the hookup came through again as i was given the opportunity to come early and watch the players in shootaround. not the layup line, but pregame shootaround. so i get there around 515pm (over 2 hours before gametime) and i'm seated probably 10 rows back.

the sound guys are doing their tests. the gardenvision guy is playing videos they plan to air that night. the girl that was going to sign the star spangled banner came out for a trial run. a few knicks city dancers are running laps around the garden to get ready for tonight. there are groups of kids that were allowed to come early and watch. some got autographs.

on to the players.

almost every sonic was out there shooting around. they were taking jumpers with assistant coaches. detlef shrempf is working with the big men on some pick and roll moves. as well as some basket cuts. earl watson is taking jumper after jumper. saer sene is out working on some left handed post hooks. so is petro. rashard makes it out later in the shootaround, around 6pm to do an interview and then start shooting the ball. lenny wilkens is saying hello to people he knew here when he was coach. only noticeable absentees were ray allen and i don't remember seeing wilcox.

for the knicks, when i got there, jeffries was already doing shooting drills with herb williams and aguirre. all he's doing is taking 18 foot jumpers. he's going around the world. now, watching him shoot up close, it's not a smooth looking shot. instead of just releasing smoothly with the follow through, right before he releases the ball, his right hand (the shooting hand) kind of turns in and then he releases it. making it look much more mechanical and not a free flowing motion.

as jeffries is shooting around, channing arrives in his suit. within 15 minutes, he joins jeffries. channing is taking jumpers with herb williams all around the perimeter. his stroke is very smooth and he's hitting the shots with consistency...almost effortlessly. he's just shooting all around the world. but that's all he's doing, shooting jumpers. no post up practice or anything like that so far. just jumpers.

next to come out are mardy and renaldo. they are working with hanners and glymph. they are taking jumpers as well from about 15 feet out. they then transition to a dribble pull up from 3 with trainer greg brittenham. after they're done with that, the do pump fake, dribble drives from the wing to dunk the ball. during this time, jeffries leaves and channing is still taking jumpers.

next one out is eddy curry who signs a few autographs for kids. he then immediately works with aguirre on his post game. aguirre is showing him how to receive the ball on certain angles and how to shield his man off asking for a pass to the basket. he does some light walk throughs here. meanwhile, channing is just taking jumpers. the time is already 6:20. after eddy does a few minutes, then aguirre goes back to channing who does about 5 minutes of post work - really just a walk through and that's it. i left after that with the time being 6:45 (about 45 minutes from game time).

those were the only knicks out last night before the game. i guess it's march and it's late in the season. they probably also had a walk through or something earlier that day. but those were the only 4 knicks out. in contrast, the sonics had almost everybody else out there.

Did Nate have is Lego's or Matchbox's to play with?

A few times I used to go early whent he knicks were in Charlotte and watch the workouts and I was always amazed how hard Ewing would work prior to the game.

Maybe the team when at home and not a back to back does work in the practice facility earlier in the day where the visiting team does not have that kind of time so it uses the arena.

Its fun to watch the whole thing get put together two hours before tip off time. The buzz starts slow and its neat to watch the team up close practice.

[Edited by - nalod on 03-07-2007 09:48 AM]

Gotta be honest here - I find your notes on Frye a bit troubling.

That said, damn, man, you got me hella jealous.

[Edited by - K22 on 03-07-2007 10:00 AM]

Posted by K22:

Gotta be honest here - I find your notes on Frye a bit troubling.

if you broke out his pregame prep, it was 90% jumpers, 10% post work. but he was out there working hard.

[Edited by - djsunyc on 03-07-2007 09:59 AM]

Posted by Queeniepop:

I want to go to pre-game shootaround. I want a Golden Goose.

only people with over 11,000 posts get to go.

Posted by djsunyc:

Posted by K22:

Gotta be honest here - I find your notes on Frye a bit troubling.

if you broke out his pregame prep, it was 90% jumpers, 10% post work. but he was out there working hard.

[Edited by - djsunyc on 03-07-2007 09:59 AM]

unfortunately, the Knicks don't have guards and SFs who spread the floor well with high FG% and Channing has been put into that roll, so that's what he works on. I guess I am OK with that.

Posted by martin:


unfortunately, the Knicks don't have guards and SFs who spread the floor well with high FG% and Channing has been put into that roll, so that's what he works on. I guess I am OK with that.

EXACTLY.

See that's the actual problem, not Channing, but the role he's forced to play b/c our pieces don't compliment eachother well enough.

We all expect Curry to get better, but when are we gonna get better pieces to compliment him. Like REAL shooters....rugged defenders....selfless players?

How are Steve Francis, Nate Robinson, and streaky as hell QRichardson good compliments for a halfcourt team that needs high FG% shooters and tight defense?

As far as I'm concerend, for better or worse, the only 4 players that should be kept are Crawford, Marbury, Lee, and Curry.

Everyone else is just huge question marks.

[Edited by - bobs3304 on 03-07-2007 10:14 AM]

Posted by djsunyc:

Posted by Queeniepop:

I want to go to pre-game shootaround. I want a Golden Goose.

only people with over 11,000 posts get to go.

i better pick up the pace then.

& a few candid snap shots of the dancers' asses while they're doing their stretches couldn't hurt either.

(don't worry bocker, i gotcha back)