Papabear Says

The Year the Knicks lost to Miami because of suspensions was a year I think they could have won it all. How would that team rate against the Mavericks, Miami, Chicago, and Los Angeles of today?? We could replace Mason for Larry Johnson if you want to. Oh crap Martin please correct the word teame to teams.

One argument would say that teams today wouldn't have the ability to deal with Ewing and Oak. There are very few C's today that Could deal with Ewing. As a team the Knicks were so mentally tough. Outside of Ewing the talent level wasn't that high really. It was the toughness tho, that I think would separate that old Knick team.

There is tho the matter of the difference in rules now. Perhaps that would hurt that Knicks team, cuz they really didn't score like the teams today. The fact that they could fight and grab really helped them to stay in the game. Once you take that away that team is far less effective. So it all depends on which rules they get to play under.

well with the rule changes, it helps and hurt some of the guys on the list. i think ewing would avg. 30ppg with the rules changed because he was beaten up in the post and still managed to avg. 25 ppg. oakley will struggle since he got away with a lot of physical fouls. cant do that today. derke harper would struggle also with no hand checking in which he was the best at. allan will do fine and i think lj would avg. more ppg but struggle defensively.

Depends. Can they play the type of defense that they used to play? I know today's game would probably have a couple guys foul out by the half and most of other defenders out in the second half. Houston and Harper would be the only of those listed likely to be able finish the game. Not only do teams not play as strong or as good D as they used to, they quite frankly aren't allowed to. But that team's D would make them all but useless. Amare wouldn't get his shots off against Oakley and Ewing. Melo is truly excellent, but Houston, Starks and Harper could easily prevent him from scoring and who's really left to hurt the old Knicks? Conversely, the old Knicks offense wouldn't have any trouble against the new Knicks "D"...I'M NOT JOKING.

Yeah i agree w/grill...The knicks then played a slow pace game cuz that had a hell uve a post up player in ewing..the absence of a post player on many teams or solid post defender on almost every team, ewing would easily avg 30 points..

Similar to how wilt and shag dominated there era, there was just nobody bigger enough or strong enough to guard them one on one. The SG and center position in today's NBA is ridiculously suspect..now you have a bunch of pg/combo guards(some not big enough or fast enough) sf's and Pf/C(same thing here)..

Do you think that MDA could coach the 97 squad to a championship?

Oak would not be in todays NBA. Harper too slow to defend, LJ undersized Charile would be a scrub. Starks

Oak would be a role player given his offensive limitations in todays game. Perhaps as a defensive stopper. Oaks skills worked very well with Ewings strengths and weakness and complimented Ewing. Not to many players today hold ewings skills set so Oak would not compliment many players.

Im not hating on him but not romancing the past either.

Look, It was what it was and my opinion is some players would not translate to the evolved game. The stocky big dudes are bigger now, and the long guys would go right over him. Oak was great for his day and like I said, complimented Ewings game.