Chris Copeland makes the final cut. He is mentored by Rasheed Wallace. Kurt Thomas starts the season at the four. Amar'e is in and out of the lineup. Rasheed sees his first light by Thanksgiving Day. Responding to his outside range, as he flashes a smile, The Garden fans embrace him.

December

Raymond Felton is solid if not spectacular. He sets the tone. Jason Kidd is rock steady in cameo minutes. Our guard play is a strength. Novak finds his outside stroke and goes on an MVP tear.

January

There is enough intuition between Shumpert and Prigioni to fill two large gyms. Shump provides defense and is a tremendous finisher at the rack. Prigioni brings the change of pace and ball handling. Shump brings the complimentary burst.

"Teams who pass the ball play better"

- Pablo Prigioni

yellowboy90 wrote:If he just figures out how to score at the basket in this league look out.

Pablo can affect a game without talking more than 5 shots. 10 assists with the second unit translates into an assist bonanza when the big guys get in sync.

Somewhere, Marcus Camby is smiling.

kevin arnovitz (espn) offers another take

That brings us to the 2012-13 season... Stoudemire is sidelined and the Knicks are indisputably Anthony's team, which was always the design in New York. If nothing else, perhaps Stoudemire's injury coupled with the success Anthony had as a power forward in Olympic competition will finally convince Melo that he's a new-wave 4. Improving the Knicks will require some innovation, because Anthony, Chandler and a band of reclamation projects, post-prime players and question marks in the backcourt won't make much noise in the playoffs. If they fail to play into May, the Knicks would begin to look a lot like Mike Woodson's Atlanta Hawks - a team with discernible talent, but no championship aspirations.

What happens then?

The Knicks wanted superstars to elevate their brand and incite championship aspirations among their beleaguered fans. Now it's time to manage those expectations and find an acceptable alternative should the team fall short of them.

The Knicks are one hundred per cent unpredictable

100

Forget the inevitable injuries, the playing personality is a work in progress that will be dependent upon how stubborn our veteran guards are - and how successful Carmelo is with his imitation of a chameleon. It is an impossible balancing act. Should he camouflage himself, the Knicks will need to put seven players in double figures a night and the writers will question his leadership.

Should he assume he must be outstanding and assume the scoring responsibility, (to compensate for the loss of Stoudemire, or the absence of Chandler), the supporting cast learns to be dependent on his crowd pleasing outbursts.

we will not know what we have before january

holfresh - Prigioni illustrates the value of "coach-on-the-floor". With the ball in his hands, players understand that they must keep their heads up as the ball may suddenly appear out of nowhere. One now can understand why Pablo was dubbed "The Maestro." The prime beneficiaries will be any of our 6'10+ frontcourt players who roll and catch after the pick. Tyson Chander, Marcus Camby and Rasheed Wallace.

Second, Steve Novak and JR Smith will feast on open looks in rhythm.

Third, Raymond Felton will learn some new tricks.

Can you remember the last time any Knicks guard attempted a behind-the-back pass in traffic?

Bootleg Alert

knicks1248 wrote: ....prigs is the new sanity

You cannot make this stuff up. An unscripted feel good story about a 35 year old rookie who finally arrives in New York City to play on the world's brightest stage for one final hurrah. His team is pre-cast with a prodigal returning son and a future Hall of Famer. Fans and writers minimize the respect he garnered on another continent. Low expectations as the 35 year old rookie is expected to hold it down with The Pine Brothers in garbage time.... Except for one thing...

... the 35 year old rookie can play.

Anyone who caught Tina's post game interview with Pablo Prigioni had to smile along with him. Easy, joyful and clever.

11 assists in 33 minutes. Passing the time with unproven reserves like Chris Copeland could be contagious. The only way it gets any better is if Danilo Gallinari is kidnapped back to Manhattan in 2014. By that time Prigioni will be only 37 and just reaching his prime.

Stay tuned.

misterearl wrote:Gotta Love This Guy

"Teams who pass the ball play better"

- Pablo Prigioni

"Its just basketball. " -Pablo Prigioni
I loved that quote, dude knows his stuff and it's a poetry in motion.

DurzoBlint wrote:imagine him on the Rookie Sophomore game. Dude will truly be an man among boys.

If he keeps racking up steels and assists like he has, dude will also have a shot a rook of the year.

The fun part is that once The Garden gets a glimpse of Prigioni dropping dimes on Tyson Chandler, Marcus Camby and Kurt Thomas, it will be love at first sight. Shump hovering towards the rim? Fuggedaboudit.

Prigioni has the facial expressions, the smile, which allows New Yorkers to share his joy. We love the underdog and we love a 35 year old that nobody heard of before the Olympics. His voice is endearing.

He moves like the saavy dude in playground pickup games, schooling the youngbloods with the precision of an craftsman. You blink, and your next has vanished into another long wait for a court.

NUPE wrote:Way too much Prig hype. Let him play some reg. season games before he is anointed. Felton has played good, overall, and I don't see him getting any credit whatsoever.

Felton has done good job but its ok to credit other people who have impressed lie Prigioni