I'm not that worried about those guys being out cause we just seem like a better defensive team.

Even when they both were out last season with the emergence of lin, we lock in defensively then and just move he ball much better.

Now that we got some pg's that can actually play, some guy's that can actually defend, and a few unselfish players. We can still stay the course.

I think were a Much Better team with Amare and Melo, But Woodson hasn't figured out out to get those 2 to play defense for any real stretch..

It's not that they are better without Melo or Stat it's that they try harder with out them for a few games and when they come back down to earth the need will be there. Melo should learn from this. Stop the ISO so much but it's not Melo's call it's Woody's call. I'm glad Copeland got a chance to play. I truly believe that he will be one of keys to winning in the playoffs. Woody better stop being so stubborn or he will be looking for another job next season.

CrushAlot wrote:I think Melo is a decent defender. Amare not so much. Amare blocks shots but he needs to be the 5 to be effective and that just doesn't work that well with the Knicks team.

Bonn1997 wrote:

smackeddog wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:I don't know what's worse - that Amare and Melo are out or that the team doesn't seem any worse with them out.

Yeah, a 38-22 record is terrible, we've done really badly this year...

We're an older version of the Atlanta Hawks from the past decade. Wonderful.

What is a good regular season for you? Having a good record is bad, having a mediocre record is bad, having a losing record is bad- what exactly do you want or expect this team to do in the regular season?

knicks1248 wrote:

I think were a Much Better team with Amare and Melo, But Woodson hasn't figured out out to get those 2 to play defense for any real stretch..

I have a hard time believing Melo and Amare haven't been told the exact same things the role players have been told when it comes how to play.

The only difference is in the paycheck difference between Amare , Melo vs the coach. Can he sit them when they don't play defense in games where they aren't buying in and the locker room remain the same ? By watching the team play without those two in the lineup the rest are buying into Woody's style of play.

Bonn1997 wrote:And it's hard to imagine either applying here. We're a .700 team when Kidd is on fire and everything else is going great. Otherwise, we're a .500 team.

Teams can step it up in the playoffs- that's the key. That's what happened in 1997 and 1999. Some teams choke and some teams raise their game, we won't know until the playoffs begin. What's the point in criticizing this team based on the results of playoffs that haven't even happened yet?

gunsnewing wrote:I actually think amare is a better defender than melo when he is engaged. Melo is just not capable physically

Papabear Says

How can you say that when in every game he is giving up his body driving against 4s and 5s getting knocked down. Melo is not afraid of contact and he surley can engage. if Melo is truly injured I hope he stay out the rest of the season so we can see what this team have. I will assure you that after a few games of loosing the team will fold.