Official 2012-2013 New York Knicks Thread

[RutgersJetFan]

Fields has been really, really terrible in Toronto so far.

[Bombdirt]

I didn't get to see the game last night, but I find myself getting really amped up about this 4-0 start. I need to tap into some of my Jets pessimism to balance things out.

[Larz]

yeah baby

I saw most of the first half. the NBA game is tough to watch for an old timer like me with the shot clock, but this team has a lot to like, in the defense, passing and chemistry departments

and a lot of scoring options

NYK baby

[Damaged89]

If Earl doesn't have a 3-19 game soon I'm going to start to worry. He's been huge so far.

[RutgersJetFan]

Sweet Jesus. New alternates are horiawful.

[BroadwayJoe12]

Sweet Jesus. New alternates are horiawful.

Yea, I saw those. If Shump rockin the kid 'n play high top can't make it look good, there's no chance for anyone. I always wanted an alternate of all black with a bit of orange and white.

[SMC]

Sweet Jesus. New alternates are horiawful.

Nah, dude, you're missing the point. Yes, on their own they are awful, but they'll give Melo the 'Cus vibe and bring him back to his championship days.

That said, they shouldve still added more white, so the inside of the numbers and piping were white & blue, with the waistband blue.

[SMC]

Yea, I saw those. If Shump rockin the kid 'n play high top can't make it look good, there's no chance for anyone. I always wanted an alternate of all black with a bit of orange and white.

Black is for Brooklyn. Yeah, your idea would be cool, but I don't think it's a cooincidence that the Knicks got rid of all black in their unis at the same time the Nets adopted a black-heavy color scheme for their unis.

[BroadwayJoe12]

Nah, dude, you're missing the point. Yes, on their own they are awful, but they'll give Melo the 'Cus vibe and bring him back to his championship days.

That said, they shouldve still added more white, so the inside of the numbers and piping were white & blue, with the waistband blue.

I haven't researched it, so correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't these just for sale and not an actual planned alternate the team will wear??

[SMC]

I haven't researched it, so correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't these just for sale and not an actual planned alternate the team will wear??

I believe that is the Christmas uniform with the teams playing that day going with a monochromatic look. At least that's what a beatwriter said on on Twitter in general about the teams playing that day, rather than this orange crush abomination specifically.

[RutgersJetFan]

Black is for Brooklyn. Yeah, your idea would be cool, but I don't think it's a cooincidence that the Knicks got rid of all black in their unis at the same time the Nets adopted a black-heavy color scheme for their unis.

I was actually cool with that. I just think they should have gone back to the pre-stripe unis, there was no need to change the blocking on the lettering, which was classic IMO.

[Damaged89]

http://hoopchalk.com/2012/11/13/mike-woodson-and-the-surprisingly-innovative-knicks-offense/

interesting article about the offense the Knicks are running. It's fair to wonder how well it's going to work when the threes aren't falling, but until then.. wheeeeee!

[RutgersJetFan]

Great article:

What Woodson has done is tailor an offense to the personnel he has, rather than try to fit that personnel into preconceived roles based on the system he had run during his tenure in Atlanta and last season in New York. The result has been the league’s best offense through this early part of the season, one that has the Knicks sitting at 4-0 as the NBA’s lone remaining undefeated team.

And that there folks, is the difference between Mike D'Antoni and Mike Woodson. Coaching, it matters.

[RutgersJetFan]

And this one, which I'd like to dedicate to Matt39, who insisted, despite all evidence to the contrary with last year's pre-injury plagued Knicks under Woodson, that Woodson was dedicated to isolation ball and that his rehiring was definitive proof that the Knicks were fully committing to more ISO play.

Anthony has been patient and reactive in the post (and everywhere else), constantly looking to keep the ball moving. If he gets doubled, he passes it out to Felton, Kidd, Smith, Novak, Brewer, anybody. If the defense just feigns a double, or if they leave him single-covered altogether, he attacks quickly and decisively with his turnaround jumper or a face-up dribble drive.

Coupled with his rise in post-up plays has been a decline in Anthony’s favorite play – isolations. Just 21.7% of his possessions so far this season have been of the Iso Melo variety, compared with 35.4% last season and 37% during his 2010-11 Knick stint. The drop in designed isolation plays has kept the Knicks’ ball movement crisp. The rise in other kinds of opportunities, along with Carmelo’s trust that they will come later in the possession if he kicks the ball out, has kept him from breaking the offense to isolate, as he so often did both in Denver with George Karl and under Mike D’Antoni in New York.

Coaching. Teammates. They matter.

[RutgersJetFan]

Five. And. Ohface.

The cancer that is JR Smith strikes again.

[SMC]

Knicks were lackadaisical for 3 quarters and then turned on the defense in the 4th to sufficate the Magic, holding them to 13 points.

Only other times Knicks have been 5-0 is 93-94, and 69-70, both times going to the Finals. Also 5 straight double digit wins.

[RutgersJetFan]

Knicks were lackadaisical for 3 quarters and then turned on the defense in the 4th to sufficate the Magic, holding them to 13 points..

I think the plan was to keep it close and save everything for the 4th once Woodson realized that Camby still hasn't caught up and the rest of the team was off. No need to go balls out for 4 quarters when their best player is Aaron Affalo and you've got a tough stretch starting later this week. Thank God for JR, he put the team on his back in the 3rd. Without question he's the early front runner for 6th Man.

[BroadwayJoe12]

I think the plan was to keep it close and save everything for the 4th once Woodson realized that Camby still hasn't caught up and the rest of the team was off. No need to go balls out for 4 quarters when their best player is Aaron Affalo and you've got a tough stretch starting later this week. Thank God for JR, he put the team on his back in the 3rd. Without question he's the early front runner for 6th Man.

Dude was rocking the white shoes for an away game, gotta love the way JR is playing this year. I don't think most people will ever understand how much Woodson means to JR's game as both a coach and an actual paternal figure; this may be the first time someone's ever held JR accountable and encouraged him/believed in him at the same time, he's playing some phenomenal ball. But definitely cancery cancer. (Did I hear correctly, he only had 4 turnovers coming into tonight's game? There's not a single thing about his game you can really criticize right now. I know it's early and everything is going well, but you just couldn't ask for anything more out of him.)

It's fun to see that the majority of Kidd's passes he only touches for a split second; you just know he already has his first and second options in his mind before he gets the ball, it's great to watch.

I'm with Prof, even though Woodsen was yelling at the guys to press it early in the game, it seems that they were just holding back until the fourth quarter. We've got a tough stretch coming up with two tough road games and then 9 games in 16 days...that's like a schedule from last year. We're at San Antonio, Memphis and then hope for Indiana; if we can come out of this 7-1, I think you have to be happy. Can't wait for the next two games, will be a good barometer.

[SMC]

Yeah, the Prof 's theory makes sense because it did look like they were pacing themselves and Woody was only getting pissed at mental errors, like with Melo defending the screen and roll.

JR has been awesome. The new shooting coach has paid early dividends with him and others. There is a lot more swishing on shots and less rattling and clanking.

[SMC]

The Prof. has brought up Dirk and Pierce in comparison to Melo and it rings true.

Certain superstars are natural leaders by the force of their personality, like Jordan, Magic, Bird, etc. Then there are other superstars who need veteran leaders around them which allows the superstar just to play and maximize his immense talent. There is NOTHING wrong with that. Pierce had Allen and KG, Dirk had Kidd, Tyson, Terry, and Marion. We also seen it with Patrick having Oak.

Kidd and Tyson are allowing Melo to be Melo. Go out there and play hard to maximize your ability and we'll take care of the rest.

[BroadwayJoe12]

The Prof. has brought up Dirk and Pierce in comparison to Melo and it rings true.

Certain superstars are natural leaders by the force of their personality, like Jordan, Magic, Bird, etc. Then there are other superstars who need veteran leaders around them which allows the superstar just to play and maximize his immense talent. There is NOTHING wrong with that. Pierce had Allen and KG, Dirk had Kidd, Tyson, Terry, and Marion. We also seen it with Patrick having Oak.

Kidd and Tyson are allowing Melo to be Melo. Go out there and play hard to maximize your ability and we'll take care of the rest.

Very valid and I know it's a small sample size, but he really is playing some of the most efficient basketball that I've ever seen him play. It's also the most engaged that I've seen him since his days at Cuse and his rookie year in the league.

On a sidenote; I just got my research position for the summer working with this new Cardiothoracic surgeon here at school and I was thinking to myself, do I think the Jets or knicks will win a championship before I finish residency in 10 years?? I said Knicks before the Jets, but who knows. Regardless, I know it's been brutal being a fan of both, but just this 5-0 start to the season and how happy it's made me, does make me realize that the time either the Jets or Knicks actually win one, all the sh*tty years will be worth it. I always wondered if long time fans of Pittsburgh or San Fran truly appreciated when they won. We have a few Patriots fans in my class who are younger, 22ish range, and know nothing but winning and I've legitmately heard them say 'of course I'm upset, we shouldn't been winning by just a touchdown or less" or "yea we won three, but it easily should have been five...such a waste" etc. Anyways, It's been a good start to the season and I'm definitely excited.

[RutgersJetFan]

I'm not sure how I feel about being bequeathed John Clayton's nickname.

[BroadwayJoe12]

I'm not sure how I feel about being bequeathed John Clayton's nickname.

I dunno, if it's Doctor Jones, it's pretty badass:

But then this image pops in your mind and it kinda comes crashing down...

[RutgersJetFan]

Alright fine you win. But I better get to jump over pits of fire and drink from a holy grail and whip NAZIs in the face if I'm gonna do this sh*t.

[SMC]

Alright fine you win. But I better get to jump over pits of fire and drink from a holy grail and whip NAZIs in the face if I'm gonna do this sh*t.

Yes, yes you can. Besides, only you and Dr. Henry Jones Jr. are real professors. The Boys in Bristol just labeled John Clayton that because he's a dweeb.

[SMC]

BTW, that's awesome, Broadway. Congrats.

[SMC]

I can never understand the NBA schedule makers. Knicks start season with 5 games in 2 weeks (6 if include postponement). Then, including the Orlando game, the Knicks have 8 road games in 11 games to close out November, then start December with 4 of 6 games on the road, and then have a 6 game homestand. And in that road game stretch before the homestand, the Knicks have 4 sets of back-to-backs. Crazy.

There's no flow to the schedule, there's spurts and spells. Plus, I can't understand why the NBA insists on back-to-backs. Make no sense. They could have every game have at least 1 off day and they can make it work by cutting down on the number of 3 days off.

[RutgersJetFan]

Also yes, congrats.

By the way I think we'll win handily tonight and then drop to Memphis. We're running a slightly modified version of the Spurs offense right now with the way the guards facilitate ball movement, and we're good enough defensively to guard that on their end because of our lineup and the fact that they practice against it every day. They also have nobody capable of keeping up with Melo. It's a tough road matchup an the fact that we still haven't lost hurts us because of the simple law of averages, but we're well rested and we match up very well with this team.

[SMC]

Interesting take. I was thinking about this can play out. Playing Spurs and Grizz back-to-back on the road is tough. Arguably the 2 best teams out west.

My thinking was that the Knicks would win tonight and lose tomorrow. Tonight is crucial IMO. It's a great early season matchup and barometer. I hate for them to lose tonight because then this could easily turn into a 2 game losing streak.

Melo is going to be a huge factor tonight. Hopefully he can start off hot again. I'm concerned about Brewer because who'd replace him if he can't go tonight?

[RutgersJetFan]

Interesting take. I was thinking about this can play out. Playing Spurs and Grizz back-to-back on the road is tough. Arguably the 2 best teams out west.

My thinking was that the Knicks would win tonight and lose tomorrow. Tonight is crucial IMO. It's a great early season matchup and barometer. I hate for them to lose tonight because then this could easily turn into a 2 game losing streak.

Melo is going to be a huge factor tonight. Hopefully he can start off hot again. I'm concerned about Brewer because who'd replace him if he can't go tonight?

Sore knee, he's expected to play. Camby and Thomas probably get more minutes tonight because it's the Spurs. And my guess is that they'll try to go big early and see how far they can push it. NY is going to have to play physical and fast straight out the gate to let them know that sh*t isn't gonna fly. It'd be nice if Smith or someone could knock Parker on his ass early as well.

[Thor99]

Wow.

Down 12 with 7 minutes to go and they come roaring back.

[SMC]

Incredible win by Knicks. Melo struggling scoring but hitting the boards and playing well on D. Felton and Kidd were outstanding.

[RutgersJetFan]

Incredible win by Knicks. Melo strugling scoring but hitting the boards and playing well on D. Felton and Kidd were outstanding.

Most impressive Knicks win I can remember in a long, long time. If they can pull out road wins against elite teams when Melo's not putting up 30...wow, just wow.

[BroadwayJoe12]

Most impressive Knicks win I can remember in a long, long time. If they can pull out road wins against elite teams when Melo's not putting up 30...wow, just wow.

Not only one of the most impressive wins I can remember, but one of the most fun games to watch in a while too. Rebounding continues to be a problem, they're definitely going to have to work on that, but at one point they were being out rebounded by 8 and only getting 6-21 from Melo/JR, yet still only down by 8 or so. Their defense and ability to force turnovers, while at the same time not turning the ball over themselves has been crazy consistent and shows they can win games without Melo going off like he had to last year. If Woodson can somehow integrate Amare's offense into this rotation, while keeping the same defensive continuity, this team really could be scary. Very excited to see how this team responds tomorrow at Memphis. I was able to watch the game while at the gym last night, and memphis looked very solid. I swear I saw Gasol miss like 6 in a row and turned around and they were up by 10, not sure what happened. I'm on the fence now; they sold out to win this game and figured if they lost a heartbreaker, they'd come out flat tomorrow, but the fact that they won changes everything. I'm sure we'll see some more of camby and possibly kurt to give these guys some rest, but definitely excited for this game.

[RutgersJetFan]

Not only one of the most impressive wins I can remember, but one of the most fun games to watch in a while too. Rebounding continues to be a problem, they're definitely going to have to work on that, but at one point they were being out rebounded by 8 and only getting 6-21 from Melo/JR, yet still only down by 8 or so. Their defense and ability to force turnovers, while at the same time not turning the ball over themselves has been crazy consistent and shows they can win games without Melo going off like he had to last year. If Woodson can somehow integrate Amare's offense into this rotation, while keeping the same defensive continuity, this team really could be scary. Very excited to see how this team responds tomorrow at Memphis. I was able to watch the game while at the gym last night, and memphis looked very solid. I swear I saw Gasol miss like 6 in a row and turned around and they were up by 10, not sure what happened. I'm on the fence now; they sold out to win this game and figured if they lost a heartbreaker, they'd come out flat tomorrow, but the fact that they won changes everything. I'm sure we'll see some more of camby and possibly kurt to give these guys some rest, but definitely excited for this game.

Yeah thought I had tonight's matchup pegged but apparently I was way off. For the most part the Knicks went small to mid and Woodson pretty much said, I think our guards can take you guys without having to worry about what's going to happen to Melo if we don't press to get Blair off of him. Can't really argue with the results. I wonder what tomorrow's rotation is going to look like. Woodson seems to have a genuine interest in getting Sheed going, so maybe he's more interested in giving him minutes since he's been out for so long. Regardless, I think tomorrow night you have to throw the kitchen sink at Memphis. We're looking at Indiana and New Orleans after tomorrow, and if you're Woodson you have to want the Memphis game more than those two for the statement it'll make if the Knicks can go out and beat the top 2 WC teams (as of now) in consecutive nights on the road. If they give one up to a bad team, hey, it happens.