The Knicks Thread....

Knicks fans where is your Lin-Messiah now?

So once they bring a new coach in, how long do you give it before you strongly consider moving Melo?

With a different coach and better point guard, I still think it can work and the Knicks can get on the right track. Amar'e was part of some successful Suns teams with Nash, Melo went to the Western Conference Finals with Billups and also enjoyed modest success before they were paired up in Denver too. If they continue to flounder under a new coach though, he'd probably be the one to move first.

I'd give it a season or two. I really don't want to lose Carmelo. Like you said, he's had success and won an NCAA title. You need stars to win in this league, so I have to see how he does with a real coach and a real offense.

Man some Knicks fans are so caught up with Jeremy Lin that now they are quick to point fingers at Melo who is not even the problem. The problem now is he's not touching the ball enough. He's just out there. The Knicks aren't creating any good scoring opportunities for him. And yes he does throw up bad shots but that's because the Knicks practically have no offense that create good shots in the first place.

now they are quick to point fingers at Melo who is not even the problem. The problem now is he's not touching the ball enough. He's just out there.

You realize what the Knicks' record is with and without Melo this year? More importantly, do you realize how the Knicks were playing with Melo having a career high in ball usage %?

Melo indeed is part of a reason why the Knicks are struggling. As soon as he came back, not only his performance regressed instantly with less ball usage but teammates got worse significantly. Mike D'antoni the greatest coach of all time has some team chemistry issues to work with.

And without Melo and Amare, the Knicks were a better defensive team but with both of them back, defense is non-existent anymore. Something to notice.

the Knicks practically have no offense that create good shots in the first place.

so when the knicks were getting layups and open novak 3s as a result of lin's penetration during their 7 game win streak, those weren't good shots?

On the bright side, one Knicks player makes on the headline.

J.R. Smith regrets posting picture of Tahiry Jose’s rear on Twitter

Mike D'Antoni, the best coach in all time

STFU! Phil Jackson owns this name ... 12 rings

the Knicks practically have no offense that create good shots in the first place.

so when the knicks were getting layups and open novak 3s as a result of lin's penetration during their 7 game win streak, those weren't good shots?

I'm not taking away from what Jeremy Lin did but you do realize that they have been playing better teams since that 7 game win streak. Chicago, Philly (ranked #1 in opp ppg), San Antonio, Boston (Tough team to beat when Rondo have nights like he did) and Miami.

22 offensive rebounds for the Bulls - shameful.

And I am SO done with Pringles. Amar'e is lights out in the third quarter, so what does Pringles do? He sits Stoudemire down to start the fourth instead of riding the hot hand. This coach is fucking stubborn and clueless.

And whose idea was it to foul Korver with 48 seconds left? Knicks were only down four. Makes no sense.

I'd give it a season or two. I really don't want to lose Carmelo. Like you said, he's had success and won an NCAA title. You need stars to win in this league, so I have to see how he does with a real coach and a real offense.

I agree. You never say never as far as moving him, but there's no need to be too quick to pull the trigger. In the same vein, who do you trade first: Melo or Ama're?

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/7684157/mike-dantoni-lost-new-york-knicks-locker-room-according-sources

D'Antoni, hailed as an offensive genius during his successful tenure in Phoenix, has lost the Knicks' locker room, the sources say.

"The players like Mike as a person," one source said. "They think he's a good guy. But he doesn't have the respect of the team anymore."

...

In addition to questioning D'Antoni, players are complaining about playing time, and confused about the offensive and defensive schemes.

...

Management, the coaching staff and the players know Anthony is hurting the offense and in turn, the defensive morale, according to the sources. While D'Antoni's offense calls for Anthony to plant himself on the wing at the 3-point line, he often creeps in to his favorite spot in the floor -- the area between the elbow, the arc and the post. That kills the Knicks' ability to run the high pick-and-roll and ruins the spacing that is so critical to D'Antoni's offense.

"That's at the very core of our problem," one person close to the situation said. "That messes up the fluidity of the offense. Melo could do it, but he's got to trust the offense."

When Anthony first returned -- and it still appears to be the case -- Lin would bring the ball up court and try to run D'Antoni's system. When Anthony would abandon the offense, Lin would not pass him the ball, which irritated Anthony, sources said. So when Lin tried to talk to Anthony on the court, Anthony would turn his back to the point guard and tune him out. The two never had heated exchanges, though, and the players tried to come to a compromise, agreeing to run D'Antoni's system while also mixing in post-ups for Anthony.

"But it's just a mess because D'Antoni's system is not designed for that," one source said.

Despite his often poor body language, many of the players believe Anthony is trying to adjust and sincerely wants to win. He has told people close to him that he is being asked to do things he's never done, saying that throughout his career he has always had plenty of post-up opportunities and that he is uncomfortable standing on the wing spacing the floor.

"Half the team is trying to do what coach says and the other half is doing something different," one source said. "Then it spills over to the defensive end because players are (ticked) off about somebody taking a bad shot."

...

Some players believe D'Antoni had the leverage to force Anthony to adjust to his system when he first returned from injury. The Knicks were rolling, showing they could win without Anthony, and their fan base was believing in D'Antoni's system. If D'Antoni had checked Anthony, perhaps even benching him, when he strayed from the offense, the players and fans would have been behind the coach and Anthony would have had no choice but to conform. But D'Antoni, ever the one to avoid confrontation with his players, would not do it, and now it's too late. That's when he lost the locker room for good.

In other words, they are asking Melo to minimize his role because what good is he sitting out on the wing. He's not that great of a three point shooter and can't really create his own shot from that deep. He is more comfortable in the post. But the high pick and roll would be more effective for the Knicks and create many opportunities for Stoudemire and Chandler and give Lin a little more freedom to penetrate. This could work but then you would just be leaving Melo out of the mix.

Good article.

According to rotoworld.com...
http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nba/929/carmelo-anthony

Carmelo Anthony scored 22 points on 7-of-17 shooting (1-of-2 from deep, 7-of-10 from the foul line) with five rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two blocks in the Knicks' loss to the Bucks on Friday.
This line isn't bad, in fact it's really good, but many of us here were wrong about Anthony's ability to co-exist with Jeremy Lin. Melo thinks he's the team leader, and pulled that act last year when he arrived and started preaching that everybody needed to play defense, but the problem is that his body of work is the play of a me-first loser. Adding J.R. Smith and Baron Davis to the mix just puts fuel on this fire. The team awkwardly defers to Anthony on offense, and suffers greatly due to his defense, all while Melo and Smith's agent pulls the strings at MSG. Ugly.

Carmelo has never been a moneyball player who can buy a lot of wins but made his name through his one-way scoring ability. Now that's been exposed, I wonder how he'll adjust his game.

Mike D'Antoni, the best coach in all time

STFU! Phil Jackson owns this name ... 12 rings

STFU! Learn to count.

STFU! Learn to count.

STFU! I was mistaken ..

he has 11 rings as coach and 2 as a NY player ..

In the same vein, who do you trade first: Melo or Ama're?

Amar'e is untradeable. The Knicks were the only team willing to overpay for him in the first place. Other GMs were concerned about his knees. It's obvious from his play this season he has no more lift. Who'd want him?

I heard on WFAN one of the Knick executives wants Carmelo gone because he hurts 'Linsanity'. If that's true, it proves what I've always felt. The Knicks will never win with this front office and this owner. This franchise has been a joke since Cablevision took over. We had a glimmer of hope with Donnie Walsh, but that's over. Dolan doesn't mess with the Rangers, so why can't he leave the basketball alone?

In the same vein, who do you trade first: Melo or Ama're?

Amar'e is untradeable. The Knicks were the only team willing to overpay for him in the first place. Other GMs were concerned about his knees. It's obvious from his play this season he has no more lift. Who'd want him?

I heard on WFAN one of the Knick executives wants Carmelo gone because he hurts 'Linsanity'. If that's true, it proves what I've always felt. The Knicks will never win with this front office and this owner. This franchise has been a joke since Cablevision took over. We had a glimmer of hope with Donnie Walsh, but that's over. Dolan doesn't mess with the Rangers, so why can't he leave the basketball alone?

Amar'e is also untradeable because you would need him in order for the high pick & roll offense to work for Lin. And keep in mind you are talking about trading 20 + career scorers in Melo and Amar'e. Lin still hasn't proven he can consistently put up performances like he did during that 7 game win streak.

Edit: Again I cant knock his talent but isn't it a bit early to tell if he is better off without Melo or Amar'e. This is just like a couple of weeks ago when he was being compared to elite pg's like Rondo and Deron Williams.

Pringles has just resigned, according to a report on WFAN's Mike Francesca show.

Inevitable, though honestly I wouldn't mind him in Portland as he really isn't that bad of a coach.

Inevitable, though honestly I wouldn't mind him in Portland as he really isn't that bad of a coach.

He is, with his lack of focus on defense...

Top 10 in defensive rating all season...

The Knicks needed a change. That was obvious. I hope that Phil Jackson comes to coach this team next season, but I don't see that happening. What I do say is this, if the team keeps playin this horrible through next season, they should blow it up in the 2013 offseason and rebuild again.

Top 10 in defensive rating all season...

Pringles was forced by the Knicks front office to add Woodson.

As for Phil Jackson, not happening. Phil's 65 and has had health issues - I don't think he wants to go through the grind of the NBA regular season. Plus, the Knicks aren't championship-ready, and I can't see him putting up with Brain-Dead Dolan.

I'd love Thibodeau or Doc Rivers(if Boston lets him out of his contract).

And yet the Hawks didn't miss a beat defensively when they replaced him with Larry Drew.

Pringles has just resigned, according to a report on WFAN's Mike Francesca show.

I expected more jubilation.