DEFENSE MECHANISM

By BRIAN LEWIS

January 15, 2007 -- Days after watching the lowly Bobcats shred his Knicks for a startling 126 points Friday night, coach/president Isiah Thomas insisted he wasn't worried or upset with his team's shoddy defense.

"We got beat playing our game; I can live with that," he said.

Apparently Knicks fans should brace for high-scoring losses and bet the over.

After the Knicks allowed 59.3 percent shooting and 74 second-half points to the Bobcats in a 126-110 loss, Thomas actually gave them Saturday off from practice. Then, preparing for this afternoon's game against Sacramento, he defended his team's defense.

"We lost a game playing the way we want to play, the style we're trying to incorporate," Thomas said. "They made some tough shots. There's very little the defender can do when you do it right offensively."


There was little the Knicks defenders could do against Charlotte's Derek Anderson, who torched them for 29 points on 9-of-11 shooting. Next up is Kings forward Ron Artest, who tuned up the Knicks for a career-high 39 points five games ago. Somehow, Thomas claims he isn't concerned.

"No, not at all. [Charlotte] did a lot of things right. When you execute and do it right the defender has no chance," Thomas said.

It was surprising ambivalence from a man who won an NCAA title under Bob Knight at Indiana and an NBA crown under Chuck Daly with the rugged Bad Boys of Detroit. The Knicks defenders are bad, but in the wrong way.

They're surrendering 102.5 points per game, 104.4 over the last 10. And the 49.1 percent shooting they've allowed in their last five is fourth-worst in the league. It's worth noting that $30 million defender Jared Jeffries sat all but three minutes of the second half, when the Knicks were outscored 74-59.

"It was a setback because of our defense," Jeffries said. "We didn't play well on defense and they ran the same plays all game and had success with them. It was tough for us to not really get down what they were doing and have it covered."

Thomas said he needed offense on the floor, and Jeffries, who confirmed the coach was not irate, understood.

"I never get upset [over playing time]. . . . If I'm not playing well, I have no problem with that," said Jeffries, who'll guard Artest today.

The defense should get a boost when - not if - Quentin Richardson replaces Jamal Crawford in the lineup at two-guard. That would put Jeffries and Richardson, the team's two best defenders, on the court together, and allow Crawford to give Stephon Marbury a much-needed break at the point.

"There's going to be an adjustment," said Thomas, who wouldn't rule out making a change today. "We'll get back to the way we envisioned playing when we were in camp. When we'll get to it, I don't know."

i agree. charlotte is on pace never to lose again this season. we were going up against a juggernaut. we would've had a better shot vs. the spurs.

isiah's not concerned yet both david lee and jeffries say the loss wasn't a good one.

4 MORE YEARS!!!
4 MORE YEARS!!!

So sick of hearing this guy speak. It's insulting everytime now.

I guess our only hope is that Steve Mills is smarter than we think, and is doing a good job, convincing Dolan to get rick of Zeke at the end of the season.

Either that or, too hurt, undermanned or tired.

These quotes from Isiah are even worse than the ones he made right after that game, and those were pretty lame.

Also, do you recall that after Friday's loss to Charlotte, Frye said, "It's not the end of the world. We're still only a game out of first."

What a horrendous attitude to have. Can you imagine if a Riley team, or even Van Gundy team, ever gave up 126 points at home to one of the league's doormats?????????

If Riles didn't chew them out, Oak surely would have.

So what does Isiah do? Gives 'em Saturday off, naturally.

LOL, you guys are too much. I guess it would be better if he was callig the team Dumb for going to Georiga Tech to the media and getting tuned out in the locker room.


The Panties are riding high today, Eh????

To the media????? How about Pat reliy giving a "motivational speech" last year with the Heat game in and out when they were looking like they wont even get a home in the playoffs??? DOes that count??


When did riping your players become coaching???? Can I have date to goolge.

ITS A HUGE FUCKING DEAL.....

Who did we beat? Three teams that suck....

Seattle? Sixers? Portland? We got waxed the other They are three of the worst teams in the NBA, you come back to the garden and lose to the second worst team in the NBA you don't give the effort, come out flat and give up 129 points and let Carrol and Anderson score 60 on you......

This team gets blown out because of effort all the time we have lost 14 games already by 10 points thats shameful...

Posted by Travla:

Just listening to Max Kellerman, he and a caller saw it as I saw it. the Bobcats just shot/played well above normal. Kellerman said he watched over and over to see defensive lapses and he didn't see many. The caller likened it to a team baseball batting around, you just have those types of games sometimes. The Knicks were hot in the first half and Charlotte got hot in the second half, it was as simple as that!! When a player or in this case, a team gets hot, there's little that you can do except foul a lot or try to keep up.

So why does it happen a lot? Why does Isiah constantly use that excuse?

Posted by SugarRayRichardson:

Ive never seen so much made of one loss after 3 straight wins. The same cats beat the pistons the game before. they beta the spurs. Its one game. big deal.

Yep and right before those 3 chump wins against Seattle, Portland, Philly, this team got thrashed by Philly, PHX, Clippers, Sacramento,.(I forgot the Mighty BOBCAAAAAAATTTTS!) I guess since at least 3 of 4 of those teams are clearly better than us as Zeek would lead us to believe then a blowout will be comeplete in about 3hrs by Sacramento today. After the Sacramento game this was his reaction to it 2weeks ago....




Oh and this team is 3weeks and counting of being 1-2games out of first in this DISMAL, ABYSMAL division. Maybe they'll need another 3weeks or as Zeek would state 2-3yrs before they accomplish this.

[Edited by - TrueBlue on 01-15-2007 11:40 AM]

Posted by SugarRayRichardson:

Posted by MS:

ITS A HUGE FUCKING DEAL.....

Who did we beat? Three teams that suck....

Seattle? Sixers? Portland? We got waxed the other They are three of the worst teams in the NBA, you come back to the garden and lose to the second worst team in the NBA you don't give the effort, come out flat and give up 129 points and let Carrol and Anderson score 60 on you......

This team gets blown out because of effort all the time we have lost 14 games already by 10 points thats shameful...

We also beat Detroit, Denver, Chicago, Utah etc that are good teams but I guess that doesnt matter. The Cats beat the spurs and Pistons but I guess that doesnt matter. Once we get in to first place the sky is falling type posts will look silly

They actually have been winning and may have possibly peaked already with their play and are sitting a paltry 6 games under .500. I mean Curry, Steph, and Lee almost couldn't play any better than they have compared to what their career's suggest to this point.