Kenyon Martin

Offense: Kenyon Martin’s overall play in his quarter of a season with New York surprised a lot of people, and his offensive contributions perhaps topped that list. Martin hasn’t really been a productive offensive force since his high-flying days with the New Jersey Nets. He’s always been able to finish around the basket, but beyond the paint he’s shaky. However, in his 18 games with the Knicks, Martin proved to be a valuable cog in the pick-and-roll. His hands are good enough to catch a pass up high or down low in the roll, and he was more than happy to go up for lobs. Beyond the paint, he was still shaky, posting field goal percentages in the 20s beyond eight feet from the basket, according to NBA.com/Stats.

His presence on the court didn’t mean a whole lot for the Knicks’ overall offense though; they were two points better in Offensive Rating with Martin off the floor. Likewise, after missing nearly the entire season as an unsigned free agent, Martin’s production fell off in April after a strong March. In March, he posted 8.4 points per game on 60% FG. In April, however, Martin managed just 4 points per game on 55% FG. He was still a surprising boost to a team that was nearly gutted in early March and he filled a nice role in the PnR.

Grade: C+

Defense: Once again, the Knicks were actually better on the defensive end with Martin off the floor. They posted a 96.4 Defensive Rating with Martin playing versus a 95 D-Rating with Martin off the floor. However, some of this can be attested to how Martin was used. The Knicks rarely went “big” with Martin at the power forward and Tyson Chandler at center. During most of Martin’s minutes he was situated at center, including a stretch in which he started for the Knicks and faced other teams’ starting centers. Martin, while a stout defender with capable footwork against most players, was simply out-matched by bigger and stronger players. Not to mention, he probably wore down over the course of the season.

Martin still swatted shots with gusto, often sending soft layup attempts into the fifth row. Likewise, he rebounded fairly well, averaging 5.3 board per game in 24 minutes of playing time. His rebound percentages were down from the Knicks’ overall percentages, but that was likely as a result from playing small. Perhaps Martin’s best trait on defense, though, was his willingness to clobber any players entering the paint, and then willingly raise his hand to take the foul.

Grade: C+

Overall: Martin’s short stint with the Knicks was surprisingly effective. Considering he was often out-matched in the paint and was thrown immediately into the rotation after almost a full year of not playing, Martin held up his end of the bargain. He finished easy plays around the basket and did his darndest to prevent opponents from scoring. His future with the Knicks is uncertain and may depend on his asking price this offseason, but he’ll come back for cheap, he’d be welcomed. His production was up and down, but it was an overall fun two months with K-Mart.

Final Grade: C+

Jason Kidd

Offense: Jason Kidd’s effect on the Knicks’ offense dangled between wondrous and disastrous all season long. At times, as he has shown through his long, illustrious career, Kidd’s ahead-of-the-play passing instincts and floor-spreading made the Knicks’ offense absolutely click. Other times — and it happened a bit too frequently — Kidd’s play-making was hindered by his inability to create off the dribble and when his stroke went awry, thus making him a non-factor on the floor.

Kidd’s overall effectiveness waned throughout the season, but he was at his best early in the year. As a 40-year old is wont to do, time and length of the season took away from all that Kidd could do. In November and December, Kidd averaged 8.9 points on 45% 3FG with 4.1 assists per game. Post All-Star break, Kidd averaged 4.3 points on 29.9% FG with 2.8 assists per game. Early on, Kidd was beneficial to the Knicks’ offense, acting as a secondary play-maker at the two-guard slot next to Raymond Felton. The Knicks’ pick-and-rolls often kicked out to Kidd where he could knock down three-pointers or make the swing pass to other shooters. Early in the season, he came through in clutch situations and hit a bundle of big shots to help the Knicks win games.

However, as the year wore on, Kidd’s production just completely dropped off, including a stretch of 10 straight playoff games in which Kidd didn’t score a point. He lost his starting job to Pablo Prigioni and became ineffective off the bench. For the year, the Knicks were almost completely the same offensively with Kidd on or off the floor. He made a remarkable difference early on, but he was so ineffective late in the season that it likely evened the numbers out.

Grade: C

Defense: Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Kidd’s season was his defense. Where his offense came and went, his defense was mostly stout. Kidd no longer possesses the speed or springs to keep up with most guards, but he is equipped with Old Man Strength and his hands are sticky in the passing lane and on sloppy dribbles. Kidd occasionally got assigned bigger, more elite scorers and did a commendable job trying to lock them up. He can still defend the post well, and those thieving hands of his gave players trouble in isolation situations.

With Kidd on the floor, the Knicks had a Defensive Rating of 103.2 and a 103.8 Defensive Rating with him off the floor. As was the case with his offense, he fell off later in the season, but not to the same degree. He didn’t hurt the Knicks on defense the way he did on offense. However, in the playoffs, there were some crucial slip-ups, like bad rotations and late close-outs on shooters, especially in the Indiana series. As nice of a surprise as his fairly consistent defense was, it’s not going to get better with time.

Grade: B-

Overall: Kidd’s entire season could be summed up as this: it’s not going to get better. The Knicks signed Kidd to a three-year contract. All indications seem to say that Kidd won’t retire this offseason, which means the Knicks will need to find another more reliable guard to take more of Kidd’s minutes. He was terrific through half the season and borderline unbearable through the latter half. Kidd still brings some great qualities to the team, but it doesn’t appear he can continue to add all that much to the floor going forward. We may have seen the best of Kidd in a Knicks uniform.

Raymond Felton

Offense: Raymond Felton’s two best offensive seasons have come in a New York uniform. The first time around in 2010-11, he only lasted half the season; however, in his second stint, Felton got a full season and nearly full-time responsibility as the initiator of the offense. His baseline stats were pretty decent: 13.9 points, 42.7% FG, 36% 3FG, 5.5 assists, and 2.3 turnovers per game. He scored the ball better, shot the ball better, and took better care of the ball than his overall career stats. The numbers won’t blow most people away, but they do indicate that Felton had a solid overall season.

According to NBA.com/Stats, however, Felton’s impact on the offense was the greatest of any member of the Knicks. With Felton on the floor, the Knicks had a 111.1 Offensive Rating, versus a 105 Offensive Rating with him off the floor. The Knicks’ offense continually clicked when Felton was able to penetrate the lane in the pick-and-roll, score at the basket, or dish out to shooters. Where Felton fumbled most often was his shot selection. He too frequently settled for deep pull-up jumpers in the pick-and-r0ll when defenses sagged off of him. This was especially the case earlier in the season. In November and December, Felton averaged a combined 16.6 field goal attempts per game while only shooting a combined 39.7%. He improved those numbers to 10.5 attempts per game and 45% FG from January through April.

In the playoffs, Felton had a stretch as simply the best player in a Knicks uniform. In the first round, Felton dashed into the lane, carving Boston’s defense, finishing at the basket, or connecting from any location on the floor. He scored 17 points per game on 47% FG in the first round, captaining New York’s offense to a first round defeat of the Celtics. In the second round, he cooled off, often swallowed by Indiana’s traps and George Hill’s pesky length on defense. His offensive majesty was too good to hold up, but it highlighted an overall beneficial season for Felton and the Knicks.

Grade: B+

Defense: Felton falsely came into New York with a reputation as a ball-stopping defender. The fact of the matter is, for his career, Felton has a 109 Defensive Rating, according to Basketball Reference. Felton is fast with the ball end-to-end, but he’s not as laterally quick as many point guards in the league. He gets hung up on screens or goes underneath them at questionable times, leaving shooters open or allowing them to get into the lane. Over the course of the season, numerous point guards lit the Knicks up for big performances, none bigger than Steph Curry’s 54-point outing on the Knicks in February, as he torched Felton all across the court.

The Knicks had a 101.2 Defensive Rating with Felton off the floor, versus a 105.1 Rating with him on the floor, thus indicating Felton’s general ineffectiveness on defense. Of course, some of it wasn’t Felton’s fault. The Knicks’ defensive schemes were often frustrating to watch. The Knicks switched like mad on screens, creating avoidable mismatches that put individual defenders in bad positions. Felton isn’t a an all-world defender, but the Knicks also didn’t put him in a position to win.

Grade: C+

Overall: The move to bring Felton to the Knicks in the summer of 2012 was a controversial one. The Knicks effectively replaced Jeremy Lin with Felton, who was coming off his worst season in the NBA. However, for a good chunk of the season, Felton proved to be the point guard the Knicks needed. He was successful in the pick-and-roll, knew when to defer to guys like Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith and when to keep the ball for himself, and most of all, his teammates trusted him. He was especially effective with another point guard on the floor, which lessened his need to create all of the time and act as the only ball-handler. At 28, turning 29-years old, it’s reasonable to think that Felton can keep this play up for two more years and take away the worry or need for another starting point guard for the immediate future.

Grade: B

Anthony just enjoyed one of his best seasons in the NBA, leading the Knicks to 54 wins and an Atlantic Division title while averaging 28.7 points on 44.9% FG and 37.9% 3FG with 6.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. At times during the season, Anthony had stretches where he looked like the best small forward in the league (during those stretches) and a legitimate MVP candidate. However, when looking at the First Team, LeBron James and Kevin Durant manned the two forward positions and both players have a bigger impact on the game than Anthony. Likewise, Anthony played in 67 games this year, so his body of work was smaller.

Overall, though, it was a commemorable season for ‘Melo. His offense was at its sharpest, his defense improved, and his passing more willing. Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton both received some votes as well, though they weren’t close to actually being named to the teams.

Here’s a look at the full list of teams:

All-NBA First Team:

• F: LeBron James
• F: Kevin Durant
• C: Tim Duncan
• G: Kobe Bryant
• G: Chris Paul

All-NBA Second Team:

• F: Carmelo Anthony
• F: Blake Griffin
• C: Marc Gasol
• G: Tony Parker
• G: Russell Westbrook

All-NBA Third Team

• F: Paul George
• F: David Lee
• C: Dwight Howard
• G: James Harden
• G: Dwyane Wade

Marcus Camby

Offense: Marcus Camby hasn’t been a player teams looked upon to provide offense in about half a decade. He hasn’t averaged double-digits scoring since the 2008-09 season with the Los Angeles Clippers. So when the Knicks signed Marcus Camby this previous summer (a move applauded by many), people weren’t expecting offense from him.

In the limited minutes Camby saw this season (and my, were they limited), he was virtually nonexistent in scoring the ball. His 42 total points this season usually came on tip-ins, layups, and the occasional scorpion-whip jumper that he’ll unfurl from midrange. He provided a few moments in games against Indiana and Portland where he provided short-handed Knicks squads with some scoring on offensive rebounds or in the pick-and-roll, but even then it was limited; his season-high in points was 8. Really, the best moments Camby gave the Knicks on offense was an ability to pass from the high post and hit cutters or throw alley-oops.

Grade: C-

Defense: Camby was signed, however, to provide defense, especially in regards to blocking shots and grabbing rebounds, his two best skills. However, as mentioned, Camby rarely got to showcase his two best traits. Camby’s playing time was an overall mystery; he had calf problems then foot problems then coaching problems it seems. Throughout the season, no one ever really knew if Camby was healthy enough to play or not. Mike Woodson only really turned to him in desperate situations or to close first halves to avoid important players picking up another foul before halftime.

In the limited time Camby roamed the floor (250 minutes for the season), the Knicks had a Defensive Rating of 97.0 – the best of any player on the roster. However, the Knicks rebounded poorly with Camby on the floor, grabbing just 46.1% of all available rebounds, according to NBA.com/Stats. Yet by himself Camby rebounded and defended well. According to Basketball Reference, Camby grabbed 11.5 rebounds and 2 blocks per 36 minutes. Likewise, as an individual, Camby grabbed 18.7% of all rebounds when he played, second on the team behind Tyson Chandler. Given Camby’s historical knack for defense and gathering loose balls, it seems odd that he received no time during the Pacers series while the Knicks were trounced on the boards.

Grade: C+

Overall: Camby was decent when he actually played, but he played so infrequently. Some of this could be pinned on Woodson (though in his defense, it’s tough to just integrate new players into an established rotation), but a lot of it had to do with Camby’s own personal health. Sure, his offense was as expected (plus some nice passes. Forreal, he threw some great passes from the high post) and his defense was effective in the small doses. However, Camby was signed as the back-up center and he ended up playing less minutes than Kurt Thomas and Rasheed Wallace, both of whom didn’t last the whole season and began behind Camby on the depth chart. Camby’s still got some years on his contract, but he’ll be a year older and without much recent time on the floor. It’d be nice if Camby could come back and contribute next season, but I don’t think many would mind if he retired and opened up the Knicks’ cap room a bit.

Final Grade: C-

Tyson Chandler

Offense: Chandler began the 2012-13 season on the same pace he totaled in 2011-12. His offense, though still at times frustratingly limited, consisted of a league-high number of alley-oops, plus the usual assortment of dunks and finishes around the basket. He even surprised teammates, fans, and broadcasters alike by stepping out and hitting a midrange jumper every once in a blue moon. His field goal percentage was tops in the league again, heading towards the historical precedents he had reached the season before.

However, over time, for injuries unreported and reasons unknown, Chandler’s offensive output dipped dramatically. The Knicks found him less in the pick-and-roll, definitely, but it’s hard to pinpoint why, exactly. Perhaps different ailing body parts than Chandler refused to use as an excuse to sit out? The numbers alone tell the tale:

• Pre-All-Star: 11.4 ppg, 67.3% FG, 6.4 FG attempts per game, 11.1 rpg,
• Post All-Star: 7.6 ppg, 50% FG, 5.1 FG attempts per game, 9.1 rpg,

Chandler’s scoring output and efficiency on offense took a serious nosedive after February. He was logging high minutes because of the Knicks’ season-long mixtape of injuries to back-up big men like Rasheed Wallace, Marcus Camby, and Amar’e Stoudemire. Chandler, throughout his career, hasn’t been a big minutes player, and his 32.8 per game this season is higher than his career average. The overall drop in his offense didn’t hurt the Knicks too much, as their Offensive Rating was still better with Chandler on the floor than off. It can be looked at two ways. One, Chandler isn’t supposed to be on the floor for offense, so whatever he can give the team should be seen as a bonus; or two, given his age, mileage on his body, and knack for injuries, things won’t be getting better.

Grade: C+

Defense: Chandler still remained the defensive backbone for the Knicks all year, but it was to a strikingly lesser degree than the prior season.

Whereas in his first season in New York, Chandler directed a bunch of mediocre defenders all over the floor, calling out screens, mismatches, double-teams, and directions for any player in orange and blue, this year, his impact was less noticeable. The defensive floor-scrambling — hedging pick-and-rolls, recovering to stop the roll man, sending help on double-teams, trapping, protecting the basket, and usually gathering the rebound — became more infrequent. It was odd, considering he helmed a lesser cast to a top five Defensive Rating in 2011-12. This year, the Knicks finished just 17th in Defensive Efficiency, according to NBA.com/Stats. Amazingly, the Knicks’ Defensive Rating was actually .5 points better with Chandler off the floor this season.

Unlike his offense, Chandler’s defense should be able to recover. Though as he gets older — a legitimate concern at this point — he may not be able to switch onto guards as effectively or rise up to block a shot, his communication and understanding of team defense can uphold. Many older defensive geniuses (Kevin Garnett, for example) have remained effective in keeping a defense glued, simply by barking out instructions and having an understanding of where to be at all times. The Knicks’ defense seemed a bit fluky this season, simply because a better defensive coach and roster would, imaginably, be a better overall defensive unit. Despite what the numbers say, it’s still hard to think the Knicks’ defense could get them anywhere without Chandler.

Grade: B-

Overall: It will be interesting to see how Chandler rebounds next season. He began the year at a pace that could’ve placed him on First, Second, or Third All-NBA team and simply faded out. As mentioned, nagging injuries or overuse could have done it; it certainly appeared to be both in his lackluster playoffs (though he blamed catching his daughter’s illness for that). Overall, Chandler is still a vital piece to this Knicks team, but it feels as though the Knicks’ only chance of ever reaching the elite level they desire is if Chandler is that indispensable player that Knicks fans grew to love in 2011-12.

Final Grade: B-

Carmelo Anthony

Offense: Carmelo Anthony’s reputation in the NBA has always been as a scorer. It’s his first instinct on the floor and it’s really his only elite skill. This year, he did it better than anyone in the league. Anthony’s first full, 82-game season with the New York Knicks produced the best offensive season in his career. He led the NBA in scoring at 28.7 points per game, the highest average of his career. Though his overall FG% was down from his career rate, for some reason his three-point field goal accuracy jumped to the highest percentage of his career at 38%. Similarly, he posted a 56% True Shooting Percentage, which was almost two whole points higher than his career average. ‘Melo took a step forward in eliminating jap-step-happy deep twos and focused more on shooting three-pointers, taking it to the basket, or posting up defenders. His offensive eruption this year (a 50-point game and seven 40-point games) surely had something to do with his move to the power forward. He stretched the floor and knocked down jumpers on big men unwilling to come out to the perimeter. When they did, Anthony blew past them off the dribble. Then, when teams tried to cross-match with him, he posted up most small forwards.

The progression we saw in Anthony was also reflected in his passing. Though he had moments of regression, he took out some of his ball-stopping isolation habits for the most part. And even when he did regress, it seemed – for the most part – that he chose his opportunities more carefully, like when he was cooking from the field or had obvious mismatches with the defense. His assist numbers were down across the board, but this is a case where the stats don’t reflect the eye test. Anthony was a far more willing passer, especially out of double-teams. When defenses sent help, Anthony happily kicked out to the perimeter (sometimes on lovely skip passes) and let the ball swing until a shooter was open.

Unfortunately, some of these good progressions fell apart in the playoffs. His three-point stroke disappeared, he settled for jumpers, and defenses often denied the Knicks’ swing-swing-shoot offense. Nonetheless, we just experienced Anthony’s best offensive season in the NBA, and it was thoroughly enjoyable.

Grade: A

Defense: The lovely season Anthony blessed fans with also had to do with an increased focus on defense. Anthony wasn’t, nor will he ever be, a consistent, lock-down defender. However, more often than not, Anthony gave effort this year. He does much better battling power forwards who post-up or try to work off the dribble than guards or forwards who run off screens and curls. Anthony is quicker than almost any four in the league, and his strength is comparable, allowing him to bang in the post or stick with them should they try to isolate on Anthony. At times he was over-matched (see: West, David), but overall, Anthony gave a willing effort when he didn’t have to chase his man.

There were still let-downs, however. He’s prone to ball-watching, his effort on the glass wanes, and he doesn’t always hustle back on defense. When things on offense weren’t going ‘Melo’s way, we saw more defensive breakdowns. The Knicks were a tad better defensively with Anthony off the court than with him on, according to NBA.com/Stats, but he rarely appeared to hurt the team.

Grade: B-

Overall: The Knicks just had their best season in 13 years and their star player just had (likely) the best season of his career. There’s not a lot to complain about there. Anthony is still an imperfect player and his flaws are glaring compared to other elite stars (LeBron James, Kevin Durant, etc.). However, a position change, a roster and coach he approves of, and a talented supporting cast brought out the best in Anthony. If he’s willing to build on the positive changes he made this season, he could only stand to improve while he’s in the prime of his career. For the first time in his short Knicks career, Anthony resembled a top ten player for most of the season.

Overall Grade: A-

5.) Two-handed jam vs. Utah Jazz:

Smith’s favorite time to bust out his best moves is garbage time. Without fail, Smith always delivers some type of highlight play when the game’s fate has already been sealed, usually in the Knicks’ favor. In a home blowout of the Jazz this spring, Smith took to the rack with a stylish, two-hand smash.

4.) Game-winner in Charlotte:

Despite Carmelo Anthony’s reputation as a top closer in the game, Smith came up with a number of big shots at the end of games this year, and his buzzer-beater over tight defense from Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was pretty spectacular.

3.) Explosion vs. Oklahoma City Thunder:

When the Knicks welcomed the Thunder into town, the outcome didn’t look good for the Knicks. Carmelo Anthony was sitting out after injuring his knee, and the Knicks had been playing mediocre ball for the last month and a half. However, short-handed against an excellent Thunder squad, J.R. Smith delivered an electric offensive performance. The Knicks lost the game, and Smith actually missed the game-winner, but he carried the team for most of the game and treated fans to some tantalizing moves.

2.) Alley-oop vs. San Antonio Spurs

Smith’s best blowout shenanigans came in a home stomping of the Spurs. As the Knicks pushed the lead towards 20 in the final quarter, Smith rose up for an absurdly athletic, reverse alley-oop that set the Garden ablaze.

1.) Game-winner over Phoenix

This game-winner buzzer-beater takes precedence over the one in Charlotte because of the surrounding circumstances. The Knicks lost to the Lakers the night before, were without Carmelo Anthony the whole game, and needed two big buckets from Smith, plus a defensive stop in order to take home the win. The sheer difficult of the catch, turn, and shot is admirable, too.

It’s been quite the season for J.R!

Feb. 10, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) high fives New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler (6) against the Los Angeles Clippers during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Clippers won 102-88. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been a wild ride, too. There was a hot start to begin the season, as the Knicks took everyone by surprise and emerged as contenders in the Eastern Conference. In the middle, plagued by injuries, adjusting to new members of the rotation, the Knicks struggled, playing only .500 basketball and appearing as mere shadows of their November-December selves. Then, out of nowhere, still lacking normal bodies in their rotation, the Knicks, led by Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith, got scorching hot and have thus far gone 14-2 through their final 16 games.

So, with the end of the regular season hours away, here’s a look back at the top 10 moments of the 2012-13 season:

10.) Blowout of the San Antonio Spurs at MSG (1/3/13):

A blowout of the Spurs never feels quite as satisfying since there’s no bad blood between the teams (unless you cling desperately to that Finals loss in ’98-99). Nonetheless, blowing out the top team in the Western Conference on your home floor is a good time. The Knicks didn’t let a single Spur score over 12 points, and generally put up one of their best defensive performances, holding the Spurs to 83 points on 36% shooting. J.R. Smith stole the show with a big chase-down block, and the whole blowout culminated with, perhaps, his best alley-oop as a Knick.

9.) Win over Golden State Warriors, despite Stephen Curry’s 54 points (2/27/13):

It says something when an opponent’s performance makes a game worth remembering. Mired in some disappointingly average play, the Knicks took on the Warriors in a nationally televised game, and had to fight until the final moments to overcome an absolute explosion from Steph Curry. The young point guard put on a delightfully torturous show in front of the MSG crowd, dropping 54 points, including 11-13 shooting from deep. But there were the Knicks fighting right back. Tyson Chandler pulled down 28 boards; Raymond Felton, after getting torched all night, came up with a big block on Curry down the stretch; and Carmelo Anthony and J.R. smith combined for 61 points and hit a number of big buckets in the fourth quarter to spoil Curry’s eruption.

8.) Knicks blowout Heat in Miami with abundance of threes (12/6/12):

Another nationally televised contest, another win for the Knicks. Minus Carmelo Anthony, the Heat with a full roster, the Knicks didn’t seem to have much hope of winning this one. After struggling in the first half to contain the Heat, however, the Knicks poured it on by simply firing away from deep. Led by Raymond Felton’s 27 points on 6-10 shooting from three-point range, the Knicks just ran away with it. They dropped in a total of 18 treys on 44 attempts, and beat the Heat by 20 points in Miami. It was the Knicks’ second stomping of the heat on the season.

7.) J.R. Smith game-winner in Charlotte (12/5/12):

It was the night before the aforementioned miracle in Miami, and the Knicks were supposed to get an easy win over the Bobcats. However, the Bobcats gave the Knicks all they could handle, at times leading New York by as many as 10 points. After Carmelo Anthony hurt his finger diving into the bench to save a loose ball, the Knicks turned to their defense down the stretch to force the Bobcats into a bevy of critical turnovers. New York forced a five-second violation on an inbounds which led to a Felton layup on the other end to even the game. Then, after stealing the ball and calling a timeout, with 3.4 seconds remaining, the Knicks put the ball in Smith’s hands. Game.

6.) Opening night beatdown of the Heat (11/2/12):

That second blowout of the Heat preceded this for a number of reasons. The Knicks kicked off the NBA season (after it was delayed by Hurricane Sandy in October) by swiftly stomping the Heat on their home floor. Always nice. Furthermore, those 18 threes they hit in Miami? One less than what they hit opening night in MSG. That’s right, 19 three-pointers in their NBA seasn debut, and a 20-point blowout of the reigning champions. Carmelo Anthony led the show with a scintillating start to the season that reeked of a this-is-my-house message to the rest of the NBA.

5.) J.R. Smith game-winner in Phoenix (12/26/12):

Minus Carmelo Anthony and Raymond Felton, the Knicks had to scrape one in Phoenix the day after Christmas. Jason Kidd and Smith both came up with heroic performances to give New York the win, notching 23 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 27 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, respectively. While the game on a whole wasn’t quite so memorable, the finish was electric. Smith came up with a near-impossible shot to tie the game at 97; Kidd forced a turnover on Phoenix’s final possession; Smith took the Knicks home with another high-degree-of-difficulty shot along the baseline at the buzzer.

4.) Big win over Thunder in Oklahoma City (4/7/13):

Again, not much of a rivalry between these two, but facing the top team in the Western Conference always makes for an exciting nationally televised showdown. It also put the Knicks’ win streak on the line and featured the top two scorers in the NBA, Anthony and Kevin Durant. The Knicks had a tough time defending the Thunder’s explosive attack, but New York retaliated with perhaps their own most explosive offensive performance of the season. The Knicks got huge offensive performances all around, including 37 points from Anthony, and a combined 55 points off the bench. It was an all-around team effort that featured big plays from Felton and Chandler, and critical baskets from ‘Melo, Kidd, and Smith, who hit the biggest shot of the day, once again.

3.) Comeback in San Antonio (11/15/12):

Seems weird to have two games/moments against a team that has no rivalry with the Knicks. However, down 12 with seven minutes to go, the game’s fate seemingly wrapped up, the Knicks exploded. Raymond Felton’s dribble penetration set up layups for himself, back-to-back deep threes for Jason Kidd, a dunk for Tyson Chandler, and a game-sealing three from Smith. The Spurs, seemingly awestruck at their own collapse, suddenly faltered fatally down the stretch and had no answer for the sudden onslaught from the Knicks. It came on a night when nothing would drop for ‘Melo, too, but the rest of the team picked up the slack and continued their win streak to open the season.

2.) ‘Melo drops 50 on the Heat (4/2/13):

Regardless of whether Miami sat LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Mario Chalmers, this same Heat lineup had beaten the Spurs in San Antonio the game before. The Knicks needed a win to keep the Pacers at bay, and they got a tremendously huge performance from Anthony. From the start, Anthony whipped the nets on catch-and-shoots and pull-up jumpers from all over the floor. On top of it, not a single basket within the paint. His right hand was hot enough to fry an egg, and the Heat hadn’t an answer to his insanely sizzling stroke. Even better, down the stretch, when Miami forced the ball out of his hands, J.R. Smith and Raymond Felton both came up with big baskets to put Miami away and give the Knicks an important win.

1.) ‘Melo’s 45, Kidd’s game-winner in Brookyln (12/11/12:

Nov. 26, 2012; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) shoots over Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) during the first half at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

The most talked-about confrontation in the offseason began with a dud as the season-opener was cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy, and the first meeting was a sort of anti-climactic Nets win. The second game was the type of showcase the NBA dreamed of when the two teams became inner-city rivals. After falling behind by double-digits in the first half, the Knicks stormed back behind an amped up defense and another scoring outburst from ‘Melo. No matter the defender, Anthony splashed nets from inside and out, off the bounce and off the catch for a then-season-high of 45 points. Down the stretch, however, it was Jason Kidd that came to the rescue with a four-point play (that should’ve been an offensive foul, but whatever; we’ll take it) that put the Knicks up three with 24 seconds to play. The Nets squandered two opportunities to tie the game, and the Knicks got their signature win of the season.

Runner-Ups:

- Blowout over Boston in MSG

- ‘Melo’s first-half explosion over the Lakers

- Tyson Chandler dunks all over the Nets at MSG

What moments did we miss? Comment below and tell us your thought on the Knicks’ best moments of the season!

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In the first half, when the Knicks’ threes were falling, New York was able to withstand a fairly sluggish Bulls’ offense. But as the Knicks got progressively colder, their attempts to move within the arc were ill-fated as were their chances at getting new possessions with offensive rebounds. Furthermore, the lack of size almost ensured automatic paint points for the Bulls, and when their deep shots started falling, they were able to spread the Knicks’ defense thin. However, New York still battled after blowing a 17-point lead and falling behind by as many as seven points. A series of quick inside buckets from J.R. Smith and some clutch free throws and big stops brought the Knicks to overtime. However, the Knicks’ short rotation, lack of interior presence, and icy strokes buried them into a bigger hole in overtime, this on inescapable.

While disappointing, the loss doesn’t mean much for the Knicks. They still hold over a game lead on Indiana for second place, the Bulls further solidified their hold on fifth place, and the Knicks have already locked up the Atlantic Division already. The streak was going to stop sometime, and for it to happen on the road, versus a good team, without any big men… it could be worse.

Here’s a look at the individual performances:

Carmelo Anthony – 45 minutes, 36 points, 13-34 FG, 19 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block

Props to ‘Melo for filling in at the five (at times) so admirably and legitimately trying to defend the paint, and actually crashing the boards hard. It’s a shame that a hot start in the first quarter fizzled out so dramatically over the rest of the game. Anthony tried to take the ball to the paint, missed some tough baskets over numerous defenders, got whacked but without any calls, or just flat-out missed bunnies he should’ve had. Like the end of the win streak, it was bound to happen at some point. Missing that game-tying pull-up jumper that he’s usually money on was a heartbreaker.

Final Grade: B

J.R. Smith – 42 minutes, 28 points, 11-27 FG, 14 rebounds, 4 assists

Smith and Anthony’s combined stats look aesthetically pleasing except for that big ole bruise in the middle – 24-61 combined shooting. The efficiency left something to be desired, and some poorly timed launches from downtown and a similar situation as ‘Melo’s at the rim really left a lot of empty possessions on the court. Credit on the boards to J.R. as well, but his inefficient offense and troubled defense on all of Chicago’s guards hurt the Knicks a bit kinda a lot. Also, -32 for the game. As has seemed to the case lately, the Knicks’ hot start cooled down when Woodson checked Smith in way too early for Prigioni.

Final Grade: C

Raymond Felton – 49 minutes, 19 points, 8-17 FG, 5 rebounds, 6 assists

Felton had a good, aggressive game for the most part, but was plagued by an inability to finish over Chicago’s big men (especially without the presence of Chandler or K-Mart to fill in on the roll) and a sensitive referee’s whistle. Felton spent a lot of time complaining to officials – somewhat justifiably – for some tick tacky fouls, and it might’ve taken his head out of the game a little bit. A fall on the opening tip of overtime, in which Felton grasped his knee on the floor, somehow didn’t take Ray out of the game, but it completely diminished his impact. We’ll see what’s said about the injury afterwards.

Final Grade: B

Chris Copeland – 29 minutes, 14 points, 4-14 FG, 3-8 3FG, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks

Copeland’s initial hot start contributed to the Knicks’ early success as Carlos Boozer failed to rotate out on some pick-and-pops early on. However, much like the rest of the team, Cope’s hand was shoved in the freezer by a stauncher Bulls defense. From there, Copeland, who hadn’t a shot at defending Boozer in the post or deterring any drivers, began to launch ill-advised, arrhythmic jumpers. His minutes dwindled with his effectiveness as the game progressed.

Final Grade: C-

Iman Shumpert – 26 minutes, 3-3 FG, 7 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal, 6 PFs

Shumpert’s minutes were fairly quiet in this one. He was efficient on offense, but didn’t get a whole lot of open looks and didn’t create as much off the dribble as we’ve become used to seeing. His best sequence likely came in locking up Nate Robinson in the final 30 seconds of regulation to give the Knicks another shot (resulted in game-tying ‘Melo FTs).

Final Grade: B

Pablo Prigioni – 24 minutes, 7 points, 3-4 FG, 2 assists

Recycle and reuse. Prigioni began the game playing well and deteriorated as it progressed. His open shots stopped falling and he played a part in back-to-back turnovers that led to back-to-back Jimmy Butler dunks that sparked the Bulls’ comeback run. Don’t think we saw Prigs again afterwards.

Final Grade: C+

Jason Kidd – 37 minutes, 0 points, 0-4 FG, 6 rebounds, 2 assists

An almost entirely ineffective Jason Kidd on both ends of the floor probably shouldn’t have been seeing 37 minutes tonight. Not that Prigioni or Shumpert were hugely better options, but Kidd produced very little in terms of staying in front of Chicago’s guards, switching effectively onto big men, or hitting open shots.

Final Grade: D+

Steve Novak – 12 minutes, 0-1 FG

Novak missed his only shot. That’s the only thing I recall him doing.

Final Grade: D

Apr 2, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) shoots over Miami Heat power forward Udonis Haslem (40) during the first half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

After a first half in which the Knicks struggled to contain Miami’s dribble penetration, the Knicks locked down in the second half and allowed just 32 combined points. Intense trapping and notably crisper rotations stifled Miami’s offense on the perimeter, and the outside looks they created so fluidly in the first half stopped falling. Inside, the Knicks denied the Heat at almost every opportunity, intentionally clobbering anybody within arm’s reach of the basket. On offense, the Knicks relied on a heavy serving of Carmelo Anthony’s own majesty, but Raymond Felton, Kenyon Martin, and J.R. Smith all came up with key contributions in the fourth quarter to build the Knicks lead.

Winners of nine in a row, the Knicks moved a step closer to securing the Atlantic Division and the second seed in the Eastern Conference.

Here’s a look at the individual performances with player report cards:

Carmelo Anthony – 40 minutes, 50 points, 18-26 FG, 7-10 3FG, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

Officially the most venomous offensive output we’ve gotten from Anthony in a Knicks uniform. The career-high-tying performance was the first time ‘Melo has reached 50 since coming to the Knicks, and frankly, it couldn’t have come at a better time. Though the performance would’ve been almost too sweet against a fully-armed Heat team, the Knicks needed every one of ‘Melo’s baskets to repress a Heat lineup that recently beat the San Antonio Spurs in San Antonio.

The amazing part of Anthony’s performance is not a single point came within the paint, and he only managed eight free throw attempts despite Miami’s physical defense. After initially torching the Heat off the catch, Anthony was forced to create for himself a bit more, but even still, these attempts off the bounce were almost all in the form of pull-up jumpers over draping defenders. That assist tally is also skewed as Knicks not named Carmelo Anthony often failed to capitalize on the open looks Anthony created for them after evading a double team. One, perhaps momentum-turning assist, though, came at the end of the third quarter, as ‘Melo slashed into the lane off the dribble, pulled in the Heat’s defense, and kicked it out to an open Steve Novak, who drained the corner three to beat the buzzer. Simply excellent stuff all around from Anthony tonight.

Final Grade: A+

J.R. Smith – 30 minutes, 14 points, 5-15 FG, 2-3 3FG, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

Smith’s basket-bound ways were oddly halted tonight as he seemed stooped by his inability to break down the Heat off the dribble. The likes of Mike Miller and Ray Allen wouldn’t seem like the combination to defy Smith’s work off the dribble, but they prevented his penetration a good amount, and when Smith did get into the paint, he was blocked by any number of the Heat’s big men. Smith’s jumper wasn’t wholly reliable, either, but his late fourth quarter three put the Knicks up 11 with less than two remaining, and acted as the essential dagger. Not exactly what we’ve gotten used to over the past two weeks, but good enough tonight.

Final Grade: C+

Raymond Felton – 38 minutes, 10 points, 4-9 FG, 9 assists, 1 steal, 4 TOs

Felton struggled mightily in the first half to escape Miami’s traps in the pick-and-roll, and he killed the Knicks with some in-and-out three-pointers off nice ball movement. Furthermore, Felton’s inability to stick with any of Miami’s guards – regardless of age, size, or quickness, killed the Knicks’ perimeter D (though he wasn’t the only offender). In the second half, however, Felton did an admirable job containing Norris Cole on the perimeter, fighting over screens, or scurrying out to shooters on rotations and switches. He also broke down Miami’s pick-and-roll trapping by splitting the defense a number of times, getting to the basket, and setting up teammates. In the fourth quarter, Felton nailed two important step-back jumpers to slowly build the Knicks’ lead, and eventually bury the Heat.

Final Grade: B-

Kenyon Martin – 24 minutes, 9 points, 4-7 FG, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, 3 PFs

Apr 2, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks power forward Kenyon Martin (3) drives to the basket as Miami Heat power forward Chris Andersen (11) defends during the first half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Martin was removed from the starting lineup with Tyson Chandler’s return, but still played around the same amount of time as he’d been seeing as the de facto center. Martin played a part in the physical, blanketing defense in the second half, and he also had some nice finishes – a JAM in Chris Andersen’s face and a baby-hook – to buoy the Knicks offense when it wasn’t going through ‘Melo. As the Knicks get a little healthier, it’ll be interesting to see if Martin remains coming off the bench, or moves to the four in the starting lineup alongside Chandler.

Final Grade: B

Iman Shumpert – 23 minutes, 9 points, 3-5 3FG, 3 rebounds, 2 assists

Shumpert didn’t see a ton of time when the Knicks could’ve used a solid perimeter defender, oddly, and he didn’t really play much of a part in the turn-around in the second half. Shump’s contributions were almost solely on the offensive end, and those were solely from downtown, as he canned his first three looks from beyond the arc. Though he didn’t do much after that a three-pointer early in the third quarter, all three of his makes were important in keeping the Knicks in the game and withstanding a Miami run.

Final Grade: C+

Steve Novak – 13 minutes, 3 points, 1-2 FG

Hacked Chris Andersen under the basket, and nailed the aforementioned buzzer-beating three in the third quarter. That was about it, but they were nice second half contributions. He’s now made a three-pointer in each of the last eight games.

Final Grade: C

Chris Copeland – 7 minutes, 3 points, 1-2 FG, 1 rebound

Copeland had a nice and-one baseline drive in the first half, and that was pretty much it. Copeland figures to lose minutes with Chandler back, Martin coming off the bench, and Camby still looming around the bench.

Final Grade: C

Pablo Prigioni – 13 minutes, 3 points, 1-1 FG, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal

Prigioni also struggled early on with Miami’s aggressive pick-and-roll defense, though he contributed to some nice ball movement that led to shots that just didn’t fall. He had a couple of other nice moments drawing charges/offensive fouls, and regaining possession by stealing the ball from Norris Cole after Pablo turned it over, racing down court, ignoring a numbers advantage, and nailing a decidedly badass pull-up three. He didn’t get off the bench again after he was subbed out early in the third quarter.

Final Grade: B

Tyson Chandler – 24 minutes, 1 point, 0-2 FG, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 3 TOs

Chandler’s first game back from a bulging disc in his neck was mostly forgettable. He had little elevation when he jumped, and he stumbled and fumbled his way around the basket on offense. On defense, his effect was mostly mitigated by Chris Bosh’s ability to pull him away from the paint and eliminate Chandler’s defensive directing. One violent, come-from-behind swat on a Bosh layup attempt made up for all prior wrong-doings.

Final Grade: C+

Jason Kidd – 27 minutes, 0-2 FG, 0 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals

27 minutes is a lot of playing time for a guy that couldn’t hit his shots and couldn’t really stay in front of Miami’s guards, though, like everyone else, he did better in the second half. Some of Kidd’s minutes might have better gone to Prigioni, but as usual, Kidd always has an effect on the offense or defense that doesn’t show up in the box score, and it probably played a part in the Knicks’ ultimate success.

Final Grade: C-

Follow Scott Davis on Twitter: @WScottDavis

Owners of an eight-game winning streak, the longest in the NBA, the Knicks will take on the Miami Heat tonight, the team with the best record in the NBA. However, for the Knicks, this is just one of several key challenges in the final weeks of the regular season.

The Knicks are close to securing the Atlantic Division, and thus, second or third place in the Eastern Conference. However, fourth through seventh place in the East is still very much in the air, and in the coming weeks, the Knicks have the chance to prove themselves against possible playoff opponents. Here’s a breakdown of some of the critical games for the Knicks:

Mar. 3, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) and Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) wait for a rebound during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Miami won 99-93. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

4/2 @ Miami – Tonight’s showdown with the Heat may actually be the most critical for the Knicks. Though neither team may be at full strength, this game could best symbolize how the Knicks would fare if the two teams meet in the playoffs. The Knicks ripped Miami apart in their first two meetings in November and December, but New York has only recently begun to resemble that team from the beginning of the season, and Miami was suffering slightly from a championship hangover. When the two teams played earlier in March in New York, the Knicks charged out to a big lead, only to have it dwindle away completely as the Heat won the game in the second half.

Miami is undoubtedly back to playing to their full capability, and it seems the Knicks have found their groove as a team not quite as good as what they showed early in the year, but better than their mid-winter malaise. However, the Knicks need this game to prove that those first ten quarters of dominance versus the Heat weren’t a fluke, and that they could really compete (and close games) in a series with Miami.

4/3 @ Atlanta – The Knicks have hardly seen the Atlanta Hawks this season, but they’ll run into them twice in the next three weeks. Their first and only meeting in January came down to the final minute, where Carmelo Anthony was able to put the Knicks ahead with an and-one drive. Back then, the Knicks were also adjusting to the additions of Amar’e Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert who were both new to the rotation.

However, Atlanta still poses a threat to the Knicks. They have Jeff Teague, the type of speedy point guard that routinely gives the Knicks problems, and a quick, versatile frontcourt in Josh Smith and Al Horford that could give the Knicks troubles. If Atlanta lands in the sixth or seventh seed, the Knicks could see them. It’s the type of matchup where it’s safe to assume the better team (the Knicks, certainly) would win over seven games. Nonetheless, proving that they could win on the road in Atlanta would be a key indicator as to how the Knicks would fare in a series with the Hawks.

4/11 @ Chicago – The Bulls undoubtedly represent the scariest first-round opponent the Knicks could meet. The Bulls have provided huge problems for the Knicks this season, despite still missing their best player, Derrick Rose. The two teams squared off fairly evenly last season, but this year, the Knicks can’t seem to figure out how to beat the Bulls. In all three prior matchups, the Bulls have held double-digit leads, and on one occasion, managed to get three Knicks ejected, before New York, wildly, almost came back. The physicality of the Bulls and their tenacious defense seems to befuddle and irk the Knicks, and it’s not a problem that’s going away.

Perhaps the lone bright light in each of the three games is that New York was able to stage a comeback to cut the deficit to single digits. The Knicks need mental toughness and near-perfect execution to play these Bulls, but they can compete with them. Taking a game in Chicago could be a huge boost for the Knicks in proving that a series with the Bulls wouldn’t result in a first-round exit.

4/14 vs. Indiana – Revenge! Last time the Knicks played the Pacers, they were thoroughly embarrassed in Indianaas the Pacers had little mercy in showing the Knicks up. Chalk that one up to a post-All-Star break hangover. The Pacers, however, also took a game against the Knicks in December when New York was missing Carmelo Anthony after his little brush-up with Kevin Garnett. In November, the two teams faced off in New York, and the Knicks took that win pretty easily. So, months later, the Knicks owe the Pacers a beating of their own.

The Knicks and the Pacers have gone back and forth as the second best team in the East behind Miami, and besides the Bulls, are thought of as the only two teams that could challenge the Heat. However, it’s unlikely that either team gets to Miami in the playoffs without first knocking the other out. A series between these two could likely go to seven games, but the Knicks need this final matchup to show that they have any chance at advancing past the Pacers.

Both teams took the floor considerably short-handed. The Knicks were missing most of their big men, still without the help of Tyson Chandler and, of course, Kurt Thomas, Amar’e Stoudemire, and Rasheed Wallace. The Celtics were missing Kevin Garnett and Courtney Lee, and still without Rajon Rondo and Jared Sullinger. What resulted was likely the smallest combination of players that NBA has seen this season. Rarely did a player taller than 6’9″ or 6’10″ even step on the floor for either team – the tallest player likely being Steve Novak at 6’10″, while Chris Copeland, Kenyon Martin, and Jeff Green all stand around 6’9″.

However, short-handedness aside, the Knicks persevered while the Celtics languished. After a tight first quarter, the Knicks used a huge first half from J.R. Smith to take a double-digit lead into halftime. While Boston made some pushes in the second half, New York’s defense was stingy enough at times to prevent Boston’s poor offense from executing to any threatening degree. In turn, the Knicks relied heavily on Smith and Carmelo Anthony to carry the offense, with some helpful contributions coming from the backcourt and from Novak and Martin. Boston never made a serious run, and the Knicks were able to essentially cruise through the later minutes of the fourth quarter and take their fifth win in a row.

Let’s take a look at the individual performances with player report cards.

J.R. Smith – 34 minutes, 32 points, 13-24 FG, 5-5 FT, 7 rebounds, 3 steals

Bravo, Mr. Smith. As mentioned, the Knicks relied heavily on Smith’s contributions tonight, and he came through. From the moment he stepped on the floor, Smith was basket-bound perhaps more than we’ve ever seen him. A bouquet of forays into the paint, mixed with some crossovers, hesitation moves, and off-balance leaners in every direction freed Smith up from the Celtics’ lacking one-on-one defense. A look at the play-by-play shows a whole bevy of “Smith driving layup shot”s and very few “Smith jump shot”s. In the second half, when Smith became a little less driven to attack the basket, it was already too late for Boston; J.R. was feeling it enough to can a whole bunch of tough, contested jumpers late in the shot clock. That night against OKC was special, but this may have been the best offensive performance we’ve seen from Smith.

Final Grade: A+

Carmelo Anthony – 36 minutes, 29 points, 10-30 FG, 2-8 3FG, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals

Arguably the worst post-knee-drain performance from ‘Melo. The post-up game was mostly futile against big, strong defenders like Paul Pierce, Jeff Green, or Brandon Bass, and Anthony looked nonexplosive on offense, particularly on deep jumpers which he continually bricked. A handful of Anthony’s points just came as a result of bullying defenders to the rim where he tipped in misses or drew fouls. His shot selection from deep left a bit to be desired, either shooting too impulsively or looking as if he was thinking far too much about where and when to pull the trigger. Chalk it up to an off night, but in a game where the Knicks led for the better part of three quarters, Anthony shouldn’t have played the most minutes of anyone in orange and blue.

Final Grade: B-

Kenyon Martin – 25 minutes, 9 points, 4-7 FG, 5 rebounds, 1 block, 4 fouls

The Knicks’ current resident big man had another effective outing, almost single-handedly solidifying the center position. Martin doesn’t have the defensive communication of Tyson Chandler, but he does provide some resistance around the basket, and his penchant for simply whacking any drivers tickles me and probably helps the Knicks’ defense a little bit. Most of his points came on dunks and putback slams, but his presence in the pick-and-roll also organizes the Knicks to a degree. When Chandler eventually returns, Martin will probably come off the bench and play a very useful role.

Final Grade: B

Steve Novak – 18 minutes, 9 points, 3-6 FG, 1 rebound, 1 block

Novak continues to struggle to find open looks, but he makes his own life a lot easier when he plays aggressively. That is, when he cuts hard, pump fakes hard, and if a defender goes by him, using an escape dribble to create space, and put up a shot. On his three misses, Novak was hesitant and hurried a shot over a quickly approaching close-out. On his three makes, Novak shot the ball with confidence, and used a good pump fake and dribble to give himself space to shoot the ball. A couple of makes from Novak really opens up the offense that much more for the Knicks.

Final Grade: B

Pablo Prigioni – 30 minutes, 7 points, 3-6 FG, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 2 TOs

Mar 26, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; New York Knicks point guard Pablo Prigioni (9) shoots the ball against the Boston Celtics during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

“El Mosquito,” as I’m now going to call Pablo, continues to thrive in the starting lineup. Nothing flashy, but a couple of steals, nice passes, and one particular Celtic-momentum-busting three in the third quarter stick out as Pablo’s effect on the game. Also, the Knicks are now 5-0 with Prigs as a starter.

Final Grade: B

Raymond Felton – 32 minutes, 6 points, 3-6 FG, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 TO

As Felton plays more of an off-ball role with Prigioni in the starting lineup, his numbers are dropping, his game stats are becoming quite pedestrian, and his on-court effect is becoming harder to pinpoint. And in a strange way, this more subdued Felton actually seems like the most effective version. Whereas his occasional past shot-heaving and determination to try and take over the offense at critical moments used to stand out perhaps more than some of his solid playmaking, lately Felton has been acting as a secondary playmaker on the floor, and he’s been picking his spots more carefully. In this particular case, I fondly recall a few nice hesitation moves on drives to the basket for some scooping layups, and a few nice assists to shooters. To summarize: Felton is playing well with a diminished role.

Final Grade: B-

Jason Kidd – 23 minutes, 2-3 FG, 5 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal

Don’t worry – it’s not easy for me to accept being upset, either, at the idea of Jason Kidd retiring after this year when it’s discussed during the game broadcast. Kidd and Kenyon Martin, two of my most loathed players in the early and mid-2000s are suddenly two old guys who I recognize have very important rolls on this Knicks team. For instance, a couple of deflections and a steal, and a momentous three-pointer to hold off Boston’s third quarter surge come to mind as Kidd’s imprint on this game.

Final Grade: B

Iman Shumpert – 26 minutes, 2 points, 1-3 FG, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal

When J.R. Smith is rolling like he was, and the two-PG lineups are working like they were, there’s not much room for Shumpert to contribute. However, that’s also the case when Woodson decides to stick him on the much bigger, stronger Paul Pierce. Game by game, Shumpert and Woodson are slowly figuring out his place in the offense and on defense when the aggression is there.

Final Grade: C+

Chris Copeland – 13 minutes, 1 points, 0-4 FG, 5 rebounds

Copeland kind of runs like a man trudging through knee-high quick sand. He also got shook badly by Paul Pierce on a baseline drive. While still bedeviled by injuries, the Knicks will need Copeland to fill in the rotation as a big man, but he’s not doing much to earn minutes from Woodson when the playoffs come around and the other big men (hopefully) start returning.

Final Grade: C-

The Knicks moved back into second place in the East with the win and will return to MSG tomorrow to face the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Knicks say Tyson Chandler is questionable for Tuesday’s game against the Celtics.

Chandler has missed the past six games with a bulging disk in his neck and a bone bruise in his left knee.

The Knicks say Chandler’s knee is healed but his neck remains an issue.

Amazingly, the Knicks have gone 4-2 in Chandler’s stead since he went down in the scariest moment of the Knicks’ season against the Denver Nuggets almost two weeks

ago. As Begley mentions, Chandler’s knee has recovered from that incident in Denver, but the bulging disc that has made his neck cranky all year still seems to be an issue.

Even before these missed games, Chandler had been struggling somewhat during the month of March. Through eight games, Chandler had only been averaging 6.1 points on 51% FG, with 8.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks – all below his season averages – and the Knicks had a defensive efficiency of just 101.2 through that stretch.

With Chandler out, the Knicks have actually played pretty well on both ends of the court, thanks in large part to the splendid play of Kenyon Martin who has filled in admirably in Chandler’s absence. They’ve kept opponents under 100 points in five of the last six games (though they’ve played at a snail’s crawl pace, so their defensive efficiency has been quite poor), and have performed ably on offense.

As has been Mike Woodson and the Knicks’ repeated message all season, the team is trying to come together for the playoffs and are solely focused on winning the Atlantic Divsion in the meantime. The Knicks have a back-to-back coming up against Boston on Tuesday and the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday. Winning the game against the Celtics is the most important, but with Kevin Garnett out for the Celtics, it may be an OK time to keep Chandler inactive. While it’d be nice to get a big win over the Grizzlies on Wednesday, that game doesn’t have the same standings implications.

If Chandler doesn’t play the next two games, or even Friday against the Bobcats, he could return for a hugely critical stretch starting next Sunday when the Knicks rematch the Celtics, and face two weeks which includes opponents such as the Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, and Indiana Pacers.

The above is an exaggeration, of course, but such is the view Knicks fans have had of Woodson through the course of the Knicks’ first 61 games. The truth lies somewhere in-between both radicals; Woodson began the season coaching brilliantly on both ends of the floor, and has lately been doing, quite frankly, a poor job of coaching a team with a number of problems. Some of those problems do not necessarily reflect Woodson’s coaching. Woodson, for instance, has nothing to do with Steve Novak and Jason Kidd missing wide open 3-pointers; he cannot physically force players to communicate on defense or run hard to close out on a shooters. Woodson also can’t help the fact that his team just keeps getting injured.

Or can he?

This is the topic that has had media and the Knicks’ fanbase up in arms since last night’s embarrassing 92-63 loss to the Golden State Warriors. Down double-digits in the second half, showing no real signs of fight, Woodson kept the Knicks’ two indispensable stars, Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler, on the floor far longer than he should have. Anthony, visibly laboring in his first game back from a knee injury and providing little effort or help on either end of the court, remained on the court, moving at half-speed, awkwardly, unable to defend David Lee, incapable of punishing smaller defenders like Klay Thompson. Chandler, though he was playing fine and providing a much-needed service for these Knicks, was kept on the floor and later brought back into the game for what reason? A comeback attempt was futile, and it seemed Woodson was simply running up the odometers of his two most important players on the opening game of a tough, important Western Conference swing.

Likewise, one has to wonder if Woodson’s increase of Amar’e Stoudemire’s minutes led to the power forward’s eventual demise. Stoudemire, who was on a very strict, 30-minutes-maximum limit played three straight games of 32 minutes, 31 minutes, and 29 in his last three games before it was announced he’d need to undergo knee debridement for the second time this season. With the increased minutes, Stoudemire played wonderfully in the three games, posting averages of 20 points per game on 53% shooting, with 7.6 rebounds per game, and 1.3 blocks per game. Now the Knicks will likely be without Stoudemire’s services for the remainder of the regular season, and perhaps the playoffs, too. Prior to the announcement that Stoudemire would need surgery, Woodson was asked about breaking the 30-minutes cap on STAT. He simply replied, “oops.”

Other key Knicks’ players are playing extended minutes, too. J.R. Smith is averaging a career-high in minutes; Tyson Chandler is above is career average in minutes per game; a soon-to-be 40-years old Jason Kidd is playing nearly 28 minutes per game. This makes Woodson’s insistence to play the likes of James White or Kurt Thomas over Pablo Prigioni and Chris Copeland puzzling, too. Woodson continually starts James White at the small forward, only to be play a designated, production-less six minutes before inserting Smith. Pablo Prigioni, though usually not a huge factor to the team’s success, has seen his minutes fall off in recent weeks, despite the relief he could bring Kidd. And Chris Copeland, though a non-factor on defense (as could be argued with most of this Knicks’ roster, really), could provide a scoring punch to the team, but Woodson refuses to play him except for in garbage time.

With Stoudemire and Rasheed Wallace out, and Marcus Camby ineffective in small minutes and likely still on the mend, Woodson will be forced to play Kenyon Martin a decent amount of minutes. This, too, will likely lead to health problems for Martin who hasn’t played NBA basketball since last May. Too many minutes, and there is a chance that Martin’s body will wear down in the same fashion as Wallace’s.

As mentioned, some of the Knicks’ problems are not directly Woodson’s fault. Though he installed a poor defensive system that allows way too much switching, Woodson cannot actually make the Knicks stop switching every time players cross paths. The regression of Smith, Felton, Kidd, and even Anthony’s shots are also not Woodson’s fault, as their high early-season percentages were bound to decrease as the season wore on.

However, it’s undeniable that Woodson needs to make adjustments to straighten out his team. As Eastern Conference teams like Miami, Indiana, and Brooklyn have begun to make surges towards the top of the standings, the Knicks’ hold on the #2 seed looks flimsier and flimsier. Heavy minutes, a questionable rotation, and increasingly ineffective game plans have the Knicks looking quite vulnerable to drop a few places in the standings.

I believe Mike Woodson has the ability to turn it around given just a bit of luck, but to do so, he must get out of his own way to help the team.

The Knicks opened the first half playing their best basketball, perhaps, of 2013. They defend with aggression, trapping the Heat’s ball-handlers and blowing up pick-and-rolls with hard hedges; they collapsed on drivers, closed out hard on shooters, and forced the Heat into a bevy of turnovers and sloppy possessions. On offense, led by Carmelo Anthony repeatedly punishing whoever tried to defend him, the Knicks moved the ball crisply, inside and outside, setting up wide open looks from beyond the arc (a good portion of which were canned by a revitalized Jason Kidd), or clear paths to the rim. It was the most exciting, enjoyable half of basketball the Knicks had played in quite some time. They led by 14 at halftime.

And it would last for merely a half. The Heat, as the Knicks should have predicted, flipped the switch in the second half. LeBron James switched onto Carmelo Anthony and locked him up, denying Anthony any clean looks to the basket and effectively disallowing Anthony to thrive at the free throw line as he did in the first half. The Knicks swift ball movement faltered, and suddenly, all of the shots they’d made in the first half stopped falling. On the other end, the Heat pushed the ball to a tempo the Knicks just couldn’t keep up with. LeBron James prodded the Knicks’ defense, parting it on his way to the basket, or scrambling it with skip passes or drive-and-kicks to open shooters and cutters.

In the final two minutes, the game still within a basket, James attacked the basket hard for a lefty layup. After J.R. Smith squandered a possession with an ill-advised three-pointer, Miami got Chris Bosh and open shot at the top of the key, which he sank. Four-point game. On the next Knicks possession, Smith turned the ball over to a lurking James who went full steam ahead, and threw the ball down for a wide-open dunk. Ball-game.

Here’s a look at the individual performances for the Knicks.

Carmelo Anthony – 42 minutes, 32 points, 9-19 FG, 13-14 FT, 2 rebounds, 3 assists

Early on, ‘Melo had that look that he just wouldn’t be stopped. He canned his first four shot attempts, and bullied his way to the basket to live at the free throw line. 24 points on 8 shots in the opening half. However, LeBron James, Anthony’s clealry superior peer, locked Anthony up in the second half. Anthony scored just 8 points on 11 shots in the second half, and stood no chance of stopping James on offense. Not quite the heroic performance it looked to be at the onset.

Final Grade: B

Jason Kidd – 34 minutes, 14 points, 4-5 3FG, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals

Kidd snapped a two-month long drought in dramatic fashion. In the first half, Kidd stepped into and confident sank four three-pointers to ignite the Knicks’ offense and the Garden crowd. Though his offense didn’t sustain in the second half (who expected that it would?), Kidd continually made great plays on both ends, disrupting the Heat’s offense with steals and deflections, while making some great passes and collecting important rebounds. Unfortunately, 34 minutes in Pablo Prigioni’s stead may have very well pooped Kidd out by the end of the game.

Final Grade: A

J.R. Smith – 36 minutes, 13 points, 5-18 FG, 3-14 3FG, 12 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 TOs

His three 3-pointers all felt important. His 11 misses from beyond the arc were devastatingly crucial to the game’s outcome. His decision to ignore Carmelo Anthony, down two, with 1:30 remaining, and take and brick a pull-up 3-pointer was back-breaking. His telegraphed pass – which was picked off by James – on the Knicks’ final Hail-Mary possession was game-sealing. Cool 12 rebounds, though.

Final Grade: C-

Amar’e Stoudemire – 21 minutes, 12 points, 5-7 FG, 2 rebounds, 1 block

Stoudemire began the game in a really rough fashion – turning the ball over, getting stuffed under the hoop, and playing porous defense. However, as the game went on, Stoudemire smoothed himself out, occasionally playing nice help defense, and picking his spots on offense. His brief minutes as feature of the Knicks’ offense earned him back-to-back dunks. Count me in the group that is puzzled by Woodson’s substitution pattern with Stoudemire – every time Stoudemire gets in a groove, he gets yanked.

Final Grade: B-

Tyson Chandler – 34 minutes, 10 points, 4-7 FG, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks

Smaller matchups – such as Chris Bosh – do not usually bode well for Chandler, but he held his own today. (Part of that is because Bosh kinda sucked for three quarters). Chandler seemed a little rushed on the court, often dropping passes on easy feeds, and sometimes helping a little too generously on defense, though for the most part, Chandler anchored the Knicks wonderfully on the end. The no-call block by James on Chandler’s layup attempt in the final minutes was a momentum-changer.

Final Grade: B

Raymond Felton – 31 minutes, 9 points, 3-8 FG, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 4 TOs

The thing where Felton tries to take over the Knicks’ offense in crucial moments of the game isn’t a good look. Down the stretch, Felton’s decision-making was mostly bad, as he failed to get Anthony in the ball, or evade the Heat’s traps on pick-and-rolls. This led to a little too much one-on-one play as Felton tried to take it to the basket and finish himself. As a whole, Felton spent most of the game taking a backseat to Jason Kidd’s command on offense, while doing a commendable job making Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole non-factors. Felton’s turnover off his foot in the final two minutes hurt pretty bad, too.

Final Grade: C

Iman Shumpert – 21 minutes, 3 points, 1-4 FG, 3 rebounds, 2 assists

Shumpert’s energy to begin the game was a huge spark. He deflected a good number of passes and dribbles, crashed the glass for rebounds, dove for loose balls, and was a blur up and down the court. Though it doesn’t show up in the stat sheet, his effort was an intangible factor that led to the Knicks’ first half dominance. He faded in the second half, though, and hardly saw any court time, even with Smith misfiring pretty woefully.

Final Grade: C+

Steve Novak – 12 minutes, 0-3 FG, 2 rebounds, 1 assist

Novak’s releasing the ball too quickly, pulling down his follow-through too quickly, and thinking too much. For the most part, I’d rather Novak shoot over closing defenses, try and draw a foul, or pump fake, take two dribbles in, and pull up. For now, he remains a liability on the court.

Final Grade: D

James White – 8 minutes, 0-1 FG, 2 rebounds, 3 fouls, 2 TOs

James White started the game for Jason Kidd. He committed three fouls and a turnover in less than five minutes to open the game. In the second half, he air-balled his first and only shot attempt. This reminded me that I would give Oklahoma City their 2nd round draft pick back for Ronnie Brewer.

Feb 13, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Raymond Felton (2) puts up a layup against the Toronto Raptors during the second half at Madison Square Garden. The Raptors won the game 92-88. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

So, just short of a year later, the Knicks sort of rehashed that riveting come-from-behind win. Except while the flaming-bag-of-dog-poop execution was there for the whole 48 minutes, the spirited comeback was not. Instead, on their home floor, the Knicks squandered multiple opportunities, failing to get critical stops when they needed them, missing a litany of supremely make-able shots down the stretch.

Throughout the night, the Knicks’ offense sputtered in a way we haven’t seen this season. While the defense hasn’t been anything to rest their hats on  the Knicks’ offense has remained consistently competent, no matter the opponent. Not tonight. Perhaps with their minds on the six-day All-Star break ahead, and partying with P. Diddy, the Knicks simply missed looks that they normally make. For the game, New York shot 35% from the field, 36% from three-point range, and 71% from the free throw line. Regardless of their defense – it was solid in the first half, but they consented 56 points to the Raps in the second half – there’s very little chance of winning when a team is misfiring so frequently.

The game was wholly ugly and disappointing; I wouldn’t expect much more from the proceeding player report cards:

J.R. Smith – 34 minutes, 26 points, 8-17 FG, 5-10 3FG, 4 rebounds

Smith was the lone Knick to take over seven field goal attempts and make more than 40% of them – who woulda thought? Smith was one of the few bright spots in the Knicks’ offense tonight, canning most of his looks from the outside, but occasionally mixing it up and taking it to the basket. However, on defense, Smith’s fourth quarter lapses proved to be vital. A number of times he was abused off the dribble, allowing DeMar DeRozan and Alan Anderson to get to their preferred spots and put the ball in the basket. A hint for Smith, as it’s become a game-to-game trend: force right-handed shooters to their left.

Final Grade: B

Raymond Felton – 31 minutes, 16 points, 3-9 FG, 10-12 FT, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 4 TOs

Felton did the bulk of his scoring at the line, earning most of his free throws from hard-nosed drives to the rim. Unfortunately for Felton – and the Knicks, actually – he couldn’t get all of those inside looks to drop, missing two critical layups in the final 3:30 of the game. Felton did a decent enough job setting up teammates either off drive-and-kicks or the pick-and-roll, but as noted by the team’s overall FG%, Felton came up empty-handed on a number of assist attempts. Felton’s defensive philosophy continues to baffle, going under screens, switching off guards, but fighting over screens and trying to stick with bigger forwards.

Final Grade: B

Carmelo Anthony – 41 minutes, 12 points, 5-24 FG, 1-6 3FG, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 TOs

I’m regretting Carmelo Anthony making the All-Star team. Honorable (in a sense) as the nomination may be, Anthony could use a rest. Anthony is averaging 40 minutes per game in 2013, and it may be affecting his offense. Or maybe tonight was just one of those nights. Anthony’s shots just didn’t drop from anywhere. He rimmed out jumpers, and found himself smothered when he drove the lane and couldn’t find the opening to put the ball in the basket. The fact that he only drew four FTs on these defender-draped drives is a little suspicious. Either way, please, Melo, don’t do this to us again. Nice job on defense (Rudy Gay, his counterpart most of the night, shot just 4-21) and on the boards, though!

Final Grade: C-

Tyson Chandler – 34 minutes, 10 points, 4-6 FG, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks

Chandler pretty much stayed par for the course tonight; he did his usual Chandler things. He covered up a number of holes on defense, respectably staying in front of guards on switches, affecting attempts at the basket, and even doing some early trapping on pick-and-rolls. On offense, he finished the looks he got. The Knicks strayed from the Felton-Chandler pick-and-roll when it got hot in the fourth because…?

Final Grade: B+

Amar’e Stoudemire – 18 minutes, 10 points, 4-13 FG, 7 rebounds

At one point in the third quarter, Stoudemire leaked out, received an outlet from Anthony, and with one defender back, bricked an open layup, and then air-balled the follow-up attempt. It was that kind of night. It’s a shame that STAT’s most active game on the boards in awhile came on a night when he couldn’t get his shots to drop.

Final Grade: C

Steve Novak – 12 minutes, 9 points, 3-4 3FG, 4 rebounds

Novak was also one of the few bright spots tonight, and that was only for a quarter. Novak came off the bench in the first half and canned all his looks from downtown in the second quarter, looking like the Novak of 2011-12. He also grabbed four rebounds, which is nice, because there were plenty to spare.

Final Grade: C+

Iman Shumpert – 21 minutes, 5 points, 1-3 FG, 7 rebounds, 1 steal

Shumpert’s placement at small forward has done absolutely nothing for him, and it’s about time the experiment ended. My guy feeling is that Shump has been feeling discomfort in his knee (perhaps just regular wear and tear), and it has thrown off his game. He is hesitant on offense, far less aggressive on defense, and generally a non-factor on the court. Perhaps some rest time and a move to a bench role could revitalize him.

Final Grade: C-

Jason Kidd – 32 minutes, 0 points, 0-3 FG, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal

Kidd has dragged himself into the All-Star break, averaging 3.5 points on 23% shooting from the field. Unlike Shumpert above, whomay need a break and role change, Kidd absolutely needs time off and reduced role. He can’t hit anything outside, he’s lost his step that was helping the Knicks’ offense flow, and putting him on bigger and/or faster guards isn’t helping the cause

Final Grade: C-

Pablo Prigioni – 7 minutes, 0 points, 0-0 FG, 1 rebound, 1 assist

With trade rumors floating around the Knicks and Timberwolves, it’s possible Prigioni may not come back from All-Star break a Knick (if a deal does transpire, which seems like a stretch right now. OK. Breathe. Sorry. I’m OK. Just… I like Pablo). However, at this point, Prigioni doesn’t seem to be included in any major part of the Knicks’ ultimate success. His minutes are dwindling and his production is pretty uneven.

Well, that concludes the “first half” of the season. I can honestly say I hope to see this exact same group of Knicks return next week, hopefully 100% healthy, and see what they can do in the remaining 32 games. No doubt, though, the Knicks go into this break limping pretty noticeably.

February 6, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards power forward Kevin Seraphin (13) shoots the ball as New York Knicks shooting guard J.R. Smith (8) defends in the second quarter at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Perhaps the outcome of the game could’ve been predicted by New York’s start. The Wizards raced out to a 16-8 lead, taking advantage of the Knicks’ porous defense, where switches and rotations often went without execution or communication. Though the Knicks quickly caught up through some dishing and swishing from Carmelo Anthony and Raymond Felton, the poor start was a sign of things to come. The two teams exchanged blows throughout the first half with Amar’e Stoudemire providing a nice spark off the bench to combine with the Felton-Anthony punch for the Knicks. For the Wizards, John Wall and the hot shooting from Trevor Ariza and Martell Webster provided them with enough power to take a 51-48 lead going into halftime.

The second half was mostly miserable for the Knicks. A slow start to the third quarter found the Knicks down by nine points as they continued to defend poorly. Missing ten of their first eleven attempts from the field didn’t help either. Once again, the Knicks had to dig themselves out of an early hole, still led by Anthony and Stoudemire. The fourth quarter brought more of the same for the Knicks, minus the late resurgence. The collapse was almost entirely on the defensive end where the Knicks couldn’t handle John Wall’s penetration off high pick-and-rolls. If they were able to contain the dribble drive, or even force a miss, the Wizards canned open looks from downtown from the Knicks’ repeated collapses on the pick-and-roll. On offense, the Knicks stagnated and just couldn’t produce enough to get closer than two baskets.

The Wizards stuck two daggers in the forms of a Martell Webster open corner three, and a Trevor Ariza offensive rebound-putback layup. Eventually, the Knicks recognized their futile attempt to close the gap and waved the white flag, falling to 31-16, and ending their win streak.

Here’s a look at the individual performances:

Carmelo Anthony – 44 minutes, 31 points, 10-23 FG, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 TOs

Though he put up another gaudy stat line, Anthony’s offensive attack wasn’t as crisp or well executed as we’ve gotten used to seeing this season. There was a lot of isolatin’, penetratin’, and those one- or two- dribble pull-ups from midrange. He got (and sank) some clean looks from the outside, but forced a few, too. It was, however, nice to see him consistently pass out of double teams, and dropped passes and missed shots robbed him of a few assists. His defense – like the rest of the Knicks – left a lot to be desired.

P.S. – Credit to Nene for catching ‘Melo midair on a reckless drive to the hoop. Anthony was nearly turned upside down as his legs got caught on Nene’s arms, and as he went crashing to the ground, Nene braced his fall, and perhaps saved the Knicks’ season in the process.

Final Grade: B

Amar’e Stoudemire – 28 minutes, 19 points, 6-11 FG, 7-9 FT, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks

Stoudemire provided an immediate boost off the bench in the first half, aggressively going after the Wizards in the post, working off the dribble for a bunch of tough finishes around the rim. His approach changed a bit as the game went on, switching to cutting into open space off the attention the defense gave Anthony, and cleaning up misses and broken plays around the basket. Oddly, Stoudemire may have played the best/most inspired defense on the team, switching aggressively onto pick-and-rolls and making attempts to close out on shooters, not to mention registering the Knicks’ only blocked shots of the game. Then again… there was that play where Stoudemire stood body lengths away from Wall and watched him look around, open, and decide to shoot after three or four seconds. It was that kind of night.

Final Grade: B-

Raymond Felton – 40 minutes, 17 points, 6-13 FG, 3 rebounds, 4 assists

Felton once again began the game with a strong start, taking it to the basket, cleverly evading defenders for easy finishes, and swinging the ball to find the open man. As has been the case all season, however, his hot start didn’t carry over through the whole game. In the second half, Felton seemed invisible, doing little else other than bringing the ball up the court and getting burned by the blur that is John Wall (the latter is excusable, in my opinion). The assist tally is surprisingly low, though that can’t be pinned entirely on Felton as he did a decent enough job of contributing the ball, but teammates didn’t always can the looks he set them up with. It happens.

Final Grade: B

J.R. Smith – 35 points, 13 points, 6-14 FG, 0-4 3FG, 2 rebounds, 2 assists

A considerably quieter outing from Smith than we’re used to seeing. The scoring production seems OK (although 13 points on 14 shots really isn’t very efficient), but Smith just never had a point in this game where he had much  of an affect. Though, besides for Felton, he had the best +/-  on the team with -2. After launching a combined 40 three-point attempts over the previous three games, Smith only attempted four and didn’t hit any of them. Knocking a couple of those down could’ve been hugely helpful in the second half.

Final Grade: C

Tyson Chandler – 36 minutes, 8 points, 3-6 FG, 13 rebounds

Chandler seemed oddly pouty in this game. He had a terrific steal on the perimeter to open the game, raced down court, and was never rewarded for his hustle. To me, things went downhill from there as he was perhaps a bit peeved by the lack of reward. His effort on the boards was nowhere near what he showed the last three games, though 13 boards is nothing to sneeze at. He was relatively ineffective in the pick-and-roll and didn’t do much to orchestrate the Knicks’ lackadaisical D.

Final Grade: C+

Iman Shumpert – 22 minutes, 5 points, 2-8 FG, 2 rebounds, 2 assists

Shumpert’s return to the court has taken the reverse curve of Amar’e Stoudemire’s return cycle. Whereas Stoudemire started off slow and has gained momentum, Shumpert has slipped in recent outings. Woodson’s slotting of Shumpert at the 3 has been wildly ineffective – almost as ineffective as Shumpert’s shot and offensive production playing off the Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks’ pick-and-roll game. Likewise, Woodson (for reasons unbeknown to us) refuses to put Shumpert on the primary offensive backcourt weapon on opposing teams. Perhaps Iman is still adjusting to plying basketball for the first time in nine months, but he’s been sadly underwhelming lately.

Final Grade: C-

Pablo Prigioni – 8 minutes, 3 points, 1-3 FG, 3 rebounds, 1 assist

No Pablo after the first half for some strange reason. He looked decent in the first half, and riding a recently-returned Raymond Felton for 5/6 of the game seems like a bad idea. To be fair, Prigioni had no shot at stopping Wall off the dribble, and he can’t guard bigger guards.

Final Grade: C+

Jason Kidd – 18 minutes, 0 points, 0-4 FG, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal

Kidd’s three-point percentage by month this season: November – 48.9%; December – 41.9%; January – 32.7%; February – 20%. Perhaps it is not a coincidence that the Knicks have been starting poorly in first and third quarters – there’s where Kidd sees the bulk of his minutes.

Final Grade: D+

Steve Novak – 10 minutes, 0 points, 0-2 FG, 1 rebound

Novak hasn’t been making a good case for himself to make the Three Point Shootout at All-Star Weekend.

Final Grade: D

It’s hard not to overreact to this loss, and in some cases, it might be justified. The Knicks have the second toughest schedule in the NBA after the All-Star break. Dropping games like this, especially while riding a hot streak, can come back to hurt a team. No choice but to move on now. They play in Minnesota on Friday.

Jan 17, 2013; London, United Kingdom; New York Knicks forward Amar

In his first six games back, Stoudemire played under a 20-minute limit, and took some time to get adjusted. He bricked bunnies at the rim, couldn’t time his rebounds and jumps correctly, and looked even flatter than normal on defense. He averaged 9 points per game on 44% shooting with just 3 rebounds per game.

However, over the previous seven games, Stoudemire is starting to show glimpses of his old self. While he still lacks his normal explosion, a consistent jumper, and a competent sense of what to do on defense, Stoudemire is finishing around the basket much better, fitting into the offense, rebounding at a better rate, and at least giving effort on the defensive end. In the last six games – in which the Knicks are 5-2 – Stoudemire is averaging 15.8 ppg on 64.9% shooting, with 5.4 rpg, while attempting 6.3 free throws per game in just 23.9 minutes per game.

Per 36 minutes, Stoudemire’s numbers look like those of an All-Star forward. His scoring per 36 is up to 20.2 ppg from last year’s 19.2, and his FG% is better as well. He is averaging less rebounds per game and less blocks, but overall, Stoudemire is starting to look like a consistently valuable member of the Knicks’ rotation.

Likewise, as has been discussed, Stoudemire is blending in with his fellow frontcourt co-stars, Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler. When the three have shared the court this season (granted, in just under 108 minutes so far – a small sample size), the Knicks are a +31.  According to nbawowy.com, on offense, when the three have played together, each player is shooting above their season average FG% (well, Tyson Chandler is 66%, down from 68% on the season, but hardly anything worth complaining about). As a team, in 120 possessions, the Knicks are shooting 49% from the field and averaging 1.15 points per possession.

Equally as encouraging, Stoudemire, Anthony, and Chandler are blending in defensively. In 120 possessions – again, a small sample size – opponents are shooting just 41.9% from the field and averaging only .94 points per possession.

To put it simply: the Knicks are out-performing opponents on both ends of the floor when Stoudemire, Anthony, and Chandler are playing together. Who could’ve seen this coming a month ago?

Mike Woodson also deserves credit, though. Woodson, so far, has successfully mixed three players that had far more detractors than supporters. Of course, a big difference in Stoudemire’s ability to function between Anthony and Chandler stems from the fact that the Knicks now have Raymond Felton, Jason Kidd, and Pablo Prigioni at the helm as opposed to Toney Douglas, Baron Davis, and Mike Bibby. However, Woodson encouraged Stoudemire to seek out Hakeem Olajuwon’s help this summer. Thus far, Olajuwon’s lessons have helped turn Stoudemire into an effective post player (nearly 31% of Stoudemire’s possessions come in the form of post-ups). Many people doubted Stoudemire’s ability to change his stripes after ten years in the league, but he is proving them wrong.

Woodson has also managed Stoudemire’s minutes nicely. He is yet to play over 30 minutes in a game and has yet to start a game. Stoudemire, of course, deserves a ton of credit for accepting a role off the bench (something another power forward is having trouble with), but Woodson seems to have Stoudemire in a perfect rhythm as of late.

Stoudemire has done a near 180-degree turn through the course of January and it still seems as though he has work to do. He likely will still regain a little bit more explosiveness around the basket which will help his rebounding and ability to finish, and he is learning the defensive schemes and rotations. If his improvement on the offensive end in recent weeks is anything to be taken seriously, we should all be excited about having Amar’e Stoudemire back on the court.

January 30, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks forward Amar

The game started off poorly as the Magic’s starting backcourt of Jameer Nelson and J.J. Reddick took turns lighting up the Knicks from all over the court. The Knicks foolishly sent double-teams to Glen Davis (who later left with a foot injury and did not return), resulting in poor rotations and slow close-outs that left Nelson and Reddick open to feast on jumpers. Even when the Knicks stuck to the backcourt tandem, they managed to shake free and connect on shots. Luckily for the Knicks, Raymond Felton and Tyson Chandler provided a boost for the Knicks’ equally-as-hot offense. Through the second quarter, the Magic eventually cooled off… to the tune of 55% FG shooting and 46% shooting from downtown.

In the second half, the Knicks took advantage of the short-handed Magic. Reddick and Nelson cooled off while the Knicks, behind some extra offensive punch from Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, and Chandler, began to wear the Magic down. The defense continued to tighten up (to a degree), while the offense just kept coming. Eventually in the fourth quarter, a series of four straight three-pointers from the Knicks boosted an eight-point lead to an 18-point lead. New York cruised the rest of the way playing mostly their bench bros, and eventually took the win to move to 28-15.

Here’s a look at some individual performances:

Tyson Chandler – 31 minutes, 21 points, 10-11 FG, 7 rebounds, 5 assists,

After a mini-slump over the previous four games, Chandler busted out in the early-going, feasting off the Magic’s weak interior defense and the playmaking of Raymond Felton. Chandler didn’t rebound the ball as well as we’ve been used to this season, nor did he direct traffic and generally tidy up the defense as efficiently as normal, but the Knicks’ defensive dilemmas stemmed far deeper than him. His accuracy around the rim (only one missed attempt and it was a jumper) and some lovely passes made up for it.

Final Grade: A

Carmelo Anthony – 39 minutes, 20 points, 8-17 FG, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block

Anthony put his name in the Knicks’ record books by notching his 30th consecutive game of scoring 20 or more points. ‘Melo was generally quieter tonight, though his stat line might have been a bit more gaudy if not for some poor shot attempts in transition (two awful pull-up threes come to my mind) and some missed shots from teammates. Regardless, a nice line tonight from Anthony and a big old “Welcome!” into the Knicks’ history.

Final Grade: A-

Raymond Felton – 31 minutes, 15 points, 6-13 FG, 3-6 3FG, 9 assists, 1 steal, 0 TOs

Felton continued to look more comfortable back on the court after his month-long absence. He began the game hot, feeding Chandler for an alley-oop in the pick-and-roll, knocking down a couple of floaters (his form looks different/better, by the way), and canning some hoists from the perimeter. Jameer Nelson embarrassed him on the defensive end quite a bit, and Felton didn’t have any more success trying to switch onto Reddick; the defensive struggles seemed to take him out of his groove a little bit. Either way, much like his teammates above him, a nice stat line, and some lovely offensive orchestrating.

Final Grade: B+

Amar’e Stoudemire – 21 minutes, 14 points, 7-7 FG, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks

Mike Woodson continues to monitor Amar’e Stoudemire’s minutes below what Stoudemire is capable of playing, but with the recent results, who’s to complain? Stoudemire was perfect on the offensive end tonight, and was still robbed of four points – got stripped after splitting a double-team, got called for an offensive foul on a pretty spin, post move. Nary an attempt outside the paint for Amar’e, even when sharing the court with Anthony and Chandler. He looks far more comfortable around the basket and finding openings off the ball. His two indisputable highlights: a jam over Gustavo Ayon off a spicy dish from Papa Prigs and a wild, fade-away, contested jumper off the dribble. His defense is still a bit spacy and poorly-positioned, but it, too, looks improved. I like this productive Amar’e. Now if he can boost those rebounding numbers by actually grabbing the ball and not tipping it in the air.

Final Grade: B

J.R. Smith – 35 minutes, 11 points, 4-8 FG, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block

By far Smith’s most quietly efficient game in quite some time. It seems like eons since he last notched 50% shooting from the field and 100% from downtown, but he did so tonight, and quite silently. Throw in some unnoticed (on my part) productivity on the boards and passing the ball, and suddenly I find myself regretting ignoring Smith’s game as a ho-hum performance.

Pablo Prigioni – 16 minutes, 11 points, 4-7 FG, 3-6 FG, 2 rebounds, 2 assists

Prigioni is building on a solid streak of good play, and had (in my opinion) one of his season’s best performances tonight. Prigioni took and

mostly made open looks when they came to him, shot with confidence, found teammates in all sorts of ways (even if the assists don’t reflect it) and generally played some great minutes spelling Felton.

Final Grade: B

Steve Novak – 23 minutes, 8 points, 3-7 FG, 2-6 3FG, 1 rebound, 1 assist

Leaving Novak on the floor than Stoudemire at this point feels like a misuse of minutes, but as Woodson noted earlier this week, the Knicks need to get Novak involved more. His confidence was clearly low early on, and his shots looked rushed and aimed (a bad combination for a pure shooter), but some garbage time buckets might fix that problem.

Final Grade: C

Iman Shumpert – 22 points, 7 points, 3-7FG, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 5 fouls

Shump got a spanking from the Magic’s backcourt tonight, simply said. Reddick torched him on screens and curls, evaded him off the dribble, and when Shump briefly got switched to Nelson (why we didn’t see more of this, nobody knows…), he was unable to stick to him all that well. Shumpert didn’t take advantage of his open looks off the pick-and-roll and Anthony’s general prowess, which seemed to pile onto his overall frustration. A forgettable night, all in all.

Final Grade: C

Chris Copeland – 8 minutes, 3 points, 1-2 FG

Hard to judge these types of stints, but Copeland hit a garbage time three-pointer after a completely unremarkable second quarter appearance, so that’s good.

Final Grade: C

James White – 10 minutes, 2 points, 1-3 FG, 1 rebound

Why Woodson likes to have a place-holder starter (i.e. White, Kurt Thomas, etc.) is beyond me, but White really doesn’t do much on the court. His jumper was flat and he got burned backdoor a couple of times. Truthfully, I’d rather give his minutes to Ronnie Brewer.

Final Grade: C-

Ronnie Brewer – 4 minutes, 1 point, 1-3 FT, 3 rebounds

Brewer is so low on the Knicks’ depth chart, I’m afraid he won’t even get invited to Mike Woodson’s Super Bowl part, or that Dave Hopla has forgotten about the shooting coaching he needs to be giving Ronnie. Brewer was so great in the early-going, I’d love to see him recapture some of that and boost the Knicks’ rotation a bit, even if the space for him is limited.

Final Grade: C-

Incompletes: Jason Kidd (DNP), Rasheed Wallace (DNP), Marcus Camby (DNP)

Follow Scott Davis on Twitter: @WScottDavis

However, since December 15, the Knicks are just 7-9, rapidly losing their lead in the Atlantic Division, slowly losing grip as the #2 seed in the East, as teams like the Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets, and Chicago Bulls creep up the standings. A number of things have plagued the Knicks, including injuries and slow starts, but overall, their recent play has simply been erratic. Night-in and night-out, the Knicks look like a different team. At times, such as yesterday’s loss to the Brooklyn Nets, they are defensive, allowing under 90 points; other times, the Knicks look like the fluid offensive team they displayed early in the season; often, they look like neither.

One of the biggest problems has been Mike Woodson’s overall struggle to find a successful, consistent rotations.

The Knicks’ bench has the potential to be potent, as evidenced by the combined 46 points from Stoudemire, Smith, and Novak in their win over Detroit this past Thursday. The combination of Amar’e Stoudemire and J.R. Smith off the bench has put up big scoring numbers for the Knicks, but the results have been mixed. Since Stoudemire’s return, January 1, the Knicks are only 4-5. The Knicks are 4-2 when Stoudemire scores in double-figures. They are also 3-1 this month when Steve Novak makes three or more three-point attempts, and 2-0 this month when he scores in double-figures. Smith has been a consistent force off the bench and is playing huge minutes because of his productivity.However, these big scoring outputs haven’t been there every game, and despite the talent the Knicks have in their second unit, the results haven’t often been wins.

The starting lineup has been as inconsistent as the bench. In this recent slide, Mike Woodson has experimented with a number of different lineups. Jason Kidd, Carmelo Anthony, and Tyson Chandler have been permanent starters, but James White, Iman Shumpert, Ronnie Brewer, Chris Copeland, Marcus Camby, and Kurt Thomas have all taken turns being tossed in and out of the starting lineup.

Though Mike Woodson has done an undoubtedly better job coaching the Knicks than Mike D’Antoni did, under D’Antoni, the Knicks almost always had their most success when he found consistent rotations and lineups to play each game. Though he played a shorter rotation than Woodson, he often had set times when certain players would come in and out of the game, and certain lineups he would play. The key there was consistency. Though injuries have no doubt factored into Woodson’s rotation-shuffling, finding a set rotation might be Woodson’s best option to find these Knicks some rhythm.

Part of the problem has been that certain players have produced at inconsistent levels. Pablo Prigioni and Chris Copeland, both rookies, have struggled to be consistent each night, Ronnie Brewer’s play has taken a drastic nosedive since his early season success, and Woodson’s experiments with James White and Kurt Thomas usually result in very short stints for both players before they’re substituted for regular cogs in the rotation. In this case, it might be better for Woodson to shorten the rotation.

However, another problem lies in the heavy minutes he’s playing key players on the team. Carmelo Anthony has logged 40+ minutes in six of his last eight games, Jason Kidd, at 39-years old, has played 30+ five times this month because of Raymond Felton’s injury and Prigioni’s inconsistency, Tyson Chandler and J.R. Smith are both playing near or at career-high levels in minutes. Amar’e Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert are not yet ready to play more than 20-30 minutes each, and the rest of the Knicks haven’t warranted heavy playing time. Marcus Camby, Rasheed Wallace, and Raymond Felton don’t appear to be on the horizon, so Woodson will likely keep having to play guys for extended minutes while reaching deep into the bench, despite its limited impact, to spell those players.

Finding solutions for these problems isn’t easy, and Mike Woodson is surely racking his brain to figure out a way to get his team back into any kind of rhythm. For now, injuries have caused the Knicks to play up-and-down, and the problems with the rotations continue.

January 5, 2013; Orlando FL, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amar

Stoudemire, who until last week had not played a real NBA game (excluding preseason) in nearly seven months, still needs some time to work himself back into shape. Mike Woodson has been managing his minutes off the bench with about 20 per night, dispersing his playing time between minutes with the bench crew and with the starters. Currently, Stoudemire is not fit to be playing huge minutes in a game; his lag time in running up and down the court is noticeable in changes of possession, and he still lacks his usual explosiveness, as noted by his very lower total rebounding percentage – 7.4% and only 4.6 rebounds per 36 minutes – and the five shots he’s had blocked in three games. Stoudemire is simply still very rusty.

However, the question begs to be asked: where will Stoudemire fit when he returns to full health, capable of playing big minutes? As mentioned, thus far, Stoudemire has come off the bench and seen minutes with the bench unit and starting unit. Much of the fan base and many basketball analysts believe Stoudemire is better suited coming off the bench with a pick-and-roll point guard in Pablo Prigioni, two floor-spacers in J.R. Smith and Steve Novak, and a lack of paint-bound big men (Tyson Chandler) and ball-dominant scorers (Carmelo Anthony). Other pundits believe Stoudemire should play in the starting lineup and be forced to jell with Chandler and Anthony, as the Knicks’ ultimate success will be reliant on the Big Three’s ability to coincide.

Interestingly enough, +/- stats indicate that the Knicks’ most effective lineups with Stoudemire have come with a blend of starters and bench players. The top five-man combinations including Stoudemire are as follows:

1. Kidd, Anthony, Chandler, Smith, Stoudemire = +10 in 11 minutes
2. Smith, Novak, Copeland, Prigioni, Stoudemire = +5 in 8 minutes
3. Chandler, Anthony, Smith, Prigioni, Stoudemire = +5 in 8 minutes

It is clear to see that any five-man unit including Stoudemire has not seen a ton of playing time together because Stoudemire has only played three games, and Woodson tends to play a nine- or ten-man rotation which means there are substitutions often, thus not allowing any real longevity to one certain five-man unit. However, by narrowing the Knicks’ +/- stats down to three-man units, the samples become larger, and even more interesting.

The Knicks’ top three-man combinations including Stoudemire have consisted of Stoudemire, Chandler, and Smith with a +15 in about 19 minutes of playing time. The other combination with the same +15 in the same amount of playing time was the grouping of Stoudemire, Chandler, and Anthony. In general, the Knicks’ most productive lineups with Stoudemire have included either Anthony or Chandler, thus hinting at hope of a successful blend of all three players.

With Stoudemire on the court, the Knicks have been affected in different ways. They have become a better rebounding team and passing team with Stoudemire playing, and they’ve shot better from the corner three and the restricted area. However, in total, the Knicks’ have become an overall worse offensive team with Amar’e on the floor, with lower FG%, TS% and on offensive rating of 101.8 with him playing versus 109.9 with him on the bench. The defensive rating, meanwhile, has hardly been affected by his presence.

Working a player like Stoudemire into a team that has been rolling for two months will be difficult. There is new chemistry to be found amongst different combinations of players, and as the statistics show, there are surprising numbers for the Knicks’ coaches to look at to determine where he’ll fit best. For now, the Knicks are 2-1 since Stoudemire has returned, and there is statistical evidence to show (despite the very small sample size) that he can make the Knicks a better team.

Jan. 3, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks shooting guard J.R. Smith (8) high fives center Tyson Chandler (6) after a dunk against the San Antonio Spurs during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 100-83. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Woodson tweaked the starting lineup, putting Marcus Camby in place of Kurt Thomas at power forward, and the returns weren’t wholly satisfying. The Knicks defended with much greater vigor and conviction than in previous matchups, but struggled to score the ball. The Spurs crowded Carmelo Anthony, forcing Jason Kidd to pull on some contested threes, while Ronnie Brewer tried to create some offense and Tyson Chandler and Camby rolled to the basket with little success.

However, defense reigned mighty in the first half. Neither team ever got on any type of roll on offense, instead only exchanging baskets periodically and battling it out with defensive schemes. Anthony could not get on track; Smith’s jumpshots didn’t fall with the same frequency as they have of late; Amar’e Stoudemire continued to struggle while shaking off the rust; the rest of the Knicks’ contributions were minimal. For the Spurs, their excellent precision and ball movement got them good, open looks from the perimeter, but the Knicks’ defense focused on stopping Tony Parker’s basket-bound ways and otherwise stuffing the paint to deny easy baskets. The Knicks led at halftime 42-40.

In the second half, it was the Knicks whose offense became untracked. Behind some masterful helmsmanship from Pablo Prigioni, Anthony, Smith, and the rest of the gang began to find success stroking it from the perimeter and taking it to the basket. The defense, meanwhile, stayed aggressive, forcing the Spurs east and west around the perimeter, protecting the basket, and cleaning the glass to the tune of a 48-35 rebounding advantage. To open the fourth quarter, the Spurs all but waved the white flag as the Knicks ran off a 15-2 explosion to boost the lead to 82-62. The Knicks cruised to the victory, smiling and dancing all the way.

How about some individual player report cards?

Carmelo Anthony – 36 minutes, 23 points, 9-20 FG, 8 rebounds, 3 assists

‘Melo’s early insistence that he was done trying to score 30 points a night to get a victory has proved false so far this season, but when he made the remarks, this type of night was probably what he imagined. The Spurs rarely granted Anthony any good looks and early on, his field goal percentage reflected it. Though he hit some open threes and had a few successful drives to the basket, there was less posting and toasting, shaking and baking from Anthony for the in this one. His 23 points on 20 shot attempts isn’t all that efficient, but despite the somewhat gaudy stat line, he seemed relatively quiet on this night. However, with his shot only luke warm, there was more focus on finding open teammates (some deliberate STAT-feeding comes to mind, as well as some perimeter ball-swinging) and helping out on the boards. His first half defense, especially sticking with shooters or on close-outs wasn’t terribly satisfying, but luckily, the half-hearted effort didn’t much affect the Knicks tonight.

Final Grade: B+

J.R. Smith – 27 minutes, 20 points, 9-17 FG, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

The above stat line is becoming a regularity for Smith. At one point, Mike Breen remarked that J.R. has previously registered three straight games with 25+ points off the bench for the first time in Knicks’ history. He then continued to say Smith had a long way to go to reach that mark as he notched his seventh points of the night. Little did Mr. Breen know that garbage time was still to come – Smith’s most comfortable habitat.

Yes, J.R. was slightly underwhelming to begin, but as he is wont to do, he blew it up in the fourth quarter when the Knicks’ lead swelled. An array of jumpers off the dribble, cuts to the baskets, and catch-and-shoot three-pointers quickly notched Smith those 20 points in the fourth quarter. Throw in an electrifying, low-lob-devastating-finish on a Prigioni alley-oop, and this had all the makings of a classic Earl Smith fourth quarter feast. Jokes aside, Smith’s effort all over the court is becoming so satisfying to see. Consistent effort on the boards, some delightful dishing in the pick-and-roll, and a chase-down block on Gary Neal, and Smith is earning the extended minutes and usage he’s been receiving in recent weeks.

Final Grade: A-

Tyson Chandler – 31 minutes, 10 points, 3-4 FG, 4-5 FT, 14 rebounds, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block

After a lackluster (and perhaps beat-up) effort against the Portland Trailblazers, Chandler also returned to his normal high-voltage self. Against a Spurs team that can struggle against dominant big men, Chandler gobbled up rebounds, turned away a few basket-attackers, and continued to his offensive efficiency, finishing easy baskets or otherwise drawing fouls at the rim. If not for ill-timed passes on the fastbreak and on attempted alley-oops, Chandler’s point totaly probably could have been higher. The Knicks allowing only 22 combined points from Tim Duncan and Tony Parker surely has something to do with Chandler’s ability to guard both individually or cause discomfort in their usual sets. Throw in four assists (a season high) and Tyson had a nice playtime tonight with his friends!

Final Grade: A-

Steve Novak – 22 minutes, 5-7 FG, 15 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals

Tonight we caught a glimpse of Steve Novak: Three-Point Specialist and Steve Novak: Three-Point Specialist With the Fastest Hands in New York City! Novak was granted a few open looks from downtown and canned them appropriately, but we also saw some quick trigger launches with fast-closing opponents that Novak still sank. The two steals (one in the passing lanes, one off the dribble) were also awkward, humorous delights. For the most part this season, Novak’s three-point prowess hasn’t lived up last season’s, but these type of efforts go a long way in boosting the Knicks’ offense and hopefully his confidence.

Final Grade: B-

Amar’e Stoudemire – 21 minutes, 10 points, 4-10 FG, 2 rebounds, 1 steal

Stoudemire was granted another rousing ovation when he got off the bench early in the first quarter to replace Marcus Camby, but once again, his play was disappointingly rusty and slightly forced. There were a number of ill-fated post-up attempts, that despite some fancy Olajuwon-esque moves, did not end up with points on the board. Stoudemire’s lack of explosion is still apparent when he’s pinned underneath the basket without any room for a running start. These are all things that will hopefully wear off as Stoudemire gets more burn.What was pleasing was Stoudemire’s clearly-increased focus on defense, actually denying some drives, providing help to guards on pick-and-rolls, and even a few snappy close-outs on jumpers.

Tonight Stoudemire got some extended minutes with the fourth quarter garbage time, we’ll see if he can hang around the 20-minute mark for the next few games and begin to find a more natural rhythm.

Final Grade: C

Pablo Prigioni – 27 minutes, 6 points, 3-9 FG, 9 assists, 3 steals. 1 TO

Prigioni got MSG’s walk-off interview tonight, and rightfully so. Somehow, Prigioni makes 9 assists off the bench seem quiet, but there were a few dazzlers in there. With his steady, crafty hands running the offense, Prigioni not only took part in the Knicks’ late-game offensive eruption, but he also allowed Jason Kidd some extended rest in the second half. The Argentine showed the full repertoire tonight, tossing some lovely ‘oops to Chandler and Smith, squeezing drop-off passes to rolling big men in the pick-and-roll, and throwing some spicy, zippy, one-handed passes to shooters and to cutters. Resting Kidd is optimal going forward, and it seems with extended playing time, Prigioni can allow it if he gets into a nice rhythm on offense. The only disappointing thing about Prigioni is wondering how good he could have been if he’d come to the NBA five to ten years earlier.

Final Grade: B

Jason Kidd – 21 minutes, 5 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals

The body of Kidd’s work came in the first half, as Prigioni manned the offense for the better part of the second half. Kidd was fairly quiet during his run on the court, but his work on the defensive end was notable. Kidd did an admirable job denying Tony Parker’s speedy attack off the dribble, and did a decent enough job closing on shooters when he was moved off the ball. The most important thing right now is to try and get Kidd as much rest as possible, because playing a 39-year old 30+ minutes isn’t optimal.

Final Grade: C+

Ronnie Brewer – 16 minutes, 6 points, 2-2 3FG, 2 rebounds

Ronnie Brewer hit two three-pointers tonight for the first time since the game against Charlotte on December 5, according to our friend Bryan Gibberman. Brewer seems to slowly, but surely be climbing out of his slump, but his offense and defense is still not up to par to what you’d expect. Keep working, Ronnie!

Final Grade: C

Chris Copeland – 18 minutes, 3 points, 1-5 FG, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

Copeland never got into much of a rhythm tonight. His lone three-pointer came early in his first half stint, and he did little else thereafter. With Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire back, and Steve Novak possibly busting out of a slump, it’s feasible that Copeland’s minutes could dwindle to exclusively garbage time.

Final Grade: C-

Marcus Camby – 15 minutes, 2 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block

Camby in the starting lineup added a nice dimension defensively, but it hurt the Knicks offensively. Though Kurt Thomas is no more an offensive threat, Camby’s presence does little else to assuage the pressure on Carmelo Anthony to carry the offense early on. What he does add, though, is extra rebounding, shot-blocking, potentially extra possessions, and some nice passing from the high post. Most of his pass attempts were broken up, but Camby was certainly looking to find cutters early on in the game from the high post, which could add an interesting dynamic to certain lineups. We’ll see if Woodson continues with Camby as the starting power forward in the future, but it’d be nice to see Camby get some more minutes as the back-up center, instead of playing Chandler for over 30 minutes.

Final Grade: C

Incompletes: James White, Kurt Thomas, Rasheed Wallace

Oct 13, 2012; Hartford, CT, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7), guard Raymond Felton (2) and guard Jason Kidd (5) celebrate during the second half of a game against the Boston Celtics at XL Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

“He told me, ‘Let’s play through you,’ ” Kidd said. “Coach wanted to play through Carmelo, but Carmelo was like, ‘No, I want to play through Jason.’ I think that’s the greatest compliment a teammate can get.”

Anthony’s submission to put the offense in the hands of the 39-year-old Kidd is an indication of the trust he has, not only in Kidd, but in Mike Woodson to call the right plays, and in the rest of his teammates to execute them.

But this is not entirely about Anthony – it is about the effect Jason Kidd has had on this Knicks team, as well as his fellow wheel-man, Raymond Felton. Much was made about the Knicks’ decision to let Jeremy Lin go this summer in favor of Kidd and Felton – both of whom were coming off of underwhelming 2011-12 seasons – but so far, the moves have looked great. Felton is having his best season since his previous stint in New York, and Kidd, while seeing decreased minutes, is averaging better numbers than last year with the Mavericks, while also putting up a PER of 19.9 – his highest in nearly ten years.

Tyson Chandler and Steve Novak have both spoken highly of Kidd, saying that the team has full trust in what he’ll do with the ball, and that they play with more confidence as a unit when he’s on the floor. Kidd’s mentoring ways have extended to Felton who, by and large, has been the Knicks’ primary playmaker this year.

Felton spoke frequently this summer of coming in “with a chip on his shoulder.” He admitted as much to David Aldridge recently:

Everybody’s entitled to a bad year, I think … I busted my behind to get myself in shape, and toward the end of the year [in Portland] I think I picked my play up. But there was still a lot of junk talked, a lot of stuff said in that summertime. I definitely wanted to come out and let people know that I’m still here. Ain’t nothing changed. I’m still that point guard that can run a team and can play ball.”

Kidd has been talking with Felton consistently this year, giving him points about how to run the offense. According to Kidd, he told Felton to run the offense like Peyton Manning (Felton’s favorite quarterback) and settle down and make the right play during Felton’s homecoming in Charlotte. The confidence instilled in Felton has spread to other teammates, too.

Tyson Chandler has feasted off Felton’s aggressiveness in the pick-and-roll, currently leading the league in field goal percentage, at a near-historical level of 70.9%. Felton also told Aldridge that he’s directed Chandler to always roll to the basket, because Felton is going to attack the big man, draw attention, and he’ll free up Chandler for easy baskets. Perhaps this mentality can revitalize Amar’e Stoudemire – who Felton found success with in 2010 – when he returns to the lineup in the coming weeks. Likewise, Carmelo Anthony is currently third in the league in scoring at 26.8 ppg (the third highest of his career), and is benefiting from Felton and Kidd’s work with the ball, getting better shots on the floor as evidenced by his sky-rocketed true shooting percentage and effective field goal percentage.

In fact, the oft-discussed chemistry problems between Anthony, Stoudemire, and Chandler could be settled when all three are given the chance to work with Felton and Kidd together for an extended period of time. The Knicks’ Big Three had some success under Mike Woodson last season when they worked with a point guard who had the keys to the offense: the now-departed Jeremy Lin. Though Lin never totally earned the full trust of his teammates as the primary point guard, if the Knicks continue to put faith in Felton and Kidd, the Knicks offense, already the second most efficient in the NBA, could really reach new heights.

It’s all about trust for these Knicks, and if putting the ball in two veteran point guards’ hands, and allowing Anthony and eventually, Stoudemire, to do less, gets the trust of the team, then the Knicks need to keep doing it. Given some more time to all blend together, this New York team might truly become a frightening force in the East.

Dec 5, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith (8) gets congratulations from his teammates as he scores the winning basket with 3.9 seconds left during the game against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Knicks win 100-98. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

Through much of the game, the Knicks and the Bobcats wrestled back and forth in a seesaw affair. However, with six minutes left to go, the Knicks found themselves down by eight, unable to stop a feisty Bobcats team led by the uber-quick Kemba Walker and his band of rascals. For the Knicks, Carmelo Anthony had gone mysteriously cold; J.R. Smith was unable to throw a rock into the ocean; the defense looked ill-equipped to make enough stops to get back into the game.

But at that six-minute mark, like we’d seen in the win in San Antonio, the Knicks just flipped the switch. Their defense tightened, forcing the Bobcats east and west around the perimeter, unable to get a good look. The Knicks forced five turnovers in those final six minutes. On offense, with Anthony back in the locker room treating a lacerated finger, Raymond Felton and Tyson Chandler ran the pick-and-roll to perfection, parting the Bobcats’ defense and getting to the rim to get easy baskets.

On the final play – after a timeout following a weird sequence where the Knicks forced a turnover and  J.R. Smith pulled the ball back on a two-on-one fastbreak with just seconds remaining – the Knicks inbounded the ball to Smith. Smith darted to his left towards the baseline, did his signature step-back jumper, faded away, and swooshed the 18-footer at the buzzer to win the game. Like that, the Knicks started the getaway cars, escaping Charlotte with a 13-4 record and sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference.

Some individual report cards, starting with the man of the hour:

J.R. Smith – 31 minutes, 13 points, 6-16 FG, 1-9 3FG, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 3 turnovers

Smith came into the game trying to forget a dreadful 1-11 shooting performance against the Phoenix Suns this past Sunday. If that game’s off-target marksmanship was triggered by a night out on the town the Saturday beforehand – as Smith has suggested he’s wont to do – then his game tonight looked like he was going out during commercial breaks. Though Smith shot the ball better than 9%, and his looks were generally clean – a variety of looks off the dribble and catch-and-shoots – nothing would fall for him.

To Smith’s credit, his defense rarely waned, and his perimeter defense in that fourth quarter was noticeably stellar. Likewise, his four assists show his willingness to move the ball an off night. A crucial, basket-saving block on an open, rolling Bismack Biyombo in the fourth, and of course, a game-winning, step-back, fade-away 18-footer… well, those help heal the earlier wounds.

Final Grade: B-

Tyson Chandler – 35 minutes, 18 points, 8-10 FG, 17 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

Though Chandler’s production slowed down after a stellar first quarter in which he nearly notched a double-double, he was nonetheless vital every minute he was on the floor. Though he didn’t have much success stopping the Bobcats’ speedy, slithery guards at the basket, he generally made mincemeat of the Bobcats’ big men, allowing just 12 combined points on 6-17 shooting from Brendan Haywood, Bismack Biyombo, and Byron Mullens. Though the Knicks were out-rebounded 50-36 (!), Chandler had half of those boards and it’s doubtful New York would have ever had a possession without Tyson’s dominance. On offense, too, Chandler was crucial late in the game, sucking in the Bobcats’ defense with hard rolls to the basket and some forceful finishes, including a few alley-oops and a nice little back-to-the-basket baby hook.

After a few scary weeks where Tyson just didn’t look like his court-roaming monstrous self, he seems to be a full health and energy once again, making a living in the paint on both ends of the floor. The Knicks absolutely do not win this game without a lovely 18-17 performance from Chandler.

Final Grade: A+

Carmelo Anthony – 38 minutes, 23 points, 8-22 FG, 3-7 3FG, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 1 block

Anthony began the game firing on all cylinders, connecting on his first three three-pointers and finding success shimmying off the dribble and finishing around the basket or otherwise drawing fouls. Facing the slower-moving, 7-foot (not seven-footed) Byron Mullens, one would have expected Anthony to begin the game in attack mode, and he responded. Though his typical rebounding prowess was absent (he just didn’t seem to be around the basket much), he made up for it with some truly beautiful dishing out of double teams. When the Bobcats sent an extra defender, Anthony did a wonderful job moving the ball on a variety of kick-outs, swing, and skip passes to find open teammates.

‘Twas a tale of two halves, though, for ‘Melo. In the second half, Anthony rimmed out his other four three-pointers, and in general was only 1-11, while failing to get to the free throw line at all. As we’ve seen, the right combination of these things – along with a surging opponent – tends to make ‘Melo a little grumpy, and there was a noticeable let-up in energy and effort from him after halftime. When he finally got untracked, defending with vigor in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, and after hitting a running bank shot, he got injured. ‘Melo chased down a loose ball and dove into the Knicks bench to save it. Much to chagrin of Clyde Frazier who insists Anthony is too important for such reckless play, ‘Melo left the game with a laceration on his finger, which required six stitches. His status is up in the air for tomorrow night’s game.

Despite a less-than-lovely second half and a somewhat unnecessary injury, that wonderful first half kept the Knicks in the game to begin with.

Final Grade: B+

Raymond Felton – 36 minutes, 17 points, 7-19 FG, 9 assists, 2 rebounds, 0 TOs

Playing in front of his family and a supportive crowd in his former stomping grounds, Felton took the floor with a flipper of a left-hand bundled in protective padding. Felton refused to miss a homecoming because of the bruised bone in his hand, so he took the floor, hoping to play through the pain. In the first half, the results were not good. Raymond looked tentative off the dribble and on defense, and though he shoots righty, the left hand is needed to guide the ball going up on a shot, and Felton just couldn’t bury many of his looks. Felton resorted to dishing to his teammates with some success, but in general the early returns were lacking.

So, what did he do? Felton came out in the second half with his injured left hand unwrapped and had himself a ballgame. To open the third quarter, Felton sank two three-pointers, dished to Chandler on an alley-oop, picked up a loose ball and fed Ronnie Brewer for a fastbreak layup. Felton was borderline heroic to close the game as well, harassing Kemba Walker (who’d been torching Felton all game) and denying him the ball on a critical inbounds play. On the other end, as mentioned, Felton mastered the pick-and-roll when it mattered most, assisting on a Novak three and Chandler dunk, scoring on a floater and driving layup. All the while, his adorable three-year old son slept, missing his dad’s prideful, inspiring play.

Final Grade: B+

Steve Novak – 26 minutes, 9 points, 3-8 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 assist

Novak continues a tear of games in which he’s shot (if I heard Mike Breen correctly) 17-31 from downtown, not including tonight’s performance. Novak missed a big, open corner three down the stretch, but had previously hit a big one off the elbow on the aforementioned kick-out from Felton. Tonight wasn’t one of those noticeable explosions from Steve, but each of those treys were important. Otherwise, he was pretty quiet, getting burned on a number of plays by the more fleet-footed Bobcats, and not taking a single attempt from inside the arc. Novak started the second half, continuing a trend of Woodson’s.

Side note: I love watching the Knicks swing the ball back and forth in a desperate attempt to get Novak open. This almost always results in him getting the ball, but not being open enough, passing it, and then getting it right back.

Final Grade: C

Ronnie Brewer – 18 minutes, 9 points, 3-8 FG, 2-5 3FG, 5 rebounds, 1 steal

Never has someone looked so precarious possessing the ball on offense as Ronnie Brewer. Wait, I just remembered Jared Jeffries. Besides Jared Jeffries, never has someone looked so precarious possessing the ball on offense as Ronnie Brewer. Yet for the fear that runs through me when Brewer tries to run a fastbreak, or when his elbow plunges out on his awkward shooting release, it’s been effective. 40% shooting from beyond the arc for Brewer (though five attempts is a bit too many). Five rebounds (second most on the team) and some handy defensive work and Brewer played himself a typical game. At times, Woodson’s penchant for playing Smith over Brewer – especially when Smith is off-target – can be maddening, but by some miracle it worked tonight.

Next time out, more smart, lovely cuts, less threes, Ronnie.

Final Grade: C+

Jason Kidd – 25 minutes, 7 points, 2-3 FG, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 3 blocks, 0 TOs

Jason Kidd returned to action after missing some games due to back spasms, and didn’t miss a beat. The game just feels so safe in Kidd’s hands. He drilled two three-pointers (though he missed his biggest attempt late in the game) and generally kept the offense moving. On defense, Kidd gets his mittens on everything, and 3 blocks (!!!) has to be league-leading among guards. Like the comfort you feel relaxing at home, Kidd just brings a much safer, confident feeling to the game

Final Grade: B

Rasheed Wallace – 13 minutes, 2 points, 1-5 FG, 3 rebounds, 1 assist

Rasheed Wallace didn’t bark at any refs tonight, he didn’t get ejected, nor did he do much of anything, really. ‘Sheed saw limited action in the second half, but his first half play didn’t warrant it except to give Chandler a breather. Wallace’s refusal to roll to the basket after picks instead of popping out to the three-point line is aggravating. The one time he did roll to the basket, he got an open layup. Believe it or not, though, 3 rebounds ties him for third most on the Knicks tonight.

Final Grade: C-

Pablo Prigioni – 12 minutes, 2 points, 1-1 FG, 2 assists, 1 rebound, 1 steal, 0 TOs

Pablo hardly saw action in the second half, too, but he generally looked like his Pablo-y Priggly self in the first half. Some noticeably nice entry feeds and dishes on the pick-and-roll, and a lovely Clyde-like theft from Ramon Sessions off the dribble for Prigioni. On a second night of a back-to-back with Felton and Kidd both mending injuries, one has to expect he’ll see more minutes tomorrow night.

Final Grade: C

Final Grade for Reaction to Game-Winner : A+

Kurt Thomas – 5 minutes, 0 points, 0-0 FG, 0 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block

Kurt Thomas started and then he sat. He threw a nice pass from the elbow to a cutting ‘Melo.

That’s it for tonight. A scrappy, exhilarating win made this a happier, kinder, sillier report card. The Knicks now sit alone in first place in the Eastern Conference, and will go to Miami to face the second place Heat tomorrow night.

Of course, these awards are near meaningless for these coaches, whose ultimate goals are to be winning in May and June, as Al Iannazzone pointed out. Coach of the Month is probably little more than a gold star for head coaches at this point in the season. However, considering the circumstances, did the Knicks’ Mike Woodson deserve to be the East’s Coach of the Month?

Through the month of November, Woodson and Johnson’s teams posted identical records of 11-4, tying their teams as leaders of the Atlantic Division. However, the skill level of those teams remains a point of debate amongst Knicks fans in favor of Woodson. In November, the combined records of the Nets’ opponents (current as of today) was 96-105, a winning percentage of .478. The combined records of the Knicks’ opponents in November, also current, was 110-103, a winning percentage of .516.

So while the Nets’ schedule was easier, statistically, it’s also been argued that Avery Johnson doesn’t have the same quality tools to work with as Mike Woodson. While this is probably true to an extent, the Nets didn’t come into the season completely unrepresented or considered to be underdogs. The Nets do still have an All-Star back-court and two borderline All-Stars in Gerald Wallace and Brook Lopez. The Knicks were knocked all offseason for becoming too old and assembling a roster that doesn’t fit together.

Perhaps Avery Johnson’s best case for the award over Woodson is that the Nets won the two teams’ first head-to-head battle. Otherwise, however, the Knicks have also gotten off to a better start statistically than the Nets. According to Hoopdata, the Knicks rank first in offensive efficiency, whereas the Nets are ninth. On offense, the Knicks also shoot a better True Shooting percentage (field goals, three-pointers, and free throws weighed) at third in the league at 56.4%; the Nets are 15th at 52.4%. The Knicks also rank third in three-point percentage and first in turnover rate to the Nets’ 24th and 9th, respectively.

On defense, the Knicks rank one spot ahead of the Nets in defensive efficiency at 11th to the Nets’ 12th place spot. The Nets do rank better than the Knicks in categories like points allowed and opponents’ true shooting percentage, whereas the Knicks have a better rank than the Nets in forcing turnovers.

To the current day, what we have is a somewhat meaningless award and proof that both teams are pretty close in terms of their records, stats, and skill levels. What is interesting is to see who is getting recognized for their accomplishments.

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November 20, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; New York Knicks small forward Steve Novak (16) against the New Orleans Hornets during the second half of a game at the New Orleans Arena. The Knicks defeated the Hornets 102-80. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

Novak’s season-opener got off to a similar start. In 26 minutes off the bench, Novak poured in 17 points on 5-8 shooting from behind the arc, much to the delight of an exhilarated Madison Square Garden crowd, rowdily cheering on the Knicks’ favorite downtown threat as the team buried the Miami Heat.

After that, however, it seemed Novak’s usual, near-automatic stroke seemed to disappear. From November 5 to November 21, Novak shot just 10-35 – only 28.6% – from beyond the arc, quickly striking fear into the team and fans alike that the three-point phenom from last year would be unable to reciprocate his previous season’s numbers. Whereas in 2011-12, Novak shot 47.2% from downtown, his total season number of 35.4% from three-point range (through November 21) represented a 12% decrease in accuracy.

Furthermore, Novak’s playing time dipped, too, as through that stretch, he never saw more than 25 minutes in a game as he did in the season opener. His shot was mysteriously awry and consequentially, Novak’s impact on the games took a nosedive. After the season opener against the Heat, in a nine-game stretch where the Knicks went 7-2, Novak was a -2 in +/-. While the +/- stat can be misleading in a game-by-game basis, or in very small sample sizes, with enough data, it becomes reflective of a team’s performance when a player is on the court. Through those nine games, the Knicks were, on average, outscored by their opponents when Novak was playing.

However, in recent games, starting with Noember 23, Novak’s play has picked up. In the past four games, he is averaging 12 points per game, 56.5% shooting from beyond the arc, and is a +14 in +/- in a stretch where the Knicks are 2-2.

Novak’s sudden, expected resurgence (though the sample size is quite small) reflects his numbers from last year, which should, of course, be the point. Last year, Novak was a +178 for the season, and lineups that included him were generally among the best in +/- on the Knicks for the season.

Novak’s struggles have likely come from the extra defensive attention he’s received this season, along with a rushed release as a result of that attention. His decreased minutes, obviously, have not allowed him to accumulate better stats. Novak’s rebounding is also down across the board. His defense has been sturdy, allowing opponents to score 36% of the time, and giving up .82 points per possession. For Novak to warrant extra playing time, regardless of whether his shot is falling or not, he needs to show a consistent, if not overall improvement, effort on the boards, while maintaining the defensive effort he’s shown this season.

Novak is a part of this team’s future, evidenced by the four-year contract he was given in the offseason. When his shot is falling, he’s one of the Knicks’ most dangerous weapons, and they would improve greatly with a consistently efficient, floor-spacing forward off the bench.

Oct 22, 2012; Syracuse, NY, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson cheers for his team during the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Carrier Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-US PRESSWIRE

Though they’ve played the fewest number of games among any team in the NBA, the Knicks still sit atop the league in many of the biggest categories. They own the best record, they’re second in the league in points per game, first in offensive efficiency (points per 100 possessions), first in three-point percentage, first in opponents points allowed, first in defensive efficiency, and first in the league in turnover rate. Truly, the Knicks look like an elite team to begin the season, and while players deserve credit for the execution, Mike Woodson deserves credit for the preparation.

Woodson has had his fair share of detractors. In Atlanta, he was labelled as a regular-season coach – a guy who coaches a successful regular season, but falters in the postseason. His Atlanta teams were accused as being perennial second-round playoff teams who could not take the next step, in part because of average coaching. When he received his extension as head coach of the Knicks, many people expressed disapproval of the front office not seeking out bigger names like Phil Jackson. Before he ever even coached last year, fans fretted his move to iso-ball offense; the same happened this summer.

And while some of these criticisms are fair – Woodson was unimpressive in the playoffs last season, as well as in Atlanta, and he does favor a high number of isolations from scoring-minded players – Woodson also deserves a lot more credit. Thus far, the Knicks have looked well-prepared, well-coached in many aspects. The defense is perhaps even stingier than people imagined, having yet to yield more than 94 points to an opponent. The offense has been fluid, creative, focusing on lots of Carmelo Anthony post-ups, picking and rolling amongst point guards and big men, and perhaps the most pleasing aspect of all: rapid, unselfish ball movement, inside and outside, around the perimeter.

The players haven’t been shy about giving Woodson his fair share of praise. Last year, after Woodson took over, Anthony admitted to playing with a new energy and praising Woodson for holding him accountable. J.R. Smith, whose frequent run-ins with trouble have been well-documented, has grown up and gives the coaching staff credit. From Marc Berman of the New York Post:

“Smith said Thursday, ‘Being around the coaching staff, they’re very professional. They’ve been on me for being professional. They’ve been on me about being professional since Day 1 I got here.’”

Of course, more work still has to be done for Woodson. As head coach of the Knicks, he has a 23-6 record in the regular season, but some truly testing games still lie ahead, beginning tonight against the San Antonio Spurs and tomorrow night against the Memphis Grizzlies. When the playoffs roll around, that will be another story altogether.

In the meantime, Woodson and the Knicks need to take it a game at a time and build upon a solid core of basketball that’s been seen through the first five games.

Nov 13, 2012; Orlando, FL, USA; New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler (6) dunks against the Orlando Magic during the third quarter at Amway Center. New York defeated Orlando 99-89. Mandatory Credit: Douglas Jones-US PRESSWIRE

Two trends still remain for the Knicks: they’ve beaten all of their opponents by double-digits and they are still the only undefeated team in the NBA. Most people would not have expected the lowly Magic to give the Knicks a run for their money to end both streaks, but credit must be given to Orlando for putting up a feisty effort against a somewhat lackadaisical Knicks squad who have played just two games over the last eight days.

Through the majority of the game the Knicks were flat. The Magic continually beat the Knicks on backdoor cuts, curls around the perimeter, and on the boards, getting themselves easy baskets against a slightly disinterested Knicks defense. On offense, the Knicks looked more stagnant than we’ve seen all season. The Magic’s defensive gameplan seemed to center on Raymond Felton by having guards go under screens against Felton and letting him shoot long twos and midrange jumpers. All 21 of Felton’s points were needed, but his 23 shots and only 5 assists was hardly efficient.

J.R. Smith, seemingly the savior once again tonight, checked in early off the bench in the first and third quarters and provided an immediate boost. Smith’s second half, in particular, was a potential game-changer. The Knicks began the second half slowly, when Woodson, quick on the trigger, pulled Brewer out of the game and inserted Smith after only two minutes. In the third quarter, Smith went 5-5 from the field for 12 points, while also grabbing 2 boards and dishing out an assist.He finished with 21 points on 9-14 shooting, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. He continues to be tremendous off the bench.

The first half, despite only trailing by four at the end of it, was lowly for the Knicks. Perhaps as a result of the time off between games, they looked a step slow on their rotations and didn’t move the ball with the same continuity that had been seen in the first four games. Carmelo Anthony and Felton did the lion’s share of scoring in the first half. Anthony finished the game with 25 points on 11-22 shooting to go along with 8 rebounds. Much of his work on offense came from pull-up jumpers and crafty moves off the dribble as he was often double-teamed when he tried to post up. Though it was still a solid, efficient effort from Anthony, it lacked some of the pizzazz that we’d seen in previous games.

But it was defensively where the Knicks had most of their problems. Anthony was a culprit on some lackluster defensive possessions as he moseyed down the court, upset (rightly so) about some no-calls on offense. The half-effort was sort of indicative of the team as a whole on the defensive end. The Knicks were also out-rebounded 25-16 in the first half (42-31 for the game) and allowed 53 first-half points to an Orland team that was ranked last in the NBA on offense.

Luckily for the Knicks, their opponent tonight was just not fit to ever really run away with the game. Against a better team, the Knicks’ effort through the first three quarters would have put them in a deeper hole. Instead, going into the deciding fourth quarter, New York actually led by one point, 77-76.

The fourth quarter was a glimpse of the more dominant, rascally Knicks that have been on display thus far this season. New York’s defensive rotations were quick and decisive, never allowing Orlando good looks at the basket; their hands were active, often disturbing shooters and penetrators. Only 13 points for Orland, compared to the Knicks’ 22 in the fourth quarter. The Knicks found something of a groove in that final period, too, as Jason Kidd’s steady hands contributed to five points of his own and some buckets for Smith, while Felton assisted on a few baskets for Chandler, including a finally-well-timed alley-oop.

Despite their struggles and mostly questionable effort, the Knicks came away with a win and final results similar to what’s been seen all season. Two ugly wins in a row, yet the Knicks seem undaunted. Tonight, they entered the critical final quarter with an air of confidence that the lesser, more inexperienced Magic would not be able to handle them. And they were right: the Knicks came away with their fifth double-digit victory in a row.

Notes

- According to Frank Isola, Ronnie Brewer was held out for most of the second half because of some knee swelling. This might explain why he was so quickly yanked in favor of J.R. Smith.

- Rasheed Wallace continues to be the first big off the bench for the Knicks, which has been less-than-thrilling. ‘Sheed has been pretty good at posting up and finishing around the basket so far this season – the problem is he rarely does it. Tonight he was 2-7 from the field, 0-5 from three-point range. On defense, he has been burned by younger, quicker big men and has contributed little else during his playing time. Marcus Camby is still working his way back into shape, familiarizing himself with the playbook, but Kurt Thomas’s sudden disappearance from the rotation is odd.

- As some folks have pointed out on Twitter, it appears Steve Novak’s quicker release this season has messed with his accuracy. Tonight he was only 1-2, and over the last three games (tonight included), he’s just 2-8. Come back to us, Steve!

- Pablo Prigioni didn’t play in the second half…?

- As mentioned, Carmelo Anthony’ scoring methods tonight resembled his past play more than the well-behaved ‘Melo we’ve seen this season. It’ll be interesting to see if he begins to revert back to those ways, or if he keeps up his smarter shot selection, with more post-ups and passes out of double teams. If he does keep it up, can he/will he keep it up when his own shot isn’t falling or when the Knicks struggle like they did tonight.

Either way, the Knicks will need a better effort for the coming games. A huge back-to-back test comes this Thursday with a game in San Antonio, and a game Friday night against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Nov. 9, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) shoots over Dallas Mavericks point guard Darren Collison (4) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

unsustainable; their winning ways, however, still remain.

At 4-0, the last remaining undefeated team in the NBA, the Knicks took down their fourth straight opponent by double-digits, beating the Dallas Mavericks 104-94. The Mavs came in playing some of the best basketball in the Western Conference, despite missing their superstar Dirk Nowitzki. Coming into the game, Dallas was 4-1, a testament to the undeniably excellent coaching of Rick Carlisle. However, his Mavericks, after a hot start, wilted down the stretch under an intense, scavenging New York defense.

It wasn’t always pretty for New York. In the first half, the two teams exchanged blows trading baskets and stops, and Dallas looked ready to pull away at any moment. But New York just kept scratching for life. A fade-away three-pointer by J.R. Smith at the end of the half kept the Knicks within two – a sign of their desperate clinging to the game. The third quarter was the difference-maker for New York. J.R. Smith once again swooped in with some timely buckets on jumpers and drives to push the Knicks ahead. The Knicks outscored the Mavericks 29-21 in that essential third quarter.

Smith was not alone, of course. Carmelo Anthony continued his torrid stretch at the power forward by dropping in a season high 31 points on 10-22 shooting. For the most part, it was not the team-conscious, well-behaved ‘Melo that we’ve seen thus far this season – some forced transition buckets, and headstrong determination to unsuccessfully take it to Dahntay Jones come to mind – but he was nonetheless effective. Against the likes of Jae Crowder, Brendan Wright, and Vince Carter, Anthony simply exerted his will, bullying his way to the basket or knocking down some midrange jumpers.

Tyson Chandler’s return to health was also a successful one, punctuated by a rim-rocking, and-1 put-back dunk over Jae Crowder following an Anthony miss. Chandler, seemingly fully healthy for the first time this season, dropped in 11 points and 9 rebounds.

However, it was not always sugar and sweets for the Knicks. The Mavericks, whose playing style is nearly machine-like in their own right, began the game hot from three-point land, led by O.J. Mayo who finished with 23 points on 5-10 shooting from beyond the arc. Had foul trouble not limited him, Mayo looked set to become the latest addition on a long list of Knick-killers. Chris Kaman and Vince Carter (rocking an American-flag themed headband recalling Easy Rider) combined for 29 points off the bench.

The Mavs hung around for awhile with the Knicks, but couldn’t pull it out in the end. The Knicks’ defense stifled the Mavs into only 16 fourth-quarter points, including a nearly four-minute scoring drought. The same defense which Mike Woodson has so often praised and relied upon, was the turning point for a Knicks team whose offense also faltered down the stretch with a few turnovers and sloppy, isolation ball.

The margin of victories still remains in double-digits, but tonight proved that every win won’t be easy, and they won’t always be pretty. The Knicks won in a grinding fashion, and their winning percentage still remains the best in the league.

Notes:

- A few folks have noted on Twitter that Raymond Felton doesn’t seem to be in game shape yet. That might explain his hot starts and lowly finished this season, as well as his horrid finishing around the basket – a sign of some jello-y legs. Felton was pretty bad tonight: 8 points on 3-11 shooting, 9 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 turnovers.

- Marcus Camby made his season debut and was mostly quiet. It was still nice to see the old, lanky string bean out on the MSG floor again, though.

- Ronnie Brewer’s prowess from the corner three remains; he made 2-4 from beyond the arc tonight. Ronnie also has a nose for timely offensive boards, which has been a pleasant surprise. His explosion around the basket, however, is still reminiscent of wet gunpowder. A couple more botched layups for Brewer tonight.

- Jason Kidd and Pablo Prigioni only saw 15 and 10 minutes tonight, respectively. Odd, considering Felton’s struggles. It remains to be seen whether there was any health-related issues affecting their playing time.

- The Knicks won the turnover battle by a large margin – 9 to Dallas’s 20. However, the Knicks shot just 26-38 from the free throw line. Had this game been close, that would’ve been a killer.

The Knicks play the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night.

Nov 2, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks shooting guard J.R. Smith (8) drives the ball during the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 104-84. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE

J.R. Smith, for many understandable reasons, is a polarizing figure in the NBA. He is covered in tattoos; he’s had numerous run-ins with the law; he has almost unparalleled athleticism; he likes to take shots that the majority of players and fans all know shouldn’t be taken. Yet when Smith is at his best, he can be a game-changing threat for his team.

These things are all known – J.R. Smith can ‘shoot you in or out of a game’. This season it’s been the former through three games. His performance against the Miami Heat was a little shaky – 11 points on 3-11 shooting – but in the two blowout wins over the Philadelphia 76ers, Smith was terrific. For the season, Smith is averaging fantastic numbers in his 34 minutes off the bench: 16 points per game, 43.9% FG, 61.5% 3FG, 6.3 rebounds per game, and 4.3 assists per game.

Smith’s advanced numbers tell an even better tale for the Knicks. In the three games – a tiny sample size to be noted, for sure – he is posting career-highs in PER, Total Rebound Percentage, Assist Percentage, Offensive Rating, and Defensive Rating, according to Basketball Reference. Where we’ve seen the good J.R. Smith, Dr. Jekyll, is when he’s behaved on offense. According to Synergy, Smith’s two most efficient forms of shooting have come on spot-ups and coming off screens. He’s taken ten shots on spot-ups, making six of them, and averaging 1.8 points per possession – his highest of any form of scoring. He’s only taken four shots coming off of a screen, but he’s made three of them and is averaging 1.5 points per possession on those plays.

His 4.3 assists per game is a career high and his career high assist percentage, 20.5%, and his lower usage percentage indicates that Smith has been more willing to make the extra pass or play within a system. His knack for breaking up plays by looking for his own shot has decreased, but it does still remain.

The bad Smith, Mr. Hyde, has been seen in his typically heavy isolation tendencies where he’s taken 15 shots (the most of any type listed on Synergy) and only made five of them, good for 33%. Last season with the Knicks, Smith’s most frequent shots also came in isolation, in which he only shot 35.6%. Perhaps the one positive of Smith’s isolation plays this year is that his turnover percentage is down from last year. At times, an isolation play from Smith can be the best option if his shot is falling, if he has a mismatch, or if it’s late in the shot clock. The trend to look for, however, is if the number of shots he takes in isolation go down compared to his spot-up attempts where he’s much more efficient.

As mentioned, in 2012-13, Smith’s Defensive Rating – a stat that measures the team’s points allowed per 100 possessions with the player on the floor – has been significantly lower than his career average – 93 this season compared to 108 for his career. On defense as a whole, according to Synergy, Smith is allowing just 33.3% FG shooting to opponents he begins a play guarding.

Smith has the ability to be a hugely impactful player, and something about this team and Mike Woodson’s guidance appears to have gone through to Smith. Though three games is a very small sample to measure, if Smith can keep up this production, we could see him start to tap into that oft-discussed potential to be a consistently game-changing player.

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Here are my picks of sleepers and rookies and also the guys that you should avoid.  Draft correctly or you may wind up being the pumpkin at the ball.  In the spirit of Halloween, let’s proceed….

Dracula’s (Sleepers)

O.J. Mayo (Dallas Mavericks)

Oct 26, 2012; Dallas, Tx, USA; Dallas Mavericks shooting guard O.J. Mayo (32) dribbles during the second half against the Charlotte Bobcats at the American Airlines Center. Dallas won 99-82. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-US PRESSWIRE

O.J.’s namesake might scare you into not drafting him, but that would be a mistake.  This is not Orenthal James, but actually Ovinton J’Anthony (you can see why he shortened it), and he may be looking at a career year.

Since being drafted by Memphis in 2008, he has seen his numbers gradually decrease.  His rookie year stats of 18.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists were very good.  He even made 1.8 3-pointers a game to boot.  Actually they were good enough to garner him enough votes to finish second only to future-MVP Derrick Rose in the Rookie of the Year balloting.

Unfortunately for Memphis fans after that breakout season his game faded.  Last year he finally adjusted to the sixth man role that he was given the previous season and flourished, hitting key 3-pointers and also improving his defensive game.  Eventually though the welcome had worn out in Tennessee.

He is now with Dallas, who brought in some new players to a team that has already made the playoffs 12 years in a row.  Figuring to be the starting SG alongside PG Darren Collison, Mayo has breakout potential.  His competition for the position is very lackluster and once Dirk Nowitzki is back and healthy he should draw many double-teams that will give O.J. many open looks.  His quickness may be what the Mavs need to reenergize their offense.  USC has been known to breed slasher-type players, and O.J. fits this role…Mayo, not Simpson…but now that I mention it…

Carlos Boozer (Chicago Bulls)

Like many horror stories of yore, Carlos Boozer has been a name many have forgotten since the Bulls acquired him before the 2010-11 season.  Stuck in a rotation featuring MVP Derrick Rose, Luol Deng and a dearth of front-court talent (Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, Omer Asik), Boozer has simply not gotten the minutes to make a fantasy impact.

Excluding his rookie season, he averaged the fewest PPG and RPG of his career in 2012.  Many people drafted him last year hoping he would turn around the mess that was ’10-11 campaign, be he wounded their hearts by playing below his talent level.

This year will be different for the Alaska native.  With Derrick Rose gone until at least March, or possibly the entire season, and Asik earning  a freakish $25 million (?!!) in the Lone Star State, Boozer will have to shoulder a lot of the scoring load, as well as play more minutes inside, which should garner him more rebounds.

He has never been a shot blocker, but is a good passer for a big man, so three assists per game and possibly one steal per game could be likely.  Look for his scoring and rebounding averages to creep back up into the 20/10 range.  Especially with the possibility of earning the much coveted center eligibility, drafting him in the middle rounds could be less trick and more treat.

Raymond Felton (New York Knicks)

Two of the issues that have always haunted the Knicks’ newly-acquired point guard have been his consistency as well as his fluctuating weight.  When management decided to do a sign-and-trade for Felton it pretty much squashed any chances of them re-signing media and fan sensation Jeremy Lin, but in doing so the Blue & Orange have brought in a more prototypical floor general.

This is good news for Knicks’ fans and fantasy owners who draft him.  He had a forgettable one-year stint in the Pacific Northwest, but should enjoy another quality year in the Big Apple, much like he did in 2010-11 before he was shipped to Denver in the Carmelo Anthony trade.  His numbers that year in New York were the best of his career and there’s no reason to believe that he can’t produce similar stats across the board.

His rapport with Amar’e Stoudemire that year using the pick-and-roll became one for the ages.  Amar’e looks to be out for a month or more, which is a little unnerving, but Felton should have no trouble accumulating assists with jump shooters like ‘Melo, J.R. Smith and Steve Novak draining shots.

There has been some hubbub about his propensity for, let’s call it “rotundness”, but he seems to be in shape coming into camp this year.  Having played most of his career injury-free, taking a flyer on him in the middle rounds could be a fang-tastic move for you.

Others to consider:

Oct 24, 2012; Winnipeg, MB, CAN; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Luke Ridnour (13) is chased by Detroit Pistons power forward Andre Drummond (1) during the 3rd quarter at the MTS Center. Timberwolves win 95-76. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USPRESSWIRE

Luke Ridnour (Minnesota Timberwolves):  With Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love out due to injury, look for “Cool Hand Luke” to conjure up some points and assists.

Jerryd Bayless (Memphis Grizzlies):  He’s stuck behind Mike Conley and Tony Allen on the depth chart, but there is little talent after that.  He’s an injury away from playing big minutes.  In four years he has averaged 16.3 points and 5.2 assists as a starter, thus making his potential to put up big numbers enchanting.

Arron Affalo (Orlando Magic):  He will pretty much be THE offensive spark in Orlando.  As the “prize” of the Dwight Howard trade massacre, there is no reason for Jacque Vaughn to not have him log big minutes.  He is coming off a career year in Denver where he averaged a frighteningly good 15.2 points on 47 percent shooting.  His 1.4 three’s per game should actually increase.  Could be the steal of the draft.

Byron Mullens (Charlotte Bobcats):  The Bobcats are rebuilding (aren’t they always?) and this is one of the pieces they plan on getting them there.  He is eligible at center and can shoot the three, which is a rare commodity.  Analysts have had a ­bone to pick with his inside game, but some big rebounding performances in the preseason may be signs of him turning the corner.

Anthony Randolph (Denver Nuggets):  Now this is a DEEP sleeper, like comatose, but still only 23-years old, he is still on that “breakout” list.  The classic “hype” player, his lack of focus has over-shadowed his amazing athleticism.  He is on the Nuggets now which features the “Manimal” Kenneth Faried, but is also rostering sluggish ogres like Kosta Koufos and Timofey Mozgov and JaVale McGee who has talent, but lacks intuitiveness.  He’s not draft worthy, but keep an eye on him in free agency if any of those other players should become George Karl’s black cat.

Michael Beasley (Phoenix Suns):  The former No. 2 overall pick has never fully come into his own.  After only two seasons in Miami he was jettisoned to the Great North to make room for LeBron and Co.  His first season in Minneapolis was a success, averaging career high in points per game.  However last year, with a much more limited role, he failed to meet the expectations that had been bestowed upon him after coming out Kansas State as the Big 12 record holder in many categories.

This is a fresh start for Beasley in the desert.  He is pretty much guaranteed lots of minutes on a Suns team that will need his scoring.  His streaky shooting can be spine-chilling, but if he can be consistent on more of a regular basis he could be a find.

More under-the-radar guys that could put a spell on you:  Brandon Knight, Devin Harris, George Hill, Chandler Parsons, Gordon Hayward, Evan Turner, J.R. Smith, Wesley Matthews, Derrick Favors, Nikola Pekovic, J.J. Hickson

The Plague (Avoid these guys at all costs)

Oct 19, 2012; Portland, OR, USA; Golden State Warriors shooting guard Stephen Curry (30) drives the lane in the first quarter of the game at the Rose Garden. Curry left the game with an injury in the second quarter as the Warriors won the game 101-97. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-US

Stephen Curry  (Golden State Warriors):  Yes, I know how much talent this kid has, and many people are drafting him in the first couple rounds, but the fact of the matter is that he has way too many issues with his gimpy ankle that are worth stressing about all year long.  When healthy he has put up great all around numbers, but he missed 40 games last year and has already had another mishap with the same surgically repaired ankle in the preseason.  Bury him on your draft list.  Let him be someone else’s problem.

Eric Gordon (New Orleans Hornets):  see “Curry, Stephen”.  Same deal here, just a knee problem instead of an ankle problem.  Put a nail in his coffin.

Jason Richardson/Dorell Wright/Nick Young (Philadelphia 76ers):  All three of these guys essentially play the same position and will eat into each other’s time on the court.  Not bad fillers in free agency on a daily basis if you’re desperate for scoring categories (namely 3-pointers and points), but their field goal percentage’s will be murder on your in the long run.

Anyone in the Sacramento Kings backcourt:  This list would include: Isaiah Thomas, Aaron Brooks, Marcus Thornton, Tyreke Evans, Jimmer Fredette and John Salmons.  While many of these players are talented there are too many of them to go around and most of them will hurt your team in specific categories.  While Evans and Thornton will see more consistent minutes than the others, their shooting percentages will give you nightmares!

Andrea Bargnani (Toronto Raptors):  While many had doubted the former No. 1 overall pick over the past few seasons he has really turned out to be a great scorer.  But scoring is mainly what you’ll get from him.  Being center –eligible is nice, but five boards, a sub-par FG% and almost no blocks or steals to speak of is not what you’re looking for on a daily basis.  He’s basically like teammate DeMar DeRozan, just taller and speaks better Italian.  Chronic injuries are a problem with him as well.  With Bargnani you never know if you’ll get Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde, don’t take the risk.

Hedo Turkoglu (Orlando Magic):  Hedo has had his good years, but those years are behind him.  He is starting for the Magic now, but don’t let his projected minutes fool you into selling your soul for this guy.  Once the Magic start 3-20 he’ll most likely be traded to a contender where he’ll move back to a bench role and be a non-factor.  Tread lightly with this Turk.

Nene (Washington Wizards):  Nene is a highly talented player who is good for career averages of 12 points and seven rebounds a game.  The problem is that over a 10 year career, out of 804 possible games, he has only played in 457 of them, which translates to 57 percent.  Draft this guy and you’ll be heading to an early grave.

More guys you’ll feel have put a hex on you if you draft them:  Chris Kaman, Corey Maggette, Nate Robinson, Gerald Henderson, Andrew Bogut, Amar’e Stoudemire, Robin Lopez, DeMar DeRozan, Marvin Williams, Metta World Peace, and Caron Butler

Fresh Blood (Rookies)

Angels:

October 25, 2012; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard (0) controls the ball during the first quarter against the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE

Damian Lillard (Portland Trailblazers):  He had a great rookie camp and is the starting PG on a team really lacking in depth.  New coach Terry Stotts will give him lots of minutes and he does have some formidable scorers (LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews) that can help him pad his assist totals.  He should be given a very long leash.  Drink this potion and you’ll find yourself a sneaky point guard pickup in the later rounds.

Jae Crowder (Dallas Mavericks):  He had a great career at Marquette, but rarely do you see a second round pick blossom so quickly.  He has impressed coach Rick Carlisle in preseason and is a tweener big man who hustles a lot.  He will see minutes because he brings youth to a team that desperately needs players that aren’t on death’s bed.   He should also fill a big role while Nowitzki continues to nurse a bad knee.

Dion Waiters (Cleveland Cavaliers):  The Cavs are bad.  Aside from the ­otherworldly  Kyrie Irving they have very few players who are legitimate scorers.  Waiters will be shooting and shooting a lot.  Don’t expect good percentages, but the points will be there.

Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards):  The highly regarded SG from Florida will take no time to get on the NBA map.  With franchise player John Wall out for a few months they will need to rely heavily on Beal’s scoring ability.  What have they got to lose by playing Beal, after all they are the Wizards, and unless they perform some kind of voodoo, they are going to be at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

Brian Roberts (New Orleans Hornets):  No, this is not the Brian Roberts who plays second base for the Baltimore Orioles.  This Brian Roberts is a 29-year old rookie who has made heads roll during training camp.  I don’t think Greivis Vasquez is suited for a full time role as the starting PG in ‘Nawlins and Austin Rivers is more of shooting guard, which leaves Roberts as the potential rock handler for the Hornets.

Perry Jones III (Oklahoma City Thunder):  What is it with Baylor guys and the “III” after their name? Robert Griffin “Tres” has mightily impressed in his rookie year as the Washington Redskins QB so why can’t Jones III do so in OKC?  Well, he might.  With the trade of Sixth Man of the Year James Harden to the Houston Rockets, the Thunder will need more punch off its bench.  Harden’s ghost may not haunt Chesapeake Energy Arena for long as Jones III is a very athletic big man who could easily supplant the older and slower Kendrick Perkins in many crunch minutes.

Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons):  A very, very, very raw talent, but Drummond possesses a lot of upside.  A defensive minded beast, he could get you sufficient rebounding and blocked shot numbers in your fantasy league.  The Pistons aren’t very good and have no reason not to play their first-round draft pick.

Others:  Marquis Teague, Harrison Barnes, Thomas Robinson, Moe Harkless (when he returns from injury), Jonas Valanciunas

Devils:

Oct 23, 2012; Raleigh, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats head coach Mike Dunlap talks to Charlotte Bobcats small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) on the sidelines against the Miami Heat in the first half at PNC Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-US PRESSWIRE

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Charlotte Bobcats):  I think it might take a while for him to find a position that is best suited for his abilities and then he may finally rear his fangs, but for now he’s a deer in headlights.

Tyshawn Taylor (Brooklyn Nets):  Stuck behind D-Will and C.J. Watson in the depth charts.  His fantasy season can rest in pieces.

Anthony Davis (New Orleans Hornets):  I think that the consensus No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft will be a great player one day and I’m not saying he’s not a great player now, but I think his game is limited with the players that are currently surrounding him.  If Gordon has made a deal with the devil and can stay healthy I can see myself changing my tune on this, but for now he’s at best a late round pick.

Kendall Marshall (Phoenix Suns):  Newly acquired PG Goran Dragic got paid the big bucks and will log most of the minutes.  Though he is sound defensively, Marshall’s offensive game still has cobwebs on it.

Oct 24, 2012; Uniondale, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Raymond Felton (2) dribbles down the court the first quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE

At the conclusion of preseason, fans have reason to be pleased with Felton. His first four games were solid, if unspectacular, passing the ball well enough, but his shot selection and field goal percentage left a bit to be desired. In the last two games of preseason, against Philadelphia and Brooklyn, Felton looked like the point guard the Knicks are going to need.

In his previous two games combined, Felton put up 38 points, shot 60% from beyond the arc, accrued 9 assists with just two turnovers. Are these reasonable numbers to expect? Perhaps. With Amar’e Stoudemire and J.R. Smith both absent, Felton’s scoring demeanor needs to be up. In the last two games Felton’s jumper was silk and he found success bouncing, dashing his way to the basket for layups and little tear-drop floaters. When the Knicks are healthy again (hopefully this will be the case), Felton still needs to be aggressive looking for his shot, but expect his assists (and likely his turnovers) to go back up as he’ll look to get teammates more involved.

A case could be made, however, that Felton has Pablo Prigioni breathing down his neck. The 35-year old Argentine rookie has displayed a tremendous knack for getting players involved in the pick-and-roll and getting open shots on the perimeter. In the second quarter of Wednesday night’s game, Prigioni reeled off three straight assists that quickly erased the Knicks’ seven point deficit. For the time being, though, Prigioni will come off the bench where he’s been undoubtedly the Knicks’ second most efficient point guard, better than Jason Kidd.

The starting job is Felton’s to lose, and at 28, he is one of the younger members of the Knicks, and will thus be relied upon to log a healthy dose of minutes over the season. The Knicks tried to address an issue at point guard this offseason, and coming into training camp it was a matter of concern whether the Knicks could get good production from the conductors of the offense. If preseason is any sort of reliable measure, Raymond Felton is erasing those concerns.

Oct 22, 2012; Syracuse, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) talks with New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson during the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Carrier Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-US PRESSWIRE

And so far in the preseason, the Knicks have evidenced what their moves suggested: this team would score the ball in slow, half-court fashion. And so far in the preseason, the Knicks have scored over 100 points just once.

Granted, preseason, especially for the Knicks, has been five games of trials and repetitions with injuries slowing down key rotation players, and a gracious number of minutes having been lent to roster-hopefuls like Chris Copeland, Mychel Thompson, and John Shurna. However, the offense hasn’t given much indication of being a particularly potent or effective one.

On occasion, the Knicks’ offense has looked like a functioning, motion-based half-court system with lots of pick-and-rolls, cross screens, down screens, and post-ups. At it’s worst, it’s produced awkward, lackadaisical confusion with lots of bail-out three-point attempts and isolations from Carmelo Anthony.

The Knicks, especially without the help of Amar’e Stoudemire or J.R. Smith, possess very few players who can create their own shots or spread the floor. Last night’s starting lineup, for instance, contained Raymond Felton and Jason Kidd in the back-court, with Ronnie Brewer, Anthony, and Tyson Chandler upfront. With Anthony being the only potent offensive threat, with Kidd, Felton (though he made his three-pointers last night), Brewer, and Chandler as limited, inconsistent threats, the offense produced only 13 points in nearly 8 minutes (only 19 points had that lineup played the whole first quarter at that offensive pace). The Philadelphia 76ers’ intentions were clear early on: double Anthony and make other players step up. With the exceptions of Steve Novak, Stoudemire, and Smith, the Knicks contain inconsistent shooters and iffy (at best) shot-creators off the dribble.

The Knicks’ roster actually has great personnel to be an uptempo team.

Raymond Felton was nearing All-Star status under Mike D’Antoni in 2010-11 when he was averaging 17 points, 9 assists, though with a sloppy 3.2 turnovers per game. Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith both haven’t recreated the same offensive potency with the Knicks as they had with the Denver Nuggets who were usually in the top five in pace. Tyson Chandler had one of his best seasons on offense last year when the Knicks were fifth in the NBA in pace. Ronnie Brewer’s two best seasons scoring the ball came in 2007-08 and 2008-09 when the Utah Jazz were tenth in pace. And Amar’e Stoudemire isn’t too shabby in an uptempo offense either. (Pace stats provided by Hoopdata).

Furthermore, increasing the tempo of the offense allows Jason Kidd to unleash his passing ability (by far his greatest asset at this point) on unset defenses, and allows Steve Novak to spot-up beyond the arc before defenses can key in on sticking to him.

This is not to say the Knicks need to move at D’Antoni-Phoenix-Suns or Don-Nelson-Golden-State-Warriors speeds, but a faster offense actually suits the talents of the team much better. Of course, an immediate flag goes up as Carmelo Anthony abandoned such a system last year; would he suddenly buy into one now? His time with the Nuggets and the Olympic teams suggest his game fits a quicker pace, so it may just be a matter of where he’s positioned in the offense and how often the ball is in his hands.

If the Knicks want to play at an elite level, their offense and their defense both need to be among the best in the league. The defense, while still shaky has the potential to get there, and likely will given the recent trends and the make-up of the roster. The offense, as currently run, will likely fall short.

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

1.) What is the Knicks’ biggest strength coming into this season?

Greg: I’ve mentioned their depth before in previous posts, but I want to repeat myself now because this is going to be the Knicks best weapon this season. Remember, the only reason Lin-sanity even happened last year was because the Knicks were so shallow on their bench that Mike D’Antoni literally ran out of able-bodied options in front of an unproven rookie who two other teams had given up on.

This year, the Knicks head into the season with two quality point guards, two shooting guards who excel on opposite ends of the floor (Smith offensively, Brewer defensively) plus a third option coming back from injury, two star forwards, a shutdown center and a slew of veterans that will be coming off the bench. Kidd, Camby, Novak, Brewer, Smith/Shumpert, Thomas, Prigioni and Wallace represent the deepest bench the Knicks have had since the JVG Era.

Scott: I also have to say that the Knicks’ greatest strength is their depth, though their defensive potential comes in a close second. The Knicks are two-deep in pretty much every position, and in some cases, three-deep. Moreover, there’s just an abundance of talent at many positions; a case could be made that nearly every player on the roster deserves substantial playing time. At point guard, Raymond Felton, Jason Kidd, and Pablo Prigioni all have shown they deserve time on the floor, from the two preseason games they’ve played. When healthy, the Knicks will also have Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith, and Ronnie Brewer. The front-court isn’t quite as deep, but Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler, Steve Novak, Marcus Camby, and occasionally Ronnie Brewer are all players that can have tremendous impacts on the floor.

As I mentioned, the sheer talent of the individual players on the squad is pretty overwhelming. The Knicks obviously have two elite scorers in Anthony and Stoudemire, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and the NBA’s leader in rebounding rate the last few seasons in Chandler and Camby, the reigning leader in three-point percentage in Novak, two elite wing defenders in Brewer and Shumpert, and one of the most explosive bench scorers in Smith. On a night to night basis, the Knicks have the potential to simply befuddle opponents. Now it’s just a matter of getting it all to fit….

2.) Can Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony fit together?

Greg:Short answer: Yes. Long answer: Carmelo Anthony’s main concern when he came to New York was earning the extension the team gave him and becoming the star in the Garden us fans have desperately been searching for post-Ewing. It was apparent his mind wasn’t in the right place. He thought he had to do everything on his own in order to prove, once and for all, he is indeed a mega-star in the NBA. What ‘Melo truly needed was the 2012 Olympics. I think the games have pushed the mental reset button and he finally realizes that it’s less about Carmelo and more about the Knicks. In order for one to be successful in New York, the other needs to be.

With ‘Melo’s head in the right place and Amar’e playing out of D’Antoni’s system, the two seemed to be poised for a breakout of sorts. I think a large part of Stoudemire’s struggles last season had to do with the short schedule and his balky knees. STAT at his most useful level is not seeing more than 33 minutes a night and will have games where he’s playing in the 25-minute range. This isn’t a sprint, we’ve all heard that analogy. Stoudemire may still be Carmelo’s Robin, but he’ll be back to averaging 22-25 points per game and grabbing around 8 rebounds a night.

Scott: Yes, and I’ve always thought so. When the Knicks acquired Anthony in the midst of the 2010-11 season, he and Stoudemire did not experience that much trouble scoring on the court together, as they averaged over a combined 49 points per game. It wasn’t always the smoothest dynamic, but they didn’t get in each other’s way that much. Both players thrive on the wings, around the basket, and in Anthony’s case the high and low post. At each basket, there are two wings (the left and rght sides), two sides to post up (again, the left and right), and of course, one basket. They each can function on separate sides. However, there is only one painted area, and last year, a man named Tyson Chandler dominated that area for the Knicks. To me, that was a huge deterrent in Anthony and Stoudemire functioning effectively on the court as defenses were able to hang in the paint with Chandler and shorten the gap to the wings to defend Anthony and STAT.

It is up to Mike Woodson this year, now with a full training camp, to figure out a way for all three of the Knicks’ Big Three to get their own without continuously bumping into one another in their respective ‘spots’. Of course, injuries (both Stoudemire and Anthony) and state of mind (Anthony) will have an effect on their aibility to co-exist, but I simply believe that there must be a way to let two such potent offensive players work efficiently.

3.) What do you expect from Mike Woodson in his first full year?

Greg:Expectations for Mike Woodson in Full Year 1 are rather low. I’m not expecting him to be a major difference in everything the Knicks can or can’t accomplish this year. Coaches get too much credit when things are going well, and take way too much blame when things go wrong. However, it became clear that the D’Antoni system was failing in New York and the team needed a different direction to head in. Woodson’s defensive background certainly will help establish a better presence on the other end of the floor, but by Woodson preaching defense doesn’t automatically make the Knicks a better defensive team. Players like ‘Melo and Amar’e have to buy into it.

Oct. 1, 2012; Tarrytown, NY, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson speaks to the media at the MSG Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Unlike in years past, I truly believe this is the year the team as a whole takes the next step on the D. All of the perfect ingredients are there. Woodson’s approach, coupled with Carmelo Anthony coming off a monster Olympics and understanding he doesn’t need to be the star to win plus Tyson Chandler putting his foot down as a team leader, this team will be stronger. It doesn’t hurt that veterans like Marcus Camby, Jason Kidd and Rasheed Wallace are on the team now as well and can continue to reinforce the message the coaching staff is sending.

Scott: I admittedly was not the biggest fan of the extending of Mike Woodson (hehe). Woodson did a fine job in his 24 games as head coach last year, but the playoffs were an utter disaster (though not entirely his fault) and with coaches like Phil Jackson, Jerry Sloan, and Stan Van Gundy on the market, an actual coaching search would’ve been nice. However, from what I’ve seen and heard from Woodson in training camp, I like the direction of the team. He has a veteran squad that’s nearly the antithesis of his perennial-second-round-ousted Atlanta Hawks, and he seems to have the respect of all of the players. I don’t question his ability to run a stingy defense (last year the Knicks were fifth in defensive efficiency with lesser talent), but to me, the ultimate deciding factor besides how far the Knicks get into the playoffs, of course, is whether he can create an efficient offense. There are some tremendous offensive players on this team, but there compatibility is questionable. Sure, I think Anthony and Stoudemire can fit together, but it’s not an ideal partnership, necessarily. Likewise, those offensive problems could really be compounded by the lack of consistent three-point threats on the roster. Woodson is going to have to run some really creative, motion-based offensive sets to get this team to score efficiently, and if he can, then he gets a gold star from me.

4.) General Expectations

Greg: This is a typical New York sports fan mentality. Last year, making the playoffs was enough given the circumstances surrounding the Knicks and all the turmoil they played through. In the offseason, they added talent and depth to the roster that they certainly lacked last year. Making the playoffs is no longer an end, its a means to an end.

There is a lot for the Knicks to prove. They need to prove that New York is and will forever be a Knicks-first town with the Nets now in Brooklyn. They need to prove that, on the right night, they can do more than just compete with the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics.

They need to prove that they’re still better than Eastern Conference teams that also improved in the summer (Philadelphia and Brooklyn, to name two). They need to prove that Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire are still stars, and are stars that can coexist. Mike Woodson needs to prove that his playoff maladies in Atlanta are a thing of the past and not a sign of who he is as a coach.

What I do expect from the Knicks this season, if all things go correctly: the Knicks will finish in the Top 5 in the East, they will upset either the Celtics or Bulls in the playoffs, and they will compete with the Miami Heat in the Conference Finals. Anything more than that is, well, unfair.

Scott: As the months have worn on, I’ve increasingly become a fan of the moves the front office made this summer (except for letting Jeremy Lin go. <3 u, Jeremy). Either that, or I’ve just become calloused to them. I think this is probably the deepest, most talented roster the Knicks have had since around 2000, and the players and coaches all seem committed to winning. However, winning in the NBA will not be that easy this year. Though, to me, the Eastern Conference only holds one true championship contender in the Miami Heat, I could easily see teams like the Celtics, Nets, Pacers, Sixers, or Bulls making bids to see the Heat in the Eastern Conference finals. And relief will not be found out west as the Western Conference is even tougher than the East.

All that said, the Knicks’ immediate concern this season should be winning the Atlantic Division so they can lock up a top four seed. And to me, that’s a very achievable goal. In order for that to happen, though, the Knicks will almost certainly have to win over 50 games, as teams like Sixers, Nets, and Celtics will likely get over 45 wins each.

As it currently stands, I see the Knicks being an elite defensive team (top five again) and an average offensive squad, capable of winning the division if things go right. Official prediction: 50-32, 4th in the East.

Follow Greg Kaplan on Twitter: @Kaps_Locked

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[blackbirdpie url="https://twitter.com/RonnieBrewerJr/statuses/258552676059590656"]

Brewer has yet to practice or participate in team drills or scrimmages this year as he recovers from surgery to repair a torn meniscus. It was announced in early September that Brewer would undergo surgery and would miss approximately six weeks. This week brings him to about the six week mark.

Of course, as Mike Woodson has reiterated with regards to all banged up/out of shape players, they will need time to practice and get in shape before even scrimmaging, let alone playing in games. The Knicks don’t play again until Friday when they begin a series of four games in six nights. It’s possible that we could potentially see Brewer get some playing time in one or both of those latter two games on Monday or Wednesday. (Pure speculation on my part).

Brewer’s presence on the team could be tremendous for the Knicks, though. Iman Shumpert will be out at least until December, and Woodson seems cemented to bringing J.R. Smith off the bench. In the two preseason games so far, Mychel Thompson and James White have started at two-guard and neither made great contributions. Woodson has experimented – and like will continue to – with playing Pablo Prigioni and Jason Kidd together in the back-court, but that is not an ideal line-up in all situations. Brewer’s presence would not only fill a hole at shooting guard and small forward (to a lesser extent), it would give the Knicks an elite wing defender and a capable offensive player around the basket.

The aging Boston Celtics are hoping to stay on top of the division and make a final chase at the NBA title while the New York Knicks attempt to continue their ascent up the Eastern Conference standings. The Brooklyn Nets made some big splash signings in honor of their move from New Jersey to Brooklyn. Also the Philadelphia 76ers made a big move as well trading for Andrew Bynum, hoping he could take the Sixers to the next level. The Toronto Raptors are a team with no identity and will most likely be the basement dweller in this highly competitive division. Now here are my predictions.

June 9, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers talks to Paul Pierce (34) and Rajon Rondo (9) against the Miami Heat during the third quarter in game seven of the 2012 NBA Eastern Conference finals at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

First Place: Boston Celtics

Starters:

PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Avery Bradley
SF: Paul Pierce
PF: Brandon Bass
C: Kevin Garnett

After last year how could this aging Celtics team have anything left in the tank? Both Garnett and Pierce are getting up there in age so how will they be able to even repeat their success of last year? It’s quite simple actually, the young backcourt tandem of Rondo and Bradley. When Ray Allen was hobbled last season Bradley stepped up and put the NBA on notice, he’s ready to be a contributor to the Celtics. Before he was injured in the playoffs, he made the old Celtics look like a team poised to ruin the NBA title dreams of the Miami Heat. I think that Bradley takes an even bigger step then he took last year and becomes a big threat in the Atlantic Division.

Rondo is a huge reason why the Celtics will stay atop the Atlantic. He’s one of the elite point guards in the NBA. It’s no longer the big three in Boston, it’s now Rondo’s team and if he goes so will the Celtics. Don’t get me wrong, Garnett and Pierce are both a HUGE part of this team but due to their advanced age and judging by how head coach Doc Rivers managed their minutes last year, I don’t see them as the stars of the team. However, KG is still the heart and soul of this team and is still a huge presence on the floor and his health will be a huge factor in the Celtics title hopes. Also, Pierce is still a legit scoring threat and one of the most clutch players in the game. This season could be the last shot for the core of this team to win another NBA title, but I still view them as one of the few that can challenge the Heat from winning back-to-back titles.

Key Bench players: Jason Terry, Jeff Green, Courtney Lee, and Jared Sullinger.

All of these players are new editions to the Celtics roster (Green didn’t play last season). I love the signing of Jason Terry because he is a lethal scoring threat off the bench and provides a go-to option for the second unit. Green can do a little of everything and is extremely versatile on the defensive end. However, he’s coming off major heart surgery that required him to miss all of last season. He should be eased back into things but expect him to have a major role when the season is in full swing. Both Lee and Sullinger provide the depth, along with Green and Terry, which the older Celtics need.  Sullinger is an interesting player off the bench for the Celtics but I think he will take on a similar role that Glen “Big Baby” Davis occupied during his tenure in Boston.

Team MVP: Rajon Rondo

Rondo is in his prime as a basketball player and this season should be the season he truly takes over the Celtics. He’s one of the best ball handlers and passers in the NBA today, however in order to become an elite player he needs to become a consistent offensive threat and this season should be the season for him. If Rondo takes it to the next level this season he should carry this team to an Atlantic Division title and deep into the playoffs.

This is it for the core players of the Boston Celtics. All of the teams below them that they have beat up on for the last few years are now becoming big threats to their Atlantic Division title of “Head Honcho.” It’s now or never for this team to get it done and win another title. If they don’t succeed expect some big changes in Beantown because this team may be headed for an overhaul next season.

Second Place: New York Knicks

Starters:

PG: Raymond Felton
SG: J.R Smith
SF: Carmelo Anthony
PF: Amar’e Stoudemire
C: Tyson Chandler

Oct. 1, 2012; Tarrytown, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony at media day at the MSG Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

The Knicks have made major changes each of the last three offseasons with the hopes of becoming an elite NBA team. They have made the playoffs the last two seasons and finally relevant again in the NBA. However, the Knicks exited the playoffs in the first round the last two seasons. This season they made a change at point guard, bringing in Felton who was with the Knicks two years ago and put up quality numbers. Head coach Mike Woodson hopes to get similar production out of Felton this season. J.R. Smith was re-signed this off-season after opting out of his two year deal with the Knicks. He’s starting at shooting guard for the time being with Iman Shumpert and Ronnie Brewer coming back from knee injuries. Smith is a streaky shooter, but if he catches fire can carry an offense for long stretches of a game.

The fate of the team rests on the core of the Knicks team, Melo, Stat and Chandler. Melo looked great in the Summer Olympics and the Knicks are hoping he can build off his performance in the games. He is the main guy on offense and towards the end of the season found his offensive groove. However, he needs to find it sooner or else it will be another up and down season for the Knicks. Now for Stat, this could be his last season with the Knicks. His play last season was awful and there is no better way to put it. It could just be him and Melo can’t both play together and succeed. If Stat can get back to the form he had before Melo arrived the Knicks will be hard to stop, if not, look for Stat to be dealt at the deadline. Tyson Chandler is the reigning defensive POY and is the heart of this Knicks defense. Look for the overall team defense with a full training camp and preseason under coach Mike Woodson.

Key Bench players: Jason Kidd, Iman Shumpert, Marcus Camby, Ronnie Brewer, and Steve Novak

The Knicks got exactly what they were looking for this off-season, quality depth at each position. Jason Kidd isn’t what he used to be but he will have the ability to make this second unit better offensively and is a leader on and off the court. Shumpert and Brewer are athletic twos who are coming off injuries. Look for them to play big minutes upon return because of their great defense. Marcus Camby is in his second go-round with the Knicks and will provide a huge help to Chandler. He’s still a fierce defender, shot blocker and rebounder off the bench. Steve Novak is back, he led the league in three-point percentage last season and he will continue to make it rain coming off the bench.

Team MVP: Carmelo Anthony
This is Carmelo’s 10th season in the league and he has only been out of the first round once. It is his time to take his game and team to another level. He needs to have an NBA MVP type season to help carry the Knicks to that elite level in order for the Knicks to compete for an NBA title. Melo is one of the top 10 players in the game; he is too talented to not be able to get his team past the first round. Expect a huge year out of Melo.

The time is now for the Knicks to take the leap from playoff team to championship contender. First things first they have to finally get past the top dog Celtics. There’s no excuse for the Knicks if they don’t take it to the next level, they simply have too much talent, depth and experience to not get it done. If the Knicks play to the best of their abilities, expect them to overtake the Celtics and make an appearance in the conference finals against the Heat.

Third Place: Philadelphia 76ers

Starters:

PG: Jrue Holliday
SG: Jason Richardson
SF: Evan Turner
PF: Spencer Hawes
C: Andrew Bynum

The starting lineup looks a lot different compared to last year. The 76ers parted ways with Elton Brand, Louis Williams and traded away Mr. Everything Andre Iguodala, in order to get Andrew Bynum. They have a whole new identity now with Bynum in the middle. Last season they used a bunch of good role players to reach the playoffs and advanced into the second round, taking down the No. 1 seeded Chicago Bulls in the process.

May 18, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum (17) controls the ball against the defense of Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins (5) during the first half of game three of the Western Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

Losing Iguodala could have a huge impact because he does everything well and was the leader of this team. Also losing Williams was pretty big as well, he was the sixth man coming off the bench but was the leading scorer on their team. Now they have a legitimate superstar in Bynum along with two very good, young role players in Holliday and Turner. With opposing teams focusing on Bynum I think they both will benefit.  Richardson should be able to get open looks with opposing teams double-teaming Bynum in the low post.

Key Bench Players: Thaddeus Young, Nick Young, Kwame Brown and Dorell Wright

The bench took a serious hit losing Williams due to the fact he was a proven scorer. However, they did a good job replacing him with another good scorer in Nick Young. They also added sharpshooter Dorell Wright, who struggled last season in a starting role. If he can return to his form of two seasons ago this bench becomes significantly better. Thaddeus Young is their sixth man and one of the better players on their team. He fits in at the small or power forward and does a lot of intangible things to make the team better.

Team MVP: Andrew Bynum
Bynum is no question the star of this 76ers team. Last season was his best season as pro, averaging 20.5 PPG and 11.5 RPG and those monster stats were all under the shadow of Pau Gasol. Throughout his career Bynum has been labeled as a guy with a low motor and a clown. I look for him to have a bigger year than last year and stepping up as the star and leader of a young talented Sixer team.

As I mentioned before the 76ers were a good team last season, defeating the Bulls and advancing to the second round. However, they are a new team this season and with the addition of Bynum they are a serious threat in both the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference. This team is young and talented, but I think it will take some time getting used to each other. They are built for the long haul and while I think they will contend this season, they will probably be much better next season and will be a team to be wrecking with for years to come.

Fourth Place: Brooklyn Nets

Starters:

PG: Deron Williams
SG: Joe Johnson
SF: Gerald Wallace
PF: Kris Humphries
C: Brook Lopez

The Nets have moved from New Jersey to a $1 billon new arena in Brooklyn, New York. With the change of scenery for the Nets they also made some big changes with the starting five. They were considered to be the front-runners in the Howard sweepstakes from the moment he wanted out of Orlando. However, the Nets went a different route in order to keep star point guard Deron Williams; they traded for shooting guard Joe Johnson and re-signed Gerald Wallace and Kris Humphries. By doing that, they eliminated themselves from Howard contention. They also re-signed Brook Lopez to a 4 year $56 million deal.

Apr 14, 2012; Newark, NJ, USA; New Jersey Nets point guard Deron Williams (8) brings the ball up court during the second half against the Boston Celtics at the Prudential Center. The Celtics won 94-82. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

I believe the Nets did an incredibly smart thing by not trading for Howard, what they would have given up would have decreased there depth even more. Instead of adding one superstar they managed to add a star in Johnson, keep a top three point guard in Williams and re-sign quality front court players Humphries, Wallace and Lopez. The starting five is one of the best in the entire league. With Williams still running the point he should be able to help the rest of the starting five together.

Key Bench Players: MarShon Brooks, Reggie Evans, and C.J. Watson

This is the thing holding the Nets back from being a legitimate championship contender. They simply have no depth, which will put a tremendous burden on the starting five. Brooks is a quality scorer off the bench but has his times where he can’t hit the broad side of a barn. Reggie Evans provides experience and toughness on the interior but provides absolutely nothing for the Nets on offense off the bench. Watson did a nice job filling in for Derek Rose throughout last year and will be a solid option off the bench. He’s good enough to give Williams much needed rest so he will remain fresh throughout the season.

Team MVP: Brook Lopez

Lopez was the most talked about player on the Nets last season, but for the wrong reasons. He was frequently brought up in the trade rumors for Howard. However, the Nets decided to stick with Lopez re-signing him to a big max contract. He is a lot better for the Nets then Howard simply because he is a legitimate offensive weapon. He is the key to the Nets playoff hopes. He was injured just about all of last season but prior to that he averaged 17.6 PPG and 7.5 RPG throughout his career. I expect Lopez to take a big step in his progression as a player this season with all of the talent around him. He should become a 20/10 player this season and lead the Nets to the playoffs.

The Nets spent a lot of money with the move to Brooklyn and to bring in quality talent in order to become a contender immediately. However, their lack of depth will probably be their Achilles heel. They have one of the elite starting five’s in the NBA and have a superstar in Deron Williams leading the way.

The Nets could possibly win the Atlantic Division but the starting five will have to mesh quickly and they will be racking up a lot of minutes along the way. If they are able to be a top team in the Atlantic and Eastern Conference, I see fatigue slowing them down towards the end of the year leading to this fourth place finish. They should still make the playoffs but like I said, fatigue for the starting five should hinder their ability to make a deep run in the playoffs.

Fifth place: Toronto Raptors

Starters:

PG: Kyle Lowry
SG: Landry Fields
SF: DeMar Derozan
PF: Andrea Bargnani
C: Jonas Valanciunas

The Toronto Raptors are an extremely young team this season, with an average age of their starters of 23.8 years old. Although they are young they are not inexperienced. However, there are a lot of new faces in this Raptors starting lineup so it’s hard to see what their identity is.

Feb 28, 2012; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets point guard Kyle Lowry (7) posts up Toronto Raptors point guard Jose Calderon (8) during the third quarter at the Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Campbell-US Presswire

Trading for Lowry was big for the future and while Fields didn’t have a great sophomore season with the Knicks, shooting 26 percent from 3-point range and averaging 8.8 PPG. He’s still a decent 2-guard who still needs time to grow as an NBA starter and Toronto has faith in him, signing him to a 3 year $20 million deal.

DeMar DeRozan is a former lottery pick of the Raptors and has struggled to find his identity as a player in the NBA. He’s only 23 years old but has been in the league for several years, the Raptors are hoping DeRozan can take his offensive game to the next level, especially on the perimeter. Bargnani is a former No.1 overall pick of the Raptors who missed more than half of the games last season and is struggling to live up to the No. 1 pick status. Valanciunas is the baby of the group, only 20 years old. He’s seven footer out of Lithuania. He was drafted in last year’s draft and has decided to come over to the U.S. this season. It’ll be interesting to see how the big man transitions from overseas to the NBA this season, but he has the skill set and size to become a threat for the Raptors.

Key Bench Players: Terrance Ross, Jose Calderon, and Linas Kleiza

The Raptors don’t have a lot of depth. Terrance Ross is their latest lottery pick, selected eighth in the 2012 draft. He’s a lethal three-point shooter but some consider him being selected No. 8 a reach for the Raptors. He should provide instant offense for the Raptors off the bench if he can knock down three’s. Calderon is their best option off the bench; he was the starting point guard last season. He could be a starter on a few NBA teams and expect him to see a lot of minutes this season even though he won’t be starting. Kleiza is a good player coming off the bench, averaging about 10 PPG for the Raptors over the last two seasons.

Team MVP: Andrea Bargnani

Last season Bargnani looked good in the time he was able to stay on the court, which wasn’t often (missed 35 of 66 games). If he can stay healthy this season he is the key to the Raptors success. The Raptors are a young team in need of a superstar and Bargnani has the skills to be that star. If Bargnani can stay healthy I predict he has a monster year because he is a mismatch for opposing teams.

The Raptors aren’t rebuilding but they are at the same time. They have some proven NBA talents who could help them have a good year and possibly push for the eighth seed in the Easter Conference. However, they do have some young players who will need time to develop before they can be serious contributors. There is a small possibility for them to be a surprise playoff team but I don’t see it just yet especially with how good of a division they play in. They will be the basement dwellers of the Atlantic Division this season and will be on track for yet another lottery pick.

The Knicks are currently shallow at shooting guard, with Iman Shumpert recovering from a torn ACL and Ronnie Brewer recovering from surgery on his meniscus. J.R. Smith will see a lot of time, but Smith has never been an effective player when he’s forced to play 35 or more minutes per game. James White, a former NBA player who’s returning from Italy to play for the Knicks on a one-year contract may be an option, but he’s still unproven.

Mike Woodson has suggested that Jason Kidd might play some two-guard for his size and shooting ability, which would leave Felton or Prigioni to play the point guard. With Felton already likely to log fairly heavy minutes, this may open the door for Prigioni to carve out a role with the Knicks. And given his style, it would certainly make sense to give him minutes.

Whether it’s Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler, Steve Novak, or J.R. Smith, the Knicks are loaded with guys who like to score and finish a play. It could be dunking the ball, it could be shooting it – these players like to score. Prigioni is a classic point guard, a set-up man, according to the man himself:

“I’m not the type of player who wants to score all the time. I prefer that the team play good. I feel good when the team play good and teammates like to play with me because I get them the ball and I think about how they got to score.”

Prigioni was voted the best point guard in the Spanish ACB League, and also has experience running the Argentine national team where he’s played against NBA competition in the Olympics. While the NBA is a different game and Prigioni is still yet to play real NBA minutes, he still could play a valuable role for the Knicks this season.

Jun 21, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra during the post game press conference after winning the NBA championship in game five of the 2012 NBA Finals at the American Airlines Arena. The Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-106. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

10. Erik Spoelstra – Miami Heat: Love him or hate him he still has to coach his way to a NBA championship. A lot of talented teams have been formed for years now and only a few have actually succeeded. A common component in all these championship teams is extremely good coaching. He might have the best players in the universe on his team but you can’t say Spoelstra didn’t push the right buttons at the right time. It also takes leadership and coaching skill to manage star’s egos and handle the media questioning your every move.

9. Byron Scott – Cleveland Cavaliers: The 2008 NBA Coach of the Year is in the middle of a rebuilding process in Cleveland. He was a great coach with New Jersey during the golden years and is a big part of Chris Paul’s early success in New Orleans. Scott has a lot of young talent with the Cavs and will be able to put his fingerprints all over this team. Kyrie Irving is a superstar in the making and has the perfect coach to learn from.

8. Rick Carlisle – Dallas Mavericks: There wasn’t a better coach in the league in 2011 than Mr. Carlisle. The mastermind behind the Mavericks championship run and stopping the train known as LeBron James in the NBA Finals is one of the league’s best. He has only missed the playoffs once in his 10-year career but his window might be championship window is closing, if not closed already, in Dallas. Dirk Nowitzki is up there in age now and there were very little monumental offseason moves made, Carlisle will have to coach his butt off for the Mavs to succeed this year.

7. Frank Vogel – Indiana Pacers: The Pacers are on a franchise on the rise. Young emerging players like Roy Hibbert, Danny Granger, and Paul George are great corner pieces. They had a 2-1 lead on the Heat and were in prime position to pull a huge upset when Chris Bosh went down but couldn’t close the deal. Frank Vogel is behind all of this as the Pacers will be favorites in the Central Division with Derrick Rose hurt. Vogel is the youngest coach but also one of the smartest and knows how to push his young players.

6. Scott Brooks – Oklahoma City Thunder: Brooks’ young Thunder team has only improved under his watch. Granted he has the best young nucleus the league has seen in a while, in 4 years in a row his teams have progressed: missing playoffs, first round exit, conference finals exit, and then last year’s Finals loss. He will have many opportunities to lead his team to Finals glory with the players he has. He will have to make the right rotations and press the right buttons if he wants to get past the Lakers.

May 26, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doug Collins reacts on the side line during the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics in game seven of the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE

5. Doug Collins – Philadelphia 76ers: Doug Collins is doing a fantastic job in Philadelphia. His team had its ups and downs last year but finished strong in a close series loss to Boston in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Now with Andrew Bynum, Collins has another piece to work with. Losing their leader in Andre Iguodala could be tough but Bynum is a dominant center. Collins will work to  mold this young but very talented team into a great team in the East. He is a tough coach who gets the best out his players.

4. George Karl – Denver Nuggets: With over 1000 wins his career and an inspiration to us all, George Karl sets the bar for coaching. Karl is a cancer survivor, but he wouldn’t let cancer be an excuse for losing a few steps in his coaching. Karl’s Nuggets are consistent and are a legit contender this year in the Western Conference. Karl will keep on putting his team in the right position to win, no doubt about it.

3. Tom Thibodeau – Chicago Bulls: Coach Thibodeau is a defensive mastermind. He has coached the Bulls to the best record in the Eastern Conference two years straight now but hasn’t been able to go over the hump just yet. No Derrick Rose will hurt a lot, as would any team losing their superstar and MVP. He also lost a lot of his bench that he worked so well last year. Thibodeau is a great coach but he will be tested this year. He also has the most raspy voice in the league.

2. Doc Rivers – Boston Celtics: Doc knows what he is working with and knows exactly how to use it perfectly. Kevin Garnett aging? Paul Pierce hurt? Ray Allen not the same? No problem last year for Doc as he had his Celtics one win away from another NBA Finals appearance. His frontcourt got younger this year through the draft and he has molded Rajon Rondo into one of the best point guards in the league. Rivers is a player’s coach who has done a masterful job in Boston.

1. Gregg Popovich – San Antonio Spurs: The reigning Coach of the Year is a basketball genius.  Coach Pop runs a smooth system and always seems to have his players at the right spot at the right time. He has a master at getting the best out of his role players. He has no problem handling stars, as they seem to have no ego what so ever. He has brainwashed the Spurs into a team first attitude and that’s all a coach can ask for. Greg Popovich should never be undermined and you would be a fool to ever count out the Spurs when he is calling the shots. Plus he has a pretty sweet beard.

Oct. 1, 2012; Tarrytown, NY, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amare Stoudemire (left) and point guard Raymond Felton (right) speak to the media at the MSG Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

• Carmelo Anthony opted for the game-adaptation route. Tyson Chandler did as well, while also talking about championship aspirations.
• Mike Woodson spoke about championship teams and experience, not age.
• Jason Kidd – who is under the impression he’s had a “short career” - was called a “father figure” by Raymond Felton. Felton also admitted he’s out to prove a point this season, after coming in out of shape last year.
• Iman Shumpert learned a deeper lesson in basketball, and also rapped at Chris Copeland and probably made him uncomfortable.

And while it’s fun to poke at the predictable, cliche answers offered by all of the players, they make it hard not to be excited about this group. The black cloud of the Knicks’ decision not to retain Jeremy Lin has just about passed over, due in part to Glen Grunwald’s and Mike Woodson’s quick dismissing. Even the discontent some fans feel towards the organization signing very old veterans seems to be washing away with every positive remark made about Kidd, or Chandler’s declaration that older players are hungrier, more willing to sacrifice.

Sure, players aren’t going to come in and say they see their team as a lottery team, or that they didn’t like the moves management made in the offseason (you can imagine if they did, though, right?!). Players and coaches, of course, are going to talk about how excited they are, that the ‘sky’s the limit’ for their team. That’s all part of the process. However, more than the Knicks’ talk, their individual offseasons, their collective attitudes about coming into the season ready to work are reason enough to be excited.

Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler won a gold medal in this summer’s Olympics – an experience that has been proven to be beneficial for players’ careers. Amar’e Stoudemire has spent over two weeks working with Hakeem Olajuwon, trying to add a new facet to his game. (Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, and LeBron James, who have all trained with Olajuwon in summers past, each spent only around four or five days training with him). Raymond Felton is reportedly in great shape; likewise for Jason Kidd. The players even organized their own informal workouts and scrimmages weeks ago to become familiar with one another.

From the looks of it, a precedent has been set for this team, by this team. They’re saying the right things, and thus far, doing the right things. Yes, everyone exudes happiness and promise and excitement in their teams around this time. But from what we’re seeing from this Knicks squad, there could be real reason to be excited about what’s brewing in Greenburgh, New York.

Apr. 17, 2012; New York, NY, USA; Boston Celtics shooting guard Avery Bradley (0) fouls New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

The Celtics have ruled the division since they brought in Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to team up with Paul Pierce in 2007. This much comes as no surprise to Knicks fans. Over the last two seasons, as the Knicks have become an actually competitive team, they have still dropped ten of their last twelve games against the Celtics. However, coming into this season, both teams are boasting different looks from last year. The Celtics have broken up their Big Three, aimed to get younger and deeper upfront and on the wings. The Knicks, meanwhile, have gotten deeper all around and older in hopes to make the leap into becoming an elite team in the East. Here’s a look at how they stack up:

BACK-COURT

Both teams will return this season with almost entirely different back-courts than they started the 2010-11 season with. For the Celtics, Rajon Rondo is still around (as is Avery Bradley, but he will miss the start of the season while recovering from shoulder surgery), but they have two new key additions: Jason Terry, replacing Ray Allen, and Courtney Lee. Though losing Allen to the Miami Heat was like a punch in the gut for the Celtics, they may have gotten better. Jason Terry gives the Celtics another ball-handler and a similar threat from deep; Lee can also spread the floor and gives the Celtics more youth and athleticism. Rondo, of course, is one of the best point guards in the league and will be given an even larger role, which is good news for Boston.

For the Knicks, their entire point guard rotation from last season – Jeremy Lin, Baron Davis, Mike Bibby, Toney Douglas – are all gone. In their places are Raymond Felton, Jason Kidd, and Pablo Prigioni. Felton at his best can be quite good, but last year was a tumultuous season for him, and Mike Woodson’s half-court offense may be a bad fit. Only time will prove if Felton was a good pick-up for the Knicks. Kidd, at 39, is in serious decline, posting career lows in points, assists, and rebounds last season. Prigioni is a 35-year old rookie playing in the NBA for the first time. At two-guard, the Knicks will eventually have Iman Shumpert, Ronnie Brewer, and J.R. Smith, but Shumpert is out recovering from a torn ACL, and Brewer just announced he has a six-week recovery from meniscus surgery. In the meantime, the Knicks will rely a whole lot on Smith, which is not a great position to be in, as evidenced in the playoffs last year.

Advantage: Celtics

FRONT-COURT

As opposed to both teams’ respective new-look back-courts, they mostly retained their front-court players. The Celtics re-signed Kevin Garnett, who just won’t slow down, and Brandon Bass. This year, they’ve also brought back Jeff Green (to a whopping four-years/$36-million), who could be a productive player off the bench with his scoring ability and athleticism. Likewise, upfront they drafted Jared Sullinger and Fab Melo, and brought in Jason Collins. While they’re still shallow and lacking productivity from any of their true big men, they are bigger and deeper than last year.

The Knicks’ two biggest front-court additions come in the form of Marcus Camby and Kurt Thomas, the starting front-court the last time the Knicks made the Finals in the ’98-99 season. Otherwise, Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, and Tyson Chandler will all return upfront, as will Steve Novak who re-signed during the summer. Novak will play a huge role as one of the only three-point threats on the team, but he success of the Knicks will ultimately depend on how well their Big Three can mesh. If they can find any degree of cohesiveness, the Knicks’ ceiling is a lot higher than most other teams in the East.

Advantage: Knicks

COACHING

The Celtics will stick with Doc Rivers, and why not? Rivers has proven himself to be one of the best in the NBA, consistently bringing the Celtics, no matter how old, battered and bruised, to contending level. This year, Rivers has more depth to rest his older stars and younger players to mentor.

The Knicks have received a fair amount of flack for how they handled their coaching search this offseason, because… they didn’t. With a few great, notable names on the market – Phil Jackson, Jerry Sloan, Nate McMillan, Stan Van Gundy – the Knicks took the easy route and extended Mike Woodson without testing the water whatsoever. Though Woodson is a questionable fit for this team, his results last year were impressive: an 18-6 finish to the season, missing key players, and never losing games back to back. However, his regular season history of coaching doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence to push the Knicks to the next level, nor does last year’s playoffs.

Advantage: Celtics

OVERALL

Going through a team’s individual positions does not necessarily determine their outlook or how they stack up against an opponent. In this case, however, it does appear that the Celtics are poised to once again win the Atlantic Division. While arguments could be made about how their new parts will fit, the same arguments could be made for the Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, and Philadelphia 76ers, who all have plenty of new additions to their teams.

Head-to-head, though, the Knicks and the Celtics could be in for some good duels. The Knicks out-size the Celtics upfront and have more scoring threats, while the Celtics, excellently coached and always composed, will still boast an elite defense. If last year’s season split between the two teams was any indication, the 2012-13 season could promise us more exciting battles.