N.Y. Knicks: The Shots Heard 'Round The Garden

From the desk of:  DUTCH PANTS CAN'T JUMP

Losing Streak Hits Seven

NEW YORK KNICKS: Derek Fisher Might Be Retired From Playing, But He's Still Quick On His Feet.

....and then the losing streak reached seven,

but just barely.

For a fleeting moment, Melo's game tying 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left in the game was the biggest shot of the Knicks season, that is until Trey Burke nailed his own last second, game winning, buzzer beating 2-pointer from the far corner to give Utah a 102-100 victory at a silent Garden.

The Knicks played without the still missing Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani, a resting Amare Stoudemire, and Iman Shumpert (who injured his hip in the opening minutes of Friday's game).

Yet, they managed 100 points for the first time this season.

Perhaps that's why Coach Fisher was so giddy afterwards when speaking with the media.  I call it smartly getting away with putting up a strong front after blowing a very winnable game.

The last minute of play was indeed thrilling.  As Coach Fisher put it - that was New York City out there.

He's right; the crowd was electric and Melo was on fire.

And there's the rub....

In truth, Friday's game looked a lot like something from last season, which is a bad thing.  Just ask Tim Hardaway.  It was a regression back to Melo Ball - when an inept team put the ball in his hands and hoped for the best.

The obligatory thrilling finishes might be good for ticket sales, but not much else.

Carmelo Anthony scored 46% of the Knicks points, and pulled down a team high 7 rebounds while his mates predominantly stood around and watched.  That also explains why Melo also made 16 attempts from the stripe while the rest of the team combined on just four free throws.

The Knicks collectively watched Utah shoot 51.4% from the field, and bury 10/22 from beyond the arch, while also allowing them 42 points in the paint.  You can't let a team have it both ways; certainly not the Jazz, man.

Utah additionally blocked eight shot versus just one for the Knicks, whom also got out-rebounded by a 39-31 margin.

Wait, there's more:

Once again, the Knicks suffered from poor ball distribution (regardless who's in the line-up).  The Knicks only had 15 team assists (vs. 25 Jazz) led by Shane Larkin's four, and Pablo Prigioni's three.   The Knicks two point guards at least combined on 20 points in support of Melo.

J.R. Smith, not so much.  He was not the second best Knicks player on the floor the way he should have, especially after Shumpert's departure.  Smith scored 9 points in 21 minutes off the bench, and was defending Trey Burke during the game winning shot.

Coach knows his best player scored 46 points and they still lost.  He knows they recovered from a faulty 1st quarter to build a 72-65 3rd quarter lead, but blew the game with flaky defense particularly in the paint.  He also knows the Jazz never once double-teamed Melo, thus allowing the Knicks to hang around in the first place, and that J.R. Smith failed to step up and make a difference.

So when the media failed to pounce with their post-game opening line of questions, Coach Fisher was able to preach how inspiring the undermanned effort, and the atmosphere at Madison Square Garden were.

Quick thinking Coach.

Of course, we see right through it.

Nothing short of personnel changes will help this team.  That's why Friday night brought back memories.




Mike

N.Y. Knicks: Derrick Rose Set To Reintroduce Himself Tonight

From the desk of:  DUTCH PANTS CAN'T JUMP

NEW YORK KNICKS: Tonight's Early Season Clash In Chicago Should Be The First Of Several Contentious Affairs Against The Bulls.

With Game One in the books, Carmelo Anthony is eighty-one games closer to exercising his right to test free agency.  Good for him.  I do not appreciate that kind of talk when there is a season to be played first.  I additionally did not appreciate when Patrick Ewing did the same exact thing back in the mid-90's.  On the one hand, a player would have to either be very comfortable in his situation, or be an idiot not to exercise his rights under collective bargaining.  That's fine.  The problem is, no fan wants to hear their player express that stuff out loud.

That's the way the Knicks 2013-2014 season starts for me - with crap like that.

On the court, the Knicks also already have something to worry about.  Raymond Felton's hamstring paid him a return visit.  He toughed out last night's game however, and clocked in 34 minutes against the Bucks.  He scored eighteen points but only issued three assists.  It was Pablo Prigioni who topped the Knicks with five assists.  But if Felton is feeling tender already, that may spell trouble.  He's the one I feel who will maintain order between Melo and J.R. Smith.

Carmelo Anthony pulled down a team high ten rebounds, and scored a game high nineteen points, to rescue the Knicks from what would have been an embarrassing loss, considering the Knicks led Milwaukee by twenty-five points at one point.

Is Iman Shumpert on the precipice of a break-out season?  Many people think so.  He was 5/13 from the field, and 5/5 from the line for sixteen points.  I'd like for him to continue playing near thirty minutes a night.

Tyson Chandler was the fourth Knick player to score in double-digits, with ten points and five blocked shots in thirty-two minutes.

All five Knicks starters played over thirty minutes.  No wonder though, as the game almost slipped away from them.  The Knicks were up 56-31 at the half, but allowed Milwaukee to explode for 33 points in the third quarter.  The Knicks barely won the battle of the boards by a 34-31 margin.  They shot 50.7% from the floor, while the Bucks finished at 45.9% and took three more shots from the field.  But the Knicks edged out Milwaukee at the stripe, making 15/17 shots for 88.2%, versus 83.3% for the Bucks.

Andrea Bargnani struggled in his season debut, scoring six points in seventeen minutes off the bench.  He was 0/3 from beyond the 3-point line, and committed three turnovers.

Is tonight's game against the Chicago Bulls a foreshadowing of a possible encounter next Spring?  Why not enjoy it that way, considering both teams have their full compliment of players, minus Amare Stoudemire that is, who did not play in last night's opener.  I'll be curious to see him if he plays tonight, how he meshes, and how many minutes Coach Woodson allots him.

Derrick Rose is also attempting to come back from ruinous injuries.  He complained of a sore neck after the Bulls opening game against the Miami Heat, but he will reportedly suit up and play this evening.  He missed the entire 2012-2013 regular season and playoffs.  It looks like the Bulls, Heat, Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets and Knicks will all be battling this season for the top four seeds in the Eastern Conference.  Should be fun.

For now, the time has finally come for Derrick Rose to reintroduce himself to the New York Knicks.  If Rose's neck is stiff, then the Knicks are playing off a quick turn-around from last night at the Garden.

It's all good.



Mike.BTB