He hates Boston and Mia and REALLY wants to win both. He didnt say why or what but it was clear something about Lebron rubbed him wrong and he said that would be really gratifying win.

He knows he's playing guys a lot but the drop off from the starters to bench has been tough and they are waiting for someone to really take that role.

Douglas has been banged up but they are happy with his effort

Chandler's first summer he wasnt hurt in 2 years and he really worked hard on his game. His shooting and all around better game is a direct result.

He said Gallo is the most underrated defender on the team. He backed off saying he was the best shooter he ever saw, but still thinks he will be great.

He said they had high expections for Chandler/Gallo combo and they are exceeding them. He said their biggest +s are how they play team ball.

He HATES and went off on the notion of any NBA players who "need touches." He said the guys will get their shots when they work hard. He doesnt care if one game a guy like Gallo takes 7 shots and 20 the next. Keep moving the ball to the open guy and taking high % shots. At the end of the year guys will be where they need to be statistically.

Landry Fields: He let every veteran win the starting job over Fields but he simply was better than everyone. When did Fields know he was going to start? Opening day.

He avoided all the Melo talk and said most coaches avoid even thinking about those kinds of distractions.

I missed probably half the chat but thats what I caught

martin wrote:I read somewhere - can't remember where but it was today or yesterday - that MDA is not that high on Melo and that maybe Walsh is a bit more liking to Anthony. Part of the "touches" point reminded me of this.

I saw that too, I think it was a Tommy D blog. It either reinforces or was interpreted from D'Antoni's comments that Walsh has to decide how to improve the team but the coach gets attached to certain guys.

BlueSeats wrote:

martin wrote:I read somewhere - can't remember where but it was today or yesterday - that MDA is not that high on Melo and that maybe Walsh is a bit more liking to Anthony. Part of the "touches" point reminded me of this.

I saw that too, I think it was a Tommy D blog. It either reinforces or was interpreted from D'Antoni's comments that Walsh has to decide how to improve the team but the coach gets attached to certain guys.

True.

I keep reflecting on the Indiana team Walsh built and some other comments he made regarding guys like Derrik McKey - they weren't necessarily all stars but they were VERY important. Put that together with guys like the Davis Boys and Hayward workman, and you wee Donnie building a team of bid dudes who are beasts on D. No Melo types.

Should be interesting 6-8 months for the Knicks.

franco12 wrote:

fishmike wrote:

martin wrote:I read somewhere - can't remember where but it was today or yesterday - that MDA is not that high on Melo and that maybe Walsh is a bit more liking to Anthony. Part of the "touches" point reminded me of this.

it was hard NOT to take that based on all the Melo stuff. He was really adament about this point and kept harping on the team ball. Even Amare who they force feed some (how cant you) he talked about what a good ball mover he's been and how many of his passes dont lead to assists, but the 2nd or 3rd do.

are those the passes that Amare completes to the other team?

haha yeah.

Amare definitely gotta watch some of the dribbling in traffic, but some of the passes he receives on the move where he HAS to dribble are more his PGs fault than not.

How about this: Amare is a better passer this year, or at least he is a more willing passer; assist numbers are clearly up. And he does get a TON of touches in this offense, I can't begrudge him the TO's.

BlueSeats wrote:

martin wrote:

BlueSeats wrote:

martin wrote:I read somewhere - can't remember where but it was today or yesterday - that MDA is not that high on Melo and that maybe Walsh is a bit more liking to Anthony. Part of the "touches" point reminded me of this.

I saw that too, I think it was a Tommy D blog. It either reinforces or was interpreted from D'Antoni's comments that Walsh has to decide how to improve the team but the coach gets attached to certain guys.

True.

I keep reflecting on the Indiana team Walsh built and some other comments he made regarding guys like Derrik McKey - they weren't necessarily all stars but they were VERY important. Put that together with guys like the Davis Boys and Hayward workman, and you wee Donnie building a team of bid dudes who are beasts on D. No Melo types.

Should be interesting 6-8 months for the Knicks.

But he had Larry Brown coaching that team, and I'd say that formula is truer of LB than Walsh.

Which is to say, I suspect Donnie GM's around a coach, and since LB and D' are so different I don't know if you can extend what he did for LB to D'.

I'll caveat that with Donnie's track record this offseason:

Amare: superstar, so he had to get him
Felton: Defensive player, also a necessity player PG
TD: Defensive player
Hill vs Jennings: maturity vs upside.
Rautins, Fields. 4 year mature players.
Moz: 2 way big beast.
Turiaf, AR, Buike: all defensive minded players.

Seems to me Donnie is getting players for MDA but in his own defensive flair/flavor

martin wrote:
Seems to me Donnie is getting players for MDA but in his own defensive flair/flavor

Could be. And I suppose it might be fair to say D' doesn't like "ball stoppers," but is Melo any more of a stopper than Amare? Maybe one is enough?

I'm having trouble remembering how he used Joe Johnson with Amare. Did he have him camped out behind the arc like Q or did he let him put the ball on the floor?

Compare to Gallo, who brings the heat 24/7, 365. Ninja, what?!

martin wrote:

BlueSeats wrote:

martin wrote:
Seems to me Donnie is getting players for MDA but in his own defensive flair/flavor

Could be. And I suppose it might be fair to say D' doesn't like "ball stoppers," but is Melo any more of a stopper than Amare? Maybe one is enough?

I'm having trouble remembering how he used Joe Johnson with Amare. Did he have him camped out behind the arc like Q or did he let him put the ball on the floor?

no idea what JJ did but I think he was on the perimeter, not a ball handler; that was before the time he wanted to be a PG.

I think Donnie is weighing carefully between building a more defensive team vs getting an all-star wing player who can just flat out bring it night in and night out (and at what cost to bring him to the team).

I have a sneaking suspicion that there is a left-field deal out there that none of us are considering but which Donnie is setting up, ala the DLee deal.

Not sure I agree with each point of author of this vid, but notice how many times Melo's name comes up:

I think the left-field deal (well, not so left field) is Iguodala. The Sixers would be happy to shed his salary due to Evan Turner and the Knicks get a wing that defends, can be the back up playmaker, can play multiple positions, and the core won't have to be busted up.

martin wrote:

franco12 wrote:

fishmike wrote:

martin wrote:I read somewhere - can't remember where but it was today or yesterday - that MDA is not that high on Melo and that maybe Walsh is a bit more liking to Anthony. Part of the "touches" point reminded me of this.

it was hard NOT to take that based on all the Melo stuff. He was really adament about this point and kept harping on the team ball. Even Amare who they force feed some (how cant you) he talked about what a good ball mover he's been and how many of his passes dont lead to assists, but the 2nd or 3rd do.

are those the passes that Amare completes to the other team?

haha yeah.

Amare definitely gotta watch some of the dribbling in traffic, but some of the passes he receives on the move where he HAS to dribble are more his PGs fault than not.

How about this: Amare is a better passer this year, or at least he is a more willing passer; assist numbers are clearly up. And he does get a TON of touches in this offense, I can't begrudge him the TO's.

Exactly, he's shown such maturity, especially after the comments about the team. The TO's don't look so bad when we win becasue of him

TMS wrote:

damn, this guy sucks... who needs him

I could pull out some AR youtube clips...look.. these clips do not tell the whole story and you know it..

melo's cons are, poor shot pct, suspect d, and doesn't pass the ball much..If you can live with a player earning that kinda of salary, and he makes your #2 in the league offense much better, then hey,,knock youself out