It takes a little bit of everything to win championships, in any sport and any level of competition. From NBA, to college football, to the NHL, elite skill, coaching, chemistry, execution of game plan, and a little bit of luck all need to happen for a championship run.

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

In this year’s NBA final four, you had the best four teams playing their best basketball of the season all at the same time. These four teams, the Heat, Celtics, Thunder, and Spurs all have the chemistry to have what it takes to win. This current Spurs team has won three championships, Celtics have made two Finals trips, the Heat were there last year and had the Thunder punch their ticket this year after losing to Dallas last year.

Clearly all these teams have the chemistry.

Coaching is up there for what it takes too win. The last 12 NBA champion coaches are: Phil Jackson (5x) Greg Popovich (3x), Larry Brown, Doc Rivers, Pat Riley, and Rick Carlisle. So yes, obviously coaching has a lot do with it. I hate when people say coaching is not important in the NBA. The argument is always brought up that Phil Jackson isn’t that much of a great coach because he had the two best players in the league at the time in Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.

Imagine Phil Jackson coming out of retirement and coaching the Heat. But coaching doesn’t matter right?

I have played basketball since I was 5 years old and I am now coaching my second year with fifth graders. The current team and friends I play with have been playing together for five years now. We are always undersized, not as strong, can’t jump as high, slower, and probably are less talented than most of our opponents. When we go to the local parks and blacktops we rarely ever lose. Why? Because we know where each other is going five steps before it happens. We rotate on defense with our eyes closed. We trust each other. We are a team.

The Boston Celtics this year are a perfect mix of coaching and chemistry. Doc Rivers and a veteran team who has played together for five years. The Heat are a team that is still trying to figure out how to play together but have better individual talent than anyone else with LeBron and Dwyane Wade on their team. They are coached by Eric Spoelstra, a coach who is trying to push the right buttons where Hall of Fame coach Pat Riley is his boss and anything less than a championship is a failure.

I think chemistry tops coaching in winning but without a coach who knows how to motivate and get the best out of his players, the chemistry is useless. When it comes down to it, the players are the one passing the ball, shooting, crashing the boards, and making the defensive stops. Obviously without a coach guiding them on which way and technique to execute, there would be mayhem on every team.

A coach’s job is to make decisions on offensive sets, defensive matchups, substitutions, and pressing the right buttons at the right times with the right players. I have worn both hats, winning a championship with my team that had great chemistry and coached 4th graders to their first championship. I love coaching and good coach is essential to winning. Coaching and chemistry go hand in hand. Both of them make each other look good, but without chemistry on the court, you do not win.

This year’s NBA Conference finals have been entertaining and fun to watch. In the west you had the young, draft-built team in the Thunder, fueled by superstar Kevin Durant, going against the veteran, championship proven Spurs.

May 9, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amare Stoudemire (left) with small forward Carmelo Anthony (right) after Stoudemire fouls out of the game during the second half of game five in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Miami Heat of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

In the East you have the hated, heavy favorite Miami Heat going against the hard-working future Hall-of-Famer’s in the Boston Celtics.

All these teams have big superstar names leading their teams: Durant, Russell Westbrook, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Rajon Rondo.

The Knicks also have some stars of their own in Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, and Amar’e Stoudemire. We all know them and the rest of the Knicks team couldn’t beat Miami in the first round, losing in five games. But could the Knicks have beaten this current Miami team who has not played with Bosh, failed to deliver in the clutch, and are playing different than their two previous playoff series? Let’s take a look.

I think the current Heat struggles are being very overshadowed by how well the Celtics are playing. Their chemistry and smoothness in offensive sets takes years to execute. Having a fantastic floor general in Rondo who puts the ball right where only you can get it doesn’t hurt either. Also having hungry veterans in the ‘Big Three’, who everyone counted out from the beginning of the season by saying they were too old, throws gasoline on their fire.

The Heat are still the Heat though. LeBron James is the best regular season player and Dwyane Wade is a former Finals MVP. These two ran circles aroun the Knicks and I don’t think the outcome would have been much different if it was Knicks vs. Heat in the Conference Finals. Obviously a lot of momentum and confidence would have swung New York’s way, but after seeing four losses that weren’t close games, especially in Miami, I don’t see the Knicks coming close in a series vs. the Heat.

A Knicks vs. Celtics series would be much more interesting. On paper, the Knicks can match up with the C’s. Carmelo vs. Pierce would be fun to watch with both players having the same style of scoring. A healthy Shumpert vs. Rondo would be awesome TV. I think one of the reasons Iman was drafted was for this exact reason, to put on ball pressure on Rondo. Tyson on Garnett would be a phenomenal matchup; both big men who take pride in their defense are two tough dudes and leaders.

I still think the Knicks would just fall short against the Celtics just like they would against this Heat team. The Celtics have IT. I can’t explain on paper what IT is, but if you watch them play you know what I’m talking about.

They get it. They know where each other are going to be five steps before they move. They aren’t afraid to get on each other when times get tough. They have a top tier coach in Doc Rivers. A solid bench. Four leaders on the court. And above all, they have the hunger and motivation to win. The chip on their shoulder is enough to beat the Knicks, who I feel like would play to not too lose, and the Celtics would play to win.

The New York Knicks have a way to go if they want to compete in the East. Just put on game tape of the Celtics, Spurs, or Thunder. They have IT. The Knicks are looking for it.

Mar 23, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; Xavier Musketeers guard Tu Holloway (52) shoots Baylor Bears forward Quincy Miller (30) during the first half in the semi-finals of the south region of the 2012 NCAA men

The 22-year old Holloway was the Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year during his junior season and although he regressed a bit as a senior, Holloway still averaged 17.5 points per game to go along with 4.9 assists.

The Knicks worked out Holloway the last week of May and he’s an intriguing prospect for New York as the Knicks lack of point guard depth right now has been heavily documented.

As a scorer, Holloway mostly relies on his jumper, which can be a bit inconsistent at times. He was a 43 percent shooter from the floor and a 35 percent shooter from behind the arc. Holloway is best when he is presented with catch-and-shoot situations, but his pull-up game is pretty effective as well.

However against bigger and better defenders in the NBA, I worry about how much space he will have to be strictly a jump shooter.

He can attack the rim, but more so in transition than in the half-court set, which could present a problem in Mike Woodson’s offense.

I like him as a distributor though as he has a good feel for the game and makes good decisions overall. It’s an area of his game that he still needs to improve though as taking care of the ball was an issue this year, turning the rock over 3.0 times per game.

The area where I think Holloway could excel though is on the defensive end as he’s an excellent on-ball and team defender, which would be something Woodson would likely be very interested in.

Overall, there’s a lot of individual things I like about Holloway’s game, but I have concerns as if he can put it all together and become a quality NBA point guard.

Long-term I see Holloway as a backup in the NBA, but he has the skills to be much more than that. If the Knicks look to draft a point guard, Holloway will certainly be someone they look at, but there are other point guard options I like much better.

On one hand, there is the Miami Heat: the NBA’s top villains; the team that finished the Knicks’ 2011-12 season.

On the other hand, there is the Boston Celtics: a cruel, crafty, conniving group that loves to break the Knicks’ collective hearts in dramatic fashion. They also finished the Knicks 2010-11 season with a sweep in the playoffs.

May 28, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) works for position against Boston Celtics small forward Paul Pierce during the first half in game one of the Eastern Conference finals of the 2012 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

It’s a battle of evil vs. evil; Darth Vader vs. Voldemort; Freddie Kruger vs. Jason; Hannibal Lecter vs. … another cannibal.

So who are we, as Knicks fans, supposed to root for?

For some, the Miami Heat is the answer.

Often times, fans – and even players and coaches – take solace in seeing the team that eliminated them, advance further into the playoffs; letting them know they lost to the best team. As if the five-game defeat the Knicks suffered at the hands of the Heat wasn’t pride-shattering enough, imagine if Miami didn’t even make it to the Finals. Furthermore, if the Heat lost to a team that the Knicks had beaten twice in the regular season – the Celtics – , what would that say about the Knicks?

On the opposite end of the spectrum, however, fans might take comfort in seeing their most recent assassins sent packing, and once again, failing to live up to the lofty, (self-proclaimed) championship goals. Likewise, the Celtics haven’t wronged the Knicks since March, while the Miami Heat have done so four times in the past month.

(I would like to use this space to remind you, though, that the Boston Celtics have made a habit of ripping our hearts out in front of us. Paul Pierce game-winner. Ray Allen Game 1 game-winner. Game 2 fumbled play. Paul Pierce game-tying basket, and ultimate overtime win. OK, remember? Sorry, I had to do that.)

However, if you’re like me, you’re rooting for the best basketball to be played. Whichever team advances will play the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder in a sure-fire good vs. evil matchup. Watching the humble, plodding, machine-like precision of the Spurs face the high-flying Heat would be a delight. Some fans might enjoy watching the NBA’s two old guards – the Spurs and the Celtics – play each other in one last grasp at a championship. The Thunder vs. the Heat would be the NBA’s dream matchup – a display of young, athletic, star-fueled action that would surely boost TV ratings to a new high.

However, there is no doubt that the winner of the Eastern Conference Finals will draw some pain for Knicks fans. I would prefer not to watch Paul Pierce’s smug, patchy-haired face bow to opposing crowds in blazes of bravado, or watch Kevin Garnett bark around the court like a rabid, admirably unwavering dog. At the same time, watching the Miami Big Three flex and flop and dance and dunk their way around the court for another two series would make my stomach churn.

Consider me a San Antonio Spurs fan for the remainder of the season.

April 20, 2012; Cleveland, OH, USA: Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving (2) brings the ball up court during the game against the New York Knicks at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric P. Mull-USPRESSWIRE

Even though we can attribute not going far in the playoffs to all these reasons, I still think we shoulve made a bigger improvement than winning one more playoff game in a series than the previous year because if we go at that rate, it won’t be another three years until we even make it out of the first round.

I truly think that this years downfall was not due to these reasons -I think Iman Shumpert could have definitely helped the Knicks lock up one of the two superstars (LeBron James and Dwyane Wade) and I think Baron Davis could have helped  a lot in Game 5 since we lacked a point guard and I think Jeremy Lin could have controlled the point a lot better, but do you actually think that we could have beaten the Miami Heat in a 7 game series?  Enough making excuses!!!

I think the major reason the Knicks lost was plain and simple. They had the wrong playoff matchup.

New York had way too many costly losses during the season to teams 20 games under 500 – eight losses to be specific fit under this category.

The Knicks started the season off 2-4, with three of those losses coming to Charlotte (worst winning percentage in NBA history), Toronto (a team that has losy any hope of being a playoff team since becoming Bosh-less) and Golden State (a team that has had no defense, since let me think about this – ever).  So already the Knicks are off to bad start.

Then, down the road in the season there are losses to Cleveland (21-45), New Orleans (21-45), New Jersey(22-44) and Toronto again (by a whopping 17 points).

This brings me to the end of the season which the Knicks finished strong under Mike Woodson (13-5)  but suffered two of their costliest losses of the season.

The first was against Indiana, one of the most disappointing losses I have seen, where they were up 15 points going into the fourth quarter and the Knicks got too cocky.  J.R. Smith was chucking up shots. Baron Davis was doing absolutely nothing, and the defense was transparent.

Then comes the most annoying loss of all year.  It comes down to last five games when I’m calculating how we can get that No.6 spot from the Orlando Magic and play Indiana instead of having to face the Chicago Bulls or the Heat in the first round.

All the Knicks needed to do was win their last five games, which was very manageable since we played the Nets, Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, the Chris Paul-less Los Angeles Clippers and the Bobcats.

At the same time, the Magic needed to lose four out of their five last games, which was also very likely to happen since they were without Dwight Howard and Hedo Turkoglu and they were playing very tough teams down the stretch.

Everything worked out well as the Magic lost four out of the five.

But the whole plan was foiled by the Knicks losing one game – not to the to the Clippers or Hawks but to the Cavlaiers.

They decided to rest Tyson Chandler and Carmelo Anthony for the fourth quarter and lost by eight.

I do not what was going through the mind of Woodson – did he know that this game actually mattered and could have been the deicing factor for which team the Knicks would play in the playoffs?

Instead of playing the Pacers in the first round, which they could have done if had they won, and instead of playing the Bulls, the Knicks drew the Heat, the one team you do not want to play in the first round.

When it comes to wins and losses, if the Knicks just win one out of these eight games to teams 20 games under .500, the Knicks would have had the No. 6 seed and played Indiana.  If we did lose all these games and not let Indiana come back from down 15 in the fourth quarter, making it one of the most embarrassing losses of the season, the Knicks also would have drawn the Pacers.

But I guess that basketball and it just goes to show that every game during the season matters.

May 9, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amare Stoudemire (left) with small forward Carmelo Anthony (right) after Stoudemire fouls out of the game during the second half of game five in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Miami Heat of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Coming off their first playoff win in 13 games, Knicks nation felt more confident rather than nervous going into Miami for Game 6. Amar’e Stoudemire played like the Amar’e of last year, Carmelo Anthony played like he is the best scorer in the league, and everything just went the Knicks way.

Game 6 was a different story.

Like every game in this series, the Knicks played at the Heat’s level.  Mike Bibby, the starting point guard after Baron Davis’s knee gave out, feeded early off comments made by Dwyane Wade towards the veteran point guard saying “We know Mike has made more shots in this series than he made all last year (with the Heat), send that to Mike.” Mike got the message alright, coming out firing in the 1st quarter, scoring 8 points off of a pair of threes.

As we have all seen throughout this playoff series is the inconsistent officiating. Landry Fields received a technical after fouling LeBron James as he drove to the hoop. Landry didn’t nag the official, like a lot of players in this series; he just showed a first reaction, which you are allowed to do. The ref blew his whistle real quick. This just KILLS the momentum of any team. There isn’t a foul he is called for or foul he thinks that should have been called that “King” LeBron doesn’t make a stupid face. That he doesn’t say something. He is one of the biggest babies in the league, and poor Landry gets Teed before you can even say New York Knicks.

It didn’t get much prettier for the Knicks.

If you follow my writing (which I hope you do!) you would know my favorite game to play is the “Will JR Smith shoot the ball?” game. I can imagine it makes for a very dangerous drinking game, which might have been needed tonight. JR Smith shot fifteen times.

He made three. Three.

I have no problem with Carmelo putting the ball up 31 times, because honestly who else is going too? Toney Douglas? Jared Jeffries? Landry Fields? He earned the right to shoot, scoring 35 points.

The Heat just did what they wanted. Lead by LeBron James with 29, with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh both chipping in with 19. Their defense again was impeccable, holding the Knicks to 30 percent from the field.

Now where do the Knicks go? Major decisions have to be made, starting with the head coach.

No one would have a problem with Mike Woodson coming back, but how do you say no to Phil Jackson if he comes calling?

Do the Knicks have enough faith in Jeremy Lin to give him a long-term deal? Or are his 15 minutes up?

Big bench decisions need to be made also with JR “I am defiantly going to shoot this ball” Smith, Steve Novak who led the league in three percentage,  Jeffries,  Fields and Bibby all possibly having new homes next year.

Anthony, Tyson Chandler, and Iman Shumpert are definite for the future. The rest needs to be figured out to make this a championship caliber team.

Hate to say this but there’s always next year.

May 6, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) drives to the around Miami Heat power forward Chris Bosh (1), small forward Shane Battier (31) and shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) during the second half of game four in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 89-87. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Amar’e Stoudemire returned to the lineup, his sliced hand wrapped in multiple layers of protection, and gave the Knicks a boost of energy early on. As expected, though, they still struggled and stumbled through a terribly sluggish second quarter to face a six-point deficit at halftime. In the second half, the Knicks found life. They got out on the break for transition baskets, while forcing turnovers. J.R. Smith hit a three-pointer, Stoudemire wrestled to the rim for some one-handed dunks, and most importantly, Carmelo Anthony got going. ‘Melo poured in 41 points, on a number of downright silly, turn-around, midrange jumpers, and a critical pull-up three-pointer off a broken play late in the 4th quarter. The two teams exchanged blow after blow until finally, with one last stop at the buzzer, the Knicks pulled away with an 89-87 win, and snapped a 13-game playoff losing streak.

The one negative take-away, however, was Baron Davis’s gruesome knee injury in the 3rd quarter, later to be determined a partially torn patella tendon and a completely torn ACL and MCL. The Knicks now will have to carry on without Davis (whose injury is expected to take 12 months to heal – we might not see Baron in the NBA again) and use Mike Bibby as their starting point guard. Bibby did hit two huge three-pointers in the second half filling in for Davis, and he is playoff tested. However, he is also Mike Bibby and with a few exceptions this season, he has not inspired confidence or glee from many Knicks fans.

Mike Woodson revealed this morning that Toney Douglas will be the first guard off the bench tonight and will play some minutes at the point. Woodson will also likely use more of that lineup where J.R. Smith, Carmelo Anthony, and Landry Fields all take turns bringing the ball up the floor and trying to set up the offense. While less than ideal, Mike Bibby can’t play 35-40 minutes, and Toney Douglas just hasn’t been good enough to earn major minutes.

Moreover, the Knicks will need more heroic performances from Anthony and Stoudemire. The tandem worked well in Game 4, with both players operating cohesively on pick-and-rolls and not using up each other’s space. Stoudemire’s hand has presumably improved over the last three days, so he may have less trouble securing rebounds and operating to his left. Even while operating with only 75% of his limbs last Sunday, Stoudemire still worked his way to 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Anthony, meanwhile, will have to shoot lights out and continue putting up monster offensive numbers. As Tom Haberstroh pointed out, Anthony scored more at the rim in Game 4 than any other game in the season. Settling for jumpers won’t do against Miami; ‘Melo is going to have to come out in attack mode, and of course, attack efficiently.

Still, Miami is going to come out with urgency and fire because they do not want to go back to New York for Game 6 and risk giving the Knicks confidence. No team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 deficit. Can the Knicks be the first? Seth Rosenthal over at Posting and Toasting has already started the MILPCAT movement (Most Improbable Legendary Playoff Comeback of All Time).

Do you believe?! No? A little bit? OK, we’ll see. Go Knicks!

Apr 26, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin (17) shoots the ball before the start of the game against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-US PRESSWIRE

Even after winning Game 4 in New York on Sunday, the finish line is nowhere in sight yet for the Knicks, who put an end to their own personal 13-game playoff losing streak with Sunday’s win.

However, if they plan to start any kind of playoff winning streak this season, Lin is going to have to play a role in that and play through the pain.

If the Knicks weren’t so depleted in the backcourt, Lin playing really wouldn’t be an issue, but it’s turned into a huge problem. One that Lin needs to lend a hand to.

As soon as Baron Davis went down, the pressure for Lin to come in and save the Knicks for a second time began to mount. You’ve heard all types of theories on why Lin shouldn’t, including that it would hurt him in negotiating with teams as a free agent in the offseason, but it’s foolish to believe that one game will effect his earning potential.

We’re approaching the original six weeks that Lin was supposed to be out for after his knee surgery, and Lin didn’t do himself any favors by setting Game 4 as a hopeful return date earlier on in the series. But now his team needs him, so if Lin is able to, he must step up to the plate and suit up for Game 5.

I’m not suggesting by any means that Lin play if he can’t go or isn’t medically cleared, but if he’s able to run, jump, cut and absorb contact, then he has to give it a go.

Now, you can subscribe to the theory of “the Knicks won’t beat the Heat anyway.” While that may be true, they would be foolish to go down with bullets left in their gun.

The concerning part for me is the rust that will be on Lin after not playing a game since March 24 against the Detroit Pistons.

Knicks interim head coach Mike Woodson also sees Lin’s return as doubtful due to not being in basketball shape, telling ESPNNewYork.com’s Ian Begley:

I’ve watched him shoot and run up and down, he’s not in great shape. You know as well as I know, playoff basketball, you’ve got to be (in peak condition). And he hasn’t played in a while, so I don’t know if that’s going to be a determining factor with the doctors.

Then there’s the fact that Lin wouldn’t be coming back to play in just any game—it would be against LeBron James and the Miami Heat. The same suffocating Heat defense that forced Lin to his worst game as a starter, harassing him into eight turnovers and 1-of-11 shooting in a February 23 Miami win.

I’m not suggesting that Lin playing would save the Knicks. It would be a lot to ask the guy to save the season twice in one year. But if we learned anything from Lin already, it’s to expect the unexpected from this guy.

His own Willis Reed-type moment would be huge for the Knicks.

Even if Lin can only play 15-20 minutes, and that would likely be the limit, you wouldn’t be able to calculate the emotional lift it would give to his teammates and the Knicks fanbase.

That’s all the more reason that if he can go, he must attempt to play through the pain.

A Mike Bibby and Toney Douglas point guard duo isn’t going to get the job done, but who knows? Maybe Lin has a little magic left and a few more tricks up his sleeve in what will definitely go down as the Year of Linsanity.

Interim head coach Mike Woodson doesn’t expect Lin to play and attempt to save the Knicks season for the second time this season. That leaves Game 5 on the road in Miami in the hands of veteran Mike Bibby; unless something happens in the next two days that could allow Lin to play.

“I’m going at this as if he’s not going to play. That’s how it’s been here for the last month, month and a half, and that’s how I’m preparing,” Woodson said during a conference call.

“I’ve watched him shoot and run up and down. He’s not in great shape and you know as well as I know that playoff basketball, you’ve got to be at an all-time high, and he hasn’t played in a while,” Woodson said. “So I don’t know if that’s going to be a determining factor with the doctors, and the fact that he hasn’t played. I can say, yes, he looks good, but again, does he feel good? Do the doctors think it’s enough time based on the injury that he’s had to get him out on the floor? I can’t make that decision.”

There have been reports that the Knicks have been pressuring Lin to play on Wednesday, but so far there’s been no signs coming from the Knicks brass that he will be able to give it a go.

Apr 26, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin (17) shoots the ball before the start of the game against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-US PRESSWIRE

That leaves Bibby and seldom used Toney Douglas as the Knicks only floor generals for a very important Game 5.

Lin has been playing in 3-on-3 workouts after surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee April 2. The Knicks said at the time he was expected to miss six weeks, meaning his season was likely over unless they reached the second round.

He was going to work out again Monday, and the Knicks will practice Tuesday. Woodson said he would prefer to see Lin go through an entire practice with full contact before seeing him in a game against one of the NBA’s fiercest defenses. But there’s just no time for that.

Even if Lin can go, fans must realize he hasn’t played in a game in over five weeks, meaning the rust will be there.

Then there’s the fact that the Heat harassed Lin into eight turnovers and 1-for-11 shooting in a Feb. 23 victory in Miami, Lin’s worst game since he assumed the starting point guard spot.

No matter who ends up being the Knicks point guard on Wednesday night, they will face a tough challenge. Someone has to rise to the occasion though and it looks like Bibby will get the first opportunity.

May 6, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) drives to the around Miami Heat power forward Chris Bosh (1), small forward Shane Battier (31) and shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) during the second half of game four in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 89-87. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Anthony was outstanding, scoring 41 points and putting the Knicks on his back late in the game, but like everything else during the Knicks’ roller-coaster season, good news is met with a dose of bad news.

Despite Anthony’s heroics and the return of Amar’e Stoudemire to the Knicks lineup, New York suffered another costly injury when it lost point guard Baron Davis, who dislocated his right kneecap in the third quarter.

With no Davis in the lineup and rookie Iman Shumpert already on the shelf with a knee injury, the Knicks are down to what promises to be the unproductive duo of Mike Bibby and Toney Douglas or a possible return of injured point guard Jeremy Lin.

While Melo’s hero ball worked for one game, it’s not likely to have much success if Lin returns, though.

Granted, Anthony shot the ball pretty well on Sunday, going 15-of-29 from the floor, but looking back on his past playoff performances with New York, Melo shot only .375 from the floor in last season’s sweep at the hands of the Boston Celtics and was only shooting .344 (22-of-64) in the first three games of this series.

If Lin returns to the lineup, and there’s no indication he’s going to be ready, to succeed the Knicks offense is going to need to rely on ball movement and that hasn’t been Anthony’s strength in postseason play.

This postseason alone, despite the poor shooting percentage, Anthony has attempted 33 percent of the Knicks’ shots from the floor.

Once Lin emerged as a potential star, the Knicks’ playmaking needs were resolved, so Melo didn’t have to attempt to fill that role, but Anthony was uncomfortable in a point-guard-dominated offense and admitted as much a week before Mike D’Antoni resigned as head coach.

He hasn’t been able to play with other teammates effectively, as the Knicks’ best success with Lin came with Anthony out of the lineup and Anthony’s best success in a Knicks uniform came in April with both Lin and Stoudemire nursing injuries.

It’s unfortunate for Knicks fans, but there is a reason that Anthony has a career playoff record of 17-36 in nine career postseasons, has got out of the first round only once and has the worst career postseason winning percentage (.321) of any player with 50 or more playoff games under his belt.

An isolation-dominated offense, or Meloball, can get a team 40-50 regular season wins, but it doesn’t work against good defensive teams in the playoffs.

But that’s the way Anthony plays the game and if he’s going to go down, he’s going down shooting.

Adding Lin to the mix is just going to have Anthony out of sorts. Of course, that’s with a Lin who’s been playing, not a rusty Lin who hasn’t played basketball in five weeks.

If Meloball stands any chance, and it doesn’t stand much this series, he’s going to need the ball in his hands a ton.

If Lin is going well, the Knicks offense is based on playmaking and ball movement, but when it hits Anthony’s hands, the movement will stop and the tempo Lin creates will slow down.

One day, for the Knicks to have postseason success, Anthony is going to have to learn to play with his teammates better, but it’s going to be a lot to ask him to change his game with only three days in between Game 4 and Game 5.

As good as it would be to see Lin back on the court, the chances of things working right now between he and Melo are very slim.

Lin may give them an initial spark, but it’s going to be Anthony who either puts the Knicks on his back or shoots New York right out of the series.

May 6, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) drives to the around Miami Heat power forward Chris Bosh (1), small forward Shane Battier (31) and shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) during the second half of game four in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 89-87. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Amar’e Stoudemire, playing in his first home game in Madison Square Garden came into the game with a lot of heat on him (no pun intended). He was playing with eight layers of tape and protection on his left hand after punching a fire extinguisher glass case out of anger. Amar’e, as well as the entire team, were not settling for jump shots and attacking the rim.

This entire series I have been tweeting, writing, and telling people the Knicks can keep up with the Heat. They showed it in Game 3 when they were leading at halftime. Carmelo Anthony is a straight out baller. No other way to say it. Yeah, yeah, he’s not the best defender in the world, but tell me who was diving onto the hardwood for loose balls? With their best perimeter defender out, starting point guard just torn his knee, Amar’e with his hand, and Jeremy Lin being sidelined since March, all the Knicks needed was Melo to go down.

He played all out, diving for balls, hustling on every play, playing defense, grabbing boards, and obviously making the shots he is paid to make.

There wasn’t much going the Knicks way the entire game. Baron Davis looks like he ended his career driving to the hoop, Tyson Chandler and Amar’e were both in foul trouble, and JR Smith, well, was being JR Smith.

Can everyone please join me in my “Will JR Smith shoot the ball?” game next game?

SPOLIER ALERT – most of the time the answer is yes.

Fast forward the game late in the 4th, tied 81-81. Mike Bibby, yes MIKE BIBBY, hits a huge corner three to give the Knicks a late lead and the Garden erupts.

Next trip down the court LeBron James, who I thought played the quietest 27-point game you will ever see, hits a big shot to tie the game.

I know New York has not yet witnessed Tebow Time, but ladies and gentlemen welcome to Melo Time.

Carmelo Anthony hits the big shot he came here for, giving the Knicks a three-point lead once again.

After a few missed free throws, it is Heat ball with time winding down trailing by two. Dwyane Wade gets the ball and is looking for a good look to tie it. The Knicks deny him an easy shot and he is forced to shoot a fadeaway in the corner.

Knicks win Game 4.

Oh and LeBron was in the other corner, wanting nothing to do with the ball.

After showing us all they can play a whole game and finally finish the game with a strong 4th quarter, can the Knicks avoid elimination in Miami?

Will Jeremy Lin play? Right now the point guard depth is Mike Bibby and Toney Douglas.

If Linsanity suits up for the first time since late March, how effective can he be? The Heat mauled him last time he played in Miami.

Can the Knicks steal one in Miami with Carmelo playing lights out right now?

Can Linsanity pull the greatest sports story ever and beat the Heat three straight games?

Don’t tell him he can’t. That’s the same thing the scouts said, that he couldn’t.

See you in Miami.

May 6, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Baron Davis (85) gestures to the crowd as he is carried off the court after an injury against the Miami Heat during the second half of game four in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 89-87. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

The New York Knicks can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to injuries, self-inflicted or otherwise.

Sure New York won their first postseason game since before 9-11 when they defeated the Miami Heat Sunday afternoon, but like it has been all season, good news is met with bad news as the injuries for the Knicks continue to pile up.

This time it’s very costly as point guard Baron Davis dislocated his kneecap when he planted on a fast break in the third quarter.

Davis is already filling in for starting point guard Jeremy Lin and his injury is crucial as New York is running out of ball handlers with rookie Iman Shumpert also on the shelf with a knee injury.

For Davis, the injury brings a tough season full circle.

He began the season in Cleveland with a bad back and was a victim of the amnesty clause. After signing with the Knicks, Davis missed the first 32 games of the season and while he was viewed as a savior to a team that had bad point guard play to begin the season, he ultimately became a casualty to Linsanity as when Davis returned, he did so as a backup to Lin.

Davis eventually started 14 games when Lin injured his knee, but never really got into a groove as his one season in the Big Apple saw him average only 6.1 PPG and 4.7 APG on the season while shooting only .370 from the floor.

Now that Davis is gone, veteran Mike Bibby appears to be next in line, but Bibby hasn’t done much better throughout the season.

The Knicks can hold out hope that Lin could return for Game 5 and if he does it could prove to be a huge lift for a depleted New York backcourt.

One thing is for sure though and that’s the story of the 2012 New York Knicks season has been injuries and Davis joins the parade for the second time this season.

Apr 30, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amare Stoudemire (1) reacts during the first half of game two in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

I waited until whether or not New York Knicks forward Amar’e Stoudemire would play in Game 4 against the Miami Heat to write this , but his self-inflicted hand injury that Stoudemire obtained by punching a glass case containing a fire extinguisher.

That got me thinking about other self-inflicted sports injuries.

There have been plenty moments of stupidity involving athletes throughout the years and Stoudemire is no exception.

But where does Stoudemire rank among the best of the worst when it comes to self-inflicted sports injuries through the years?

I’ve come up with a creative list, but there are plenty that were left out. Feel free to let me know which your favorite self-inflicted injuries of all-time are and where Stoudemire’s latest mishap should rank.

Honorable mentions: Los Angeles Angles Kendry Morales (tearing ACL jumping on home plate after walk-off homer), Brandon Inge (fluffing a pillow for his son which caused him to strain his oblique muscle), Stoudemire (injured back in 2011 while doing a trick dunk in warm-ups), Monta Ellis (suffered a serious ankle injury when he tipped over on a Moped scooter during the 2008 off-season) and Gerald Diduck (decided to body surf down an airplane aisle, crashed into the galley and wrenched his back)

10. Milton Bradley:  The San Diego Padres might have won a wild card into the NL playoffs in 2007 if Milton Bradley hadn’t blown out his knee while being held back from an umpire by his manager Bud Black.

Bradley missed the final week, the Padres were overtaken by Colorado, and they lost a one-game playoff to the Rockies for the wild-card berth.

9. Brian Anderson:  The former Diamondbacks pitcher once fried his face while attempting to determine whether the iron in his hotel room was hot.

It was.

8. John Tudor: In 1985, Tudor was so upset after losing Game 7 of the World Series that he punched an electric fan. It sliced up his hand, and after winning 21 games in 1985 he never won more than 13 again.

7. Dustin Penner: The NHL star had to be kept out of the lineup after injuring his back while eating pancakes. How can you come away from a delicious breakfast un-injured?

“Apparently it’s one of those mysterious things, where you can throw it out (from) sneezing. I just leaned over to dip into some delicious pancakes that my wife made.”

6. Joel Zumaya: The Detroit Tigers fire-baller injured himself twice by playing video games.  He strained his wrist while playing Guitar Hero and having a box fall on his shoulder.

I hope Zumaya did well at the video game because he had to miss the entire 2006 American League Championship Series as a result.

5. Paulo Diogo: In a 2004 match, the Swiss soccer star celebrated a teammate’s goal by jumping onto a fence. When he jumped back down, his wedding ring caught on the fence and he made the descent without the ring or a generous portion of his finger.

Not only were surgeons unable to later re-attach what remained of his mangled finger, but he was assessed a yellow card for excessive celebration.

4. Chris Hanson swinging an ax: The Pro Bowl punter for the Jacksonville Jaguars missed the final seven games of the 2003 season after swinging an ax at a wood stump in the locker room as part of a Jack Del Rio motivational scheme.

Hanson whacked his foot instead. You can enter all type of stump punch lines at this time.

3. Bill Gramatica’s celebration: Anyone remember this? How could you forget? Gramatica nailed a 43-yard field goal in the first quarter of a game and jumped around like he just won the Super Bowl, and then landed wrong and tore his ACL.

2. Gus Ferrotte’s head-butt: I know he was excited, but what on earth would possess someone to head-butt a wall?

1.  Plaxico Burress shooting himself: Really? Really? We all know the story by now about the boneheaded Burress famously firing a bullet into his leg. Then he was sentenced to prison for violating New York’s strict gun laws.

One thing is certain and that’s the Knicks will have a far different look in 2013.

Apr. 13, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Steve Novak (16) shoots a three-pointer during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 103-65. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Only Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, Amar’e Stoudemire, Josh Harrleson, Jerome Jordan and Iman Shumpert are under contract for next season. That’s six players owed a whopping $57.2 million in 2013.

The Knicks do have a $2.1 million team option on point guard Toney Douglas and J.R Smith holds a $2.5 million player option which he more than likely won’t exercise. With the salary cap set to be a flat $58 million next season, the Knicks don’t have much wiggle room.

New York owns just the mid-level exception (expected to go to Jeremy Lin), the $2 million bi-annual exception and the veteran’s minimum. There are provisions in the new CBA that should make it so the Knicks can retain both Lin and guard Landry Fields (restricted free agent).

Basically what that amounts to is the likes of Smith, Baron Davis, Mike Bibby, Jared Jeffries, and unfortunately Steve Novak will all need to be replaced by players working at or near the minimum salary.

It will be very tough to see Novak take perhaps his final shot in a Knicks uniform on Sunday, but basketball is a business and after the season Novak had, leading the NBA in 3-point percentage (47.2 percent).

The six-year vet became a fan-favorite at the Garden and averaged career highs in scoring (8.8 PPG) and minutes (18:53).

However after the season he put together, Novak will certainly command more than the $1 million he made this season.

Novak’s situation is similar to Shawne Williams’ last season. Both are unsung forwards who emerged to become sharpshooters. That doesn’t bode well for the Knicks. Last year, Williams said, “This is where I want to play at.” He ultimately signed with the Nets.

Unfortunately the next time the clock hits triple-zeros and the Knicks are behind on the scoreboard, it won’t just be the end of a roller coaster season. It will also be waving bye to a couple key pieces to this season’s team.

When the season ends for the Knicks, general manager Glen Grunwald must get right to work. He’s got a lot to do, not only signing players, but deciding on a full-time head coach as well.

Along the way, it would be nice to see if he could find a way to keep a guy like Novak in a Knicks uniform. He turned out to be a weapon that will ultimately be very tough to replace.

May 3, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) brings the ball during the second half of game three in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden. Miami won 87-70. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE

As I’m sitting here watching the final seconds of the Knick lose again to the Heat, my father walks down the stairs. He has been working for fourteen hours and is not even the slightest basketball fan. All he sees is the seventeen point loss on the screen and ask me

Nonchalantly:

“Wow, they got their ass kicked again?”

All I could sadly respond is “Yeah dad, they did”

What I really wanted to say was “Well they played a great first half, lead by six at half, took the MVP out of the game in the third and were only down by two to the best team in the East entering the fourth.”

He would have asked, “Well, what the hell happened?”

That is my question.

WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!

Every casual fan who was too busy to watch the game tonight and picks up the paper tomorrow will see the box score and say to themselves “Yeah pretty much what I expected, the Heat are too good.”

They are right in the sense that the Heat are good, but if you watched this game you see that the Heat are beatable if you play a full game.

This has been the Knicks problem the whole series. They hang with the Heat in the beginning and the Heat always has the lead, but it is always in reach. The Knicks are always one run away. One hot streak of shooting. Couple of breaks here and there, turnovers by the other team, and my dad wouldn’t have said that.

Knicks played the best they can through three quarters. The Garden was rocking; the Heat, especially LeBron, couldn’t get in a rhythm, turning over the ball like he was a rookie point guard. The Garden crowd was clearly in his head throughout three.

Then the fourth quarter happened.

Miami showed to beat them you have to play all 48 minutes. Twenty-four or 36 minutes don’t give you the win, the whole game does. Dwyane Wade took over the third quarter, while LeBron James and Mario Chalmers took over the fourth.

Who did the Knicks have shooting for them in the fourth?

Landry Fields.

I have been saying this whole series the Knicks are one big run away from stealing a game. Now I will say the Knicks are one or two, maybe even three players away from being serious contenders in the East and to the Heat.

You have your scorer in Carmelo Anthony. You have your low post covered with Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler.

The rest? Fill in the blanks.

Hopefully next year this team after a long day of work when my father comes home and sees a Knicks playoff game on, he will say something different.

Something like “Wow, the Knicks really kicked THEIR ass tonight!

He makes no excuses and won consistently down the stretch with a rash of injuries that included point guard Jeremy Lin and forward Amar’e Stoudemire. Woodson had Carmelo Anthony playing the best basketball of his career in April, and everything seemed great in the Big Apple.

But after a pair of bad playoff losses and more and more whispers about Phil Jackson, it could be Woodson who pays a severe price when it’s all said and done.

Apr 30, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson reacts during the first half of game two in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Yet Woodson doesn’t have a track record for postseason success, dropping his career postseason record to 11-20 with the two losses to the Heat. Ultimately, the Knicks’ front office brass is going to want a head coach who can win in the playoffs.

Despite what happens the rest of the series, the full-time job should be Woodson’s to lose. But if the Knicks continue to melt down, he could do exactly that.

After the Game 1 blowout, Woodson told reporters (via ESPNNewYork.com’s Ian O’Connor), ”I’m really secure in what I do on and off the floor,” he said. “Everything is good. … I’ll be all right. If I don’t work, I’ll be fine.”

Woodson should be fine in New York. He has the attention and respect of the players, especially his superstar in Anthony, who campaigned for Woodson to get the full-time gig.

That strategy worked back when Patrick Ewing publicly endorsed then-interim coach Jeff Van Gundy for the job in 1996.

Woodson will be fine. Even if the Knicks don’t retain his services, what he’s done in the last 24 regular season games won’t go unnoticed by NBA teams.

But this is the job he ultimately wants, and quite frankly he deserves.

However, you can’t overlook the facts that as bad as the Knicks have played so far in this series, Woodson has been severely outcoached by Erik Spoelstra.

There’s really no good excuse for being so thoroughly dominated by LeBron James and a defensive game plan that neither Anthony nor Woodson had any answers for in Game 1.

Game 1 was long gone before rookie Iman Shumpert collapsed in the middle of the third quarter. His knee injury, devastating as it was, had no impact on the end result.

Miami’s strategy of fronting Anthony with James or Shane Battier, while sending backside help on lobs over the top, was the chief reason the series opener devolved into such an ungodly Knicks mess.

Woodson never adjusted to the adjustments the Heat made after Melo dropped 42 on them in the Garden in April.

His offense remained stagnant, predictable, one-dimensional and helpless against the spirited and energized Miami defense that Spoelstra (and Pat Riley) designed to stop it. Spoelstra had a plan, and all Woodson had was his worst day of the year.

It’s been a lot to ask out of Woodson. Tyson Chandler was sick. Baron Davis’ back hurts.Shumpert’s youth, athleticism and defensive ability are irreplaceable. Jeremy Lin is in street clothes, and Stoudemire lost a fight with a fire extinguisher.

Yet with all the odds stacked against him, Woodson has to find a way to get the Knicks back in this series.

His job could depend on it.

Despite the regular season success, Woodson could be judged on how he performs in the postseason, and so far the results haven’t been very good.

A Knicks team desperate for superstar talent and an explosive power forward who was finally getting the opportunity to be the man, becoming the leader of his own team.

While things started off great in the Big Apple for Stoudemire, the last year hasn’t exactly worked out the way either party likely envisioned things.

From Stoudemire’s rash of injuries to not being able to mesh well with Carmelo Anthony and his latest escapade following Monday’s G

Apr 30, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amare Stoudemire (1) during the first half of game two in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Miami Heat of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

ame 2 loss to the Miami Heat (when Stoudemire punched a glass casing surrounding a fire extinguisher, causing lacerations on his left hand that required stitches), things clearly aren’t working out at all.

Monday’s selfish act, though out of frustration, was still selfish, and it could end up being the final straw in a marriage that started out so well.

His production is down, averaging only 17.5 PPG, his lowest total since the 2005-06 season, when he first hurt his knee—but what he did Monday was hang his teammates out to dry, and that is inexcusable by any standards.

You could say that punching the glass was the first time Stoudemire crashed the glass this entire series, pulling down a mere six rebounds per game, but as ESPNNewYork.com’s Ian Begleyreported, Stoudemire is “almost certain” to miss Game 3 on Thursday in New York, and there is a possibility that Stoudemire could miss the rest of the series.

No one could feel worse about this than Amar’e, posting on his Twitter account. Via Begley:

“I am so mad at myself right now,” read a post on Stoudemire’s verified account. “I want to apologize to the fans and my team, not proud of my actions. headed home for a new start.”

“We all have done thing out of anger that we regret. That makes us human. Bad timing on my part. Sorry guys. This too shall pass.”

Unfortunately, sorry doesn’t cut it in this case.

With one punch of the glass, Stoudemire let his teammates and Knicks fans everywhere down. It was doubtful the Knicks could win this series anyway, but their slim chances dropped even more with Stoudemire watching in street clothes.

While this is a short-term problem, the long-term issues are the more concerning ones.

He hasn’t meshed well with Anthony, or Tyson Chandler, for that matter. You could take this as a lost year, but have there been any signs that this is going to work out in the long run?

That’s very debatable. Especially when you look at Anthony’s success playing the 4 while Stoudemire was out with a back injury.

The easiest thing to say is to deal him for a few missing parts on this team, but that’s easier said than done, given the fact that his body is breaking down and he’s still owed $60 million over the next three years.

That makes any thought of a trade very unlikely.

Who knows? Maybe Stoudemire comes back healthy next season and the Knicks figure things out and start on their path to contending.

But one thing is for sure—the marriage between the Knicks and Stoudemire just isn’t working right now, and something has to be done to get it going in the right direction.

The Knicks played better, but it still wasn’t enough to stop the Heat from taking a strong 2-0 series lead with a 104-94 victory in Game 2 of the series.

Apr 30, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) is fouled by New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the second half of game two in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

The loss of Iman Shumpert was obvious as the 2006 Finals MVP Dwyane Wade had his way early for the Heat, leading Miami with 25-points. LeBron James might be their best player, but the Heat will only go as far as their leader takes them. Landry Fields is a role player at best and just could not keep up with Wade’s speed and overall talent; especially with him feeding off his home crowd.

New York’s superstar Carmelo Anthony, who wasn’t his normal scoring self in Game 1, played like the star he was the past, scoring 15 in the first quarter. Melo needs to have EVEN BETTER quarters like these for the Knicks to have any chance at all vs. the overpowering Heat. At times in the game he looks like the only Knick who has a sense of offense.

Tyson Chandler, still battling the flu, played like he did all year, with passion and heart. A big controversy coming out of Game 1 was the officiating. This game was better than last, but one play had me cursing and scratching my head. Tyson Chandler slams home a monstrous dunk and immediately taunted the Heat players underneath him. However, Tyson didn’t get up in their face and start screaming; he didn’t even pound his chest These are grown men doing their job and playing the game they love at the highest possible level.

They are not robots, statues, holograms or paper figures. These are PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES. If you can’t show emotion on a playoff dunk vs. the league’s most hated team, then basketball in America has failed.

The Knicks showed they could hang with Miami, keeping the game moderately close the entire time. But like the last game, the seven-point deficit almost felt like a 17- point deficit. The Knicks were always that one big run away and it just never happened. This team just doesn’t have that Clippers run from Sundaynight in them. I would love to see it, but just don’t see it coming from this particular team.

By the way – where is Amar’e Stoudemire?! If I showed my grandmother the game and told her to watch No. 6 and No. 1 and asked her which one is battling the flu I’m pretty sure she would say numero uno.

A year and half ago this was your team STAT can you please start playing like it? I know you had a tough year with injuries and the loss of your brother, but this is playoff time.

The box score is going to say 18 points and 13 rebounds, but I felt like Stoudemire disappeared for most of the game. And those three missed free throws is inexcusable, by him or any professional basketball player.

I’m a plumber and if I cant use a plunger, I simply lose my job. FREE THROWS, man, FREE THROWS!

Oh and I would say punching a fire extinguisher glass case really gives you a slight advantage over the other team. You crashed the glass a little late there STAT. Good job though. I’m sure that’s going to help your free throw shooting.

For the Heat, they again showed why they are the scariest team in the East. They played hard on both sides of the floor and their superstars came to play. When LeBron, Wade, and Chris Bosh are all shooting 50% from the field and are challenging shots, it’s hard to beat them. The three combined for 65 points going 23-for-46 from the field.

Watching the game just irks you as a fan sometimes. Every shot the Knicks take the Heat seem to be all over, whether its hands in their faces or simply forcing a harder shot. Every time the Heat shot it looked like they are were in pregame warm-ups, not a defender to be found.

Game 3 brings this series back to the Mecca of basketball, but will the home team come to play? Is anyone going to show some pride on the defensive end? Can they give New Yorkers the playoff defense equivalent to when Patrick Ewing, Larry Johnson and Charles Oakley played? Can anyone but Carmelo get a groove on offense and take the load off him?

The Knicks must show New York they will not lay down to the hated Heat. Show me something, show us all something. Prove them wrong.

When Coach Mike D’Antoni left the Knicks before the end of the season, Knicks fans everywhere wondered if they could win with Woodson.
Quickly, he proved to be a better coach than D’Antoni, both offensively and defensively. He immediate put a major focus on defense, and as a result Tyson Chandler became the defensive player the Knicks wanted him to be.

Apr 26, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson looks down the bench during the first half against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-US PRESSWIRE

Chandler was never brought in to be a shooting star, but the Knicks own version of Dwight Howard. We wanted blocks and rebounds, and wanted them all the time. With Woodson, we got that. Chandler turned into a beast and was blocking and rebounding like a mad man. So what happened Saturday night?

In the face of pressure, Chandler managed three rebounds and no blocks. He didn’t look like the player he was in the latter half of the season. He looked confused in the paint, and seemed to be nervous about going up against the big players. On offense, he was unable to get the most important offensive rebounds, and that makes it hard to win if you only get one chance at a time. The fact that he had seven turnovers doesn’t help his case either.

Carmelo Anthony was unable to get anything rolling for the entire game. He played like a rookie and made way too many costly mistakes. He was taking shots while in double coverage, and couldn’t pass the ball well.

Melo went from averaging over 30 points for the last games of the season, to playing like he had never touched the ball. He ended up 3-of-15 with a dismal 11 points. In order to win, he has to step up and out-shoot LeBron James.

So, how does this effect Woodson?

Woodson needs to go back to the philosophy of old. He needs to focus on defense, because the Heat are such an offensive powerhouse it is unlikely the Knicks will outscore them.

If he can get the centers to play stand down defense, the Knicks can win the serious battles. He needs to go back to play-calling the way he was. Far too many times in the game, the Knicks looked out of sync, and I never saw many plays called all game.

With Iman Shumpert out with a torn ACL, Woodson must figure out who to start in his place. If I was in his shoes, I would pick Steve Novak. Yes, he plays the same position as Melo, but the man is a machine from beyond the arc.

Novak is shooting 47 percent from the floor, and 48% percent beyond the arc. He’s playing much better than J.R. Smith, and doesn’t take many stupid shots. If Woodson put some faith in him, we would see improvement in the starting five.

Ultimately, Woodson needs to make some improvements if the Knicks wish to upset the Heat in this series. Hopefully the team can rally around their coach, and put this series behind them and move on to the next round.

However while it’s still Knicks vs. Heat, one thing is still missing from this series and from the NBA in general- the rivalry.

Feb 25, 2012; Orlando, FL, USA; Eastern Conference forward Carmelo Anthony (7) of the New York Knicks and LeBron James of the Miami Heat (left) address the media prior to the start of the 2012 NBA All-Star team practice session at the Orange County Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-US PRESSWIRE

The team hatred seems like it could get back to somewhere where it was in the 1990′s, but that’s going to take some Knicks victories to really consider this a rivalry from both ends once again.

One thing it is definitely missing is the individual rivalry.

There’s a serious lack of rivalries in today’s NBA.  Never again will we probably ever see anything close to the days of Magic vs. Bird, but something close would be nice.

Dating back to the 2003 NBA Draft when LeBron went No.1 overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers and ‘Melo went No. 3 overall to the Denver Nuggets, many expected this to become the next great individual rivalry in the league.

Things haven’t quite worked out that way.

Usually a great rivalry comes with high stakes and with both guys having a big goose egg in the championship column, that opportunity hasn’t presented itself.

Then there’s the fact that with Melo playing in Denver and James playing in Cleveland, the two superstars met only twice a year from 2003-10. The opportunity to establish such rivalry didn’t present itself with neither playing real meaningful games against one another.

Now let’s fast forward to the year 2012 and the first-round of the NBA Playoffs.

Everyone expects to see this big individual rivalry between the two, but it will never happen.

For one, LeBron has owned Melo since he joined the Knicks, especially during the 2012 season where Anthony and the Knicks have been beaten four times by an average of 17.25 PPG by the Heat on the season. These games mean something on paper but until New York truly gets into a spot where they can be a factor against teams like the Heat for many consecutive years, this isn’t really a rivalry.

Looking at the individual aspect of the rivalry, until Melo And LeBron go through each other in the Eastern Conference Finals a few times, they won’t be playing meaningful games. Neither guy has won a big game through their nine year career, but up the stakes and we may get something big from the two guys.

But the biggest reason why this will never be a rivalry is the state of the NBA today.

In today’s age where superstars can force their way too any team they choose and marketing dollars mean more than anything that happens on the court, the NBA rivalry has been tossed out the window.

LeBron and Melo are great friends on and off the court, which hurts the chances of any real good rivalry emerging. There’s simply no hatred there.

Bird and Magic were friends, but once they threw the ball in the air, the hatred took over. That can be said about any great rivalry in the history of the game.

That will just never be the case in today’s NBA. In days of old, superstars didn’t care if they were liked or not. But it’s way too important for a guy like LeBron to be liked by everyone. He doesn’t have it in him to have a killer instinct against anyone.

Sure, the two are two of the greatest players in the NBA, but legitimate rivals?

I don’t think they are even close.

Apr. 25, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks shooting guard J.R. Smith (8) reacts on the court during the second half against the Los Angeles Clippers at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 99-93. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

The New York Knicks have come a long way since Mike D’Antoni was replaced with interim head coach Mike Woodson, posting an 18-6 mark down the stretch, changing the way this team plays the game in the process.

The Knicks all-around depth has turned into a major strength as they’ve received key contributions from almost everyone on the roster down the stretch. That depth will have to continue to play a major role as the Knicks head into the postseason, as one man in particular could play the key role in any chances of the Knicks pulling a first-round upset over the favored Miami Heat.

Shooting guard J.R. Smith wasn’t even on the Knicks’ roster until mid-February, but he could turn into the most important piece of a potentially lengthy playoff run.

Smith has a skill-set that not many players off the Knicks bench have. Sure he can shoot the ball and can make a few plays at the defensive end of the floor, but the one thing that Smith can do is create his own shot. That ability could come into play in a big way against a Heat team that thrives off forcing turnovers and getting out in transition.

Using the shot-clock effectively at times and keeping the ball in Smith’s hands when the starters are on the bench will play a big role in trying to slow Miami down.

Of course if that’s the case Smith has to knock down shots consistently. If he and Steve Novak are hitting a high percentage of their shots from the perimeter, I like the Knicks chances to at least make this series a lengthy one.

Novak, the NBA’s leader in three-point percentage (.472) is just as big for the Knicks chances, but it’s Smith who could possibly make or break the Knicks in this series.

When Smith is shooting the ball well, he is a weapon that can carry a team through lengthy stretches.

But when he’s not, Smith is the type of player that can shoot a team right out of a series.

New York needs Smith hot and simply can’t afford him chucking up bad shots and shooting a low percentage from the floor.

He’s had his good moments on the season, but has also shown glimpse of the Smith off old at time. Despite him fitting in and playing unselfish basketball, which is something that really concerned me when he was signed, his overall numbers could suggest a guy that could ultimately shoot the Knicks out of the series.

Throughout the regular season, Smith averaged 11.6 shot attempts per game, but only shot .407 from the floor. From behind the arc, where Smith can play a big role in this series, he averaged 5.5 attempts per game while shooting only .347.

Quite simply those numbers must be better this series.

Smith’s a player who can provide the secondary scoring the Knicks will need in the postseason, but he needs to make shots more consistently to be a big factor.

It’s not only just about making shots for Smith; it’s about when he makes them.

In tight situations or spots where the Knicks could look to extend a lead, Smith must come through in the clutch.

He’s going to get plenty of opportunities to do so. If Smith makes big shots in big moments, the Knicks will be better off. If he doesn’t, he could end up shooting the Knicks right to an early playoff exit.

Al Iannazzone of New York Newsday reports that the Knicks may be without starting center Chandler for Game 1 of first round against the Miami Heat. Iannazzone says via his Twitter account that Knicks head coach Mike Woodson said that there’s a strong possibility Chandler won’t play Game 1.

If Chandler is forced to sit out Game 1, it could be a death blow to the Knicks. One of the leading candidates for Defensive Player of the Year, Chandler averaged 11.3 points (67.9 field goal percentage) and 9.9 rebounds per game, blocking 1.9 shots per game during the regular season.

The Knicks need Chandler on the floor for his defensive presence as they aren’t nearly the same team without him.

Prior to Thursday night’s win against the Charlotte Bobcats, New York was without Chandler for three games on the season. They didn’t respond well by allowing 119, 118 and 112 points, going only 1-2 in those games.

If Chandler is forced to sit, Amar’e Stoudemire will likely play a lot at the 5 while Carmelo Anthony will shift back to the 4 where he had a ton of success when Stoudemire was out of the lineup. While that may be good at the offensive end of the floor, it likely won’t work well at the defensive end. The Knicks are going to have to give maximum effort defensively to win this series and without Chandler in the lineup, it’s going to be difficult to come away from Game 1 with a series lead.

Iannazzone also tweeted that Woodson forced the team to keep away from Chandler and that he’s wearing a surgical mask because he’s contagious.

Of all things that could happen to the Knicks before the playoffs begin, losing Chandler for a game is probably the least affordable thing possible.

After Thursday night’s NBA action concluded and the regular season officially can to an end, as many expected the New York Knicks will meet the Miami Heat in the opening round of the 2012 NBA Playoffs.

While many knew that was likely on the horizon, no one knew the days and times for the first round games, but the NBA took care of that after all the post season seeds became official.

Per NBA.com, the schedule for the Knicks’ first-round series against the Heat looks as follows:

Game 1 - Sat. April 28, New York at Miami, 3:30 p.m., ABC/R
Game 2 - Mon. April 30, New York at Miami, 7 p.m., TNT
Game 3 - Thu. May 3, Miami at New York, 7 p.m., TNT
Game 4 - Sun. May 6, Miami at New York, 3:30 p.m., ABC/R
Game 5 * Wed. May 9, New York at Miami, TBD
Game 6 * Fri. May 11, Miami at New York, TBD
Game 7 * Sun. May 13, New York at Miami, TBD

The excitement begins Saturday afternoon at American Airlines Arena in Miami and as expected the schedule follows an every other day format except in-between games 3-5 where there’s three days in between contests.

While I typically don’t like having to go that long in between games, given the fact that a guy like Tyson Chandler is banged up and given Amar’e Stoudemire’s back condition, that’s something that could ultimately favor the Knicks, as it can help keep each guy as fresh as possible.