This is a team that was expected to make the Eastern Conference Finals and anything else should be considered a failure.

This is the Knicks first time trailing in the playoffs when they are on the road team. If the Knicks are great they will pull out his huge victory tonight. If they don’t  it will be a huge uphill battle from here. Here’s everything you need to know about this pivotal Game 4 .

May 7, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert (55) shoots over New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler (6) during the second half in game two of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won the game 105-79. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

When: Tuesday May 14th at 7:00 EST

Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN

Watch: TNT

Betting Line: Pacers (-5.5)

Key Matchup: Tyson Chandler vs. Roy Hibbert

If the Pacers win Game 4 and Roy Hibbert has a big game, Tyson Chandler will be pointed at as the main reason the Knicks potentially lose this series. Hibbert has dominated both sides of the floor against Chandler and has made the rebounding category one sided. Knicks fans were worried about Paul George’s scoring, but it has been the domination of the glass that has controlled this series.

I am calling out Carmelo Anthony to get a double-double tonight with rebounds. Anthony has been inserted into the 4 spot and there’s no excuse why he cannot come up with at least 12 rebounds tonight. He is physical and when it comes down to it he is the team leader. If the Knicks need rebounding help, Carmelo needs to crash the boards. LeBron and Durant do it, so why can’t he?

With Iman Shumpert’s knee acting up again, everyone putting on a Knicks jersey has to step it up tonight. Shumpert has brought raw energy on both sides of the floor that honestly no other Knick has matched. Raymond Felton has to have a much better game and lead this offense the way we know how it can be ran.

Role players like Pablo Prigioni and Kenyon Martin have to maximize their minutes and not make mistakes when they are out there. Ultimately it is going to come down to the play of Carmelo and J.R. Smith. If they are cold again, the Knicks have no shot.

The Knicks will treat this like a Game 7 and we are looking at a classic Game 5 at MSG.

Prediction: Knicks 93, Pacers 87

After getting dominated in Game 1 in a 102-95 loss, the Knicks need to win Game 2 if they have any chance of advancing. You don’t want to go into Indiana down 0-2.

Which Knicks team will show up, the one in early April or the one we have seen in the last 3 out of 4 games?

Here’s everything you need to know for Game 2:

When: Tuesday May 6th at 7:00

Where: Madison Square Garden in New York City

Watch: TNT

Betting Line:  New York Knicks (-6)

Key Matchup: Tyson Chandler vs. Roy Hibbert

The Indiana Pacers’ offense revolves around Paul George but if the Knicks want to win, they have to contain Roy Hibbert. Hibbert dominated Chandler who had a very forgettable game with four points and three rebounds in 28 minutes of play.

The two seven-footers are both tough guys but Hibbert is clearly the more polished offensive player. Chandler has to get back in his Defensive Player of the Year form and lock down Hibbert. Chandler has to control the glass and stop the Pacers from getting second chance opportunities.

The entire Pacers starting five scored in double digits in Game 1 along with 16 points off the bench by D.J. Augustin. Raymond Felton has been the only consistent Knick these playoffs and shined in Game 1 with 18 points (8-for-12 from the field) and three assists. Simply put, Anthony and Smith have to drive more and take better shots. Going a combined 14-for-43 is unacceptable and isn’t a winning recipe.

The Knicks don’t match up well with the Pacers at all but I think the Game 1 loss was due to the Knicks scorers being cold. I think Mike Woodson makes the adjustments and the Knicks come out better especially on the defensive side of the ball.

Carmelo has to have a big, but efficient game in the Garden. If he doesn’t it might be the last game at home for the season. The Knicks have to win this game because going into Indiana (30-11 home record) down 0-2 is a very hard task to overcome. It will be a hard fought game and hopefully the shots fall early for New York.

Prediction: New York 96, Indiana 92

After defeating the veteran squad of the Boston Celtics 4-2 in round one, the New York Knicks will take on a totally different animal in the young and hungry Indiana Pacers in round two.

May 3, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Indiana Pacers small forward Paul George (24) takes the ball down the court against the Atlanta Hawks in the second half of game six of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. The Pacers won 81-73. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

The Pacers are led by one of the NBA’s up and coming stars, 2013 Most Improved Player Paul George, who was the leading scorer (19 PPG), assist man (5 APG), and rebounder (9 RPG) for the Pacers in their round one victory over the Atlanta Hawks..

The Knicks got out of round one, but it wasn’t easy.

After going up 3-0 they lost two straight but finished the Celtics off in Game 6. In the deciding game, the Knicks were up 26 but then the Celtics went on a 20-0 run faster than you can go on a bathroom break. I know it got me worried even though they won since now I know the Knicks are vulnerable to a big scoring run.

If Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Jeff Green, and Avery Bradley can ignite a run like that, how will the younger and more athletic Paul George, Roy Hibbert, David West, and George Hill do?

Coming into the postseason, Knicks fans expectations were to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Pacers are one of the better teams in the league and the Knicks will have to earn it. Carmelo Anthony says he is 100 percent but it seems like his shoulder is a little banged up.

J.R. Smith has to start driving and not settling for jump shots. Tyson Chandler looks like he is back to 100 percent; being very active on both sides of the floor meanwhile Raymond Felton is playing his best ball of the season. Iman Shumpert was the Game 6 MVP and hopefully it translates to success in the second round.

Game 1 is huge and can likely determine how the series will go.

Can the Knicks defend their home court or can the Pacers steal Game 1 in Madison Square Garden? Here’s everything you need to know:

When: Sunday May 5th at 3:30 PM EST

Where: Madison Square Garden in New York City

Watch: ABC

Betting Line: New York Knicks (-5.5)

When Knicks have the ball: NYK 87.7 PPG (13th in Playoffs), 89.3 PA (5th in playoffs)

When Pacers have the ball: IND 89.3 PPG (12th in Playoffs). Knicks 82.3 PA (1st in playoffs)

May 3, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; New York Knicks point guard Raymond Felton (2) drives the ball against Boston Celtics center Kevin Garnett (5) in game six of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. The New York Knicks defeated the Celtics 88-80. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Key Matchup: Raymond Felton vs. George Hill

Felton had a field day against the Celtics, who lack a true point guard. He averaged 17 points and five assists in the first round and was the only consistent Knicks in the six games against the Celtics. George Hill is an above average point guard who will give Felton a totally different look he was used to in round one.

Felton will also be guarding him, which will be different than what he did against the Celtics, where he guarded Paul Pierce most of the time. Felton makes the offense very smooth and doesn’t stop the ball. Felton will have to continue his great play if the Knicks are going to advance.

The Pacers are one of the only teams that truly play like a team. You would say that George is their biggest name player but he isn’t no ‘Melo. However George has a great chance to make his name a household one if he can shine against the Knicks on the national stage.

The Pacers had four players in double digit scoring in the first round against the Hawks: George (18.7), West (16.3), Hill (15.2), and Hibbert (14.7).

Shumpert will be called upon to guard Paul George. Shumpert shined in Game 6 and showed his defensive presence along with his development as an offensive player. He will have to nag George and make the other Pacers beat the Knicks. Carmelo and Smith have to get back to attacking the rim and not be afraid of the Pacers bigs. Chandler and Hibbert should be a battle as Chandler is a great post defender and Hibbert is one of the better offensive centers in the league.

Game 1 will be a battle and after seeing the Knicks almost collapse in Game 6, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried. I think the Knicks take a deep breath and will play better since I feel like a lot of pressure if off them. They had the pressure of being the first Knicks team in over a decade to win a playoff series along with the pressure of not choking to the Celtics. I think the Knicks go back to playing the basketball that Mike Woodson has coached them how to play.

Prediction: Knicks 94, Pacers 88

Have they already fallen off?

May 1, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) drives on Boston Celtics forward Brandon Bass (30) during the fourth quarter of game five of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

After having a commanding 3-0 lead, the New York Knicks have given the Boston Celtics life, losing two straight to them. Now the pressure seems to have turned a 180 and is all on the Knicks. The Celtics have nothing to lose at home. They were expected to lose this series coming into it, and when the fell down 0-3, it was pretty much all but over.

They in rallied Game 4 and won a close one, and then shocked the world by beating the Knicks at home in Game 5, a game which the Celtics had control of the whole game.

Game 6 will be in the comfort of TD Garden and once again Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and the entire Celtics roster have their backs up against the wall.

They did it at home then took care of business at MSG where the Knicks were supposed to “hold their funeral.”

Which Knicks team will show up?

The championship contender team that played in games 1-3 or the team that looks like they don’t want it?

Can the Knicks put an end to this series or will there be a Game 7 in the Garden?

Here’s what you need to know:

When: Friday May 3rd at 7:00 PM EST

Where: TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts

Watch: ESPN

Betting Line: Knicks (-2.5)

Key Matchup: The Knicks vs. themselves

I know this seems cliché, but the Knicks are beating themselves. Hats off to the Celtics for fighting and winning these last two games, but the Knicks aren’t playing like they could be. J.R. Smith’s Game 5 speaks for itself and Carmelo Anthony hasn’t been scoring with ease like he has been.

If the Knicks play their game they should win.

It’s that simple.

The Celtics have all the confidence in the world right now and we saw it when they started talking trash and pushing and shoving a little after Game 5. They think they are in the Knicks heads and the only way we will find out is tonight. Vegas still has the Knicks the favorite because they are the more talented team and because Carmelo can go for 50 any night.

I think ‘Melo goes off this game and has a signature road playoff game moment. This might be the die-hard Knicks fan in me talking, but I think the series ends tonight.

Prediction: Knicks 90, Celtics 85

It’s hard to expect a sweep in the playoffs especially against a veteran team filled with pride like the Celtics, but with the way the Knicks dominated the first three games, losing game four was a little bit of a letdown for fans.

Apr 26, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; New York Knicks guard/forward J.R. Smith (8) is guarded by Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley (0) during the first quarter of game three of the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

With the brooms stuffed back into the closet, all Knicks fans want is to end this series at home and move on to round two, something they haven’t said since the iPod wasn’t created yet. Here’s everything you need to know for Game 5:

When: Wednesday May 1st at 7:00 P.M. EST

Where: Madison Square Garden in New York, NY

Watch: TNT

Betting Line:  Knicks (-8.5)

Key Matchup: J.R. Smith vs. Jason Terry

As you can see from the line that Vegas gave, it will be a big upset if the Celtics win Game 5 and send this series back to Boston. The suspension of J.R. Smith for Game 4 obviously play a big role in the loss and his return will hopefully have this Knicks team back in sync.

Celtics guard Jason Terry is a main reason why the C’s avoided a sweep. Terry was lights out in overtime and might have regained that confidence that carried the Mavericks on their 2011 championship run. The Knicks can’t have him getting hot because he’s a very streaky shooter and they don’t want to be on the wrong side of that.

If J.R. Smith comes back and is effective right away, I have full faith that the Knicks will win Game 5. His agent will probably send over the game tape of Game 4 to Glen Grunwald and the Knicks front office to show them how valuable Smith is to this team when they are in long-term contract negotiations.

As I wrote earlier, this game will fall on the shoulders of Carmelo Anthony. This game is huge for his legacy, as he needs to show he can close out a playoff series especially in front on his home crowd. Players like Raymond Felton, Jason Kidd, Tyson Chandler, and Kenyon Martin of course need to play well, but this is Melo’s game.

The Garden will be rocking during Game 5 and the Knicks have thrived off the home crowd all season, especially in big games. I can’t see the Knicks falling on their face in this game; if they do they can be in big trouble. The Knicks are clearly the better and more talented team and they will show it in this game just like they did in the first three.

Prediction: Knicks 94, Celtics 82

Game 5 will be a defining moment for not only the Knicks but for Carmelo Anthony specifically.

Apr 28, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) shoots the ball against Boston Celtics small forward Paul Pierce (34) during game four of the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

This is Carmelo’s team and city and he needs to show his fans that he can put an end to a series, especially in Madison Square Garden.

Anthony is an elite scorer but it’s no secret he struggled in Game 4. I know, almost every player would do anything for a 36-point playoff game on the road, nevertheless call it a struggle of a game, but Melo wasn’t himself.

Melo got almost half his points from the charity-stripe,  going 16-for-20, but he missed two huge free-throws down the stretch in crunch time.

Going 10-for-35 (28 percent) from the floor and 0-for-7 from three is straight out unacceptable.

Game 4 was a hard task without J.R. Smith and with Boston with it’s back against the wall, but Melo didn’t play his greatest game. The loss doesn’t get blamed on him, but he could have been a hero and fell a little short.

Game 5 will be huge for Anthony’s Knick legacy. He can’t make the Knicks come up short and travel back to Boston for Game 6. He has to take care of business at home and start preparing for either the Indiana Pacers or Atlanta Hawks.

It will be a total team effort, but it will fall on the shoulders of the Knicks’ superstar. Hopefully on Thursday morning we are talking about how excited and proud we are that the Knicks are headed to the second round.

The Garden will be shaking for Game 5.

Give them a game to remember ‘Melo, and send Boston home packing.

Apr 26, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) is guarded by Boston Celtics guard Jason Terry (4) and forward Jeff Green (8) during the second quarter of game three of the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

When: Sunday April 28th at 1:00 P.M.

Where: TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts

Watch: ABC

Betting Line:  Knicks (-2.5)

Team Stats: Knicks 87.3 PPG (14th in playoffs) Celtics 75 PPG (Last)

Key Matchup: Carmelo Anthony vs. Paul Pierce/Jeff Green

This goes without saying, but Carmelo Anthony is on another planet right now. If the Celtics have any chance of avoiding the embarrassing sweep, Piece and Green have to frustrate and get under Anthony’s skin. Without J.R. Smith, if Carmelo is out of rhythm, the Knicks will have trouble finding consistent scoring throughout the game. The offense runs through and begins with Carmelo and if not him it’s J.R. Smith. Pierce and Green are smart defenders but guarding and stopping Carmelo throughout a 48-minute playoff game is nearly impossible.

Pierce and Green also have to score, which has been a problem for the entire Celtics team in these playoffs. Not one player is averaging over 20 points per game and the firepower to keep up with the Knicks just isn’t there. If the C’s have any chance to win this game, Pierce and Green have to go off. I just can’t see the Celtics winning this game as they look old and beat down. This might be the last time we see Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce on the same court together. At least they will end it in Boston as the Knicks sweep them and head on to round 2, something that hasn’t been said in over a decade.

Prediction: Knicks 90, Celtics 78

The Knicks head into Boston after totally dominating Games 1 and 2 in Madison Square Garden. Carmelo Anthony has been unstoppable, scoring 70 points in two games, but the story has been the Knicks’ defense. The Celtics are dead last in points this playoffs with 74.5, the second lowest beats them by 10.5 points (Lakers 85.0). The Knicks have allowed a total of 48 points in the both second halves of the first two games combined. If they keep this up, they will fly through Boston and be a legit title contender. Let’s give you what you need to know for Game 3.

Apr 23, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce (34) is fouled by New York Knicks forward Kenyon Martin (3) in front of forward Carmelo Anthony (7) and guard Jason Kidd (5) during the fourth quarter of game two of the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

When: Friday, April 26th at 8:00

Where: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts

Watch: ESPN, MSG

Betting Line:  Boston (-2.5)

Key Matchup: Knicks vs. Boston Crowd

You can’t put a stat or a number on how much this games means to the people of Boston. The Boston bombings were over a week ago but this will be the Celtics first home game since, and we know how much this franchise means to the city. Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are reflections of their city – hardnosed and gritty players who always have a fierce energy. You know emotions will be running high when the Celtics take the court and the pregame ceremonies will have chills running up everybody’s spines.

Without the emotional factor, the Knicks are hands down the better team. The Celtics simply do not have the talent and scoring capability to keep up with Carmelo and the Knicks. If the Knicks can settle down quickly and take the crowd out of it, they shouldn’t have many problems in Game 3.  Anthony is just too much for any Celtic to handle. The Knicks are playing their best ball at the right time, and it’s hard to pick against them here. The home crowd will be a huge factor, but the Knicks are simply the better team.

Prediction: Knicks 89, Celtics 80

Apr 20, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) reacts on the court against the Boston Celtics during game one of the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

The Celtics hung around the whole time in Game 1, which isn’t a surprise since we all know how good of a playoff team they are, but the Knicks are the superior team in this series. Game 2 is a huge game for both teams: the Knicks want to take full advantage of their home-court and the Celtics want to split the first two games and go into the TD Garden with the momentum going their way, where they will have all the emotion of Boston behind them.

Here’s all you need to know for Game 2:

When: Tuesday, April 23rd at 8:00 PM

Where: Madison Square Garden; New York, NY

Watch: TNT

Betting Line:  Knicks (-6.5)

When the Knicks have the ball: 85.0 PPG (14th in playoffs), Boston 85.0 Points allowed (third in playoffs)

When the Celtics have the ball: 78.0 PPG (16th in playoffs). New York 78.0 Points allowed (first in playoffs)

Key Matchup: Jeff Green vs. Knicks defenders

Jeff Green was hands down the Celtics best player in Game 1 and the Knicks must contain him if they want to win. There are two Jeff Green’s, the one who can take over a game like he did against Miami, or the one who looks like he doesn’t know how to play. Mike Woodson is going to have matchup problems due to Green’s size and athleticism. Green played 46 minutes, shot over 50 percent from the field, knocked down three 3’s and also grabbed seven boards.

Carmelo Anthony is the only Knick who can match up with Green physically, but there’s no way Woodson sends him out there to guard him for the entire game. Melo isn’t the best defender in the world as we know and it would be foolish to put him out on Green because Green plays aggressive and could get Melo into early foul trouble. Guarding a player like Green would also use up a lot of Carmelo’s energy, which is needed more on the offensive end of the floor. Woodson will probably put Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith on Green when they are out there. I would expect Shumpert’s minutes to increase for defensive purposes.

I really think the Knicks need this game more than the Celtics. If the Celtics win Game 2, the series turns into a who can win three games out of five, with the first two in Boston. Game 3 will be the first Celtic game in Boston since the bombings so you know emotions will be running high. As a basketball fan I will love it but as a Knicks fan, I know it’s going to be a tough game. I think the Knicks know how important this game is and what they are headed for in Game 3. Anthony will end up being too much for the Celtics to handle.

Prediction: Knicks 95, Celtics 88

Knicks over Celtics in 6

Pacers over Hawks in 5

Bulls over Nets in 7 Heat over Bucks in 7

Knicks over Celtics in 5

Pacers over Hawks in 4

Bulls over Nets in 7 Heat over Bucks in 4

Knicks over Celtics in 6

Pacers over Hawks in 5

Bulls over Nets in 5 Heat over Bucks in 4

Knicks over Celtics in 6

Pacers over Hawks in 6

Nets over Bulls in 7 Heat over Bucks in 4

Knicks over Celtics in 6

Pacers over Hawks in 6

Bulls over Nets in 7 Heat over Bucks in 4

Knicks over Celtics in 6

Pacers over Hawks in 5

Nets over Bulls in 7 Heat over Bucks in 4

Knicks over Celtics in 6

Pacers over Hawks in 5

Bulls over Nets in 7 Heat over Bucks in 5

Knicks over Celtics in 4

Pacers over Hawks in 6

Bulls over Nets in 7 Western Conference 1^st Round Thunder over Rockets in 7

Spurs over Lakers in 6

Nuggets over Warriors in 7

Grizzlies over Clippers in 7 Thunder over Rockets in 7

Spurs over Lakers in 6

Nuggets over Warriors in 6

Clippers over Grizzlies in 7 Thunder over Rockets in 4

Spurs over Lakers in 4

Nuggets over Warriors in 6

Clippers over Grizzlies in 7 Thunder over Rockets in 5

Spurs over Lakers in 6

Warriors over Nuggets in 7

Clippers over Grizzlies in 6 Thunder over Rockets in 7

Spurs over Lakers in 6

Warriors over Nuggets in 7

Clippers over Grizzlies in 7 Thunder over Rockets in 5

Spurs over Lakers in 4

Nuggets over Warriors in 5

Clippers over Grizzlies in 5 Thunder over Rockets in 5

Lakers over Spurs in 7

Nuggets over Warriors in 5

Clippers over Grizzlies in 6 Thunder over Rockets in 6

Spurs over Lakers in 6

Nuggets over Warriors in 5

Clippers over Grizzlies over  in 7 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals Heat over Bulls in 6

Knicks over Pacers in 6 Heat over Bulls in 6

Knicks over Pacers in 5 Heat over Bulls in 5

Knicks over Pacers in 7 Heat over Nets in 4

Knicks over Pacers in 5 Heat over Bulls in 6

Knicks over Pacers in 7 Heat over Bulls in 6

Knicks over Pacers in 5 Heat over Bulls in 5

Knicks over Pacers in 5 Heat over Bulls in 6

Knicks over Pacers in 6 Western Conference Semi-Finals Thunder over Grizzlies in 5

Nuggets over Spurs in 6 Clippers over Thunder in 7

Nuggets over Spurs in 6 Thunder over Clippers in 6

Nuggets over Spurs in 7 Thunder over Clippers in 7

Warriors over Spurs in 7 Thunder over Clippers in 7

Spurs over Warriors in 6 Clippers over Thunder in 7

Spurs over Nuggets in 4 Thunder over Clippers in 5

Nuggets over Lakers in 4 Thunder over Clippers in 7

Nuggets over Spurs in 7 Eastern Conference Finals Heat over Knicks in 6 Knicks over Heat in 7 Heat over Knicks in 6 Heat over Knicks in 6 Heat over Knicks in 6 Knicks over Heat in 7 Heat over Knicks in 6 Knicks over Heat in 7 Western Conference Finals Thunder over Nuggets in 5 Nuggets over Clippers in 7 Thunder over Nuggets in 5 Thunder over Warriors in 6 Thunder over Spurs in 5 Clippers over Spurs in 7 Thunder over Nuggets in 5 Thunder over Nuggets in 7 NBA Finals Thunder over Heat in 7 Knicks over Nuggets in 7 Thunder over Heat in 7 Heat over Thunder in 6 Heat over Thunder in 6 Knicks over Clippers in 6 Heat over Thunder in 6 Thunder over Knicks in 6 Finals MVP Russell Westbrook Carmelo Anthony Kevin Durant LeBron James LeBron James Carmelo Anthony LeBron James Kevin Durant

The Knicks this time are the favorite and the higher seed and with home-court advantage while the Celtics are the team rattled with injuries. Rajon Rondo is out for the season and Ray Allen will not be on the court for the Celtics, which is music to Knicks fans’ ears.

Jan. 7, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) and Boston Celtics power forward Kevin Garnett (5) have words on the court during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Boston won 102-96. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Let’ look at a preview of Game 1.

When: Saturday, April 19th at 3:00 PM

Where: Madison Square Garden in New York, NY

Watch: ABC

Line: Knicks -7

When the Knicks have the ball: 100 PPG (11th in NBA), Boston 96.7 Points allowed (12th in NBA)

When the Celtics have the ball: 96.5 PPG (18th in NBA), New York 95.7 Points allowed (7th in NBA)

Key Matchup: Carmelo Anthony vs. Paul Pierce

The Celtics will have an obvious chip on the shoulder feeling and will want to carry their hometown after this week’s tragic events. There’s nothing the Knicks can do to stop that but it’s pretty obvious the Knicks are the better team. The Knicks have a stellar 31-10 record at the Garden this season, while the Celtics struggled on the road with a 14-27 record.

Carmelo vs. Pierce will be the key matchup all series long. Pierce is a warrior and steps up his game up this time of year, but Carmelo is on a mission. The NBA scoring champion has been fire and will look to put on a show this opening game to send a statement to the NBA that the Knicks are a serious title contender.

Kevin Garnett is another player Mike Woodson has to worry about, but he’s nothing Tyson Chandler can’t handle. Garnett and Anthony had a feud this season and it will be interesting to see these two go at it the entire series. I believe Boston will win a game at home in front of their tough and inspired crowd, but the Knicks at home will be too much to handle at home.

Prediction :Knicks: 104, Celtics: 95

Apr 5, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Jason Kidd (5) gets off and makes a three quarter court shot at the end of the third quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Madison Square Garden. New York Knicks defeat the Milwaukee Bucks 101-83. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

First here’s the list of the players who were on the 2011-2012 team that weren’t brought back for this season:

PG Mike Bibby 2013 Team: None
PG Baron Davis 2013 Team: None
PG Jeremy Lin 2013 Team: Houston Rockets
PG Toney Douglas 2013 Team: Houston Rockets/Sacramento Kings
SG Landry Fields 2013 Team: Toronto Raptors
SG Bill Walker 2013 Team: D-League
SF Renaldo Balkman 2013 Team: Philippine Basketball Association
PF Josh Harrelson 2013 Team: Miami Heat/Puerto Rican League
PF Jared Jeffries 2013 Team: Portland Trailblazers
C Dan Gadzuric 2013 Team: Venezuelan League
C Jerome Jordan 2013 Team: Philippine Basketball Association

When you really look at this team last year, they weren’t that talented. Besides your big guns, these weren’t players that translate into a championship roster and it showed when only four out of the 11 former Knicks are playing in the NBA. Grunwald knew he had championship players in Melo and Tyson and he did a masterful job bringing in the pieces to propel the Knicks. Let’s grade the Knicks offseason moves:

PG Jason Kidd: 6.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.3 APG, 37 FG%, 35 3P% 2012 Team: Dallas Mavericks

Jason Kidd wasn’t brought to New York and expected to put up his former All-Star numbers. He was brought here to do exactly what he is doing now, and that is to be a leader. Anthony has given Kidd full credit on how Kidd has shown him to mentally and physically prepare for games and to also have that championship mentality. Kidd started out hot this season but cooled down for a while. Kidd is still a threat on the court that rarely makes mistakes, will make the smart play, is unselfish, and isn’t a player you want to leave open. This signing worked out just as Grunwald envisioned it.

Grade: B

PG Raymond Felton: 13.9 PPG, 5.5 APG, 2.2 RPG, 42 FG %, 36 3P% 2012 Team: Portland Trailblazers

After being dealt away from the Knicks in the blockbuster trade that brought Anthony to New York, Felton was brought back after a forgettable year in Portland. Felton played the best basketball of his career in New York pre-Melo and Knicks fans were excited to hear he was coming back after the team decided to let Lin walk. We saw how much he means to this team when he was injured and the Knicks’ got into a losing slump. Felton has been a great manager this season and is a huge part of this team’s success. I believe he will play a huge part in the Knicks’ playoff success. Grunwald hands down made the right decision signing the cheaper and more effective Felton over Lin.

Grade: A

PG Pablo Prigioni: 3.5 PPG, 3.0 APG, 44 FG%, 38 3P% 2012 Team: Spain

The 35-year old Argentinean rookie was very durable for Mike Woodson this year, playing in 78 games. Knicks fans didn’t know what to expect out of the unknown Prigioni, but it’s hard not to like him. He might be a NBA rookie, but he is a seasoned basketball veteran. Prigioni rarely makes mistakes, plays solid defense, and fills in his minutes nicely. Pablo’s game doesn’t jump off the stat sheet, but he does his job, no matter if it’s 18 minutes or eight minutes.

Grade: B

SG James White: 1.9 PPG 2012 Team: Italy

It seems like White was just roster filler but Woodson found something in him to start 15 games. White doesn’t bring much to the table and doesn’t have the capability to be an impact player on the Knicks. White’s time to shine was the Dunk Contest and he failed pretty miserably. Not much was expected out of White so he pretty much did what we all thought was going to do.

Grade: D

SF Ronnie Brewer: 3.3 PPG 2.2 RPG 2012 Team: Chicago Bulls

Brewer was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the trade deadline but as a Knick he was featured in Mike Woodson’s starting lineup. Brewer is known for his defense, but his lack of offensive production and being any sort of offensive threat drove him out of town.

Grade: C-

Apr. 17, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Chris Copeland (14) looks to pass the ball around Atlanta Hawks power forward Anthony Tolliver (4) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 9892. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

SF Chris Copeland: 8.2 PPG, 2.1 RPG 47 FG%, 42 3P% 2012 Team: Rookie Season (Played five seasons in Europe)

It took a while for Copeland to fully get into Woodson’s rotation because of defensive and rebounding reasons, but the kid is a scorer. Copeland is going to get his minutes in the playoffs and I think he will make them count. We know defense is a huge difference maker come playoff time but if Copeland can come off the bench and get double digits, that’s all Woodson needs out of him. He is coming along now, but it was an up and down season for Copeland with his low playing time for a majority of it. Copeland fits his role well, not too high and not too low of a grade.

Grade: B

PF Kurt Thomas: 2.5 PPG, 2.3 RPG 2012 Team: Portland Trailblazers

The oldest player in the league started 17 games for the Knicks and played in 30 of them. Thomas had his moments during the year but wasn’t very effective and a serious threat. Thomas was cut just before the playoffs, so that gives you a feel of how much he really meant to this team.

Grade: C-

PF Rasheed Wallace: 7.0 PPG, 4.0 PPG 2012 Team: Retired

Wallace became a fan favorite with his gritty play and his three to the dome move, but Knicks fans didn’t see much of it. Sheed couldn’t get the body into basketball form and battled with injuries for 75 percent of the season. Wallace recently retired so it’s hard to give him a good grade. He was fun to watch when he played, but his impact on this Knicks season was insignificant. Grunwald didn’t get much out of this signing when it comes down to it.

Grade: C

PF Kenyon Martin: 7.2 PPG, 5.3 RPG 2012 Team: Los Angeles Clippers

Martin wasn’t an offseason move, but I will include him anyway because he has had a big impact. K-Mart was signed after the trade deadline partly because of injuries but he has asserted himself quite well. Martin is a tough dude down low and when he and Chandler are out there together, not many teams are going to out rebound the Knicks. Martin will play a big role for the Knicks and if he’s healthy, he will become a fan favorite for a long time if he can help the Knicks make a deep run.

Grade: B+

C Marcus Camby: 1.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG 2012 Team: Portland Trailblazers

Camby is a shell of his old self, but that still isn’t a valid excuse of his lack of production. His minutes and role on this team is obviously much less than he is accustomed too, but when he played it wasn’t like he was noticeable. Only playing in 24 games doesn’t help his cause and Woodson seemed to be very hesitant to insert him into any sort of consistent rotation.

Grade: C

Resignings

SF Steve Novak: 6.6 PPG, 41 FG%, 42% 3pt% Contract: 4-Years/$15 million

The Knicks couldn’t afford to let Novak walk after leading the league in three-point percentage in 2012 at 47 percent. Novak dropped out of the top 10 this season with 42 percent but it is very hard to duplicate success when it comes to shooting three’s. Novak feasts off open shots and he does well against below average teams. He rarely makes an impact in big games against stiff defenses, but for the price the Knicks got him for and the way he spaces the floor is a threat, it was a good deal.

Grade: B

SG J.R. Smith: 18.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.7 APG, 42 FG%, 35% 3pt% Contract: 2-Year/$5.7 million

It’s hard to picture the Knicks this year without J.R. Smith. Smith always comes off the bench but he plays starter minutes, with the third most played minutes on the team. He should win the Sixth Man of the Year award and is at times the Knicks best scorer on the court. Smith, along with Carmelo Anthony, carried the Knicks at the end of the year and were playing like the best scoring combination in the league at some points. Smith is sometimes a little wild with his shot, especially in the beginning of the season, but seemed to mature towards the end. He is a clutch player and is a leader on this team. For the money Smith is getting, his deal is one of the best in the NBA. He will likely opt-out after this season since his market value is pretty high so it will be hard for the Knicks to bring him back, but he has been one hell of a player in New York.

Grade: A+

I understand that these are the types of players Grunwald was restricted to going after so you can’t knock him. The Knicks finished with the best record they have had in almost two decades so he obviously put together the best Knicks team in a while. Overall these acquisitions worked out and most of these players will play huge roles in the playoffs.

No, I’m not talking about a first round win.  I’m also not talking about “well hopefully we put a fight up in the second round’ or even “Hey there’s no shame in losing to the Heat.”

Apr 14, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) reacts during the third quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 90-80. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

None of that. If a Knicks team is ever going to win a championship, this is the team. This is the season that Knicks fans have been waiting for.

Here are some reasons why the Knicks are legitimate contenders:

Urgency: This Knicks team wasn’t supposed to win the Atlantic Division or finish in second place in the conference. The Brooklyn Nets were supposed to take over the city. They weren’t supposed to go 3-1 against the Heat. Carmelo Anthony wasn’t supposed to win his first career scoring title. You aren’t supposed to be able to win with a player like J.R. Smith. The Knicks were supposed to look stupid for letting Jeremy Lin walk. They heard what people were saying about them and made them eat their own words. This Knicks team is hungry for a title and to prove everyone wrong.

Depth: We all know Anthony runs the show in New York but a lot of players besides ‘Melo have stepped it up big time this season. J.R. Smith has become a legitimate scoring threat and is deadly at the end of the game. Kenyon Martin gives the Knicks team much needed depth in the paint and is an instant spark on both ends of the floor. You don’t want to leave Steve Novak open beyond the arc and Chris Copeland has developed a great offensive game. Pablo Prigioni gives Mike Woodson very smart minutes and Iman Shumpert is starting to consistently hit his shots and play defense. A lot of players besides the big guns are getting it done for the Knicks.

Jason Kidd: He might not record a triple-double in his sleep like he used too, but Kidd has had a monumental impact on this team. Like he did in Dallas, Kidd has mentored the young players and been a leader for this team. Anthony gives him constant praise on how he has watched Kidd mentally and physically prepare for games. Kidd understands the concept of defense and teamwork. You rarely see Kidd make a mistake or a turnover. He takes smart shots and isn’t afraid to take the big shot.

J.R. Smith: Smith has emerged a frontrunner for the Sixth Man of the Year award and is at times unguardable. Smith is the definition of a streaky shooter, but lately he has been on fire. In the playoffs, opposing defenses tighten up and it’s going to take elite scorers to get it done. Smith is the Knicks second best scorer and is at times just as great as a scorer as Anthony. A player like Smith can win you a game or two and be a momentum shifter in a seven-game series.

Tyson Chandler: A championship center is hard to find and the Knicks are happy he is on their side. Chandler might be the best low-post defender and is an elite rebounder. He is a fantastic leader and with him and Kidd’s championship success in the past, you know Chandler isn’t afraid of anyone, especially LeBron & friends.

Carmelo Anthony: Anthony has been on a tear, showing he can carry a team to the promise land. He is the best or one of the best overall scorers in the league today. Carmelo definitely has a chip on his shoulder and will look to prove he is in the top class of NBA players. He knows he needs a ring to be put in the conversation and he will be cemented in New York history if he leads a parade through the Canyon of Heroes. Carmelo will show heart and do whatever it takes to bring a championship to New York City.

Apr 7, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson reacts to a call in action against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

With the Knicks being the hottest team in the league, these people have the spotlight on them at the right time since they will be fresh in the voters’ minds. Those who are in contention for potential honors of course are Carmelo Anthony (MVP), J.R. Smith (Sixth Man of the Year, and Mike Woodson (Coach of the Year).

I’ll start with who I think is most likely to win an award this season and that is Mike Woodson. Not many coaches have had to deal with the constant problems this season like Woodson has. There hasn’t been a point in the season where the Knicks have been 100 percent healthy. Amar’e Stoudemire has obviously missed more than half the season, so Woodson didn’t have one of his better players for a good portion of the year.

The only player who has played every game of the season so far is one of Woodson’s favorite players, J.R. Smith. The Knicks’ franchise player, Carmelo Anthony, has missed 13 games and their defensive leader Tyson Chandler has missed 10 games. Raymond Felton was unavailable earlier in the season, missing 12 games, and Iman Shumpert missed a good chunk of the beginning of the season, only playing in 39 games. Marcus Camby has rarely been available (24 games played) and Rasheed Wallace has been equally effective, only playing in 20 games.

I’m not giving Woodson Coach of the Year based on injuries, but the man had a lot on his plate this season and he led the Knicks to their first 50 win season in over a decade. As soon as lineups and rotations started to gel and look good, another injury occurred and he had to make more and more adjustments. It’s pretty remarkable he has the Knicks looking at a two seed in the East despite all their injuries.

Woodson has not only been successful in New York, but he has changed the culture. The Knicks were laughable on the defensive side of the court before he took the reigns and now they can hold their own. Woodson is 68-32 with the Knicks and deserves the award this season.

Did I mention he has the sweetest goatee known to man?

Apr 2, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks shooting guard J.R. Smith (8) during the second half against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. New York won 102-90. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Both players are pure scorers off the bench who are instrumental to their team’s success this season. Both players deserve the award, but only one can get it. The way Smith has been playing recently, he is making a late push to win the coveted award.

Here’s a comparison of these two players’ stats:

Smith: 17.7 PPG (22^nd in NBA), 39 FG%, 37.3P%, 82 FT%, 5.2 RPG, 2.8 APG, and 17.11 PER.  Knicks 46-26

Crawford: 16.7 PPG (30^th in NBA), 44 FG%, 37.3P%, 87 FT%, 1.6 RPG, 2.5 APG, and 16.93 PER. Clippers 49-26

Crawford had a better first half of the season and it was well thought from basketball fans that he would inch out Smith for the award. As the season is coming to an end, Smith is playing his best ball of the season and is making a late push.

Smith, who was is the most Eastern Conference Player of the Week, is averaging 25.0 PPG while shooting 48 percent from the field is one of the main reasons why the Knicks have won nine straight.

He has been an erratic shooter all season and the numbers show how much better Crawford is shooting from the field. The voters will have a tough choice to make but its undeniable how much both players mean their respective teams.

Smith’s Knicks have been rattled by injuries and he is the only Knick who has played in all 72 games. Crawford has missed three games for the Clippers.

Smith and Crawford are both elite sixth men off the bench and will be looking to cash in on their next contracts. Both have the talent to be starters in this league but it’s fair to say they are flourishing in their current roles.

Crawford has been great for the Clippers, but Smith has the Knicks playing their best ball at the end of the season and should get the nod over Crawford when it’s all said and done.

Coach Eric Spoelsta will rest his two-mega superstars, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, along with point guard Mario Chalmers. This is good news for the Knicks who want to keep their winning streak alive and play their best basketball heading into the playoffs. Mike Woodson is probably going to be without his All-Star center Tyson Chandler, who hasn’t played since the Portland Trailblazers game on March 14th forcing him to miss nine straight games.

Apr 2, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) celebrates during a time out the second half against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. New York won 102-90. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

It would have been nice to see if the red hot Knicks challenge the Heat at full strength and see where they stand with them after losing to them 99-93 back on March 3rd. With LeBron and Wade out, this is very winnable game for the Knicks who are neck and neck with the Pacers for the 2nd seed. Here’s everything you need to know:

When: Tuesday, April 2nd at 8:00 P.M. EST

Where: American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida

Watch: TNT & MSG

When the Knicks have the ball: 99.4 PPG (11th in NBA), Heat: 95.3 points allowed (6th in NBA)

When the Heat have the ball: 103.3 PPG (5th in NBA), Knicks: 95.7 points allowed (8th in NBA)

Key Matchup: Kenyon Martin vs. Chris Bosh

This is basically a must win for the New York Knicks considering the game’s circumstances. Without LeBron, Wade, and Chalmers, I consider the Heat a so-so team at best. With the Pacers and Knicks in a heated race for the 2nd seed, the Knicks need to come out hard and get this victory in Miami.

Chris Bosh stepped up and beat the Spurs so Kenyon Martin will have to take him out of his element. Martin is a tough player and won’ back down from anyone. Bosh has the label of a “soft” player and will bully Bosh around. Bosh is the Heat’s best player tonight and if the Knicks can stop him, they should win this game without any problems. It is a rivalry game and the Heat did just beat the Spurs in San Antonio, so this game might not be as easy as Knicks fans think it will be.

Knicks 96
Heat 88

Mar. 3, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) dribbles the ball against the Miami Heat during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

The Knicks as a whole have has the injury bug pretty bad this season, and this has caused Mike Woodson to practically never work with a 100 percent healthy roster. This has caused Anthony to play both small forward and power forward this season.

Going forward into the playoffs with this current team, I think it would be best if Anthony played at the 3.

The addition of Kenyon Martin proves to be more valuable every single game. Seriously, what would this team’s frontcourt look without him?

It’s sad to say but the Amar’e Stoudemire injury was expected. We knew it was coming sooner or later. It was a nightmare to watch Tyson Chandler go down and the Knicks can’t wait to get him back on the court.

When the season started, I loved when Melo played the 4. He spread the floor with his lights out shooting and bullied his way to the rim. But when Chandler returns, the Knicks have no choice but to start Martin at the 4.

Anthony still causes problems for basically any 3 in the league since he is one of the best scorers in the league.

When Chandler comes back, a frontcourt of Anthony, Martin, and Chandler gives the Knicks everything they  need. Chandler and Martin will be relentless on the defensive side of the ball and clean up the boards, while Anthony is a world-class scorer.

Melo will be effective wherever you put him on the court. The offense runs through him but with some real big men on the court, I believe it’s best for him to line up at the 3.

Mar 23, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks power forward Kenyon Martin (3) shoots a free throw during the third quarter against the Toronto Raptors at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 110-84. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Since Chandler went down on that awful night in Denver, K-Mart as stepped in and started the last seven games.

The Knicks are 5-2 since then, rolling off five straight victories. With 18 and 19 points scored against the Toronto Raptors on back-to-back nights, Martin is showing he deserves to stay in the starting lineup for the rest of the season.

Martin has been all attitude and heart ever since he came in to the league. Growing up in New York and during the Nets’ Finals runs, I’ve seen firsthand what K-Mart is capable of doing. That might have been nearly a decade ago, but age doesn’t wear down your determination and heart on the court.

He will get into foul trouble due to his aggressive defensive style but you have to love how he plays on the defensive side of the ball. When Chandler is healthy, Martin and Chandler are going to have players think twice before driving into the paint.

Martin’s point totals have increased every game since he has been inserted into the starting lineup. Knicks fans can’t be expecting Martin to put up 20 and 10 night in and night out, but consistency and minutes is what we are asking for.

As long as he is playing consistent, with passion, and shows flashes of the old Kenyon Martin, there’s no reason why Mike Woodson would take him out of the starting lineup.

Who is to blame? This clearly isn’t the same Knicks team from the beginning of the season, but this might be the true Knick team.

March 14, 2013; Portland, OR, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson reacts to an officials call during the first quarter of the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports

Since their impressive 18-5 start, the Knicks are only 20-20. The record doesn’t disappoint fans as much as their recent play does. After putting up their worst offensive performance in quite a few years against the Warriors, the Knicks followed it up with a game with the Nuggets where they didn’t even belong on the same court as them. Defending young and explosive guards has been a problem all year for the Knicks, and Rookie of the Year candidate Damian Lillard and his Blazers beat the Knicks for the second time this season. Lillard had a double double with 26 points and 10 assists.

The depth of the Knicks is starting to wear down and Knicks’ head coach Mike Woodson is struggling with rotations.

I have pointed out all season long that Woodson’s rotations have been a problem all year for this team. We have seen it with Jason Kidd, as he looks tired and not the same player as he was in the beginning of the year. Woodson has finally realized James White isn’t a starter in this league. Chris Copeland has been seeing increasing minutes only because the Knicks have been getting blown out.

Woodson has to do some serious evaluation of his rotations. Kenyon Martin is going to be a huge part of this team going forward with Amar’e Stoudemire out and with Tyson Chandler banged up. Chandler is a warrior but Woodson may not be able to play him the 32 minutes a game he’s been playing him. Kurt Thomas should be not be starting over Marcus Camby, who is said to be healthy but for some reason hasn’t been getting minutes under Woodson.

This team is old and we knew that going into the season. With Carmelo Anthony and Chandler banged up, Woodson is going to have to thing hard and come up with better schemes and smarter rotations if he wants the Knicks to finish in the top three seeds in the Eastern Conference. They can not fall to the No. 4 seed, where they possibly see Miami in the second round, where they might not even get to if they keep this play up.

Playing a five game west coast road trip is tough I get that, but this recent play is inexcusable. The Knicks clearly aren’t a championship level team and right now are playing terrible. You can’t even call them mediocre. Teams like the Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers, and Chicago Bulls would never come out and play this poorly and get themselves embarrassed like this. In city rival, the Brooklyn Nets are only one game behind the Knicks in the Atlantic Division race and three seed in the East.

The Knicks have to wake up now before it’s too late.

Mar. 3, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amar

Stoudemire has only played in 29 games this season. He hasn’t been the same $100 million player the Knicks signed him for in 2010, but he was efficient scoring 14 points a game with a field goal percentage of 57 percent.

Amar’e gave the Knicks a down low post presence they needed. With Stoudemire out, players like Kenyon Martin and Marcus Camby are going have to really step it up from role players off the bench to key contributors down the stretch and into the postseason.

Where does this leave the Knicks for the future? Stoudemire is owed $45 million over the next two seasons. With the condition of both his knees, it’s very hard to imagine STAT being a productive player with that price tag or even on the court at this point. Carmelo Anthony is great, but it’s very hard to ask a superstar to win all by himself. Kobe Bryant had Shaq and Pau Gasol, Dwyane Wade had Shaq, LeBron had Wade and Chris Bosh, and etc.

No one is going to trade for Amar’e. With the money he is owed and his health, trading him is straight out unrealistic. I think Knicks’ owner James Dolan needs to swallow the contract and buy out Amar’e. It’s going to burn on both sides: Amar’e loves New York and was the first one to come here and the Knicks obviously envisioned him as a huge piece to a championship puzzle, but it just isn’t working on anymore.

That leaves the Knicks to dive back into the free agent market. The obvious name that will come up is Josh Smith. Smith is extremely athletic and hasn’t had major health problems. I can see him and Chandler working well next to each other and dominating the paint on defense. Another great big man available might be Paul Millsap, who is as underrated as they come when it comes to big men. David West may also be available, who is playing well in Indiana and can spread the floor with this shooting ability.

Two huge names who have expiring contracts this offseason are Chris Paul and Dwight Howard. Paul did not sign an extension, but it is widely believed he did too to get the biggest contract he could with the Los Angeles Clippers after the season. Paul has been linked to the Knicks for a while because of his close friendship with Anthony.

If CP3 hits the open market and the Knicks have the room, you go after him. No question about it. Howard on the other hand, I would not give a max deal too. He and Tyson Chandler would not work well together and Howard has just been a big baby these last two and a half years. He’s just doesn’t have the winning attitude for a big man, especially in New York.

The Amar’e situation sucks in general. It hurts the fan base, the team, and the entire organization. The job for Knicks management is to build a winner now and for the future. With Stoudemire’s health and contract, it is going to be very hard and interesting to see what they do.

There are a few concerns that this Knicks team faces for the rest of the season, but their biggest concern is their consistency.

Feb 24, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Jason Kidd (5) advances the ball during the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks won 99-93. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

The Knicks are 5-5 in their last 10 games and have fallen behind the Indiana Pacers to third place in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks cannot, and I repeat, CAN NOT, fall to fourth place or lower.

The Miami Heat are playing out of their mind lately and a No. 4 seed will have them playing the Heat in the second round. Every Knicks fan wants to see Miami no earlier than the Eastern Conference Finals. They are lying if they tell you otherwise.

The Knicks have to find their consistent stroke.

Jason Kidd’s numbers and field goal percentage have fallen off the map. He needs to find his jump shot and start being the consistent player that we saw during the first two months.

Carmelo Anthony also needs to take better shots. ‘Melo’s recent play has his name fading away from the MVP discussion. In addition to the Knicks struggles,  Anthony rightfully so does not deserve the MVP when you see what the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Chris Paul are doing and how they are doing it.

We all know J.R. Smith loves to shoot and he will shoot the ball regardless, but his bad shots and low shooting percentage can be fatal to the Knicks. They need to win games and stay pace with the Pacers and Heat. Smith and the whole Knicks roster needs to find that consistency that made them one of the best teams in the East in the beginning of the season.

Now? They are just another team that will go as far as their superstar takes them.

Anthony can’t be the only legit scoring threat from the Knicks. They need to play as a team and be consistent. They need to get on a winning streak and get their confidence back. They need to be playing their best basketball as a team once April comes.

The Knicks brought him in for his leadership, championship pedigree, and consistent productivity. You can’t measure a player like Kidd’s value with numbers and stats, but it’s clear that he hasn’t been as productive on the court recently as the Knicks need him to be.

Feb 22, 2013; Toronto, ON, Canada; New York Knicks point guard Jason Kidd (5) during their game against the Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Knicks 100-98. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

Kidd has been a model point guard for over a decade now. His career accolades speak for themselves: 10-time All-Star, five-time NBA First Team, four-time NBA All-Defensive First Team, second all-time in assists, second all-time in steals, and third all-time in triple-doubles. Kidd also has two Olympic gold medals and made three NBA Finals appearances with one championship ring.

He is a first ballot Hall of Famer, but the Knicks care about is this season. They didn’t bring him in here his past success; they brought him in here to raise a banner in Madison Square Garden.

Kidd isn’t going to slow down LeBron James or average 20 and 10 this season. The Kidd the Knicks loved was in the first month of the season. In November Kidd averaged eight points, three assists, three rebounds, .7 turnovers, two steals, shot 50 percent from the field and 48 percent from three. Kidd was very efficient and was doing exactly what he was brought in to do.

No shot was bigger than when he hit a three while getting fouled to put a dagger into the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclay’s Center. This was the highlight of Kidd’s December, who averaged 9.9 points, 4.8 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game.

It’s been all downhill in 2013.

Kidd’s numbers have decreased significantly in the new year, especially in February. The Knicks are 5-5 this month and aren’t the talk of the town anymore. Kidd’s numbers have plummeted compared to his early season numbers: averaging three points, two assists, and shooting an alarming 21 percent from the field and 17 percent from three. Those percentages are straight out terrible and aren’t going to give the Knicks any sort of advantage when he is on the court.

Mike Woodson has said numerous times that he believes strongly in his starting lineup. A head coach is going to support his guys when they struggle and you don’t want a player like Kidd, who is so well respected throughout the locker room, feeling pressure for his job.

But I think Woodson has to sit down Kidd and create a plan how to rest him up for the playoffs and make sure he will be playing his best ball then. Kidd’s play was key in the beginning of the season. This is when he was when his legs were fresh.

I don’t think Kidd has lost his touch but that he is just tired. He is a 39 year old playing more minutes than the 22-year-old Iman Shumpert. Once Kidd gets his legs back, he will be efficient and there when the Knicks need him.

If the Knicks can get the Kidd from the 2011 Mavericks championship run, it will be exactly what they signed up for.

New York Knicks fans can expect to see Rasheed Wallace and Marcus Camby back into the rotation early in the second half of the season. This will bring much needed energy and a smooth rotation for Mike Woodson’s frontcourt. You can say whatever you want about their consistency or scoring production, but you can’t argue that Camby and Wallace can crash those boards.

Dec. 13, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks forward Rasheed Wallace (36) shoots a free throw against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 116-107. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Amar’e Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler, and Carmelo Anthony have been carrying the load of the rebounding effort as of late.

Wallace is still fifth (4.2) on the team despite only playing 20 games and Camby is seventh (3.7) with only 14 games under his belt. The Knicks have no big men off the bench and that really hurts them. Chandler is going to be taxed come playoff time and he is the anchor and heart of the defense. If Camby and ‘Sheed can even give him five minutes more of rest a game, those minutes add up.

Rasheed can stretch the floor with his shooting ability and of course add the toughness he is known for. With Jason Kidd not being the player he was in the beginning of the season, a switch in the starting lineup can come soon. If Woodson sticks with Kidd as a starter, a bench of J.R. Smith, Stoudemire, Steve Novak, Camby, Wallace, and Pablo Prigioni, Woodson would have plenty of options.

We have not seen this Knicks team at full strength this entire season. From Raymond Felton, Stoudemire, Camby, and Wallace, this entire 15-man roster has not been completely healthy yet.

When they start getting their groove and playing their best ball, we can finally judge this team for who they are.

Besides the Miami Heat, despite the Knicks beating them twice by 20 this season, fans are confident that this Knicks team can beat anyone come playoff time. However this team will go as far as one man takes them, and that man is Carmelo Anthony.

Feb. 10, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) argues a call on the court against the Los Angeles Clippers during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Clippers won 102-88. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Carmelo has been a MVP candidate all season long and is currently the NBA leading scorer at 29 points per game. We all know ‘Melo is natural scoring machine, but he must do more than this in the second half to lead the Knicks.

Anthony needs to continue to be the unquestioned leader of this team. Tyson Chandler gives this team their heart but in crunch time there’s only one player that we want to see with the ball. Leaders step up not only with 30 seconds left in the game, but down 10 in the fourth quarter with eight minutes to go. They just turn it on. Carmelo needs to continue being the player his teammates turn to when it’s go-time.

Besides being the leader on the court, he needs to be the leader in the locker room. If the Knicks lose a tough game or to inferior team, he should step and take the bullet. His teammates and media would respect him even more if he came out and said, “That loss is on me, I let my teammates down.” I’m not saying ‘Melo doesn’t do this or he lacks this in him, but this is what I would love to see in the second half from Anthony leading into playoff time.

Another thing Carmelo has to do is stay healthy. He is the Knicks and they are nothing without him come playoff time. Health and injuries most of the time are out of a player’s hands, but the Knicks needs him at full strength. If playoff seeding is locked up or there is a blowout, Carmelo should rest and think one thing on his mind- winning a championship.

The final thing Carmelo has to do in this second half is get focused for LeBron James. LeBron is playing out of his mind right now. Carmelo should use this as motivation and work his ass off to be better than him. Carmelo has never been afraid of LeBron and he should welcome a matchup against him with open arms and a smile. The Knicks will have to beat the Heat if they ever want to win a championship, and if Carmelo beats LeBron, his legacy will be cemented as an all-time Knicks great.

Anthony came to New York for his sole reason: to bring a championship back to the Garden and the greatest fans in the world. He should take these last 32 games to prepare and set himself up for an all-time playoff run.

Many people forget how important it was that Amar’e Stoudemire chose to play the prime of his career as a Knick.

Stoudemire made it cool again to play for the Knicks.

LeBron James didn’t want to come. As Amar’e said, “maybe he couldn’t handle the pressure of New York.

Dwyane Wade wasn’t leaving his warm home in Miami.

Feb 4, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amar

Chris Bosh followed wherever his two cooler friends told him to go.

Joe Johnson wanted his money in Atlanta, and with hindsight that worked out for the Knicks.

Carlos Boozer wanted nothing to do with New York, and thankfully New York wanted nothing to do with Carlos Boozer.

Stoudemire wasn’t like the rest of the superstars. Sure the $100 million contract the Knicks gave him might have been the ultimate bargaining chip, but Amar’e didn’t have to come here for the money. He could have stayed with Steve Nash and made more money as a Phoenix Sun. He could have went to Chicago with Derrick Rose. Who knows, maybe he could have been with the Heat instead of Bosh. But he chose the Knicks.

He wanted New York, and New York needed him.

The Knicks that we see on that court today that we love didn’t come over night, and also didn’t come as soon as STAT arrived. The roster when Stoudemire took the court for the first time looked like this:

PG: Raymond Felton, Toney Douglas
SG: Wilson Chandler, Kelenna Azubuike, Andy Rautins
SF: Danillo Gallinari, Bill Walker, Landry Fields
PF: Amar’e Stoudemire, Anthony Randolph
C: Ronny Turiaf, Jerome Jordan, Eddy Curry

Yeah so when Stoudemire came, the Knicks were still picking up Eddy Curry’s buffet tab. Now we have Tyson Chandler grabbing 20 rebounds in his sleep.

How things have changed.

If Stoudemire never set the trend for being a Knick, we wouldn’t be where we are today. There would be no Carmelo Anthony. There would be no Tyson. There would be no Jason Kidd. There would be no J.R. Smith.

Not only was Amar’e a huge part of the Knicks success, he is currently one of the team leaders. How many superstar athletes making $20 million would gladly accept coming off the bench? How many would say “Sure Coach, anything to help my team win.” Not many would brace that role with open arms, but as Amar’e been doing since he got here, he knows the name on the front of his jersey means more than the name on the back of the jersey.

As Amar’e is winning back the hearts of New Yorkers and showing he still has a lot left in the tank, we must thank him for all he has done. He made playing basketball in the world’s most famous arena the thing to do. He put the Knicks back on the map and gave New York the buzz it has now.

Thanks Amar’e, now let’s go win that ring! (Just avoid any fire extinguishers).

Next are the teams who will play more than 82 games this season and are hoping to catch fire at the right time. These are teams like the Brooklyn Nets, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, and the Milwaukee Bucks.

The third boat is the boat no team wants to be in. These are teams that are already planning for the lottery: Washington Wizards, New Orleans Hornets, Sacramento Kings, Charlotte Bobcats, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Phoenix Suns.

February 1, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson calls out a play against the Milwaukee Bucks during the third quarter of an NBA game at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Knicks are in a prime position to be a serious championship contender this season. With only 32 games left after the All-Star break, there are some second half goals they should set for themselves to make sure they are at full strength when playoff time comes. Let’s take a look.

1. Define the Rotation: The Knicks front office has given Mike Woodson plenty of talent to choose from to put in his rotation. With Amar’e Stoudemire coming back and playing with the All-Star capability he has, he and J.R. Smith have been magnificent off the bench together. When Marcus Camby and possibly Rasheed Wallace returning, Woodson is going to have to start defining roles for his players.

His backcourt is going to consist of Iman Shumpert, Pablo Prigioni, Jason Kidd, Raymond Felton, James White, and J.R. Smith. With Shumpert being the only true 2-guard, sometimes playing the 3, Woodson should have a healthy rotation of point guards with Kidd, Felton, and Prigioni.

Smith has happily accepted his role as the sixth man and has been thriving under Woodson. The frontcourt is where Woodson will have trouble finding minutes for everybody. Tyson Chandler and Carmelo Anthony are obviously no-brainers, and with Amar’e playing like the way he is, he is a no-brainer as well.

When the bench is at full strength, Woodson will have Steve Novak, Camby, Wallace, Chris Copeland, Kurt Thomas, and Ronnie Brewer to choose from.

Novak has a lot of empty minutes especially against the better teams, but teams still respect his shot. Camby will get on the court when he is healthy, and you have to think so will Rasheed.

Thomas, Copeland, and Brewer are most likely going to spend most of the games at the end of the bench.
Woodson must define who comes in when. He has to make a big lineup, a defensive lineup, a small lineup and a shooting lineup. I fully trust Woodson’s abilities to have the Knicks fully knowing their role on the team and what they expect of them individually.

2. Acquire Another Shooter: I know I just went off on how the Knicks have a rotation problem and have more than enough talent, but they need another shooter. Novak was one of the best in the business last year and is still a threat, but he is very predictable. Novak is a one-dimensional player and if his three-point shot isn’t falling, he is pretty useless on the court. He will stretch the defense out but that’s about it. If the Knicks can get another shooter in addition to Smith, Anthony, and Kidd, their offense will add another layer. A pure shooter like Kyle Korver, Mike Miller, or Ray Allen would be perfect. I’m not saying the Knicks can acquire a big name shooter at the deadline, but it would defiantly help them come playoff time.

3. Stay Healthy: This is the Knicks team fans have been waiting for. The window is open now for a championship. Barring any major injury, the Knicks should expect to make a deep playoff run. As the Knicks season dwindles down, Woodson should start cutting his big players minutes into more reasonable playing time. Carmelo, Kidd, Stoudemire, Felton, Shumpert, Camby all have been hurt and missed games this season, so resting them towards the end in preparation for playoff run can be very beneficial, especially for the veterans.

Feb 4, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Iman Shumpert (21) during the third quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 99-85. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Smith and Chandler are the only Knicks who have played every game so far, so resting and keeping them healthy towards the end would be ideal. Every Knick player is vital to the team. One major injury or fatigue can destroy their championship dreams.

4. Get Iman Shumpert and Amar’e Stoudemire at Full Strength: Knicks’ fans have been supporting Shumpert since he laced up his shoes and they saw what he could do on the court. We know he is a defensive game-changer and brings energy on the offensive side. Both he and Stoudemire are still on a minute’s limit, which I’m ok with since it avoids another knee injury and the Knicks are winning.

When Woodson lets go of the leash, we are all interested to see what these two can do at full strength for an entire game. Amar’e has been dominating and playing highly efficiently, and most importantly, he is accepting the role Woodson gave him.

How many superstars would fully agree coming off the bench and accepting their role as not being the main guy anymore? Amar’e is a stand-up guy and made it cool to be a Knicks. Hats off to him.

5. Pay Attention to Seeding: The Knicks and Heat have been 1-2 in the Eastern Conference for the entire season. Even though the Knicks defeated the Heat twice by 20 points this season, it’s no secret that the Heat are the top dog. The Knicks should do their best to avoid a potential matchup with the Heat until the Eastern Conference Finals. If the Knicks can get a Bucks team then Nets or Pacers in the second round, I strongly believe they will be playing the Eastern Conference Finals. If they can get the 2 or 3 seed, with Miami and Chicago in 1 and 4, they will be sitting pretty. The Bulls are a scary playoff team with a healthy Derrick Rose and have the Knicks’ number lately. Avoiding the Bulls and Heat in the first two rounds would be ideal for the Knicks.

Jan 27, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson talks with point guard Raymond Felton (2) during the third quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 106-104. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

The Knicks blew out Milwaukee in the beginning of the year, split two games with the Pacers so far, and haven’t faced the Clippers yet.

The combined record of their next ten opponents is 193-223, with the Knicks going 11-3 against these teams so far. This is a sigh of relief for Knicks fans as their team has cooled down a bit, going 5-5 in their last 10 games.

At this point of the season it’s rare to see big winning steaks as teams are starting to run out of gas heading into the All-Star break. The Knicks are only a game and a half behind Miami in the East, and if they can go 7-3 or 8-2 in these next 10, they can be sitting pretty on top of the Eastern Conference.

These next ten games can also help Mike Woodson develop a consistent lineup. He can mix and match different lineups during the game, and possibly start Amar’e Stoudemire.

Amar’e has been playing like the Amar’e Knicks fans expect and love and is making a strong case to crack the starting lineup. The Knicks are winning with him coming off the bench, and winning is everything so he might not make the change.

Woodson can mix and match Iman Shumpert, Raymond Felton, and Jason Kidd anyway he wants. He can see who works well with who and when is the best time to put in whom. Of course the ultimate goal of these games, as in any game, is to win. The Knicks MUST win these games and I believe they will. If they lose, don’t come out to play, and play down to their competition, they can easily fall off and see themselves looking up and not down in the East. The Brooklyn Nets are playing their best ball of the season and the Chicago Bulls are getting hot right before Derrick Rose comes back, only one game behind the Knicks.

The Knicks must go 7-2 or 8-2 in these next 10 games if they want to hold their lead in the Atlantic Division.

The Knicks starting lineup tonight in Philadelphia will be as follows:

PG – Raymond Felton – 15.8 PPG, 6.3 APG

SG  – Jason Kidd – 8.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 4.0 APG

SF – Iman Shumpert – 6.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG (Only played 3 games, 20 MIN a game)

PF – Carmelo Anthony – 29.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG

C – Tyson Chandler – 12.1 PPG, 10.9 RPG

Knicks nation is ecstatic to have Felton back in the lineup, as the Knicks were 20-8 with him in the starting lineup and 6-6 without him. It’s hard for any team to consistently win without their floor general playing, so Knicks fans weren’t panicking too much with the Knicks recent play.

It will be very interesting to see what Mike Woodson is going to do with his rotation. He basically has two point guards, a shooting guard, a small forward who can pay the stretch four, and a pure center in his starting lineup. I have no problem with this lineup, with two defensive players, one guard and one big man, on the court at the same time, along with offensive playmakers in Carmelo and Felton. Kidd is a do-it-all player so it’s hard to take him out of the lineup, as he started 35 out of the 36 games he’s played in.

J.R. Smith and Pablo Prigioni should still see their playing time when the starters need rest, along with a rejuvenated Amar’e Stoudemire off the bench. Woodson should try to get Amar’e and Felton on the court as much as possible since it’s no secret they feed well off each other. Felton and STAT haven’t played together in nearly two years, since the 2011 All-Stat break in February 2011. It will be very interesting to see if or when Woodson puts Stoudemire in the starting lineup with Felton since he has come alive in these last couple games.

If Amar’e finally gets his first start of the season, who will come off the bench? It will come down to either Shumpert or Kidd and it seems like Woodson loves Shumpert in the starting lineup, wasting no time putting him in there as soon as he was healthy to play. A bench of Jason Kidd, J.R Smith, Pablo Prigioni, Steve Novak, Chris Copeland, and a healthy Marcus Camby isn’t too bad.

As the Knicks starting getting to full strength, Mike Woodson will have to make big decisions on his lineup and rotation. We would all love to see everyone healthy from here on out so we can start seeing defining roles and minutes, along with continuity (thanks Clyde).

Felton is a big part of the Knicks present and hopefully future success, and Knicks fans couldn’t be happier to have him back.

Dec. 21, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Raymond Felton (2) goes up for a shot as Chicago Bulls point guard Nate Robinson (2) defends during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Bulls won 110-106. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

That day, the Knicks fell to Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers 100-94. Not only did they lose the game, but they also lost their starting point guard Raymond Felton to a fractured pinkie.

Felton has missed 11 games before Thursday, and the Knicks have gone 5-6 in his absence.

Knicks fans and analysts around the league have become skeptical of New York because of this recent slide, including their home loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. The Knicks went from third in the power rankings to ninth over the past couple of weeks without Felton, and many are scared they will not be able to make a legitimate playoff run.

Felton, almost a month since his injury, is very close to returning and is anticipated to be in the lineup as soon as Saturday against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Have no fear Knick fans! Our starting point guard is almost back!

This bad stretch of games is just a simple case of an injury plagued team. It is not an easy task to suddenly continue to win games without your starting point guard, especially one that averaged 15.8 points and 6.3 assists per game prior to his injury.

With Felton back, the Knicks offense will be back to normal. New York averaged over 102 points per game with Felton (only 98 without). With him back, Jason Kidd will be able to get much more rest and more effective playing time, especially with the return of Iman Shumpert.

Along with this, you can also expect not only Tyson Chandler, but Amar’e Stoudemire to be much more effective on offense. Chandler has shot only 63 percent from the floor without his starting point guard (where he was around 70 percent with him), and Stoudemire and Felton had great success together in the 2010-2011 season, when Amar’e was a serious MVP contender.

Felton’s ability to slash and penetrate defenses will open up easy looks (and dunks) for whoever may be on the floor with him. Let’s not forget that Felton led a Knicks team to a 20 point blowout of the Miami Heat without Carmelo Anthony!

He is the unsung hero of this Knicks team and you can expect the Knicks to become a serious contender again with him back and healthy.

Jan 24, 2013; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Knicks guard/forward J.R. Smith (8) reacts to making a three point basket during the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics at TD Banknorth Garden. The New York Knicks won 89-86. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

The Knicks defeated the Celtics in Boston for the first time since 2006 Thursday night, beating them 89-86. The hype of the game was Carmelo vs. KG, but besides pre game fist pump, the two kept to themselves the whole game. What Knicks fans can take away from the game is the resurgence of Amar’e Stoudemire who scored 15 points off the bench with 9 rebounds.

It was a game of runs the entire game but the Knicks opened the gap early in the 4th with a 15-4 run. Carmelo started off cold then started to heat up, going 6-8 from the field at one point, finishing with 28 points. Mike Woodson continues to try and figure out his rotation but Pablo Prigioni made his case that he is very valuable to this team. With a very efficient stat line of 16 minutes, 2-3 from three-point land, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 turnover and a +/- of +8. The Knicks needed productivity out of the point guard especially with Raymond Felton out and going against one of the league’s best in Rajon Rondo.

Besides a triple-double out of Rondo and 22 out of Paul Pierce, the Knicks defense pretty much shut down every other Celtic, not having any other player score more in double digits (Jeff Green had 9). If you watched the game, the story of the game was Amar’e Stoudemire. Carmelo is going to have his point but Amar’e showed the fans, his teammates, and most importantly Mike Woodson that he is ready for more minutes and possibly to start. He had the highest +/- on the team tonight with +11. He also added defense with 2 blocks and second change opportunities with 4 offensive rebounds. He looked explosive, loose, and ready to play like the Amar’e we know and love.

J.R. Smith had another one of those “why did he just take that shot” nights, going an abysmal 3-16 from the field. You can say all you want but no shot was bigger than the three he hit with 1:11 left in the 4th, giving the Knicks a five-point lead and ultimately being the difference maker in the game. Smith also had two huge defensive plays down the stretch, causing two Celtics turnovers very late in the game. Smith might have had a chip on his shoulder about of what he thinks is a All-Star snub, finding out before the game he will not be joining teammates Carmelo Anthony and first time All-Star Tyson Chandler in Houston.

When the Celtics had the ball with 13 seconds left down three, I’m sure I wasn’t the only Knicks fan waiting for Paul Pierce to rise from the three-point line at the elbow extended and hit the dagger to send it into overtime. But it didn’t happen. The Celtics didn’t even get a shot off in their last two possessions because of suffocating Knicks defense. A site Knicks fans aren’t used to seeing.

The Knicks get a defining road win on national TV and head to Philly to take on the 76ers for a Saturday night Atlantic Division matchup.

By the way, the last time the Knicks beat the Celtics in Boston, Bill Simmons called for Doc Rivers’ to get fired and wanted to draft Greg Oden. Don’t believe me?

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/061115

I think things worked out for the better…

The New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets rivalry is fun for the fans but what makes it even better is that the players are taking it serious. It seems like these two teams genuinely don’t like each other, and as a fan you have to love that. We’re in the era where all the players are friends and we really don’t see that many rivalries. Twitter is a big way you can tell players like each other. By congratulating and interacting with each other, players for the most part respect each other after big games or milestones.

J.R. Smith didn’t get the memo.

After beating the Knicks in the Garden 88-85 on Martin Luther King Day, Nets forward/national punch line Kris Humphries had some fun words for the Knick faithful. He tweeted “Big game tonight! The Garden got really quiet on the way out! #Brooklyn”

Big game tonight!The Garden got really quiet on the way out!#Brooklyn

— Kris Humphries (@KrisHumphries) January 22, 2013

Clearly Humphries didn’t mean to start a battle or cause an uprising, but Smith, the Knicks entertaining shooting guard, had some words of his own for Humphries.

Smith replied to Humphries trash talk with a shot to Humphries’ highly publicized divorce/marriage/affair/whatever you want to call it with Kim Kardashian. As you might know, the beautiful reality star married Humphries for a whopping total of 72 days. She then filed for divorce and started dating music megastar Kanye West, whom now she is having a baby with. Drama for your mama, I know I know.

Smith kindly tweeted “Wasn’t quiet when Kanye tore it down last month!” As of noon on January 22nd, this tweet had nearly 52,000 retweets and 20,000 favorites. Safe to say Smith’s response was well heard around the sports world. I personally love all the trash talk; it makes it fun and shows us that athletes are just like us when we play. Nothing like a little trash talk on and off the court to keep things interesting.

Wasnt quiet when Kanye tore it down last month! RT @krishumphries: Big game tonight!The Garden got really quiet on the way out!#Brooklyn

— JR Smith (@TheRealJRSmith) January 22, 2013

I don’t think his Kanye West-Kim Kardashian joke was out of line at all. It’s the unwritten rule that you don’t talk about wives and children on and off the court, but Humphries and Kardashian aren’t family. I honestly don’t know what to label them. All I know is that a 72-day marriage that had reality TV show cameras following you doesn’t fall in the same category as an actual marriage.

Smith keep doing what you’re doing, but let’s start winning some games first. Humphries and the Nets are now only one game behind you in the Atlantic Division.

Kanye can’t help you there.

The NBA has changed a lot since then and most say it has become softer. Superstars don’t hate each other; instead they film commercials and take pictures of Instagram together. Kevin Durant and LeBron James train together and are friends off the court. Team USA wasn’t like the Dream Team; no intense competition in practices. It seemed like it was just 12 best friends who happen to be the best basketball players in the world playing on the same team dominating everyone in their path. Some people just won’t hate each other, but there will always be friction with the best teams and cities with decades of rivalry.

I believe when the regular season is done and we head into playoff time, the four teams that will be the most dangerous will be: The Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, and Chicago Bulls. These four franchises hate each other. They are the four most popular cities on the East Coast and all have superstars in their prime hungry for a title. All these teams’ windows to win are open right now. A fifth team to consider is the Brooklyn Nets, who obviously are in the early stages of a long, long rivalry with the Knicks. The Nets have also butted heads with the Celtics, so a playoff matchup between Brooklyn and Boston would be interesting but without a doubt a Nets-Knicks playoff battle would be one for the ages.

The Nets came into this season thinking they would run the Knicks out of town. After beating them in their first ever matchup, the Knicks knocked them off their pedestal with two straight wins. It’s no secret the Nets came into Brooklyn going after the Knicks fan base. They want bragging rights and want to earn their place in New York. The Nets have been one of the hottest teams in the league and are right behind the Knicks. These teams are three games into their rivalry history but it’s safe to say these two squads aren’t going out to eat on their off days together.

The last week and a half we have seen the Knicks cause -on and off the court- controversy with long-time rivals the Bulls and Celtics. We all know what happened with Carmelo and Kevin Garnett on and off the court. Boston and New York haven’t liked each other since this country was born and nothing will change that. Nothing pisses New Yorker’s off more than Paul Pierce and his 16-year-old boy beard hitting a dagger shot. The man is a Knicks killer. One rivalry that is back is the Celtics and Knicks. It might have never left but the stakes are definitely bigger now.

These aren’t Michael’s Bulls anymore. These aren’t Ewing’s Knicks anymore. The torch has been passed to Anthony and the entire Bulls team because they have been playing great without their MVP Derrick Rose. Anyway, with Nate Robinson and Steve Novak adding a little flavor in their press conferences and on the court, it will be fun to watch the Bulls and Knicks battle it out. On the court, All-Star Luol Deng seems to be Carmelo’s kryptonite and is one of the few players who get him out of his zone. Tyson Chandler and Joakim Noah have had words for each other not meant for all ages. Iman Shumpert has said he respects Derrick Rose but straight out doesn’t like him. The Bulls and Knicks aren’t sending each other Christmas cards every year. They don’t like each other, just as it should be.

The Miami Heat will always be the bad guy. However ESPN and everyone wants to twist it. Two years ago these guys were the most hated team in sports, did we forget that? LeBron might have polished his image from his “Decision” but Knicks fans will always hate him. Yeah of course we wouldn’t be saying this if he came to New York, but he didn’t and now we have the right to hate him with all our heart. Dwyane Wade has always been a Knicks killer meanwhile Chandler and Jason Kidd have been Heat killers. Alonzo Mourning isn’t suiting up for the Heat anytime soon but the Miami Heat will always been on the most hated list for the Knicks.

I might have missed Magic vs. Bird. Jordan vs. Ewing. Alonzo vs. LJ. Do I wish I were 20 years old during the 90s? Of course! But I am looking forward to what this year and the future brings for the Knicks’ current rivalries. I’m looking forward to when Carmelo and Kevin Garnett see each other in the paint. When everyone in the building knows Paul Pierce is getting the ball. I want to see Carmelo topple LeBron and the Heat. I want to see Novak hit a three and point to  “Young Nathan.” I want to see a Knicks and Nets playoff go seven games and end in the Garden.

This might not be the 90s but we have all the intensity we need.

January 13, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith (8) shoots against the New Orleans Hornets during the third quarter of an NBA game at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

This being said, does Smith deserve to be named to the All-Star team and play in Houston this year?

The All-Star game, just like in every sport, is a popularity contest. I personally think it should be changed to half the fan vote and half the sports writers’ votes. Let’s take baseball for example, where the BBWA takes All-Star game appearances largely into account for the Hall of Fame. If the fans don’t really know the player or they usually just vote for the big names and most popular players. I’m not saying these players don’t deserve it since they obviously do, but some low-key players who are having all-star caliber seasons usually don’t receive the honor.

Twelve players from each conference get to call themselves All-Stars every season. In the East, you have five players they are set in stone All-Stars: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Garnett, and Rajon Rondo. These five players will get the fan vote since they are some of the league’s most popular players, but they do deserve it. So that’s almost half the team right there. The next three spots will probably go like this; Deron Williams, Chris Bosh, Kyrie Irving, Deron plays in a big market, Bosh is part of the Big Three in Miami, and Kyrie is exploding onto the NBA scene.

This leaves 4 more spots to make the team. As of December 4th, J.R. Smith wasn’t even in the top 10 for backcourt players. I believe the next 4 spots should go to: Anderson Varejao, Tyson Chandler, Paul Pierce, and Luol Deng. With the expansion of voting now on social media, it makes it even harder for bench players like Smith to make the team since the casual NBA fan will be casting their vote to the superstar names.

Look in the Western Conference for example, where Jeremy Lin is third in the backcourt voting and actually in front of his teammate James Harden. If you know anything about the NBA this season you know that Harden is having an amazing season and a much better season than Lin, but Lin still has more votes.

You can make a case that Smith deserves to be on the All-Star team this year, but I personally don’t believe he does. He still shoots way too much and has been inconsistent. He shouldn’t get the nod over players like  Irving, Williams,  Piece, Josh Smith, Deng, or Chandler.

Smith is essential to the Knicks success this season, but he is not an All-Star.

Jan 10, 2013; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) at the free throw line against the Dallas Mavericks during the third quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Sacramento Kings 117-112 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The Knicks have made their big move, probably the biggest in their franchise’s history, two trade deadlines ago when they acquired Carmelo Anthony. Before the Knicks traded for Anthony, they of course signed Amar’e Stoudemire, their first headline player in the decade. A few months later, the Knicks signed Tyson Chandler, completing their quest for big names while eating up most of their salary cap. The Knicks are pretty much set and due to them making these big moves the past 3 seasons, they can’t make a big splash for a player like Rudy Gay or DeMarcus Cousins, nor would they have any use for them.

Knicks’ brass has done a great job filling in and creating a roster for head coach Mike Woodson to compete with. With additions like Jason Kidd, Steve Novak, J.R. Smith, Marcus Camby, Pablo Prigioni, and Raymond Felton, the Knicks are pretty much set with their roster. I can see them making a trade for a role player but not a big move at all. Knicks management, media, and Knicks fans are all happy with this team. They don’t need to ponder in making a move at all at the trade deadline in my opinion. Obviously if a deal is offered to them that they can’t refuse that improves the team drastically, I’m all in favor for taking it.

This Knicks team is the best team this city has seen in a decade. Chemistry and trust doesn’t come on a waiver wire or on a last second trade deadline move. Team chemistry is by far the key component in winning a championship. This team has it. They have each other’s back and they core of the team has been playing together for more than a year now. This is the Knicks window to win, with this team and with these players. No need to make any big trades.

If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

Dec. 17, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Iman Shumpert warms up before the game against the Houston Rockets at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

With injuries to fan favorite Rasheed Wallace and starting point guard Raymond Felton, the Knicks needs a spark. Iman Shumpert is the spark the Knicks need.

Shumpert was Donnie Walsh’s goodbye present. When he was drafted 16th overall in last year’s draft, many Knicks fans scratched their heads. “Who is this guy?” and “The Knicks mess up another pick!” were being mumbled by the Knicks faithful.

If you remember correctly, most Knicks’ fans wanted their team to draft Chris Singleton or Kenneth Faried. Singleton hasn’t made much of an impact on the Wizards yet while “The Manimal” is one of the best young big men and energetic players in the league. I wanted the Knicks to draft Faried but in hindsight who knows how he would fit in with Tyson Chandler and Amar’e Stoudemire, so I can see why the Knicks passed.

If the 2011 draft had a redo, there’s no doubt Shumpert would be a Top 10 pick. Shump was named to the 2012 NBA All Rookie First team and is in my opinion, the best Knicks draft pick since Patrick Ewing. I know that’s a bold statement and I’m not saying Shumpert will be nearly the player and have an impact on the Knicks like Ewing did because quite frankly that’s impossible.

Ewing is a Hall of Famer but Shumpert has all the talent in the world to be a key component to the Knicks success. By the way, the Knicks haven’t had much production and longevity with their first round picks in a long time.

I think he is the most athletic player on the Knicks right now. He is considered one of the best perimeter defenders in basketball at only 22 years old. Shumpert is fearless and attacks the basket and showed signs of developing a consistent jump shot. He can play both point guard and shooting guard and I’m sure he could matchup with some small forwards in the league.

Shump came in as a point guard and I think the Knicks should groom him into that but it looks like they see him at the franchise’s shooting guard for the future. Some of the league’s most athletic and most impactful players play point guard but if Shump plays shooting guard on the offensive side and defends the point guards, I’m fine with that.

The Knicks need something to get them out of this funk. They need someone who can cause havoc at the defensive end of the floor and slam it home the other way. Shumpert is an old-school player and loves his teammates. He is a tough defender and not to mention has that 90s high top fade going on. Knicks fans will love to see him on the court and his teammates will feed off his energy.

Shumpert is exactly the spark the Knicks need.

It is only early January and we aren’t even at the All-Star break yet but let’s press the fast forward button to late April/May, in other words: the playoffs.

The Knicks have failed miserably in the postseason for the past decade but this year they are poised for a big run. There are a few factors that make me think the Knicks can win it all and here they are:

1) The 2011 Dallas Mavericks.

Never have I seen so many similarities in two teams before. These two teams feature a couple of the same players but for the most part, different players that have the same roles. Take a look at the rosters for both teams:

2011 Mavericks                   2013 Knicks                  Similarities

Tyson Chandler                  Tyson Chandler                No explanation necessary

Jason Kidd                         Jason Kidd                      See above

Dirk Nowitzki                      Carmelo Anthony             Unstoppable scorer

Jason Terry                        JR Smith                        Microwave scorer off the bench

DeShawn Stevenson           Iman Shumpert               Above average perimeter defender

Peja Stojakovic                  Steve Novak                   Automatic 3-point shooter

Brendan Haywood              Marcus Camby                Veteran leader / solid backup center

JJ Barea                           Raymond Felton              Scoring guard who can penetrate

Corey Brewer                     Ronnie Brewer                Defender / glue guy

As you can see, the two teams are very similar. Besides two guys (Shawn Marion and Amar’e Stoudemire) the whole Knicks roster is basically the same as the Mavericks. Not only are the rosters alike but so are the way these teams play.

The Mavs ran a 4-out system with only Chandler on this inside just like the Knicks do. Sometimes Dirk would isolate himself in the mid-post, just like ‘Melo often does. The Mavs also relied heavily on three pointers (like the Knicks do) and ran a two point guard system (Kidd and Barea) like the Knicks do with Kidd and Felton.

The other similarity is that the Mavs relied heavily on their bench, especially Jason Terry. The Knicks are exactly the same way, relying on J.R. Smith to pour in points while Steve Novak contributes some three-point shots like Peja Stojakovic did for Dallas.

The question for the Knicks is where does Amar’e fit into this? Can he play the role of Shawn Marion? A guy who just rebounded  and defended well and didn’t get in the way on offense, mostly getting hustle points? If the Knicks want to make noise in the playoffs then Mike Woodson cannot insert Amar’e into the starting lineup.

The Knicks need Melo at the 4-spot, just like Dirk was. Amar’e absolutely needs to get better defensively and if the Knicks front office doesn’t think Stoudemire fits into their plans right now, then they should look to trade the perennial All-Star forward for a player that better fits their current style of play.

2) Carmelo Anthony.

Plain and simple. The Knicks will go as far as Anthony takes them. Throughout his career, ‘Melo has not had playoff success. We saw it with Dirk in 2011 and we saw it with LeBron last year. The star player has to play on another level in order to win a championship. Can Melo do it in the postseason like he has so far this season?

Only time will tell.

‘Melo has the supporting cast to get it done though and it looks like he’ll have home court advantage in the early rounds as well. Which leads to my next point…

3) Madison Square Garden.

The Mecca of basketball. Spike Lee leads the Garden faithful and it seems as if the crowd has never been louder. The Knicks have brought constant excitement back to the Garden and Carmelo Anthony has had big time success at home this season. The play of the Knicks bench at home has also been a big part of the teams success. Guys like Novak, Smith and Brewer have enjoyed more success playing in their own backyard than on the road.

The Knicks are without a doubt a top three team in the Eastern Conference this season and will have a favorable first round matchup no matter who they face. Although they will have a more difficult path to the Finals than the Mavericks did in 2011 (Knicks will more than likely have to beat both Miami and Oklahoma City in back to back series), I don’t think it is a crazy statement to say the Knicks can win the NBA Championship this season.

Smith has become one of the best scorers off the bench in the NBA and is easily in the early lead for Sixth Man of the Year Award.

Jan 1, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks shooting guard J.R. Smith (8) shoots for three over Portland Trail Blazers small forward Victor Claver (18) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Portland won 105-100. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

The tatted-up 27-year-old shooting guard might be Mike Woodson’s go-to guy right after Carmelo Anthony. Smith wasn’t always this lethal, so what has changed in his game? Here are some keys beyond J.R. Smith’s spectacular scoring run.

In the last six games, Smith has put up elite scoring numbers. He is averaging 25.5 points per game, scoring above 25 points in five of these six games. These numbers would put him sixth in the league in scoring. One factor why Smith is on this scoring run is that he is playing starter minutes. In these past six games, Smith is averaging 38 minutes per game. You can’t score if you don’t play and J.R. is taking full advantage of his immense playing time.

Another reason why J.R. is carrying the bulk of the Knicks’ offense is the trust and confidence his head coach has in him. It’s no secret Woodson and Smith have a great relationship, as some say they act like father and son sometimes.

Woodson was quoted earlier in the year saying he was “yelling at him to shoot the ball” and that he wants 20 points out of Smith off the bench. This will come as a surprise to those who have seen Smith play since they know J.R. is never shy to shoot the ball.

The coach went on to say “Shooters are going to take some bad shots. That is the nature of the game. I don’t mind that, as long as he is defending and doing the things to help us win. Offensively, I have to help him because he is so talented in terms of being able to create a shot and make shots himself.”

Smith joked it was the first time in his career for being asked to shoot more, but Woodson has been pretty much on point so far. After Anthony, the Knicks really don’t have that second scorer. Sure players like Jason Kidd, Raymond Felton, Tyson Chandler, and hopefully now Amar’e Stoudemire are going to have big nights scoring, but Woodson needs consistency out of both ‘Melo and Smith for his offense to succeed.

Another reason why Smith went on this scoring run was that Anthony was injured so you know Woodson really needed more points out of his shooting guard. In the three games Carmelo missed, Smith shot 72 times, averaging 27 points. Of course his two most memorable shots were in Phoenix where he had both the game-tying and game-winning buckets. Without Woodson’s belief in Smith I don’t think he makes those shots.

Smith is a great scorer and looks like he has matured. I think he realizes this is the year he can contribute to an NBA Championship team. He has seen the club scene and the nightlife perks being a NBA player brings; now it’s time to play some serious ball. His teammates are mature and are motivated to bring New York a deep playoff run, and Smith is a huge part of that goal.

December 23, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks guard Raymond Felton (2) chases down a loose ball during the third quarter of an NBA game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Woodson has prided himself on his team’s defense but in the latest three Knicks losses, his team has given up an average of 106 points. You’re not going to win many games giving up over 100 points in this league. Hopefully this isn’t the Knicks going back to their old ways but I don’t think that’s the case. It’s hard to come out and execute perfectly every game. A very good sign for Woodson is that the Knicks have only lost two games in a row once this season and that was over a month ago. Bouncing back after loses is what makes good teams great. A team that doesn’t lose two in a year is very hard to knock out in the playoffs.

Another reason the Knicks are in this slump is the play of Raymond Felton. Any Knicks fan who has been watching these games has noticed Felton’s increase in shots. Felton is not a scoring point guard, it’s not what he was brought here to do but he is putting up field goal attempts like he is Russell Westbrook or Kyrie Irving. His shot attempts in latest three Knicks losses: 21, 18, and 19. Out of these 58 shots, Felton has hit 21, shooting a terrible 36 percent from the field. Felton needs to be more efficient and smart for the Knicks offense to click.

A third reason why the Knicks are slumping right now is the foul trouble their players are getting into. On Christmas Day against the Lakers the starting unit accounted for 15 fouls with a foul out by Tyson Chandler. The bench accounted for 10 more including four from J.R. Smith who plays starter minutes. Against the Bulls the Knicks once again had 25 team personal fouls and had another foul out, this time by Smith. These fouls make it hard on Woodson’s planned rotation and put the opposing team on the free throw line way too much. The Bulls and Lakers both got to the free-throw line 33 times.

A final reason why the Knicks have been losing is that they can’t contain the opponent’s team’s superstar. It’s very hard to stop Kobe Bryant but he once again torched the Knicks with 34 points on Christmas. Four other Lakers had double digit points, all with big names: Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol, Steve Nash, and Metta World Peace who dropped 20 on the Knicks. These players are going to get their points no matter what but the Knicks couldn’t stop any of them. Against the Bulls their star player Luol Deng scored 29 points. Jeremy Lin had 22 and James Harden added 28 when the Rockets handed the Knicks their first loss at the Garden this year. Carmelo always rises to the occasion but the Knicks can’t have superstars doing whatever they want to their defense if they want to go far in the playoffs.

The Knicks should be fine but they aren’t a perfect team. Their weaknesses are emerging and it will be Woodson’s job to fix them. The Knicks are in a prime position to succeed this season and there will be speed bumps along the way. You can’t judge any team until after the All-Star break and especially until Amar’e Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert are fully in the rotation.

Christmas has changed from when I was five. I feel funny asking for gifts for no reason when you really know the value of money and the state of the economy. You know the daily grind your parents go through to make sure you live a great life. But this isn’t about my Christmas; this is about everyone’s Christmas.

Hurricane Sandy hit my neighborhood hard. Many people lost EVERYTHING. They lost their houses their clothes, their life memories, family pictures; things you cannot replace. I lost a friend and a mentor in my basketball coach for five years and his son, who I was teammate with for almost 10 years. Regardless of how much money is raised, how many concerts there are, how much food and clothes are collected, these people and the many other people who lost their lives won’t be coming back.

Families lost their Christmas lights and decorations so this holiday season is a little dark, but they did not lose their spirit. Three days before Christmas a group of good friends and I went down to Midland Beach in Staten Island to help out a toy drive for children affected by the Hurricane. I went down there to help unload a truck full of donated toys and to set up Santa, but I got a lot more out of this than I expected. People down there, five minutes away from my home, were still ravished by the storm. They weren’t down there for Santa or to help, they came for essentials to every day life: shampoo, paper towels, toilet papers, diapers, soap, baby formula, and water.

I met a woman who easily inspired me to do more. Her name was Tricia. The first thing I noticed about her was of course her Yankee gear. She came with her adorable little daughters, Andrea and Kelly, only six and four years old. Tricia and her family weren’t from Midland Beach, New Dorp Beach, or any other devastated neighborhood from Staten Island, she was from the Bronx. She has been coming over the bridge, which Mayor Bloomberg is soon raising to $15, every weekend since Hurricane Sandy hit.

What really gets me is that her inspiration to all her work was her six year old daughter who doesn’t know what a disaster is. She saw on TV what was going on and asked “Mom, what are we going to do help those people?” Tricia thought of bringing Thanksgiving dinner to Staten Island and with a little help by word of mouth, that Thanksgiving dinner turned into 500 pounds of food. She than coordinated a toy drive that helped to bring smiles to hundreds of children in the area. Tricia is one of hundreds of people who have helped people in need and do it out of the goodness of their heart and nothing else.

All because a six year old girl wanted to help.

I’m sure there are dozens upon dozens of stories like these that are filled with people who want to do nothing else but help. I’ve found out that the people were hit the most are the ones who would do anything for you. My good friend lost his family’s summerhouse as well as family members house in Breezy Point. These people weren’t pumping water of their basement, they were left with whatever was salvaged from their burnt down house. He never pouted, never asked “why me” he just did what had to be done to help his family and his community of Breezy Point.

I learned through all this that life is short and that the world doesn’t stop for anyone. If you followed the events after the storm, you might have heard of the father and son who died in the storm who the Jets contacted and named honorary captains before their Thanksgiving Night game against the Patriots. The captains for that game were my basketball coach, John Flip Sr. and his son and my teammate, John Flip Jr. The Flips were great men and friends. Coach Flip brought fun into sports but knew how to teach you at the same time.

He always preached “Can’t Means Won’t.” These are great words to live by when you are going through rough times. I just think of Coach Flip and I know he will never quit. He didn’t quit on his home or his family. His son was one of the most genuinely nice people you can ever meet in your life. He was a selfless teammate and great leader. The Flips were victims of Sandy but we have to live like they would and that is too help anyone who is need and do it with a smile on your face.Coach you laid down the foundation of basketball for me and taught me everything I know. I used everything I learned from you and put it into my fourth grade team that I coached with my best friends. Thanks to you, these kids were able to celebrate a championship season. Of course I brought them to Lee’s Tavern after to cap off the year, just like you did for your son, the whole team, and me.

Rest In Piece to the Flips: A great father and coach and even better son.

As soon as the community and neighborhood got over one tragedy, another one hits the heart in a totally different way.

What happened in Connecticut breaks my heart as it does the whole worlds. This could have happened anywhere. I can’t put into words what it would go through losing a son or daughter, or a nephew, niece, brother, sister, or family member. I’m not going to get into what happened and the aftermath because we are all sick and tired of being reminded of it. It is sketched in our mind forever.

All this tragedy of course leads to Christmas. Christmas is a family holiday where we give to loved ones presents to bring them joy and show our love for them. But this year is different. Maybe it is my age and realizing the price of Christmas but that’s not the case this year. If the sickening tragedy in Connecticut or pictures of Hurricane Sandy doesn’t humble you, I don’t know what will. I rather lose all my cars and everything I own rather than lose a family member or friend.

As one tragedy ends, another one begins. It is a cycle that we cannot stop but we must overcome.

The world is filled with millions and millions of great people but is overshadowed by evil. We have witness firsthand the worst tragedies not only the last 2 months but for a long time now. Whether our personal life or our community as a whole, we have all gone through enough heartbreak.

It’s time to be humble this Christmas. Time to appreciate who, and not what; we have around us in our lives.

Count your blessings, not your presents.

Merry Christmas Everyone:

BucketsOverBroadway.com

There I said it.

Mike Woodson has them playing the best basketball this city has seen in over a decade. Every player he has put on the court has checked their ego at the door and is playing for the name on the front of their jersey; not the back. From Carmelo Anthony to Pablo Prigioni, every man on the roster is giving Knicks fans a reason to be proud and cheer.

Dec. 9, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amar

Not every player on this Knicks team has suited up yet though.

The big elephant in the room is the question everyone is asking; will the Knicks continue this success when Amar’e Stoudemire comes back?

Woodson has a big task on his hands that can either keep this train rolling with full steam or put the brakes on. He will have to decide whether to start Stoudemire or play him off his already deep bench. How many minutes will he play? Who is going to be the odd man out of the rotation? This would be easier to do if the Knicks were struggling and off to a rough start but they are playing the best basketball in the NBA with a 19-6 record.

So how should Woodson handle the return of  Stoudemire?

First of all, Amar’e is not just an ordinary player coming off an injury. Before Carmelo came, Amar’e was the king of New York basketball. He was the first player to say, “Yes I want to be a New York Knick.” Amar’e is also getting paid close to $20 million this season so you don’t sit him on the bench. The Knicks offense has played very unselfish and smoothly this season. Jason Kidd looks like the glue to all this and has been a great leader and teammate the Knicks brought him into be. People will be questioning Stoudemire’s commitment to this new team-first motto but I don’t see that being a problem.

Amar’e should realize this team is built to win right now. They have been playing fantastic in his absence. Carmelo is the front-runner for MVP so far and owns the spotlight. Tyson Chandler is making the case for the title as the NBA’s best center and is the heart and soul of this Knicks team. With Melo and Tyson playing at an All-Pro level, Stoudemire has to know his role. These three on paper are the best frontcourt in the NBA. Amar’e worked with Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon to improve his post-game. Amar’e was all in for this season. He now needs to blend in with his teammates and be the leader he came to New York to be, and I don’t think he will have a problem doing that.

Woodson now has to decide how he will inset STAT in his rotation. Chandler will obviously not see his minutes decline but other big men will. Veterans Kurt Thomas and Rasheed Wallace will likely get the short end of the stick when STAT returns. I can see Woodson rarely using Thomas once and using Rasheed sporadically off the bench. It will be very interesting to see what Woodson does when Marcus Camby is good to go. Woodson has great depth with his big men but can’t play everyone the minutes they hope to.

The Knicks forwards and big men have seen a lot of court action. Woodson has plenty to choose from: Chandler, Anthony, Ronnie Brewer, Steve Novak, Wallace, Chris Copeland, and Thomas.

Novak is one of the best three point shooters in the league and it would make no sense to not see him on the court when STAT comes back. Brewer has been a good role player and does the little things as the Knicks starter and can defiantly see his minutes being cut but I expect him to see the court less when Iman Shumpert comes back hopefully next month.

Copeland has seen his minutes increase and showed he can score without a problem when he scored 29 points with Carmelo out with an injury, but he is still a rookie and will have to take a step back in Amar’e’s return. I also expect Thomas to see the bench a lot more and Wallace being used in different spots when Stoudemire is back.

The last big question Woodson has to figure out the answer to is if he wants to start Stoudemire or use him off the bench. The Knicks starting lineup has mostly been Raymond Felton, Kidd, Brewer, Anthony, and Chandler.

Brewer is likely the odd man out if Woodson chooses to start Stoudemire but this would have to move Carmelo back to the small forward spot. Carmelo has been the definition of dominant while playing the 4 and this should be Woodson’s main reason not to start Stoudemire. Amar’e would be playing mostly in the post and sometimes stretching out to hit the mid-range shot. This might clog up the court for Carmelo to do what he does best – play bully basketball.

Amar’e obviously has the talent to start but he might be used better off the bench. Added to Sixth Man of the Year candidate J.R. Smith, the two of them the Knicks instant offense and be lethal off the bench together.

Woodson would have a great second unit with Prigioni, Smith, Novak, Stoudemire and Wallace. Stoudemire can be the leader of this unit but of course still play with the starting unit and probably be in at the end of the game. Stoudemire has openly said he will come off the bench if that is what is asked of him, which is already a great sign that Stoudemire is all-in.

Woodson has done a great job and is in the running for Coach of the Year. He will have a big coaching decision coming up and has to decide what he will do in the next week or two. Having the problem of how to use a six-time all-star on your team isn’t a bad problem to have but still calls to push the right buttons. Stoudemire can either take this team to the next level or be the bump in the road that Knicks fans are praying it won’t be.

Which Stoudemire will show up? The one that cut open his hand in a playoff series out of frustration or the one that averaged over 21 points in his career?

I have full trust that Woodson will handle this the total right way.

Dec. 9, 2012; New York, NY, USA; Movie director Spike Lee reacts on the sidelines during the game between the New York Knicks and the Denver Nuggets at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 112-106. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Here are five reasons why the Knicks are title contenders this year:

5. Home Court Advantage: Madison Square Garden can finally call itself “the Mecca of Basketball.” The Knicks are the only undefeated home team left in the NBA with an impressive 8-0 record. The Knicks have finally turned the Garden into a true competitive advantage and the last three NBA champions have proved that is a big factor in winning. Here are the last three regular season and playoff home record for the last three teams that hoisted the Larry O’Brien trophy:

2011-2012 Miami Heat: 28-5 & 11-2
2010-2011 Dallas Mavericks: 29-12 & 9-2
2009-2010 Los Angeles Lakers: 34-7 & 11-1

4. Not Much Competition: We all know the team with the target on their backs in the east this year is the Miami Heat. After the Heat, the rest of the East was up for grabs coming into the season. A lot of people said Indiana but without Danny Granger they are not the same team. Chicago will always be good but they cannot be judged until Derrick Rose comes back. Brooklyn is a legit threat in the east but is another team that doesn’t have much playoff experience. After these three teams, there isn’t much to worry about. Atlanta will never scare anyone in the playoffs and Philadelphia is a nice team but is no playoff threat. You never want to face Boston in the playoffs but they aren’t the Celtics of the past. The Eastern Conference doesn’t have the competitive depth the Western Conference does, and the Knicks right now are one of the front-runners to take it.

Dec 11, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson reacts during the fourth quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Knicks won 100-97. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

3. Mike Woodson: Coach Woodson has done a masterful job in New York and is an early favorite for Coach of the Year. With an overall record of 34-11 he has been the leader the Knicks needed and has changed the culture. He commands the locker room with gaining the player’s respect. The Knicks have played with three championship traits under him this season: protecting home court, playing defense, and having great team chemistry. Woody’s playoff record worries me, a horrible 12-22, but his teams in Atlanta did not have the same feel as this year’s Knicks team. Woodson will be big reason why the Knicks succeed this season.

2. Team Chemistry & Depth: Every championship team needs depth off their bench and need to trust each other. The Knicks do both extremely well. We know what Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler are going to give you game in and game out but it has been the other Knicks who have stepped up to the plate. Jason Kidd has done exactly what he was brought in here to do: hit big shots, not making mistakes, and being a leader in the locker room. J.R. Smith is up there with the best scorers off the bench. Steve Novak can hit a three in his sleep and his buddy Pablo Prigioni has been great in his role.

The starters have played with great trust in each other. Raymond Felton made us forget about that Lin guy with this phenomenal point guard play. Ronnie Brewer is that perfect defender and great all-around teammate you need in a starting lineup. ‘Melo and Chandler are the best at their positions and have stepped up in the leader position greatly. The Knicks can’t be fully judged until Stoudemire and Shumpert come back into the rotation, but if they keep playing well with them, the sky is the limit for this team.

1. Carmelo Anthony: The best scorers in the NBA have reached the NBA Finals: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden. Carmelo has been a man a mission this season, showing everyone he is the best scorer in the world. ‘Melo can score 20 in his sleep and I knew during the Olympics we were in for a special scoring year from him. He dominated every aspect of the offensive side of the court but this year we have seen a different Anthony. He is playing defense and showing hustle all over the court. Diving into the stands, standing up for his teammates, and being the leader the Knicks need him to be. Melo has done it all for the Knicks and he will be the reason why the Knicks are fighting for the title come April.

When: Wednesday, December 5th at 7:00 P.M. EST

Where: Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina

Watch: MSG, NBA League Pass

Betting Line: New York Knicks (-7.5)

Knicks’ Key Injuries (Per CBS Sports): Out=Iman Shumpurt (knee) Amar’e Stoudemire (knee), Marcus Camby (foot) Probable – Raymond Felton (hand) Jason Kidd (back)

Bobcats’ Key Injuries: Out- Tyrus Thomas (calf)

When the Knicks Have the Ball: Knicks’ Offense- 102.9 PPG (4th in NBA) Bobcats’ Defense: 101.6 (26th in the NBA)

Dec 3, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats guard Kemba Walker (15) signals to his team during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Time Warner Cable Arena. Portland wins in overtime 118-112. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

When the Bobcats Have the Ball : Bobcats’ Offense: 96.0 PPG (19th in NBA) Knicks’ Defense: 94.7 PPG (8th in NBA)

Key Matchup: Kemba Walker vs. Knicks’ Point Guards

The Charlotte Bobcats already have the same amount of wins as they did the entire season last year and December just started. At 7-9 I’m not saying they are printing out their playoff tickets but they are a better team than last year, but they should be no match with the 12-4 New York Knicks.

Kemba Walker has progressed and starting to figure out the NBA game. It’s foolish to say a player isn’t good after a small body of work. Kemba is leading the Bobcats in points, assists, and steals. I don’t think the Bobcats will give the Knicks fits but Kemba can have a big game tonight vs. his hometown team.

With Jason Kidd coming back look for Carmelo Anthony to slip back into the 4 spot where he will go up against the mighty Byron Mullens. I don’t care about his stats; Anthony should have a field day against him. Under Mike D’Antoni the Knicks fell asleep against the Cats last year. Don’t expect that under Mike Woodson on two days rest. Knicks win big tonight.

Prediction: Knicks 112, Bobcats 90

Nov 28, 2012; Milwaukee, WI, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) drives for the basket around Milwaukee Bucks forward Ekpe Udoh (13) during the second quarter at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

It had the feeling early that the Bucks could catch the Knicks on an off night.

Going against one of the best pure scoring backcourts in basketball, Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings controlled the tempo early. Jennings has been a Knicks killer in his career, averaging over 20 points per game against New York, his highest against any Eastern Conference opponent. However the Knicks settled in, got into a groove and both ends of the floor, and ran away with the game.

Ellis and Jennings had 15 points each in the first half but only scored a combined five points in the second. Anthony of course deserves all the credit but tonight the role players stepped up.

Without Jason Kidd, out for a second straight game with back spasms, 35 year-old rookie Pablo Prigioni slipped right into Kidd’s role. Prigioni scored an efficient 11 points, going 4-5 form the field, and added seven assists. Steve Novak had another huge game off the bench playing in his hometown and in front of his family with 19 points going 5-for-7 from three, playing a career high 40 minutes.

The Knicks need wins like these to be taken as a serious contender. They have to bulk up their wins and beat up on the teams they are supposed to beat up on. Milwaukee has been playing pretty good basketball, but they aren’t on New York’s level.

Mike Woodson played the hot players tonight and it paid off, but it was pretty interesting to not see Marcus Camby in a game that the Knicks had a double-digit lead in the entire second half.  Woodson will have to make some interesting moves when Iman Shumpert and Amar’e Stoudemire come back. Who will see their minutes cut down? Knicks’ fans don’t have to worry about that right now but I’m sure it’s in the back of everybody’s mind.

Great win for the Knicks on the road.

Nov. 26, 2012; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler (6) reacts on the court against the Brooklyn Nets during the first half at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Mike Woodson has done a masterful job with the rotation and getting the Knicks to play like an entire team on both ends of the floor, especially on defense. We know the offense runs through Carmelo Anthony and it seems like a different second scorer steps up every other game. It’s time for a big name and highly paid player to elevate his offensive game and that is Tyson Chandler.

I’m not only saying this because Chandler is coming off his career high 28 points against the Nets (great defense Mr. Lopez), I have been saying this for a while now. It just amazes me how you are a professional basketball player and you visibly struggle with the basketball in your hands. You have been playing this game your entire life; you had to get to this level by knowing how to put the ball in the hoop! I have no complaints about Chandler on defense, rebounding, being a leader, and hustling. Not many do a better job than he does in those categories, but it’s time for the Knicks to get a little more out of Chandler at the offensive side of the floor.

Chandler is an established NBA player and winner. He anchored the Dallas Mavericks team to their historic NBA Finals win against the Miami Heat. His defense was played at an elite level, as it was on the Team USA Gold medal team and how he has played in New York these past two seasons. But at this point of his career, the value he brings to the Knicks, he has start getting involved more in the offense and develop a post-game.

Chandler is 7’1″. His height gives him an obvious advantage which I don’t believe he uses correctly on offense. The man needs to learn a few simple moves to do when he is in the post. Hook shot, quick spin move, close fadeaway or a swift move straight to the rack. Something has to be done to get your 7’1″; $58 million man involved the offense more.

He is awesome with the put back dunks and getting the ball on a strong drive with a pass. Chandler needs more of these opportunities in hopes of taking some pressure off the other players and putting some of it on himself. If opposing defenses saw him as a threat, all of the scoring pressure wouldn’t all be on Anthony and the guards can have a big man they could trust with the ball.

The Knicks need a few things to be a real contender. They need Iman Shumpert and Amar’e Stoudemire back healthy to get them more explosiveness and give them more depth. But if Chandler can start giving the Knicks a solid 12-16 points a game and still give them those big energy put back dunks that gets everyone’s blood boiling, the Knicks’ offense can create another dimension before Amar’e and Shump come back.

It can’t hurt if you get your 7’1″ NBA professional center more involved the offense. The more options that Woodson has, the more games the Knicks will win.

With that being said, I have always heard these rumors that Madison Square Garden is the “Mecca of Basketball’ but never understood it. With this fantastic start of the season by the Knicks, it looks like Madison Square Garden has finally become a real home court advantage.

Everything just seems different this season. All the years of building up a championship team and clearing out salary cap have led to right now. This is the season Knicks’ fans and the entire organization has been waiting for and we all know it’s here. There was no better way to send a message to the league and New Yorker’s than the 20-point blowout of LeBron James and the defending champion Miami Heat on opening night. The Knicks punched the Heat in the mouth and got New York fired up.

The Knicks have played four games at home and have beaten their opponent by an average 15.8 points. That is no easy feat especially since a majority of those teams are no joke: Heat, 76ers, Mavericks, and Pacers. It’s no secret a major reason why the Knicks have been dominant so far is the MVP-type play of their leader Carmelo Anthony.

As of November 25, ‘Melo is third in the league in scoring with 25.6 PPG and has stepped it up in front of his hometown crowd, delivering 28.6 PPG at the Garden in five games. He has been a loyal Mike Woodson soldier so far and has been doing anything and everything to win games.

I feel like a few things have factored into why MSG is finally living up to its name as the “Mecca of Basketball” and is truly a home court advantage.

Mike Woodson has a lot to do with it and deserves all the credit in the world. The Knicks are 26-7 on his watch, which is built on the foundation of teamwork, defensive intensity, and unselfishness. The Garden is also in phase two of its transformation and renovation. New Yorker’s are getting the state of the art arena they finally deserve while still keeping the arena they have been calling home forever.

New Yorker’s are now reenergized with the excellent play of the Knicks with addition to improvements of the World’s Greatest Arena. Knicks’ fans have always supported the Knicks, selling out games even when the team was one of the league’s worst. It is now time for the Knicks to return the favor.

A final reason why the Knicks’ players and their fans are very prideful of their home court this year is the arrival of the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets organization and fans have been talking a lot of smack this offseason, saying they are now the city’s basketball team. This is a Knicks city and I feel like the entire Knicks’ nation took offense when the Nets thought they could just swoop in and take the city’s fans. The Knicks are giving New Yorker’s one hell of a show especially at home. They are playing with a chip on their shoulder, proving everyone that this is their city.

New York City basketball is back. Madison Square Garden has been dying for elite basketball and huge games to be played under its roof. It’s time for the Knicks to win and they know it, especially in front of the best fans in the whole world.

But what all Knicks fans care about is the showdown in San Antonio. The 5-0 New York Knicks will take on the 7-1 San Antonio Spurs in their second game of their three game road trip. The Spurs are coming off a last second win against the Lakers where Danny Green was the hero. Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks are the hottest team in the league and only undefeated team left and this will be a great road test for them early in the season. Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s game.

When: Thursday, November 15^th at 8:30 P.M. EST

Where: AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas

Watch: MSG, NBA League Pass

Betting Line: San Antonio Spurs (-5)

When the Knicks have the Ball: Knicks Offense:  103.5 PPG (2^nd in NBA) Spurs Defense – 92.6 (9th in NBA)

When the Spurs have the Ball: Spurs Offense: 96.6 PPG (18^th in NBA) Knicks Defense – 87.8 PPG (1^st in NBA)

Key Matchup: Tony Parker vs. Knicks’ Point Guards 

November 13, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker (9) speaks with head coach Gregg Popovich during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

You know the Spurs’ story already. They are too old. How long will they be around? Will Tim Duncan ever slow down? All the Spurs do is win and will forever be a contender for the title as they sit 7-1on top of the Western Conference. You know the Knicks’ story, as well as they are the only defeated team left in the NBA as they are getting it done on both ends of the floor. It will be New York’s first road test and first test since Opening Night against the Heat.

The Spurs get the job done and their teamwork is the reason why they are so good. They rank 2^nd in the league with 24.6 assists a game. Their leading scorer, Tim Duncan, is only averaging 18 points a game but they have 4 players averaging double digits with a near 5^th in Kawhi Leonard averaging 9.9. They are doing this all with a banged up Manu Ginobili.

So what will happen tonight in San Antonio? The Knicks haven’t lost a game and the Spurs are 4-0 at home. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the Knicks aren’t going 82-0. I am absolutely loving this team so far but if you have to swallow one loss it has to be against the Spurs in their house. The Knicks won’t lie down and let the Spurs run all over them, but reality sets in as the Knicks lose a close one.

Prediction: Spurs 94, Knicks 90

1. Miami Heat –

2. Philadelphia 76ers – Doug Collins will have the 76ers playing great basketball and winning ball games this year. With the addition of Andrew Bynum no one should sleep on Philadelphia.

3. Boston Celtics – The Celtics have to be up for out of respect for Doc Rivers. We learned last year to never count his team out and with Rajon Rondo as a veteran and Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce still hungry for another ring. Don’t sleep on a Rivers’ team.

4. New York Knicks – This is finally Carmelo Anthony’s team and he is in the prime of his career. They added pieces he loves and he needs to have a championship run. If everything clicks for New York early in the season, the Knicks can be a top team in the East.

5. Indiana Pacers – The Pacers are one of the legit deep teams in the East. A lot of familiar faces will be back for Indiana as their young talent is coming up together. The Pacers are for real this year.

6. Chicago Bulls – They still have Tom Thibodeau as their coach who will not let this team fall off until Derrick Rose comes back. The Bulls won’t be an elite team without their leader but no way they skid too far until Rose comes back.

7. Brooklyn Nets – Deron Williams came back to the Nets to make a splash in Brooklyn. With Joe Johnson in the same backcourt as him, the Nets won’t be the laughing stock of the league anymore. A breath of fresh air is exactly what the Nets needed as they start a new life in Brooklyn.

8. Atlanta Hawks – Losing Johnson will sure hurt this team but Atlanta is still looking to compete in the East. They still have a great duo down low in Josh Smith and Al Horford. The Hawks didn’t completely sell all their pieces and will win games this year.

9. Cleveland Cavaliers – Kyrie Irving showed signs of superstardom in his rookie year but to be a true superstar in this league you have to win. There is a lot of raw young talent on this team and it will be Byron Scott’s job to bring it all together.

10. Milwaukee Bucks – How Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis will play together will be an interesting story all year long. Scott Skiles will need to get these two scorers to coexist and have the big trade pay off.

11. Detroit Pistons – Detroit is rebuilding and decided to go the big man route with Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond. Brandon Knight will learn how to play point guard in this league with his first 82 game season. There’s a lot of talent in Detroit to like.

12. Toronto Raptors – The Raptors are in the toughest division in the league so it will be hard to compete. Big things are expected out of rookies Terrence Ross and last year’s No. 1 pick Jonas Valanciunas. DeMar DeRozan needs to pick up his game if the Raptors ever want to be relevant.

13. Washington Wizards – Washington’s starting five is filled with high draft picks with John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Emeka Okafor. Nene is a great piece along with Trevor Ariza. The Wizards are loaded with young talent but that seems to be the problem year in and year out.

14. Charlotte Bobcats – It can only go up for the Bobcats sake. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will need to make an immediate impact to give this franchise hope in themselves.

15. Orlando Magic – The Magic got played by Dwight Howard and got the worst deal they could have gotten for him. Aaron Affialo isn’t going to carry your team. With Glen Davis as probably your best player, things aren’t looking good.

1. Los Angeles Lakers –

2. Oklahoma City Thunder – Kevin Durant is the best pure scorer in the universe. He isn’t even in his prime and he can average 30 points a game this season. Russell Westbrook is a freak athlete at the point guard position and maybe a summer with Team USA helped him become a better point guard. The Thunder are an elite team and will be one of the best all year.

3. Los Angeles Clippers – The second team in LA will be a force this season. Chris Paul is now in his prime has an awesome team around him. If Blake Griffin stays healthy, Paul will make him into an elite big man. The Clippers are no longer a laughing stock.

4. San Antonio Spurs – You would be foolish to count out the Spurs this year. Gregg Popovich is the best coach in the league and the Spurs will not let the Lakers and Thunder just run away with the West.

5. Denver Nuggets – The Nuggets are loaded with young talent at every position this season. If George Karl can get this team to play together and maximize their potential, the Nuggets will be a threat in the West.

6. Memphis Grizzlies – The Grizzlies will always be consistent and win games in the West. They have a great starting five that is very balanced. They have a scorer in Rudy Gay, defender in Tony Allen, floor general in Mike Conley, and two great post players in Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. Memphis is no joke.

7. Dallas Mavericks – Two years removed from their championship season, the Mavericks are a different team. They still have Dirk Nowitzki so they won’t be a pushover and he won’t have that championship hangover like last season. They have new faces in Darren Collison and o=O.J. Mayo in the backcourt that give them speed. The Mavs are different but are still good.

8. Minnesota Timberwolves – The Timberwolves are loaded with young, but inexperienced talent. Ricky Rubio showed when healthy he is a playmaker while Kevin Love is one of the league’s best players. With Brandon Roy and Andrei Kirilenko added to the roster, this team will take the next step this season.

9. Sacramento Kings – Like the T’wolves, the Kings have a lot of young talent. That might have reached with their Jimmer  Fredette pick a year ago but they are still a very talented team. DeMarcus Cousins seems to be growing up and he and Thomas Robinson can be the next big dominant duo down low. Tyreke Evans will have to step it up if the Kings have playoff dreams.

10. Golden State Warriors – Do the Warriors get over the hump or are they still the Warriors? They finally have a solid nucleus of players in Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, David Lee and Andrew Bogut. Can Mack Jackson really coach? The Warriors will have an interesting season.

11. Portland Trailblazers – Portland is a sleeper team this year. LaMarcus Aldridge is having himself quite a career up there in Portland and is heavily underrated. Damian Lillard is apparently the real deal at point guard. I still think this team will take a few years to compete.

12. Utah Jazz – The Jazz will be quiet this season. They lack star power and big playmakers. Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson are great but can they put this Jazz team on their back? I don’t see it at all.

13. New Orleans Hornets – Rebuilding begins now in NOLA but it might be sooner rather than later when the Hornets play in some serious ball games. They got lucky with landing Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers. They still have Eric Gordon and when he is healthy, he is one of the best shooting guards in the league. The Hornets will grow together.

14. Phoenix Suns – The post-Steve Nash era begins now for the Suns, and it might be a little rough. Goran Dragic will have to show he can handle the starting role as point guard and Michael Beasley will finally have the main scorer title for the first time in his career. The Suns will not be the Suns of the past we are used to watching.

15. Houston Rockets – Sorry Jeremy, I had to do it to you. I can’t see the Rockets being very good this year. Linsanity will stop, Omir Asik is the most overpaid player in history, and I just feel bad for Kevin Martin. Sorry Houston, there is going to be a lot of problems this year.