Fisher, I'm not sure he is the man for the job, rather have Thibodeau. Fisher seems too passive, unsure of roster mixes, terrible out of timeouts, and often simply lost.

It is nice to have a league star, but it is past old to see forced shot after low percentage forced shot, when guys are open. This messes up team chemistry and confidence, plus usually leads to a missed shot with no rebound. Some see Melo as improved, I still see him flawed with his overall game. Stop complaining to the refs and get back on defense. Refs hate NY and we can't even get calls at home, adjust your game already.

KP, seems lost and tired of late, not all his fault. Shots seemed uncertain and rushed, might be trying to do too many things, but I think fatigue is a factor. Also, he is being punished for not having a penetrating PG. When have you seen KP get a lob dunk off of pg penetration? No easy baskets with Calderon/Grant and even Galloway.

Calderon needs to stay aggressive and shoot and penetrate, but his defense is horrible. An we get killed on the O boards because too many opponents down low after the penetration.

I thought Thomas was a waste on this team, but he has grown on me for consistently playing hard and being on the floor when the team has a positive point advantage.

Williams is not being taught how to play, he freestyles it, but at least that has been better play than 75% of this team. Teach him some structure and defensive sets and he should be starting or the 6th man. He gets to the line, no one other than Melo consistently does.

I like Kyle's mid range jumper and body banging, but fouls a bit too much and loses his player on defense at times. Seraphin doesn't add much to this team, Lou who?

Grant is without a role and should be in the D league learning. Rather Fredette at this point, he is at least playing confidently and can score.

Lopez seems to be improving on offense, doesn't get enough boards for my liking.

Galloway is JR Smith, on and off with his play, but plays hard.

Affalo, see Galloway.

Early done.

Sasha, waste.

Empty roster space wasted or waiting to fill it at deadline.

This team should be right around 500 with better coaching and improved player performance. Their rotation needs to be more consistent and tightened until changes happen and even after. Start Melo, KP (at C), Calderon, Affalo, & Kyle. Use Lopez, Williams, Galloway, & Thomas off the bench, sometimes grant. The rest DNP unless they have to or garbage time.

Fixes, though Jennings would help somewhat, he isn't the right fit. I'd rather wait on Conley. Fredette could not hurt on the bench in place of grant. They need a true shot blocker in the middle, an Ibaka type player. Wroten seems hurt a lot, but a temp fix at PG is needed to defend and penetrate, while dish and lob.

Minor adjustments, maybe a new coach, and this team can contend for a lower playoff spots. Hope that wasn't too wordy. Opinions?

If changes are made I think 35-40 wins. Great changes, 37-44 wins.

knickscity wrote:There are definitely some issues with the team, some can be fixed, some probably wont be. I kinda disagree about it being disappointing. I expected a team that would probably win between 28-35 games, and it seems that might be where they stand.

Yeah i'm with you. I think that when we got off to a better than expected start and with KP6 starting the season on fire like he did that a lot of us let our expectations grow way too much and forgot that we're still a team in the beginning to middle of a rebuild and we have a long way to go until we get where we all want this team to be. I'm thinking two years but hoping that Phil gets lucky and finds the right guys whether it be by trade around the trade deadline or it be by free agent signings in the off season and we become a good team in one year. Ya never know how quick a team can come together if you find the right pieces.

An upgrade at PG(mid tier), a paint defender/rebounder(overlooked guy), and another scorer(fredette will do), don't seem like huge changes, but can mean getting to 500, maybe slightly higher this season. Then that attracts others on what we are doing and we build on that.

The right coach without changes might make a 5 win difference.

newyorker4ever wrote:

TLover wrote:Coaching has been a big problem IMO..too many wasted plays after timeouts. Rotations out of Whack. Yes stars help you win but good coaching usually wins championships.
Fisher is more preacher than coach at times. Knicks would be a 500 team with better coaching.
Also the needless distractions (Fisher v Barnes, D.Williams v Skank Ho's, Cleanthony v. Gangbangers)
Needs to STOP!

This team has talent but Phil Jackson needs to either coach himself or bring in a better X&O's person. Also think a bold trade with some foresight should be considered.

Players win games and championships. The Warriors won because of the players, the Heat won because of players, all of Phil Jacksons teams won because of the players and on and on. D.Fisher is obviously lacking in the coaching game but if he had the players he would be looking like a much better coach. If D.Fisher was the head coach of the Warriors last year they still would of won the championship.

I think coaching has some impact - but in general I agree. Players win games and championships. A coach may be able to establish and an environment that helps a team succeed - but you have to have the talent.

I think Melo has played well. He has not shot as well as he has in the past, but he's a more willing passer and trying on defense. Every night he is the focus of the other teams defense and on most nights he still finds a way to score. He is by far the most consistent player on the team.

I'd say Thomas has also been pretty consistent, a solid contributor off the bench - but has limited upside.

KP - has been great for a rookie, but almost by definition rookies are inconsistent - and KP has not been the exception.

Lopez is a serviceable center but has been having a slightly subpar year.

As for the rest of the roster we have a couple of veterans on the downside of their careers as our starting back court and a bunch of guy with potential who have yet to prove they can produce on a consistent basis.

So while I don't think Fish has not been great and he has changed his rotations a lot - I also think this roster presents a huge challenge to a coach - because it has very few players that have proven they can contribute with any consistency.

knickscity wrote:

newyorker4ever wrote:

TLover wrote:Coaching has been a big problem IMO..too many wasted plays after timeouts. Rotations out of Whack. Yes stars help you win but good coaching usually wins championships.
Fisher is more preacher than coach at times. Knicks would be a 500 team with better coaching.
Also the needless distractions (Fisher v Barnes, D.Williams v Skank Ho's, Cleanthony v. Gangbangers)
Needs to STOP!

This team has talent but Phil Jackson needs to either coach himself or bring in a better X&O's person. Also think a bold trade with some foresight should be considered.

Players win games and championships. The Warriors won because of the players, the Heat won because of players, all of Phil Jacksons teams won because of the players and on and on. D.Fisher is obviously lacking in the coaching game but if he had the players he would be looking like a much better coach. If D.Fisher was the head coach of the Warriors last year they still would of won the championship.

Kerr clearly has studied that squad, and he also has experience running a team from the front office. He made some changes that I really doubt Fisher would have. If it was just roll the ball out mark jackson should have won it all with them.

Kerr benefited from a more mature Dray Green, Curry and Thompson. I think the Warriors were destined to win and would have won the championship if Jackson was retained. Fisher is such a poor roach, there is no way he would have had the same success as Kerr had he been the Warriors coach.

newyorker4ever wrote:

TLover wrote:Coaching has been a big problem IMO..too many wasted plays after timeouts. Rotations out of Whack. Yes stars help you win but good coaching usually wins championships.
Fisher is more preacher than coach at times. Knicks would be a 500 team with better coaching.
Also the needless distractions (Fisher v Barnes, D.Williams v Skank Ho's, Cleanthony v. Gangbangers)
Needs to STOP!

This team has talent but Phil Jackson needs to either coach himself or bring in a better X&O's person. Also think a bold trade with some foresight should be considered.

Players win games and championships. The Warriors won because of the players, the Heat won because of players, all of Phil Jacksons teams won because of the players and on and on. D.Fisher is obviously lacking in the coaching game but if he had the players he would be looking like a much better coach. If D.Fisher was the head coach of the Warriors last year they still would of won the championship.

defense and teamwork are the hallmark of champions. you don't get either unless you have good coaching. if what you said were true then wilt chamberlain would have won 15 championships.

knickscity wrote:

Knicks1969 wrote:

knickscity wrote:

newyorker4ever wrote:

TLover wrote:Coaching has been a big problem IMO..too many wasted plays after timeouts. Rotations out of Whack. Yes stars help you win but good coaching usually wins championships.
Fisher is more preacher than coach at times. Knicks would be a 500 team with better coaching.
Also the needless distractions (Fisher v Barnes, D.Williams v Skank Ho's, Cleanthony v. Gangbangers)
Needs to STOP!

This team has talent but Phil Jackson needs to either coach himself or bring in a better X&O's person. Also think a bold trade with some foresight should be considered.

Players win games and championships. The Warriors won because of the players, the Heat won because of players, all of Phil Jacksons teams won because of the players and on and on. D.Fisher is obviously lacking in the coaching game but if he had the players he would be looking like a much better coach. If D.Fisher was the head coach of the Warriors last year they still would of won the championship.

Kerr clearly has studied that squad, and he also has experience running a team from the front office. He made some changes that I really doubt Fisher would have. If it was just roll the ball out mark jackson should have won it all with them.

Kerr benefited from a more mature Dray Green, Curry and Thompson. I think the Warriors were destined to win and would have won the championship if Jackson was retained. Fisher is such a poor roach, there is no way he would have had the same success as Kerr had he been the Warriors coach.

Jax would have had to adjust. There's not telling he would have. Even Curry didnt give him any credit in his MVP speech. He was literally the only person close to him that he left out.

Totally agree with Fisher.

Curry did not give Jackson credit because of statements Jackson made in favor of the runner up (harden). Jackson basically claimed that harden was the MVP, and Curry was not too happy with Jackson

dk7th wrote:

newyorker4ever wrote:

TLover wrote:Coaching has been a big problem IMO..too many wasted plays after timeouts. Rotations out of Whack. Yes stars help you win but good coaching usually wins championships.
Fisher is more preacher than coach at times. Knicks would be a 500 team with better coaching.
Also the needless distractions (Fisher v Barnes, D.Williams v Skank Ho's, Cleanthony v. Gangbangers)
Needs to STOP!

This team has talent but Phil Jackson needs to either coach himself or bring in a better X&O's person. Also think a bold trade with some foresight should be considered.

Players win games and championships. The Warriors won because of the players, the Heat won because of players, all of Phil Jacksons teams won because of the players and on and on. D.Fisher is obviously lacking in the coaching game but if he had the players he would be looking like a much better coach. If D.Fisher was the head coach of the Warriors last year they still would of won the championship.

defense and teamwork are the hallmark of champions. you don't get either unless you have good coaching. if what you said were true then wilt chamberlain would have won 15 championships.

You also don't get there unless you have the players. The coach has some affect but there are no championship teams without championship level players.

Holtzman had teams that played defense and used team work but he also had players who had the skill and inclination to do those things, plus were outstanding offensive players:

Reed, Dave D, Frazier, Barnett and Bradley as starters
Than
Reed, Dave D, Frazier, Monroe and Bradley as starters

That's a long way from Melo, Kp, Lopez, Calderon and AA - as is every championship team for the last 45 years.

Jackson wanted Kerr. Kerr didn't want the job - because the team was not very good.

I'm not convinced that Fish is a good coach either - but this team would be a huge challenge to any coach and if there is any internal improvement to be had - it is going to come from the players more than the coach. Maybe Fish should have settled on a rotation by now, but I think he's in a difficult position as there are not 8 guys who have proven they deserve to be in the rotation. (And many of these guys have had years to prove it - so it ain't just Fish)