Do I think this team is a contender as is? No. But, if they play to their potential and/or add more team depth, they are a tough-out 2nd round playoff type of team. These baby steps foster future winning and attract other winners with heart. This franchise, sometimes with good reason, garners no respect, not even at home. As it is said, you need to be that change you want to see.

I was a baby during the 70 & 73 chips, so I can say the Knicks have won a championship within my lifetime. However, my Harlem heart truly started bleeding Knicks in the 1982-32 season. There was only one King for me and I love seeing him at the Garden so often to this day. If he had stayed healthy, the joy it would have been to watch him play with Ewing. Bernard's back-to-back 50s is still one of my fondest Knicks' memories. He made it look so easy. Oh, what could have been?

Other great moments, those 80s-90s tough Knicks, should have won at least 1 chip. Charles Smith was fouled. Watching Oakley & Mason, then meeting them in Atlantic City. Despite Starks getting us to game 7, Riley should have pulled him late in the game. Ewing should have never worn another uniform, looked odd. Sprewell's & Stark's heart, LJ 4-pointer, Houston's dagger to the Heat. Riley strategically being an a-hole vs the Knicks, Van Gundy holding onto that massive leg. The brief period that was Linsanity. A unicorn sighting. Melo for 62. The honor & privilege of seeing and listening to Clyde tell it like it is.

So much heartache for this franchise. I would love just one championship before heading to that court in the sky. In a league that caters to offense, you can't be old-school defense only, like Thibs. I liked his hiring because the Knicks needed tough love at that time and to play better defensively. He stated he traveled the league after getting the boot from Minn, and that he learned to tweak his game philosophies.

Lately, all I see is the old stubborn Thibs, which used to work years ago. He occasionally makes an adjustment or an RJ sick day makes it for him. Imagine if he had a D'Antoni-type assistant, but most are his guys who preach defense. The defense should come first, it was my bread and butter back in the day. But, his deficiencies combined with how this league is played and disrespect from the NBA/refs toward the Knicks even at home, make most days an uphill battle. Sure you can put it on the players at times, but coaching players, then making adjustments can stop this behind the 8-ball 1st quarter starts. That would be a huge step in the right direction.

If they make a few rotation-usable trades, the team will do better, but it will also mask and prolong coaching issues. I want our boys to play at their best and if that is a 2nd round team, I'll be happy. Then they can build upon that towards glory. I've seen my Yankees win multiple times, the Giants too, and even got 1 from the Rangers, just need that Knick trophy to complete the circle. Heck, with their signings, maybe this will finally be the year the Liberty does something, even if it isn't at the Garden, haha.

See, I'm not negative, just real.

So, yes, GO NY GO NY GO. New York is Knicks country, always has been.

NYStateOfMind wrote:Maybe fans are tired of being fed KFC and want Popeye's or Zaxby's or add your place of choice, haha.

But seriously, articles/statements like these concern fans about learning and improving:

Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau not buying into criticism of RJ Barrett’s defense (NY Post)

Hopefully, RJ was sick more than last night and that is the reason for this past week, but it might be his mindset, which won't improve if Thibs doesn't even see the problem in the first place. Not even after the Sixer game. I'd say Thibs is more of a potential problem than RJ.

And honestly, did you think any team had a shot to beat the Warriors after adding KD that season? If you did, you were kidding yourself.

Nalod wrote:Warriors won 72 games and lost in the finals.
Clyde is not always right. HE calls the game, not the career.
Knicks are not doing the same thing as they did in previous administrations of starphuching.
RJ is one month older than Deuce. Just because RJ has now in his 4th season does not mean he is done growing his game.
Some fans might be.
Fans are wrong a lot. We are impressionable about the moment. If a player is doing well we assume it could have been done earlier.
If a player is stepping back we see it "time to move him out and give another his slot".
iHart this season.
Randle last season.
Deuce.
IQ.
and the big polarizing current player is RJ. Many are giving up on him.
Curious if he in trade rumors internally and its phuched with him.
This FO seems patient. Fans are always less than.

I was alluding to the failed three peat when KD and Klay broke down.
My bad.

Your in Thibs head. You can't project he does not see what you see.
What he is also trying to see is the future of the RJ, not just today.
He might know the problem. We don't. We know the symptoms. Big difference.
I see the team as achieving to its talent level. You seem to feel Thibs can more from this group as he "Might be the problem".
Difference of opinion.

NYStateOfMind wrote:Lately, all I see is the old stubborn Thibs, which used to work years ago. He occasionally makes an adjustment or an RJ sick day makes it for him. Imagine if he had a D'Antoni-type assistant, but most are his guys who preach defense. The defense should come first, it was my bread and butter back in the day. But, his deficiencies combined with how this league is played and disrespect from the NBA/refs toward the Knicks even at home, make most days an uphill battle. Sure you can put it on the players at times, but coaching players, then making adjustments can stop this behind the 8-ball 1st quarter starts. That would be a huge step in the right direction.

So, yes, GO NY GO NY GO. New York is Knicks country, always has been.

Knicks are 6th in offensive rating and 16th in defensive rating so maybe there's a reason Thibs is constantly harping on defense. In yesterday's broadcast Jefferson said the Knicks are 28th in defensive rating since Robinson went down.

They also mentioned (and I agree) that the season changed once Thibs decided to go with the 9 man rotation.

Also, Thibs kept Fournier in until he fouled out and McBride in the whole 4th. Seemed like a smart but also bold in game adjustment considering how well Grimes and IQ have been playing.

Nalod wrote:Warriors won 72 games and lost in the finals.
Clyde is not always right. HE calls the game, not the career.
Knicks are not doing the same thing as they did in previous administrations of starphuching.
RJ is one month older than Deuce. Just because RJ has now in his 4th season does not mean he is done growing his game.
Some fans might be.
Fans are wrong a lot. We are impressionable about the moment. If a player is doing well we assume it could have been done earlier.
If a player is stepping back we see it "time to move him out and give another his slot".
iHart this season.
Randle last season.
Deuce.
IQ.
and the big polarizing current player is RJ. Many are giving up on him.
Curious if he in trade rumors internally and its phuched with him.
This FO seems patient. Fans are always less than.

Love Clyde. He is our golden idol.
However, I do catch some resentment at times when he talks about players today. Which is understandable considering the level he played at and the fact he made nowhere near the current amounts. Must be tough watching kids that don't completely understand the game at the pro level and are making all this money. I noticed it with Melo and sometimes with Randle. Although I do think it's just that he knows how to and respects playing the game the right way. And being able to make the right play if you are considered elite. Something unfortunately the ones mentioned did/do not always do.

gradyandrew wrote:

HofstraBBall wrote:Love Clyde. He is our golden idol.
However, I do catch some resentment at times when he talks about players today. Which is understandable considering the level he played at and the fact he made nowhere near the current amounts. Must be tough watching kids that don't completely understand the game at the pro level and are making all this money. I noticed it with Melo and sometimes with Randle. Although I do think it's just that he knows how to and respects playing the game the right way. And being able to make the right play if you are considered elite. Something unfortunately the ones mentioned did/do not always do.

I remember a game years ago where Clyde mentioned a player from the Knicks (forgot who) who had sought him out for advice. Clyde said he was the only guy who had done so in years. It seems like a waste that more young guys don't seek him out for his knowledge of the game and playing in New York.

I wonder why he never tried to coach

HofstraBBall wrote:

Nalod wrote:Warriors won 72 games and lost in the finals.
Clyde is not always right. HE calls the game, not the career.
Knicks are not doing the same thing as they did in previous administrations of starphuching.
RJ is one month older than Deuce. Just because RJ has now in his 4th season does not mean he is done growing his game.
Some fans might be.
Fans are wrong a lot. We are impressionable about the moment. If a player is doing well we assume it could have been done earlier.
If a player is stepping back we see it "time to move him out and give another his slot".
iHart this season.
Randle last season.
Deuce.
IQ.
and the big polarizing current player is RJ. Many are giving up on him.
Curious if he in trade rumors internally and its phuched with him.
This FO seems patient. Fans are always less than.

Love Clyde. He is our golden idol.
However, I do catch some resentment at times when he talks about players today. Which is understandable considering the level he played at and the fact he made nowhere near the current amounts. Must be tough watching kids that don't completely understand the game at the pro level and are making all this money. I noticed it with Melo and sometimes with Randle. Although I do think it's just that he knows how to and respects playing the game the right way. And being able to make the right play if you are considered elite. Something unfortunately the ones mentioned did/do not always do.

We all love Clyde. My favorite childhood hero/player.
when he calls games he is in our heads. I read it from some posters things he says and that becomes ones opinion.
Sometimes he jumps the gun or gets overly negative. Not egregiously, just enough to paint the picture.
Mostly he is correct, so its not like Im saying he has lost it. Its SOMETIMES.
For goodness sake he has been calling games for how long and the last 20 years must be awful to some extent.
His heart is in the right place. SOMETIMES he just gets generic/boilerplate response.
In the end the games and record speak for itself. Its why we are optimistic in the off season (on paper) and then many get salty thru a season of ups and downs. We are about were most pundits thought we'd be. Yet, frustration of .500 has many a fan thinking they know how to get better. Its not hard to say it. Its hard to make it happen.

I watch the game on League pass thru Youtube TV. Really works great. Start game an hour after it starts and zoom thru commercials and halftime. A few times the MSG fed was off and Watched opponent broadcast.Knicks were playing well they were very knowledgable, thus they were complimentary about our team while critical of theirs. Its refreshing to hear other takes on our team. I suggest some of you try it. Even if you don't agree with it. Lets be real, lover or hater we are not objective as fans. My take is we heap praise sometimes over done and are overly critical on others. Im no different.
And we do influence each other?

If a broken clock is accurate twice a day, so can PhilC!

Panos wrote:

gradyandrew wrote:

HofstraBBall wrote:Love Clyde. He is our golden idol.
However, I do catch some resentment at times when he talks about players today. Which is understandable considering the level he played at and the fact he made nowhere near the current amounts. Must be tough watching kids that don't completely understand the game at the pro level and are making all this money. I noticed it with Melo and sometimes with Randle. Although I do think it's just that he knows how to and respects playing the game the right way. And being able to make the right play if you are considered elite. Something unfortunately the ones mentioned did/do not always do.

I remember a game years ago where Clyde mentioned a player from the Knicks (forgot who) who had sought him out for advice. Clyde said he was the only guy who had done so in years. It seems like a waste that more young guys don't seek him out for his knowledge of the game and playing in New York.

I wonder why he never tried to coach

HE sounds good and imparts knowledge to the audience, but can it translate to coaching? We don't know how he is off the air do we? WE hear him say only one player has come to him. Why is that?