this homestand 0-3? Will they keep him to see how the team does with Baron Davis? Or will they bring him back next year so they could hopefully lure Steve Nash to the Big Apple to join his former coach and former pick and roll partner? This is for James Dolan and Glen Grunwald to decide. All I know is, after 14 games, things aren’t looking so fantastic for the New York Knickerbockers.

But hey, as Knicks fans, we’ve easily been through worse times. Much worse.

Standing Tall? Check.

Talented? Well, that’s a bit tricky.

Nearly all of STAT’s… stats have been down compared to last year. He’s averaging 17.9 points per game, is shooting 42% from the field, is grabbing 7.5 boards a game, and is averaging 0.4 blocks a game. Last year, Amar’e averaged 25.3 points per game, shot 50.2% from the field, grabbed 8.1 boards a game, and blocked 1.9 shots a game. Yes, I know it’s only been 11 games but here’s two points I would like to bring up regarding that:

1. It’s only a 66 game season.
2. His play in the last three games should be fairly concerning.

What I’ve seen from Amar’e, both on offense and defense, this year is almost a complete 180 of last year. I haven’t seen the hustle or the energy he exhibited last year when he famously declared, “The Knicks are back.” Coming into last season, we knew he was a defensive liability but he showed some real flashes of brilliance throughout the season such as “The Block“. This year? I’ve seen laziness and a lack of hustle to go back on defense and I’ve seen him constantly settle for jump shots. I’ve been thinking this for several games, but I bit my lip because the season was still early. But after his performances at Memphis, at Oklahoma City, and at home vs. the Magic? Well, frankly it’s time to say something. Just take a look at what he’s been averaging the past three games:

10 points, 36% shooting, 3.6 boards, 0 blocks, and 4 fouls.

In one word: Oy.

Now, you might be thinking, “It’s three games, calm down.” But on the contrary, it’s three games against some of the league’s best teams. Now to be fair, I was not able to catch the Oklahoma City game but I was able to see both the Memphis and Orlando games and to see a star PF like Amar’e only grab two boards one game and completely be a non-factor in another game is concerning. To be fair, no player is perfect. As much as we praise players like Wilt, Larry, Magic, Jordan, and Kobe, they have all gone through some nasty stretches during their historic careers where they weren’t playing at their very best. It happens to the very best of them and Amar’e is no exception. This can easily be just a rough stretch for him and he will break through soon.

One can also say it’s the result of, well, no point guards. Ever since he first stepped into the league, Amar’e has had a great PG. Youtube sensation Stephon Marbury was his point guard his freshman year. In his sophomore year, Marbury and Leandro Barbosa were his point guard. In his junior year up until he left Phoenix, Hall of Famer Steve Nash was his point guard. In his first year in New York, he had Raymond Felton and Chauncey Billups. This year, he has… Toney Douglas/Iman Shumpert. Yeah, that’s a drastic drop in talent if you asked me. Amar’e is a pick and roll machine so without a good point guard, his play suffers. We can only hope Baron Davis can bring back vintage pick and roll Amar’e for now.

If the Knicks want to go far into the playoffs, they’re going to need Amar’e to improve his play, both on offense and defense. Carmelo has been nothing short of outstanding this season but there’s going to be a point where he’s going to struggle and going to need somebody to carry the load temporarily. Tyson Chandler isn’t that type of player but Amar’e Stoudemire certainly is.