fishmike wrote:

earthmansurfer wrote:

NYKMentality wrote:And the Miami Heat are a SF/LeBron injury away from a first round elimination. And the Thunder are a PG/SF away from a first round elimination. And if Jordan was never born Ewing and the Knicks would've taken home 2-3 titles. The Knicks are a PG injury away from a 1st round elimination. The Clippers are another CP3 injury away from a first round elimination.

Get the picture?

I personally can't wait for our Toronto game, then it's time to enjoy our All-Star weekend as the 1st place team of our Atlantic Division along with being the 2nd seed of the Entire Eastern Conference. Only 33 games away from winning our first Atlantic Division Title dating back to 1993-1994. 19 years ago.

For those of you who truthfully believe you've seen future Knicks energy/intensity come postseason play, you're wrong. The playoffs are another animal and when focused, watch out for these Knicks. Like Jason Kidd stated after our 8th game, the regular season is only a dress rehearsal for these Knicks. The regular season is a marathon, with goals such as winning your Division and/or competing for the #1 seed of the East. It's a marathon, not a quick race to the finish line. Woodson has to manage minutes and play specific players during the regular season, in which won't be getting many minutes come postseason play. We're making sure vets such as Thomas, Rasheed and Camby can be at full strength come postseason play. Still haven't unleashed Shumpert/Stoudemire. Amar'e will become a different animal come postseason play. His health is number one during the regular season. Woodson has already seen what Rasheed can do. No point of burning him before our strong postseason push (hopefully) post All-Star break. Same goes for Camby.

And no, the Knicks aren't a PG injury away from a first round elimination. Boston is also without their PG in Rondo. And no way Milwaukee can eliminate us even without Felton. Jason Kidd, Pablo, Iman Shumpert, J.R Smith, Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler, Steve Novak, Rasheed Wallace, Marcus Camby, Ronnie Brewer and Kurt Thomas would still eliminate Boston with home court advantage, especially considering the fact Boston's now without Rondo. Come postseason play? They are dead.

But yea, what happens to Miami without LeBron? Thunder without Durant? Clippers without CP3? There are truthfully two players who our Knicks are done without. A.) Carmelo Anthony. B.) Tyson Chandler.

Great point regarding those other Elite teams also being one key player away from a first round elimination. Point taken. My problem though that you allude to in bold above:

But after playing a bunch of mostly bad teams and winning most of those games, don't you think we'd get up for the Clippers? (Hard to believe we can now say that!)
Also, we have lost something like our last 5 or 6 games against our last 7 or 8 very good to great teams. This is concerning, it isn't all just about turning things up for the playoffs.
If anything, coast against crappy team and get up for the good ones but we don't see that. There is a reason we are ranked 10th... (Not saying I agree with that ranking, but there is a reason)

I think you guys missed the point. If Chalmers, Mike Miller or Battier goes down the Heat are just fine. If Felton, Kidd, Shump... goes down? Knicks were < .500 without Felton right? This is a guy we got cheap because nobody else wanted him. Its not even close to being the same thing

Great point. We have already seen what this team looks like without a good PG from this year to last year. They struggle. Knicks would be wise to trade for a player in the mold of Ramon Sessions. A player that won't cost a lot trade wise but can contribute to your team.

Nalod wrote:
Boston is better without rondo if you have not noticed.

You've got to be kidding me. You may have only noticed 7 games, but I've noticed a lot more than that over the years. How can you state that the Boston Celtics are "better" without Rondo when it's only been 8 games? Yes they've gone 7-1 but they're coming off a loss to the Bobcats.

How quickly fans (such as yourself) seem to forget, that...

Boston won 66 games back in 07-08 with Rondo as their starting PG. 1st seed of the East. NBA Championship.
Boston won 62 games back in 08-09 with Rondo as their starting PG. 2nd seed of the East.
Boston won 50 games back in 09-10 with Rondo as their starting PG. 4th seed of the East.
Boston won 56 games back in 10-11 with Rondo as their starting PG. 3rd seed of the East.

Etc, etc.

But now the Boston Celtics are a "better team" without Rondo? Due to 7 games? Yea, o.k. Laughable.

And the Spurs are a better team without Tim Duncan due to going 9-1 during the 10 games in which Duncan has missed here in 2012-2013.

Can you see how foolish and/or clueless that sounds...?

NYKMentality wrote:

Nalod wrote:
Boston is better without rondo if you have not noticed.

You've got to be kidding me. You may have only noticed 7 games, but I've noticed a lot more than that over the years. How can you state that the Boston Celtics are "better" without Rondo when it's only been 8 games? Yes they've gone 7-1 but they're coming off a loss to the Bobcats.

How quickly fans (such as yourself) seem to forget, that...

Boston won 66 games back in 07-08 with Rondo as their starting PG. 1st seed of the East. NBA Championship.
Boston won 62 games back in 08-09 with Rondo as their starting PG. 2nd seed of the East.
Boston won 50 games back in 09-10 with Rondo as their starting PG. 4th seed of the East.
Boston won 56 games back in 10-11 with Rondo as their starting PG. 3rd seed of the East.

Etc, etc.

But now the Boston Celtics are a "better team" without Rondo? Yea, o.k.

And the Spurs are a better team without Tim Duncan due to going 9-1 during the 10 games in which Duncan has missed here in 2012-2013.

Can you see how foolish and/or clueless that sounds...?

No.

That was then, this is now.

I should have put "May be better without Rondo".

Its a small sample.

And........The roster is quite different than the last 6 years. Many variables right? Ray, KG and Pierce are years from their prime 5 years ago.

YOu are very much into the past as proof the validate the present. Bottom line is teams and players change. Is SAS better without Duncan? Duncan in his present form is a really good player but not the same Duncan from 5 years ago.

SAS has one "star" now and thats parker. Duncan and Ginobli are getting older. Their contracts don't qualify the talent.

Its why we got Kidd, camby and Sheed. They are way past their pride and you can't plug in their cred and add it up.

The Rondo is out factor is plain to see at the moment, they Celtics are playing the best ball of THIS SEASON without Rondo.

Will it last? I don't know. Does it mean you write him off? Doubt that makes sense. But since each roster has its own dynamic its possible that rondo was not providing the right chemistry and his minutes are going to players who are stepping up making the most of the opportunity.

Is that Clueless and Foolish? Not really. Might be if you don't consider it and just go on the last 5 years. "Past performance is no guarantee of future results"..........You see it on any investment offering because folks make the mistake to consider the past as the path to the future.

Really, you don't have to come up with the schemes to justify the angles to why you thing Melo is the greatest and bestest player. They guy is playing great ball and having a great season. Its a season not yet finished.

In time, his stature this season will be noted and appreciated should the team COMPLETE THE SEASON AS TOP 4 SEED AND ADVANCE IN THE PLAYOFFS.

Lets hope he does not miss many games!