Jeff Van Gundy: Knicks a 50-win team unless Derrick Rose nukes it
By Jonathan Lehman September 23, 2016 | 12:27pm

The Knicks have had just one 50-game winner since Jeff Van Gundy roamed their sideline.

But the former coach-turned-ESPN analyst thinks this season’s dramatically revamped Knicks roster has a good chance to hit that formidable benchmark.

“I think they’re going to be 45 to 50 [wins], low 50s, in that range,” Van Gundy said this week on Stashed Media’s “33rd and 7th” podcast with Anthony Donahue.

“I certainly believe their starting lineup has the potential to be a 50-game winner, without question.”

Van Gundy ticked off what he called the sure things in that starting lineup: Carmelo Anthony, free-agent additions Joakim Noah and Courtney Lee, and sophomore phenom Kristaps Porzingis, who Van Gundy said is “set up to be an absolute star.”

What worries him is the bench and the bust potential with point guard Derrick Rose, the former MVP acquired in a blockbuster offseason trade with the Bulls. Rose, who turns 28 in early October, has had a litany of problems with his knees. More troubling, he is the defendant in a civil case, set to go to trial on Oct. 4 in Los Angeles, in which an ex-girlfriend alleges Rose and two friends gang-raped her while she was incapacitated after a night of drinking in 2013. The lawsuit seeks $21.5 million.

“Rose, to me, is the wild card,” Van Gundy said. “I have no idea what to expect of Rose: health standpoint, game standpoint, fit standpoint and then legal standpoint, how that impacts him. To me, they have a lot of known quantities. The big unknown is Rose.”

Still, Van Gundy concluded he expects Rose to play better than he did last season — “and I thought he was pretty good last year.” In 66 games in 2015-16, Rose averaged 16.4 points on 42.7 percent shooting and 4.7 assists.

Van Gundy, who last coached with the Rockets in 2007 and was in the mix for a number of openings (including Houston and Minnesota) this summer, was most effusive in his praise for Porzingis and his “massive potential.”

“His versatility showed how good he can be and I just loved how he took accountability for his play [last season], good and bad, how he was as a teammate,” Van Gundy said. “I just love his whole approach, to getting better, to accepting of coaching.”

Jeff Hornacek — JVG’s review: “I like his demeanor. I like the fit for New York” — is the new coach, tasked by Phil Jackson with elevating a brand-new mix of talent back to instant playoff contention.

“Certainly the Knicks are a more interesting team today than they were at any point last year,” Van Gundy said. “That does not mean necessarily that they’re a better team. I think they will be better. I think they are a playoff team.”

It went down like this:

Happy go lucky NYK Homer Interviewer: "So do you think this team can win 50 games???"

JVG: *long pause* "...I think they can win 45 to 50 games. If everything goes right"

So take this with a grain of salt. It's not like the reviewer asked how many games he thought they could win. He specifically asked if JVG thought they could win 50.

I think they can win 50... but almost every single thing would have to go right. It'd be great, but this is not like JVG is predicting 50. He was put in a corner by the interviewer and answered politely.

crzymdups wrote:I listened to the podcast where JVG said this.

It went down like this:

Happy go lucky NYK Homer Interviewer: "So do you think this team can win 50 games???"

JVG: *long pause* "...I think they can win 45 to 50 games. If everything goes right"

So take this with a grain of salt. It's not like the reviewer asked how many games he thought they could win. He specifically asked if JVG thought they could win 50.

I think they can win 50... but almost every single thing would have to go right. It'd be great, but this is not like JVG is predicting 50. He was put in a corner by the interviewer and answered politely.

Good point. I do think tho that JVG's overall sentiment is true. This team has great upside if things work out for the most part and they can remain relatively healthy. I expect this team to be in the 45-50 win range.

Lets hope that they beat the odds and have a healthy season.

nixluva wrote:Now Stephen A. Smith is joining the chorus.

Recently, on Sirius XM NBA Radio via SoundCloud, Smith expressed optimism for a recently downtrodden franchise. He expects the Knicks to win 45-48 games in the upcoming season. His prediction hinges upon the added talent around Anthony, alluding to point guard Derrick Rose, shooting guard Courtney Lee and center Joakim Noah.

Smith also feels the Knicks should reach the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Anything short of a second-round exit would constitute as a disappointment with all the talent on the roster.

Smith’s projection seems far more optimistic than previous forecasts released before the season. The Westgate Sports Book in Las Vegas set the Knicks’ over-under win total at 38.5 wins. ESPN projected 34.7 wins.

http://empirewritesback.com/2016/09/24/new-york-knicks-stephen-smith-projects-45-48-wins/

SAS...holeee sheehit.

All we need now is Reggie Miller and Barkley to hold hands and sing "50 win Knicks" in harmony to the tune of Moon River and you just know we will not make it out of training camp with even half the roster able to walk...