sorry.. its not a hard schedule. There are a lot of road games but please...
at Bos
vs Wash
vs GS
at Port
at GS
at Sac
at Utah
at Lakers
at Denver
vs Port
at Cha
vs Phili
at Mia
vs Chi

Its not hard. There's a 6 game west coast swing against 4 lottery teams. Please lets not make excuses. I think its good measuring stick. If the Knicks are going to "contend this year" and you "BELIEVE DAT" then dont make excuses about the schedule when more than half your games are against lottery teams and Bos and Port are terrible.

[Edited by - fishmike on 10-22-2005 11:11 AM]

I have pretty low expectation compared to some around here, but I think if LB does anything its improves that aspect. Road play is about being mentally tough (as JVG would say). There is no reason we should lose to teams like Cha/Port/Bos just because we are on the road.

The season hasn't even started yet -- this new team has accomplished nothing. I don't think we can afford to take anything for granted.

I have to disagree a little. I just took a quick look at last years standings. Only 7 teams had winning road records and
only 6 teams hand losing home records. So any schedule with 9 out of 14 road games is tough. Especially for a young team.

Posted by fishmike:

sorry.. its not a hard schedule. There are a lot of road games but please...
at Bos
vs Wash
vs GS
at Port
at GS
at Sac
at Utah
at Lakers
at Denver
vs Port
at Cha
vs Phili
at Mia
vs Chi

Its not hard. There's a 6 game west coast swing against 4 lottery teams. Please lets not make excuses. I think its good measuring stick. If the Knicks are going to "contend this year" and you "BELIEVE DAT" then dont make excuses about the schedule when more than half your games are against lottery teams and Bos and Port are terrible.

[Edited by - fishmike on 10-22-2005 11:11 AM]

That schedule COULD be harder than it looks. I actually kind of have some higher expectations for Portland b/c they have some really talented youth and Randolf is already playing in pre season games apparently. Add a guy like Patterson to the mix, Telfair and Outlaw a year wiser and a shooter like Webster and maybe they have something going for them this year. Also, Charlotte plays really well at home. They were actually like .500 there or something I think last season, and they improved a little, so they can actually be tough too.

You're right that we should have a winning record when the end of that schedule arrives, but I don't think this is is CAKE as you and Briggs say it is.

Posted by McK1:

u guys are sleeping on GS. good to catch the Blazers early while they are still learning. Telfair Outlaw Webster and Randolph will cause teams a lot of headaches come January.

I agree with you about Golden State. They whipped the Knicks last year at the end of the year and I expect them to have a great year, this is going to Mike Dunleavy's breakout year and when he breaks out he is going to be GOOD.

Posted by Allanfan20:

Posted by Bonn1997:

Good point oldfan. People forget how huge a difference home vs. road is.

If it's against crappy teams, it should make NO DIFFERENCE, but I'm just saying that those teams might be better than some people think.

Are we talking about crappy overall team's or crappy home teams? Most .400 overall teams will be winning teams (i.e., .500 or above) at home.

Posted by fishmike:

I have pretty low expectation compared to some around here, but I think if LB does anything its improves that aspect. Road play is about being mentally tough (as JVG would say). There is no reason we should lose to teams like Cha/Port/Bos just because we are on the road.

yeah thats how it was during the JVG, Ewing days but this is not is a totally different team. Luckily we have Larry Brown but its still going to take time to develop consistency. Give these young guys a chance to make the adjustment first than hopefully we'll start winning on the road. Only good teams win on the road no matter what the competition is. Bad teams and young teams lose to bad teams on the road all the time

[Edited by - gunsnewing on 10-22-2005 4:35 PM]

[quote]
Posted by PresIke:

I think anyone that expects us to do well out of the gate is setting themselves up for a likely disappointment.

I like what our future looks like, but not that fast. I also don't think our schedule is cake besides the road games, of which includes an early West Coast trip which we ALWAYS perform badly on.

at Bos - Have a good shot to win, but we are a new team.
vs Wash - This was a playoff team last year
vs GS - played well the end of last season, some call them a sleeper
at Port - so starts the West coast swing
at GS - on the road with the "sleeper"
at Sac - against a 50 win team, on the road
at Utah - This we could win, but we're smack in the middle of the trip
at Lakers - This is not the team from last year sans a real coach
at Denver - Another team w/high expectations, on the road
vs Port - This we should win
at Cha - Another we should win
vs Phili - Should win, but already schooled us
at Mia - On the raod vs. a championship contender
vs Chi - on road vs. a strong defensive, playoff team

I really only see about 4-5 we have a very good shot of winning. THe rest could go either way, and many are on the road during that big west coast swing, and more than a few are against playoff teams from a year ago or championship contenders.

Briggs, and others...how is this "cake?"

I dont see any Detroit's, San Antonio's Houston's, Indiana's> I think those are your 4 favorites. Playing Miami early could be much easier than playing them down the road. Denver is a good team, but they also have issues.
GS played well down the stretch, but they are still GS. Wash is not as good as last year with Jamison hurting Hughes gone
and chemsitry out of whack.

I think we played very competitive basketball the 4 games Larry coached--we could EASILY be 4-1 right now.I think we were not prepared for a zone against Philly and we played undiscplined, and that wont happen again. Were a work in progress, but we have a LOT of weapons, a LOT of change of pace, much more depth and size, speed----my thoughts will remin positive that we are a playoff team. You watch what happened against Philly and you take a step back, but all in all we have a lot. Were going to be able to beat teams up inside--wear teams down, and while we are not an elite team, we are a tough match up.

I look at those 15 games and say 9-6