CrushAlot wrote:

nixluva wrote:Whatever! Woody was his own worst enemy this season. There's no excusing that. It remains to be seen just how much help Woody will be when they need him down the line. I think he's been doing better recently although he still makes some poor decisions. Reading the article about how Melo is the source of the recent change in style hasn't helped Woody's case much either.

If it was not something in the Texas water, then it was something about Carmelo Anthony returning to the Knicks and making everyone around him better.
Credit the Knicks’ surge to Anthony coming back from a sprained left ankle in Texas with new ideas he shared with players and coaching staff.
Anthony revealed he had an epiphany during his three-game injury absence, noticing some details on why the team was struggling. And it started playing out during the Knicks’ successful 2-1 Texas Triangle trip.
Anthony wouldn’t reveal everything he told Mike Woodson and the team, but said one message was they needed to play with more “patience’’ and needed to have a different philosophy late in games, that they can be the hero, too, and make the big shot.
Because teams are swarming him more than ever late in games, Anthony said he will be looking for his mates in those clutch times.
It’s no coincidence Iman Shumpert’s meteoric rise in Texas occurred just as Anthony returned. Shumpert said Melo’s prodding has worked and he shot 14 of 16 on 3-pointers in San Antonio and Houston, and won the game with two big late buckets in Dallas on Sunday.
Anthony is probably closer to Shumpert, in the middle of a season-long malaise, than anyone on the team.
“For everyone on the court, the thing is just be patient,’’ Anthony said. “When that time comes at the end of the game, a lot of things are open. Teams are double- and triple-teaming me. And I told them I’m going to find them. It’s up to you to make the shot, but I’m going to find you.’’
Anthony scored just 19 points in Dallas, but made the pass to a wide-open Shumpert for the game-sealing 3-point bucket with 1:13 left. In Houston, though they lost in the final seconds, Anthony made feeds to Beno Udrih for an open 3-pointer with 23 seconds left (Udrih then passed to a too-anxious-to-shoot J.R. Smith) and dished to a hot Shumpert with 10 seconds left. Though the shots missed, it showed Anthony is serious.
Melo’s leadership was more evident during the trip as he exhorted teammates more than previously seen.
“When you’re searching, trying to find an identity or ways to win, that little stuff helps,’’ Anthony said. “Sometimes guys need to be guided, need to be directed.’’
Anthony said he also noticed the team was too easily frustrated when things went wrong.
“Patience,’’ Anthony said. “That’s one of the biggest things I’ve been talking about. Just be patient. For a lot of guys, it’s going to come to them. Just be patient.’’
The Knicks (11-22) return to face Detroit on Tuesday at the Garden, where they have fared worse than on the road. They better change the trend quick because 11 of the next 14 games are at MSG, including two against Miami. The Knicks own an embarrassing 4-12 Garden record, compared to 7-10 on the road.
Anthony said morbidly last month the team was in “a dark space.’’ No longer.
“I will say that we have gotten out of that place,’’ Anthony said. “You see guys doing things as a team we haven’t been doing all season long. It’s showing on the basketball court at both ends. Guys starting to communicate more, talk more and have fun. That’s the most important thing.’’
If the past six games showed anything, it’s how the Knicks roster is so reliant on Anthony being healthy. Last season, they were 7-8 in his absences. But when Anthony missed three straight games to close out 2013, the Knicks were hopeless — beaten by double digits in all three.
Anthony’s value in Texas didn’t hinge on his point total. His presence made everyone better. Shumpert was left open all night by the Spurs to drill 3-pointers and he darted in for that game-winning tip because the Spurs were mesmerized by Anthony holding the ball.
That’s why the timing of a report the Knicks were discussing internally whether to trade Anthony to the Clippers for Blake Griffin was laughable to team officials.
Anthony was thrilled to have just scored 19 in Dallas and still win handily, with 47 points from the bench — solid outings from Tim Hardaway Jr. and Amar’e Stoudemire and even from fourth-string point guard Tour’e Murry.
“If I could do that every night [score 19 and win], I’d be a happy camper,’’ Anthony said. “For our bench to come in and play the way we’ve been playing during stretch, it’s big-time for us. Now the starters can come back in and sustain the lead.’’
There have been false alarms, but victories in San Antonio and Dallas are stronger evidence of an upturn than back-to-back blowout wins against Eastern dregs Brooklyn and Orlando. And they may have starting point guard Raymond Felton back Tuesday night.
“I just think guys are starting t come together as a ballclub,’’ Woodson said. “I point to injuries as the major problem and us not being able to execute and close out games down the stretch. Six, seven games, if we done the right things, could’ve won those games. That’s behind us.’’
Anthony hopes he’s found a late-game formula — manufactured in Texas.

http://nypost.com/2014/01/06/melos-advice-to-turns-knicks-around-on-texas-trip/

I really don't care how they got there but I am glad the Knicks are playing the way they are now. If Anthony is being credited with the turn around then maybe he has become a leader. Usually guys are just leaders. Also, the Knicks played this way last year and Woodson was the coach. I think the long break, working with the coaching staff and the removal of Chris Smith had a lot to do with why things are going better now.

Here's the thing about how the Knicks played at times last year. I don't believe Woody was fully responsible for the style of play the Knicks had last year. We know he didn't really want to play that way from the start but more out of necessity. Jason Kidd seems to have been the impetus for that style of play and it sure did disappear with a quickness during the swoon in the middle of the season between the two big win streaks, also once Woody started making his own changes in the playoffs and this summer. If Woody is truly responsible for the improved play what took him so long to make the adjustments to be more of what they did last year? Why is it that when Woody gets in a tight spot he almost always ends up with a team that is easy to defend? Lacking creativity and any flow? I'm of the opinion that Woody is not a very good coach. He's just OK. IF his players are ballin out of their minds on their own he's gonna look good, but when they really need him...