Kidd's missed 4 games.
Melo's missed 7 games.
Felton's missed 12 games.
Kurt's missed 15 games.
Rasheed's missed 20 games.
Camby's missed 26 games.
Stoudemire's missed 30 games.
Shumpert's missed 37 games.

But yet, we're still first place of the Atlantic and second place of the Eastern Conference. That (to me) is a testament of how strong Melo truly is as a franchise leader/franchise player. He's led a group of wounded Knicks to where we are today (1st place of the Atlantic division/2nd place of the Eastern Conference). This (to me) is an example of how deep we truly are as an overall basketball team. We've had a chance to see how deep our depth actually is (through injury). We've shown the ability to compete despite the fact that Kidd's missed 4 games, Melo's missed 7, Felton's missed 12 games, Kurt's missed 15 games, Rasheed's missed 20 games, Camby's missed 26 games, Stoudemire missed 30 games and last but not least; Shumpert missed 37 games.

I've asked this in a previous thread, but what other (contending) team and/or NBA superstar has even came close to the (team) injuries that Melo (as our leader) and/or the Knicks (as a team) have had to overcome thus far through 40 games this season? I'd like to know, if any at all...

The positive in all of this? Is our potential. It goes through the arena. We miss and need Raymond Felton (our starting PG) but as of right now? I look at it like this: We've replaced Camby/Rahseed with Shumpert/Stoudemire. Two players we've waited for all season long. They've returned. I'm excited moving forward.

Don't ask me about Brewer (he's either banged up or in Woodon's dog-house) but Kidd is currently healthy. Prigioni is currently healthy. J.R Smith is currently healthy. Shumpert is currently healthy. Novak is currently healthy. Melo is currently healthy. Stoudemire is currently healthy and Tyson Chandler is currently healthy.

Who knows what our future holds in regards to injuries moving forward, but as of right now? We're 8 deep (with Chris Copeland still as am "unknown" possible). Felton has been cleared to practice as of last Friday but once we return Raymond Felton ala our starting PG? With this current group? We'll then be, or on the verge of being 9 deep upon Felton's return with our entire core group of Felton, Kidd, Pablo, Shumpert, J.R, Novak, Melo, Stoudemire and Chandler intact. That's pretty much 9 deep and 10 if you include Coplenad.

I then consider the likes of Brewer, Camby, Kurt and Rasheed as potential future bonus points. Return a good 2-3 of those players? To the players intact once Felton returns? And the sky then becomes the limit.

Just wanted to point out, that as a team and even fan base, we're in very good position moving forward. With the injuries we've fought through? It could be worse. Much worse at that. Can't wait for Felton's return. Once this happens? We'll truthfully be the deepest we've been since day one of the regular season. We've waited on Kurt, Rasheed, Camby, Amar'e and Shump. Now we're waiting for Felton. What a feeling.

Kurt's missed 15 games.
Rasheed's missed 20 games.
Camby's missed 26 games.

I can't really count those as injuries, they're really old guys, if they're some critical piece for us then we are in a bad spot, so you take those 3 guys out and our number of injuries isn't dramatic or much above average, if at all

holfresh wrote:

IronWillGiroud wrote:Well, Rose is more than a Star player, he's an MVP, so it's amazing that they're only 1.5 games behind us,

I did say behind us, right??

Yea you did, I said it's only 1.5 games

holfresh wrote:Just a side note..If Amare doesn't play like Amare of 2008 then we don't make it out the second round...Fact..

So then we can't overcome an injury to a washed up Amar'e, but Chicago has overcome losing its MVP and they are still banging,

Who is overcoming what then?

holfresh wrote:Well if u read the game thread..Indy's and Chicago's coaches are doing the work of the lord getting their teams up and leading them to victory after losing their Star(1) player...Mind u, the Knicks have a better record than both teams...But hey, that's how we like it..Cruise under the radar and gel as a team into the playoffs...

All I ask for is for Woodson to distinguish himself on the offensive end. Did a great job last night by finally adjusting to a team that had already beat the Knicks by going zone. Would love to him take the ball out of JR and Melo's hands and put it in the hands of the PG. Fortunately for him Felton is back and he can go back to only focusing on the Defense that hasn't been great either. If anything happens to Felton we are in big trouble offensively

Bulls without their best player for the entire season and on 1 1/2 back. Thibs gets the nod and prob wins coach of the year again. The guy is a hell of a coach.

By the way happy with Woodson overall after 8yrs of Isiah and Dantoni

NYKMentality wrote:

IronWillGiroud wrote:

holfresh wrote:Just a side note..If Amare doesn't play like Amare of 2008 then we don't make it out the second round...Fact..

So then we can't overcome an injury to a washed up Amar'e, but Chicago has overcome losing its MVP and they are still banging,

Who is overcoming what then?

How many games has their starting PF in Boozer missed? The answer would be 0. Stoudemire? 30 games missed.

How many games has their starting SF in Deng missed? The answer would be 3. Melo? 7 games missed.

How many games has their starting 2G in Hamilton missed? The answer would be 12. Shumpert? 37 games missed.

How many games has their backup 2G in Marco Belinelli missed? The answer would be 1. Jason Kidd was our starting 2G during our first 37 games and missed 4 games.

How many games has their backup PF in Taj Gibson missed? The answer would be 0. Rasheed Wallace? 20 games missed.

How many games has their backup Center in Nazr Mohammed? The answer would be 12. Camby? 26 games missed.

This is becoming hilarious. Can't even talk about our Knicks injuries without naysaying negative critics telling us "just how wrong we really are".

What's Miami's excuse for being only 1.5 games ahead of our Knicks? Which players have Miami been without? Because we're only 1.5 games back of the #1 seed with a lot more injuries than both Miami and even Chicago combined.

Rose is very important to the Bulls, yes, but I never knew Felton, Shumpert, Melo and Stoudemire weren't important to our Knicks. Not to mention the injuries to Kurt (3rd string PF), Rasheed (backup PF) and Camby (backup Center).

Rose is their BEST PLAYER, you're talking about senior citizens and lying to my face about Amar'e being our starting PF

This is becoming hilarious. Can't even talk about our Knicks injuries without naysaying negative critics telling us "just how wrong we really are".

It's not the 'naysaying critics' that are coming out and naysaying, it's that you're trying to force extreme YAYsaying in everyone's face,

what you call 'naysaying' is actually a reaction to your push to the opposite extreme

The biggest surprise to me is our record given the most important player to have missed games and thats amare.

Shump we knew would going in at best would give us half a season. Camby absence has hurt us but to me anything Sheed can give us is a bonus.

I think NYMental is enthusiastic thinking that if we get everyone healthy we are going to be even better is a good thing, but I don't think we can really count on that. Our depth is our strength. Key is having our youthier core intact more most of the season and building chemistry. I don't think Stat and Felton have really played together yet this season, certainly not healthy!

We have upside and we have a greater hope.