The Nets will have some growing pains IMO. Yes it's like a mini All Star team, but a really old and slow one. They aren't more athletic or more durable. They already had some issues defending teams ad I don't think they've solved those issues with this trade. Not saying they won't be a dangerous team that wins a ton of games, but the NBA season is a cross country torture test as we found out last year with our older guys. I'm just not sold that they automatically will be better than the Knicks.

The Bulls are still pretty much all about D Rose. Do we really know how he'll respond to a full 82 games? That team simply can't get any further without D Rose being at 110% for them. If he is able to go full bore then they will be a heck of a challenge in the East, but that doesn't mean that the Knicks won't present some different problems for them this year, with a revamped roster next year. Everyone seems to think the Knicks will be exactly the same and that the Bulls will be magnitudes better, but they can't really know that. They don't even know what the Knicks final roster will be.
At the best at least I can accept that if everything works out perfectly the Bulls have the potential to be better than the Knicks.

The Pacers are a tough group. I think they're different than everyone else, cuz they aren't based of the prowess of a great player or 2. They do it with a lot of good team players and hard work. They do a lot of things well, but also have some weaknesses that I don't know they have fixed. With no superstar they basically have to do everything the hard way. They don't have a superman to come save them in games. Having a superstar helps to get you those extra wins and that's why they didn't kill it in the regular season, much like the Bulls. I don't think they were head and shoulders better than the Knicks. I think they execute their game plan and play hard. That is their strength. We lost not playing to our strengths and with a roster that was depleted of the size we started the season with and hoped to have in the playoffs.

The simple truth is that the Knicks are RIGHT THERE with all these teams. They won't run and hide from the Knicks. I think the Knicks still have just as much potential as these other teams, despite the addition of Pierce and KG or getting D Rose back or getting Granger back. I actually don't think that the Knicks have maxed out on what they can be either. I saw a team that really gave a big effort defensively in the playoffs. They may not have been a perfect team, but the Knicks were often right there in games. We basically missed having the needed scoring punch to get the win in a couple of games. In the playoffs that's pretty much what it can come down too.

Just think about how much it hurt this team having Kidd shooting so poorly and then not even taking shots. Then how the sudden slump by JR effected the team and drained the teams energy. As much as JR would energize the team with made shots and spectacular plays, it took away that same energy when he lost his confidence. The team was flawed but I think those flaws jumped up and bit the team in the ass and they weren't able to overcome them. That is what this off season is about. I think we won't see the same set of circumstances hit again. With a younger team. A more potent team and another year of continuity this team should be even better this year and right in the mix with the other top teams. It's not about the rebounding as some have said, both the Heat and the Spurs were equally as bad rebounding as the Knicks. Not that we don't need to get better, but that's not why we lost. This Knicks team is not assured to be the 5th best team. These teams are so close that I don't think it's gonna be that clear cut. It's gonna be a battle to the end IMO.

loweyecue wrote:You have your opinion others have theirs. Why is it disrespect if people are not thrilled with the mediocrity??

My point is that the Knicks were the #2 seed and most of the downgrades aren't based on any real objective reasons. They just assume that the Nets will be better due to the addition of PP and KG. The Bulls will be better just cuz DRose will be back. The Pacers cuz of Granger and the way things went down in the playoffs against the Knicks. I don't agree with these assessments. The Knicks are right there in the Mix with those teams and could easily end up ahead of them once again this coming season. As much as those other teams can talk about injuries effecting their seasons, The Knicks were #2 despite a ton of missed games to injury as well.

People just don't like the idea that the Knicks are an offensive team that only played timely defense, but then what does that say about the Nets? How are they this big time defensive team? If the Nets are successful it will be due to them being a top offensive team. They aren't built to be a top defensive team. Yet no one is really talking about that as a reason for them not to be ahead of the Knicks.

StarksEwing1 wrote:How exactly is it disrespect. The pacers and bulls were both better teams last year who were missing their best players all year too. I hate the Nets but Pierce and garnett will make them tough at least next year. The Heat are also still the best team until someone proves otherwise. I love the Knicks but we have won 1 playoff series in 13 years....thats not too good

See you've fallen into the same thinking as the media. If you really look at the Nets, you'd see that they aren't built to stop anyone!!! That team is slow and old at some key parts. Who is PP gonna stop? Joe isn't exactly a defensive stopper either. KG is good on D, but I doubt he's gonna have the same net effect with these guys around him. People think the Knicks have some bad defenders, but they make no mention of it with the Nets. They're also gonna be a lot slower too. Sure the Nets have some really skilled half court players, but it's not all good news for the Nets as some are making it out to be.

Not for nothing, but we still have to see how D Rose comes back next year before assuming he'll resume his good play. Will he come back at 75%, 80% or 90%. Do they really know how his mental confidence will be? I'm not conceding anything until I see him get thru at least a 1/4 of the season. What if he has some setbacks? They haven't exactly done much to insure that they can survive that.

Until these teams actually beat the Knicks out next year i'm not conceding the #2 spot to any of them. One playoff series doesn't convince me that the Pacers are a lock to be better than the Knicks over a full 82 next year. I think too much has been made of the poor performance by the Knicks in the playoffs. Everyone is talking about the other teams improving and assuming growth but not for the Knicks.

Nalod wrote:"Disrepeting"!

Nixluva Manifesto calling for command of respect for the Knicks!

Now if only he can spell and edit for a bit for brevity!

"Respect" is earned on the court, not in the off season!

Gotta agree with that.

Look, we all know "lovers gonna love" and "haters gonna hate". We know the media either hates the Knicks or loves to throw dirt on what they do. The Knicks don't help their cause with some shaky moves but truth is we usually never get love from the media.

Fans have learned to distrust the franchise and expect the worst even in our best season in decades. Thats just the way it is.

But none of that matters. What matters is what they do on the court. NY proved that with a season better than most expected.

If they do that again, which they very well could with the talent they have, we will earn the respect once again.

nixluva wrote:

Nalod wrote:
"Respect" is earned on the court, not in the off season!

IF this is the case then why is everyone handing the Nets so much respect after the trade?

CrushAlot wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

nixluva wrote:

Nalod wrote:
"Respect" is earned on the court, not in the off season!

IF this is the case then why is everyone handing the Nets so much respect after the trade?

Because they just added players who have earned respect on the court

Yeah but there were rumors one was going to retire and the other was going to be released or traded. They also were almost swept in the first round. Respect for past accomplishments is fine but the current version of the guys the nets got lost to the team you have a hard time giving respect to in the first round of the playoffs this year. Their high priced teammates couldn't get past the hobbled and short handed bulls in the first round despite having home court.

EXACTLY!!! This is what i'm talking about. PP and KG are slowing down. The Nets did get a nice starting 5 but really no one knows just how much of a difference those 2 guys will make over 82 games. The Nets weren't a good defensive team before and now they're even less athletic and fast as a team. I'm not saying they won't be good, but people are ready to assume the best from them and the worst from the Knicks.

The Knicks lost a lot of minutes to injury last year and still beat out the Nets. From the look of things the Knicks will have a stronger team this year than last year. The Knicks will have continuity and less dead weight. I think all these teams are going to be in a bunch for much of the year.

nixluva wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

nixluva wrote:

Nalod wrote:
"Respect" is earned on the court, not in the off season!

IF this is the case then why is everyone handing the Nets so much respect after the trade?

Because they just added players who have earned respect on the court

Yeah but there were rumors one was going to retire and the other was going to be released or traded. They also were almost swept in the first round. Respect for past accomplishments is fine but the current version of the guys the nets got lost to the team you have a hard time giving respect to in the first round of the playoffs this year. Their high priced teammates couldn't get past the hobbled and short handed bulls in the first round despite having home court.

EXACTLY!!! This is what i'm talking about. PP and KG are slowing down. The Nets did get a nice starting 5 but really no one knows just how much of a difference those 2 guys will make over 82 games. The Nets weren't a good defensive team before and now they're even less athletic and fast as a team. I'm not saying they won't be good, but people are ready to assume the best from them and the worst from the Knicks.

The Knicks lost a lot of minutes to injury last year and still beat out the Nets. From the look of things the Knicks will have a stronger team this year than last year. The Knicks will have continuity and less dead weight. I think all these teams are going to be in a bunch for much of the year.

They dont need to make difference over 82 games they were brought in to give them toughness and grit,experience in the playoffs.

Papabear wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

nixluva wrote:

Nalod wrote:
"Respect" is earned on the court, not in the off season!

IF this is the case then why is everyone handing the Nets so much respect after the trade?

Because they just added players who have earned respect on the court

Papabear Says

How many rings have Pierce and Garnett won? If they were that good Boston would have made a second go at it and if thier season wasn't going that well they could have made a trade. Boston gave up on Pierce and Garnett.

Jmpasq wrote:

VCoug wrote:

Papabear wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

nixluva wrote:

Nalod wrote:
"Respect" is earned on the court, not in the off season!

IF this is the case then why is everyone handing the Nets so much respect after the trade?

Because they just added players who have earned respect on the court

Papabear Says

How many rings have Pierce and Garnett won? If they were that good Boston would have made a second go at it and if thier season wasn't going that well they could have made a trade. Boston gave up on Pierce and Garnett.

This is your argument? How many rings have they won? In that case, how many rings have this entire Knicks team won?

I would take Pierce or Garnett over the pieces we signed

If we get Brand and and A. brooks, were just as good as any team in the east, and deeper then most.