Felton // Kidd // Prigioni
Shumpert // Brewer // White
Melo // Smith //
Stat // Novak // Thomas
Chandler // Camby // Sheed

In my excitement, I've been putting together some situational lineups beyond the starting lineup... thoughts? changes? other lineups?

All Defense:
PG: Shump
SG: Brewer
SF: Smith
PF: Camby
C: Chandler

3Pt:
Kidd
Smith
Melo
Novak
Sheed

Run N Gun:
Kidd
Smith
Melo
Novak
Stat

Full Court Press:
Shump
Brewer
Smith
Melo
Stat

Pick N Roll:
Felton
Smith
Novak
Stat
Camby

Last Play:
Kidd
Smith
Melo
Novak (to stand in the corner!)
Sheed

My biggest issue with the Knick's offense is that the starting lineup more resembles a pick and roll offense than a isolation offense. That is, there really aren't any players on the floor to start the game that would allow Melo to do what he does best -- be an isolation scorer. While the talent is pretty much flowing in the isolation, I think our "best lineup" is the "Last Play" lineup which is pretty much the same as the 3 pt lineup... i.e. players that spread the floor and can give Melo some space to operate.

If egos were out the window, I would have the Felton/Amare tandem come off the bench in a modified pick and roll offense:

No Ego Second Team:
Felton
Brewer
Novak
Amare
Camby

I think our best "Starting Lineup" would then be (kudos to Hollinger on the Melo PF argument)

Kidd
Shump
Smith
Melo
Chandler

Last, with the final roster spot, if healthy, Josh Howard would be amazing and would really balance the roster.

Although I don't really see how JR gets most of his burn as a SF. But maybe that's just me.

jrodmc wrote:One things for sure, JR likes all your lineups.

Although I don't really see how JR gets most of his burn as a SF. But maybe that's just me.

Lol...yeah, I guess I am a bit Smith-crazy. I think its mostly because I think he is perhaps the third best player on the team and possibly the most athletic. After that article on GrantLand, I like him that much more. Mostly, its cause he took less money to be in NY. I like that.

I guess the SF positioning is the fact that we really don't have a SF backup to Melo. Josh Howard would change that. With ShumpShump and Brewer splitting time at the 2, I see more open minutes coming at the 3... I dunno...

EwingsGlass wrote:

GodNa7ion wrote:Starting 5
G- Felton
G- Shumpert
F- Anthony
F- Stoudemire
C- Chandler

2nd Unit
G- Kidd
G- Smith
F- Brewer
F- Novak
C- Camby

Melo-Ball
G- Kidd
G- Smith
F- Novak
F- Anthony
C- Chandler/Camby

STAT-Ball
G- Felton
G- Smith
F- Novak
F- Stoudemire
C- Wallace

VS Zone
G- Felton
G- Kidd
F- Novak
F- Anthony
F- Stoudemire

Defense
G- Felton
G- Shumpert
G- Brewer
C- Camby
C- Chandler

Offense
G- Kidd
G- Smith
F- Anthony
F- Novak
F- Stoudemire

High-Low
G- Kidd
G- Smith
F- Novak
F- Stoudemire
C- Camby

I could do this all day

My "Defense" puts ShumpShump at the PG cause I think he gets a mismatch on pretty much any PG in the league. I think Brewer against SGs is also a favorable matchup for us. I guess the question becomes whether Smith is a better defender than Felton is against PGs... I dunno. I guess it depends on which JR Smith is on the floor. Josh Howard would replace Smith in that lineup, if we were to sign him and he were healthy). I hope that happens.

I think Felton is strong enough as a defender to run with this line up but I get your point with Shumpert at the 1 since he can play the 1 on O with JR being the primary scorer...........so much versatility

We have a lot of really experienced, talented, no-nonsense, good ole-fashioned NBA players who know what they're doing. This is critical, and obviously something we have lacked over the years.

I realize a lot things have to break right for us to have a really big year (stay healthy, get Amare back to where he was, for starters), but you cannot help but think that this is a team that will be serious from Day 1 about its job. I mean, just adding a guy like Kidd, to go along with a guy like Chandler, is huge. Then you throw in Camby and Rasheed/Kurt (not so sure there's room for both, but who knows). You have to figure that these guys will rub off on Melo and Amare. You also hope Shump comes back healthy and picks up where he left off.

And to me, the biggest thing is that we figure to be one of the top defensive teams in the league from Day 1. You cannot overstate how important that will be. (I also think we will value the ball a lot more and avoid those silly, silly turnovers that killed us last year.)

Yes, a lot of hoping, but I am cautiously optimistic that this will be a very interesting/entertaining/fruitful season.

yellowboy90 wrote:I doubt Shump starts this season baring injury or Brewer having a terrible year. By the time he comes back hopefully the team will be in a grove and are all healthy.

Shumpert's jumper is better than Brewer's

Shumpert's D is better than JR's

once full healthy and in shape Shumpert will start

GodNa7ion wrote:

yellowboy90 wrote:I doubt Shump starts this season baring injury or Brewer having a terrible year. By the time he comes back hopefully the team will be in a grove and are all healthy.

Shumpert's jumper is better than Brewer's

Shumpert's D is better than JR's

once full healthy and in shape Shumpert will start

Is it really? How much better? what are the numbers. I realize that Shump has the potential to be better but who knows. If Brewer is playing well on O he should play over Shump. I just think if the team is doing well there will be no reason to mess up the chemistry by adding a rusty player.