PS I would rather have a top ten player in this league who WANTS TO PLAY in NYC as in IT IS HIS DREAM, rather than a dude who wanted to play here just because A'mare came. And we did not have what Utah wanted. And I will still argue we did not give up much at all for Melo.

crzymdups wrote:all this talk about the Knicks lack of depth - i see two former lottery picks in Brewer and Shelden, a 17th overall pick in Shawne, a 27th pick in Toney and a bench player from a championship team in Bill Walker.

fishmike wrote:

crzymdups wrote:all this talk about the Knicks lack of depth - i see two former lottery picks in Brewer and Shelden, a 17th overall pick in Shawne, a 27th pick in Toney and a bench player from a championship team in Bill Walker.

I love your optimism and hope your right. We have had many heated debates er (spirited disagreements) ah.. ok pissing contests over the years and I greatly repect your opinions. Not seeing what your seeing here though... Williams and Brewer have been failures as NBA players despite both possesing great physical tools. We will see... hope like hell your right man!

i think i'll be right about Brewer and dead wrong about Shelden.

hopefully they can get a big man in the draft, or that Jerome Jordan kid can come over soon. We need some big depth. and a backup PG - we all know Toney isn't a point.

crzymdups wrote:all this talk about the Knicks lack of depth - i see two former lottery picks in Brewer and Shelden, a 17th overall pick in Shawne, a 27th pick in Toney and a bench player from a championship team in Bill Walker.

Wings are covered but Center and Point requires additional depth. If Andy can pick up things next year as well as our other Center in Europe it would be a boost.

SupremeCommander wrote:

FoeDiddy wrote:

SupremeCommander wrote:

FoeDiddy wrote:

SupremeCommander wrote:

VCoug wrote:

SupremeCommander wrote:

crzymdups wrote:

fishmike wrote:

Knickoftime wrote:

SupremeCommander wrote:The minutes HAVE TO BE factored in, as well as his age and the pace he will be asked to play. Look, i'm not upset that Chauncey Billups is going to be giving the Knicks 30 MPG. But what's going to happen when he has to play 42 the first night of a back-to-back

Pace is relatively the same.

And he averages 32.3m a game. Last year he averaged 35. The difference is likely more due to Lawson being a very capable back-up.

Nash is averaging 33.3.

Kidd 33.7.

Playing the age card is pretty weak.

If there is evidence that Chauncey Billups can't 33m a night, produce it.

"34" doesn't cut the mustard.

age is a huge factor and Billups isnt a long term solution. His play has tailed off because he's not the defensive player he was 2-3 years ago.

Billups is a short term upgrade, but Felton was a good fall back option if we couldnt sign or trade for a star PG. Thats exhasted now. Same with Mosgov at center. Would have been nice to keep one of those guys but thus is life

Age is a huge factor. But no one should point to stats - Felton averaged 12pts and 5assists before coming here. Mike's system pumps up PG numbers. I bet Chauncey averages 18ppg and 9apg the rest of this season in NY. Mike's system is a point guard's dream - as is playing with Amar'e.

one of you said pace is the same, yet the other says Pringles' system pumps up numbers... I'm confused

I cannot stress age enough. Seemingly every PG Mike has played outside of Nash breaks down and gets injured... probably not a coincidence that Nash does some crazy fitness/nutrition stuff. So, great, Billups puts up 18 and 9 for the rest of the season and breaks down in the playoffs

I don't remember reading anything that said Duhon or Felton were playing hurt under MDA. Isn't it more like that their reduced numbers had more to do with regressing to the mean as opposed to some phantom injury?

Felton failing to make All-Star case
With trip to L.A. at stake, Knicks point guard struggling at worst possible time
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By Ian Begley
Special to ESPNNewYork.com
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Mavs Run Past Knicks, 113-97
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NEW YORK -- If Raymond Felton gets an invite to the All-Star Game, he certainly didn't earn it with his play against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night.

Raymond Felton has to hope coaches have been too busy filling out their All-Star ballots to keep a close eye on him lately.
The point guard finished with 11 points on 4-of-14 shooting as the New York Knicks were manhandled by the Mavs in a 113-97 blowout loss.

After the game, Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni suggested Felton has been bothered by a hand injury he suffered against the Boston Celtics on Dec. 15.

But Felton didn't want to use the injury as a defense for what he did (or didn't do) against Dallas.

"I'm battling an injury but I'm out there on the court, so there's no excuse," he said.

Felton is likely battling guards Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen and Joe Johnson for a reserve spot on the Eastern Conference All-Star squad. The remaining seven spots are voted on by the coaches, with the results announced Thursday.

No coach can vote for his own player, but you have to wonder if Felton would even get a vote from D'Antoni after his inconsistent play recently.

Felton, who seemed like a strong candidate for an All-Star spot in late December, has done plenty of damage to his candidacy over the past five weeks, the latest example being his sub-par night against Dallas.

At times in 2011, Felton has been as icy as Manhattan street corners in this particularly cold winter. He's shot under 40 percent in 12 of the Knicks' past 16 games. He's reached his season average (17.2 points per game) just six times since Jan. 2, when he went off for 28 points against the Spurs.

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His scoring average has dipped by a full point since then and his assist average has also taken a hit.

"His hand is still bothering him, swollen up pretty good," D'Antoni said. "But I just don't think it makes a difference. Obviously, it would be nice to hit all his shots, but we have to be a little bit more aggressive on the defensive end and get into people and want it a little bit more than them."

Making matters worse on Wednesday, Felton's Dallas counterparts, Jose Juan Barea and Jason Kidd, outscored him 15-2 during the Mavs' decisive 26-6 run early in the third quarter. To be fair, both Barea and Kidd were on the floor at the same time. But Felton's missed layup with 9:53 to go in the third -- early in the Mavs' run -- could have pulled the Knicks within four. Three minutes later, they were down 15. Less than three minutes later, the Knicks trailed by 24.

"We get down on a team like that, [24] points, it's tough," Felton said. "They're one of the best teams in the league, one of the best teams in the West, so it's hard to come back on a team like that."

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Like a politician stumbling as Election Day approaches, Felton's played his worst at the worst possible time as he attempts to make his first All-Star team.

He seems to be nonchalant about the opportunity.

"We'll see what happens," Felton said. "If I'm there, great. If I'm not, great. Life still goes on."

If he gets the nod Thursday, the coaches voting for him likely would have ignored what they saw from Felton on Wednesday night and the weeks before it.

Ian Begley is a regular contributor to ESPNNewYork.com.

maybe y'all should stop being revisionist historians

Sorry to point this out but don't most NBA players battle small injuries through the season. That's why Felton was probably saying he can't use it as an excuse. Excuses are for losers. Kobe battles injuries every year. Much worse then Felton's hand injury.

dude, he started one game with a hand brace and ripped it off after the first shot. I'm sorry, YOUR HAND is important in basketball and probably a little moreso as a PG

And that is why I used Kobe as an example..he battled hand injuries for a whole season. Look at his numbers..they are not far off from his career numbers. Felton is who he is outside those great 10 to 15 games he played during our streak. He is a solid competitor with several flaws.

You chose to compare Raymond Felton to Kobe Bryant? No wonder you were disappointed in his play.

Comparison in terms of hand injuries not play. And anyone watching the last month was also disappointed in his play. What games were you watching?

crzymdups wrote:

NJ_StevePoliti Steve Politi
by bergenadamek
"I can't really give any assurances that I'll be here. You don't know what the future holds." -- Deron Williams. Ruh roh!

Ledger_Nets Deron Williams says he wants to see how things go next season goes before deciding if he wants to sign extension.

MaTT4281 wrote:

NYKBocker wrote:

crzymdups wrote:

NJ_StevePoliti Steve Politi
by bergenadamek
"I can't really give any assurances that I'll be here. You don't know what the future holds." -- Deron Williams. Ruh roh!

Ledger_Nets Deron Williams says he wants to see how things go next season goes before deciding if he wants to sign extension.

Part of me feels bad for the Nets, but the other part is laughing hysterically.

Maybe Deron resigns with them and lures in Dwight? I wouldn't count on it, but that would be an intimidating team, regardless of who fills out the roster.

New Jersey has less cap room than the Knicks in 2012. Because Brook Lopez has a $10M cap hold before any extension.

My guess is they'll try to sign and trade him for...someone?

Can't see Dwight going to the Nets. I think he'll go to Lakers or Knicks or maybe try to bring CP3 to Orlando.