CashMoney wrote:

earthmansurfer wrote:CashMoney - I'm not focusing on the Wizzards win and won't argue with the essence of your post.

But let's look at some recent wins and losses:
Wizzards @ 21 games under .500
GS @ 33-26, no David Lee
Loss@Toronta @ 23-36
Loss@Indiana @ 37-22 - We got pounded
Loss again @ Toronto
Loss @ LA

This continues and the games we had been winning against good teams, were mostly closer.

Look, there is not much to get excited about. We haven't been a fun team to watch since that initial great start we had. Now, don't take this as hating, personal, etc. This is just an observation.
I hope we turn things around. I will be rooting like all Knicks fans once we get into the playoffs but till then I'm just calling what I see, as many many Knick fans have been.

IMHO winning a game is fun. What gets to me is that we lose a game the forum explodes with negative threads and posts and when we win theres always an excuse for the other team. For example, GS not hvaing Lee doesn't mean we don't win that game. Probably means that Curry doesn't go off for 54. We beat Philly, GS and the Wiz for 3 in a row but since these are games "we should win" there's no reason to be happy?

I really don't get it. This is the best team we've had in over a decade, we're 1st in the Atlantic and 2nd in the E.C. yet that's not good enough for many. Teams go through funks throughout a season. Yeah, we've been playing .500 ball for 30 games but we still have 28 games left. Many think just because we should beat a team on paper that a W should be guaranteed. Reality is any team can be beaten on any given night. Didn't the Spurs have their home winning streak broken by the Suns after being up by 14 in the 4th quarter? The Heat and Thunder lost to the Wiz before we did. No big deal but we do it and it's the end of the world. SMFH...

I understand where you're coming from earthman, the Knicks have lots of areas in which they can improve. Especially when it comes to giving a consistent effort every night and competing. I'm not saying we should be elated, but like Cashmoney is saying...there is some good too. It's just that a lot, not all, of the negativity is the result of expectations that are unrealistic.
-We can't expect to win every game.
-Early on in the year , we were healthy and fit. It's a long season and the bumps and bruises add up and the level of play is likely to drop off. I'm glad we got all those early wins because they helped keep our positioning over the past couple of weeks. And you're right, I'd love to see them play the way they did early. This team has the potential to be that dominant.
-Just because a team is inferior to us on paper, doesn't mean they'll just roll over and give us the win. Depending on individual match-ups, there are "bad teams" that have given us hell. So whether it's a 20 point win or a 1 point win. at the end the W is all that's going to count.
-We go through a rough patch and ppl are already saying fire woody/blow up the team/time to rebuild. It's all a little overly dramatic in my opinion. This is the first time we haven't had a revolving roster in years. Changing coaches/players is not a seamless transition and likely will cause more problems before any are fixed. Sometimes you just have to ride the storm.
-We expect players to be 100% and play like they did before they were injured their first game back. If they don't, trade them asap...and complain we don't develop the yoots.

It's really the extremists that I'm thinking of. Sure, it's important to consider the long term prospects of the team and there is plenty to worry about. But no one can know what will happen in the future. So one can choose to worry about all the problems the whole season and be miserable the whole time or one can look at the present situation and take some positives in with the bad and enjoy the ride. Who knows...the may not be much to celebrate at the end of the season. If that's the case the only pleasure the extreme negative posters will have over the whole season is in saying "I told you so."

Edit: I didn't see what you posted following the quoted post until after I replied.

CashMoney wrote:

earthmansurfer wrote:Without a doubt, it's fun to watch your team win. I think the problem arises when you have expectations for a championship, start the year VERY strongly as we did and then, outside of Melo and Chandler, show very little that gives hope for a championship. I mean we are barely playing like a top 10 team. We are NOTHING, absolutely nothing like the top teams out there. They are playing much much much better than we have been. The old guys that many of us worried about getting injured are STILL injured (except Priggs, he gets hardly any minutes). Kidd looks a bit like toast as well. When I think back to those teams of the 90's and the defense they played, how they generally gave their best, etc., now that was a team you can support.

When I look at this team, we have one great player in Melo, a potential all star in Chandler. I really like Chandler, but he does everything but score and that hurts. The old folks are all hurt or apparently near collapsing (see Kidd). The coach (or team) just isn't pushing it on D, their doesn't seem to be much in the way of offensive play calling - it is mostly Melo (not completely, but for example, how many plays do we run for Novak to get open looks? I mean one of the best 3 pt shooters out there.) We need to get the team involved more as come the playoffs, they are going to COMPLETELY focus on Melo, cause, well, no one else is doing much out side of JR (and that is on occasion). And on top of all of it, there is still the cloud of Lin in the air because of Feltons often poor play (and Kidd being toast and Priggs just being ehhh.)

I guess I'm just disappointed in how many ways the team is playing below it's capability (from the coach to basically all of the players.) Again, I'll root for the team, but I'm never a total optimist or pessimist. Those are not realists, they are what they are. Maybe that can be fun (optimist) or just terrible. I try to just report what I'm seeing and well, when all is said and done, looking at our recent record (outside the great start) is just blah AND it accurately describes our play.

I don't think there are many here who have not been dissapointed recently. The season is a grind and considering all the injuries we've dealt with our current situation could be much worse. However, I'm feeling optimistic about our chances. Shump is looking better and better each game, STAT has been good and has been improving.

One of Novaks big problems this year has been him standing outside the line and not moving. The bank shot he hit yeterday was a thing of beauty. The guy can shoot the lights out but not every shot has to be for 3. A simple pump fake, one dribble in and shoot will do wonders for his game. Camby returning will be huge. It means that Chandler can get some rest and we have another body who can block shots and rebound. Kenyon Martin being on the team won't lead us to a 180 but he can help by giving us a few solid minutes and tough D and rebounding. Kidd coming off the bench yesterday is a step in the right direction. We need to preserve him for the 2nd season and we've run the poor guy into the ground. Prigs hasn't been great but he's been solid. Hopefully his back is OK and he can get some run tomorrow.

There is a lot of season left and we control our own destiny. In Melo I trust....

Some good points for optimism Cash AND Minsheartsreezy. Well, we have a bit game today and I'm looking forward to watching it here in Germany. Afternoon games are always a possibility ;-)

I am looking forward to the old guys returning. If Chandler can get his minutes down that is a good thing. We usually raise our game against the better teams, so it should be a good one...