"That's the way we're going to win," STAT said. "We've proven it works with the team we had before the trade, and it could work with the guys we have now. It's a matter of us buying into it. It's new for most of the guys, so it takes time to understand how it works. Over time it will grow on them. Hopefully it turns around soon."

Marv - Note that Stoudemire said the system "could" work.

I have a bed feeling about this.

misterearl wrote:"We have to subscribe to the Mike D'Antoni system, it works," Stoudemire, the team's captain, said after the defeat. "I've been part of it for a long time now. It's been very successful. We have to buy into it and get it done."

"That's the way we're going to win," STAT said. "We've proven it works with the team we had before the trade, and it could work with the guys we have now. It's a matter of us buying into it. It's new for most of the guys, so it takes time to understand how it works. Over time it will grow on them. Hopefully it turns around soon."

Marv - Note that Stoudemire said the system "could" work.

I have a bed feeling about this.

yup i notice.

i also notice that the "old team" got off to a 3-8 start with this system.

the new one is off to a 7-7 start.

the "old team" struggled to rise above .500 with over half a season to adjust to the system.

the new team - ???

Marv wrote:

AnubisADL wrote:Teams are coming to play us now. Before the trade teams werent "getting up" to play the Knicks. Now teams play us like its game 7 of the finals. Same thing happens with Miami.

nothing personal but i think that's a really weak explanation for our performance.

We are also a flawed team at the moment as well.

Remember this is the NBA. Minnesota smacked us in the beginning of the year too. This isnt the end of the world.

AnubisADL wrote:Teams are coming to play us now. Before the trade teams werent "getting up" to play the Knicks. Now teams play us like its game 7 of the finals. Same thing happens with Miami.

Don't Cha' Just ADORE Good Cliche?

"Teams are coming to play us?"

As opposed to NOT coming to play us? C'mon Son!

AnubisADL - that cliche is about as good as it gets. Why? Because I don't care if you are playing to just hold on to your court at the playground there is one prime directive. "You go hard or go home"

When a place is called "The World's Most Famous Arena", you come to play. This is New York and Broadway ALWAYS brings out the best performances, whether it is Carmelo Anthony and STAT or Clarence Weatherspoon and Travis Knight. You think Kobe pulled up because of who the Knicks ran out on the floor? Nope.

This is New York where the celebrities sit close to the floor and the brights lights have ALWAYS brought out the best effort. On the road, the Knicks jersey alone is enough to remind the home team of everything that IS New York. The world's most talked about city.

Think again, and please, no more cliches... unless you were just kidding, of course.

AnubisADL wrote:

Marv wrote:

AnubisADL wrote:Teams are coming to play us now. Before the trade teams werent "getting up" to play the Knicks. Now teams play us like its game 7 of the finals. Same thing happens with Miami.

nothing personal but i think that's a really weak explanation for our performance.

We are also a flawed team at the moment as well.

Remember this is the NBA. Minnesota smacked us in the beginning of the year too. This isnt the end of the world.

Understatement Of the Year

Flawed?

The Knicks have:

a President of Basketball Ops packing up his office.

a lead guard who forgot how to lead,
a power forward who wishes his coach would change it back to the old way of running an offense,
a small forward who is struggling to grasp the concept of defense, points fingers and who ducks out of interviews,

no spontaneous rhythm on offense
no joy
no toughness
no heart and soul

no diversity
no fight
no bench
no consistent, unselfish, determined, cohesive playing personality

no time for excuses

misterearl wrote:

crzymdups wrote:

misterearl wrote:Old vs New

The "old team" played back to back nights tough
The "new squad" (it cannot be called a team until it goes on a west coast swing) lost to Indiana when it KNEW it had to beat Indiana

The "old team" got back on defense, was leading in blocked shots and never lacked for effort
The "new squad" gets frustrated when its shots don't drop

The "old team" was a young team
The "new squad" plays like old men

The "old team" was about more than wins and losses and made me feel proud to be a Knicks fan, win or lose
The "new squad" makes me feel like turning the channel

The "old team" was "all for one and one for all"
The "new squad" is about LaLa's new reality show

The "old team" was led by a scrappy guard who made some great game faces, never backed down and found a way to push it real good.
The guard who would be captain of the "new squad" is homesick for Denver, Colorado

The "old team" had a respected President of Basketball Operations
The "new squad" will have a long Summer finding a replacement for him

Yep. Some of this is true. Most importantly the last two lines.

Which comparison is NOT true?

"The truth shall set you free"

Well, for one thing, they blew out the Jazz on the second half of a back to back. And blew out New Orleans on the second half of a back to back. This team is trying, there's just going to be an adjustment period.

The "old team" started 6-8 in their first 14 games.

The "new team" started 7-7 in their first 14 games.

The "old team" lost horrendous home games to Sacramento and Phoenix they had to win. And blew a 25 point second half lead in Minnesota. Sh!t happens.

Patience is necessary. I'm not happy that Gallo, Wil and Ray are gone - I miss the chemistry they showed at times. But I'm not going to overrate that team. That team would have been hard pressed to ever get out of the first round. This team can make a run in the playoffs if they get it together. Yes, time is limited to get it together.

misterearl wrote:The Good - The first two weeks of December

The Bad - November

The Ugly - March

"This team can make a run in the playoffs if they get it together."

Together? Not while there are separate agendas and players moaning for minutes to highest ranking team official.

"That team would have been hard pressed to ever get out of the first round"

We will never know.

How much patience is enough?

I said 10-15 games right after the trade happened. And then Billups missed 6 in a row after beating Miami and having them in it until the very end against Orlando.

You can set your own patience limits - if you're done, you're done.

I thought January was pretty ugly, too. Remember the six game losing streak in January? Or is it not cool to bring that up?

Ira wrote:Felton, Gallo and Chandler were all pretty good defensive players. Melo and Chauncey aren't.

Yeah, this I agree with.

The STAT Crew (the rotation players who survived) Amare, Turiaf, Shawne Williams, Douglas and Fields
5 Holdovers from SSOL style of play. This is all that's left of the "heart and soul". It is up to them to set the playing personality. The most difficult task belongs to Toney Douglas. He must be an effective leader/ distributor and ignore all egos. Tough to manage with two max players screaming for the ball. Go strong to the rack and hit the open man young man.

The Visitors (still trying to figure where they fit in) Melo, Billups and Brown
This crew is struggling with the STAT crew. To the extent they can reinvent themselves and conform will determine any success moving forward into next season.

The Pine Brothers (guys who should only play in emergencies) Jeffries, Walker, Mason Jr
These guys must ALL be replaced by a dominant defensive center, a powerful forward and a 6'6 ball handling guard who plays basketball exactly like Michael Cooper. Turiaf joins this crew in 2011.

The "Do Whatever It Takes" Crew (just happy to have a job) Rautins, Balkman, Shelden Williams and Carter
Anthony Carter comes in handy to bring grit and emotion. If a fight breaks out I want him on my side. If Rautins cannot improve his ball control he is gone. Just seems to casual, or to slow in his reaction. Shelden Williams does not bother to unnpack his bags anymore. Next stop, NBA team number 7. Maybe. Balkman is comic relief. If he would dedicate himself to working on his game he could graduate to Pine Brother. Doubtful.