103M & A DREAM

January 30, 2005 -- Isiah Thomas should have a warm seat on the Secaucus dais for May's draft lottery. Thomas recently called the Knicks "probably a .500 team, maybe a little better." Turns out, Thomas overrated them, partly due to bad chemistry, bad coaching and a spate of injuries at the wing position. The playoffs were once deemed a lock. Now it's a longshot, with owner James Dolan likely holding a $103 million losing ticket.

GUARDS

Stephon Marbury is a lightning rod for blame, but he's got no dominant low-post big man and his wing players have either been hurt or firing wayward jumpers. Marbury is as explosive to the hoop as ever, played smarter and more unselfish this season. The biggest knocks are spotty defense, lack of confidence in his perimeter jumper late in games and his New Year's Eve boast about being the No. 1 point guard. That remark put a bull's-eye on his chest and coincided with the January swoon.

Jamal Crawford lost a billion games in Chicago and now he's spread the disease to the Big Apple. He's an affable personality, liked by everyone, with tremendous gifts, but Crawford's jumper is inconsistent and taken too early in the shot clock. His dipsy-doodle moves that get him open for perimeter shots leave the fans oohing and aahing, but too often the rim clanking. He's also been a disappointment defensively. The most damning numbers are not his 39.4 shooting percentage, but the Bulls' winning record.

Psychologically, the club relied too heavily on Allan Houston's return. He took his time making his season debut, then lasted only a few weeks before his arthritic knees got sore again. Knick brass is concerned Houston will never be right and a medical retirement will benefit everyone. Occasionally, Moochie Norris and Jamison Brewer, who's brutal offensively, look like NBA players. Occasionally. Penny Hardaway's hamstring and bad attitude forced him away from the team. Anyone making $14.6 million who barely makes a rotation shouldn't be complaining.

FORWARDS

Kurt Thomas still is solid, workmanlike, a dependable jumper and their best team defender. But he can't carry a club and is valuable only on a very good team. Isiah is not building around him, put it that way.

Tim Thomas began the season atrociously, started finding his rhythm before injuring his knee and calf to put him on the injured list. He can be so much better if he played smarter and more unselfishly but he's a horrible passer and is being shopped.

Michael Sweetney is their lone post-up player and Herb Williams plans to exploit that advantage. He's a strong rebounder, but could use to drop a few pounds to make him more athletic. His minutes should rise and Isiah considers him a building block.

Most players selected with the 43rd pick don't make the team and certainly don't make a rotation. Rookie Trevor Ariza has been one of the few neon lights, his high-flying athleticism creating the loudest roars at the Garden. He still must become a smarter defender and get a more reliable jump shot, but at 19, he's their hardest worker. Isiah wants to build around him. A throw-in in the Crawford sign-and-trade, Jerome Williams has become a fan favorite with his Oakley-esque hustle and defensive ferocity, but he's good only in limited doses.

CENTERS

Nazr Mohammed had a brilliant stretch in late November/December, but has slumped. He's only as good as when Marbury's penetrations get him easy buckets around the rim. Mohammed is not a consistent defensive force or shotblocker, though he can rebound. The Knicks used almost all of their mid-level exception on Vin Baker and he's been so mediocre in practice, he can't get a permanent slot in the rotation. European Bruno Sundov deserves a "W" for Waste of Time.

COACH

Herb Williams knows the game, but that's only a small part of it. He must quickly command respect from the players. It's an awfully tough spot and he may be in over his head. But Lenny Wilkens was getting worse and worse.

TEAM PRESIDENT

The Isiah Thomas honeymoon was exhilarating but it is so over. Thomas still keeps you slightly optimistic about the long-term plan despite the current freefall with his masterful spin jobs worth the price of admission. That's talent and part of the job. Remember, he came into an impossible spot and is now hurt by enjoying so much early success.

Posted by Caseloads:


everyone important on this team is injured or was. we should try to trade kt and nazr to LA for odom

jamal crawford doesnt play defense and doesnt run the offensive sets - he plays out of the offense. i do not know the knicks offensive sets but I do know that no coach tells a player to jack up random shots from the perimeter very early in the game.

Wait, wait, wait. Just the other day weren't people calling for Jamal to be the PG of the future and for Marbury to get traded??? Its just to funny how every player is judge specifically by what they did there last game.

I do see Jamal Crawford trying hard to put it together though. Jamal Crawford started playing ball extremely late for his age, and also left college early. He is still learning.

This team needs a huge upgrade at frontcourt for both offense & defense. And some snipers from the outside.