D'Antoni Did The Right Thing

Mike D'Antoni knew his time was up in New York.  The Knicks had lost 6 games in a row.  They were falling out of the playoff standings, and the player-coach relationship was not there.  Carmelo Anthony was opening his mouth,  and D'Antoni was firing back.  On Wednesday, D'Antoni called it quits.

The Knicks have underachieved for the most part of the 2011-2012 season.  They started the season 8-15 before Jeremy Lin came in and took over as point guard.  They would then win their next seven games in a row during Lin-sanity.  The Knicks would then start to struggled once Carmelo Anthony returned from injury.  The style of play had changed completely and the team had no chemistry.  D'Antoni clearly had trouble working with the new offense and it showed in their play.

Now, assistant coach Mike Woodson takes over for the rest of the season and Woodson know what he has to do with this team.  It all starts with Stat and Melo.  Amare Stoudemire has been nowhere near what he was last year and it is time for him to be more aggressive and look for his shot more.  Jeremy Lin can take less shots and the Knicks can move the ball more.  Woodson knows exactly what this team has to do to win games.  Woodson has been there and in the playoffs before.  He is a defensive-minded coach, something that the Knicks lacked with D'Antoni.

The Knicks needed a change and they needed it quick.  Mike Woodson is going to send this team in the right direction the rest of the way and help the Knicks get back to the playoffs.  We are going to see the Knicks playing hard-nosed basketball the rest of the season headed into the playoffs.  The talent is there for the Knicks to get to the playoffs and to make noise in the playoffs.  With 23 games remaining and the Knicks tied for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, there is still time for the Knicks to get back to the team we saw in February that had Madison Square Garden going Lin-sane and ticket prices off the charts.

Just Shut Up and Win

The Knicks have gone from a team that had all of the NBA talking for all the right reasons just two weeks ago.  They now are being talked about for all the wrong reasons.  New York is on a six game losing streak, Carmelo Anthony won't keep his mouth shut, and Mike D'Antoni has lost control of his team.  The Knicks chemistry is at an all time low as fingers are being pointed in all different directions.

Coach Mike D'Antoni has lost complete control of his team.  Carmelo Anthony has commented putting blame on the coach, while D'Antoni has done the same on Anthony.  Clearly, the relationship between the coach and his players is horrific right now.  The Knicks are not worried about winning and are more worried on blaming each other acting like children.  It's about time for them to just shut up and win ball games.  The Knicks are on the verge of missing the playoffs as they have fallen into a tie for the eighth seed in the east with the Bucks.  The Cavaliers are sitting right behind the Knicks just one game back.  If the Knicks cannot get a win in the next couple of games, D'Antoni's time in New York may be up before his contract expires at the end of the season. 

The Knicks clearly have the talent and a deep bench to get to the playoffs and do the damage.  This team needs to get their act together off the court and play the kind of basketball we saw in the month of February.  The team has struggled mightily since the return of Anthony following his injury.  Anthony cleared up the rumors of him wanting to be traded by saying he wants to remain a Knick.  Most Knicks fans at this point would have no problem trading Anthony, but there is nowhere he could go right now.  The Knicks gave up a ton to get him and he is not going anywhere. (at least not this season)  

The Knicks need to stop the talking and get back to their winning ways before it gets out of hand more than it has already.  The Knicks will face the Blazers at the Garden tonight and are in need of a huge win.  It's time that the Knicks win games, play team basketball, and stop pointing fingers at each other.  The Knicks have 24 games remaining, with 14 of those being against teams over .500.  

The New Look Knicks

The Knicks have become an entirely different team than the team we saw just seven games ago when they were an abysmal 8-15.  They were a couple losses away from Mike D'Antoni being jobless, Jeremy Lin being cut, and Carmelo Anthony banging himself up even more.  The Knicks were being led by a banged up Anthony and a struggling Amare Stoudemire.  Two men were attempting to carry the team on their backs.  It just could not be done.  They needed a change.  That's when the Knickerbockers would make a Lin-probable return to winning basketball and an excitement in New York that we have not seen since the days of Patrick Ewing, Allan Houston, and Latrell Sprewell.

The Knicks are now at .500 at 15-15 and in the thick of the playoff race securing the eight seed in the Eastern Conference right now.  Lin has helped lead the Knicks putting up unbelievable numbers.  Lin has scored at least 20 points in six of the seven games and has had at least seven assists in every game.  Three of the games he has recorded a double double.  Lin dropped 38 points against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in front of a packed Madison Square Garden without Stoudemire and Anthony.  It has been a story that has gotten Lin several endorsement offers and the financial assets to move him off his brother's couch and into his own place.  Lin has thrived even with all the attention he has received.

When everyone thought the Lin-sanity would take a halt for a game against the Raptors in Toronto, Lin scored six points in the final minute including a game winning three pointer with less than a second to go.

This story has been one of the most inspiring stories and one that has Knicks fans believing in a championship this season.  Just today, the Knicks signed J.R. Smith hoping he can add some depth from the shooting guard position.  When Smith is on, he is an explosive scorer.  Him and Anthony played together in Denver as well.  The Knicks have a potential starting lineup of Jeremy Lin, J.R. Smith, Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, and Tyson Chandler.  That is arguably the best lineup in the NBA.

The question is whether Anthony will be able to co-exist with Lin and the rest of the team.  Melo will have to do a lot more passing and less shooting.  This Knicks team has thrived moving the ball and getting everyone involved.  They have gotten great bench play from Steve Novak as well as Jared Jeffries and Bill Walker.  The team has played superb team basketball since Anthony has been out.  The Knicks need Anthony to return, be healthy, and move the ball with this new look team.  If this team can co-exist and continue their unselfish play, we might just see a deep playoff run and MSG rocking come late May for the first time in over a decade.

Lin-Credible

One man has single handedly saved the job of head coach Mike D'Antoni.  Carmelo Anthony you say? Amare Stoudemire you say? Maybe Tyson Chandler? Nope. Jeremy Lin.

Since Jeremy Lin has taken over as the Knicks starting point guard the Knickerbockers are 5-0.  They have beaten the Nets, Jazz, Wizards, Lakers, and the Timberwolves.  All of New York has been going absolutely Lin-sane as Lin has been the biggest contributor for the Knicks since the Harvard graduate got a chance to get key minutes.  Lin's most dazzling performance came on the biggest stage.  Lin dropped 38 points on a Friday night at Madison Square Garden on ESPN against the almighty Lakers.  The spotlight does not get much bigger than that. (in the regular season at least)  The second year point guard put on a show against future hall of famer Kobe Bryant.  Lin, who did not play much for the Warriors and was cut by the Rockets in December is finally getting his chance to shine in New York.  In just five games he has Knicks fans on the edge of excitement for the first time this season.  Until Lin's surgence the Knicks were playing bad basketball.  They were 8-15 coming into last Saturday night against the Nets when the Knicks would make a Lin-probable comeback.  The Knicks now are the eight seed in the east taking a leap in the standings since their abysmal start.

The Knicks have played much improved team basketball with the absences of Stoudemire and Anthony.  Stoudemire will return to action Tuesday against the Raptors following his absence due to the loss of his brother.  The Lin story has truly been one that has millions of people going Lin-sane.  The Knicks are back to being the fun team to watch as Lin's thrilling play has had MSG ticket prices through the roof of late.  If the Knicks can continue to play good team basketball when Stoudemire returns and Anthony eventually returns, this team might just be a force to be reckoned with come playoff time in the eastern conference.