This should be fun. Pretend you're on the NBA's awards committee, who would you pick for the following awards?
Here are my choices:
Coach of the Year: Stan Van Gundy. Come on, who expected the Orlando Magic to be ANY good this year? I mean sure, Hedo Turkoglou has been just fantastic, but do you know of any other coach who would have the balls to call out Dwight Howard in public, enough that Howard would change the way he played for the rest of the season? Stan has been robbed of things one too many times, this time the Coach of the Year award should be his.
Defensive Player of the Year: Kevin Garnett. Major no brainer. Marcus Camby doesn't get consideration because no one else on his team plays any defense, making him the odd man out. Garnett makes everyone around him play better, even did the same in Minnesota. Remember when Stephon Marbury WASN'T as criticized as he is now?
Sixth Man of the Year: Travis Outlaw. I don't like Manu Ginobili. I hate him actually. Can't stand the guy. Just can't stand his dumb flopping, his clutchiness, just everything about him.
That being said, it's not because I hate him that I didn't pick him.
He's not a real sixth man. Come on now, how many sixth men do you know of that come into the game FOUR MINUTES into the game? He's not a sixth man if he plays more minutes than most of the starters.
Leandro Barbosa's numbers this year have horribly declined, so he's not in the running to me, either.
That being said, Travis Outlaw is great. He is instant offense, great defense, and brings tons of energy to the floor. His amazing play this year also helped the Blazers turn into a .500 squad, imagine that! That's why he's my pick.
Most Improved Player of the Year: Hedo Turkoglou. It's a toss-up between him and Mike Dunleavy, but the fact that Hedo averages more fourth quarter points than any other player in the NBA really gives it away. Hedo might not be like this next year, but he has certainly soaked up his moment in the sun. This year, the Magic will be a scary force in the playoffs.
Rookie of the Year: TIE: Al Horford and Kevin Durant.
Up until March, my choice was Al Horford. Horford has averaged a consistent double double for the season, and will be a monster on the boards in years to come.
But something happened, Durant finally figured out his role on the team. Up until March, all he did was shoot long jumpers. He is a god-awful three point shooter, watching him shoot and brick four three pointers a night was painful to watch. However, over the past two months, Durant has found his groove. He takes mid-range jumpers, drives to the basket, and rarely ventures outside of the three point line. His shooting percentage has gone up to a decent 42%, good enough for government work. All he has to do is work on his pitiful rebounding skills, and he'll be a major star for years to come.
Most Valuable Player: Chris Paul
Just because Kobe Bryant got robbed out of the award in the 2005-06 season doesn't mean he should win it this year. That excuse alone is a joke, and makes the whole thing look like a big sham, if that is seriously your argument.
Kobe really shouldn't win it this year. How different is he from last year? He's no different. The reason why the Lakers are in first place is NOT due to Kobe Bryant. It's because of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.
Let's look at the 2002-03 season. Remember when in the beginning of the season, Shaq was hurt for a while? The Lakers played with just Kobe as the star, and were just abysmal. It wasn't until Shaq came back, that they picked up again and were a force again. Kobe can't carry the team by himself. This year, where do you think the Lakers would be if not for the powerful centers they have?
Would we even be having this MVP discussion with Kobe's name in it?
The defense rests, your honor.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
The Knicks New Coach: Who Will It Be?
With two games left in the NBA season, and the Knicks trying to finish one of their worst seasons they've ever had, Donnie Walsh has a lot of work ahead of him. Walsh has promised a lot of things, most importantly, progress. Something the Knick fans have been clamoring for for years now. Now almost five years into the Thomas regime, it's obvious that Walsh's first big decision is to get rid of the man who is still desperately hanging on to the notion that he'll still be around after this season. Walsh has promised that he'll have a "talk" with Isiah before he makes his decision, although the common theory is that Walsh is only doing this out of courtesy for Thomas.
So, when/if Isiah is gone, who will take over the coaching slot for the Knicks?
Let's play pretend...
Well, it's easy to figure out who the Knicks need. All you have to do is be even a slight improvement over Isiah and Knick fans will be happy. Take the team to the playoffs, and the coach will be treated like the messiah. Now though, who will be the coach of the franchise? Let's take a look at some candidates who might be in the running:
Rick Carlisle: Probably one of the best candidates based on how he's been with other teams. He's taken the Pistons to back to back 50 win seasons, taking them to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2003 (Fired only because Larry Brown came calling.) Another big plus is that he's a former Walsh guy. He was hired by Walsh, and was very likeable with the franchise. Then he takes the Pacers to 61 wins, making them an Eastern Conference powerhouse for the first time in years, and taking them to the Eastern Conference Finals. Then, the Brawl happens, and Carlisle still somehow gets whatever's left of the team to manage 44 wins, including a miracle run that almost takes them to the Eastern Conference Finals again. After a 41 win season, which was the first season without Reggie Miller for the team, Carlisle is somehow blamed for the Pacers downfall. Then, the Pacers have a disastrous year in 2006-07. Stephen Jackson, Jamal Tinsley, both have odd incidents that happen off court, embarrassing the once proud franchise. Bird trades away Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington for Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy, whom both flop under pressure. The Pacers finish the season 35-47, and somehow Rick Carlisle is blamed, and fired. Umm... OK? But anyway...
Carlisle would be a fantastic coach for the Knicks. Although anything is better than Isiah, the best case scenario would be for the Knicks to get Carlisle. Carlisle is a stickler for defense, something the Knicks desperately need and are lacking in. Carlisle is a great player's coach, and would probably be able to handle the ego's of various Knicks very easily. Plus, it'd be good news for Freddie Jones!
Chances: I'd say the chance of Carlisle becoming the coach is pretty likely. As I said before, Walsh is a big fan of Carlisle's style, and has seen the results Carlisle can bring to the table. Carlisle would more than likely give us the best shot of making the playoffs, and becoming legitimate in the East again. Of course, he wouldn't give us overnight results. It's going to take more than a coach to turn this team around. But I digress...
Mark Jackson: An interesting candidate, nonetheless. Patrick Ewing fully endorses him, most fans say they would love to see him have a go, and Donnie Walsh is known for picking guys that have never coached before, especially players. Larry Bird and Isiah Thomas both come to mind, with Bird having MUCH more success than Isiah did. However, there are some things that hold "Action Jackson" back from being the coach:
1. He's unproven as a coach. While Walsh, as I said before, loves to hire guys who have never coached the game before, a lot of people like this have tended to flop as NBA coaches. Johnny Davis, Keith Smart, and Garfield Heard come to mind, among others.
2. Jackson would more than likely be a player's coach, which could mean one of two things. Jackson will either be able to relate to the players very well, making the players motivated, or he'll be TOO lax, letting the players take advantage of the way he is. Maurice Cheeks is the PERFECT example of this. He was the coach during most of the infamous Portland "Jail Blazers" run, and let Chris Webber walk all over the franchise during his times in Philadelphia. Now, don't get me wrong, Cheeks is a damn good coach, who else could somehow lead the current Sixers to a mind-boggling 40 wins?! But he's a major pushover, and proof of that is in the way he's treated his players.
Jackson's going to go either one of two ways. He's going to either be a Nate McMillan, who takes no crap from anyone, or a pushover like Maurice Cheeks. Is the gamble worth it?
3. Jackson might instead get a front office job with the Knicks. It has been rumored that him and another Knick alumni, Greg Anthony, could get the job as Knicks General Manager. It all depends on what Walsh does over the summer. My personal opinion is that Anthony would be a better job as General Manager, but Jackson would surely not do an awful job.
Chances: Jackson's chances, based on nostalgia factor, are also pretty decently high. Really, it all depends on if Walsh wants to lead the team to success right away, or wants to rebuild first. As compared to Carlisle or Skiles, however, I don't think he'll make it. And of course, if he does get hired, his success depends on how he treats his players.
Kidding!
Paul Silas: My personal hopeful for the job. Silas has had two successful runs as coach, first in Charlotte/New Orleans, and then in Cleveland, being LeBron James' first NBA coach. Silas is very good with coaching young guys. Silas, a MAJOR stickler for defense (Being named to the NBA's All-Defensive Third team three times, and even being named to the First Team once, as a player,) would be perfect for the job. Silas is also very good at coaching young guys. He helped mold Baron Davis into the quick, defensive energy point guard that he is today. And while Davis may be trigger happy, his good defense is a surprise to many NBA followers. Silas can very much be accredited to that. Silas also brought the Hornets their most successful run as a playoff contender since the Bristow era of the franchise. He was oddly fired from his job with the Cavs during his second year, leading the team to a 34-30 record (Brendan Malone, his interim successor, only went 8-10.)
Silas is my personal favorite for getting the job. Silas would be great at teaching the young guys on the squad how to play defense, something players like David Lee and Nate Robinson desperately need to be taught properly.
Chances: Admittedly, Silas' chances at becoming the head coach are more than likely pretty slim. He's not as name-worthy as Rick Carlisle or Scott Skiles. However, he's my personal choice as to whom would do the best job as the coach of the Knicks. He brings excellent championship experience as a player, and his great job working with young guys to the table. However, expect him to be hired elsewhere, if the Knicks don't get him.
Herb Williams: The old standby. Herb is the only man remaining from the Jeff Van Gundy/Don Chaney era of the Knicks. Herb has always done a decent job when it came to coaching the squad. He also did surprisingly well with the team after Lenny Wilkens resigned. The latest news has stated that he is staying with the Knicks in the long run, more than likely still an assistant coach, though. Williams serves as an excellent mentor to the Knicks, and has been noted to have good relationships with every player on the roster.
Chances: Herb's chances, to me, are also very high. His experience after Wilkens resigned in 2005 will play a big factor in Walsh's decision on hiring ol' Herb or not.
Scott Skiles: The ultimate disciplinarian, Skiles has had two very successful, but one highly controversial, coaching stops in Phoenix, and later Chicago. He did admirably well in Phoenix, resigning after 2 and a half seasons, and later on accepting the job as head coach of the Bulls, replacing Bill Cartwright. At first, Skiles struggled, before the team made a complete turn-around, winning 47 games and finally looking legitimate again. Skiles' Bulls teams always were near the top in defense specific categories, even leading the league in opponent's field goal percentage in 2005-06. After a season that started off poor, and ended hot, the Bulls finally became an elite force in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning 49 games, and even sweeping the defending champion Heat in the first round of the 2007 NBA playoffs. Everything looked great, and a lot of analysts were picking the Chicago Bulls to become a contender for the Eastern Conference crown, and even NBA championship.
However, Skiles is, like I said above, the ultimate disciplinarian, and that reared its ugly head just one too many times during his time in Chicago. From banning headbands, to getting into shouting matches with players during practice, to being brutally honest about the performance of his guys (He was once asked what Eddy Curry could do to improve his rebounding, Skiles replied "Jump.") And of course, if you're going to be brutally honest, some egos are going to get hurt, meaning some players are going to be sick and tired of you ripping them in the media, in practice, and during games. After a while, the Bulls just collectively stopped caring, stopped listening to Skiles, and just played like a bunch of zombies, starting off horrendously to begin 2007, before Skiles was mercifully fired on Christmas Eve.
Skiles is, to be honest, a good coach... sort of. Think about it, Doesn't Skiles sound so much like Larry Brown in so many ways? Yeah, remember how that worked out?
Skiles going to New York has "disaster" written all over it. Just imagine how Larry Brown used to feud with players, it'll be just as bad with Skiles. And the New York media, lovers of controversy, "he said she said" tomfoolery and fighting, will eat it all up with a spoon.
Chances: Unfortunately, Skiles has the greatest chance of landing the coaching position for the Knicks. He brings tons of experience, a great defensive mindset, and a no nonsense attitude, precisely the reason why he'll be the one hired, in Isiah's place. This is also precisely the reason why he'll be a complete disaster in New York.
One thing we know for sure, is that Donnie Walsh will definitely do whatever it takes to find the right man to coach this team in the 2008/09 season. That is, of course, unless Dolan forces him to stick with Isiah. In which, he'd be getting the last laugh, wouldn't he? But alas, it's fun to guess and see what's going to happen. My opinion is that Scott Skiles will be your head coach of the New York Knicks next year, although I would prefer to have Paul Silas, or even Rick Carlisle. Either way, this is going to be an interesting summer.
So, when/if Isiah is gone, who will take over the coaching slot for the Knicks?
Let's play pretend...
Well, it's easy to figure out who the Knicks need. All you have to do is be even a slight improvement over Isiah and Knick fans will be happy. Take the team to the playoffs, and the coach will be treated like the messiah. Now though, who will be the coach of the franchise? Let's take a look at some candidates who might be in the running:
Rick Carlisle: Probably one of the best candidates based on how he's been with other teams. He's taken the Pistons to back to back 50 win seasons, taking them to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2003 (Fired only because Larry Brown came calling.) Another big plus is that he's a former Walsh guy. He was hired by Walsh, and was very likeable with the franchise. Then he takes the Pacers to 61 wins, making them an Eastern Conference powerhouse for the first time in years, and taking them to the Eastern Conference Finals. Then, the Brawl happens, and Carlisle still somehow gets whatever's left of the team to manage 44 wins, including a miracle run that almost takes them to the Eastern Conference Finals again. After a 41 win season, which was the first season without Reggie Miller for the team, Carlisle is somehow blamed for the Pacers downfall. Then, the Pacers have a disastrous year in 2006-07. Stephen Jackson, Jamal Tinsley, both have odd incidents that happen off court, embarrassing the once proud franchise. Bird trades away Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington for Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy, whom both flop under pressure. The Pacers finish the season 35-47, and somehow Rick Carlisle is blamed, and fired. Umm... OK? But anyway...
Carlisle would be a fantastic coach for the Knicks. Although anything is better than Isiah, the best case scenario would be for the Knicks to get Carlisle. Carlisle is a stickler for defense, something the Knicks desperately need and are lacking in. Carlisle is a great player's coach, and would probably be able to handle the ego's of various Knicks very easily. Plus, it'd be good news for Freddie Jones!
Chances: I'd say the chance of Carlisle becoming the coach is pretty likely. As I said before, Walsh is a big fan of Carlisle's style, and has seen the results Carlisle can bring to the table. Carlisle would more than likely give us the best shot of making the playoffs, and becoming legitimate in the East again. Of course, he wouldn't give us overnight results. It's going to take more than a coach to turn this team around. But I digress...
Mark Jackson: An interesting candidate, nonetheless. Patrick Ewing fully endorses him, most fans say they would love to see him have a go, and Donnie Walsh is known for picking guys that have never coached before, especially players. Larry Bird and Isiah Thomas both come to mind, with Bird having MUCH more success than Isiah did. However, there are some things that hold "Action Jackson" back from being the coach:
1. He's unproven as a coach. While Walsh, as I said before, loves to hire guys who have never coached the game before, a lot of people like this have tended to flop as NBA coaches. Johnny Davis, Keith Smart, and Garfield Heard come to mind, among others.
2. Jackson would more than likely be a player's coach, which could mean one of two things. Jackson will either be able to relate to the players very well, making the players motivated, or he'll be TOO lax, letting the players take advantage of the way he is. Maurice Cheeks is the PERFECT example of this. He was the coach during most of the infamous Portland "Jail Blazers" run, and let Chris Webber walk all over the franchise during his times in Philadelphia. Now, don't get me wrong, Cheeks is a damn good coach, who else could somehow lead the current Sixers to a mind-boggling 40 wins?! But he's a major pushover, and proof of that is in the way he's treated his players.
Jackson's going to go either one of two ways. He's going to either be a Nate McMillan, who takes no crap from anyone, or a pushover like Maurice Cheeks. Is the gamble worth it?
3. Jackson might instead get a front office job with the Knicks. It has been rumored that him and another Knick alumni, Greg Anthony, could get the job as Knicks General Manager. It all depends on what Walsh does over the summer. My personal opinion is that Anthony would be a better job as General Manager, but Jackson would surely not do an awful job.
Chances: Jackson's chances, based on nostalgia factor, are also pretty decently high. Really, it all depends on if Walsh wants to lead the team to success right away, or wants to rebuild first. As compared to Carlisle or Skiles, however, I don't think he'll make it. And of course, if he does get hired, his success depends on how he treats his players.
Kidding!
Paul Silas: My personal hopeful for the job. Silas has had two successful runs as coach, first in Charlotte/New Orleans, and then in Cleveland, being LeBron James' first NBA coach. Silas is very good with coaching young guys. Silas, a MAJOR stickler for defense (Being named to the NBA's All-Defensive Third team three times, and even being named to the First Team once, as a player,) would be perfect for the job. Silas is also very good at coaching young guys. He helped mold Baron Davis into the quick, defensive energy point guard that he is today. And while Davis may be trigger happy, his good defense is a surprise to many NBA followers. Silas can very much be accredited to that. Silas also brought the Hornets their most successful run as a playoff contender since the Bristow era of the franchise. He was oddly fired from his job with the Cavs during his second year, leading the team to a 34-30 record (Brendan Malone, his interim successor, only went 8-10.)
Silas is my personal favorite for getting the job. Silas would be great at teaching the young guys on the squad how to play defense, something players like David Lee and Nate Robinson desperately need to be taught properly.
Chances: Admittedly, Silas' chances at becoming the head coach are more than likely pretty slim. He's not as name-worthy as Rick Carlisle or Scott Skiles. However, he's my personal choice as to whom would do the best job as the coach of the Knicks. He brings excellent championship experience as a player, and his great job working with young guys to the table. However, expect him to be hired elsewhere, if the Knicks don't get him.
Herb Williams: The old standby. Herb is the only man remaining from the Jeff Van Gundy/Don Chaney era of the Knicks. Herb has always done a decent job when it came to coaching the squad. He also did surprisingly well with the team after Lenny Wilkens resigned. The latest news has stated that he is staying with the Knicks in the long run, more than likely still an assistant coach, though. Williams serves as an excellent mentor to the Knicks, and has been noted to have good relationships with every player on the roster.
Chances: Herb's chances, to me, are also very high. His experience after Wilkens resigned in 2005 will play a big factor in Walsh's decision on hiring ol' Herb or not.
Scott Skiles: The ultimate disciplinarian, Skiles has had two very successful, but one highly controversial, coaching stops in Phoenix, and later Chicago. He did admirably well in Phoenix, resigning after 2 and a half seasons, and later on accepting the job as head coach of the Bulls, replacing Bill Cartwright. At first, Skiles struggled, before the team made a complete turn-around, winning 47 games and finally looking legitimate again. Skiles' Bulls teams always were near the top in defense specific categories, even leading the league in opponent's field goal percentage in 2005-06. After a season that started off poor, and ended hot, the Bulls finally became an elite force in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning 49 games, and even sweeping the defending champion Heat in the first round of the 2007 NBA playoffs. Everything looked great, and a lot of analysts were picking the Chicago Bulls to become a contender for the Eastern Conference crown, and even NBA championship.
However, Skiles is, like I said above, the ultimate disciplinarian, and that reared its ugly head just one too many times during his time in Chicago. From banning headbands, to getting into shouting matches with players during practice, to being brutally honest about the performance of his guys (He was once asked what Eddy Curry could do to improve his rebounding, Skiles replied "Jump.") And of course, if you're going to be brutally honest, some egos are going to get hurt, meaning some players are going to be sick and tired of you ripping them in the media, in practice, and during games. After a while, the Bulls just collectively stopped caring, stopped listening to Skiles, and just played like a bunch of zombies, starting off horrendously to begin 2007, before Skiles was mercifully fired on Christmas Eve.
Skiles is, to be honest, a good coach... sort of. Think about it, Doesn't Skiles sound so much like Larry Brown in so many ways? Yeah, remember how that worked out?
Skiles going to New York has "disaster" written all over it. Just imagine how Larry Brown used to feud with players, it'll be just as bad with Skiles. And the New York media, lovers of controversy, "he said she said" tomfoolery and fighting, will eat it all up with a spoon.
Chances: Unfortunately, Skiles has the greatest chance of landing the coaching position for the Knicks. He brings tons of experience, a great defensive mindset, and a no nonsense attitude, precisely the reason why he'll be the one hired, in Isiah's place. This is also precisely the reason why he'll be a complete disaster in New York.
One thing we know for sure, is that Donnie Walsh will definitely do whatever it takes to find the right man to coach this team in the 2008/09 season. That is, of course, unless Dolan forces him to stick with Isiah. In which, he'd be getting the last laugh, wouldn't he? But alas, it's fun to guess and see what's going to happen. My opinion is that Scott Skiles will be your head coach of the New York Knicks next year, although I would prefer to have Paul Silas, or even Rick Carlisle. Either way, this is going to be an interesting summer.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
I want to punch Sasha Vujacic in the face
From Marc Stein's article today:
"The Mavs watched helplessly as Sasha Vujacic tossed in a clutch jumper of his own near the end, which Vujacic -- yes, Vujacic -- followed up with a Dikembe Mutombo-style finger wag."
I want to punch Sasha Vujacic in the face.
Not really any kind of special uppercut or anything. Just a good old fashioned punch in the face.
"The Mavs watched helplessly as Sasha Vujacic tossed in a clutch jumper of his own near the end, which Vujacic -- yes, Vujacic -- followed up with a Dikembe Mutombo-style finger wag."
I want to punch Sasha Vujacic in the face.
Not really any kind of special uppercut or anything. Just a good old fashioned punch in the face.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
The Patrick Ewing Curse
Some tend to blame the Knicks downfall on the addition of Isiah Thomas as the coach and General Manager of the team. Others think it has to do with Stephon Marbury joining the team. Some are clueless as to what went wrong. Some think it has something to do with Scott Layden. If that's what you guessed would've been my reasoning for why the Knicks are the way they are today, you WOULD be close...
The Knicks current downfall begins at Scott Layden. Layden set the foundation for what is currently known as the horrible Knicks squad we have today. While Layden set the foundation, one person poured in the cement. And that person is...
... Patrick Ewing?
Unquestionably, I think Ewing is the reason for the Knicks current downfall. Well, atleast the biggest. Isiah, Dolan, Layden, Shandon Anderson, Howard Eisley and others sure haven't helped. But the core of it all starts with the man who is the greatest Knick of the current generation, the centerpiece of the great squads of the mid 80's, all the way to the late 90's. Patrick Ewing.
And don't get me wrong, I'm one of the biggest Ewing fans out there. To me, he is the greatest Knick of all time, in a field of MANY strong candidates, and I was one of his biggest fans, all the way to when everyone else was screaming for his head in 2000, after the Knicks as a team blew game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals at home. Even when he was in Seattle and Orlando, I always rooted for him. He was the hero of my generation for me, just one of the best big men I've ever seen. When I get old and grey, one of the things I'm going to miss the most is the Garden crowd roaring as Marv Albert makes the call: "Ewing got the step... YES! It counts, AND the foul!"
But he is the biggest reason why the Knicks are the way they are today.
If you've ever seen Basketbawful's fantastic two part series on the curse of the Boston Celtics, you'll know what I'm doing here. If not, what are you waiting for? It's one of the finest pieces of work I've ever seen. Check out the two parter here, and here. And now, we'll start from Ewing's last season... the 1999-2000 season.
1999-2000: To start off the season with a "bang", in June of 1999, Ed Tapscott (Iterim GM for the recently fired Ernie Grunfield,) drafts Frederic Weis with the Knicks pick in the draft, infamously snubbing Garden favourite and St. John's prospect Ron Artest. Weis says before the draft that he'd never play in the NBA anyway, and the Knicks still draft him. They pick J.R. Koch in the second round, who never plays a single NBA game. Scott Layden is named General Manager of the Knicks. The Knicks sign old, washed up has-beens such as Andrew Lang, David Wingate, and a horrible never was in John Wallace. Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell both single handly carry this team, due to injuries by Patrick Ewing (62 games, 15.0 ppg), Marcus Camby (59 games,) and the major off-season aging of Larry Johnson (10.7 ppg). The Knicks start off the season slow before posting a 50-32 record, falling second in the Atlantic Division behind the rival Heat team. The two teams face off in the Eastern Conference semi-finals, with the infamous illegal behind the backboard shot by Anthony Carter being one of many notable moments. The Knicks get passed them, make it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, only to lose to the Indiana Pacers in 6 games. The final game hurts the worst for the team, as the Knicks lose at home by 13 points. The blame is placed squarely on the shoulders of Patrick Ewing, with fans the local papers calling for the Knicks to get rid of the center.
2000-2001: The Knicks draft Lavor freakin' Postell. Seriously. Even worse, they have no first round draft picks. Our center position becomes so pathetic, that Luc Longley, Travis Knight and Felton Spencer are our back-up centers during the season. I'm not kidding. Ewing requests to be traded, after everyone around him places the blame on his shoulders when it comes to the Knicks shortcomings in the playoffs, and Layden agrees to trade him, in one the biggest trade in NBA history, in which we lose fan favourite scrap player Chris Dudley and a first round pick. We get Lazarro Borrell (Who never plays,) Vladimir Stepania (Who never plays,) Vernon Maxwell (Who never plays,) and Glen Rice. And thus, the heart, soul and passion slowly as of now, begin to get sucked out of the life of Madison Square Garden and its fans. Rice actually proves to be a solid sixth man during the season, averaging 12 ppg. Marcus Camby has his best season of his career at that point, averaging a double double. Longtime Knick fan favourite Chris Childs is sent to Toronto for Mark Jackson, already a former Knick himself, looking way past his prime. Larry Johnson struggles to finish a season with multiple injuries. Erick Strickland and Othella Harrington are picked up. Strickland plays decently, but doesn't play after the season ends, while Harrington stays for a little while. Kurt Thomas begins to become a surprisingly good center-forward. The Knicks play the Sonics in a February game, which is Ewing's return to MSG, in which he gets a huge standing ovation. Ewing tallies 12 points in a loss to the Knicks (I used to have a nice copy of the game, but the tape has unfortunately detoriated over time.) Marcus Camby gets into a fight with old and crappy Danny Ferry of the San Antonio Spurs, missing a punch that WALLOPS Jeff Van Gundy, which gives Van Gundy a nice shiner for the next few weeks, another embarassing moment in Knick history. It was not a good year for Marcus Camby. And to cap it all off, longtime Knick fan favourite Charlie Ward makes embarassing comments about Jews, and is looked at as Anti-Semitic, until he later apologizes. The Knicks make it to the playoffs with a solid 48-34 record, and face the Raptors in the first round. Marcus Camby's sister gets kidnapped during the series, rendering him missing as the Knicks lose Game Five at home in the Garden, a humiliating loss and the first first round exit for the team since the 1990-1991 season.
2001-2002: Larry Johnson finally retires. Another downfall, as Layden signs Allan Houston to the infamously huge $100 million multi-year deal. And thus, the Knicks' salary cap woes begin. The Knicks get two second round picks again, neither of them play a single minute of NBA action. Or even a second. Or even make it to the pre-season. Or summer camp for that matter. Clarence Weatherspoon is signed to a big money contract, and he proves how important he is by, well, sucking. Scott Layden makes ANOTHER stupid deal that ships out Glen Rice for Shandon Anderson and Howard Eisley, commonly regarded as one of the worst deals in franchise history, as we take two horrible money clogging salary cap contracts. To make matters worse, Anderson and Eisley REALLY suck. I mean, they were absolutely terrible. Mark Jackson becomes starting point guard, and surprises all by playing much better than expected. Kurt Thomas becomes a fine third scoring option for the team, and its best rebounder. Marcus Camby misses 53 games due to various injuries. Jeff Van Gundy quits on the team after they go 10-9, another nail added to the Knick coffin. Don Chaney takes over in his place. The Knicks look awful and begin to struggle. The team finishes with a 30-52 record, its worst record since the 1986-1987 season, and the first time the team doesn't make the playoffs since that season, also. Dark days are now upon us.
2002-2003: The Knicks draft right, getting Nene (Then Maybyner Hilario), but then they trade him to the Nuggets for Frank Williams, who really sucks. Nene is sent to the Nuggets with Camby for Antonio McDyess, who gets stupidly gets hurt in the pre-season, missing the whole season with the Knicks. That's another nail, as one of the biggest energy guys on the team (Camby) gets shipped away for overrated, bad contract crap. Scott Layden LOVES Utah guys, so we sign Michael Doleac as our back-up center behind Kurt Thomas. Yes, THAT Michael Doleac. Lee Nailon is signed, and shows great potential and nice offensive skills in the minutes he's given, but Don Chaney refuses to play him. Howard Eisley has his finest season as a pro, averaging 9 ppg and hitting 131 three pointers. Houston, Sprewell and Thomas continue to carry the team on their shoulders. Sprewell breaks the record for most three's made in a game without a miss, going 9-9 against the Clippers (Thanks, Seth!) Don Chaney surprisingly is a solid coach, and the Knicks have a winning formula and end the season hot, finishing with a respectable 37-45 record. Knick legend Dave DeBusschere dies. Don Chaney receives a contract extension. Keep this in mind as we go along.
2003-2004: Michael Sweetney is drafted by the Knicks in the first round... and to be honest he wasn't too bad of a pick, as compared to Rick Brunson, Frank Williams, Walter McCarty (OK fine, I'd rather have Walter at this point than Mike...) and others. The Knicks had a major shake-up and overhaul during this season, with TWENTY TWO players suiting up to play throughout the season. The first major shake-up occurs early, where Latrell Sprewell is sent away in a four team deal, in which we get Keith Van Horn in return. Umm... yeah. But shockingly, Van Horn has a solid half year with the Knicks. Meanwhile, Spree becomes a big piece of the puzzle for Minnesota in them reaching the Western Conference Finals. Training camp sees future Bobcats sharpshooter Matt Carroll (!!) on the team, before he gets waived. Dikembe Mutumbo is signed, in what is one of the few positive things Layden did during his tenure as Knicks GM. Antonio McDyess plays for the first time as a Knick, and comes off as a major dissappointment, and a waste of money. Meanwhile, Camby flourishes in Denver. James Dolan, ever the master of class, fires Scott Layden three days before Christmas. Isiah Thomas is named new GM of the Knicks, and right away he starts making deals. One sees Clarence Weatherspoon traded to Houston for John Amaechi (Who never plays,) and Moochie Norris (Who really sucks.) Isiah then makes a HUGE trade, where Eisley, McDyess and Ward are shipped elsewhere, and we get Stephon Marbury and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway in return. Isiah Thomas appears on Letterman a few days later, and someone asks if Don Chaney will be fired. Isiah laughs and ignores the question. A few days later, Don Chaney is fired with a 15-24 record, replaced by legendary coach Lenny Wikens. Kurt Thomas moves out of the limelight as a scorer on the team, and focuses on rebounding again. DerMarr Johnson is signed for the season. Keith Van Horn and Michael Doleac are shipped out, and Tim Thomas and Nazr Mohammed are taken back in exchange, in what turns out to be another great deal. Vin Baker is also signed, in a move that causes many heads to be scratched. Baker is, not surprisingly, a bust. Unfortunately, the one piece of bad news is that Allan Houston is hobbled and hurt, playing only 50 games that year, in what would be a dark shadow of what was to come. The Knicks finish with a 23-19 record under Lenny Wilkens, ending the season at 39-43, and making the 8th seed in the playoffs. They would get swept mercifully in four games by the Nets, but things were looking very up!
2004-2005: The Knicks draft Trevor Ariza out of the 2nd round (Their only pick that year.) The Knicks ship out Othella Harrington and Dikembe Mutumbo to get Jamal Crawford and Jerome Williams in return. Both become big fan favourites in New York. The Knicks break my heart by signing Mengke Bateer, only to waive him. CURSE YOU!!! Shandon Anderson plays only one game in the season, mercifully getting waived. Jamal Crawford impresses a national television audience on TNT by hitting a buzzer beating game winner against the Houston Rockets. The Knicks start out slow, but get strong later, at one point being 16-13! However, the team goes on a small losing streak, with Isiah impatiently firing Lenny with the team at 17-22, in the first big stupid decision Isiah would make. Really, the team just had to go on a small 2-3 game winning streak, and they'd be back in the playoff hunt. Herb Williams is named Lenny's successor, and he surprises a lot of people, doing better than expected. The Knicks have a busy trade deadline: Nazr Mohammed is sent to the Spurs for Malik Rose and some picks, in what seemed like a good trade at the time... ohhh how wrong we'd be. We also trade Moochie and Vin Baker for Maurice Taylor... in what again, seemed like a good idea at the time. Jackie Butler is also signed as a free agent. Allan Houston plays only 20 games, before finally calling it a career and retiring due to injuries, with a few years still left on his bloated contract. He was paid to do nothing. Penny Hardaway also gets hurt, and requires immediate surgery. Kurt Thomas and Stephon Marbury begin feuding often in the locker rooms after games. The team finishes 33-49, with high hopes for next season. Marv Albert is fired by James Dolan for asking for a raise, and for attacking the Knicks' poor play on the air. Thanks, Dolan.
2005-2006: The Knicks draft well, getting Channing Frye and David Lee, while also snagging Nate Robinson from the Suns. Speaking of the Suns deal, Kurt Thomas is sent to Phoneix, along with draft picks, for Robinson and sharpshooting Quentin Richardson. Jerome James is... *shudders* signed to a five year deal *vomits*. It is marked down as the worst signing in Knick history, bar none. Isiah fell for the old "I have no contract, so I'm going to play extra hard so some schmuck signs me to a big money deal" trick. Vince Carter is the master of this. Larry Brown is hired as the Knicks head coach, and right away everyone thinks he'll do a perfect job as coach. There's NO WAY this would screw up. Really, I swear. Heh heh... In another defining moment in Isiah's GM career, Tim Thomas, Mike Sweetney, Jermaine Jackson, and the Knicks first one draft pick are sent to the Bulls for Eddy Curry and Antonio Davis. Seriously, even in 2005, did ANYONE believe this was a good deal? No one was even sure that Eddy was healthy enough to play a full season, and the Knicks losing their first round draft pick? Turns out it was the 2nd pick that year (Oops!). The Bulls happily drafted Tyrus Thomas in 2006. Matt Barnes is signed as a free agent, only to be waived. Nate Robinson shows off his skills in an overtime victory over the Sixers, hitting a huge clutch three pointer at the buzzer to win the game for the team. In another moment of the harsh reality of Life After Ewing is for the Knicks, Jerome James is suspended for a few games for "Conduct detrimental to the team." Antonio Davis jumps into the stands to attack a guy who was trying to get Davis' wife to shut up. Jalen Rose is received from the Raptors for Antonio Davis (Probably for the reason above,) in what was actually a good trade by Isiah... even though the Knicks refused to play him. Trevor Ariza, and the I think declared legally dead Anfernee Hardaway (He played in all of 4 games that year,) are sent to Orlando for disgruntled point guard Steve Francis, in essence giving the Knicks two point guards battling for the starting position. A then unknown Anucha Browne Sanders is fired from her position in Madison Square Garden. Ime Udoka is also signed. The rookies all look good, and they all have great potential. Especially Channing Frye, who makes the All-Rookie team. Nate Robinson becomes hard to control, with Larry Brown at one point wanting to send him to the D-League to cool him off. Instead, they bench him for the remainder of the season. The Knicks finish the season tied for its worst of all time, at 23-59, and the Knicks reach an all new low.
2006-2007: Larry Brown is fired, and Isiah is named the new head coach, with James Dolan threatening to get rid of him if things don't turn around. The Knicks refuse to pay Larry, leading into an embarassing cat and mouse game that is played over the Summer. The Knicks draft OK, getting Renaldo Balkman and Mardy Collins. Balkman shows some potential, as does Mardy in the late stretch of the season. Jared Jeffries is signed, and it's the same old story, as another under achiever gets a big contract. Kelvin Cato is signed as a free agent, another huge waste of money. Isiah begins to look more and more like Scott Layden before him, as the Isiah of old rears his ugly head. Jalen Rose is waived, and signed by the Suns. Another black eye of the Knick franchise happens, as the infamous Knicks-Nuggets brawl occurs. Mardy Collins, Jared Jeffries, Jerome James and Nate Robinson are all suspended. The Knicks contend that noted NBA crybaby George Karl kept his guys in for too long, and it turns out they were sort of correct. The Larry Brown contract issue is finally settled. Anucha Browne Sanders files her lawsuit against James Dolan, Madison Square Garden, and the New York Knicks. David Lee becomes the Knick fan favourite, cementing his status with a game winning tip in with 0.1 seconds on the clock, only the second time a tip in has been counted with less then 0.3 on the clock since the Trent Tucker rule was first instituted in 1990 (Tyrone Hill did it the other time.) The Knicks are constantly on the hunt for the 8th seed in the playoffs, getting close everytime. Eddy Curry plays like an All-Star, averaging almost 20 ppg and 7 rpg. The decline of the once mighty Steve Francis becomes sad and tragic to watch. Quentin Richardson produces well, but has problems staying healthy. Jamal Crawford has the best season of his career, averaging 17 points for the team, before hurting his ankle and missing the rest of the season. March 10th, 2007 becomes a fools gold day for Knick fans, as Steve Francis drains a buzzer beating three point shot to beat the Wizards, to make the Knicks 29-34, and giving them the 8th seed in the playoffs. One year ago today (March 12th), Isiah Thomas is signed to a contract extension from James Dolan, with Dolan making the cryptic quote: "I believe we have clearly seen significant and evident progress." After that date, the Knicks begin the ultimate chokejob. They go 4-15 in the final stretch of the season. Randolph Morris is signed. Stephon Marbury had one of his finest seasons, playing 100% every game, before injuring his ankle. The point guard situation becomes so bad that Mardy Collins takes the starting job in Stephon's place, and does a shockingly decent job, before hurting HIS ankle. The Knicks finish 33-49, which Dolan believes is significant enough progress, letting him stay.
2007-2008: The Knicks draft Wilson Chandler, who looks good so far, but hasn't been played enough for me to give an opinion on him. The Knicks get Zach Randolph, Dan Dickau and Fred Jones for Channing Frye and Steve Francis, in a move that still to this day looks good. Dickau of course gets waived and plays for his 4626354th NBA team. Stephon Marbury makes a complete ass out of himself on television. Jared Jordan is acquired from the Clippers for cash, and gets waived anyway. Allan Houston is signed for the pre-season, and plays one game, going 0-1, before bowing out and accepting a buy-out. Even worse, his #20 jersey is currently worn by Jared Jeffries, so he wears a #7 jersey. Randolph Morris is arrested for speeding. The Knicks start the season strong, before going back to their old ways. Isiah refuses to play Renaldo Balkman, and even Nate Robinson at first. The fans chant "Fire Isiah" every night at the Garden for a long while. The Anucha Browne Sanders trial reaches its ugliest point, MSG is found liable for all sexual harassment claims. Isiah is shown on camera saying that he wouldn't find it offensive if a black man called a black woman a bitch. James Dolan is shown on camera looking like an idiot. Stephon Marbury admits to cursing out Sanders, and having sex with an intern in the back of a pick-up truck Isiah and Stephon walk out of the court room smiling. Stephon Marbury has the worst season of his career, having fights with Isiah, getting exiled from the team, missing tons of games due to multiple deaths, and missing the rest of the season for surgery. The Knicks embarass themselves by losing by 45 points on national television to the Boston Celtics. They crap that off with a 40 point loss to the Sixers a few months later. As of today, the team is 18-46, and on the verge of having its worst season in franchise history. But a bright future is ahead, as Chandler, Robinson, Lee, Balkman and Morris are getting a lot of playing time now. Isiah may be fired, who knows?
As you can see, the Knicks have pretty much gone from good, to bad, to worse. While this can be blamed on many people, many events, many moments, there's only one that stands out in my mind, as the pinnacle thing that turned this team from contendors to lottery ball hopefuls. And that's the Ewing trade. But, who's to blame?
Well, for one, the fans. Why the hell were you guys booing and screaming for his head after the 2000 Eastern Conference Finals? Was a scapegoat needed that badly? And also, Scott Layden. What kind of idiot trades away Patrick Ewing for Glen Rice and a bunch of junk that never plays for the team?
One thing's for sure, I'll be watching the lottery balls drop closely, no idea what we'll get. Maybe Beasley? Rose? Hibbert?
All I know is that, whomever it is, they've got a lot of work ahead of them.
The Knicks are a franchise that needs tons of re-working, from the bottom up.
The Knicks current downfall begins at Scott Layden. Layden set the foundation for what is currently known as the horrible Knicks squad we have today. While Layden set the foundation, one person poured in the cement. And that person is...
... Patrick Ewing?
Unquestionably, I think Ewing is the reason for the Knicks current downfall. Well, atleast the biggest. Isiah, Dolan, Layden, Shandon Anderson, Howard Eisley and others sure haven't helped. But the core of it all starts with the man who is the greatest Knick of the current generation, the centerpiece of the great squads of the mid 80's, all the way to the late 90's. Patrick Ewing.
And don't get me wrong, I'm one of the biggest Ewing fans out there. To me, he is the greatest Knick of all time, in a field of MANY strong candidates, and I was one of his biggest fans, all the way to when everyone else was screaming for his head in 2000, after the Knicks as a team blew game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals at home. Even when he was in Seattle and Orlando, I always rooted for him. He was the hero of my generation for me, just one of the best big men I've ever seen. When I get old and grey, one of the things I'm going to miss the most is the Garden crowd roaring as Marv Albert makes the call: "Ewing got the step... YES! It counts, AND the foul!"
But he is the biggest reason why the Knicks are the way they are today.
If you've ever seen Basketbawful's fantastic two part series on the curse of the Boston Celtics, you'll know what I'm doing here. If not, what are you waiting for? It's one of the finest pieces of work I've ever seen. Check out the two parter here, and here. And now, we'll start from Ewing's last season... the 1999-2000 season.
1999-2000: To start off the season with a "bang", in June of 1999, Ed Tapscott (Iterim GM for the recently fired Ernie Grunfield,) drafts Frederic Weis with the Knicks pick in the draft, infamously snubbing Garden favourite and St. John's prospect Ron Artest. Weis says before the draft that he'd never play in the NBA anyway, and the Knicks still draft him. They pick J.R. Koch in the second round, who never plays a single NBA game. Scott Layden is named General Manager of the Knicks. The Knicks sign old, washed up has-beens such as Andrew Lang, David Wingate, and a horrible never was in John Wallace. Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell both single handly carry this team, due to injuries by Patrick Ewing (62 games, 15.0 ppg), Marcus Camby (59 games,) and the major off-season aging of Larry Johnson (10.7 ppg). The Knicks start off the season slow before posting a 50-32 record, falling second in the Atlantic Division behind the rival Heat team. The two teams face off in the Eastern Conference semi-finals, with the infamous illegal behind the backboard shot by Anthony Carter being one of many notable moments. The Knicks get passed them, make it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, only to lose to the Indiana Pacers in 6 games. The final game hurts the worst for the team, as the Knicks lose at home by 13 points. The blame is placed squarely on the shoulders of Patrick Ewing, with fans the local papers calling for the Knicks to get rid of the center.
2000-2001: The Knicks draft Lavor freakin' Postell. Seriously. Even worse, they have no first round draft picks. Our center position becomes so pathetic, that Luc Longley, Travis Knight and Felton Spencer are our back-up centers during the season. I'm not kidding. Ewing requests to be traded, after everyone around him places the blame on his shoulders when it comes to the Knicks shortcomings in the playoffs, and Layden agrees to trade him, in one the biggest trade in NBA history, in which we lose fan favourite scrap player Chris Dudley and a first round pick. We get Lazarro Borrell (Who never plays,) Vladimir Stepania (Who never plays,) Vernon Maxwell (Who never plays,) and Glen Rice. And thus, the heart, soul and passion slowly as of now, begin to get sucked out of the life of Madison Square Garden and its fans. Rice actually proves to be a solid sixth man during the season, averaging 12 ppg. Marcus Camby has his best season of his career at that point, averaging a double double. Longtime Knick fan favourite Chris Childs is sent to Toronto for Mark Jackson, already a former Knick himself, looking way past his prime. Larry Johnson struggles to finish a season with multiple injuries. Erick Strickland and Othella Harrington are picked up. Strickland plays decently, but doesn't play after the season ends, while Harrington stays for a little while. Kurt Thomas begins to become a surprisingly good center-forward. The Knicks play the Sonics in a February game, which is Ewing's return to MSG, in which he gets a huge standing ovation. Ewing tallies 12 points in a loss to the Knicks (I used to have a nice copy of the game, but the tape has unfortunately detoriated over time.) Marcus Camby gets into a fight with old and crappy Danny Ferry of the San Antonio Spurs, missing a punch that WALLOPS Jeff Van Gundy, which gives Van Gundy a nice shiner for the next few weeks, another embarassing moment in Knick history. It was not a good year for Marcus Camby. And to cap it all off, longtime Knick fan favourite Charlie Ward makes embarassing comments about Jews, and is looked at as Anti-Semitic, until he later apologizes. The Knicks make it to the playoffs with a solid 48-34 record, and face the Raptors in the first round. Marcus Camby's sister gets kidnapped during the series, rendering him missing as the Knicks lose Game Five at home in the Garden, a humiliating loss and the first first round exit for the team since the 1990-1991 season.
2001-2002: Larry Johnson finally retires. Another downfall, as Layden signs Allan Houston to the infamously huge $100 million multi-year deal. And thus, the Knicks' salary cap woes begin. The Knicks get two second round picks again, neither of them play a single minute of NBA action. Or even a second. Or even make it to the pre-season. Or summer camp for that matter. Clarence Weatherspoon is signed to a big money contract, and he proves how important he is by, well, sucking. Scott Layden makes ANOTHER stupid deal that ships out Glen Rice for Shandon Anderson and Howard Eisley, commonly regarded as one of the worst deals in franchise history, as we take two horrible money clogging salary cap contracts. To make matters worse, Anderson and Eisley REALLY suck. I mean, they were absolutely terrible. Mark Jackson becomes starting point guard, and surprises all by playing much better than expected. Kurt Thomas becomes a fine third scoring option for the team, and its best rebounder. Marcus Camby misses 53 games due to various injuries. Jeff Van Gundy quits on the team after they go 10-9, another nail added to the Knick coffin. Don Chaney takes over in his place. The Knicks look awful and begin to struggle. The team finishes with a 30-52 record, its worst record since the 1986-1987 season, and the first time the team doesn't make the playoffs since that season, also. Dark days are now upon us.
2002-2003: The Knicks draft right, getting Nene (Then Maybyner Hilario), but then they trade him to the Nuggets for Frank Williams, who really sucks. Nene is sent to the Nuggets with Camby for Antonio McDyess, who gets stupidly gets hurt in the pre-season, missing the whole season with the Knicks. That's another nail, as one of the biggest energy guys on the team (Camby) gets shipped away for overrated, bad contract crap. Scott Layden LOVES Utah guys, so we sign Michael Doleac as our back-up center behind Kurt Thomas. Yes, THAT Michael Doleac. Lee Nailon is signed, and shows great potential and nice offensive skills in the minutes he's given, but Don Chaney refuses to play him. Howard Eisley has his finest season as a pro, averaging 9 ppg and hitting 131 three pointers. Houston, Sprewell and Thomas continue to carry the team on their shoulders. Sprewell breaks the record for most three's made in a game without a miss, going 9-9 against the Clippers (Thanks, Seth!) Don Chaney surprisingly is a solid coach, and the Knicks have a winning formula and end the season hot, finishing with a respectable 37-45 record. Knick legend Dave DeBusschere dies. Don Chaney receives a contract extension. Keep this in mind as we go along.
2003-2004: Michael Sweetney is drafted by the Knicks in the first round... and to be honest he wasn't too bad of a pick, as compared to Rick Brunson, Frank Williams, Walter McCarty (OK fine, I'd rather have Walter at this point than Mike...) and others. The Knicks had a major shake-up and overhaul during this season, with TWENTY TWO players suiting up to play throughout the season. The first major shake-up occurs early, where Latrell Sprewell is sent away in a four team deal, in which we get Keith Van Horn in return. Umm... yeah. But shockingly, Van Horn has a solid half year with the Knicks. Meanwhile, Spree becomes a big piece of the puzzle for Minnesota in them reaching the Western Conference Finals. Training camp sees future Bobcats sharpshooter Matt Carroll (!!) on the team, before he gets waived. Dikembe Mutumbo is signed, in what is one of the few positive things Layden did during his tenure as Knicks GM. Antonio McDyess plays for the first time as a Knick, and comes off as a major dissappointment, and a waste of money. Meanwhile, Camby flourishes in Denver. James Dolan, ever the master of class, fires Scott Layden three days before Christmas. Isiah Thomas is named new GM of the Knicks, and right away he starts making deals. One sees Clarence Weatherspoon traded to Houston for John Amaechi (Who never plays,) and Moochie Norris (Who really sucks.) Isiah then makes a HUGE trade, where Eisley, McDyess and Ward are shipped elsewhere, and we get Stephon Marbury and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway in return. Isiah Thomas appears on Letterman a few days later, and someone asks if Don Chaney will be fired. Isiah laughs and ignores the question. A few days later, Don Chaney is fired with a 15-24 record, replaced by legendary coach Lenny Wikens. Kurt Thomas moves out of the limelight as a scorer on the team, and focuses on rebounding again. DerMarr Johnson is signed for the season. Keith Van Horn and Michael Doleac are shipped out, and Tim Thomas and Nazr Mohammed are taken back in exchange, in what turns out to be another great deal. Vin Baker is also signed, in a move that causes many heads to be scratched. Baker is, not surprisingly, a bust. Unfortunately, the one piece of bad news is that Allan Houston is hobbled and hurt, playing only 50 games that year, in what would be a dark shadow of what was to come. The Knicks finish with a 23-19 record under Lenny Wilkens, ending the season at 39-43, and making the 8th seed in the playoffs. They would get swept mercifully in four games by the Nets, but things were looking very up!
2004-2005: The Knicks draft Trevor Ariza out of the 2nd round (Their only pick that year.) The Knicks ship out Othella Harrington and Dikembe Mutumbo to get Jamal Crawford and Jerome Williams in return. Both become big fan favourites in New York. The Knicks break my heart by signing Mengke Bateer, only to waive him. CURSE YOU!!! Shandon Anderson plays only one game in the season, mercifully getting waived. Jamal Crawford impresses a national television audience on TNT by hitting a buzzer beating game winner against the Houston Rockets. The Knicks start out slow, but get strong later, at one point being 16-13! However, the team goes on a small losing streak, with Isiah impatiently firing Lenny with the team at 17-22, in the first big stupid decision Isiah would make. Really, the team just had to go on a small 2-3 game winning streak, and they'd be back in the playoff hunt. Herb Williams is named Lenny's successor, and he surprises a lot of people, doing better than expected. The Knicks have a busy trade deadline: Nazr Mohammed is sent to the Spurs for Malik Rose and some picks, in what seemed like a good trade at the time... ohhh how wrong we'd be. We also trade Moochie and Vin Baker for Maurice Taylor... in what again, seemed like a good idea at the time. Jackie Butler is also signed as a free agent. Allan Houston plays only 20 games, before finally calling it a career and retiring due to injuries, with a few years still left on his bloated contract. He was paid to do nothing. Penny Hardaway also gets hurt, and requires immediate surgery. Kurt Thomas and Stephon Marbury begin feuding often in the locker rooms after games. The team finishes 33-49, with high hopes for next season. Marv Albert is fired by James Dolan for asking for a raise, and for attacking the Knicks' poor play on the air. Thanks, Dolan.
2005-2006: The Knicks draft well, getting Channing Frye and David Lee, while also snagging Nate Robinson from the Suns. Speaking of the Suns deal, Kurt Thomas is sent to Phoneix, along with draft picks, for Robinson and sharpshooting Quentin Richardson. Jerome James is... *shudders* signed to a five year deal *vomits*. It is marked down as the worst signing in Knick history, bar none. Isiah fell for the old "I have no contract, so I'm going to play extra hard so some schmuck signs me to a big money deal" trick. Vince Carter is the master of this. Larry Brown is hired as the Knicks head coach, and right away everyone thinks he'll do a perfect job as coach. There's NO WAY this would screw up. Really, I swear. Heh heh... In another defining moment in Isiah's GM career, Tim Thomas, Mike Sweetney, Jermaine Jackson, and the Knicks first one draft pick are sent to the Bulls for Eddy Curry and Antonio Davis. Seriously, even in 2005, did ANYONE believe this was a good deal? No one was even sure that Eddy was healthy enough to play a full season, and the Knicks losing their first round draft pick? Turns out it was the 2nd pick that year (Oops!). The Bulls happily drafted Tyrus Thomas in 2006. Matt Barnes is signed as a free agent, only to be waived. Nate Robinson shows off his skills in an overtime victory over the Sixers, hitting a huge clutch three pointer at the buzzer to win the game for the team. In another moment of the harsh reality of Life After Ewing is for the Knicks, Jerome James is suspended for a few games for "Conduct detrimental to the team." Antonio Davis jumps into the stands to attack a guy who was trying to get Davis' wife to shut up. Jalen Rose is received from the Raptors for Antonio Davis (Probably for the reason above,) in what was actually a good trade by Isiah... even though the Knicks refused to play him. Trevor Ariza, and the I think declared legally dead Anfernee Hardaway (He played in all of 4 games that year,) are sent to Orlando for disgruntled point guard Steve Francis, in essence giving the Knicks two point guards battling for the starting position. A then unknown Anucha Browne Sanders is fired from her position in Madison Square Garden. Ime Udoka is also signed. The rookies all look good, and they all have great potential. Especially Channing Frye, who makes the All-Rookie team. Nate Robinson becomes hard to control, with Larry Brown at one point wanting to send him to the D-League to cool him off. Instead, they bench him for the remainder of the season. The Knicks finish the season tied for its worst of all time, at 23-59, and the Knicks reach an all new low.
2006-2007: Larry Brown is fired, and Isiah is named the new head coach, with James Dolan threatening to get rid of him if things don't turn around. The Knicks refuse to pay Larry, leading into an embarassing cat and mouse game that is played over the Summer. The Knicks draft OK, getting Renaldo Balkman and Mardy Collins. Balkman shows some potential, as does Mardy in the late stretch of the season. Jared Jeffries is signed, and it's the same old story, as another under achiever gets a big contract. Kelvin Cato is signed as a free agent, another huge waste of money. Isiah begins to look more and more like Scott Layden before him, as the Isiah of old rears his ugly head. Jalen Rose is waived, and signed by the Suns. Another black eye of the Knick franchise happens, as the infamous Knicks-Nuggets brawl occurs. Mardy Collins, Jared Jeffries, Jerome James and Nate Robinson are all suspended. The Knicks contend that noted NBA crybaby George Karl kept his guys in for too long, and it turns out they were sort of correct. The Larry Brown contract issue is finally settled. Anucha Browne Sanders files her lawsuit against James Dolan, Madison Square Garden, and the New York Knicks. David Lee becomes the Knick fan favourite, cementing his status with a game winning tip in with 0.1 seconds on the clock, only the second time a tip in has been counted with less then 0.3 on the clock since the Trent Tucker rule was first instituted in 1990 (Tyrone Hill did it the other time.) The Knicks are constantly on the hunt for the 8th seed in the playoffs, getting close everytime. Eddy Curry plays like an All-Star, averaging almost 20 ppg and 7 rpg. The decline of the once mighty Steve Francis becomes sad and tragic to watch. Quentin Richardson produces well, but has problems staying healthy. Jamal Crawford has the best season of his career, averaging 17 points for the team, before hurting his ankle and missing the rest of the season. March 10th, 2007 becomes a fools gold day for Knick fans, as Steve Francis drains a buzzer beating three point shot to beat the Wizards, to make the Knicks 29-34, and giving them the 8th seed in the playoffs. One year ago today (March 12th), Isiah Thomas is signed to a contract extension from James Dolan, with Dolan making the cryptic quote: "I believe we have clearly seen significant and evident progress." After that date, the Knicks begin the ultimate chokejob. They go 4-15 in the final stretch of the season. Randolph Morris is signed. Stephon Marbury had one of his finest seasons, playing 100% every game, before injuring his ankle. The point guard situation becomes so bad that Mardy Collins takes the starting job in Stephon's place, and does a shockingly decent job, before hurting HIS ankle. The Knicks finish 33-49, which Dolan believes is significant enough progress, letting him stay.
2007-2008: The Knicks draft Wilson Chandler, who looks good so far, but hasn't been played enough for me to give an opinion on him. The Knicks get Zach Randolph, Dan Dickau and Fred Jones for Channing Frye and Steve Francis, in a move that still to this day looks good. Dickau of course gets waived and plays for his 4626354th NBA team. Stephon Marbury makes a complete ass out of himself on television. Jared Jordan is acquired from the Clippers for cash, and gets waived anyway. Allan Houston is signed for the pre-season, and plays one game, going 0-1, before bowing out and accepting a buy-out. Even worse, his #20 jersey is currently worn by Jared Jeffries, so he wears a #7 jersey. Randolph Morris is arrested for speeding. The Knicks start the season strong, before going back to their old ways. Isiah refuses to play Renaldo Balkman, and even Nate Robinson at first. The fans chant "Fire Isiah" every night at the Garden for a long while. The Anucha Browne Sanders trial reaches its ugliest point, MSG is found liable for all sexual harassment claims. Isiah is shown on camera saying that he wouldn't find it offensive if a black man called a black woman a bitch. James Dolan is shown on camera looking like an idiot. Stephon Marbury admits to cursing out Sanders, and having sex with an intern in the back of a pick-up truck Isiah and Stephon walk out of the court room smiling. Stephon Marbury has the worst season of his career, having fights with Isiah, getting exiled from the team, missing tons of games due to multiple deaths, and missing the rest of the season for surgery. The Knicks embarass themselves by losing by 45 points on national television to the Boston Celtics. They crap that off with a 40 point loss to the Sixers a few months later. As of today, the team is 18-46, and on the verge of having its worst season in franchise history. But a bright future is ahead, as Chandler, Robinson, Lee, Balkman and Morris are getting a lot of playing time now. Isiah may be fired, who knows?
As you can see, the Knicks have pretty much gone from good, to bad, to worse. While this can be blamed on many people, many events, many moments, there's only one that stands out in my mind, as the pinnacle thing that turned this team from contendors to lottery ball hopefuls. And that's the Ewing trade. But, who's to blame?
Well, for one, the fans. Why the hell were you guys booing and screaming for his head after the 2000 Eastern Conference Finals? Was a scapegoat needed that badly? And also, Scott Layden. What kind of idiot trades away Patrick Ewing for Glen Rice and a bunch of junk that never plays for the team?
One thing's for sure, I'll be watching the lottery balls drop closely, no idea what we'll get. Maybe Beasley? Rose? Hibbert?
All I know is that, whomever it is, they've got a lot of work ahead of them.
The Knicks are a franchise that needs tons of re-working, from the bottom up.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Knicks (97) - Pistons (101)
Note: this is only for just in cast Barnesgasm puts up his own recap of the game tonight. I will keep my recap here for the sake of not losing my work.
Hey guys, I'm sitting in for Seth today. Great game played by the Knicks, they really put up a gasp great effort and kept it close down the stretch. I like seeing efforts like this. Anyway:
Anyone else find that stupid T-Mobile starting line-up thing to be confusing? It's too... unorganized for me.
Glad to see Chandler get another start. He made a few poor shot choices, but he has tons of potential.
'DOLPH SIGHTING! No points, but he did get one rebound in 9 minutes. Really, Morris? That's all you could do in 9 minutes? You get your freakin' chance and you don't even capatialize! Oh well, there's more chances.
It seems like Eddy Curry has gotten the memo that some people are going to be gone after the off season, because he played like a beast tonight, 23 points and 7-9 from the free throw line!
Marbury was out there watching the team, looking like he'd rather be anywhere but there. Wouldn't blame him. It must suck knowing that Fred Jones was starting in the spot you'd be at normally.
Speaking of Freddie, he had a great shooting night, getting key shots in the 4th, including a big three pointer to keep the Knicks in the game.
Rasheed Wallace was out for the Pistons tonight, so Theo Ratliff started in his place, and proved why he never deserved any of those big money contracts that he got. He blew EASY shots, made stupid turnovers and even got some bad goaltends. Way to impress, Theo. I'm sure Flip Saunders is glad you're his one back-up when 'Sheed gets hurt.
David Lee had a nice double double, 12 points and 15 rebounds. He really has begun to pick it up a lot more lately. Nice to see him playing well, considering he's one of the few Knicks that gave a shit early on.
Crawford made a nice shake and bake move in the 2nd, only for Lee to get his lay-up blocked. Damn, that would've made Sportscenter highlights too.
I'm too used to Amir Johnson having long hair. He looks off without his dreadlocks.
Speaking of off, Tayshaun Prince was anything but that, hitting huge shots down the stretch to put the game away for good. He had a nice night, shooting 9-17 and hitting a huge runner to put them up by 4 with 19 seconds to go.
No idea how he did it, but Richard Hamilton got two quick technicals and got tossed. Jeez, who shit in his Trix? Methinks someone wanted a night off. He also had the same temper tantrum in the triple overtime thriller from 2006, and it cost them the game that time, and almost did tonight.
Renaldo Balkman had one of his worst games in a long time. He had two straight fast breaks, got called for a charge on both of them. He was later called for a goaltend, too. Ouch. Isiah got rid of him after that for a while.
In a funny moment, Mike and Clyde were discussing how the MAAC tournament was continuing on MSG at 10 P.M. live, which I agree is WAY too late for those poor kids. Clyde said, in typical Clyde fashion "When do those kids study?!"... on second thought, you had to be there.
Both Crawford and Nate got banged up in the game. Crawford left for a short while due to something involving his shoulder, and Nate was limping for the final few minutes of the game. Let's hope it doesn't mean anything bad...
The Knicks kept getting SO close to tying the game and overtaking the lead, but then they'd fall apart again. They'd go on 10-0 runs, but then go ice cold. It's frustrating, a bit in a way.
Malik Rose scored 9 points in 8 minutes, including a three pointer! WTF?!
No Walter Herrmann sighting, therefore JoshL is not happy. I need my three point shooting Fabio fix, DAMNIT!
All in all, the Knicks played great, just fell apart at the end and could never fully gain momentum. Oh well, one more extra chance at gaining Derreck Rose, so no complaints here. See you guys later!
Hey guys, I'm sitting in for Seth today. Great game played by the Knicks, they really put up a gasp great effort and kept it close down the stretch. I like seeing efforts like this. Anyway:
Anyone else find that stupid T-Mobile starting line-up thing to be confusing? It's too... unorganized for me.
Glad to see Chandler get another start. He made a few poor shot choices, but he has tons of potential.
'DOLPH SIGHTING! No points, but he did get one rebound in 9 minutes. Really, Morris? That's all you could do in 9 minutes? You get your freakin' chance and you don't even capatialize! Oh well, there's more chances.
It seems like Eddy Curry has gotten the memo that some people are going to be gone after the off season, because he played like a beast tonight, 23 points and 7-9 from the free throw line!
Marbury was out there watching the team, looking like he'd rather be anywhere but there. Wouldn't blame him. It must suck knowing that Fred Jones was starting in the spot you'd be at normally.
Speaking of Freddie, he had a great shooting night, getting key shots in the 4th, including a big three pointer to keep the Knicks in the game.
Rasheed Wallace was out for the Pistons tonight, so Theo Ratliff started in his place, and proved why he never deserved any of those big money contracts that he got. He blew EASY shots, made stupid turnovers and even got some bad goaltends. Way to impress, Theo. I'm sure Flip Saunders is glad you're his one back-up when 'Sheed gets hurt.
David Lee had a nice double double, 12 points and 15 rebounds. He really has begun to pick it up a lot more lately. Nice to see him playing well, considering he's one of the few Knicks that gave a shit early on.
Crawford made a nice shake and bake move in the 2nd, only for Lee to get his lay-up blocked. Damn, that would've made Sportscenter highlights too.
I'm too used to Amir Johnson having long hair. He looks off without his dreadlocks.
Speaking of off, Tayshaun Prince was anything but that, hitting huge shots down the stretch to put the game away for good. He had a nice night, shooting 9-17 and hitting a huge runner to put them up by 4 with 19 seconds to go.
No idea how he did it, but Richard Hamilton got two quick technicals and got tossed. Jeez, who shit in his Trix? Methinks someone wanted a night off. He also had the same temper tantrum in the triple overtime thriller from 2006, and it cost them the game that time, and almost did tonight.
Renaldo Balkman had one of his worst games in a long time. He had two straight fast breaks, got called for a charge on both of them. He was later called for a goaltend, too. Ouch. Isiah got rid of him after that for a while.
In a funny moment, Mike and Clyde were discussing how the MAAC tournament was continuing on MSG at 10 P.M. live, which I agree is WAY too late for those poor kids. Clyde said, in typical Clyde fashion "When do those kids study?!"... on second thought, you had to be there.
Both Crawford and Nate got banged up in the game. Crawford left for a short while due to something involving his shoulder, and Nate was limping for the final few minutes of the game. Let's hope it doesn't mean anything bad...
The Knicks kept getting SO close to tying the game and overtaking the lead, but then they'd fall apart again. They'd go on 10-0 runs, but then go ice cold. It's frustrating, a bit in a way.
Malik Rose scored 9 points in 8 minutes, including a three pointer! WTF?!
No Walter Herrmann sighting, therefore JoshL is not happy. I need my three point shooting Fabio fix, DAMNIT!
All in all, the Knicks played great, just fell apart at the end and could never fully gain momentum. Oh well, one more extra chance at gaining Derreck Rose, so no complaints here. See you guys later!
Monday, March 3, 2008
Why is Randolph Morris even there?
This would qualify as a rant.
Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed how pointless of a pick-up Randolph Morris has become? I bet you didn't even know that he actually PLAYED in two games this year, let alone the handful he played in last year. I mean, seriously Isiah, what the hell is wrong with you?
Morris showed in the Summer League that he has nice potential to be a nice role-player... so why does Isiah refuse to give him the minutes? Why does he keep putting him in garbage time every once every 20 games, and why does he keep putting 'Dolph on the inactive list, while total garbage like Mailk Rose sucks up his minutes? Rose has shown that he can put up good numbers every once in a while, but he's an absolute shell of his former self. The guy who had a chair pulling reputation with the Spurs is now the guy who looks old and fat.
In fact, why is Wilson Chandler even there?
Why is anyone even there?
I just can't understand why Isiah doesn't just say "Screw it" and call it a season. It's blatantly obvious that the Knick's aren't making the playoffs this year, plain and simple. What's wrong with playing all the young guys, like Balkman, Lee, Chandler, MORRIS?! And plus, why waste the chance of getting a GOOD point guard in the draft? It's obvious that Stephon Marbury is gone over the summer, Isiah. Your continued proverbial crap you take on him in the media has proven that countless times. Why not just call it a season, let the young guys get some good playing time, and hope for the lottery balls to work in your favor?
Is there something about getting a 35-47 record and sneaking into the playoffs as the eighth seed, only to get SLAUGHTERED by the Celtics in four painful for the fans games, that's just so appealing to Isiah? We can't even say that he's doing this to keep his job, anymore. If he wanted to keep his job, he would've shopped around harder during the trading deadline. We would be seeing new faces on the squad right now, not Eddy Curry playing 15 minutes, on 5 fouls, with 0-6 shooting. We wouldn't be seeing Jamal Crawford take a mind boggling 25 shots, make 8 of them, while going 1-9 from downtown. We wouldn't be seeing Mardy Collins take the point guard position and make it look like the hardest thing in the world.
I mean, the team would probably still suck if they made the deals, but we'd see SOMETHING. Some sort of progress.
Progress.
That's certainly a word Isiah Thomas has a hard time proving that the Knicks have made this year.
Listen Isiah, I'm BEGGING you: Call the season a wash. Give up. Play the young guys. Give them tons of minutes. Tell Eddy Curry to take a damn hike, his fat ass should be GONE after this year. Try and hope the lottery balls work in your favor. It's flat out obvious that if you try and make this team work hard to gain victories, all you're going to get is a higher draft pick, more disgruntled fans, more people begging for the young guys to take the floor as the old fat asses chug up and down the lane for 30/40 minutes a time.
Then, Isiah, maybe James Dolan won't throw down such a hard hammer when he announces that you've been relieved of coaching and managing duties. Then again, Dolan will probably let Isiah keep his job. It wouldn't surprise me.
Just another day as a disgrunted Knick fan...
Friday, February 8, 2008
Spurs (99) - Knicks (93)
Should I honestly be surprised anymore? Really?
Another stinker by the Knicks. After leading by double digits for most of the game, they totally fell apart in the final few minutes of the fourth quarter, playing like the same old, same old crap that we're totally used to by now. The Spurs chipped away at the lead, before Michael Finley was left wide open to nail the three and tie the game to head into overtime. The Knicks couldn't find Jamal Crawford, which made them resort to Mardy Collins bricking some UGLY shots that he had no business taking...
On the Knicks side, Fred Jones carried us through the first half. Jones exploded for 15 points, including four three pointers, ending the night with a career high 5 for 10 from downtown, ending the night with 19 points. Yeah, he only mustered up four in the second half. That's another reason why we lost. Jones followed up that nice first half with a huge stinker for a second half. He also bricked a few important late threes at the end of the 4th, and even one in OT, when we really could've used them.
It took awhile for Jamal Crawford to warm up, but it was his 2nd half spark plug that kept the Knicks even alive. And after the Spurs began to notice he was heating up, they double teamed him at every opportunity they could, hounding him and making him pass to someone else, who would freak out and blow an easy shot. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Renaldo Balkman once again showed he can be great when given minutes, chipping in 10 points, 7 rebounds, and key defensive plays and saves. Same for David Lee, who added 14 points and 7 boards himself. Zach Randolph shot poorly, but added 13 rebounds with his 10 points, which is always a welcome contribution. He must've still been zonked from hitting 3 three pointers yesterday, because he hoisted up two bad ones tonight. Wilson Chandler got a start, but didn't do much in 9 minutes, getting quick fouls and scoring 2 points.
I saw Damon Stoudamire for the first time in awhile, and other than not shooting much, he played pretty well, making easy defensive stops. Tim Duncan was Tim Duncan, adding 21 points and 14 rebounds. Duncan didn't do much in the clutch for San Antonio however, actually sometimes leading them TO turnovers. Robert Horry had his best game of the season, going 5 for 6 for 13 points on 3 for 4 from three point range.
The Spurs hero? Other than Finley, it had to be Manu Ginobili. While he didn't shoot particulary well, Manu made MANY key defensive plays, clutch shots, and clutch free throws. Speaking of Finley, he had an excellent game, draining 5 three's, and of course making the huge three pointer with four tenths remaining in the 4th.
Really, why was the guy left open? He's Michael Finley! He's going to hit the wide open trey! Ugh, this game was so winnable, too. The Knicks just fell apart. Again. Let's hope we get a good pick in the draft, because there's really no reason to bother anymore. Seeya around.
Another stinker by the Knicks. After leading by double digits for most of the game, they totally fell apart in the final few minutes of the fourth quarter, playing like the same old, same old crap that we're totally used to by now. The Spurs chipped away at the lead, before Michael Finley was left wide open to nail the three and tie the game to head into overtime. The Knicks couldn't find Jamal Crawford, which made them resort to Mardy Collins bricking some UGLY shots that he had no business taking...
On the Knicks side, Fred Jones carried us through the first half. Jones exploded for 15 points, including four three pointers, ending the night with a career high 5 for 10 from downtown, ending the night with 19 points. Yeah, he only mustered up four in the second half. That's another reason why we lost. Jones followed up that nice first half with a huge stinker for a second half. He also bricked a few important late threes at the end of the 4th, and even one in OT, when we really could've used them.
It took awhile for Jamal Crawford to warm up, but it was his 2nd half spark plug that kept the Knicks even alive. And after the Spurs began to notice he was heating up, they double teamed him at every opportunity they could, hounding him and making him pass to someone else, who would freak out and blow an easy shot. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Renaldo Balkman once again showed he can be great when given minutes, chipping in 10 points, 7 rebounds, and key defensive plays and saves. Same for David Lee, who added 14 points and 7 boards himself. Zach Randolph shot poorly, but added 13 rebounds with his 10 points, which is always a welcome contribution. He must've still been zonked from hitting 3 three pointers yesterday, because he hoisted up two bad ones tonight. Wilson Chandler got a start, but didn't do much in 9 minutes, getting quick fouls and scoring 2 points.
I saw Damon Stoudamire for the first time in awhile, and other than not shooting much, he played pretty well, making easy defensive stops. Tim Duncan was Tim Duncan, adding 21 points and 14 rebounds. Duncan didn't do much in the clutch for San Antonio however, actually sometimes leading them TO turnovers. Robert Horry had his best game of the season, going 5 for 6 for 13 points on 3 for 4 from three point range.
The Spurs hero? Other than Finley, it had to be Manu Ginobili. While he didn't shoot particulary well, Manu made MANY key defensive plays, clutch shots, and clutch free throws. Speaking of Finley, he had an excellent game, draining 5 three's, and of course making the huge three pointer with four tenths remaining in the 4th.
Really, why was the guy left open? He's Michael Finley! He's going to hit the wide open trey! Ugh, this game was so winnable, too. The Knicks just fell apart. Again. Let's hope we get a good pick in the draft, because there's really no reason to bother anymore. Seeya around.
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