So much for thinking the Bulls had a grip on things despite their bad season. After Ben Wallace led a veteran movement to have rookie Joakim Noah benched for getting into a shouting match with an assistant coach, it seems Wallace had the giggles on the bench during the Bulls blowout loss to Orlando.
I take it all back, except for the part about the Knicks lacking accountability.
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Knicks tonight go for 3-0 against the Nets this season and are actually looking to sweep both games at the IZOD Center (we're told we have to write it in all caps, as if we're shouting it to you from on high.."Come! See this glorious place in the midst of swamplands and freeways! The Crowned Jewel of East Rutherford...the IZOD Center!").
The Knicks are awful, but the Nets, with the talent they put on the floor, are a downright disgrace under .500. A few weeks ago a reporter was doing a poll for Sports Illustrated and went through the Knicks locker room asking players (their answers would be kept anonymous) what player in the NBA does the least with the most talent. After hearing a few names, I interrupted the discussion:
What about Vince Carter?
I will say this about Rod Thorn, he drafts smartly. I like that he took Marcus Williams with the idea that Williams can play the understudy role and - potentially - be ready when Jason Kidd's time is over.
The Knicks never prepared for Stephon Marbury’s departure. Remember where you read that the Knicks should go for a PG in the draft...where it was suggested Taurean Green might be a good gamble? Check Green's stats in the D-League. Thomas has suggested that he doesn’t view Nate Robinson as the point guard of the future, mainly because Robinson isn’t quite the prototypical point guard who can run an offense.
But N8's recent play – most especially the past five games in which the Knicks have won three – can not be overstated.
Robinson is averaging 14.8 points, 5 assists and just 0.8 turnovers in 31 minutes per game over the past five games. He'll never say it publicly, but for Nate, it's an easy equation: minutes equals confidence.
“Just having fun, that’s what it is,” Robinson said. “I’m more comfortable.”
Comments (11)
Just playing around with the ESPN trade machine here.
Came up with this one:
Stephon and Randolph Morris to the Kings
for
Bibby and Mikki Moore.
It works salary wise, and yet it doesn't add longer contracts to the Knicks because Steph, Mikki, and Bibby all come off the books after next year. Kings may not want to do it since they can have the same amount of money coming off the books by keep Bibby and Moore, but maybe a young big man like Morris will make them interested. Then again, they may be able to get more for Mikki's contract.
Thoughts?
I tried this one:
Artest + Thomas for Curry + Q-Rich + Chandler
works capwise and will give us a lineup of
N8, Steph (hurt), Mardy
Crawford, Jones
Artest, Jeffries, Thomas
Lee, Balkman, Rose
Zach, James, Morris
thin at center, but Curry's departure cant be over applauded.
The unit will be quick and will play good defense with Jones, Artest, Lee and Balkman.
I would MUCH MUCH rather keep curry than randolph. Z-Bo may be more talented, but he disrupts the flow on the court way too much. Curry's negatives can be hidden with a defensive big. There is nothing to hide the black hole on offense that is Z-Bo.
I'm also not much into artest these days
Who is N8 Robinson? His role has never been clearly defined either with Brown or Thomas. He will have a stretch like the one he's having now, and will just as easily follow that with a DNP-CD. It was exciting to see him this summer, in his defensive stance, going end line to end line. I had hopes that he was going to be a stopper.
He would be fun to watch on a Rick Pitino coached team, playing nose-to-nose D, running and gunning.
I was never one of Nate’s biggest fans. But it’s tough to deny the progress he’s made. I never imagined he’d be the guy who’d take his development so seriously. Despite the fact that Isiah has completely failed at developing the talent he’s brought to the team, Nate has earned his court time. Ken Berger had it right. All Nate needs now is consistent court time, and he’ll keep improving. That’s the good news. The bad news is that you’re not going to build a team around Nate Robinson. He’s not even a starter on a serious team.
I’ll say it again: Isiah’s roster is the deepest 2nd unit in the league. Maybe Lee will be a starter one day. But Isiah’s actually right about him. Lee’s a lock for 6th man of the year in a year or two. Nate and Crawford are prototypical 2nd unit players. Probably Balkman, too. If you forget what Isiah paid for him, you also have to come to the conclusion that Curry can’t anchor a starting unit, either. I’m sure there are some who’ll disagree with that. But I see Curry as a bench player, too. Randolph is good enough to start. I’d rather have a less selfish player at the 4, but he certainly has the skills. Maybe if he was getting some decent coaching, he could become more of a team player even though it doesn’t come naturally. But other than Zbo, the Knicks still need an entire starting unit. Point guard. Shooting guard. Small forward. Center. The next GM has his work cut out for him.
Alan- What happened to the pre-game posts?
@ Trane
You're right; unfortunately, their paying front line money for second unit talent.
Randolph does have the numbers, but I heard Chris Broussard saying Randolph stood up in the middle of the locker room and yelled at Thomas to trade him.
The team that puts the fun in dysfunction...
@trane.
i agree with your analysis for the most part, though i am not as down on jamal and zbo as most of the bloggers here are. one has to recognize that these two guys are surrounded by a pretty dreadful crew, with the exception of lee, who, though i love a lot of what he does, will never be a star in this league (i really don't see his wheels holding up for the long haul). it seems to me that both jamal and zbo have the potential to grow into solid nba starters, were they ever to receive proper coaching, and if they had the benefit of playing with a true point guard. they are not leaders, but between them they would give you 35 pts, 15 boards, and 6 dimes in 70 minutes. those kinds of numbers are not exactly growing on trees out there.
Sec11 – I actually like both Crawford and Zbo. I’ve always felt jamal is better suited to coming off the bench, in a kind of Vinnie Johnson role. But I agree with you about coaching. My sense is this team gets woefully little good coaching.
This may sound perverse, but when this team wins, it makes me angry. It’s been so long since we’ve seen decent basketball, I’ve almost forgotten what it looks like. We’ve gotten used to how bad this team is. So anything gets us excited. Even mediocrity is a lot better than what we've had. And suddenly they win a few games and we get all excited. And hey, if they go on a roll now . . . they’ve got a shot at . . . 25 wins this season. MAYBE THIRTY will get them into the playoffs in the lousy east. It’s all so sad. And it makes me realize how much Dolan and Isiah have robbed from us. And that Stern really should step in. Dolan shouldn’t be allowed to own an NBA franchise. They’re too valuable. They mean too much. Just because he has the money shouldn’t be enough.
@pete-thanks for the input the other night on the game.
still stuck in ND when the Knicks play hard, my luck.
@Trane-I have mixed emotions as well in the sense I'd rather have a shot at the top pick. But if we are being offered good value like the rumors (i know rumors) state, charlie V,Bibby, or Artest then maybe our off season will be trading up in the draft and/or getting a true established talent via trade.
if some of these guys can show some heart enough to want someone to come to NY it would be great.
I hate missin the games. anyone feel free to tell me who is playing hard and under control. broadband in Minot is the worst.
Alan! where you at?
They most definitely have an ingredient that was missing since 2000. Mental toughness.
When the Nets took a lead by 14 points they didn't falter and give in. The Nets are a resilient team and the Knicks were even more resilient than them last night. Minus Steph, Crawford is showing why we acquired him from the Bulls. He is fulfilling the need at least for now as a playmaker.
They are feeding off each other and not giving in. Curry plays his best d as he knows how. Which isn't good but it's better than nothing. Taz, N4, Lee, Jones are great role players down the stretch. I believe the games is 80% mental and they are getting the emotional side of the equation to the dismay of others.