1) It is noboby's fault that we have a new coach who has to get to know a new cast of players which includes many inexperienced young players. It takes time to know the players and get the most out of them. Just consider the Marbury case--he and LB finally seem to have found the right balance.
So Marbury, ten years in the league, is your case study of an inexperienced young player that LB had to develop? It is LB's fault that he could not get the production out of Marbury until recently that every other coach has until recently.
2) You didn't acknowledge the problem of players learning to play with new players. Larry has changed lineups many times and that's a result of learning about the different players, their combinations, and injuries of course.
It is the coaches job to get the team to play together. Here we are more than halfway through the season, and the players are still strangers.
Not to mention that he may bench players who do not execute the way the team needs them to to win. It does appear to be excessive but it's hard to fault LB for having to try different lineups.
It is easy to find fault when he starts Rose and Ad and they are inferior players to the guys behind them. In many cases, the bench has been better than the starters. but it doesn't matter because just about any player could be a starter or get a DNP at any time.
3) The system is called sharing the ball, getting good shots, working inside/outside, not turning the ball over, creating turnovers, staying in front of your guy on defense, rebounding, and effort.
So you still can't identify the system? Niether can I. You are asking for all these things when the playing system and the rotations change every game. That is very hard.
4) Maybe if the rookies did this, maybe if the rookies did that...the fact is that being a rookie in the NBA is difficult and asking them to step right in and beat established veterans is asking alot.
When did I write: "Maybe if the rookies..."?
The rookies have been pretty good this year. Lee has deserved A LOT more time than Rose and Frye should have been starting since mid-November. They both have already beaten the established veterans in front of them. NR has been excellent and terrible at times. They have all been jerked around unjustly.
5) NY is a tough place to play since you are under so much media attention and scrutiny. That in itself is enough to make a player choke. It's hard on a team when you know every mistake you make will be tomorrow's headline. The frustration builds.
How is it choking when you are losing by twenty so often? Seems like the coach is choking to me. Yes, playing in NYC is more pressure than playing in Milwaukee. In any case, you still haven't explained how NYC is making the Knicks lose.
6) The Knicks were bad before the lawsuits, but all these distractions are more obstacles that prevent the team from finally forming some sense of unity and normality.
Yeah, they were going to come together in the last 2 weeks, but the lawsuits stopped them. Do you hear yourself?
***
Yeah, you sure made me look like a fool.
I can't believe you don't think all of these considerations have not been significant contributors to our poor record. I guess if we had a good coach we would be alot better this year.
That was never my point. I never wrote anything like that. Reading is fundamental. You are just making that up in order to have something to say.
A recap:
I simply stated that the Knicks would be worse than the expansion Bobcats if Okafor were not out for half the season. Your reply was that the Knicks had a lot of excuses too. My reply to that was two of the excuses could be attributed to LB's playing style. Your reply was that you would be embarassed to sign your name after those comments.
So in other words, you don't think LB is at fault. Well I do. In my opinion his performance has been at about the level of Malik Rose's.
oohah
[Edited by - oohah on 02-04-2006 3:00 PM]
2/4/2006 3:20 PM