New York Knicks basketball is back. This isn’t a media hyped statement. This isn’t the Knicks, the NBA, or MSG saying this to make you watch the games or buy their merchandise. This is coming from a die-hard fan that has gone through a lot to finally see his favorite basketball team play like I expect them too. The Knicks are back…for now.

 

It’s very early but you have too love what you are seeing out of this Knicks team. Carmelo Anthony is playing like the overall leader and best player he was brought here to be. He is taking a page out of LeBron James’ book and attacking the rim. ‘Melo is a loyal soldier under Mike Woodson, who has his team playing just the way he imagined it: tough, hard-nosed defense, and shooting high percentage shots. Team chemistry is at an all time high but that’s easy to say when you haven’t lost a game.

 

Chemistry just doesn’t happen over night. It takes months, sometimes years to gain confidence and trust  your teammates. Another factor in great chemistry is that the whole team has to genuinely like each other and get along. We didn’t see that last year with Jeremy Lin. It was obvious Carmelo didn’t like him when he said he his contact offer was “ridiculous.” But that was last season and this year it’s a different vibe in the locker room and you can see it translating to on the court success at both ends of the floor.

 

The one final factor that puts a contending team into a championship team is maturity. We all saw this last year with LeBron and the Heat. In the Heat’s first championship run against the Mavericks they made fun of a sick Dirk Nowitzki, which Dirk had the last laugh. The Heat showed immaturity and cowardness by doing that. They weren’t ready for the big stage where the men come to play and handle their business. Eventually, as we know, the Heat buckled down, cut out the baby games, and got their hardware.

 

Championship teams are mature and handle themselves like true professionals. Just go through the list of the champions this past decade: Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Paul Pierce, Chauncey Billups, and Nowitzki. I really hope that I can soon add Anthony to this last and finally see a Knicks parade down Broadway. I believe this can happen but I beg for one thing to change about this Knicks team: GET RID OF THE KNICKS TAPE.

 

I understand the team loves it and brings them together. I am fully aware the Knicks’ fans are eating it up but somebody has to wake up and tell everyone to stop it. In my eyes it’s embarrassing and immature. Championship teams do not compare to themselves to a mixtape. Say that last sentence out loud. It just is ridiculous that this is happening. Respectable people and fans don’t go around making words up and honestly sounding like idiots. I beg for the entire Knicks Nation to stop the whole #KnicksTape promo. Top of the line teams like the Spurs, Lakers, and the Celtics would never allow things like this.

 

I will root for the Knicks until there is not a breath left in me. I will defend them and stay by their side forever. But there is one thing I will not do, and that is root for a Knicks Tape. It has to stop. If the Knicks organization and their fans want to take that next step in becoming an elite NBA franchise and not be considered a joke anymore, they have to start acting and representing themselves as one.