nixluva wrote:Basically the Spurs are the "Money Ball" team of the NBA. They've been finding value and production and ignore picking players based on flash. They wouldn't probably never add a JR Smith because he's just not a consistently productive player that can fit into a TEAM Concept.
It seems fashionable to bash Walsh and MDA but that's exactly what they were doing!!! Trying to build an actual team of players that produce. It's not easy because we didn't have a Duncan to center everything around but you could see that things always seemed to function well when we had lots of role players who fit in their spots. Even this year for a brief time you could see how the team functioned with players fitting into roles and a TEAM concept. If we could've maintained that approach after Melo came back it would've been great.

We have roster issues based on the style of play and fit. Our 2 best players haven't been able to really blend their games. As we all know both are scorers and finishers, but it's mind boggling that they haven't been used to play off of each other more! Tyson being a finisher only with no real offensive game of his own, makes it even tougher to blend them all together unless you have Melo and Tyson in PnR together. We have to center it around the PG, much like the Celtics do. I think it's the only way that this is gonna work. We have to re-sign Lin and find a VERY high quality PG to share the position. We should never again go into a season with only one really capable PG. You can see the frustration of STAT build, tho he never says anything, but I just know he smashed his hand because he doesn't see the ball anymore. That's why he wants Nash!!!

What I see as a HUGE factor is that we don't have a LEGIT 6th man that can come in and do work like Harden or Manu. There's no punch off the bench! I think Grunwald thought JR could be that guy, but he was kind of a mess.

Lin
Shump (Most Likely Landry will start the year)
Melo
STAT
Tyson

PG? (Would love Dragic, but that's not happening. John Lucas, Patty Mills, Jonny Flynn or Ishmael Smith might be good options)
SG? (Shanon Brown, DeShawn Stephenson, Marco Belinelli, Jodie Meeks... there are lot of decent options)
Fields (I believe he can get his shot back. People ignored the fact that he improved his handle and driving and he's a good passer.)
Jorts(I think he's got a chance to get in even better shape and continue to develop his offensive game.)
Jared (Solid D and you know he works great with Tyson)n
TD (who knows what we can expect from him. I can only hope he can get his game back, cuz we're stuck with him)

Shumpert can eventually be that ideal 6th man with his ability to play the 1, 2, and 3. We need a shooter in the lineup at SG. Otherwise teams can collapse on Lin, Melo, and Stoudemire left and right and no one can make them pay. If the Spurs are teaching us anything, you have to be able to make shots in catch and shoot situations.

BRIGGS wrote:Staring Stoudemire Carmelo and Chandler will never work as a starting unit that plays mostly together. Good team yes. Move Stoudmire to a 6th man type where he plays back up 4-5 for 28 minutes---then its easier to fill in the pieces.

You have to start him though because of Ego and get him going to start. I think a big key will be him developing a relationship with Lin which did not happen last year because of injuries and Tyson. Yes, Tyson will still be there but he has worked with a center before. I do agree that they need to be some spacing and that will come by subbing STAT out earlier and having him start the second. If they just expand on what they where doing under Woodson as a whole they can work together. They all must come back in-shape and defensive minded.

BRIGGS wrote:

yellowboy90 wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:Staring Stoudemire Carmelo and Chandler will never work as a starting unit that plays mostly together. Good team yes. Move Stoudmire to a 6th man type where he plays back up 4-5 for 28 minutes---then its easier to fill in the pieces.

You have to start him though because of Ego and get him going to start. I think a big key will be him developing a relationship with Lin which did not happen last year because of injuries and Tyson. Yes, Tyson will still be there but he has worked with a center before. I do agree that they need to be some spacing and that will come by subbing STAT out earlier and having him start the second. If they just expand on what they where doing under Woodson as a whole they can work together. They all must come back in-shape and defensive minded.

I'm sorry but a simple explanation to Stoudemire of we think its best that you become a premiere 6th man a nd siting references such as Kevin Mchale Manu Ginobli. Remember when we went to the finals in 1994 A Mason was the best 6th man and in 1999 Marcus Camby was 6th man-- John Starks was also once 6th man of year. 6th man has worked for NY Knicks in good times and many great teams have great 6th men!! An ego is bruised by wanting to be the best?

I understand where you're going with this, but I have to disagree. Despite the fact that so far it hasn't worked with STAT and Melo, we really can't push STAT to the bench. That just makes no sense from how you put your team together. You have to figure out how to make the trio work before going to such a drastic move. This year wasn't a good test case IMO. We had too much upheaval at the Point guard spot and with the Coach and Melo, injuries etc. I still believe that a good PG can make a huge difference in how this all works and there's no need to make such a drastic move of our 2nd best player to the bench. They can also easily make a shift in the rotation order so that STAT comes out early and you'd still get the same effect. The main issue is the PG spot and getting a SG that is a dependable shooter.

nixluva wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:

yellowboy90 wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:Staring Stoudemire Carmelo and Chandler will never work as a starting unit that plays mostly together. Good team yes. Move Stoudmire to a 6th man type where he plays back up 4-5 for 28 minutes---then its easier to fill in the pieces.

You have to start him though because of Ego and get him going to start. I think a big key will be him developing a relationship with Lin which did not happen last year because of injuries and Tyson. Yes, Tyson will still be there but he has worked with a center before. I do agree that they need to be some spacing and that will come by subbing STAT out earlier and having him start the second. If they just expand on what they where doing under Woodson as a whole they can work together. They all must come back in-shape and defensive minded.

I'm sorry but a simple explanation to Stoudemire of we think its best that you become a premiere 6th man a nd siting references such as Kevin Mchale Manu Ginobli. Remember when we went to the finals in 1994 A Mason was the best 6th man and in 1999 Marcus Camby was 6th man-- John Starks was also once 6th man of year. 6th man has worked for NY Knicks in good times and many great teams have great 6th men!! An ego is bruised by wanting to be the best?

I understand where you're going with this, but I have to disagree. Despite the fact that so far it hasn't worked with STAT and Melo, we really can't push STAT to the bench. That just makes no sense from how you put your team together. You have to figure out how to make the trio work before going to such a drastic move. This year wasn't a good test case IMO. We had too much upheaval at the Point guard spot and with the Coach and Melo, injuries etc. I still believe that a good PG can make a huge difference in how this all works and there's no need to make such a drastic move of our 2nd best player to the bench. They can also easily make a shift in the rotation order so that STAT comes out early and you'd still get the same effect. The main issue is the PG spot and getting a SG that is a dependable shooter.

I hear you nix and I agree about improvement from the 2 and possibly the three position. My take is we can make Amare a star player from position 6--if you look back and my post and what I said--just from the Knicks prospective Camby Starks Mason--yo0u are talking TWO finals teams and three really good players. Stat as a sixth man would give us a premiere big man scorer going against 2nd line guys--it cuts down on his minutes---we wont start the game with a clogged lane we have a scorer out there at all times. It makes a ton a TON of sense.

BRIGGS wrote:

nixluva wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:

yellowboy90 wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:Staring Stoudemire Carmelo and Chandler will never work as a starting unit that plays mostly together. Good team yes. Move Stoudmire to a 6th man type where he plays back up 4-5 for 28 minutes---then its easier to fill in the pieces.

You have to start him though because of Ego and get him going to start. I think a big key will be him developing a relationship with Lin which did not happen last year because of injuries and Tyson. Yes, Tyson will still be there but he has worked with a center before. I do agree that they need to be some spacing and that will come by subbing STAT out earlier and having him start the second. If they just expand on what they where doing under Woodson as a whole they can work together. They all must come back in-shape and defensive minded.

I'm sorry but a simple explanation to Stoudemire of we think its best that you become a premiere 6th man a nd siting references such as Kevin Mchale Manu Ginobli. Remember when we went to the finals in 1994 A Mason was the best 6th man and in 1999 Marcus Camby was 6th man-- John Starks was also once 6th man of year. 6th man has worked for NY Knicks in good times and many great teams have great 6th men!! An ego is bruised by wanting to be the best?

I understand where you're going with this, but I have to disagree. Despite the fact that so far it hasn't worked with STAT and Melo, we really can't push STAT to the bench. That just makes no sense from how you put your team together. You have to figure out how to make the trio work before going to such a drastic move. This year wasn't a good test case IMO. We had too much upheaval at the Point guard spot and with the Coach and Melo, injuries etc. I still believe that a good PG can make a huge difference in how this all works and there's no need to make such a drastic move of our 2nd best player to the bench. They can also easily make a shift in the rotation order so that STAT comes out early and you'd still get the same effect. The main issue is the PG spot and getting a SG that is a dependable shooter.

I hear you nix and I agree about improvement from the 2 and possibly the three position. My take is we can make Amare a star player from position 6--if you look back and my post and what I said--just from the Knicks prospective Camby Starks Mason--yo0u are talking TWO finals teams and three really good players. Stat as a sixth man would give us a premiere big man scorer going against 2nd line guys--it cuts down on his minutes---we wont start the game with a clogged lane we have a scorer out there at all times. It makes a ton a TON of sense.

I have been saying this in the start of the season, if we cannot trade Amare, he should be removed from the starting lineup.
When Tyson Chandler was out, Amare did great with Melo.
It is just that all 3 cannot coexist well together.

I was watching Green from the Spurs very closely yesterday.
I think he has great size, is a great shooter, and has decent guard skills,

BUT

lacks the foot speed/quickness to be a starting SG, athleticism, and would be a defensive liability on most nights.
He fits well with the Spurs, but would be another liability here as a starter.
It is comparable to why Fields cannot play SG for us consistently, on the defensive end.
He can hit the 3pointer but the Spurs have post options, many penetration threats, with good spacing, and ball movement.

Thats my opinion on it, he can play Novak's role at the G/F spot though.
But to be a full time starter, he would be a liability on the defensive end, and we cannot afford to have another one in our starting lineup.