misterearl wrote:Say What?

fitzfarm - we definitely have the talent to be a great defense like we showed early last season

Based on what exactly?

The athletic ability is their.

(bootleg alert) "Our All Star/Olympian is showing signs of wear and tear. All our forwards are on a pitch count. Stoudemire, Artest and Martin are relics of another era. Father time laughs at the standard prognosis of 4-6 weeks recovery. There is no recovery from major/minor arthroscopic, microfracture or any other surgery. Just ask Shump. Ask JRSmith. There is only the adjustment to not having physical gifts to lean on with a hand in your face."

Please describe the athletic ability in the Knicks frontcourt that allows them to dominate defensively?

Are you saying that this team didn't show flashes of greatness on defense for the first part of last season? And even this year vs Brooklyn, I don't think we will be the best in the league but a top ten isnt out of the question . Chandler is defiantly athletic and could be great defensively if motivated . Brags can be a really good on the ball defender look at what he did against d Howard. Melo we all know has the ability to be great on both sides of the ball. that's our starting front line with shump and Murray/Pablo in the back court ... There's no reason other then effort and motivation/ buying in and giving 100 percent. With those five we should and could be top ten on defense. On a side note if shump yelled at or argued with Riley or jvg, he would be benched and even possibly traded. Woody needs to get these guys to give 100 percent and punish the ones that don't to start a fire under their ass. As for the bench thjr just needs time, jr needs motivation, stat might be a lost cause but you know he'll try. And Martin is a decent defender that will hustle and spark to a team.

Saying that Bargnani "can be a really good on the ball defender" does not make it so. Nor does it mean he will grab more than 5 rebounds a game. For the entire Knicks frontcourt to be out-rebounded by Russell Westbrook is a crime. Or did you notice?

Please name an NBA guard that Pablo Prigioni will dominate on defense? And I love Pablo... but you gotta get real.

C'mon Son!

fitzfarm - ever consider that not giving "100 per cent" could be a product of taking skills (or the adulation... or the paycheck for that matter) for granted?

Think of it this way... would you rather teach a group of intellectually curious kids... or a group of kids who thought they knew all the answers?

Is motivation something that must be taught to an adult, or should motivation be a part of any professionals DNA?
Did someone need to motivate Michael Jordan to be great? Was a coach standing over him in the gym? Lebron at the playground?

Or does the will to excel (the winners instinct) develop from the fabric of a person's personality?

"If you are not getting better, you are falling behind." Which Knicks are better this season, over last?