Why would getting back a healthy Houston not be good luck?

Posted by Kwazimodal:

Ok,lets say that we really luck out and Houston comes back close to 100%.TT comes back on a mission to shake the bad rep he got last season.Baker's surgery and sobriety breathes new life into his game,Crawford picks up his FG pct,Sweetney comes back and starts playing like a monster,JYD sets the tone with his all out style of play,Nazr has a 9\9 season.

With this scenario,however far fetched(I dont believe it is,unlikely maybe) how far do you think the Knicks could go?

i'd say the absolute highest they could go if EVERY chip fell in place & they all had a great season next year is to the Eastern Conference Finals...even then, i don't think they would be a better team than DET or IND, or even MIA...the Knicks just don't have the players to win a title just yet...but it's a work in progress...everyone needs to realize that & be patient.

Posted by TMS:

Posted by Kwazimodal:

Ok,lets say that we really luck out and Houston comes back close to 100%.TT comes back on a mission to shake the bad rep he got last season.Baker's surgery and sobriety breathes new life into his game,Crawford picks up his FG pct,Sweetney comes back and starts playing like a monster,JYD sets the tone with his all out style of play,Nazr has a 9\9 season.

With this scenario,however far fetched(I dont believe it is,unlikely maybe) how far do you think the Knicks could go?

i'd say the absolute highest they could go if EVERY chip fell in place & they all had a great season next year is to the Eastern Conference Finals...even then, i don't think they would be a better team than DET or IND, or even MIA...the Knicks just don't have the players to win a title just yet...but it's a work in progress...everyone needs to realize that & be patient.

I agree. We'll be better but not better than those 3 teams

I agree with that assessment except for Miami.You are right about Detroit and Indy,they are just too loaded.Miami seems to be "just" the Shaq/Wade show for now and if the Knicks are clicking,I believe they have more firepower than the Heat.Either way it should be the fun seeing that rivalry mean something again.

Agreed. Any team with Shaq should be taken seriously, but he isn't superman anymore. The man of steel is getting a little rusty. For a club that was really focusing on the "team" concept, I'm not sure gutting out 3 big pieces to bring in Shaq was the best way to go.
I guess we will all see next year.

[Edited by - MaTT4281 on 08/19/2004 12:11:02]

Posted by NineMike2Whiskey:

Everybody seems to be discounting the Nets :). But seriously I think a healthy Jason Kidd can take them past the first round and challenge for 4th seed

The Nets don't have a chance. Their starting line-up looks like: 1. Kidd, 2. Mercer, 3. Jefferson, 4. Eric Williams, and 5. Collins. Sound like the old Nets when that had Starbury. I give them the 8th seed in the playoffs, and that's if Boston doesn't make a turn around.

if Kidd is healthy I would make them the favorite to win the East. We will know in October. Eric Williams isnt Kmart but he's a good defender and all around player. Mercer can score, they arent as deep, but they do add the Yugo 7 footer thats supposed to be very ready. If Kidd is healthy from the start I still think they win 45-48 games because their system gets them a lot of wins in the regular season.

I dont like them come playoff time.

With Crawford and TT we will match up much better with them speed wise, but I have a feeling we will be slow out of the game... something like 8-7 or 7-8 through 15 (god can you imagine the daily Islesfan posts). Once these guys get more and more comfy in the their roles I think we can start winning a lot of games.

Who knows how the East will shake out with injuries. Shaq usually doesn't play about 30 regular season games, Kidd isn't the same healthwise anymore and Indiana is always combustible with Artest. Ditto for Detroit with Rasheed. If,if,if.... Houston is back and healthy, TT doesn't miss every fifth game with some mysterious back, knee, groin injury, and Crawford falls into his role... Hey 50 wins isn't out of the question.

The best case scenario would also include season ending injuries to Shaq and Jermain O'Neal and Ben Wallace. Then if everything goes right for the Knicks like Baker back to his old 20-10 form, Houston explosive once again, Penny playing like he was 23, Crawford averaging 20ppg off the bench, Sweetney with a league high 11 boards off the bench and Kurt Thomas playing like he did in college - leading the league in points and boards then the Knicks might get past the 1st round.

I agree with Mark, I don't see the Pacers improving at all. Their PG is still real shaky, Artest is insane, and JO doesn't strike me as being on the same ground as the other great forwards in the NBA.

To me, the NBA plays out like this:
1 seed: Pistons (win Midwest)
2 seed: Knicks (only 48 wins, but don't see Shaq staying healthy and Miami having great regular season success)
3 seed: Heat (win the South, a few over .500)
4 seed: Pacers (better record than the Knicks)
5 seed: Philadelphia (good depth, new coaching philosophy)
6 seed: Cavs (LeBron looks good in Olympics; Gooden could be a sleeper)
7 seed: Milwaukee (Ford is hurt coming into the season)
8 seed: toss-up b/w Wizards, Hawks, Celtics, and Nets.

I think the Knicks can steamroll a real weak conference. Raptors are fragile (with Vince), Nets are fragile (with Kidd), and Boston could be OK, depending on the rooks.

Sweetney will be a major player this year, and the Knicks will have depth. I just feel real confident looking at the squad.

Pistons over 8 seed
Knicks over Bucks
Heat over Cavs (Wade vs LBJ would be interesting)
Philly over Pacers (Pacers implode again)

Pistons over Philly (Larry Brown vs Iverson)
Heat over Knicks

Who knows after that, I've gotten way too ahead of myself.