The 2011-2012 New York Knicks Thread

[SLURPEE]

The easiest thing to do is get rid of the coach. Why it's his fault that guys making $15 million-plus per year and who fancy themselves among the best in the game are apparently motivationally-challenged is where the insanity starts.

This question can be applied to athletes in general.

If athletes can coach themselves....well they wouldn't need coaches.

The fact is players do need to be motivated sometimes. It's part of the coach's job to do so.

[JohnnyEllis]

Amazing how Chandler and Lin have overcome D'Antoni's Magic Spell of Nonmotivational Mojo in a few short months while others are still struggling with their feelings.

[Snatch Catch]

Amazing how Chandler and Lin have overcome D'Antoni's Magic Spell of Nonmotivational Mojo in a few short months while others are still struggling with their feelings.

You do realize that some guys simply have higher character when it comes to this stuff than others, no?

Nobody said that D'Antoni is creating this lack of motivation, but instead that he doesn't appear to have the requisite skill to address it when things start to go bad.

[Snatch Catch]

It's almost like the Knicks need 2 different offensive philosophies. One when Melo is on the floor, and another, when Stat and Lin are on the floor.

A dirty little secret lost in all of the media memes being constructed is that Amar'e and Lin haven't exactly been good - hell, even passable - together.

[dabomb2045]

A dirty little secret lost in all of the media memes being constructed is that Amar'e and Lin haven't exactly been good - hell, even passable - together.

That has surprised me. I see them try to work the PnR sometimes...but its run in a very sloppy manner and Amare never seems to be open. I'm not sure who the fault for that goes on. I really thought Lin would get Amare's game back to a high level again, but it hasnt happened.

[JohnnyEllis]

You do realize that some guys simply have higher character when it comes to this stuff than others, no?

Nobody said that D'Antoni is creating this lack of motivation, but instead that he doesn't appear to have the requisite skill to address it when things start to go bad.

This is all about Carmelo and his absurd delusions of superstar grandeur and, to a lesser extent, Stat. Good luck with the new babysitter strategy.

[Snatch Catch]

That has surprised me. I see them try to work the PnR sometimes...but its run in a very sloppy manner and Amare never seems to be open. I'm not sure who the fault for that goes on. I really thought Lin would get Amare's game back to a high level again, but it hasnt happened.

Amar'e has been setting some of the sloppiest and most half-hearted screens I have ever seen in my life when he and Lin have tried the PnR. The guy often cuts for the basket when Lin is still 10 feet from the screen itself, leaving a perfect trap situation for Lin to fall into.

Tyson sets real, hard screens, sometimes even illegal ones. It makes a ton of difference.

[grizy]

What snatch said. Even Novak sets better screens. It's really sad to see Parker just waltz by amare like he weren't there

Amare is also having lots of trouble finishing even when he has the ball at point blank range to the basket.

'Melo is trying to buy in. What he needs now is Lin creating space so he could start taking his open shots with catch and shoot. We know he can catch and shoot because he did it vs. the Cavs. That and, well, he's Melo. I don't think there is anything he can't do when it comes to scoring.

[GimeMoMuny]

This is all about Carmelo and his absurd delusions of superstar grandeur and, to a lesser extent, Stat.

Yeah, I've been trying to find the words for some of what I've been seeing and that sums it up.

The fraternizing that those two do with other "vetted" players from opposing teams is corny and reminds me of what I don't like about the NBA. The over the top stroking of some old lames after losses makes me sick.

I'm getting fed up with both of them but I do believe that it's too early to conclude that the flashes we've seen can't be galvanized into a serious team.

[GimeMoMuny]

As pointed out earlier, JR definitely is a lil' extra w/ his twitter. \Thanks, JR.

Link [NSFW]

http://cdn.mediatakeout.com/54678/co...rl-nekkid.html

[Panamaniac42]

As pointed out earlier, JR definitely is a lil' extra w/ his twitter. \Thanks, JR.

Link [NSFW]

http://cdn.mediatakeout.com/54678/co...rl-nekkid.html

Ha, that didn't take long at all. Dude is crazy on twitter, stays up past 4am tweeting bullsh*t.

[GordonGecko]

dude is going to get shot one day

[Snatch Catch]

Saw this from a Suns fan on another forum:

http://www.from-ashes.com/node/28

Interesting to see this from a fan of Amar'e and the MDA offense, analyzing what most of us have been seeing on the court with an approach predicated on both theory and supporting data.

• I looked at all of Jeremy Lin's units from this season that have played at least 5 minutes together. With Amar'e at the 4, the Knicks are scoring 96.06 points per 100 possessions. With a 3-point shooter (such as Steve Novak) at the 4, the Knicks are scoring 129.72 points per 100 possessions.
  
• Since the beginning of Linsanity, the Knicks are 8-0 when Amar'e plays less than 30 minutes (including the 4 games he missed) and 2-6 when he plays more than 30 minutes.
  
• The Knicks are 14.43 points per 100 possessions worse with Amar'e on the court this year. Which, by the way, is second worst in the NBA among players with at least 1000 minutes.

D'Antoni knows all this, but he has no choice: The Knicks have more than $18 million per year invested in Amar'e. D'Antoni has to play Amar'e, even if he's killing the team...and grounding the flight of the Lindbergh.

[dabomb2045]

Reading those stats about Amare kill me. I like the guy alot...have loved watching him as a player going back to his rookie year, and it hates me to see Knicks fans gang up on him. I appreciate the fact that he had the balls to sign here last year by himself, something no other FA truly considered doing.

But his game has gone down this year...no question about it. I just hope its an offseason and not the beginning of his body breaking down. If its it that, its gonna be an ugly 3 years watching him struggle and watch the fanbase wanting to kill him. The whole thing makes me sad.

[Panamaniac42]

Reading those stats about Amare kill me. I like the guy alot...have loved watching him as a player going back to his rookie year, and it hates me to see Knicks fans gang up on him. I appreciate the fact that he had the balls to sign here last year by himself, something no other FA truly considered doing.

I appreciated last year - a lot. He helped bring excitement and hope back to the Garden, so I understand what you're saying. But if anybody had balls it was the Knicks front office because they were the only ones who were willing to give this guy $100 million uninsured. I realize he embraced being the face of the franchise, but it's tough for me to credit a guy's intestinal fortitude for simply taking the biggest paycheck available.

[Panamaniac42]

I expect to see more of the same tonight with Brandon Jennings going off and Ersan Ilyasova/Drew Gooden owning the interior.

[SLURPEE]

Amar'e had 100 million reasons to sign here.

I guarantee if the Suns had offered the exact same contract, he would be wearing purple and orange right now.

The domino effect is no Melo and probably no Chandler.

Like Panamaniac42 said, it's the Knicks front office that had the cojones to give him that contract.

[GimeMoMuny]

I like the early energy.

[SLURPEE]

This game is a mess.

One of those old time, no defense, throw back D'Antoni games from 09/10.

[marechal]

This is sad. What a waste of talent.

[JohnnyEllis]

Helpless without Chandler. An overabundance of crud defenders.

Speaking of which, what did Shump do to to take a seat for Baron Davis at SG?

...And when they do defend, the ball bounces right to Ilyasova.

[THEBOSS84]

Nice little comeback..

[marechal]

Come on now.

[Panamaniac42]

[GimeMoMuny]

Oh gawddd