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Knight
Posts: 22775
Alba Posts: 2
Joined: 7/21/2005
Member: #968
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Walt Frazier
It's time for a Knicks wish list
Dec 14, 2005
My wishes for the Knicks this holiday season can be summarized in just a few key words: Defense. Intensity. Pride. Fortitude. Teamwork.
Those are the things that build champions. On a real championship team, no one cares who scores. It's all about making sacrifices for the betterment of the team and trying to win.
Turnovers and missed free throws have really hurt the Knicks this year. These were not problems last year or the year before that, so it has been somewhat of a surprise that those factors have bedeviled the team this year.
One thing the Knicks must do this year is become a dominant home team. Make The Garden what it once was, with the most knowledgeable crowd and a provocative crowd. The Knicks need to get back the fear they once had at MSG, so teams once again are almost afraid to come here like they used to be.
When other teams play in New York, they have to realize that there are no easy games. No matter what the Knicks' record is that year, when you come into the World's Most Famous Arena, if you beat the Knicks it always gets a lot of attention. You can make a reputation for yourself if you consistently defeat the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Names likes Michael Jordan and Reggie Miller come to mind. Guys are well aware of that. They want to win here.
SET IT UP
The Knicks need a set lineup. I don't know if Quentin Richardson is the right choice to start at the three spot because he'd be out of position there, but Larry Brown's been using him in practice so maybe he likes him there. Personally I like Jamal Crawford. He can play the position well. But he's also been good off the bench. So it looks like Larry still has some decisions to make.
But the lineup itself isn't as important as the effort the guys put forth. And you can't teach effort. A coach can't teach a player to give it his all, he can only inspire guys and they have to go out and do it. You really can't coach effort. It's up to the players to do it.
That becomes a problem when trying to teach defense. Defense is all effort. It helps if you are quick, if you can run, and jump, but it is not a necessity. Defense is all about effort and just wanting to do it. Coaches can try but it's not easy to get a player to appreciate the importance of good defense. Players need to have pride in not letting anyone score on them.
One thing coaches actually can teach is the defensive stance. Butt down, head up. Move your feet, but don't cross your feet. The key is mastering the stance. If you don't, you will become vulnerable.
Players can use the baseline, sideline, and timeline as an extra man to trap guys. Don't let guys penetrate along the baseline.
ARTEST FORMERLY KNOWN AS A PACER?
Speaking of defense, if the Knicks were to acquire the available Ron Artest, he would be the best player on the team. He's a guy who can score and can lead the league in steals at 6-foot-7, 250 pounds. To me, he's the best defensive player in the league. He can shut you down and completely deny you the ball. He can play two or three different positions. He's just a phenomenal player.
He is a risk due to his antics off the court, but it is a risk I would be willing to take.
However, I don't see him coming here. I've played in New York and I know that no team wants to help New York win. The Pacers are not going to trade Artest here and help the Knicks win. He probably won't even be traded to the same conference. Like the Lakers sent Shaquille O'Neal to the East, you just don't want this guy haunting you from another team in your conference, plus you'd have to face him four times if that were the case.
Ron Artest to the Knicks is a long, long shot.
FRYE-LOCK'S HUNGER FORCE
Channing Frye has a great perimeter shot, which is rare for a big man. It's hard to compare him to any other player from the past. He seems to be an exceptional player.
His problem though is going to be creating off the dribble. Teams know now that they can't leave him uncontested. Teams are going to start to challenge him more, and instead of putting the big men on him they might put the smaller, quicker defenders on him like the Bucks did with Tony Kukoc. Teams will put their Trevor Ariza-types out there to defend Frye on the perimeter.
The jury is still out on how Frye will react to the changes in defensive sets now that he'll be the focal point of the other teams' defensive scheme.
MAKE MORE FREE TIME
Around the league, I like the direction the NBA itself is going, but as far as the young players there are some changes I'd like to see. The younger guys need to get back to the basic fundamentals of the game that they are blatantly lacking. Look, for example, at Dwight Howard on the Magic. He's a great young players, but a 59 percent free throw shooter. There are a lot of players like that, especially guys that made the quantum leap from high school to the pros. They can't hit a free throw. That's all about practice and confidence.
No one is guarding you on a free throw, that's why it's free. It's inexplicable that a pro player should make seven out of ten from the line. Players need to just put some time into free throw shooting.
"He only went to Georgia Tech for one year, and that's an engineering school." -LB
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12/15/2005 5:03 PM