Just looking at their roster--especially the Spurs only 1 player avg 20 points and that is it 20 points and NO one avg more than 33 minutes. They are getting contributions from 1-10 very much like the Detroit Pistons Chicago Bulls LA lakers...they play a deep roster--there is no way around that. You CANNOT thin your roster even worse than it is now and expect to field a winning product long term--it's not happening. Miami with its great three will have a tremendous problem beating the Celtics becasue at the end of the day--when healthy the C's can throw waves of size and talent at you--and I dont think the Heat are a thin team by any means--they have other role pieces that work at ever position. We needed some one to pick up Felton last night who was dreadful(*probably tired and injured) but we cant--we dont have an extra guy who can check Bosh. Dallas brings in Sean Marion Jason Terry Brendan Haywood and Jose Barea off the bench--what if we had that bench???? if we had that bench we d be 22-4. Were a bench away not a player away.

Both the Spurs and Mavericks have very good interior players, play makers, and shooters. There isn't a ball stopper among them (well... except for Jason Terry maybe, but he's a 6th man).

I trust Donnie to make the right moves, whatever they may be. He has shown that he has the proper perspective on things (unlike Isaiah). Building a championship team requires luck and opportunistic moves.

Now to throw this out there, I hear Stephen Jackson is available. Donnie Walsh loves him, and had him on the Pacers. Personally, I prefer him over Melo because he's a great defender and equally clutch, and will not back down from anyone. He does not fill a position of need though... he'd be a bench player or he might shift Gallo/Chandler to the bench and start in their place. But he's an example of a piece of a championship caliber team.

Vmart wrote:BRIGGS, the Knicks have ample talent on the bench to get production. MDA is killing his own bench slowly and putting everyone into the dog house he chalks them up as they aren't good or they aren't doing the necessary things in practice. Fans buy into it and start shytting on players just like you have done to AR.

My suggestion--we played a great zone D last year at times. We can take pressure off of the guys by playing zone at periods throughout the game. This is beyond the need for a beter bench--what we are dealing with now. I dont want to change what is working--but if we implemented a zone for say 7-8 minutes a half(The Mavericks do this)we might be able to help the mismatches and fatigue until we fill out the roster.

Now to throw this out there, I hear Stephen Jackson is available. Donnie Walsh loves him, and had him on the Pacers. Personally, I prefer him over Melo because he's a great defender and equally clutch, and will not back down from anyone. He does not fill a position of need though... he'd be a bench player or he might shift Gallo/Chandler to the bench and start in their place. But he's an example of a piece of a championship caliber team.

mikesknicks wrote:Briggs you lost all creditability when u start saying to trade AR after wanting him so bad. And now wanting to keep Feilds Gallo and/or Chandler over Melo is just not smart. This sis a stars league Stern made it that way. So we have one and a very good pg we need another star no matter what the smart knick fans say. This team is a borderline playoff team and nothing more. Get Melo!

What is your projection for both Chandler and Gallo?

Note that for the both of them, this was the first summer they had to practice and get their games better.

Vmart wrote:The biggest problem with Chandler and Gallo is they don't think like stars. They don't play with the edge that superstars play with and when faced against superstars they tend to get the deer in the head lights look. Quite frankly I'm tired of it. They let superstars go off on them again and again. I want them to take it personally.

This is true, that is why players like Melo and Amare should always be targeted first. Since day one they were expected to be the man, and it resonates in their games. This is almost impossible to teach/pick up on the fly.

Vmart wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:

Vmart wrote:BRIGGS, the Knicks have ample talent on the bench to get production. MDA is killing his own bench slowly and putting everyone into the dog house he chalks them up as they aren't good or they aren't doing the necessary things in practice. Fans buy into it and start shytting on players just like you have done to AR.

My suggestion--we played a great zone D last year at times. We can take pressure off of the guys by playing zone at periods throughout the game. This is beyond the need for a beter bench--what we are dealing with now. I dont want to change what is working--but if we implemented a zone for say 7-8 minutes a half(The Mavericks do this)we might be able to help the mismatches and fatigue until we fill out the roster.

Now you are talking because that is exactly what Miami did last night in the second half they zoned up. It is very easy to zone up the KNicks especially when no is moving on the perimeter.

What I would do to Miami is zone up and put pressure on Bosh any time he touches it. You are not stopping Lebron and I think Wade can be controlled into his 9-22. You cant let Bosh go for 26 on 70%--that just opens everything up. If you can keep Bosh at 17 shooting 45--then you are putting pressure on them. Also--I would use full court pressure on their PG on makes--just use ball pressure on the point to see if you can cut down some shot clock and disrupt their flow..Zone D more pressure on Bosh and a little PG full court ball hwaking.

BRIGGS wrote:

Vmart wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:

Vmart wrote:BRIGGS, the Knicks have ample talent on the bench to get production. MDA is killing his own bench slowly and putting everyone into the dog house he chalks them up as they aren't good or they aren't doing the necessary things in practice. Fans buy into it and start shytting on players just like you have done to AR.

My suggestion--we played a great zone D last year at times. We can take pressure off of the guys by playing zone at periods throughout the game. This is beyond the need for a beter bench--what we are dealing with now. I dont want to change what is working--but if we implemented a zone for say 7-8 minutes a half(The Mavericks do this)we might be able to help the mismatches and fatigue until we fill out the roster.

Now you are talking because that is exactly what Miami did last night in the second half they zoned up. It is very easy to zone up the KNicks especially when no is moving on the perimeter.

What I would do to Miami is zone up and put pressure on Bosh any time he touches it. You are not stopping Lebron and I think Wade can be controlled into his 9-22. You cant let Bosh go for 26 on 70%--that just opens everything up. If you can keep Bosh at 17 shooting 45--then you are putting pressure on them. Also--I would use full court pressure on their PG on makes--just use ball pressure on the point to see if you can cut down some shot clock and disrupt their flow..Zone D more pressure on Bosh and a little PG full court ball hwaking.

Chandler vs Bosh that is what I saw last night and basically Bosh using his height advantage. Can't continue to throw this small lineup out there. What I would do is start AR move Gallo to the sg position and put Chandler at sf with Amare at Center. Bring Fields of the bench as we have remember that he has already played an entire NCAA season so far and his numbers will come down as the season progresses would be nice to bring him off the bench. I want to force feed AR into the lineup and get him going.

Vmart wrote:Chandler vs Bosh that is what I saw last night and basically Bosh using his height advantage. Can't continue to throw this small lineup out there. What I would do is start AR move Gallo to the sg position and put Chandler at sf with Amare at Center. Bring Fields of the bench as we have remember that he has already played an entire NCAA season so far and his numbers will come down as the season progresses would be nice to bring him off the bench. I want to force feed AR into the lineup and get him going.

AR in starting lineup?

martin wrote:

cheers wrote:

In the meantime, as we've been telling you here, Donnie Walsh and his staff have been kicking tires around the league, seeing what's out there. One name that has come up is that of Courtney Lee, the third guard for the Houston Rockets who is currently No. 2 in the NBA in three-point shooting (53.3 percent). Lee is more of a two-guard, but with Aaron Brooks out, the Rockets have needed him to step into the point guard role.

--2:33 AM By Alan Hahn

this is the latest being reported by alan hahn.. discuss.

would love that dude on the team, but he is on a rookie contract and Houston would demand #1 pick and more in return. Hard to do for Knicks.

They also said something about jefferies--Id take jefferies back here--when we used Jefferies in the zone D we had some of the best defensive moments of the year--he is a guy that fits certain clubs and not others.

martin wrote:

Vmart wrote:Chandler vs Bosh that is what I saw last night and basically Bosh using his height advantage. Can't continue to throw this small lineup out there. What I would do is start AR move Gallo to the sg position and put Chandler at sf with Amare at Center. Bring Fields of the bench as we have remember that he has already played an entire NCAA season so far and his numbers will come down as the season progresses would be nice to bring him off the bench. I want to force feed AR into the lineup and get him going.

AR in starting lineup?

Yes Martin starting lineup for AR. We need to increase the team length and get back to a normal lineup. We can't play small vs teams with skilled length. Its time to give positive reinforcements to the player not negative all he is doing is ripping the kids confidence by benching him. This does no one good. Besides MDA seems to be his own worst enemy the guy can't get out of his own way with how to use his bench he manages to dishearten everyone by putting them into a dog house. Its tiring that is an old act and he needs to get better with it.