fishmike wrote:

crzymdups wrote:

fishmike wrote:

crzymdups wrote:

Malcolm wrote:

PresIke wrote:

SocraticBallin22 wrote:Compared to last year at this point in the season, we are +14 in 39 games. I would say that's improvement lol

It's almost mind boggling how different this team is now.

It's a great story. A Triangle Culture story.

TOTAL. basketball.

Seriously Im getting pretty comfortable with Fisher. The right guys are out there and in a position to succeed every night. Bottom line is it starts with the front 3's defense. Melo is defending at a very high level and most of all making plays on that side of the ball. KP's ability to smother inside out guys like the Milsaps and Love's the league is allowing Lopez to patrol the paint and that forumula is starting to win every night.

The way Melo is playing and the fact that the role players don't have to be perfect this team is capable of a big run here and now. These last 5 game have been very telling. Wow. Im having fun. Of course I picked 45 wins not like these low 30's pussies

I have to admit I doubted the hell out of the Triangle and Phil. But damn. Damn. He's been pretty good so far. This is the most I've been excited about a team here in a loooong time. I thought the 2012-3 team was a bit of fool's gold. This feels sustainable. The front court feels like it could be one of the better ones in the league. The backcourt is competent, but there is a lot of room to improve there, both from within and with solid FA additions. This is definitely fun!

I never thought the 54 win season was fool's gold and I still dont. We simply took big personel steps backward, both in over all roster talent and individual performances.

This certainly feels MUCH more real and sustainable, but I also think that is Phil running the show, Fisher being his hand picked guy and Dolan staying the hell away.

The big eye opener this season is Melo's play, but you are right... the system looks fantastic right now and so does the defense... #1 vs 3pt FG%, #8 in overall FG% against, 6th in blocked shots... and the #s keep getting better and better.

It was fool's gold in the sense that it was built on a foundation of aging stars, most of them didnt last past the first half of the season where the Knicks made their big run. If they had been able to stay healthy, I do believe we could have gone to the ECF. Too many injuries.

fishmike wrote:foundation was there though... the blue print was there. We needed shooters and guy who could defend. That resulted in trading picks for Bargs among other terrible deals. It was really weird the moves the Knicks made after that season. It was like they looked at worked and did the opposite with every move.

You realize the only two losing seasons Melo has been a part of in the NBA were the last two? In any case it looks like we have left that all behind and being run and built with a real plan. If you look at every pro situation Phil has come into evey time that situation has gotten better, and everytime he has left those situations have gone south.

He's the guy that saw what we had, what we didnt have and moved. Lets face it, he gave Melo a big deal and literally purged the rest of the entire roster. Dont mistaken that for Melo love, rather an honest understanding that we had one piece worth keeping and Phil did that.

I think midway through Phil's year #2 we are seeing the start of his vision.

Resigning Melo, flushing team, drafting KP/Grant, and signing AA, Rolo, DWill and the rest was the easy part IMHO. Next 2 offseasons are gonna make/break the Championship run or not.

fishmike wrote:

martin wrote:

fishmike wrote:foundation was there though... the blue print was there. We needed shooters and guy who could defend. That resulted in trading picks for Bargs among other terrible deals. It was really weird the moves the Knicks made after that season. It was like they looked at worked and did the opposite with every move.

You realize the only two losing seasons Melo has been a part of in the NBA were the last two? In any case it looks like we have left that all behind and being run and built with a real plan. If you look at every pro situation Phil has come into evey time that situation has gotten better, and everytime he has left those situations have gone south.

He's the guy that saw what we had, what we didnt have and moved. Lets face it, he gave Melo a big deal and literally purged the rest of the entire roster. Dont mistaken that for Melo love, rather an honest understanding that we had one piece worth keeping and Phil did that.

I think midway through Phil's year #2 we are seeing the start of his vision.

Resigning Melo, flushing team, drafting KP/Grant, and signing AA, Rolo, DWill and the rest was the easy part IMHO. Next 2 offseasons are gonna make/break the Championship run or not.

sure... but some perspective Martin. We are 40 games removed from a 17 win season and we are talking getting a player that can make/break a title run. This time last year we didnt even have a team and a prayer. We had Mel and people around here were killing Phil for not letting him walk for nothing.

Now suddenly we talking about being one good FA away from a title run. A title...

I am not saying it will happen because its Phil or any homeristic type ramblings... but we have a good team right now with a ton more going right than wrong.

jrodmc wrote:

nixluva wrote:

fishmike wrote:

martin wrote:

fishmike wrote:foundation was there though... the blue print was there. We needed shooters and guy who could defend. That resulted in trading picks for Bargs among other terrible deals. It was really weird the moves the Knicks made after that season. It was like they looked at worked and did the opposite with every move.

You realize the only two losing seasons Melo has been a part of in the NBA were the last two? In any case it looks like we have left that all behind and being run and built with a real plan. If you look at every pro situation Phil has come into evey time that situation has gotten better, and everytime he has left those situations have gone south.

He's the guy that saw what we had, what we didnt have and moved. Lets face it, he gave Melo a big deal and literally purged the rest of the entire roster. Dont mistaken that for Melo love, rather an honest understanding that we had one piece worth keeping and Phil did that.

I think midway through Phil's year #2 we are seeing the start of his vision.

Resigning Melo, flushing team, drafting KP/Grant, and signing AA, Rolo, DWill and the rest was the easy part IMHO. Next 2 offseasons are gonna make/break the Championship run or not.

sure... but some perspective Martin. We are 40 games removed from a 17 win season and we are talking getting a player that can make/break a title run. This time last year we didnt even have a team and a prayer. We had Mel and people around here were killing Phil for not letting him walk for nothing.

Now suddenly we talking about being one good FA away from a title run. A title...

I am not saying it will happen because its Phil or any homeristic type ramblings... but we have a good team right now with a ton more going right than wrong.

The turn around is so dramatic!!! I think this is a very organic build which makes it even easier and more enjoyable to get on board with. This isn't a big name grab or old vet surge like before. We've got a top draft pick as a core part of this success which makes it much more fun. Phil has built a team that has some future prospects and lots of upside still. KP, Gallo, DWill and Jerian have only scratched the surface of their overall games. None of them are even consistent in all aspects yet and Jerian hasn't even figured out the game yet. If Jerian does get his game going that is another boost to the team. I LOVE the fact that all these players will be developed in a winning style of ball and environment.

What about Langston?!?!?! The young man's grabbing the side of the backboard and doesn't seem to know you don't do circus shots in the Alamo! LT and his 1500 jumpers a day off-season!

Homeristic Ramblers Unite!

General Grant would definitely just be icing at this point, if Jose can just stay healthy and coherent for the rest of the year. Who the eff was Tim Hardaway, Jr, anyway?

This is Ultimate Knicks Right! This is where we belong. Curmudgeons and pessimists can form their own Knicks Forum if they want to enjoy wallowing in negativity or fear of a Knicks Collapse. We've been waiting for a team like this, with youth and promise for the future. Never quite understood why some fans have a problem with other fans being... Fanatics on a Knicks Forum.

crzymdups wrote:

fishmike wrote:foundation was there though... the blue print was there. We needed shooters and guy who could defend. That resulted in trading picks for Bargs among other terrible deals. It was really weird the moves the Knicks made after that season. It was like they looked at worked and did the opposite with every move.

You realize the only two losing seasons Melo has been a part of in the NBA were the last two? In any case it looks like we have left that all behind and being run and built with a real plan. If you look at every pro situation Phil has come into evey time that situation has gotten better, and everytime he has left those situations have gone south.

He's the guy that saw what we had, what we didnt have and moved. Lets face it, he gave Melo a big deal and literally purged the rest of the entire roster. Dont mistaken that for Melo love, rather an honest understanding that we had one piece worth keeping and Phil did that.

I think midway through Phil's year #2 we are seeing the start of his vision.

The fall out after the 2013 playoffs loss was so weird. I think Dolan and CAA got involved. The Bargs trade screams CAA involvement. Dolan seemed to want to trade Shumpert because Shump wouldn't play summer league. Grunwald quit or was forced out because of either the Shump thing or the Bargnani thing. I can't believe they pooched it so quickly and so badly.

Though that team was not built for the long run. Jason Kidd was a coach on the floor and leader on that team and he left for NJ - was probably interviewing for that job DURING the season, because it happened so quickly. Sheed retired, Kmart never played again, KT almost ended his career with that throwback game he had in Utah. It just never felt sustainable - it felt like a one season confluence of crafty vets. Predictably, once Kidd and Sheed and KT were gone, JR lost focus, too much of the defense/leadership role fell to an aging Tyson and he started pointing fingers and became disgruntled.

Firing Grunwald was terrible... at least it would've been til we got Phil. This is the culture change (and the lucky draft pick) we needed and hoped for when Donnie Walsh came in. I'm glad it is finally here. And I agree we are one or two great pieces from being real contenders. I mean, it'd have to be a GREAT piece like Westbrook or MAYBE Batum and a few other smaller pieces.

Anyway, it's a fun ride. Just enjoying the process.

nixluva wrote:I think this is a very organic build which makes it even easier and more enjoyable to get on board with.

I'll repeat myself: If you truly understand Triangle Culture, what "winning" means . . . and what it feels like . . . are entirely different than in other kinds of winning.

fishmike wrote:

Malcolm wrote:

fishmike wrote:I am not saying it will happen because its Phil or any homeristic type ramblings... but we have a good team right now with a ton more going right than wrong.

Okay, then I'll have to say it.

It'll only happen because it's Phil Jackson . . .

actually I meant assuming it will happen because Phil winning titles is what Phil does... of course, that *is* what he does.