Another season is complete in the NBA books and another year a team other then our beloved New York Knicks wins the championship. Not only does any team win the championship, a team whom the Knicks have had been to battle with for years and a series chock full of ex-Knicks; Shandon Anderson, Michael Doleac on the Heat side and Keith Van Horn on the Mavs side. Not only are the ex-Knick players represented in the finals, Pat Riley, the man who so royally screwed when he faxed in his resignation in the mid-90's, wins the championship for the Heat, a team whom the Knicks had battled for the years in the late-90's. Watching players like Ewing, Houston, Johnson, Childs, Oakley, Ward led by Jeff Van Gundy go toe-to-toe with Mourning, Hardaway, Majerle, PJ Brown, Mashburn led by Pat Riley. It makes me sick to think that Alonzo Mourning and Pat Riley have gotten a title before the Knicks did.
This all makes me wonder. Where the hell is our team headed? If you take a look at how the playoffs and the finals went, defense was a huge part of the reason teams got to where they did. With the way the Knicks are currently constructed and are currently headed, defense is a last priority for the Knicks. A lot of people are infatuated by the Phoenix Suns style of offense, it's great to watch, but defense wins in this league. I look at a player like Dwayne Wade. He's in his 3rd year and he just won the NBA finals MVP. The Knicks have traded their next 2 first round picks, one of them being the second round pick and could have been numerous players who could make a difference on this team. Make no mistake, this draft isn't deep but there are a ton of players in the top 10 that could help the Knicks. When I look at this team I see a bunch of un-energetic primadonas who are not interested in helping the team win but interested in cashing their next paycheck. Compare that to the never ending enthusiasm and skill that Dwayne Wade brings to the table.
What is our owner doing? James Dolan, the man with never-ending pockets and the man who puts his faith in all the wrong people when it comes to sports. I'll give the guy credit, he likes to ride it out with his GM's (see Glen Sather, Scott Layden and Isiah Thomas) but this is starting to border ridiculous. The Knicks are not and have not been performing like the team they should, according to their pay role since and BEFORE Isiah Thomas took over. Isiah Thomas in no way should be up for Executive of the Year but with the mentality that the owner sets it's hard for GM's to put into effect a plan that they really want to execute. This is New York and Dolan believes that the fans always wants to see a winner on the court,
THIS IS A PROBLEM. The Knicks need a full rebuild to get this ship straight.
Where are the Knicks going? With the current state of the organization as it is, James Dolan is leaving Larry Brown, like him, love him, hate him, flapping in the wind and giving 29 other teams in the NBA to laugh all the way to the bank with their luxury-tax checks. James Dolan has to make a decision now about Larry Brown NOW, this has gone on too long, this organization doesn't not have a winning state or mentality and constantly berating and undermining the coaches of this team(Brown, Chaney, Wilkens) is not helping to bring future coaching candidates to this franchise.
James Dolan has ruined this once proud franchise and has effectively made them into the laughing-stock of the NBA. Watching the Pat Riley and Alonzo Mourning dance around the court in Heat uni's is hard enough but then think about the current state of the New York Knicks and the place that James Dolan has put them. Thats enough to make you gag.
6/21/2006 12:59 AM
