nixluva wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:

crzymdups wrote:Running big lineups with two bigs and Melo at the 3 won't work in the modern NBA

Starting lineup could be:

DRose
CLee
Holiday
Melo
KP

They need the spacing, the ball movement, the quickness on the perimeter with 3 smaller guys who can defend. The shooting upgrade from Noah to Holiday doesn't hurt either.

there are no more sf/pf/c...your either a fwd or a guard, the positions are interchangeable

it's all base on match-ups

The Knicks have some flexibility and Jeff is smart enough to actually use that flexibility. Jeff has Holiday, Willy, Kuz and even Sasha and Baker off the bench. No stars but at least some decent overall ability to allow him to play small when it's needed.

IMO when Noah is on the floor you have to play thru him as a ball handler in the high post. This stops teams from really ignoring him completely. He can be that Point Center and also PnR. You can't have him out there on the perimeter cuz teams won't respect him. You have to play him a bit like RoLo and get him in a post up situation with everyone cutting around him.

I just cant believe how offensively challenge he is..it's worse then mutumbo

blkexec wrote:

nixluva wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:

crzymdups wrote:Running big lineups with two bigs and Melo at the 3 won't work in the modern NBA

Starting lineup could be:

DRose
CLee
Holiday
Melo
KP

They need the spacing, the ball movement, the quickness on the perimeter with 3 smaller guys who can defend. The shooting upgrade from Noah to Holiday doesn't hurt either.

there are no more sf/pf/c...your either a fwd or a guard, the positions are interchangeable

it's all base on match-ups

The Knicks have some flexibility and Jeff is smart enough to actually use that flexibility. Jeff has Holiday, Willy, Kuz and even Sasha and Baker off the bench. No stars but at least some decent overall ability to allow him to play small when it's needed.

IMO when Noah is on the floor you have to play thru him as a ball handler in the high post. This stops teams from really ignoring him completely. He can be that Point Center and also PnR. You can't have him out there on the perimeter cuz teams won't respect him. You have to play him a bit like RoLo and get him in a post up situation with everyone cutting around him.

Thats why Phil gave him 70 mil....hes the perfect point center to have orchestrating the triangle. But in any other offensive set, hes a liability on offense. PnR game is ok, but without a jumper buckets are hard to get.

yellowboy90 wrote:Imagine if the knicks would have went after Tobias Harris when he was available for nearly nothing. The knicks need to find them a legit combo forward that can really defend 3s.
If they could get Kuz going defensively it would be lovely but I have my doubts. So far offensively he has looked good except he seems to get nervous around the basket.

I don't think Kuz is Physical enough and so far he's still adjusting to the speed and strength at this level. I do think Kuz will improve a lot offensively, which would help.

Starters:
Pg: Jennings
Sg: Holiday
Sf: Lee
Pf: Melo
C: KP

Hernangomez should be 1st big off the bench

1st unit has personnel to run triangle

2nd Unit:
Pg: Rose
Sg: Sasha/Baker(Randle eventually)
Sf: Kuz
Pf: Thomas
C: Noah

That 2nd unit has shooters while Rose & Noah play pick & roll all day

crzymdups wrote:KP's best game of the season came with Noah on the bench a lot, too 24pts 11rebs

...against a Dallas team missing Dirk and two other starters. Salt grain, please.

nixluva wrote:

martin wrote:Defensively speaking, do you think KP is ready for the 5 from a physical standpoint full time? I don't

KP is most definitely still somewhat fragile IMO. He's not built to bang with heavier and stronger bigs. I do think he can play 5 for stretches and especially if the other team doesn't have a real center or Banger in there. Jeff will have to be judicious in when he uses KP at the 5 IMO. He's said as much which gives me confidence Jeff sees what we see.

+1
Which is the same thing he should do with Melo playing at the 4, since we've already heard enough about OldManMelo, MedicalExcuseMelo, 33YearOldMelo, DinosaurMelo...

yellowboy90 wrote:Are there really that many bangers at the 5 positions anymore?

Not a ton but it has to do more with KP and his fragility?

yellowboy90 wrote:Are there really that many bangers at the 5 positions anymore?

Nope

blkexec wrote:

martin wrote:Defensively speaking, do you think KP is ready for the 5 from a physical standpoint full time? I don't

What we give up on defense, we gain on offense. With KP at the 4, our team defense has been bad, as far as lateral quickness. With KP at the 5, our quickness improve, spacing improve.....i believe the positives out weigh the negatives with KP at 5.

I just don't see it happening because phil has too much pride to admit when he is wrong.

I mean, I agree with you on the positives gains on offense. Just talking about, will KP and his body survive the season at the 5. Is it ready from a maturity standpoint. 240 pounds for a 7'3" guy.

It's like asking Yao Ming to run with Amare and Steve Nash on those feet.