Once the former New Jersey Nets “big three” were broken up with the departure of Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson in ’07-’08 and then Vince Carter in 08-09, fans knew that the rebuilding process would take time and they would have to deal with a few years of not the most exciting basketball.  Meanwhile across the Hudson River, the opposite was happening and in ’09-’10, the Knicks were coming out of the Dark Ages of a decade of awful, awful basketball with the acquisitions of Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. Knicks’ fans knew that after all the years of success in the playoffs by the Nets, it was on the horizon that the Knicks would be a better team in the New York/New Jersey area.  Going into the ’12-’13 season, both teams have completed their rebuilding process (Nets acquired Deron Williams a year and a half ago and Joe Johnson this year) and both are playoff bound.  A new rivalry is going to be born between two cities that are no longer connected by the George Washington Bridge, but by the Brooklyn Bridge, not separated by the Hudson River, but by the East River, not 13 miles away, but a mere 6 miles away.  Will New York Knicks fans find A Tree that Grows in Brooklyn?

I have five reasons why Knicks’ fans will consider switching to another team, but even better reasons why they won’t.

1. A whole new start, a whole new city, a whole new stadium and a new revamped team - Who wouldn’t be excited?  Whether it’s a new team, a new pair of Jordans, or a new iPhone, anything that is new is always refreshing and exhilarating.  When it comes to the Brooklyn Nets, it is something completely different than a new team like the Charlotte Bobcats – they started out from scratch, with no foundation besides a few high draft picks and prospects that would help them down the road.  The Nets on the other hand, are past the rebuilding process and have a very solid lineup already consisting of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, and Brook Lopez.  These are experienced players and will almost guarantee an entry in the playoffs this year.  They are ready now and they are ready to contend.

The new arena, Barclays Center that will host the Nets, is beautiful and clean and ready for a new beginning. It has a 5-tier video scoreboard, in house Wi-Fi, and interactive team tweets during games.

July 13, 2012; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets point guard Deron Williams and guard Joe Johnson pose for photos at a press conference at Brooklyn Borough Hall. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

 2.  The location and affordability - As I said earlier the Nets moved to Brooklyn.  Over the years Brooklyn has become a popular and cool destination to live for young professionals.  Hence, it will be a lot easier to attend games due to the short distance and loyalty to rooting for a team in their own borough.  Another thing to consider is the affordability of the tickets.  Last year the Knicks raised their prices by 49% and even the top, top seats were high priced.  The price for the seats in Brooklyn however will be more affordable – over two thousand tickets will be priced at $15.00 and 50 percent of all ticks are $55.00 or less.

3.  The Nets colors, logos, and jerseys – Although the colors are very simple (black and white), sometimes simplicity is what makes something really attractive.  I think the logo and the colors are simply bad a** and it has a nice elegance to it.  Music icon and part-owner Jay-Z said “the Brooklyn Nets’ logos are another step we’ve made to usher the organization into a new era”.

4. Advertising is very catchy.  The Nets introduced the “Hello Brooklyn” marketing campaign to connect the city with the new team and capture the attitude, pride and history of Brooklyn.  They have presented this on billboards all over Brooklyn and on subways and used lots of social media platforms.  The Nets first year will also be broadcast on “The Association”, a behind the scenes series on NBA TV and NBA.com.

5.  Fans are tired and frustrated - the Knicks have been in a playoff drought for 38 years dating back to 1973…these were the good years and Knicks fans reminisce over these times.  It’s been tough for any Knicks fan over the past decade with Dolan overspending on players with infamous sidekick Isiah Thomas.  They were also disappointed with not re-signing fan favorite Jeremy Lin and they can’t see Carmelo and Amar’e Stoudemire coexisting.

While it seems that all these reasons are reasons to switch over, here’s why all those reasons don’t matter.

We are the New York Knicks – Walt Frazier, Earl the Pearl Monroe, Bernard King, Dave DeBusschere, Willis Reed, Patrick Ewing, John Starks… HISTORY!!!!! The REAL New York City (Manhattan).  Although Barclay Center is brand new, there’s nothing like the newly renovated Madison Square Garden – “The Worlds Most Famous Arena” and its history.

• I know its hard that we haven’t won in 38 years but the feeling of winning after a drought is one of the most satisfying events in your life.  Do you want to be someone that switches to the Nets, while all your friends are cheering for the Knicks when they win the Championship.
• What does it mean to say “Hello Brooklyn”? That’s marketing? Brooklyn has been around for over 200 years!   The Nets logos and jerseys are very cool, but we too upgraded our jerseys and logos this year and they have some great style.  Click here for more info on new Knicks logos and uniforms. 
• Who wants to schlep all the way out to Brooklyn when the Garden is in the heart of the greatest city in the world?  The convenience of where the arena is unbeatable.
• When it comes to affordability – you know the Barclays Center will raise the prices eventually as the Knicks did.  Also most fans watch the games on TV anyway.
• Over the past years, the Knicks have been a dysfunctional mess.  But as Knicks fans we are used to this craziness and it shows how loyal we are to them.  We’ve gone through the worst and it could only get better from here. I did say earlier that the Nets have a very solid team but who knows how they will gel together in their first year? – the Knicks team on the other hand has Carmelo Anthony who played amazing in the London Olympics and Amar’e Stoudemire who worked out with Hakeem Olajuwon, and they have two years under their belt on what works and what doesn’t.  With the addition of some other great players, what’s not to be happy about for this upcoming year?  Like I said, We are the New York Knicks!

Click here to see Knicks 1994 GO NY GO

10. Hiring Larry Brown: In 2005 Brown was given a 5-year, 50 million dollar contract to help revitalize The Knicks. He ended up going 23-59 in his only season with the team, and was subsequently fired.

9. Trading Marcus Camby, Mark Jackson, and Nene: In 2002, The Knicks traded Camby, Jackson, and Nene in exchange for Antonio McDyess, Frank Williams, and a second round pick (Maciej Lampe). Camby went on to earn a Defensive Player of the Year award and Nene ended up on the All-Rookie First Team. On the other hand, McDyess, Williams, and Lampe barely lasted for 2 seasons, and helped the Knicks to continue avoiding the playoffs.

8. Signing Allan Houston to a max contract: In 2001, The Knicks and Houston agreed to a contract that paid him over 20 million dollars a year. Houston would barely be able to play any games under that contract due to his serious knee problems over the next four years, and in 2005 he announced his retirement. You can’t blame Houston, but the Knicks giving a 30 year old such a huge contract was a risk that resulted in restricted cap space throughout the first half of the 2000′s.

7. Trading Patrick Ewing: In 2000, Patrick Ewing was nearing the end of his contract, and the Knicks could not reach terms for extending their aging center. Stories differ that Ewing requested his trade or that the Knicks pushed him out, but the result was trading away an 18 million dollar expiring contract for bad contracts that would continue to hamper them from signing free agents through the first half of the decade.

6. Signing Jerome James: Are you kidding me? Jerome James was signed to a 5 year, 30 million dollar contract by Isiah Thomas. James supposedly deserved this contract due to his better than average play in the playoffs the previous season. In his 4 seasons with the Knicks, he played in a whopping 90 games, and was traded away for Larry Hughes in 2009.

5. Drafting Jordan Hill: I know this sounds crazy, but I partly blame this rare poor decision by Donnie Walsh for Lebron James not coming to the Knicks. The Knicks chose Hill over Brandon Jennings, yes you read that correctly. Jennings would be the best point guard this team has had all decade, but instead we took half a season of Jordan Hill. Many said that Lebron did not want to have the pressure of leading the Knicks all by himself, but could you imagine a trio of Jennings, Stoudemire, and Lebron? Not to mention that Jennings would have still been on his rookie contract, and therefore we could have filled the roster with great talent! I dream on, but still no one can deny that Jordan Hill was a big bust.

4. Acquiring  for Eddy Curry: The Knicks gave up a couple draft picks, but in case you don’t know who they turned out to be let me enlighten you: LaMarcus Aldridge and Joakim Noah! As a fan you may be able to live with that, if Eddy Curry did not turn out to be a bloated player with a bloated contract. He did not rebound or defend, and ended up playing almost no games once Mike D’antoni took over in 2008, while still earning 13 million dollars a year.

3. Trading for Stephon Marbury: There is not that much to say, because everyone knows why this was a bad move for the Knicks. He was a selfish and temperamental star. His feud with Larry Brown contributed to Brown’s firing, while his feud with Mike D’antoni resulted in Marbury’s firing. After a few years in New York, Stephon Marbury’s career ended up much like his shoes–falling apart. 

2. The coming of Isiah Thomas: His terrible contracts, his atrocious draft picks, and his poor trading decisions got him to number 2 on this list. He is responsible for Steve Francis, Ronaldo Balkman, Jared Jefferies, Fred Jones, Jerome James, and many many more terrible players getting a chance to play for an NBA team. How would someone like this keep his job for so long? Well, you become best friends with your boss of course! James Dolan and Thomas are famously friends, and it has long been rumored that Thomas is still pulling strings behind closed doors. Which brings us to…

1. Viacom selling MSG properties to Cablevision and ITT Corporation: This was the move in 1994, that ultimately led to what may be the worst day in Knicks History, because 2 years after Cablevision bought out ITT in 1997, James Dolan was made the Chairman of Madison Square Garden. I want you to scroll up to the top of this article, and read # 10 – #2 again, because these were all under Dolan’s supervision. In a world where Viacom sells the Knicks to ANYONE ELSE, all of the above would erased. James Dolan continues to make mistakes even with the newfound success of the team. Two years ago he traded everyone and their brother to Denver for Carmelo Anthony, and this summer he paid player after player to come to the Knicks before deciding that signing Jeremy Lin would be too much money.

Amar’e Stoudemire will be joining the likes of Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, and Dwight Howard as players who have trained with Hakeem Olajuwon in his summer camp. The camp has been known to have a dramatic effect on a players post play, which is something that STAT has lacked in his game.

Mike Woodson spoke after the season about a few ways he wanted his players to improve during the offseason. He thought that Carmelo Anthony could slim down, which resulted in Anthony heading into the olympics 12 pounds lighter than he ended the season at. Woodson’s other request was that he wanted to use Amar’e more in the post next season, and he subsequently set up a training camp with Olajuwon. 

Stoudemire had a far less productive season last year than in 2010. His scoring dropped form 25.3 ppg to 17.5 ppg, his field goal percentage dropped from 50% to 48%, and his rebounding decreased as well. STAT had a few excuses including the death of his brother and the bulging disk in his back, but critics accused him of losing athleticism and the season marking the beginning of his decline.

The hope is that by learning from one of the best post players ever to play the game Amar’e will be able to implicate his new skills into the Knicks’ offense. Besides ‘Melo, the Knicks have no powerful post threat on the team, and that makes the offense much easier to defend. With the addition of STAT in the post it will create a new look on the court, and allow him to pass out of the double team to the open perimeter players.

The Olajuwon Camp has created two of the best post games in the league: Kobe Bryant and Lebron James. Both players won championships after working with Olajuwon. Dwight Howard solidified his place as the most dominant big man in the league after his time at the camp.

Stoudemire is also working with Olajuwon in order to improve defensively, which is something that can help the already improved defensive Knicks. Defensive Player of The Year Tyson Chandler with a new and improved Amar’e Stoudemire would be hard to defend and score on, and if you include Marcus Camby on the bench then you are looking at a more than capable front line rotation.

The bottom line is that we can expect a much greater Amar’e next season, and a much greater Stoudemire is the key to a much greater Knicks team.

The team has added depth behind their point guard, shooting guard, power forward, and center, but there is not much behind Carmelo Anthony. Matt Barnes could be the perfect player to finish out the bench.

Barnes has yet to sign with a team this offseason, after finishing his second season with the Lakers. Barnes is a defensive minded forward who can shoot threes and rebound well. His career averages include 7.8 ppg, 4.5rpg, and 33 percent  3-point shooting. Barnes would come off the bench, and help the Knicks only average rebounding.

The Knicks already have a bench including James White, Ronnie Brewer, Marcus Camby, Steve Novak, Kurt Thomas, Jason Kidd, and J.R. Smith. Adding Matt Barnes takes an already skilled bench and adds shooting and veteran skills.

Last year, injuries hurt the team and they could never stay healthy throughout the season. In the postseason this was even more evident as Mike Bibby became the starting point guard when Baron Davis went down.

It is unclear if Barnes has had meetings with any NBA teams, but the Knicks would only be able to sign him for a veteran minimum contract. Barnes may want to be paid more than that, similar to Mickael Pietrus, who’s agent has said that he will not accept a minimum contract.

There are some other potential forwards still available in free agency: Carlos Delfino, Josh Childress, and Kenyon Martin (who most likely will not accept a minimum contract).

The Knicks already have 13 roster spots filled, so it is unclear if they are even interested in adding more depth. However, if Barnes would take the minimum contract, then signing him would not be a bad move to end an already busy offseason.

Dolan has had limited success as the owner of both the Rangers and the Knicks. The Knicks have not won a playoff series since 2001, and have not won a playoff game since 2003 (until this season). Dolan oversaw the coming and going of several high profile name coaches including Larry Brown, Jeff Van Gundy, and Lenny Wilkens. There was one coach in particular that was bad news for the Knicks: Dolan’s good pal, Isiah Thomas.

Antonelli/News

Thomas had been a Hall of Fame Point Guard in his days with Detroit. After retiring from playing, Thomas had some success as the coach of the Indiana Pacers, but was ultimately fired due to lack of experience as a coach. In 2003, Thomas was hired as the President of Basketball Operations of the Knicks.

As the head of the front office, Isiah made poor decisions including trading away draft picks, signing players to ridiculous contracts (Jerome James anyone?), and having a team with the highest payroll and second lowest win total. It is also to be noted that Thomas brought controversy to the team when he was charged with a sexual misconduct lawsuit. Dolan of course extended Thomas’ contract even while the Knicks were playing mediocre.

Dolan made what may be the best decision of his career when he hired Donnie Walsh to replace Thomas as President of Basketball Operations. Walsh came in and cleared out the bad contracts Thomas had created, and fired Thomas replacing him with Mike D’Antoni. It is rumored that Dolan’s friendship with Thomas remained, and that Thomas was secretly running the show behind closed doors.

Walsh lost out on LeBron James, but still ended up with a winning team including young talent like Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, Amar’e Stoudemire, Danilo Galinari, and Timofey Mozgov. At this time, the Carmelo Anthony rumors began, and that his preferred destination was New York. Walsh did not want to give up too much for ‘Melo knowing that he could sign him in the offseason, but Dolan demanded that the trade be executed, and he went above Walsh’s head in order to give away more talent.

Walsh did not like that he did not have autonomy over the team, and Dolan could not come to terms with a new contract, so Walsh was replaced with Glen Grunwald. Grunwald is credited with seeing Jeremy Lin’s potential after he was released from Houston. Lin blew up on to the scene with Linsanity in February. His contract would be up at the end of the season, and everyone and their brother assumed that Lin’s contract would be matched no matter what.

That was not the case. After Houston offered Lin a large back-ended offer for three years of service, Dolan was allowed three days to decide if he should match it. After a free agency that including paying big money for Camby, Kidd, and Felton, it seemed like the Knicks did not worry about luxury taxes and cap room. It seemed wrong, because Dolan decided not to match Lin’s deal–letting one of the most famous athletes on the planet walk away from one of the most famous teams.

Avoiding that contract may have been the smart thing to do, and I believe it may end of being a wise move by Dolan, but that doesn’t matter to Lin’s fanbase. Dolan can’t win, and people are mad at him for taking away their beloved star.

While Dolan may be one of the more wealthy owners willing to dig deep into his pockets in order to have his team win, he also may be one of the most involved in a business that he knows nothing about. Dolan deserves all of the hate he receives from the fans, but he can reverse his fortune by keeping himself out of the way. The Knicks need an owner who will shut up and win. I doubt that will happen.

The Knicks have decided to let Jeremy Lin sign his offer sheet with Houston, which was a 3-year deal for 25 million dollars. The biggest reason that the Knicks did not match it was due to their reluctance to take the “poison pill,” or the heavily back ended last year of the contract. The 3rd year, which was worth over 14 million dollars, would have cost the Knicks even more in luxury taxes.

At first, all signs pointed to the Knicks keeping Lin this offseason no matter what deal was offered to him. Things changed, however, when Marcus Camby and Jason Kidd signed on to the team for the next three years leaving even less space before reaching the luxury tax threshold. The real issue came about when the Rockets changed their deal from being a four-year, 28 million dollar deal into the one that was eventually signed by Lin.

Theories began to trickle out that The Knicks may not be keeping Lin when seemingly out of nowhere Raymond Felton and Kurt Thomas were traded to the team in exchange for Jared Jefferies, Dan Gadzuric, and the draft rights to two of our players. Felton, who played arguably his best season with The Knicks in 2010, is coming off a down season where he was accused of being out of shape. Amar’e Stoudemire and Felton developed a great pick-and-roll chemistry very early on in the season.

Credit: Getty Images

It seems like the Knicks front office wanted to save money by signing Felton to a 3-year, 10 million dollar deal rather than the astronomical deal Lin will receive from the Rockets. Felton is not a bad player by any means, in fact he was playing at a near all-star level less than 2 years ago. He averaged 17.1 ppg, 9 apg, and 1.8 spg in 54 games with The Knicks. Felton has always played consistent defense never averaging less than one steal in his 8 NBA seasons.

Felton has proved himself capable of being a solid starting point guard in this league, who can shoot and defend well. My issue with the decision to choose him over Lin is not that I necessarily think he is not a good enough player to start on a championship contending team, but that Lin has too much upside to let slip away.

Jeremy Lin has a lot going for him. He is only 23-years-old, he is an instant marketing tool, his shooting and passing skills will only improve, and he has the ability to be a franchise player. The image I have kept in my mind since the dawn of Linsanity was always that when Carmelo and Amar’e are at the ends of their careers, Lin would be right in the middle of his prime continuing to lead the Knicks.

Jeremy Lin will always be faster and more athletic than Raymond Felton, but Felton has the experience and defense that is needed when trying to win championships. He also will save the team a lot of money without making the team too old (he’s only 28 years old), and he may be able to get STAT out of his post-’Melo funk.

I wanted Lin back, and I was enthused about having another player on the floor who can create his own shot, but its time to move on. Knicks’ fans must turn back the clock to when they were enamored with Felton. I don’t know about you, but I think its time to begin hoping that Linsanity was all a fluke, and that the Rockets may have just made one of the worst free agent signings in history.

During the season J.R Smith came into the picture, as well as the blossoming Iman Shumpert, and the rise of Linsanity and Novak-ain.

On paper this team was expected to do much more than they did most of the season. They underachieved under former Coach Mike D’antoni, and then injuries hit them hard with Carmelo, Amar’e, and Lin all missing time.

They had some holes in the roster, the main one being depth upfront, as well as a lack of 3-point shooting. Jared Jefferies was injured a lot during the season, and rookie center Josh Harrellson fractured his wrist just as he was hitting his stride.

Toney Douglas, who was expected to contribute from beyond the arc, fell out of rotation. Carmelo Anthony, Landry Fields, and J.R. Smith all had below average shooting percentages from deep as well.

What the team did have was a very efficient defense (top 10 in the league), and that included the help from rookie Iman Shumpert and DPOY Tyson Chandler. It also had a deep bench at times, specifically when Jeremy Lin, J.R. Smith, Baron Davis, Iman Shumpert, and Landry Fields were all healthy.

That was then, this is now.

This new team has filled the holes that last year’s team had, but brings along a few of its own.

There is no longer a lack of front court depth with the additions of Kurt Thomas (6’9) and Marcus Camby (6’11), both of whom are also known for their excellent defensive play. They are at the ends of their careers, but Camby especially still has something left in his tank.

They addressed their poor 3-point shooting by adding Jason Kidd (3rd all time 3 point shots made), Raymond Felton (33% from beyond the arc), and resigning Steve Novak and J.R. Smith.

The biggest flaw in this team is age and cap space. They added two 39-year-olds in Kidd and Thomas (who is the oldest player in the league), and a 38 year old in Camby. Kidd and Camby are also being paid very well, and have 3-year deals which will contribute to The Knicks plunge into the new luxury tax.

It is worth noting however, that Jason Kidd’s game is ageless, and that his skill set needed for this team is his best one: passing.

The only other issue with the team is Jeremy Lin, or lack thereof as the case may be. It is still unclear if Lin will be returning, or if he will be heading to the Rockets. After the trade for Felton, it will be puzzling if management continues to go after him.

I am very fond of Lin, and feel that his driving abilities as well as his size in the backcourt will be missed. Also, he is a player that can be the future of the franchise at only 23 years old.

The team has declined to match Landry Fields contract from the Raptors, and he will be with them for the next three seasons. Without Fields there is a lack of depth at the 2 position, at least until Shumpert returns from his ACL tear.

The team is a more complete version of the 2012 team, with more playoff tested veterans, and much more depth. It is abundantly clear that The Knicks are in “win now” mode, and that they want to compete for a championship for the next three seasons, and then reexamine where the team is headed.

I like the new additions to the roster, and see them as having the ability of being the 3rd best team in the East, but they have one major obstacle to face. They need to avoid the injuries that have heavily effected them the past two seasons, and with the addition of aged players that can be a very difficult thing to do.

The 2013 Knicks have a lot to prove in order to compete for a championship, but with the right mixture of luck and chemistry, they can do just that.

You hear people say that ‘Melo has “potential,” but what does that really mean? “Potential” is essentially an excuse for a great player who has underperformed throughout his career. I am sick of ‘Melo’s potential to win a championship, and his potential to be one of the best players in this league. I am ready for him to complete those challenges.

He has all the skills already in place to lead a team to the holy land: he is a dynamite scorer who can score from anywhere on the court, he can rebound, he can pass (when he feels like it), and he can play defense when he applies himself. The thing is that he does not do all of these things for an entire season consistently.

In the past 1 and a half seasons with the Knicks, Carmelo has been a less than stellar defender, who rarely could have multiple great offensive nights in a row. He has been shooting well from beyond the arc, and I am one of the few people who thinks he has also been a decent passer. His rebounding has been average. His golden moments occurred while playing in the post, and using his lethal combination of speed and strength to draw the foul. 

He is always being called on to be a better passer, but that is not his biggest problem as far as I can see. He needs to be able to score more consistently within a game, and be able to replicate this efficiency for an entire season. Shooting below 44% from the field is no longer an option for him. His defense is not as bad as labeled, but definitely can use improvement, specifically in defending around the perimeter.

Carmelo demanded a trade to the team of his dreams. His front office has surrounded him with offensive and defensive weapons to help him. However, it is up to him. Carmelo Anthony is the one who needs to make a difference in his game, he needs to see what Lebron did and try to replicate his season every way he can, and on top of all of that he needs to do what he does best: score.

He is already on the right track. Mike Woodson called on Carmelo to be in better shape next season, and according to ‘Melo he is already down 12 pounds from his end of season weight. He has also said that his offseason knee surgery from last season is beginning to pay off, and he is feeling quicker.

The pressure cooker that is New York City is on, and there is only one person who can turn it off and answer all of the questions about if the Knicks are championship contenders: Carmelo Anthony.

Camby formerly played for The Knicks from 1999 – 2002. The 6-11 Center won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2007, and has consistently been one of the best defensive centers in the league. Last season, he averaged 4.9 PPG, 1.4 BPG, and 9 RPG in only 22.9 minutes for the Portland Trailblazers and Houston Rockets. He also is coming off a contract where he was making a whopping 11.2 million dollars.

Camby would be a great addition to The Knicks as the backup center to reigning DPOY Tyson Chandler. There were many times last season that when Chandler was out of the game there was a huge drop off in defending the paint. Camby would fill that hole very well, and would help with our only average rebounding.

There is one huge problem in my eyes however: Camby wants more than the veteran’s minimum, and may not even be content with the 3 million dollar mini-mid level exception. I am not convinced that Camby is the best player to invest our exception in, especially due to his age. We need more help in the backcourt than upfront. Not to mention that centers have been getting overpaid throughout the league in the past few years, and Camby could probably get far more money resigning with The Rockets.

Marcus Camby lives in New York in the offseason, and loves the City. If Grunwald and Co. can convince him to sign for the veterans minimum than I am all for his return to The Knicks. Otherwise, I hope that he ends up with anyone who are not The Heat. My gut is he returns to the Rockets.

After 2 hours and 51 minutes of less than exciting 2012 NBA draft, the Knicks decided to use their 48th pick to select Kostas Papanikolaou.  They lost their first round draft pick due to a trade with Houston 2 years ago where they received Tracy McGrady (don’t even get me started on him) to free up cap space for two max players.

Papanikolaou, a 21 yr. old, 6’8″, 230 pound forward, is a draft and stash player who has lots of energy and plays hard.  He’s not the greatest shooter but he loves to defend and play scrappy, willing to get on the floor.  He was a productive role player for the Greek National Team and the Euro powerhouse Olympiakos averaging around 7 points and 5 rebounds in his two seasons.  Although his stats don’t jump out at you, his maturity, size and defensive prowess make him very appealing.  He had a solid performance in the Euroleague Final Four in Istanbul connecting on all five of his 3 pointers and scoring a career high 18 points in the Euroleague final.

We definitely won’t see Papanikolaou for a couple of years since his contract with Olympiakos has two seasons left on it, but it does look like he has the talent to help the Knicks in the near future. It would be nice to have another player that can defend and drive to the hoop in an offense that passes around the perimeter too much.

His rookie season was too good to dismiss. He was named to the All-Rookie team after posting averages of 9.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg, and shooting 39.3% from 3-point territory. Fields led all guards in rebounding for much of his freshmen year.

He was a second round steal, and The Knicks actually put their foot down when The Nuggets wanted him to be included in the ‘Melo trade.

His production would never be the same after that trade, because Fields had difficulty finding his role in the offense now that ‘Melo was taking over.

He faded slightly towards the end of the season, and then made a giant mistake in the offseason. Landry Fields came back having reworked his jumpshot, or as Walt Frazier continously pointed out: he completely took the arc out of it.

Landry Fields began this season as the starting shooting guard for Mike D’antoni’s team. He finished it backing up Iman Shumpert on Mike Woodson’s team.

His stat line for this season consisted of 8.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg, and 25.6% 3pt shooting percentage.

Those numbers are only even that good because the emergence of Jeremy Lin helped to revert him back to his former self. The faster offense that came with Lin helped Fields use his off ball skills to become more productive.

The 3-point shooting numbers are the most alarming. Fields went from an above average long range scorer to a far below average shooter. The worst part was that he was succesful when driving to the lane, but it took him almost the entire season to figure out to not take the 3-pointer, and instead dribble into the paint.

Photo By: Francois Mori/Associated Press

The good news is that his defensive awareness improved this season, and he was able to hold his own against some of the league’s better shooting guards.

I have faith that Fields will make the neccesary adjustments in the offseason to come back ready to contribute to this team. He can fix his shot, and work on other playmaking skills in order to improve in his third year.

Fields may have actually done The Knicks a favor by underperforming the way he did. There was a time when I thought that The Knicks may not be able to afford him because of how valuable he could be. However, he brought his stock down considerably this past season, and The Knicks may be able to sign him for much less than he is worth.

Landry Fields has a definite role in our rotation as a solid role player off the bench backing up Carmelo Anthony and Iman Shumpert (when he returns from injury). Now that J.R. Smith has opted out of his contract (although he is said to be resigning), Fields could play an even more important role as the possible starting shooting guard at the beginning of the year.

There is no doubt a lot of work to do in order to get his career back on track, but I am excited for The Knicks to resign him, and for Fields to provide a needed spark off the bench.

This means wonderful things if your a Knick fan! Famed point guard Jeremy Lin and sharpshooter Steve Novak will now be allowed to resign contracts with The Knicks without it effecting our Mid-Level and Bi-annual exceptions. The exceptions will therefore be available to use on veteran talent within Free Agency that likely wouldn’t have signed veteran minimum contracts.

Long shot names like Lamar Odom, Steve Nash, and Jason Kidd, while still being a challenge to sign, are now a real possibility. This new found money can be spent in many different ways, but the Knicks’ Front Office must be careful. They are only 3 million dollars away from being faced with harsh taxes, and they will likely spend that 3 million quickly so it better be worth it. 

More good news: Today is June 22nd, which means there are only 4 days left until J.R. Smith has to decide if he will pick up his player option. My gut is he will, as he has waited this long, and it is in his best interest due to the large amount of guards in Free Agency.

If we add J.R., Lin, and Novak to our current signed roster that pretty much equals our talent from last season. Not to mention that it is almost a lock that Jared Jefferies re-signs for his veterans minimum contract. In other words, we can essentially only be better than last season depending on who we add in Free Agency.

Lesser names that are now available due to our newly allotted exceptions include: Raymond Felton, Aaron Brooks (restricted), Andre Miller, Goran Dragic, Ray Allen, Jamal Crawford, Matt Barnes, and Kenyon Martin.

It is too soon to speculate which of these many avenues the Knicks will choose to go. The draft may shed some light on the situation as we will have to wait and see what area of their needs they cover. It is also unclear if they are planning on trading up in the draft.

At this point I can tell all of you are getting into that classic Knick Fan state of mind where you get overly excited and start to make plans in your head (see Lebron James fiasco), so I must warn you: The NBA will be appealing the decision that was made by Dam.

There is still a chance that this will be over turned, and as my colleague, Scott Davis, pointed out in his article, “because it’s The Knicks and it’s David Stern…that’s just what happens.” Commish Stern does have a tendency to cause controversy, and everyone with a brain knows that he will not take this lying down.

But. That’s a story for a different day. Today is a celebratory day. Go buy yourself something nice.

‘Melo knows how to draw in defenders. Ideally he receives the ball in the post or at the wings and continues to work his way toward the basket or into a double-team.   He could probably make the shot even with the extra help defense, but if ‘Melo is playing smart he will pass to the now open perimeter shooter, (i.e.. Steve Novak).

This formula worked out pretty well for the unknown sharpshooter turned local celebrity. How about looking at it when you include the greatest 3-point shooter of all time?

The future hall of famer helped lead the Celtics to winning their championship alongside Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Now, 5 years since the trade that brought them all together, it looks as though Ray Allen may be leaving the Celtics. He was replaced in the starting line-up by up-and-comer Avery Bradley this past season. On top of that, if Kevin Garnett retires (which is being speculated by the media), then Allen has even less reason to stay.

If he does leave, then it is being reported that his top choices are the Knicks and the Heat.

Allen has career averages of 20.0 ppg and 40.0 % from beyond the arc. He is an elite athlete with an amazing routine that keeps him incredibly fit for any age, let alone that he is 36. Speaking of his age, to me it is not an issue. Shooters don’t lose their touch due to age the way a high flying player would. Allen could be shooting well far into his retirement.

So what am I failing to mention to you? Oh yeah, The Knicks have almost zero chance of signing him due to their salary restrictions. It is most likely that the arbitrator that is assigned to the Players’ Union case about retaining bird rights after being picked up on waivers (allowing Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak to be resigned without going against our cap) will rule against the Union. In other words, Lin will take the MLE, while Novak may demand the bi-annual exception.

That leaves a veteran’s minimum (1.4 million dollars) contract available for good old Ray. I am sorry to report that he is almost certainly not going to accept such  an offer. There is a chance that the arbitrator will help out the Knicks by giving the Union what they want, and as unlikely as this is I still hope for it on a daily basis.

Ray Allen fits with this team because he spreads the floor with his shooting ability, and if you include his veteran playoff experience he becomes a significant contributor. We need someone who can guide the young talent on the team, and on top of that he would fill the need of starting shooting guard, at least until Iman Shumpert is healed come January.

It seems like everything is banking on the results of the hearing which should be revealed within the next couple of weeks. The Ray Allen possibility will have to wait, but one thing is clear: he can help lift this team to the next level.

Drafted in the middle of the second round of the 2010 draft, Fields was one of the biggest surprises of the NBA; he started as the shooting guard for the Knicks from the very beginning of his first season. In his first three months of playing for the Knicks, he averaged over 10 points and seven rebounds a game and became a fan favorite for his scrappy and fast paced play.

Then came February 23, the first game after the huge trade with the Nuggets which sent three of their five starters to Denver for two of Denver’s starters. This trade included Raymond Felton, and thus ended the Knick run and gun style of play that helped Fields’ game.  In came Carmelo Anthony, and a stagnated, isolation type of offense, where the Knicks became one of the slowest offensive paced teams in the league. But it wasn’t only Carmelo that caused the game to slow down, it was also Chauncey Billups who slowed it up and made it hard for the Knicks to run in transition.

Fields is a type of player that feeds off other people in transition and this change made him become a spot up shooter, which he most definitely is not. For the rest of the first season, Fields numbers dropped to 8.0 points and 4.5 rebounds a game.

This season, Fields often looked lost out there, standing in one spot waiting to get the ball instead of moving in the flow of the offense.  He occasionally showed some spark when he drove to the basket with determination but that too wasn’t in the flow.  His shot was flat and in general he did not add anything to the Knicks play offensively and defensively.  As a result, his minutes went down and starting position was taken away.  You could tell that things were not the same when Spike Lee was not wearing his Landry Fields jersey anymore.

Over the course of the past season Fields averaged 8.8 points, 4.2 rebounds 46% FG, 56% from FT line and and awful 26% percent from the 3pt line.  Compared to his rookie season where he averaged 10 points, 6.5 rebounds, 50% FG, 77% FT, and just under 40% 3pt, you could without question say Fields had a down year.

So the question is can Landry Fields in an offense that involves Carmelo bounce back from a disappointing season?

I think without a doubt he can.  I know I’ve been a little harsh on Landry Fields but I love his type of game.  He does a little bit of everything – defends, rebounds and brings great hustle to the team.  The Knicks don’t need scoring but if he could hit his open shots (which he wasn’t able to do consistently this season) then he’ll be a great role player.  Even if he does come off the bench once Shumpert comes back and plays 20-25 minutes a game, the added energy Fields brings is all we need.

With someone like Jeremy Lin that does push the ball up the court, Fields can return to his rookie season form.  In the playoffs Baron Davis had some moments where he was pushing the ball and Fields ended up having a very solid playoffs. So if we have a true point guard for a whole season, and if Carmelo Anthony is willing to keep the ball moving on offense, and if he can improve on his jump shot, Fields will have a good season for the NY Knicks.

Don’t get too excited folks, his word does’t mean much.

He is the second member of The Knicks organization to come out with these sort of statements about Lin. The GM Glen Grunwald flat out told reporters that he believes Lin is his to resign. This comes weeks after the news that Lin’s Agent will hear all offers, and it will not necessarily be the Knicks.

On the bright side, Lin is still likely to sign with The Knicks due to him being a restricted free agent, and that no other team can offer him more than the Knicks can, (thanks to our pal Gilbert Arenas, and his special claus in the CBA).

Chris Chambers/Getty Images

The real question is how will Lin return. There are two options: The arbitrator assigned to decide if bird rights are transferred when a player is picked up on waivers rules in favor of the players, which would allow the Knicks to sign him without their Mid Level Exception, or we have to use our MLE due to the the opposite ruling.

If we have to use our own MLE than I agree with Woodson that he will be our starter. But. What if we have the money available to try and convince another free agent point guard to come to the Big Apple in addition to Lin?

Lin and is patented ‘Linsanity’ certainly impressed people around the league, but is he the best choice for our team? He can drive effectively using his 6-3 frame, and take a lot of contact while doing so. He has better than average court vision, and made some spectacular alley-oop passes during his streak.

His downside comes in two key areas: outside shooting and turnovers. While his shooting improved as the season went on, and he did make some big shots (see toronto buzzer beater), we still need someone who can spot up a three when ‘Melo passes out of a double team. The turnovers are something I believe will be worked out as he becomes more comfortable, but what if it does not? The Knicks already are one of the worst turnover teams, and maybe we need a floor general who can limit those mistakes. Also, his less than stellar defense is to be noted, but he can hold his own.

I support Lin 100%, and I do think his is starting material in the NBA contrary to other people’s beliefs, but look at these names: Steve Nash, Aaron Brooks (restricted), Kirk Hinrich, Raymond Felton, and Goran Dragic. All of those point guards have been starters in the past, and have proved, albeit some more than others, that they can get the job done.

Of course everyone looks at Steve Nash as the goal, but he is also the least likely due to his contract demands. Nash could be a game changer for this team if it meant we didn’t have to give up our future (Lin) to get him. I also have said in the past that I would like to see what Raymond Felton could do, but I think Lin would beat him out for the starting role.

When it comes down to it, it’s about which Lin will be our starter. Will it be the Linvincible version who can score when needed to, and average around 10 assists a game, or will it be the 12 points/6 assists Lin who could be easily replaced.

It is all speculation until free agency opens, so until then wear your Lin jersey with pride.

That would essentially let us sign Steve Novak and Jeremy Lin without using any of our exceptions, and because of that give us the freedom to acquire better talent to play with ‘Melo and Amar’e.

Photo cred: Rob Carr/Getty Images

Some unrestricted free agents would include: Lamar Odom, Raymond Felton, Shannon Brown, Grant Hill, Kenyon Martin, and our very own J.R. Smith. All of the players listed are in our price range for the MLE, and could be courted to come play in the “Mecca of Basketball” for less than they are worth.

I would put Lamar Odom and Raymond Felton at the top of my personal list as they have roles to play on this team.

It is unclear so far if Jeremy Lin is a lock to start, and even if he does it is important to have a solid back up point guard. Felton damaged his value this past season which puts us in a perfect spot to pick him up for less than market value.

Same goes for Odom contract wise, but he serves an even more important purpose on this team. He can defend, rebound, and most importantly make his own shot. He would be leading our second unit, and as we saw in Los Angeles he does a pretty good job in that capacity.

As far as the beloved/hate J.R. Smith, he wants more than his current player option according to sources around the league. I think he can help this team for his current paycheck, but it may not be worth giving up a chance at one of the players listed above. He can shoot you in and out of games, and this season played with quick hands that tend to lead to deflections and steals.

There are a few bigger names out there that will be hard to convince to sign for the around 5.2 million dollar exception we could have available if Jeremy Lin gets to use early bird rights. Some include Aaron Brooks (restricted) , Steve Nash, Ray Allen, O.J. Mayo (restricted), and Marcus Camby.

Ray Allen and Marcus Camby stick out huge for me.

Allen has long been rumored to be considering leaving the Celtics due to his diminished role after the rise of Avery Bradley. He is the perfect fit for this team. He does not need many touches to be effective, he can defend well enough, and can fill the need of starting shooting guard.

Camby has played for the Knicks before, and it would be fantastic if he did it again. He is a former defensive player of the year, and would pair up amazingly with our own current defensive player of the year, Tyson Chandler. Camby could come in when Chandler or STAT need a rest, and defend the paint. This past season when Chandler took a breather there was often a large hole defensively.

This is all speculation, but it might as well be worthless if the arbitrator rules against the union. Jeremy Lin would eat up our entire MLE, and Steve Novak might go elsewhere for more money. This would put us in a tough postion in terms of adding talent.

If you have any spare time between today and June 13th, I would advise you to spend that time praying that the Players’ Union wins, because a win for them is a win for the New York Knicks.

Odom played last year for The Dallas Mavericks, which did not turn out well. He asked for a trade out of L.A. after hearing that he was involved in the nullified Chris Paul to the Lakers trade. Dallas got him for pretty much nothing, and ironically that’s about all he brought to the team. He averaged career lows in scoring (6.6 ppg) and rebounding (4.1 rpg).

That is Lamar Odom at his worst. But, what could he bring at his best?

With the Lakers, Odom won two championships, and the sixth man of the year award in 2011. That season he averaged 14.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists. Those are numbers I can absolutely get on board with.

Due to his overall disappointing performance with the Mavs, they chose to put him on their inactive list for the last 9 games of the season. Ideally they would trade him before June 29th, in order to avoid having to pay him the portion of his salary that is guaranteed. If they fail to trade him then they will almost certainly release him, which would allow Odom to choose his future team.

Lamar Odom #7 of the Dallas Mavericks puts up the lay up against Jeremy Lin #17 of the New York Knicks on March 6, 2012 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Odom reportedly puts New York at the top of his list. He grew up in Queens, New York, and according to the source, “New York is somewhere he can be comfortable.”

But. Can the Knicks afford him?

Odom has a significant pay cut coming his way due to his poor performance last season. He is positioned to make 8.2 million, but if released he could sign for the mid level, mini mid level, or even the veterans minimum.

I doubt he would take the minimum, because he would desire a longer deal than a one year contract. If we operate using the logic that the arbitrator dealing with the case about Bird rights transferring even when a player is released rules in favor of the players, then Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak will be able to sign without using either of our exceptions. This would allow for the Knicks to have some options.

If the Knicks fail to resign J.R. Smith, who has displayed mixed signals about whether he will stay or go, then Odom would be the best sixth man on the market. He can rebound, shoot three pointers, and most importantly create his own shot.

The Knicks offense fails to execute when they can only rely on the skills of Carmelo Anthony. With Odom, we would be able to have Jeremy Lin, Amar’e Stoudemire, and Lamar Odom as our secondary scorers.

Odom is a low risk, high reward idea that may prove to be the missing piece in the Knicks Offense. By all means, if your reading this, Glen Grunwald, you have my blessing.

Not only did they draw the unlucky card of having to play The Miami Heat (probably the favorite to win it all), but they were also taken out of the running of pulling off an upset when their players began to drop like flies.

Iman Shumpert was supposed to be locking down our perimeter defense, instead he locked himself into a brace after tearing his ACL. That left a big hole in the roster, and drastically damaged this team’s chances to contain Lebron/D-Wade.

I don’t have to tell you about who got injured in Game 2, or rather shortly after Game 2. Let’s just say a certain 6-10 power forward happened to get a slight cut after softly brushing his hand against a glass case surrounding a fire extinguisher. After he sat out Game 3 (who knows if we would have won if he hadn’t), he came back in Game 4 with a 20-10 performance.

In Game 4, the Knicks took another hit when Baron Davis tore practically every ligament in his knee. He went down for 12 months due to fully tearing his MCL, ACL, and partially his patella tendon.

Even though the Knicks won this game, the injury may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back. The roster could not handle starting Mike Bibby, which as a result zapped their bench of anything beyond Steve Novak and J.R. Smith.

Game 5 came around, and the Knicks did not have enough left to get back-to-back wins against Lebron and the Lebron-ettes.

But. The playoffs are over. The misery of blowout after blowout has passed. We have reached the offseason.

Some people see obstacles like re-signing key free agents (J.R. Smith, Jeremy Lin, Steve Novak, etc), the coaching situation (Phil Jackson v.s. Mike Woodson), and if the Carmelo-Amar’e-Tyson trio can work out.

The Knicks have played poorly when both Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony are on the floor.(Al Bello/Getty Images)

I don’t see obstacles. Instead I see a new hope.

As far as free agency goes, I am confident we will retain J-Lin, Landry Fields, Jared Jefferies, and hopefully Steve Novak. We don’t have much cap room, and that’s the way it is folks, so get used to it. We should have faith in the front office that found Iman Shumpert, Novak, and Lin. The Knicks have found many hidden gems in the past two years, and I see that as our approach moving forward.

The argument between Phil Jackson and Mike Woodson is a dumb one. It’s Phil Jackson. It will always be Phil Jackson, because he is the best. However, it is irrelevant, because PJ is most likely not going to make himself available.

Mike Woodson has done a phenomenal job with this team, and did an even better job while he was with the Atlanta Hawks. We are in good hands.

Finally, the issue that may matter most. Can Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire play well together. My simple answer is yes. ‘Melo is a superstar, and he feels the pressure. He knows that people don’t think he can do it. He knows that people won’t put him in the Lebron/Kobe/Wade category, and I think he is going to try to prove them wrong.

Mike Woodson has already begun to talk about what he thinks his two stars need to improve on. He challenged ‘Melo’s conditioning, and his ability to work on specific skills in the off season. I think that assists, and improving in the pick-and-roll could be included in that list. As for Amar’e, Woodson wants him to work on his low-post moves.

That would be the best thing for STAT. It would be helpful for this team to have a low post threat. Maybe he could work with Hakeem the dream? It seemed to work out well for Lebron and Kobe.

Of course if Phil Jackson does end up coming here it will be a different story. The Triangle offense. Phil Jackson did it with Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, so why not ‘Melo?

I disagree with reports that this roster doesn’t fit well within the triangle. On the contrary it fits very well. Jeremy Lin and Iman Shumpert are the big guards needed in order to maintain good perimeter defense and to run the team. Carmelo Anthony can fill the role of scorer from the wings or post as Kobe Bryant did. Amar’e Stoudemire is still skilled enough to fulfill a Pau Gasol type role, as he would be able to shoot his mid range jumper and go down low.

This team can work. They took the next step by winning their first playoff game in 11 years. Now it’s time for the next chapter in Knicks history.

First it was Iman Shumpert. The defensive juggernaut who was supposed to contain Dwyane Wade in this series. Instead he ended up tearing his ACL in Game 1. That injury forced Landry Fields back into the starting line-up, a move that offensively handicaps the team.

In the unbelievable Game 4, The Knicks lost another key guard. Baron Davis collapsed under his right knee on a fast break in the middle of a 10-0 run. An MRI revealed a partially torn patella tendon, and fully torn ACL/MCL. This sort of injury for a player of B-Diddy’s age and history may be career ending.

The hole at point guard created options. Let Mike Bibby start or try to see what the recovering savior, Jeremy Lin, can do.

Jeremy Lin #17 of the New York Knicks and Mike Bibby #20 celebrate after Lin scored against the Washington Wizards during the second half at Verizon Center in Washington. (AFP Photo)

It appears we no longer have these options, because Jeremy Lin has been ruled out of Game 5, and potentially for the rest of the series. Mike Woodson said that, “he’s just not physically ready to play.”

It was Lin who originally put this team back into playoff contention in February with his spectacular run leading to an eight game winning streak (a little thing called Linsanity). Then ‘Melo and STAT returned, and all things turned to crap. We all know how that story ended, (RIP Mike D’antoni).

Lin went down with a sore knee that led to an MRI that revealed a torn meniscus in his knee in March. He had surgery, and was supposed to be able to return in the second round of the playoffs. As I am sure you are well aware, it does not look likely that The Knicks will be able to make it to the second round, so we may need to wait for Linsanity part II until next season.

Without Jeremy Lin or Baron Davis running the point it will be turned over (no pun intended) to Mike Bibby. Bibby has been playing better as of late, and seems to have found his shooting touch. The main issue is that he cannot provide 30-40 minutes of playing time.

Who will be our second string point guard? I highly doubt that Coach Woodson would hand the reins over to Toney Douglas. He has struggled all year, and could ruin our chances in Game 5. The most logical answer is that J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony will have to play out of position in order to handle the ball.

Carmelo we can trust, but J.R. Smith has been less than stellar with his ball handling this season. Also, they are both guilty of occasionally taking the more difficult shot in lieu of passing to a teammate.

The Knicks have been dealt a bad hand when it comes to injuries, but they cannot make excuses. The Knicks can pull off a miracle this week, and it starts with defending Lebron James and Dwyane Wade. They don’t need Jeremy Lin in order to do that, and they don’t need him to make game 5 competitive.

It boiled down to a well-rested Lebron James in the fourth quarter taking over, while a worn out Carmelo Anthony had no chance to reciprocate. Lebron hadn’t played very well until then, and the same could be said for ‘Melo. But LJ came in to score 8 points right off the bench to put the Heat up 10.

Carmelo, on the other hand, went ice cold until the very end of the fourth when the game no longer mattered. He played 43 minutes, and the Heat’s defense was smoldering. He could not get any easy shots, and ended up going 7-of-23 from the field.

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 03: LeBron James #6 of the Miami Heat looks to pass in the first quarter against Carmelo Anthony #7 of the New York Knicks in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in the 2012 NBA Playoffs on May 3, 2012 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)

The Knicks played very well in the first half, even holding an 11 point lead at one point. They were playing tenacious defense, and getting good play from their bench. J.R. Smith finished with 12 points in the game, while Steve Novak continued to be unable to get shots off. Speaking of Novak, he started the game in place of Stoudemire (lacerated hand), but took only 2 shots and did not make either of them. I don’t expect him to start on Sunday.

One player on the bench who I was impressed with in the second quarter was Josh Harrellson. He grabbed 3 rebounds, and scored 2 points in the 5 minutes he played. Coach Mike Woodson decided not to go back to him, which I don’t completely understand, but that is certainly not the reason we lost.

The Knick defense contained Wade and James in the first half, and that is what made this game look different from the first two. In the second half, Wade went on to hit two threes, while Lebron in the fourth erupted sealing the game for his team.

Turnovers were once again a huge issue for this team, and it has been so all season. The thing is that The Heat excel in the fast break off turnovers, and we were handing them great opportunities (18 turnovers to be exact).

The Knicks officially have no chance of upsetting the Heat, but they could win Sunday’s game. Although it may look like this game was similar to Game 1 by the final score (87-70), in reality this was a much closer game where the defense shut down the Heat’s bench, and contained the superstars. If they can continue this play, and find a way to help Carmelo get easier shots, then we can still game 4.

STAT is unlikely to play (maybe for the better), and Jeremy Lin has basically said he will not be playing either. With the bench and Tyson Chandler (10 points, 15 rebounds) back on track, it will be up to ‘Melo. That’s the same guy by the way who has the lowest career postseason winning possession out of the players who have been there the same amount of times since 1991.

Mike Woodson answered the calls to make defensive adjustments, and contained the Heat to only 87 points. That’s his expertise, but let’s see if he can make the changes to help the Knicks shoot better than an awful 32 percent.

You and I know that it is no longer April, but maybe Carmelo can forget that on Sunday, and play the way he did to beat the Bulls in overtime with a clutch 3-pointer. At this point, it seems like that may be our only hope.

However, now that Amar’e Stoudemire is not going to play for at least one game due to his punching of a fire extinguisher, and injury to his hand, we now will see and analyze if the Knicks are better or worse without him.

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

So far, the numbers are against him! In the 47 games that Amar’e has played this season the Knicks went 22-25 only 9 of which were wins against teams that made it to the playoffs.

Something happened to Amar’e this year that we are all trying to figure out. His legs just aren’t there! He can’t beat anyone off the dribble like he did last season and doesn’t have the consistent mid-range shot that works so effectively when players lay off him.  He flat out does not look like a star anymore.

As I watched these past two playoff games, the more I realized we might be far better off without Amar’e.  Although the stats clearly prove that the Knicks play better without him (14-5), you can also see by watching, that the Knicks look worse in all aspects of the game with Amar’e.

Starting with the offense, his style and position basically clogs things up. He likes to get the ball in a similar spot as Carmelo Anthony (who is a much better scorer) and is a guy who needs a certain amount of touches in a game to exceed. When Amar’e does get the ball the offense seems more stagnant, since he doesn’t look to pass. In past seasons he could create, score and force a double team. Since he rarely hits his mid range jumper, his field goal percentage is his lowest since his second year along with his points per game being the lowest since his rookie season – in turn, teams let him be.

Defensively, he also has been painful to watch, as he has clearly become a liability.  In Game 2 more than ever he didn’t even attempt to close out on the shooters around the 3-point line when he was caught up on the switch. How many times did you cringe when he got caught guarding Lebron on a switch? In addition, he makes no effort to find someone to box out to for the rebound. There were multiple times in the first two games where smaller players were getting rebounds by either out-hustling or out jumping Amar’e.

So, maybe Amar’e hurting his hand when he punched the glass of the fire extinguisher is a blessing in disguise.  Carmelo can go back to the 4 position where he excelled in the month of April averaging close to 30 points a game and was really able to get where he wanted to go without there being someone that clogged the paint.  Carmelo also played menacing defense on the opponents’ power forward and utilized the mismatches on offense to his advantage. With a more open offense, hopefully Carmelo can be Carmelo, forcing double teams and leaving the Knick three point shooters open.

Lets hope that the “Amar’eless” Knicks being quicker both offensively and defensively brings success in Game 3!

Here are the three main issues: They have been torn apart by Lebron James and Dwyane Wade in the paint, and have not been able to play the elite defense that got them back into playoff contention. The ball movement has become almost non-existent, because Carmelo Anthony can’t trust anyone to score if he passes. And finally, Steve Novak’s touches have gone way down, and it is posing an issue from a bench scoring point of view.

In order to stop LJ and Flash, Tyson Chandler must be at 100% health, or pretty damn close. Everyone saw how Tyson shut Lebron down in the Finals last June, so I am confident he can contain them. 

The problem is that when Lebron and D-Wade kick out of the paint it is normally to an open Mike Miller or Shane Battier for a 3-pointer. In order to limit these sorts of sequences Mike Woodson has to tighten up his defensive rotations, and make sure they close out on shooters.

If we make The Heat try to beat us with Chris Bosh and Mario Chalmers then we will have a serious chance at protecting our home court, and tying the series at 2-2.

Carmelo needs to play the way he played when Amar’e Stoudemire was injured for 13 games. Good news! He won’t have much of choice since STAT went and cut his hand open, and will miss Game 3. That gives ‘Melo the space to go into the post and work his magic, or swing it around to his shooters (J.R. and Novak). Also with STAT out ‘Melo will play power forward; a position that helped lead to his Player of the Month Award in April.

STAT being out may fix ‘Melo, but it won’t fix the supporting cast. In fact, the bench will be even less deep (an area that was supposed to be a big positive for The Knicks) with J.R. Smith likely starting.

That leaves only Jared Jefferies (limited due to injury), Mike Bibby, and Steve Novak as decent role players. Without a reliable second scorer this team becomes too Carmelo-centric, which is super easy to defend. Once the Heat figure him out like they did in the second half yesterday, Coach Woody will need to find a way to use the double teams on ‘Melo to get the ball to an open shooter.

That’s where Steve Novak comes in. This guy is hotter than the sun from beyond the arc, but the Heat have done a great job freezing him out.

Coach Woody needs to figure out how to get him open whether it’s running down screens or trying to use him in a pick-and-pop type play. Novak can be the type of player who puts the game just out of reach, or gets you right back in it.

It seems like The Knicks do well enough in the first half, but fizzle in the second. That will be the moment to utilize Novak, which will in turn spread the floor for ‘Melo to work his magic. If Novak hits 3-4 three pointers, then his job will be finished.

Most of these changes fall on Mike Woodson, who is not only playing for a chance at a championship, but also the head coaching job. If he can take the team he turned into an 18-6 caliber squad, and duplicate that success in the Playoffs, it will likely lead to a nice extension (that is if Phil Jackson is not made available…).

It has already been made clear that Iman Shumpert will be out for a long time after tearing his ACL during Saturday’s Game 1.  The 6’5″ rookie shooting guard has been the lesser part of the defensive duo that also includes Tyson Chandler. Shumpert was supposed to take on the defensive matchup of Dwyane Wade. Many believe that Wade is the key to the Heat’s championship run, and that if he plays poorly they lose their edge. Now it will be up to Landry Fields and J.R. Smith to contain him, both of which lack the defensive prowess that Shump has.

Defensive Anchor of the Knicks

Speaking of  Chandler, he is still not fully recovered from the flu that essentially nullified his appearance in Game 1. Coach Mike Woodson has said that he hopes “a miracle happens overnight and that he is ready to play.”

Certainly not great news for fans who do not want to see Lebron James trample through the paint again. I think judging from Tyson’s prior history and commitment that he will play. The question is how much of his defensive player of the year candidate skills show up.

Jared Jefferies, Chandler’s typical back-up, is also battling through pain as his knee barely lets him play 10 minutes. He played only seven in Game 1, but he is badly hobbled.

It was reported that he played through a lot of pain, and was very sore on Sunday. Similar to Chandler, it is unclear how much he can give the Knicks if he does play. The depth up front is so poor, that after Jefferies comes rookie Josh Harrellson, who played well early this season, but has been unable to impress Coach Woodson since returning from his broken wrist.

The starting lineup took another hit when Baron Davis told reporters that his back tightened up after taking a hard hit from Wade. The point guard has been injured practically the whole season, but performed very well in the first quarter of Game 1.

Davis scored 10 points in the game. If B-Diddy does not play tomorrow, then the ever aging Mike Bibby will have to man the point. Mario Chalmers and Dwyane Wade’s defense will make cheap work of his efforts, and create even more turnovers.

Jeremy Lin can not come back soon enough.

That leaves a starting line up of Mike Bibby, Landry Fields, Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, and Josh Harrellson. What a scary thought.

Let’s hope Woodson,  Anthony and Stoudemire have something up their sleeves for the next few games, because if not, they will have plenty of time over the summer to think about what they should have done.

I would say that the chances are slim? Wouldn’t you?

When Juwan Howard is on the court for The Heat, you know that the game might as well be over. This game was a wake up call to New Yorkers everywhere who were tricked by the wonderful play of The Knicks in April. When facing true playoff competition it is clear this team is far from a championship contender.

After the first quarter, no one wearing a Knicks’ uniform showed up to play and it showed as the Knicks dropped Game 1 to the Miami Heat 100-67.

Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire proved to everyone that they still can’t play together productively. ‘Melo was one-for-nine at one point early in the game, and finished with only 11 points.

He never got the ball where he likes it (in the post), and instead had to come all the way out to the perimeter only to badly miss most of his attempts. Anthony finished the game with an awful +/- stat of -35.

STAT did not do much better, but his biggest problem was that he grabbed only 5 rebounds, which is absolutely unacceptable for a 6-10 power forward.

The New York bench is supposed to be the X-factor in this series. Steve Novak was the only player who actually fulfilled his role by making both of his 3-pointers. Although J.R. Smith scored 17 points, he hurt the Knicks more than he helped them due to his four turnovers, and inability to take less than 50 dribbles per possession.

Jared Jefferies’ health seems like it will prove to be an issue in this series, as he only played 8 minutes while he was supposed to be available for 15. If Jeffries can’ provide serious defensive help, Mike Woodson may have to take a look at rookie Josh Harrellson who played well in garbage time.

The news only got worse for the Knicks when Iman Shumpert collapsed on his knee without any contact. He had to be carried off the court by his teammates, and was reportedly taken from the arena to a local hospital for an MRI. Shumpert is the teams best wing defender, and his matchup with Wade is key if the Knicks have any chance of containing him. It is unclear as of now if he will be returning for Game 2. Look to see Landry Fields return to his starting position at shooting guard if that is the case.

Tyson Chandler had been battling the flu before today’s game, but might as well have sat out. He barely showed up on the boards, and did not score a point, as the leader in field goal percentage (.679), finished 0-of-3 from the floor.

Finally, you have to give credit where credit is due. Lebron James, one of the NBA’s finest actors, should be recieving his academy award nomination in the mail shortly because he sure can flop. Twice he got fouls called on him by pretending there was much more contact then there was in reality. Tyson Chandler got called for a Flagrant I after King James ran around the court whining about his neck hurting.

All kidding aside, Lebron played great tonight, and if he can keep this up may shed his reputation of failing to show up when it counts. He finished with 32 points and four steals.

The Knicks need to show up with better offensive execution in Game 2 if they want to have a chance to bring this series to seven.

The pressure lies with Anthony. Let’s see if he shows up.

Mar 17, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Knicks forward Amare Stoudemire shoots a free throw against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. New York defeated Indiana 102-88. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE

The Knicks enter play tonight having won all three of their games since Mike Woodson has taken over as head coach, and with the Raptors being their opponents during tonight’s game, there isn’t much reason to believe that the winning streak will stop there.

The Raptors are currently struggling through a 15 win season which has seen them lose to the league-worst Charlotte Bobcats twice.  The Dinos have lost 6 of their last 10 games and have been without their starting point guard Jose Calderon who sprained his ankle on March 10th against the Pistons, however he will return to the lineup this evening giving them a little added firepower on the offensive end of the floor.

On paper it seems like an easily winnable game for the Knicks, however this Raptor team is feisty and has been known to play up to the level of their opponents–see their game against Memphis last week as evidence of the this.In order to pull out this W the Knicks are going to have to stop the Raptors scoring duo of Andrea Bargnani and DeMar DeRozan.

Offensively the Knicks should be able to take advantage of Bargnani  by running a number of screen and roll plays for Amar’e Stoudemire. If the Knicks can take advantage of this match-up on offense, and stop the Raptors big two on defense, than this will be an easy W for the Knicks.

Game time is 7:30

Mar 12, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike D

The headline pretty much says it all, but just in case you haven’t heard Mike D’Antoni has resigned as head coach of the Knicks today according to multiple outlets. The Knicks are expected to promote Assistant Coach Mike Woodson for the remainder of the season.  For these are all the details we have, however there will be more to come as well as a little more in depth analysis as to what this means for the Knicks. Stay tuned..

1. Are the Knicks going to lose six games in a row?

They’ve dropped their last two against the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks. Tonight is their second game in as many nights at the San Antonio Spurs. Then they visit the Milwaukee Bucks (never easy), come home for the division-leading Philadelphia 76ers and travel to Chicago to play the Bulls. What a brutal schedule.

Have teams figured out Jeremy Lin? Picture Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

2. Have teams figured out Jeremy Lin?

After making a big splash in New York, Lin has cooled down. New Jersey Nets guard Deron Williams owned Lin the second time around. Celtics guard Rajon Rondo had his best game of the season against him last Sunday. It looks like teams have adjusted to Lin. Now it is his turn to adjust.

3. Should Baron Davis be the starting point guard?

Davis is healthy now. We all know what he brings to the table. It looks like the Knicks could use some veteran experience at point guard. Maybe Davis should start? That’s why they brought him in.

2. Is Coach Mike D’Antoni playing too many players?

At the start of the season, depth was a concern for Coach D’Antoni. That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. He went six deep on his bench last night. But what is this doing to the psyche of the starters? They could be upset with the lack of playing time. Which brings me to the next question.

1. What is wrong with Carmelo Anthony?

Anthony is healthy. He has a point guard to run the show. But Anthony is shooting a dismal 29% from the field, 15 percentage points below his career average. The Knicks cannot win with Anthony shooting like that.

Edwin Torres was born in New York City. He has been a Knicks fan since the early 1980s. He has visited Madison Square Garden on many occasions to watch the Knicks and his favorite player, Patrick Ewing. For more articles, follow him on Twitter @FlipPoker.

Sources:
Yahoo! Sports – NBA

The full game can be viewed below:

Feb. 19, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks guard J. R. Smith and point guard Jeremy Lin (17) react during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 104-97. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

their loss to the New Orleans Hornets on Friday night.

Despite struggling on Friday against the Hornets, Jeremy Lin was huge once again against the Mavs. Lin dominated the game with his performance. When it was all said and done Lin’s final line was impressive—he scored 28 points, had 14 assists and even managed 5 steals—so good in fact, that we will over look his game-high 7 turnovers.

Lin’s performance was so noteworthy that Jason Kidd said after the game that Lin’s play reminded him of two-time MVP Steve Nash—not a bad comparison if you are Lin.

Without Lin on the floor, The Knicks were ineffective offensively and that was a big reason why the Knicks lead was not larger in the first half. When they brought Iman Shumpert of the bench the offense became stagnated, and it was difficult for them to score. This was particularly apparent in the second quarter when after Shumpert replaced Lin, the Knicks immediately went on a scoring drought of over 3 minutes.

Jeremy Lin aside, the Knicks did get some solid scoring efforts out of their supporting cast, including J.R Smith who was solid in his Knick debut. Smith scored 15 points in his debut, and Steve Novak added 14 included some key three-point shots late in the game.  Both players added a dimension to the Knicks’ game that they have not had for the majority of the season, thanks to their three point proficiency.

With the Knicks new found propensity for ball movement and efficient three-point shooting, much of what caused them to struggle early on in the season offensively has been fixed.  Will this trend persist when Carmelo Anthony returns? we may find out as early as tonight against the Nets.

Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-US PRESSWIRE

This morning the NBA announced their participants of the Sprite rising stars slam dunk contest. Among those participating will be Knicks rookie point guard Iman Shumpert.  Shumpert will be joined by Minnesota rookie Derrick Williams, Chase Budinger of the Houston Rockets and Pacers guard/forward Paul George.

We haven’t seen much in the way of explosive dunks this season from Shumpert, but at 6’5 he has the size and athleticism to pull some crazy ones off. You can visit the NBA’s Rising Star Dunk Contest website to check out all of the relevant info and dunk videos for each of the contestants. (more…)

The 6’6 shooting guard has spend the entirety of his season playing professionally over in China until recently when he was granted release from his team following a disappointing end to their season which saw them miss out on a trip to the playoffs.

Smith has made a name for himself in the NBA with his erratic play, which at times makes him the best Sixth man in the NBA; and at other times has made him a ball stopper and a coaching nightmare.  It seems rather fitting that he should end up with the Knicks given their propensity to make all-or-nothing moves over the course of this past year. We are now able to add signing J.R Smith to the list. (more…)

Feb 6, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin (17) and guard Landry Fields (2) hug at the end of the game against the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 99-88. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE

The Knicks have won three straight games thanks to Jeremy Lin’s play and without our superstars, Amar’e and Melo. Oh, and let’s not forget Josh Harrellson (aka Jorts), who has been playing solid ball before getting injured. How about that!? Who needs them when you have Lin!? I’m joking, but we have been playing really well as a team. Jeremy Lin has been the headline, but everyone else’s game has improved as well. One name who has been solid, is Steve Novak, who has 2 straight double digit games. Also, Tyson Chandler has been scoring more and Jared Jeffries, too.

You can tell Knicks look like a totally different team by the way they have been playing. The players look happy and confident. In a way, not having Melo and Amar’e for these past few games was a blessing in disguise because the coaches got a chance to see what they have on their bench.

Jeremy Lin’s play has been AMAZING. The whole team’s energy has changed. Everyone on the team believes in and put their trust in this kid. The Harvard grad has mastered the pick and roll. And you know what that means, Amar’e's back! His game will improved because of the point guard play. I am looking forward to seeing how J Lin will work the pick and roll with Tyson and Amar’e. It’ll be crazy! I mean, how would the defenders guard the pick and roll? If you guard Amar’e, then Lin will pass it to Tyson or vice versa and if you guard both, then Lin will just drive it home.

As for Melo, he will have better shot selections and wouldn’t have to force his shots. I know people are worried because he usually hogs the ball, but I believe he’ll fit in. We need Melo in order to succeed. If he does decide to hog the ball, the Knicks fans will let him have it and I’m sure he wouldn’t want that.

It’s just crazy how a little tweak to the team changes their whole dimension. This team doesn’t need to add any more players, all we need now is for all to get and stay healthy and this team will go far. Yes, I said it! Look out NBA because the Knicks are coming!

How do you guys feel about these Knicks and how do you think the Knicks will play when Amar’e and Melo return?

As you can see, some of the featured players are Amare Stoudemire and Monta Ellis to the Nets, Deron to the Knicks, and  Brook Lopez and rookie, Marshon Brooks to the Warriors. Let’s starts with the Knicks: Getting Deron will make us a MUCH better team. We will have a young floor general for years to come teaming up with Melo and Tyson. Yes, Amare would be missed, but we have Tyson and I feel he can fill in for Amare, working the pick and rolls. Just imagine a trio of Melo, Deron and Tyson. That would be a heck of a team.

As for the Nets, they will have two superstars in Amare and Monta; not a bad duo and they would represent the team in Brooklyn. Plus Amare gets to team up with his boy, ex-Knick, Shawne Williams.

Finally, the Golden State Warriors will have a low post player in Brook Lopez and a solid rookie Marshon Brooks who has a lot of potential. The team would be well-balanced with Curry leading the way.

The Knicks need a point guard in the worst way. We hoped to get Cp3 and that fell through; however, we possibly have another shot at a superstar point guard and he is, Deron Williams. Lets go get him! Any thoughts?

The only major concerns right now are Amare, Landry and Baron. As you know, Amare’s in a funk, but he’ll eventually get it together. I do feel that Amare will be better off playing with a true point guard and hopefully, Baron Davis will be that point guard who will be able to find him some easy buckets. My only concern about Baron is whether or not he can stay healthy.

The one who really concerns me is Landry Fields. He seems to have lost a lot of confidence and it’s a shame because he has a lot of potential. He played well before the Melo trade. I feel once Baron is able to play, they should have Landry come off the bench, not because of his slump, but because Iman fits well with the first unit with his defense and physical play. If Landry can get it going, he can be a plus from our bench. Right now, we really do not have an official sixth man. The Knicks obviously still have work to do to get to the next level, but once things start to click, the sky will be the limit for us.

Take the day off folks, think about something else and we will be back at it tomorrow when the Knicks face the Sacramento Kings and (HOPEFULLY) get back on track.

As always, full highlights of the game can be found below:

According to ESPN.com rookie point guard Iman Shumpert will be out 2-4 weeks with a sprained MCL. Shumpert suffered the injury during the Knicks 106-104 victory over the Boston Celtics on Christmas day.

The Injury is an unfortunate blow to the Knicks offense, which had struggeled to find someone to create off of the dribble without Carmelo Anthony in the game. (more…)

(more…)

Enjoy the game everyone!

The season began with a fantasy draft in which 9 out of 10 owners took place, only Josh Hill of Pippin’ Aint Easy missed out—though he was the beneficiary of some high quality auto drafting.

For a detailed round by round breakdown of how the draft went for our NBA bloggers you can visit Fantasycpr.com where Zach Thompson, league comish’, provided a very nice write up. (more…)

According to Adrian Wojnaowski of Yahoo!Sports The Knicks will sign former San Antonio Spur forward Steve Novak for the remainder of the season.

Novak was waived by the Spurs on Monday night after the Spurs made the final cuts to their roster for the upcoming season. The Knicks will reportedly sign Novak to a one year deal, providing that he clears wavers.

Novak is a 6-foot-11 forward that should add some depth to the Knicks bench that is in desperate need of just that. Noak is a career 41% three-point shooter, which will be welcomed as the team looks to surround Anthony and Stoudemire with shooters.

Novak had a solid four year career at Marquette before joining the NBA where he has bounced around, playing for Houston, the Clippers, Dallas and San Antonio.