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Knicks still missing point By: Wesley Cheng Date: 01/20/04 The similarities are glaring.
With the Knicks riding a three-game win streak following the entrance of an all-star point guard, a legendary coach and a competent general, Allan Houston made a “bold” statement that will likely be compared to ex-Giants coach Jim Fassel’s guarantee - a guarantee that propelled the Giants to the Super Bowl.
“We're going to make the playoffs," Houston said to the New York Post following the Knicks third-straight win, which put the Knicks just one game out of the playoffs. "Whatever happens from here and whatever's happened, we're going to make the playoffs.”
Was Houston correct? Likely.
With the aforementioned Stephon Marbury running the point guard and Lenny Wilkens patrolling the sideline, the Knicks will likely end their two-year drought from the playoffs.
But were Houston’s statements bold? Hardly.
The Knicks have a bloated payroll and with a watered-down Eastern Conference and an arsenal of three legitimate 20-a-night scorers, Houston’s comments lacked the daring nature of Fassel’s statements.
When Fassel turned to the New York media and guaranteed a playoff berth for his team, his job was in jeopardy and there were clear signs the Giants were slowly unhinging. But Houston’s comments come at a time when hope and enthusiasm are sweeping through Madison Square Garden.
Perhaps the most irritating part about Houston’s comments is that he’s completely missing the point – the faithful who have filled the Garden during New York’s darkest hour aren’t interested in a second-round exit from the playoffs.
James Dolan wants to squeeze a few extra million out of a pointless playoff run. And with the way the roster is set up, he certainly will get his wish. But not even Dolan can fool himself into thinking that the Knicks the way they are right now could topple any foe New York would meet in the NBA finals.
Should a miracle happen and the Knicks beat the Pacers, Nets or Pistons for a trip to the finals, the Spurs, Kings or Lakers will make quick work of New York.
New York, home of the most knowledgeable basketball fans in the world, only want to see a championship banner end a 31-year long drought. It makes you wonder what would’ve happen if Isiah Thomas, instead of overloading the payroll and dumping all tradable contracts, had instead used the “R” word – rebuilding for those of you who haven’t heard the word used by the Knicks since the mid-80s.
Instead of trading for Marbury and leaving him without a supporting cast (Houston and Van Horn pale in comparison to Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire) the Knicks could have let McDyess’ contract expire at the end of the season and used the draft pick to nab, say, Connecticut’s Emeka Okafor, who is as much a lock for a future superstar as there has been. As it stands right now, the Knicks still don't have anyone who can attract a double-team in the paint.
The counter argument is obvious – rebuilding is never an exact science and the Knicks aren’t bad enough to draft that high. New Jersey was stuck in that phase for a decade before Jason Kidd came and rescued a franchise that was once the joke of the NBA. The Clippers seemed destined to follow that path while Memphis has been there since its inception.
But for the truly knowledgeable, the risk is worth the means. A Knicks team who will win 43 games in the Eastern Conference and will bow out either to a mighty Western Conference team or to one of the better teams in the east isn’t anything to celebrate about.
What’s more, the Knicks are once again devoid of a future, with two first-round picks out the window and no talent to develop (Frank Williams will never get a shot with Marbury in town). New York won’t be able to even think about uttering the “R” word until 2008.
But this is typical of the New York management, who ignored the urge to rebuild for more than 15 years. Instead, they desire only to be mediocre, and to dish out hollow promises for a nice “playoff” year.
JAMES DOLAN on Isiah : He's a good friend of mine and of the organization and I will continue to solicit his views. He will always have strong ties to me and the team.
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