[jaysmith1987Participant]

I think the recent Knicks success has alot to do with them moving Amare to the center position and Gallinari to power forward and inserting Chandler into the starting lineup.  Now the Knicks have an advantage every game were no center in the league is gonna be able to stick with Amare and Gallinari gets to play his role as a strech four and Chandler has been doing great work off the bench all year now he gets to start at his natural position at small forward.  This lineup is alot like the old Phoenix suns lineup with Amare at center.

[HitsterParticipant]

The Knicks have improved recently and the switch of STAT back to C does seem to have worked, STAT’s size compensates for Gallinari’s more finesse game and Gallinari can use his ball handling skills to advantage against more PF’s and Chandler brings extra hustle and scoring to the SF role.

Also if the Knicks do persue a certain SF free agent next summer then he could seamlessly fit into the SF position with Chandler either moving across to SG or being a great 6th man option. The team has had a lot of changes and now needs to continue to bed down with STAT and Felton now knowing their roles and playing to a high standard it has lifted the rest of the roster also. New signings need to be complimentary and not ripping the roster apart every few years.

The Knicks are probably about where a lot of people predicted about now but it has been very up and down so far but importantly they are currently on a up.

[NYK2010Participant]

Amare a C helps them run but its Gallo at SF, Chandler at PF.

Mainly becaz Turiaf his hurt and Mozgov is no where ready to start, once Turiaf is healthy again he’ll probably get the start at Center.

[inukawaii8Participant]

many people are saying knicks are doing so well bc of chandler and amare. what about raymond felton? This season, he has improved in every single statistical category. I think mainly because he has so many shooters and an athletic big man to work with. Also, out of the few games i watched, felton has greatly improved his shot selections. I think hes simply a smarter player now. 

[SwatLakeCityParticipant]

 This is the lineup that I was hoping would happen eventually. Although I kind of wanted Randolph to start at the 4 because he has alot of potential and I thought if he could just start then he would be able to show it more especially on the Knicks. Although the SG is still a bit of a wonder to me. Fields is playing great there, but what will happen once Azubuike comes back? He can play the 2 as well and can play it quite well too. He may even be better than Fields. 

 

[HitsterParticipant]

Felton’s offence would natural increase under Coach D’Antoni but after having all the defensive fundamentals hammered into him by Coach Brown, he is now becoming a much better all round player being able to contribute at both ends. He also seems to relish his role as a senior player on a young roster, also he is playing to try and prove he’s not just a two year PG rental until the Knicks look to upgrade via FA.

[QUINCEY HODGES1]

Felton has been a big reason they are successful. The problem is They still are one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA and D’Antonio isn’t gonna change the way he Coach’s after all these years so they Can make the playoffs but then get bumped early year after year. Get Melo and they get further but still get bumped because of defense

[jaysmith1987Participant]

This is the best system for ray felton its very similar to the one he ran at unc.  Even after the rough start i thought he would turn it around.  I think larry brown over there in charlotte takes away from his players in that he runs the nba version of ben howlands system.  Slow the tempo on offense play gritty defense.

[NYCrealdealParticipant]

double double today with 15 and 10 dude is a straight up baller

really hope we dont trade him cause to win u need players like fields

gallo needs to start rebounding better and drive to the hoop thats gana open upp open J’s for him

amare and felton are playing lights out felton playing liek and allstar avergin 18 8 2stl and shooting 90 percent from the stripe

anthony randolph seems like hes not ganna play at all if shawne williams continues to shoot lights out like he did last 2 games

 

[QUINCEY HODGES1]

I think you’re expecting too much if you want Gallo to constantly rebound better. Probably just need to let him play to his strengths and just have his teammates help him in the rebounding department( like fields is doing)

[sheltwon3Participant]

Knicks played pretty well in games Turiaf was starting as well.  I think the key thing is Felton and Amare playing well together.  Each are having less turnovers and more asists.  Also Mike D has found a nice bench player in Williams while Douglas is in a slump.  They are actually playing at a better pace than I ever thought they were and may actually be a 6th seed if they can continue. 

 

Amare will be an All Star for the West and Felton may luck up and get there too depending on how things work out.  Remember Mo Williams and Devin Harris made the All star game in the East which is weaker than the West.  Felton’s numbers are actually better than both player when they made it.

Phoenix is looking really stupid right now.  They basically let Amare go for Hedo and some role players.  Hedo is on the bench.  Grant Hill’s play is making Childress expendable and Hill seems to have found the fountain of youth so he may play longer than expected.  Frye has look really good though and Warrick is looking good too in spot minutes.  Suns are a collection players that dont all fit and they may need to move some people to improve their chemistry and overall production.

Knicks defense is not bad as people are saying because they can get stops in the 4th quarter now and have a go to guy to open the offense enough to win close games.  Fields and Chandlers are really good defenders.  Felton is a pretty good defender despite his size.  Turiaf gives you hustle blocks rebounds and solid D when healthy.  Amare can give you game changing blocks but is a below average defender who mainly relies on his athleticism. Douglas when healthy is probably their best perimeter defender.  Randolph if he can get a clue chemistry wise has length and athleticism to be a great shot blocker(think a smaller Mcgee)  Mike D has the pieces in place and I am sure that Defense may not be a huge part of what Knicks do but it will be addressed.  They have kept some teams under 100 while they scored at least 100 or more yet they suck a D.

Also if you don’t let guys go to the line as much with dumb fouls you can afford to let them to shoot a higher than average percentage early on while you increase the tempo to get your offense clicking.  I would like people to see if NewYork opponents 4th quater shooting percentage is high as well. 

[QUINCEY HODGES1]

When you give up the 5th most points in the NBA while ranking 8th in Opponets FG% thats bad defense. They Win because they out score people but they cant stop people. That’s ok for the regular season but not so much once you get to the playoff. Even throwing out all that just watching them you can tell they are a bad defensive team which is why everyone says they are a bad defensive team. They aren’t making it up

[BKKnicksfanParticipant]

As a Knicks fan, I will say this though

Denver, Boston, Miami, Cleveland, OKC, Chicago, Miami, Orlando ( That ends this month)

Indiana, San Antonio, Sacramento, Lakers, Portland, Utah, Sacramento, Pheonix, Houston, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Washington, Miami, Atlanta and Detroit  ( That’s all of next month)

 

There’s like 6 winningable games on the list..

[QUINCEY HODGES1]

This will show us where the knicks are really at

[sheltwon3Participant]

I watched them and I look at scores of games they play.  They are not great at defense but they get key stops in most of the games they win.  They have not just been outscoring people.  New Orleans did not get close to 100 points against them.  What teams are you saying are so good a defense right now.  Miami, Boston, Lakers, Charlotte.  I am saying if you say the Knicks are bad defensively.  Where are they teams that are so good defensively that you have doing so great.  Lakers have been terrible defensively as of late mainly because of injuries to Gasol and Bynum.  Celtics has shown that they play defense when they want but other times they are average.  If a team is like top 5 in scoring and they score 2 points more than their team generally they will show them as being a bad defensive team but if you can score 2 points more than your teams you will win most games on an average.  Knicks lack a defensive big man outside of Turiaf to really be the defensive team you are talking about this year.  They could possibly get a defenisive big man next year if they play their cards right.  Miami is also in need of a defensive big man but they have lost because they can not score enough points.  Their perimeter defense is not terrible but with a big man in the middle team can take advantage.  This is the reason why Knicks are wise to focus on outscoring people now until they get defensive big. Playing at a faster tempo can also limit the other’s teams defense which is what New York does a lot to stay even with other teams

Also in the half court they can still run the offense out of Amare or do pick and rolls to get scores now something they could never do before.  This situation is just like Dallas when they got the coach and enough personell to play some defense. They almost won it all because they still kept that offense to some degree but could make key stop until they ran into Wade with the power of NBA refs and lost a close series.  Knicks can do the same thing but they need to add a defensive big man and hopefully pick up Melo next season.

If they do that next year they could possibly be on the level of Orlando and Miami or better.  Celtics have about one more good year in them after this year.

[NYK2010Participant]

KidKyrie the just 6 winnable games are you joking.

They are better than Indy, Sacramento, Portland, Sacramento, ClevelandPhoenix, Houston, Washington, Detroit.

They aren’t losing every game to Denver, Boston, Miami, OKC, Chicago, Miami, Orlando, San Antonio,  Lakers, Utah, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Miami, Atlanta.

Not all those teams are that great and the Knicks aren’t a 30 win team anymore.

[BKKnicksfanParticipant]

KidKyrie the just 6 winnable games are you joking.

They are better than Indy, Sacramento, Portland, Sacramento, Cleveland Phoenix, Houston, Washington, Detroit.

 

There’s a different between winningable games and GAMES there gonna win bro. Of course there gonna win some more of those games BUT there are some gimme games there and I count 6.

Oh, were better then Houston who blew us out? REALLLLLY?

The Blazers who went on a 15-3 run to beat us late? REALLLLLLLY?

Bettert then the Pistons we needed OT with?

Come on man, I’m a NY fan but slow down before saying were better then all those team.

 

[QUINCEY HODGES1]

They are a bad defensive team and it will show even more now that they will be playing good teams instead of the bottom dwellers

 

Some of the games are winnable but many more are loseable. Like i said this will test the Knicks because they have been getting fat on bad teams

[BKKnicksfanParticipant]

They are a bad defensive team and it will show even more now that they will be playing good teams instead of the bottom dwellers

 

Bad, but they do have thier moments ( pretty much shut down New Orleans on the road). Not tto mention: Ronny Turiaf ( big man down low, perfect next to Amar’e) has been hurt. Aren’t the Knicks in the top 10 in both steals and blocks?

The Knicks need to stop giving up leads ( 8 vs Boston, 15 vs Portland, 7 vs Denver among some of the ones that stand out)

[NYK2010Participant]

Not sure how many Knicks games you’ve watched I’ve seen every one so far.

Outside of not rotating well and gettin beat back door they are playing decent defense.  They are 1st in the league in block shots, 9th in steals, 10th in forcing turnovers.  The last 6 games they’ve given up on avg. 100 pts a game that includes the double OT game against the Pistons.  Rebounding wise when Turiaf comes back they should improve, that stat can be a lil overrated the Celtics are 3rd worst in the league and the Twolves are 1st.

The Knicks when they played the Blazers that was the 2nd game of the season and against the Rockets they played awful.  Its a different team now check the records bro.

[QUINCEY HODGES1]

5th to last in allowing points per game and 8th in FG%. that shows more about defense then steal or blocks or rebounds doesn’t it?

Javell Mcgee good hot blocker bad defender

Iverson great at steals bad defender

Love great rebounder bad defender Defense is more about stopping you’re opponents from scoring and lowering there FG percentage. You dont have to block shots, get rebounds, get steals to be a good defender or good defending team but you do have to Stop a guy/team from scoring or make them shoot a low FG percentage i they do score to be considered a good defender/defensive team.

 

And yes they do have there moments and that helps for the regular season and against bad teams that they have been playing but not so much against the teams they will be playing coming up.

[NYK2010Participant]

Quincey its early those stats can change by playing some strong games.  If the Knicks lose to these teams all you hear is they can’t even beat these teams and they’ve been winning on the road too.

We’ll see how they play against those teams, I think they’ll hold their own.

KidKyrieNJ you think all those teams are all better than the Knicks.

What games have you been watching bro?

Usually you go by how the team has done recently not how they played to start the season.

[BKKnicksfanParticipant]

 

 

Not sure how many Knicks games you’ve watched I’ve seen every one so far.

 

– All of them

Outside of not rotating well and gettin beat back door they are playing decent defense. They are 1st in the league in block shots, 9th in steals, 10th in forcing turnovers. The last 6 games they’ve given up on avg. 100 pts a game that includes the double OT game against the Pistons. Rebounding wise when Turiaf comes back they should improve, that stat can be a lil overrated the Celtics are 3rd worst in the league and the Twolves are 1st.

giving up 100 points per game isin’t great but it’s better then last year. Celtics are a bad rebounding team mainly because most of thier scorers don’t produce too many shots were they can get rebounds.

The Knicks when they played the Blazers that was the 2nd game of the season and against the Rockets they played awful. Its a different team now check the records bro.

– Different records but from that: what’s changed? Houston PUNISHED them. Blazers beat them when NY was leading by almost 20 mid 4th. Like I said before, slow down man. You can’t be better then teams who beat you. Let NY beat them first…then we can debate that.

[BKKnicksfanParticipant]

KidKyrieNJ you think all those teams are all better than the Knicks.

– Show me where I said that.

[QUINCEY HODGES1]

I agree those stats can change and I’m talking about right now but do you really think those stats will change with the Coach that they have?..He hasn’t changed his coaching style ever. I said this 2 seasons ago and ill say it again they will be a better team with a different coach, one that preaches defense while also giving them some freedom on offense. Not D’Antoni and Not Larry Brown

[NYK2010Participant]

Houston punished them they won by 8 and the Knicks played awful the 2nd half.  I say the Knicks are a better team than the Rockets right now.  12-9 over 7-13 I’ll take the Knicks.

So based on your logic the Knicks are much better than the Bulls since they beat them handily in Chicago and have almost the same record 12-9 compared to 10-8.

I’ll take the Knics hands down over Indy, Sacramento, Cleveland, Phoenix, Washington, Detroit.

Not getting ahead of myself I know their not an elite team.

[BKKnicksfanParticipant]

Houston let up on them late in the game. I remember that. Houston just stopped playing

Oh, the same Chicago game where Derrick Rose didn’t play the last 4-6 mintues? Come on now

 

That’s fair if you take the Knicks over those teams, you just defeated the purpose of this whole arguement by listing…….6 teams.

I said: There’s 6 winnable games on that list. The other are tough ones.

 

You argued for no reason…..at all.

[NYK2010Participant]

Not really we differ on the winnable games mainly.

I think only Orlando, Boston, L.A., Dallas, Utah and San Antonio are elite any other game is winnable.

Rose coming out really the game was over the way NY was shooting 3’s they could’ve beaten any team that nite.

None of these teams are great Indiana, Sacramento, Phoenix, Oklahoma City, Washington, Detroit, Portland, Houston.  Yes including OKC and Houston they don’t play defense very well. If you want to go by games the Knicks will be favored maybe only Sacramento, Washington and Detroit and the home games.

They have 3 easy games before they start to face some tough competition if they go 2-1 the next 3 they’ll be 14-10.  I have them going 3-5 the last 8 games to end the month, even if they go 2-5 against that tough schedule they’ll beat the Cavs and make it 3-5.  Also Turiaf and Azubuike should be back healthy by the end of the month too.

Record at the end of the month should be around 17-15.

[QUINCEY HODGES1]

i dont think OKC game is winnable and i think they will lose that game

What has turiaf done this year?

[NYCrealdealParticipant]

turiaf starts knicks are 5-1 and wen dantoni inserted turiaf in the lineup the knics started this streak and turiaf is the anchor for knicks d both physically and emotionally so turiaf is very important to the knicks

[NYK2010Participant]

Turiaf is there best +/- player, more importantly he gives them size, toughness and some depth which they lack.

Even if he doesn’t start he’s a quality C off the bench instead of Mozgov who isn’t ready for big minutes.

He’s also the vocal leader on defense, a very good shot blocker and a very good passer for a big man.

Turiaf isn’t a stats guy but he’s a big intangible guy and if Amare gets in trouble the Knicks aren’t screwed at Center when he plays.

OKC we’ll see, they aren’t an elite team look at the defense they’ve played it hasn’t been good.

They aren’t that good inside compared to other teams and they are a pretty weak rebounding team.  Also the game is a back to back road game for them while the Knicks will be rested not having played for a few days.  All that makes it a winnable game for the Knicks esp. in NY.

Should be an interesting 3 weeks stretch starting Sunday facing the better teams in the league.

[HitsterParticipant]

Landry Fields leads all guards in rebounds this season according to ESPN, this will help to compensate for Gallinari’s lack of rebounding and getting Turiaf back will help them hugely on defence. Randolph seems to have lost his way but Shawne Williams has shown some nice form in the last few games.

Also Gallinari, STAT, Felton and Fields have started every game and they have surely learnt as a unit as the season has progressed as none of them had played on the same team until pre-season and with Fields and to a lesser extent Mosgov getting used to the NBA then the roster has probably become more effective.

Coach D’Antoni has used a tighter roster recently but when Turiaf gets back this may expand a bit and the roster’s collective blocking has been a revalation after being none existent for the last few years.

I still peg the Knicks long term at around or just above .500 for this year which should be in contention for a later play off birth, anything below around 40 wins would be a bit of a disappointment but much above say 45 wins would be a very good turn around for them.

[QUINCEY HODGES1]

Since the Knicks are a bad defensive team they could lose more then expected if they have a off night

[NYK2010Participant]

13-9, 5 wins in a row, 10-1 in their last 11 games and 6-2 in the 2nd half of back to backs, 9-4 on the road.

Those are the important stats and its not like their giving up 115 ppg.

Amare 3rd in the league in scoring 25.3, 5 straight games of 30 or more pts, Felton 8th in asts a game in the league with 8.5 asts a game.  They started 3-8 since then 10-1.

Btw OKC is 7th worst in opp fg% and 9th in oppg allowed on defense and offensively they don’t score as much as the Knicks.  They couldn’t even stop Deng and Boozer had a huge game, can only imagine what Amare will do to them.  That is definately a winnable game.

[QUINCEY HODGES1]

Still a bad defensive team. That’s pretty much known. Even talked about on NBA TV and Espn. They praise there three point shooting and there offense and give them credit for the wins but they also talk about there bad defense. Its not like that’s made up its a fact

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