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Billups an important part of Knicks-Nuggets swap
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FeltonandAmare
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2/23/2011  9:45 AM    LAST EDITED: 2/23/2011  9:45 AM
I kept telling everyone that one of the keys to this trade was Chauncey. That he would be an upgrade to Felton despite posters feeling that the Nuggets were raping us on that part of the trade. The facts are that the Nuggets didn't want to include him and that the Knicks were insisting on him. As this article states this was a key to the trade from Walsh's perspective.



Billups an important part of Knicks-Nuggets swap

History may regard the move as the “Carmelo Anthony trade.” By and large, that’s what you will see on television, hear on the radio, and read in print and online.

But there’s another player Knicks president Donnie Walsh was intent on acquiring in the blockbuster three-team deal.

“I think the one name I haven’t heard is Chauncey Billups enough,” said Walsh, who was sitting beside coach Mike D’Antoni at a press conference yesterday at the team’s training facility in Greenburgh.

Billups is the afterthought in the monstrous deal, but he clearly is the second-most accomplished player in the swap. The 34-year-old point guard, a five-time All-Star, will replace Raymond Felton, and Walsh, D’Antoni and Amar’e Stoudemire all have complete confidence that Billups can run the Knicks’ Broadway show.

We got more than just Carmelo,” Walsh said. “We got Chauncey Billups, who’s a terrific player.”

Giving up Billups didn’t come easily for the Nuggets, and team president Josh Kroenke

wants Billups to know it.

“I want to offer a personal apology to the Billups family,” Kroenke told the Associated Press. “[Chauncey] is Denver basketball. He was a high school star here. He as a college star here. He was a professional star here. It was an incredibley tough decision to include him in this trade.”

Billups is averaging 16.5 points on 43.8-percent shooting, along with 5.3 assists. Though he is entering the autumn of his career, he hardly has struggled. In fact, look at Billups’ monthly numbers: After averaging 15.7 points on 28 percent shooting in three October games and 14.3 points on 39 percent shooting in November, Billups averaged 18.9 ppg on 45 percent in December, 16 ppg on 46 percent in January and 17.1 ppg on 51 percent so far this month.

“I think the difference is, Chauncey is shooting 44 percent from 3 right now,” said Stoudemire, while also praising outgoing point guard Felton, who was shooting 33 percent from beyond the arc. Stoudemire also said Billups “also keeps the game under control.”

“Sometimes you get caught up in the moment and you’re just playing and you’re running up and down,” Stoudemire said, “but Chauncey will definitely relax guys and get them in their right positions and run the offense.”

D’Antoni coached Billups as an assistant with the Nuggets in 1998-99 and this past summer for the world championships. The coach insisted that a point guard for his offense doesn’t have to be a speed demon, and he said he trusts Billups to run things in a rhythm.

“And Chauncey’s one of those point guards, he’ll establish his rhythm. He will play the way Chauncey wants to play. And that’s what I think great point guards do,” D’Antoni said. “Chauncey will orchestrate. And that’s what makes you a good point guard. And whatever speed that he is comfortable at, we’ll be comfortable.”

mark.hale@nypost.com

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NYKBocker
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2/23/2011  9:47 AM
The big question is can he run the PnR.
OasisBU
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2/23/2011  9:50 AM
NYKBocker wrote:The big question is can he run the PnR.

Weren't there the same questions about Felton? I think Chauncey can do it - at least I hope he can, he doesn't have much of a choice.

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Marv
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2/23/2011  9:55 AM
NYKBocker
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2/23/2011  9:56 AM
Watching this highlight which is from 2008/2009(more his speed now), it looks like he will prosper in the PnR with Amare. A lot of teams have been jumping the passing lane and letting Felton shoot the uncontested jumpers on top of the play and with Billups to shoot lights out the opposing team will have a big dilemma. We won't see the Felton strong finishes anymore as I think Billups is a little slower but he looks very cagey. I think our transition game might suffer a little since not only is Felton gone but our runners(Gallo and Mayor) are gone for easy buckets.
NYKBocker
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2/23/2011  9:57 AM
Marv wrote:

Very Mark Jackson like.

BlueSeats
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2/23/2011  10:49 AM
NYKBocker wrote:The big question is can he run the PnR.

This is every bit as important

“Sometimes you get caught up in the moment and you’re just playing and you’re running up and down,” Stoudemire said, “but Chauncey will definitely relax guys and get them in their right positions and run the offense.”
NYKBocker
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2/23/2011  10:53 AM
BlueSeats wrote:
NYKBocker wrote:The big question is can he run the PnR.

This is every bit as important

“Sometimes you get caught up in the moment and you’re just playing and you’re running up and down,” Stoudemire said, “but Chauncey will definitely relax guys and get them in their right positions and run the offense.”

Light jab at Felton?

martin
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2/23/2011  10:55 AM
BlueSeats wrote:
NYKBocker wrote:The big question is can he run the PnR.

This is every bit as important

“Sometimes you get caught up in the moment and you’re just playing and you’re running up and down,” Stoudemire said, “but Chauncey will definitely relax guys and get them in their right positions and run the offense.”

This is something that I felt Felton never brought. Took him more than training camp and first month to get the PnR down, that was strange for me coming from a UNC and otherwise well-groomed PG.

And he kept just handing the ball off to Amare and then walking away, when it seemed like a more commanding-of-the-moment PG would have gotten the ball back and ran another set when it was clear Amare was over-doing the iso play. Nash was more of a probing PG and certainly that wasn't Felton's MO, but he could have been more patient.

I know the offense is predicated on the PG making shots, but does Felton need to take the first open long distance shot with 20 seconds left on clock without exploring if Gallo/Chandler/Amare/Someone had a better play?

Like that.

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BlueSeats
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2/23/2011  11:01 AM
NYKBocker wrote:
BlueSeats wrote:
NYKBocker wrote:The big question is can he run the PnR.

This is every bit as important

“Sometimes you get caught up in the moment and you’re just playing and you’re running up and down,” Stoudemire said, “but Chauncey will definitely relax guys and get them in their right positions and run the offense.”

Light jab at Felton?

Definitely. Felton started looking more and more like a rich man's Toney Douglas.

Billups an important part of Knicks-Nuggets swap

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