Every shot was contested. There were fewer defensive breakdowns than we are seeing over the last four games.

During Linsanity, the remaining Knicks played every defensive shift as if their careers depended on it. As a result, the offense was inspired by the sudden positive effect of a turnover or a timely rebound. We played in productive spurts that demoralized opponents.

With the courageous selection of Carmelo (for DEFENSE) over Amar'e, here is how it works:
(provided everyone is healthy)

First Defensive Five

C - Chandler, take the week off, just return at 100 per cent
F - Jared Jeffries, if he wilts, play Harrellson and camp him inside as a bodyguard for Tyson, forget the three's, hit somebody
F - Anthony, take pride in a stop or a rebound... the crowd will dig it
G - Fields, don't mess with chemistry, "keep cutting to the rack son"
G - Lin, eat your vegetables and pack some protein powder for road games

Second Shift

F - Stoudemire, if sixth man was good enough for John freakin' Havlicek... otherwise, hit somebody
F - Novak, shoot it, continue to box out
G - Shumpert, the defensive inspiration for this shift
G - Davis, has until the Atlanta game on the 29th to work back into form

I think I'll scroll backwards to mrKnickShot.

At least mrKnick is paying attention. Melo has been making an effort on defense. He needs to take being scored on like a personal insult. The payback is not the playground habit to score on his opponent, but to shut him down next time down the floor.

It will difficult to compensate for the loss of Tyson Chandler. Josh Harrellson has an opportunity to gain some valuable experience.

I miss Jared Jeffries.

sdsucwsl wrote:Amare is just useless on D. C'mon, you are making $20+ million a year at least try to make it look like you are earning your money.

airchibundo507 wrote:

sad thing about this shot is it shows carmelo at the rim preparing to be just as useless as amar'e.

that's why they can't win like this.

carmelo and amar'e DO NOT WORK TOGETHER.

earthmansurfer wrote:I would love to Trade Amare for a defensive minded PF who can score some. The guy can score inside, especially with Lin giving him those close looks (though he fumbled a few give me's). I just think, as many of you do, that to have Melo and Amare out there is too much of a defensive sieve. Maybe bring one off the bench, but I prefer to have Tyson the Starting Center and Jeffries off the bench. When Tyson Starts Amare doesn't get the spacing to get inside and becomes a jump shooter.

We are seeing what is wrong with this team when Tyson (and Jeffries) is out and it is a valuable but painful lesson. We are not going to the promised land with Amare and Melo out there. I think when Chandler is out there their defensive level goes up some, as he is a force inside, but they need to pick things up.

Imagine what they must be feeling, I mean, after the Lin streak and now he is still playing great and his defense is damn near great again, but the two 20 million dollar guys don't play defense enough, especially Stat.

I wouldn't change a word of what you wrote. I am not kidding when I say this -- we all make mistakes in life, and in some cases, are allowed do-overs. Pretty please, may the Knicks have a do-over on Amare and can we have the "defensive minded PF who can score some"?

Nehemiah - Thx, and it is getting painfully obvious. It was actually nice having Chandler out because it showed you his affect on the team and SUDDENLY Stat is scoring (but inside). I don't think Melo was on because of Chandler being out though, so maybe Melo can get things to work with a defensive PF. Hey, I wonder if we can get Chris Singleton from Washington by absorbing a bad contract from them for Stat? Maybe take Lewis back?