We have a very strong starting lineup of:

C Chandler PF Stoudemire SF Anthony SG Smith PG Felton

Chandler is the best defensive player in the league and the heart and soul of this team. He's the leader.
Stoudemire is a player if recovered is an all-star and can become a force on offense from 15 feet and in.
Anthony is a top-10 NBA player who has the scoring ability that you traditionally need your best player to have to win a title.
Smith is a dynamic scorer, and brings the 3-point shooting that a great team needs in the lineup.
Felton is a steady, 2-way PG with the toughness that is needed from that position to compete in the playoffs.

Our bench rotation currently consists of:

G Kidd G Shumpert (when healthy) C Camby F Novak F/C Thomas

Kidd is a veteran leader on the court who we have never really had. He can spot up and will make good decisions.
Shumpert is a young bright player with all-nba defensive potential and the athletic ability to be a great SG or 6th man.
Camby is a defensive enforcer that we have never really had off the bench before. Having him or Chandler on the floor at all times is huge.
Novak is one of the best outside shooters in the game. If for only 15-20 mpg, he is a necessity.
Thomas brings toughness, hard-nosed defense that all winning teams need.

The point is, when you look at the way this team is coming together, it is a real team with a chance to develop real chemistry. There is no more Melo ball vs. Lin ball. It is a team that is being built to win. The decision around Lin is purely a basketball decision, which is the right way to make a decision. We might lose a valuable trade chip if nothing else, but this team will go into training camp with no distractions and question marks surrounding the makeup of the team, and who's team it is. This might be the case for the first time in a long time. The coach fits the team, the supporting cast is beginning to fit the core talent, and so on. It is disappointing that the Lin decision will hover around the team for quite some time, but as far as basketball goes, this is a real exciting situation.

For our big three:
Carmelo needs to get at or near the level of play he was showcasing at the end of last year.
Tyson needs to just keep doing what he's doing.
STAT is the big one. If we can get 85% of the guy who was tearing it up when we first signed him we're in business. I'm really hoping Felton helps.

Psyched for the season.

FeltonandAmare wrote:

Knixkik wrote:Forget about most likely losing Lin by the end of the night, and look at where we stand right now:

We have a very strong starting lineup of:

C Chandler PF Stoudemire SF Anthony SG Smith PG Felton

Chandler is the best defensive player in the league and the heart and soul of this team. He's the leader.
Stoudemire is a player if recovered is an all-star and can become a force on offense from 15 feet and in.
Anthony is a top-10 NBA player who has the scoring ability that you traditionally need your best player to have to win a title.
Smith is a dynamic scorer, and brings the 3-point shooting that a great team needs in the lineup.
Felton is a steady, 2-way PG with the toughness that is needed from that position to compete in the playoffs.

Our bench rotation currently consists of:

G Kidd G Shumpert (when healthy) C Camby F Novak F/C Thomas

Kidd is a veteran leader on the court who we have never really had. He can spot up and will make good decisions.
Shumpert is a young bright player with all-nba defensive potential and the athletic ability to be a great SG or 6th man.
Camby is a defensive enforcer that we have never really had off the bench before. Having him or Chandler on the floor at all times is huge.
Novak is one of the best outside shooters in the game. If for only 15-20 mpg, he is a necessity.
Thomas brings toughness, hard-nosed defense that all winning teams need.

The point is, when you look at the way this team is coming together, it is a real team with a chance to develop real chemistry. There is no more Melo ball vs. Lin ball. It is a team that is being built to win. The decision around Lin is purely a basketball decision, which is the right way to make a decision. We might lose a valuable trade chip if nothing else, but this team will go into training camp with no distractions and question marks surrounding the makeup of the team, and who's team it is. This might be the case for the first time in a long time. The coach fits the team, the supporting cast is beginning to fit the core talent, and so on. It is disappointing that the Lin decision will hover around the team for quite some time, but as far as basketball goes, this is a real exciting situation.

That's what makes the Lin decision even more annoying. The pressure on Melo and Felton will be extreme. They better get off to a strong start. There was NO F^C(*k&*G need to let an asset go for nothing. Let me repeat that we get NOTHING in return. Brilliant!

The negative is getting zero assets in return. I would have loved a guy like Kevin Martin, or a couple of Houston's many assets, but it didn't happen. My focus in this thread is the current roster, and how it fits the state of the team better than it has in a long time. We have a true core and a true supporting cast with specific roles.

OasisBU wrote:During times like this, I find myself wondering - what would Jerome James have to say about all this?

"I heard you signed my cousin Raymond. Great signing!"

s3231 wrote:This team will be a very good regular season team....but answer me this, who is going to score against Miami's lockdown D in the playoffs?

Your offense now consists of Melo/Amare.....those are the only two dynamic scorers and one of them (Amare), can't really create on his own at this point.

This team can't beat Miami...just don't see it.

The Knicks will be a better defensive team and if Miami is forced to be a jump shooting team they can be beat.

CashMoney wrote:

s3231 wrote:This team will be a very good regular season team....but answer me this, who is going to score against Miami's lockdown D in the playoffs?

Your offense now consists of Melo/Amare.....those are the only two dynamic scorers and one of them (Amare), can't really create on his own at this point.

This team can't beat Miami...just don't see it.

The Knicks will be a better defensive team and if Miami is forced to be a jump shooting team they can be beat.

You realize that Felton/JR/Amare/Melo are all average or below average defenders? Chandler was the reason why we were so good defensively last season and we were lucky that he didn't miss a ton of games as he has been injury prone in the past (have to pray that he stays healthy this season for the Knicks to have any chance).

Miami is an elite defensive team as is and even if the Knicks force them to take jumpers on offense...guess what, Miami will make them as they are packed with elite shooters. Riley knows how to build a team.

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/knicks_turning_to_star_power_smki7eIIBNCKxLBA8XLwEK

They knew back in March that Lin wasn't going to be a knick for long. So this shouldn't be a surprise.

Jmpasq wrote:

s3231 wrote:

CashMoney wrote:

s3231 wrote:This team will be a very good regular season team....but answer me this, who is going to score against Miami's lockdown D in the playoffs?

Your offense now consists of Melo/Amare.....those are the only two dynamic scorers and one of them (Amare), can't really create on his own at this point.

This team can't beat Miami...just don't see it.

The Knicks will be a better defensive team and if Miami is forced to be a jump shooting team they can be beat.

You realize that Felton/JR/Amare/Melo are all average or below average defenders? Chandler was the reason why we were so good defensively last season and we were lucky that he didn't miss a ton of games as he has been injury prone in the past (have to pray that he stays healthy this season for the Knicks to have any chance).

Miami is an elite defensive team as is and even if the Knicks force them to take jumpers on offense...guess what, Miami will make them as they are packed with elite shooters. Riley knows how to build a team.

Pretty easy when 3 guys conspire to play together.Not at all about Riley but being lucky enough that Wade recruited Lebron/Bosh and they took less money. This was the last year u could build a team like that with the new CBA it will be impossible

Riley was also the one smart enough to clear cap space for 3 max players....also the one to convince very good role players like Battier, Mike Miller, Ray Allen, etc. to come play for Miami.

mrKnickShot wrote:

s3231 wrote:This team will be a very good regular season team....but answer me this, who is going to score against Miami's lockdown D in the playoffs?

Your offense now consists of Melo/Amare.....those are the only two dynamic scorers and one of them (Amare), can't really create on his own at this point.

This team can't beat Miami...just don't see it.

Because Lin is the player that can break down miami's defense? Uh ... I don't think so.

Yea don't you remember Lin's historical performance against Miami in the regular season last year, and his epic playoff series in round 1?