With the other team we were clearly totally reliant on Amare beasting to beat teams. At least with Melo we have a chance.

I'd rather they just sit Amare for a few games so he can get ready for the playoffs at this point.

I don't even blame Mike right now. The former team (now west coast Knicks) was playing pretty good and understood the system. After years Chandler and Gallo seemed to be solid players, not stars, but very very solid. Yeah, not exactly consistent either. Anyway, Billups isn't picking up on the system and doesn't fit it, nor does Melo.

We have a gutted roster, if I blame anyone, it's MElo first, and Dolan second (maybe Walsh and coach if there were really for the trade which I still don't believe.)

CashMoney wrote:
Melo has been playing well. He was almost able to pull out the game for them last night. Billups is clearly struggling and I think STAT is having a confidence problem right now. He seems to have lost the pep in his step.

Amare isn't plying like Amare anymore. Not going hard to the rim. No more SportsCenter highlights, no more MVP candidate talk. Playing a finesse game. Dare I say, playing rather soft.

This has been the most upset I've been with the Knicks in a while due to expectations. But I agree that as hard as this is now, and as bad as it sucks to literally be the worst team in the league right now, we will be fine in the long run. If Carmelo could he'd carry us on his back to win some of these games, but he's trying to buy in to what coach wants.

D'Antoni is a big problem. I know there needs to be adjustment time, but it clear he has no idea what's going on right now. We are losing every game badly. He needs to sit Amare for a game. He needs to call timeouts. He needs to adjust when he sees that we constantly get lost on screens. He needs to draw up plays at the end of close games. He does none of this and is mind bogglingly stubborn. I hope he succeeds, but I suspect he won't. Knowing Dolan and this franchise we'll jump at the chance to get Phil Jackson in here. This (or any good coach), along with a Center and able PG will put us where we need to be.

AnibusADL debunked

Melo's good for Melo. He hasn't necessarily been ultra selfish (at certain times he has) although I do see effort to fit in and run scheme. It's kind of like Douglas. Toney is good for himself

Melo doesn't make anyone better.... he makes himself good which will have an overall effect of slightly improved team stats

We need guys on this team who'll make everyone better

There was this prevailing idea players like Chandler/Gallo/Fields made Amar'e/Felton/Lee/Harrington. You could say more so Chandler when his play went south the whole team's play went south. Effective role players in this system allow Alphas room to go off.

I do believe Melo at this point needs more help off the bench from a coach who'll take advantage of his strengths to make his teammates better. It would require Melo becoming more of a post player and picking defenses apart at double teams and platooning point duties as a point forward. The problem is what do you do with Amar'e?

Maybe just maybe we're seeing that Amar'e and Melo aren't an ideal match

Paladin55 wrote:So maybe we should have traded Amare for Anthony one on one, and let Gallinari play at PF?

By the way, this thread smells of desperation, and an attempt to justify a trade that never should have happened which has gone bad.

Some of you are simply unable to admit that the trade may have been a mistake... pretty pathetic, actually.

We are a thin team. We knew this already. When Amare sat we looked like a totally different team. Why did you think he was getting MVP chants?

Lets not act like we would have been winning games with Gallo and Chandler if Amare was playing like he has been.

The major issues are we're getting nothing from Billups and Amare seems to be fading.

Juice wrote:Also Melo's play here... what else does it prove other than he can score and be a very productive player....WITHOUT RAISING OR ELEVATING THE PLAY OF HIS TEAMMATES?

Melo's good for Melo. He hasn't necessarily been ultra selfish (at certain times he has) although I do see effort to fit in and run scheme. It's kind of like Douglas. Toney is good for himself

Melo doesn't make anyone better.... he makes himself good which will have an overall effect of slightly improved team stats

We need guys on this team who'll make everyone better

There was this prevailing idea players like Chandler/Gallo/Fields made Amar'e/Felton/Lee/Harrington. You could say more so Chandler when his play went south the whole team's play went south. Effective role players in this system allow Alphas room to go off.

I do believe Melo at this point needs more help off the bench from a coach who'll take advantage of his strengths to make his teammates better. It would require Melo becoming more of a post player and picking defenses apart at double teams and platooning point duties as a point forward. The problem is what do you do with Amar'e?

Maybe just maybe we're seeing that Amar'e and Melo aren't an ideal match

This team isnt a finished product. Melo and Amare havent had time to gel and Billups is playing his age.

Melo isnt Lebron James man. He makes guys better by giving them opportunities because he draws the defense. We have scrubs. Only guy I'd pay more than the minimum this summer is Shawne Williams because he seems like a ideal shooter off the bench.

Shawne Williams = Robert Horry for us.

martin wrote:

AnubisADL wrote:This team isnt a finished product. Melo and Amare havent had time to gel and Billups is playing his age.

Melo isnt Lebron James man. He makes guys better by giving them opportunities because he draws the defense. We have scrubs. Only guy I'd pay more than the minimum this summer is Shawne Williams because he seems like a ideal shooter off the bench.

Shawne Williams = Robert Horry for us.

Melo CAN makes guys better cause he draws the defense, but the operative word is still CAN. Gotta be a willing passer and play within a system. I have no problem with a good offensive player who is within his flow when his shot is falling, but over the long haul he has to move and pass the ball. Also, a guy like him also has to give effort and energy on the defensive end if he expects his role players to buy into the team.

Not sure Melo has displayed that totality of attitude over his career.

How come we haven't seen more of the Melo/Amare pick and roll? They ran it a few times during Melo's nine-assist night, then it dried up. Am I missing an X's and O's reason here?

AnubisADL wrote:

Paladin55 wrote:So maybe we should have traded Amare for Anthony one on one, and let Gallinari play at PF?

By the way, this thread smells of desperation, and an attempt to justify a trade that never should have happened which has gone bad.

Some of you are simply unable to admit that the trade may have been a mistake... pretty pathetic, actually.

We are a thin team. We knew this already. When Amare sat we looked like a totally different team. Why did you think he was getting MVP chants?

Lets not act like we would have been winning games with Gallo and Chandler if Amare was playing like he has been.

The major issues are we're getting nothing from Billups and Amare seems to be fading.

We had more to look forward to in the future if we had not folded when Dolan stepped in. The future is now at this time- Amare, Anthony, and Billups are never going to get better than they are at this moment, and if you let Billups go to clear away some cap space, you are left without a true PG, and you have no idea who is going to be out there to fill in. Basically this would mean keeping an over the hill Billups, or dumping him to look for a big man who can cover up the defensive deficiencies of Amare and Anthony, and a new PG. Basically, we are back to rebuilding and bringing a new group together for the 4th year in a row.

No way to run a franchise.