Posted by nixluva:

Nov. 6-11, Dec. 7-9 and Jan. 7-8 From that you can see that this teams bad start was the thing that really set us back. Now this team is gonna have to really pick it up over the last 30+ games in order to stay in this thing and possibly pull it out. They're gonna have to play at an above .500 level the rest of the way. Can they do that? I don't know.

In terms of making the playoffs now that's a different story. I still think they can make it in. Being 4 games back of Toronto isn't the worst thing in the world. This team has to fight thru this and stay close enough, to keep them within reach.

The FACT is that Steph is hurting, not DONE, just hurting. It doesn't have to be a permanent thing and we WILL get some much needed time off over the next 3 weeks. We WILL be getting Q back and we WILL be getting Francis back.

Now I know that some of you will poo poo all of this, but to be honest when Steph is RIGHT, he's a VERY good player and the same goes for Q and Francis. They play well and this team looks a lot better. We just tend to forget so quickly how well these guys can really play. It's a long season and at different times the grind can get to you. Now if you're willing to concede that Steph, Q and Francis being hurt has hurt this team, then you can at least admit that this team would likely be better if they had been healthy. Steph was on a roll until he tweaked his Knee and Q was having a big season until he hurt his arm. I still think this team has a chance.

Nixluva noone has forgotten how talented Q and Francis and Marbs are when healthy. We all know. We also all know that it isn't the talent that is hurting us. It is the mix of players on the roster. Until we build a team instead of slapping players on the roster there will always be people coming on saying "just wait, give us time to gel", "once guys are back from injuries we will be great"

When most of us picked our pre-season predictions we took injuries into account. The general consensus on the board was between 35-40 wins. We are currently on pace for 34. Assuming guys come back healthy and we stay in the race until the end, the 35-40 win pace is probably where we will fall. After 3 years, 500 million dollars and roster move after roster move we are hoping to not have injuries and win 35-40 games. I called this shiot 7 years ago, the day Pat left. Management will gradually lower our expectations until just making the playoffs is acceptable. They want to win titles, but the playoffs is priority. We have bought intot that.

We have a team that is slapped together. We are trying to reinvent the wheel. Enough nonsense. Pick a core and build around it. Who cares about Marbs? Who cares about Francis? Who cares about the players that won't be here when our young "core" is in it's "prime". Stop taking your eyes off the prize and worrying about making the playoffs this year. And focus upon the next move that makes sense with our current plan.

That's why people are excited about Charlotte. You don't see them overpaying for a Francis to try and make a playoff run. They are living and dying with their young guys. We are meanwhile hoping Stevie and marbs can get it together and work together to start another "mythical" title run.

Posted by TrueBlue:

The Bobcats so far own the season series at 2-1 and it could easily be 3-0.


Somehow though there is evident progress with the Knicks.


Let me ask most of you here....... What team has a brighter future us or them?

Posted by TMS:

Posted by TrueBlue:

The Bobcats so far own the season series at 2-1 and it could easily be 3-0.


Somehow though there is evident progress with the Knicks.


Let me ask most of you here....... What team has a brighter future us or them?

i don't think it's as clear cut an advantage in their favor as you're trying to make it out to be... & that's not me trying to be a homer or anything else... let's consider the factors at play here:

1 - The Knicks have much more financial resources... it's not even close
2 - When's the last time any NBA franchise from Charlotte made it to the Finals?
3 - Okafor & Felton are a nice young combo, but do they really strike you as the foundation to build a championship calibre team on? IMO that team needs a superstar scoring option to take them to the next level... the Knicks need a lock down defensive player... both teams are missing parts that aren't growing on trees... it will depend HEAVILY on who the Bobcats draft this season & if they turn out to be any good... if they get Durant or Oden, then i'll give them the nod obviously.
4 - You like to bring up Isiah's past history of personnel decisions & rag on him for it... Michael Jordan's most notable draft pick = Kwame Brown ('nuff said)


the Bobcats seem to have our # the past couple seasons... correct me if i'm wrong but the Knicks have beat several teams w/better records than them also this season... does that mean the future's looking any brighter for us than those teams?

Posted by djsunyc:

Posted by TMS:

Posted by TrueBlue:

The Bobcats so far own the season series at 2-1 and it could easily be 3-0.


Somehow though there is evident progress with the Knicks.


Let me ask most of you here....... What team has a brighter future us or them?

i don't think it's as clear cut an advantage in their favor as you're trying to make it out to be... & that's not me trying to be a homer or anything else... let's consider the factors at play here:

1 - The Knicks have much more financial resources... it's not even close
2 - When's the last time any NBA franchise from Charlotte made it to the Finals?
3 - Okafor & Felton are a nice young combo, but do they really strike you as the foundation to build a championship calibre team on? IMO that team needs a superstar scoring option to take them to the next level... the Knicks need a lock down defensive player... both teams are missing parts that aren't growing on trees... it will depend HEAVILY on who the Bobcats draft this season & if they turn out to be any good... if they get Durant or Oden, then i'll give them the nod obviously.
4 - You like to bring up Isiah's past history of personnel decisions & rag on him for it... Michael Jordan's most notable draft pick = Kwame Brown ('nuff said)


the Bobcats seem to have our # the past couple seasons... correct me if i'm wrong but the Knicks have beat several teams w/better records than them also this season... does that mean the future's looking any brighter for us than those teams?

bobcats GM and coach is bernie bickerstaff. when you look at how he put that team together, how he manuevered his expansion draft, how he shuffled some picks, how he didn't waste any money on useless players, you sit back and you applaud the guy b/c he has done a good a job as you can with an expansion team. the team is just 3 years old.

http://www.hoopshype.com/general_managers/bernie_bickerstaff.htm

that's his resume. i would have no issues at all if isiah is fired and we replace him with bickerstaff but he would never want to leave what he built in charlotte.

he had the #4 pick (b/c charlotte couldn't win the lotto that year b/c they were a new team), so he packaged that and the #33, took on the insignificant contract of drobnjak so he could move up to #2 to grab ok4 or dwight. that's a franchise changing move.

Posted by fishmike:

A healthy team of Spree (extended by Layden), Houston (extended by Layden) Kurt (extended by Layden), McDyess (traded for by Layden) and Eisley () w/ Ward, Shandon, Spoon, Doleac and Harrington off the bench was better than what Isiah has put together. That team was 36-38 after Sprewell came back and played the whole year w/o McDyess who was playing great in the preseason.

Had McKnee been healthy we would have been one of the best teams in the very weak east. It didnt happen and Layden (should) take the blame for trading for a guy w/ knee injuries, then watching the season go down the tubes when his knee gives.

The team was coached by Chaney. The played hard every night, and the played to their strengths. They were among the NBA tops in 3 point %, assists, fewest TOs, FT%, 3's made

It was a boring perimeter team with a frontline of a bunch of 6'8 PFs.
Yet for 75 games they at least played .500 ball. Some Isiah's teams have yet to come close to.

The excuses and support for Isiah still boggle the mind. He gets praised and credit for doing what 20 other far more mediocre GMs have accomplished in less time. In 3 years he's aquired Lee, Balkman and Frye. Very impressive indeed. Only slightly overshadowed by his Laydenesque overvalueing of certain players. He's just been a failure, and night after night teams like the Bobcats show us why.

Posted by islesfan:

Posted by Rich:

Posted by Erniecat:

Posted by nixluva:

Nov. 6-11, Dec. 7-9 and Jan. 7-8 From that you can see that this teams bad start was the thing that really set us back. Now this team is gonna have to really pick it up over the last 30+ games in order to stay in this thing and possibly pull it out. They're gonna have to play at an above .500 level the rest of the way. Can they do that? I don't know.

In terms of making the playoffs now that's a different story. I still think they can make it in. Being 4 games back of Toronto isn't the worst thing in the world. This team has to fight thru this and stay close enough, to keep them within reach.

The FACT is that Steph is hurting, not DONE, just hurting. It doesn't have to be a permanent thing and we WILL get some much needed time off over the next 3 weeks. We WILL be getting Q back and we WILL be getting Francis back.

Now I know that some of you will poo poo all of this, but to be honest when Steph is RIGHT, he's a VERY good player and the same goes for Q and Francis. They play well and this team looks a lot better. We just tend to forget so quickly how well these guys can really play. It's a long season and at different times the grind can get to you. Now if you're willing to concede that Steph, Q and Francis being hurt has hurt this team, then you can at least admit that this team would likely be better if they had been healthy. Steph was on a roll until he tweaked his Knee and Q was having a big season until he hurt his arm. I still think this team has a chance.

I'm far from the most negative person on this board, but I have to say, the Knicks are not going to the playoffs. No way. We are a bad team, period. We have several talented players, but are a bad team with a horrible coach. There's not much more to say. Isiah has to go, but I am really scared that Dolan will bring him back with 33 wins because of a 10-game improvement over last year. That's why our best bet right now is to go in the tank and somehow ensure that Isiah will be fired and we get a real coach in here this summer.

Not if it means giving up Oden or Durant, and that's what it would likely mean, so we can't.

I don't get your logic. That pick is gone no matter what, so who cares who they pick? How does who the Bulls pick affect this team going forward? At that point it's just affecting perception and how people will judge Isiah's trade for Curry. If Isiah is gone, what difference will it make?

I'm totally with you on that Isles, some of these guys like to compete with the Bulls while guys like us need this incompetent team to compete with the rest of the NBA.