Depending on how you look at it, either the Golden State Warriors played excellent defense or the Knicks simply didn’t have it on offense—I would hazard to guess it was an unfortunate combination of the two.

In the first half the Knicks played well defensively and actually lead 43-37 by the break. The second half however, was a different story; the effort just wasn’t there defensively and Warriors started to get hot, and subsequently pulled away.

Amar’e and Melo both struggled offensively, shooting a combined 8-27 from the floor; and when those two guys struggle, this team just does not have the extra firepower to sustain itself offensively.

Despite the offensive struggles, the defensive effort by the Knicks is encouraging, especially considering that Tyson Chandler—the team’s defensive anchor—played just 22 minutes due to foul trouble. (more…)

Here’s Times scribe Harvey Araton’s take:

Could Randolph have been a building block in New York at a much lower cost than Amar’e Stoudemire? We’ll never know, but be sure of one thing: Had it been him catching the pass from Carmelo Anthony at the end of Game 2 in Boston and not Jeffries, the Knicks would have had their first playoff victory in 10 years.

That night in Toronto Wilson Chandler was the only Knick to play well; Amar’e had nine turnovers in a foreshadowing of his early-season offensive strategy of lowering his should and dribbling directly at his man with his head down, and Raymond Felton debuted the “I don’t know the offense yet, so I think I’ll just shoot” method, to be co-opted months later by Chauncey Billups.  Despite the poor individual performances the Knicks held a five-point lead to start the fourth quarter, and if you remember the game, I think you’ll remember thinking it was the kind of game previous Knicks teams would lose.  This team…didn’t – they held Toronto to a tidy 21 fourth-quarter points, kept their cool, and won it 98-93.

Fast forward to the Knicks’ other first game of the season.  February 23^rd, 2011 marked the beginning of the Carmelo roller coaster, and once again it was a reserve that kept the Knicks afloat – Toney Douglas did the honors with 23 points on 10-12 shooting.  And again, none of the Knicks’ new toys played particularly well: Billups shot 4-12 and began to leak the dirty little secret that Douglas knew the offense better than he did; as for Melo, shooting seemed to be the only part of the D’Antoni offense that translated from Denver.  Add in an Amar’e performance that seemed deferential to the debuts of his new star teammates – he averaged 19 FGA for the season but attempted just 13 in this game – and it was another game that, say, the 2007 Knicks would’ve blown.  But this team…didn’t, and walked out with a 114-108 victory over the Bucks.

Then, of course, in the Knicks’ final first game of the season, they lost a heartbreaker to Boston in game one of what would turn out to be a sweep.  This could be a thousand-word post of its own, but given the injuries to Amar’e and Chauncey – to say nothing of some sketchy refereeing and indefensible Celtic shooting – I don’t think we learned anything about the Knicks’ present or future these past couple of weeks.

So before we spend the next couple of months looking to the future, let’s look back quickly to see what this team actually accomplished.  When I think of this regular season, I think of a team that established at least a baseline of composure at the end of games.  The wins over Toronto and Milwaukee are just two convenient examples of games we’re used to watching in horror as Stephon Marbury goes 1-11 in the fourth quarter and the Knicks lose.  And yet the Knicks won them.  Sure, after both games there would come the mindless, inexplicable losses that recede my hairline.  But this year, and going forward, we could say, “They won without playing their best game.”  After wins in previous years we’d say, “If only they played like this every night…”

When push came to shove, of course, simple composure and end-of-game savvy weren’t enough, but then the Knicks team that fell to Boston wasn’t the same team that had played together all year, or even played together since the trade.  Hell, it wasn’t really a team at all.  Obviously that didn’t stop the national media from talking about the Knicks’ D-League supporting cast and how you can’t win that way, as if Donnie Walsh and Knicks fans were watching the games going, “But Roger Mason has given us such great minutes all season!  And we’ve never had a problem running the offense through Jared Jeffries before!”  So the Barkley’s and the Bucher’s don’t realize it – what else is new? – but I hope the fans all understand that this series was not a value judgment on Carmelo, Amar’e, D’Antoni or Donnie Walsh.  Heads shouldn’t be rolling here, not yet.

Amar’e and Carmelo seem to sense this, talking about winning 50 games next year and openly campaigning for D’Antoni to return for another shot, another real shot, at getting something done with this nucleus.  (Aside: the way they’re talking, you’d think this team hadn’t just been swept by a rival.  Is this a good attitude for your star players to have?  You decide.)  It appears that Walsh wants to be part of the solution as well, and might put up with James Dolan’s antics to add a few more pieces so that Renaldo Balkman can continue wearing a tie to playoff games.  Whether there is another Fields or Mozgov on the horizon is an open question, but whatever pieces Walsh adds, the Knicks will begin next season a team that feels it was gypped out of a playoff series, believes itself better than its reputation around the league, and has flashed the ability to win ugly.  Those are dangerous things in this league; as we look to the future let’s take this moment to remember that, despite the sweep, this team took some crucial steps forward this year.  And better yet, after the sweep, I don’t think the rest of the league knows it.

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(Photo Courtesy of the AP)

Box Score

Being down 3-0 in a best of seven playoff series doesn’t create too many positive things for a basketball team. What it can do, however, is instill fight, will, belief, hope, and an underdog mentality. Today the Knicks lost; their season crashing to the floor while extending what feels like an eternal winless playoff streak. Their largest deficit in today’s particular game was 23 points and the team had every reason to pack it in and wait until next year as they stared a long summer square in the face: Their starting point guard was in a suit, their largest free agent acquisition in franchise history was limited by back problems, and their starting shooting guard was in the final stages of his slow transformation from Rookie of the Year candidate to Casper the friendly ghost. But the Knicks didn’t give up. They fought back. They had belief and hope and a will to win. Unfortunately, their opponent, the Boston Celtics, had all those things coupled with more talent, chemistry, and experience. In the end, Kevin Garnett’s 26 points, Rajon Rondo’s 12 assists, and the Celtics 50% shooting from the field was just too much to overcome—it would be for most teams.

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Amar'e Stoudemire, here shooting over Nenad Krstic, will start today against the Celtics in game four.

Per the Twitters of just about every Knicks beat writer, Amar’e Stoudemire is going to give it a go today.  He’s reportedly feeling “much better,” though as Howard Beck of the Times notes, “he’s hopped up on Advil.”  But who among us hasn’t taken some painkillers during this series?  Amiright?

Billups and Shaquille O’Neal remain out for their respective teams; Alan Hahn tweeted yesterday that Billups is “finished,” while O’Neal made the trip intending to play today but will be kept in reserve with the Celtics headed for a possible sweep.

In other news, the Knicks’ starting lineup remains the same as Friday’s.  Frankly I thought Landry Fields had as much chance of starting as Amar’e.

Happy Easter, errrbody.  It seems we may have two resurrections to celebrate today.  Enjoy the game, and Mike will be along with an evening recap.

"Did you hear the one about a playoff team running its offense through Jared Jeffries?"

I remember not so many days ago I mentioned that we should take this series for what it is: an outside chance at an upset, sure, but mostly a reward to us fans after so many years of embarrassment, an official proclamation that the Knicks are back.  I wrote that we should keep the negativity to a minimum and revel in the glory of playoff basketball and a national spotlight.

We all see what a bunch of crap that was, right?  Can we go back to bitching and moaning now?  Oh, good.

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Recap when emotionally prepared.  Which is tomorrow.

Amar’e has been at MSG since 4, but hasn’t yet taken the court. All treatment so far. Did do some things after shootaround this morning.

Amar’e is on active roster. Have to see how he gets through warmups. He’s been at MSG for 2 hours so far.

Official word from D’Antoni is Amar’e is “game-time decision”…Chauncey is on inactive.

Looks like we’ll have both big guns in there at least to start.  As the Celtics continue to remind us, though, it isn’t how you start but how you finish.  UPDATE: Amar’e will start.  Ok, let’s see what this team has on its home floor.

No official word on Shaq, but it looks like he’ll try to give it a go in game four on Sunday afternoon.

The Knicks were down seven at the end of the quarter. “It’s an ugly game,” Monroe said. “If I had to draw this one up, it’d look like this,” and he pantomimed a mess of scribbles.

Trautwig asked the analysts to raise their hand if they thought the Knicks could come back and tie the game. They all looked at each other. King cautiously lifted his. Monroe and Tripucka raised their eyebrows. King shrugged his shoulders.

Yet somehow the Knicks began to claw their way back. Anthony continued his run of unearthly baskets, driving to the hoop as elusively as Monroe and raining jump shots with a touch as deadly as King’s. The Knicks closed to within two, and Trautwig complemented King on his unlikely prescience. “I was being optimistic,” King said. After the Knicks remarkably took the lead with eight minutes left, everyone in the room jumped out of their seats. King raised both his arms in the air. Monroe beamed. “I don’t mind being wrong,” he said.

Before Game 2′s telecast on TNT, Charles Barkley made a few strange comments towards Mike D’Antoni. As far as we know, the statements were unprovoked. D’Antoni responded earlier today in an article by Newsday’s Alan Hahn:

Mike D’Antoni brushed off questions about Charles Barkley’s recent comments — and subsequent apology — on TNT this week. Barkley before Tuesday’s Game 2 criticized D’Antoni and suggested the Knicks “are going to have a new coach next year” and then on Thursday said he was wrong to say that.

“It’s fine,” D’Antoni said. “It’s a distraction in a sense that I’ve got so many things on my plate right now, trying to get us right, but I haven’t really thought about it that much.”

When asked a follow-up question, D’Antoni quickly replied, ”This is probably not the place to go into it.”

Weird. Unless Stephon Marbury is Barkley’s godson, I can’t figure out/wait to hear what the deal is.

If you like basketball, chances are you like kicks. And if you like the Knicks, chances are you like Melo. Since 2+2=4, here’s a presser from Nike about the ridiculously cool shoes Anthony will have strapped on for tonight’s Game 3. (more…)

Photo Courtesy of AP

Every now and again, an individual player submits a performance so miraculous on the nation’s stage, we struggle to place it in the proper perspective. In Game 2, Carmelo Anthony scored 42 points and grabbed 17 rebounds (Dwight Howard numbers), hitting the type of shots that forced giggles from a couple former players sitting in a certain Atlanta studio.

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Courtesy of Howard Beck:

Boston’s Delonte West took the inbounds pass in the backcourt with 4.1 seconds left, forcing the Knicks to chase him and waste time. Anthony, who seemed gassed, did not foul him until 0.6 remained on the clock. West made both free throws for the final margin.

The Celtics, who had all of their stars present and in working order, barely escaped.

Courtesy of Bob Ryan:

More Knicks confusion: After the ball was inbounded, Delonte West was allowed to dribble unimpeded until he finally was fouled by Carmelo Anthony at the 0.6-second mark. Not exactly the urgency you need.

Okay. Now there’s 4.1 seconds left in the game, you’re down a single point, and the opponent has a side inbounds. There’s no reason to think a win is out of reach or that this ball game should be chalked up as an inevitable loss. It’s still anybody’s to win. In this situation, in the NBA, one full second, maybe 1.5, should trickle off the clock before a foul is had. It’s a simple man to man assignment where each Knicks player should be matched up to shadow a Celtic, and the moment he catches the ball he’s fouled. Instead, New York allowed Delonte West to escape into the backcourt and dribble out all possible hope of a game winning or tying shot.

Yes it’s unlikely. The odds of it happening are stacked so incredibly high that attempting to win would be daunting if not downright heroic. But it also would be necessary, smart, and instinctive. At least it should be. What we all saw Carmelo Anthony do in that second half was incredible, and who’s to say it couldn’t happen again.

I’ve been a D’Antoni supporter since his arrival, but the effort and wherewithal on this play was both embarrassing and nonexistent; that’s on the coach. The play wasn’t included in the game’s highlights, and more people today will be talking about Carmelo’s decision to pass to Jeffries, and then Jeffries’ decision to pass to Garnett, but this should be included in the team’s mental crumbling as much as anything. There’s just no way a professional team can breakdown like this in a playoff game and expect to win a series. I don’t care who was injured or who was on the court. You or I could chase Delonte West 20 feet and then hit him, anybody could. It made the Knicks look like a team resigned to go back home for Friday’s Game 3 and give it their best shot in the Garden. The problem is, this ideology is a million miles away from what a true champion believes.

In battles of Good and Evil, it usually takes Good a while to get going, for reasons that seem all too familiar.

In addition to being a Knicks fan, one of the other ways I misuse my time is watching professional wrestling.  As a kid I was attracted to the lights and entrance music and the overall spectacle, and today…well, pretty much the same thing.  Without going into the whole defense of wrestling that no one wants to read, I’ll just say it’s no less intelligent TV than any reality show, and it’s less fake than 24 or Grey’s Anatomy or any other popular show that, when you admit to liking it, doesn’t compel people to conduct an impromptu psychological evaluation.  I just don’t mind watching scripted sports, I guess.  I even sometimes get this weird hang-up where after I flip over from wrestling to real sports, and I’m still in “scripted” mode, I’ll find myself wondering how this game ends before I snap out of it and realize I’m not watching actors on a stage anymore.

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Amar'e Sulks Off The Court After Watching Boston Steal Game One (AP)

Welcome to the playoffs, everybody! If Game One is able to tell us anything, this should be one hell of a legendary basketball series.  Despite the heartbreaking Ray Allen dagger, we’ll be staying positive here because there’s so much to be optimistic about. Hit the jump for a (totally not mental) breakdown. (more…)

At this point, you and I have read every preview and analyzed the series from every possible angle. Hell, we’ve been prognosticating about the team’s playoff chance since mid-February. You don’t need me or anyone else to tell you about the Celtics and how the Knicks match up.

There are, however, a couple of things I wanted to touch on before we settle in with our pillows, blankets and whatever comfort food gets you through a playoff game. As a begrudging resident of Boston I’ve watched almost as many Celtics games as Knicks games. Most of what I’ve seen is no different from their national reputation: they play incredible team defense, they are among the most unpredictable teams in the league in crunch time, and a big game from Rondo and one of Pierce/Allen/Garnett is usually enough for a win.

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Heading into their playoff series against the Celtics, it can be argued that the Knicks are overmatched at every single position but small forward—and even there, Paul Pierce vs. Carmelo Anthony is no cake walk. But the one player able to bring a significant advantage for New York happens to come off the bench. He has the type of dynamic range that can change a game’s momentum, and if the Knicks are lucky, swing a series. The man I’m talking about, of course, is Toney Douglas.

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Yea...So That Didn't Go In (AP)

Box Score

The 2010-11 regular season goes into the books with a tiny thud as the Knicks lose a semi-meaningless game to Boston four days before the two teams meet in the first round.  I say “semi” meaningless because even though between these two teams Amar’e Stoudemire was the only impact player who saw the court, the Celtics bench players—who had been struggling—were given a little confidence boost. But it isn’t something to read into or worry too much about. Take the jump to read more ’bout it. (more…)

The 2011 NBA Playoffs schedule for Game 1s of the Eastern Conference’s first round have been announced, and the Boston Celtics will host the New York Knicks on Sunday, April 17, at 7 p.m. ET at TD Garden. TNT and local cable partners will broadcast the game. The Celtics and Knicks are the final East teams to get started, as the other three series tip off on Saturday.

There’s no doubt the NBA feels this is the marquee first round series from the East, hence the lone Sunday night spotlight. Should be a fun one.

The First Time Anyone's Ever Passed With Jared Jeffries Defending Them (AP)

Box Score

If basketball games were 24 minutes long, the Knicks would be feared. Nobody would want a piece of them—Carmelo, Amar’e, even Toney Douglas—come early May. But alas, the game isn’t 24 minutes, it’s 48. Through the first half tonight, New York looked dangerous and effective on both ends of the floor. Their offense was clicking, the ball was moving, and defensively they controlled the game’s pace. Then halftime happened.  (more…)

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Mr. Alicia Keys remixes the Knicks anthem for the playoffs. Good lordy, the Garden will be rocking next week.

Orlando 95, Philadelphia 85

Miami 98, Atlanta 90

Washington 95, Boston 94 (OT)

Philly’s loss locked the Knicks into sixth place, and the Heat win coupled with Boston’s loss in Washington leaves the second seed out of reach for the Celtics. The schedule has yet to be announced, but game one will take place either Saturday or Sunday in Boston.

Boston elected to scratch Garnett, Allen, Pierce and Rondo despite heading into tonight a game back of Miami with two games to play.  They may also have lost Delonte West for the immediate future; he suffered a strain on the same ankle that kept him out for two weeks last month.

The message from tonight’s game was clear: the Celtics don’t care who their opponent is because they don’t consider the Knicks a threat.  And that’s justified – the Knicks haven’t done anything yet.  But finally, after seven long years without playoff ball, it’s on, everybody.  Let’s make it a rivalry.

Melo had 34, and the Knicks needed every one of 'em.

My last regular-season recap means my last chance to use bullet points instead of a real recap.  In the playoffs that just ain’t gonna cut it, but tonight I can’t pass up the opportunity at one last run of non sequiturs.  Earlier today the Celtics were trounced in Miami, reinforcing my opinion that we should all be pulling for Knicks-Celts in round one.  Will the Knicks come through?  Let’s find out.

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(Aside: this is the best way to guard the Celtics anyway, and I’m surprised at how few teams seem to realize it.  The Knicks have given the Celtics tough games under Mike D’Antoni because he has always used Duhon, Douglas, Felton or Billups to chase Allen while a longer defender – usually Jeffries – slacks off Rondo.  Most teams use their point guards to play ten feet off Rondo, but then when he penetrates they aren’t long enough to contest him at the rim.  (Aside to the aside: this is probably the only thing D’Antoni does defensively that’s better than most of the rest of the league.)  Ok, rant over.)

From a seeding perspective, the Knicks need two wins from their final three games to secure the sixth seed.  The Celtics play the Heat today (3:30 on ABC) in a matchup of our prospective first-round opponents.  The loser of that game would be one game behind the winner in the battle for second, with just two games remaining apiece.

Tonight’s game is on NBA TV if you’re not local.  Enjoy the game, and I’ll have a proper recap tonight to make up for this slapdashery.

Melo drives by Mario West during the Knicks win last night. Until yesterday I had never heard of Mario West.

Box Score

Is it just me, or is this the most ho-hum six-game winning streak ever?  In a way I think that’s what excites me the most about it: the feeling that, unlike the winning streaks in November, this team isn’t growing into itself or coming together or overachieving – they’re just taking care of business.  Ho-hum.

And that isn’t the only sign of the increased maturity of this group.  Carmelo Anthony could’ve celebrated Amar’e Stoudemire’s absence by hoisting 25 shots; instead he took a fairly typical 18 and grabbed 14 rebounds.  Overall the Knicks scored a rare double-digit victory in rebounding, 48-38.

And say what you will about Brook Lopez, but he worked really hard for both of those rebounds.

In my post yesterday I mentioned how much I was looking forward to seeing the role players in extended burn.  It seems most of them were as excited as I was – after Carmelo helped the Knicks to a fat first-quarter lead, it was the role players who came in and put this baby to bed.  Let’s go one by one through those battling for playoff PT and see if they earned any tonight:

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If you're hoping to see either of these two guys, you're in the wrong place.

I remember going to a Mets game about a dozen years ago and being shattered that Mike Piazza wasn’t in the lineup.  Nothing against Todd Pratt, but it just wasn’t the same.  I had and would continue to see Piazza hit every day for years afterward, but as any fan knows it’s less the performance and more the little things that make seeing your heroes in person so special.  I could turn on the Mets any day and see Piazza drive one out to right center, but I wanted to see him drag the bat from the on-deck circle to home plate like some prehistoric war club, take off his hat to wipe his brow and show everyone his hideous blond highlights, even fire a few lasers down to second base between innings that made everyone wonder, “Why the hell can’t he do that in the game?”

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As the Knicks finish out the season — with motivation to clinch a winning record (need three more wins in the last five games) and possibly move up to the sixth seed (can do that with a win in Phlly tonight) — D’Antoni said he will be holding auditions for available spots in his playoff rotation, which is expected to be very limited. D’Antoni is likely to play only about seven to eight, at best, and you already know the starting five (I have Shelden Williams as the starting center) and Toney Douglas is the top six. The candidates for the final one or two spots include Jared Jeffries, Shawne Williams and Anthony Carter. Ronny Turiaf and Bill Walker could be in the mix.

“The guys on the bench, I told them, they’re more or less auditioning for a spot in the playoffs,” D’Antoni said. “I’m not going to play 10 guys, it may be nine, may be eight, may even be seven. So it should be a good competition.”

D’Antoni did say he liked the energy he saw in Derrick Brown, who played the final 9:55 of Tuesday’s win and had seven points (2-for-2 with an electrifying fast break dunk and 3-for-5 from the line) and a steal. “Derrick Brown looked good,” D’Antoni said. “He’s got a live body. We’ve got five games and I want to see a little bit more of him.”

From what Mike D’Antoni recently said regarding his playoff rotations, we’ll now be discussing who should (and shouldn’t) be apart of it.

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Me, I’m a Celtics guy.  I watch that team every night and I believe they can be had.  They haven’t jelled since the trade, they aren’t likely to get anything out of Shaq, and Jeff Green looks like a totally different player.  They started Jermaine O’Neal last night, and they’re getting minutes from Sasha Pavlovic, Carlos Arroyo and Troy Murphy.  Outside of the big four there isn’t one guy, Glen Davis included, who is making a genuine contribution every night.  I know we can take them.

As for tonight, Philly returns home for this game off a shellacking last night in Boston highlighted only by one of the best performances of Evan Turner’s young career (21 points, five assists).  There’s more time for Turner now that Lou Williams is done for the regular season with a hamstring injury.  The 76ers will start Jrue Holiday, Jodie Meeks, Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand, and Spencer Hawes.  Iguodala didn’t practice Monday to rest a sore knee but did log 33 unassertive minutes last night.  Brand’s numbers have taken a nosedive in the last month, and he recently revealed to the New York Times that he’s played the last month with a fractured hand.  Thad Young is your nightly Knick opponent that makes you wonder, “Does he grab this many rebounds every night?”  Enjoy the game if possible, and Mike will have some recapping along at bedtime.

Chauncey Billups looks on in horror as Toney Douglas takes his $14.2M option and lights it on fire. TD had 28 points, five assists and no turnovers in 25 minutes.

Box Score

We’ve got playoff basketball to look forward to, and I’m looking forward to this game more than any in quite a while.  Our boys are in the dance!  Will they celebrate in style, or will they play like they’d rather be celebrating?  (Post-game note: they mixed in a little of both.)  Let’s find out with some bullets.

First Quarter

• The Knicks went two for three on the Raptors’ game-time decisions: Bargnani in, Barbosa and Calderon out.  Also, I’m watching the TSN feed for this game; the commentators are the barbershop duo of Matt Devlin and the NBA’s Bing Crosby, Jack Armstrong.  All in all, a very enjoyable tandem, especially relative to the assclownery on  the mics around this league.
• Amir Johnson needed 18 seconds to commit his first foul.  James Johnson, the ball’s in your court.
• Chauncey Billups runs a sweet pick and roll with Jared Jeffries, who’s getting the start tonight with Toronto lacking a legitimate post presence.  Jeffries did actually finish that play with a layup, if that last sentence was unclear – off the backboard, into the basket, the whole kit and caboodle.  Knicks out to a quick 7-0 lead, timeout Raptors.

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DeMar DeRozan, here working to improve his shooting range.

Tonight the Knicks take a victory lap at MSG, celebrating their first playoff berth since 2004 against the Raptors.  These two teams haven’t met since December, but Toronto never seemed to have much of an answer for our heroes, losing all three games in rather convincing style.  Can the Knicks make it a season sweep?  Will both teams combine for 300 points?  Can Reggie Evans set a record for most single-game rebounds without scoring a point?  Let’s answer none of those questions right here, right now.

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Chauncey Was Able To Score From Wherever He Wanted Tonight (AP)

It’s been seven years of excruciation. 492 games with hardly a meaningful, progressive, or positive moment to be found at any time. Tonight, after a commanding win against the Cleveland Cavaliers (finally) combined with the Washington Wizards picking up their third road win of the season in Charlotte, all of that is washed away; the 38-38 Knicks are guaranteed a playoff spot. The Knicks are 4-6 in their last 10 games, but are beginning to construct something productive together—tonight was their third win in a row.

Now for some thoughts on the victory.

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This is Manny Harris. His game will make you throw up.

Good afternoon errrbody.  Tonight the Knicks face what I’m pretty sure is the ’86 Celtics in what’s sure to be the grudge match of the year.  To me, games like this come down to how seriously a team takes its job.  I’m watching the Spurs as I write this – their businesslike mentality is palpable and it reflects in their play.  They’re running their sets, preparing themselves for the playoffs and establishing their baseline of intensity so that come playoffs time, that intensity is rote.  As my college baseball coach would say, they know no other way.

The Knicks know a dozen ways.  They’re competitors with a sense of the moment like everyone else, and I’ve harped endlessly about “the switch” that we’ve seen them flip when it’s time to strap in against the elite teams.  But they don’t have the mentality we see in the Spurs, Celtics, Lakers, etc. – they don’t treat every game like it’s their job.  They treat every fourth game like it’s summer camp.

With a win tonight, New York would be within one win or Charlotte loss of clinching a playoff spot and a chance to topple the Celtics or Heat.  How strange, then, that it’s taking care of business against the league’s worst team that might do the most to convince me they can match intensity with the league’s best.

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Carmelo Was Hypnotic In The Third Quarter (AP)

Taking a page from Will’s brilliant recap the other night, tonight’s will read like a live self-chat had with myself; bullet points galore. Heeeeeere Weeeee Goooooo!

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That fire will get its first heat check tonight at the Garden against our cross-river “rivals” the Nets.  The Netsies threw together a five-game winning streak against some bad teams and the Celtics, and besides that they’ve lost 14 of 15, with their only win outside the streak since February 7 coming against Cleveland.  And on February 7, they beat Sacramento, so maybe we shouldn’t count that one either.  The point is, this team is pretty bad.  Let’s remind ourselves why.

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Rather than a traditional recap, we’re going with bullet points tonight!  Aren’t you excited?  I know I am, until I see Shawne Williams guarding Dwight Howard.  That’s when I start to get bitter.  But on with the recap!

First Quarter

• I may be a little distracted because The Hangover happens to be on HBO right now.  Although, to be fair, most of the Knicks would probably be pretty distracted by it too.
• Mike D’Antoni is starting Shawne Williams: Interior Defender.  Dwight Howard should enjoy that.  Okay, turning the snark off now.

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Melo and the Knicks want you to know that they have to win this game. But if they don't, it's not a big deal.

Ok, Knicks fans.  You’ve seen the worst.  You’ve been to the lowest depths.  You’ve witnessed rock bottom.  I know this because Carmelo Anthony has branded this game “almost a must-win for us.”  Whoa!

Anthony went on to say in this article, “I want to approach this as a must-win game for us.”  So, it’s something almost resembling a game that ideally they’d like to view through a must-win lens.  Got it.  So if Dwight Howard runs out of teabags at halftime because he already handed them out to Amar’e Stoudemire and Shawne Williams, just relax, Knicks fans – it’s only almost a must-win game.

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Basketball Jesus? Not Quite, But Close.

Basic logic says that despite being on the road, the Knicks would win this game. The combination of their coming off another embarrassing loss last night to Milwaukee (their second in less than a week to the Bucks) and Charlotte’s emotional road victory against Boston, which also happened last night, had the Knicks looking like the team who’d be on the winning end of things. What instead happened was a time capsule game for the ages in proving just how important defense is in the NBA. After building a one point lead after the first, the Knicks faced a 13 point deficit at halftime. Much of this was due to dazed efforts on the glass (Dominic McGuire had five offensive rebounds in three second quarter minutes) and pathetic defense. If any adjustments were made at halftime, they were blatantly ignored as Charlotte pushed its lead to 20 midway through the third quarter and despite Carmelo Anthony’s (13-25, 36 points) best effort down the stretch, helping the Knicks cut the lead down to four late in the fourth quarter, this game never looked like one the Knicks had a chance of winning. Let’s look at the case study that was tonight’s Bobcats/Knicks game to discover why:

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Brandon Jennings was the best point guard on the floor tonight. The best shooting guard too, for that matter.

Jerry Seinfeld has a famous bit about how when you root for a pro sports team, you’re essentially rooting for laundry.  I’ve never agreed with that, and I think the current Knicks show why it’s a flawed premise.  I wrote in my preview earlier that as fans we need to hit the reset button and keep in mind that this team is headed for a puncher’s chance in round one – trade or no trade, losing streak or no losing streak.  We’re getting there one way or another, so there’s no use getting bent out of shape about short-term growing pains.

And if we were really cheering for laundry, it would be pretty easy; we’d shelve our emotions and sit tight for the playoffs.  But we’re cheering for people, like every other NBA fan, except the people wearing our laundry don’t deserve to be cheered for.  As terribly as this team is playing, I don’t think there’s anything that could happen (short of injury) that would make me write the Knicks off as a first-round upset candidate, but this team is making me question whether I even want an upset to happen.  That probably sounds crazy, and I say it partly out of frustration from another agonizing loss, but consider: If this lack of effort keeps up through the end of the season, would I be the only one watching a potential round-one upset thinking, “These guys don’t deserve this?”

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Carlos Delfino, el asesino

It’s fitting, maybe, that the last time the Bucks came to Madison Square Garden was the last time the Knicks had a fresh start.  They had just acquired Carmelo, nobody knew quite what to expect, and the team delivered a flawed but passionate performance to get the Melo era off on the right foot.  It seemed like a taste of many nights to come where a great team doesn’t have its best game but dispatches a lesser side and protects home court, the way elite teams always do.

Today the Knicks again face the Bucks at home, and again we’re reaching for the reset button.  But that’s the thing – this time, it’s we who need the fresh start, not the team.  The team looks tired, confused, unsure of each player’s role, but in a few weeks they’ll be in the same spot they would’ve been in without Carmelo: on the road, against a better team, with two chances to win a game that brings a playoff series back to MSG tied 1-1.  We, on the other hand – bloggers and readers alike, who need little nuggets and insights into our team’s future every day – can’t seem to reconcile the abhorrent on-court product with what figures to be the same end-result.

Oh, and it drives us crazy.  I mean, I’m the guy who just wrote 1,300 words as Carmelo Anthony; nobody’s having more trouble coming to grips with this than I am.  We all want to think each game points us in a new direction or reveals something new about the team, and it’s frustrating to realize that no matter what happens, we’re probably headed to the same conclusion.  They’re going to have a puncher’s chance, same as before.  They aren’t going to get blown out in both road games – one is going to be close.  And in a close game, it may come down to just one shot.

I don’t know what Mike D’Antoni can do right now to make sure that one shot goes in.   I do know that we can’t do anything, though, so let’s hit our own reset button.  With 11 games to go, it seems as good a time as any.

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The Wind Left Chauncey's Sails At Halftime (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Box Score

The losing streak drags on; the Knicks have fallen below .500. The story, once again, is the team’s inept play when the game’s up for grabs and both teams have a win in their sites—otherwise known as the fourth quarter.  Tonight, after forfeiting a four point lead at the half, the Knicks found themselves down only one point heading into the final period, and, you guessed it, the Knicks were outscored, out-hustled, and outplayed to the tune of a 32-21 deficit.  Hop the turnstile for a few points on the big three…

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I know there’s been a lot of haters out there talking about the way the team’s been playing.  People are talking like, “You were brought here to win, but now you don’t want to play defense,” and, “You just wanna get your shots up,” and, “Your wife is distracting my eleven year-old.”  And to those people I say, hey, you barely know me.  I mean, my wife didn’t play defense when I first met her either, and besides, she doesn’t distract me from getting my shots up, so why does your eleven year-old have a problem?

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A Dejected Carmelo Looks On As New York Fails Down the Stretch (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Demoralizing. The word’s five syllables roll off the tongue sounding exactly like what they mean. As far as regular season losses go, this one is flat out demoralizing. Coming off two pretty bad losses to some pretty bad teams, the Knicks looked like a team that almost didn’t respect their opponents. Tonight, they knew what they were up against and they responded admirably early on, playing up to their competition and leading after the first three quarters, including a 51-37 halftime edge.  But after Carmelo Anthony—who fought through foul trouble all night and still managed a team high 22 points—cut the outer edge of his eye open on a collision with Rajon Rondo, the Knicks looked like lost puppies.  With five fouls on him for much of the fourth quarter, Anthony was reduced to defending Rondo on the perimeter instead of his man, Paul Pierce. This is an understandable strategic move, but putting Billups or Fields on Pierce in turn makes very, very little sense.  The Celtics captain went on to absolutely destroy New York in the final quarter, and with Amar’e Stoudemire continuously trying to attack the strength of Boston’s defense on the other end, the Knicks had no chance against one of the league’s best teams.

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Ron Burgundy, I hate you. At the bottom of my gut, with every inch of me, I plain, straight hate you. But dammit, do I respect you!

I guess the good news about these next two games is the Knicks won’t have to face .500-ish struggling to make the playoffs and playing their hearts out to beat a more talented team.  Instead, they just have to play elite teams who are cruising to the playoffs and play their hearts out to beat a less talented team.  Oh, crap.

Still, I’m as excited for these next two games as any since the Melo trade because now, finally, we get to find out what we really have with this team.  I’ve talked incessantly about their ability to flip the intensity switch to suddenly morph themselves into a playoff winner; we’ve seen it in patches lately – like the third quarter yesterday – but never over a whole game.  I wasn’t a supporter of the Melo trade but I’ve adamantly stated that these new Knicks have the power to turn it on when necessary.  Well, now we get to find out if I’m right.  If the Knicks still don’t defend, if Carmelo keeps reacting to screens like he’s velcroed to Kevin Garnett’s chest, if Ray Allen comes open time and again with the closest Knick wearing warm-ups and sitting in a folding chair, we’ll know the truth about this team.  We can call the coroner and make an appointment for late April.

If they can’t bring it tonight, they can’t bring it at all.  They have responded before in these situations – and not just with energy, but with ball movement, defense and discipline – but that was before the trade, and after watching these last few games, it’s possible this new group can’t cultivate the chemistry the old team had.  I think they’ll respond, but it’s anyone’s guess.

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Tonight’s game starts at 7:30PM, and you can catch it on NBA TV if you’re not local.  My cable company tragically took away my NBATV last week and I am thus forced to watch the CSN New England feed with Mike Gorman, whose disdain for other parts of the country is so casual you almost miss it, and Tommy Heinsohn, who is raising his third generation of young Bostonians who are convinced that the referees are biased against the Celtics, all in the name of schlocky cranky-old-man commentary.  They’re celebrating 30 years behind the mics together, and all I can say is if they worked in New York – the only place where you can’t call players by their first names no matter how in love with Glen Davis you are – they wouldn’t have made it 30 days.

Boston’s projected starters are Rondo, Allen, Pierce, Garnett and Krstic.  I remember Krstic from his days with the Nets; I’m mostly unfamiliar with the other guys but I don’t think we should take them lightly.

It appears both teams are catching each other at the right time, as the Celtics recently suffered an embarrassing loss to Houston and then needed a furious comeback to defeat New Orleans, totaling just 166 points over the two games.  As a team they look a little tired and appear to have packed it in to prepare for the playoffs.  Of course Boston is an elite team, so by that I mean “They’ve still trying really hard to win every game and actually have to stop themselves from overexertion.”  As opposed to the Knicks, who appear to define “pack it in” a little differently.

Like the Knicks, the C’s are facing some rotation questions of their own.  Boston’s New Big Three of Carlos Arroyo, Sasha Pavlovic and Troy Murphy all registered DNP-CD’s against the Hornets, and still the Celtics managed to win.  They’re either being rested for the playoffs, or they’re all horrible – you get one guess.

Speaking of Troy Murphy, I love talking to people from Boston who think their love for Brian Scalabrine had nothing to do with the fact that he was white.  No city is in more denial about its love for white athletes than Boston – there’s a lot of living vicariously through them out of some white underdog fantasy – and the way they’ve adopted Murphy (sorry, “Murph”) as their new white American hero has been hilarious to watch.  They’re basically reenacting scenes from An Officer and a Gentleman together.  Seriously, listen to the Boston crowd next time Troy Murphy shoots a three.  It’s the sound you would hear if the Patriots and Red Sox were about to win championships at the same time.  And then, when it rims out, the groan sounds like Danny Woodhead accidentally ran over Dustin Pedroia.

Finally, what I’ll be watching for tonight is the contrast in defensive styles.  About the only thing these two teams have in common defensively is that their shot-blocking is inversely proportional to their overall defensive ability: the Celtics won’t block many shots but allow the fewest points in the league by simply staying long and contesting penetrators at the rim.  They also show hard on high screens and make offenses start from as far away as possible, burning up as much of the shot clock as they can.  They also don’t crash the offensive glass in an effort to put the clamps on opponents’ transition games.

As you can see, I hate the Celtics.  This post could’ve been a thousand words longer with all things I despise about them.  I guess it’s just my way of saying how much I respect this team and the way they play.  This is a great litmus test for our Knicks, and one way or another, I think tonight will be highly informative.  Enjoy the game, if possible, and Mike will have the recap for you this evening.