http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/recap?gid=200412040446


you have to get guys who are physically-athleticlly and mentally tough enough to play at a high intensity IN YOUR FACE DEFENSE for a whole game. This is what the knicks used to be. I dontcare what sport it is basketball football hockey--the teams that are good--chamionpions always have those types of players--the toughest, relentless type. now you cant do that in the NBA, but being last in the ENTIRE NBA shows you just so far we have to climb. we need guys who are willing to play at a high intensity--a john stakrs charles oakley level. we need guys like that, we need strong athletic TOUGH players. CBB is such a better brand of basketball[for the most part} than the NBA because of NBA talent dilution caused by the continued expansion.

I dont agree with you much Briggs but this time I have to agree with you

This team can be fun to watch. But, I've been followinging the Knicks a long time and this is the worst defensive Knicks team I can rember. It's tempting to blame the coach and I do believe he deserves some of the discredit but it's more then that in my opinion.

Marbs - Has never been as good on defense as his athletic ability would lead you to believe he should be - average at best.

Crawford - Has been a bad defensive player for the whole of his short career and his defensive upside is limited somewhat by his lack of strength.

TT - Just an awful defensive player - lack of effort and know-how and also seems very slow this year.

KT - I've seen KT play good defense and on a good defensive team I think he is a good defender. He knows how to defend, helps well fights for position but does not have the physical tools to be a clamp down man on man defender. On a team with no shot blockers and no help defense he's average.

Naz - No shot blocking ability not a great help defender and not a great or good or even average man on man defender. I think if he works real hard at it he can get to average.

Sweets - A second year guy with slow feet. Actually, one of the Knicks better shot blockers but overall a bad defensive player.

Aziz - Looks like he has the ability to eventually be a good defensive player - but that's a ways off. For now less then average.

Penny - Too much wear on the engine to consistently play good defense - but better then the guys he backs up.

Dog - Works hard, on a good defensive team can be better then average. But he also does not have the athletic ability to be a clamp down defender.

Overall we have a team that has less then average defensive ability, less then average defensive desire and seems to have no discernable defensive system.