New York Knicks' Season Opener Game Thread...and on

[Matt39]

I've never seen a worse offensive NBA player than Jared Jeffries.

It really is something else to watch.

[RutgersJetFan]

Anyone else wanna throw a beer mug through their television whenever they show Scott Layden? I'm catching it on the Utah feed and they're doing cordial interviews with him and everything. It's infuriating.

[madmikeisback]

Anyone else wanna throw a beer mug through their television whenever they show Scott Layden? I'm catching it on the Utah feed and they're doing cordial interviews with him and everything. It's infuriating.

It's impossible to root for the Jazz.

[SMC]

As Yogi famously said, "it got late early" for the Jazz.

It's amazing how good offensively this Knicks team is that they scored 131 points and their starting center had 0.

[RutgersJetFan]

Was kinda pissed for selfish reasons that he pulled Stat. I mean I get it but I really thought he was on track to hang at least 50.

On another note, I feel nothing but pity for Al Jefferson.

[SMC]

Was kinda pissed for selfish reasons that he pulled Stat. I mean I get it but I really thought he was on track to hang at least 50.

On another note, I feel nothing but pity for Al Jefferson.

Al Jefferson had 36 points, 12 rebounds, shot 65%, and the Jazz was outscored by 33 points when we was on the court.

Amazing stat.

Both Melo & Amare were dropping 40 tonight (I've personally never seen that happen), but the Jazz didn't cooperate and make it a closer game.

[RutgersJetFan]

Both Melo & Amare were dropping 40 tonight (I've personally never seen that happen), but the Jazz didn't cooperate and make it a closer game.

Averaging 27.25 since the Melo trade and over 30 per since the beginning of the month. He was on fire tonight with that move where he drives across right in front of the basket, leads with his shoulder, and then extends right at the last second with that little finger roll. He's perfected that one into a signature move and nights like tonight it's a beaut to watch. And Melo's just so slick to watch when his shot's falling, dude's just butter.

Rough week ahead, Wednesday will be what, their 4th game in 6 days? Then @ Dallas the night after. Knicks need Chauncey back 100% before that weekend stretch ending with the Boston game real bad.

Sheldon Williams is such an oaf btw. The smartest thing he did all game was cherry pick on that one bomb back across the court to him. Seriously can't believe he's this bad. I get the need for size right now, but come on, him over Brewer? Really?

[Matt39]

I'm confused on how Shelden Williams is in the NBA.

[SMC]

Good points, Rutgers, but the non-basketball reasons have already been stated for why Brewer is gone and Shelden is here.

Brewer is repped by Happy Walters, Amar'e's agent. Brewer wanted playing time, which the Knicks couldn't guarantee. He also wanted a mult-year deal, which the Knicks weren't going to give him.

Yes, people might like his defensive ability, but he can't score and the Knicks don't need a whole there. They have Jared Jeffries who is, essentially, a taller Brewer. Sean Williams is a decent defender who can shoot. Brewer is a good defender who can't shoot. Brewer wasn't getting ahead of Sean Williams. If Brewer wasn't passing Sean in the rotation, then his best chance was elsewhere.

Lack of playing time + no longerm deal + making nice with your star player's agent = a no brainer move. The Knicks acquired him as a trade asset couldn't get any takers willing to give up quality compensation.

[Falcon63]

Melo finally had a great game for the Knicks. Yeah, he's been averaging like 27 PPG, but he's been shooting like 35% or something like that. I still think NY was better off before the trade.

[JohnnyHector]

Sheldon Williams is such an oaf btw. The smartest thing he did all game was cherry pick on that one bomb back across the court to him.

You mean the one where he got swatted and dumped on his a$$ trying to drive?

The main reason I don't want to give him PT is for having to look at him. He looks like a bad rendering from some Create-a-Player mode - an eight-head, too-small nose, eyes are about 6 inches apart... he makes Turiaf look downright handsome. Methinks Candace Parker could've done better.

[RutgersJetFan]

You mean the one where he got swatted and dumped on his a$$ trying to drive?

Is that what happened? I was about 10 wings and a chicken cheesesteak deep at that point, I guess the food coma had me delusional about Sheldon Williams managing to stay on his feet rather than cherry picking inadvertantly.

[RutgersJetFan]

Good points, Rutgers, but the non-basketball reasons have already been stated for why Brewer is gone and Shelden is here.

Brewer is repped by Happy Walters, Amar'e's agent. Brewer wanted playing time, which the Knicks couldn't guarantee. He also wanted a mult-year deal, which the Knicks weren't going to give him.

Yes, people might like his defensive ability, but he can't score and the Knicks don't need a whole there. They have Jared Jeffries who is, essentially, a taller Brewer. Sean Williams is a decent defender who can shoot. Brewer is a good defender who can't shoot. Brewer wasn't getting ahead of Sean Williams. If Brewer wasn't passing Sean in the rotation, then his best chance was elsewhere.

Lack of playing time + no longerm deal + making nice with your star player's agent = a no brainer move. The Knicks acquired him as a trade asset couldn't get any takers willing to give up quality compensation.

That may be true, but at least I didn't sleep with Lumberg.

[JohnnyHector]

Is that what happened? I was about 10 wings and a chicken cheesesteak deep at that point, I guess the food coma had me delusional about Sheldon Williams managing to stay on his feet rather than cherry picking inadvertantly.

Yeah, I'm fairly certain that was what happened. He tried to go up in the lane after drawing a couple of fouls and got stuffed and dumped without getting a call. Utah pushed the ball and missed, after which Carter tossed the ball to the big dope and, if memory serves, he didn't even dunk it, but instead made some goofy above-the-rim drop-in.

It has to be embarassing at some level to be the only guy in the NBA who would get schooled by his wife in a game of 1-on-1.

[Matt39]

Yeah, I'm fairly certain that was what happened. He tried to go up in the lane after drawing a couple of fouls and got stuffed and dumped without getting a call. Utah pushed the ball and missed, after which Carter tossed the ball to the big dope and, if memory serves, he didn't even dunk it, but instead made some goofy above-the-rim drop-in.

It has to be embarassing at some level to be the only guy in the NBA who would get schooled by his wife in a game of 1-on-1.

Who are you kidding? Shelden cant get up that high.

[SMC]

Melo finally had a great game for the Knicks. Yeah, he's been averaging like 27 PPG, but he's been shooting like 35% or something like that. I still think NY was better off before the trade.

It's your God-given right to have stupid opinions.

Knicks are scoring more, allowing less since the trade. They are 5-3 since the trade but 6-11 before it.

Yeah, they were "better off" before it. LOL

[Falcon63]

It's your God-given right to have stupid opinions.

Knicks are scoring more, allowing less since the trade. They are 5-3 since the trade but 6-11 before it.

Yeah, they were "better off" before it. LOL

Your whole future is basically riding on if you can get a 3rd superstar or not. Call it stupid, but the Knicks will not win a championship in Melo's career, the East is just too good. No, the players you gave up weren't the best, but I'd take a young team at around .500 any day over a gutted team with 2 superstars hovering JUST over .500. Carmelo Anthony's game is centered around him being able to score, and so far, he has been struggling shooting the ball. I just think it's stupid to trade for a superstar in HOPES another comes along.

[RutgersJetFan]

I'd take a young team at around .500 any day over a gutted team with 2 superstars hovering JUST over .500.

You do realize that the Celtics did literally the exact same thing once upon a time?

Edit: Oh wait, no, there's no way you realize that. My bad. Carry on, lol MY TEAM MY TEAM thb;nlqi34ubtlqi34blq LOL LOL lol MY TEAM MY TEAM liqubltqi43bgl34nf.

[RutgersJetFan]

It's your God-given right to have stupid opinions.

Knicks are scoring more, allowing less since the trade. They are 5-3 since the trade but 6-11 before it.

Yeah, they were "better off" before it. LOL

It's really bizarre. I've never seen someone sticking to homerism despite the numbers this badly since ARod. They've played the last 4 without Chauncey no less, and 3 of those wins are probably 3 of the top 5 performances on the year for the team. For a starting lineup and bench that's been almost 50% flipped, the fact that they're playing this well is really a credit to what Melo brings to the table. This is quite literally the dumbest evaluation of a basketball team I've ever seen. Predict sh*t for the future...fine, go ahead, but you simply can't say they haven't been a better team since the trade. It's blatantly obvious that they are if you've been watching, and Amare is probably playing his best ball on the season since the month started which is no coincidence.

[BroadwayJoe12]

Melo finally had a great game for the Knicks. Yeah, he's been averaging like 27 PPG, but he's been shooting like 35% or something like that. I still think NY was better off before the trade.

Actually, before going off against the jazz, Melo was shooting poorly by everyone's standards and yet was still averaging 24.7 pts on 42% from the field. Overall, he's shooting 26 pts on 45% from the field and has yet to really hit his stride. In this system D'an is going to get him open looks and make him the most efficient player that he's ever been.

It's your God-given right to have stupid opinions.

Knicks are scoring more, allowing less since the trade. They are 5-3 since the trade but 6-11 before it.

Yeah, they were "better off" before it. LOL

I loved the Knicks prior to the trade, as they helped make us a playoff team for the second time this decade. Additionally, I loved that gallo and chandler were drafted and developed in our system, but if you watch the games it's pretty easy to see that we are not only better now since the trade, but our overall level of potential is exponentially higher.

[SMC]

Actually, before going off against the jazz, Melo was shooting poorly by everyone's standards and yet was still averaging 24.7 pts on 42% from the field. Overall, he's shooting 26 pts on 45% from the field and has yet to really hit his stride. In this system D'an is going to get him open looks and make him the most efficient player that he's ever been.

I loved the Knicks prior to the trade, as they helped make us a playoff team for the second time this decade. Additionally, I loved that gallo and chandler were drafted and developed in our system, but if you watch the games it's pretty easy to see that we are not only better now since the trade, but our overall level of potential is exponentially higher.

Agree completely, Broadway.

I loved the pre-Melo team, but they were critically limited. Never more so obvious then when Amare was on the bench.

[Falcon63]

You do realize that the Celtics did literally the exact same thing once upon a time?

Edit: Oh wait, no, there's no way you realize that. My bad. Carry on, lol MY TEAM MY TEAM thb;nlqi34ubtlqi34blq LOL LOL lol MY TEAM MY TEAM liqubltqi43bgl34nf.

My team had THREE superstars AND a good supporting cast AND we were the best right off the bat, winning a championship our first year together.

[Falcon63]

It's really bizarre. I've never seen someone sticking to homerism despite the numbers this badly since ARod. They've played the last 4 without Chauncey no less, and 3 of those wins are probably 3 of the top 5 performances on the year for the team. For a starting lineup and bench that's been almost 50% flipped, the fact that they're playing this well is really a credit to what Melo brings to the table. This is quite literally the dumbest evaluation of a basketball team I've ever seen. Predict sh*t for the future...fine, go ahead, but you simply can't say they haven't been a better team since the trade. It's blatantly obvious that they are if you've been watching, and Amare is probably playing his best ball on the season since the month started which is no coincidence.

And I never said the Knicks are WORSE, I said they're WORSE OFF. Yeah, they're a better team now, but why give up young assets for a team that won't be competitive either way? Honestly, even if you get a 3rd superstar, I can't see the Knicks competing in the East...I don't think anyone can. Yeah, Carmelo is one hell of a player alongside Amare and Billups, but you have no supporting cast, and I'm pretty sure you gave up a 1st rounder as well. If the Knicks had a couple decent role players still, my opinion would be different, but the Knicks don't have ANY even decent backups, besides MAYBE Toney Douglas. I'm not trying to hate, that's just how I see it. If you can't win it all, why give away all your young talent that knows your system and at least has decent depth?

[Matt39]

And I never said the Knicks are WORSE, I said they're WORSE OFF. Yeah, they're a better team now, but why give up young assets for a team that won't be competitive either way? Honestly, even if you get a 3rd superstar, I can't see the Knicks competing in the East...I don't think anyone can. Yeah, Carmelo is one hell of a player alongside Amare and Billups, but you have no supporting cast, and I'm pretty sure you gave up a 1st rounder as well. If the Knicks had a couple decent role players still, my opinion would be different, but the Knicks don't have ANY even decent backups, besides MAYBE Toney Douglas. I'm not trying to hate, that's just how I see it. If you can't win it all, why give away all your young talent that knows your system and at least has decent depth?

The only asset they gave up was Gallo. Do you really think he's going to be that good?

Chandler was signing elsewhere this offseason.

[dbatesman]

I'd take a young team at around .500 any day over a gutted team with 2 superstars hovering JUST over .500.

How about over a gutted team with three superstars who are 33, 34-going-on-35, and 35?

[Falcon63]

How about over over a gutted team with three superstars who are 33, 34-going-on-35, and 35?

How about a team who won a championship their first year with those three players and are expected to this season as well? When was the last time the Knicks even won a championship?

[dbatesman]

How about a team who won a championship their first year with those three players and are expected to this season as well? When was the last time the Knicks even won a championship?

It wasn't a rhetorical question, but forget it.

[RutgersJetFan]

It wasn't a rhetorical question, but forget it.

Socratic method for the ADD generation?

[dbatesman]

Socratic method for the ADD generation?

An unexamined retard is not worth mocking.

[RutgersJetFan]

An unexamined retard is not worth mocking.

It was a rhetorical question, but forget it.

[BroadwayJoe12]

How about a team who won a championship their first year with those three players and are expected to this season as well? When was the last time the Knicks even won a championship?

Do you even remember how terrible your team was before '07, or were you not a fan yet?? Odds are you probably weren't, considering I loved in Boston from '04-'09 and I probably could count on my hands the number of celtics fans I saw roaming the streets pre '07.

Anyways, if you were, you should know there's a huge difference between your team and our Knicks. All of your big roster moves were made prior to the start of the season, thus a full training camp and off season to mesh well together. Ray Allen was basically acquired for the 5th pick (didn't matter since Durant and Oden would be gone), the scrub Szczerbiak and delonte west. They also got Seattle's second rounder and lucked out drafting big baby

Than came the trade for KG; Al Jefferson, Telfair, some fillers and their first rounder. Now this was definitely a trade for the now and the next few years, as statistically Al Jefferson showed a lot of promise, but had nowhere near the leadership, intensity or defense that KG had. The defense that won him DPOY and was really the building block of that championship team.

Than came a pretty significant signing of James Posey. As you can see, by trading before the season starts, not only did the team get a chance to practice together and have a full season to gel, but they had the ability to sign veterans (which they did later with PJ Brown and Sam Cassel) and players to fill out there roster, something that teams trading in the middle of the season cannot really do.

It's just there are so many flaws comparing the '07 celtics to the knicks this year.

[Falcon63]

Do you even remember how terrible your team was before '07, or were you not a fan yet?? Odds are you probably weren't, considering I loved in Boston from '04-'09 and I probably could count on my hands the number of celtics fans I saw roaming the streets pre '07.

Anyways, if you were, you should know there's a huge difference between your team and our Knicks. All of your big roster moves were made prior to the start of the season, thus a full training camp and off season to mesh well together. Ray Allen was basically acquired for the 5th pick (didn't matter since Durant and Oden would be gone), the scrub Szczerbiak and delonte west. They also got Seattle's second rounder and lucked out drafting big baby

Than came the trade for KG; Al Jefferson, Telfair, some fillers and their first rounder. Now this was definitely a trade for the now and the next few years, as statistically Al Jefferson showed a lot of promise, but had nowhere near the leadership, intensity or defense that KG had. The defense that won him DPOY and was really the building block of that championship team.

Than came a pretty significant signing of James Posey. As you can see, by trading before the season starts, not only did the team get a chance to practice together and have a full season to gel, but they had the ability to sign veterans (which they did later with PJ Brown and Sam Cassel) and players to fill out there roster, something that teams trading in the middle of the season cannot really do.

It's just there are so many flaws comparing the '07 celtics to the knicks this year.

Actually yeah, I've always rooted for my home team, the Celtics. And yeah, they DID have a full training camp, but again, we had depth, while the current Knicks do not. Melo is a hell of a player, and Amare is actually my pick for MVP (yes, I know it's homerish), but in the East, you need depth. The Knicks ARE a better team, but the move was more of a win-in-2012 scenario, and I don't see them, even with a 3rd superstar, being able to pass the Celtics, Bulls, Heat, or even the Magic (assuming you don't get Dwight Howard) in the East.

[RutgersJetFan]

The Knicks ARE a better team

LOL.

Kid, just give it up already.

[BroadwayJoe12]

Should be a great game tonight, gonna be tough with both Zbo and Gasol on the inside. Gay won't be starting, so I'm thinking JJ should be on Zach and maybe Amar'e on Gasol?? Didn't notice they had tony allen, who coupled with battier gives them an amazing pair of wing defenders. It'll be interesting to see how Melo can perform against allen, as the last time I saw allen play he was shutting down KD. Melo is much thicker and powerful than KD, so I wouldn't imagine he'd fair better by going to the rim, so that'll be good to keep our eye on.

I'm most eager to see how our defense plays, as that has been the catalyst to our big runs during our wins.

[JohnnyHector]

Should be a great game tonight, gonna be tough with both Zbo and Gasol on the inside. Gay won't be starting, so I'm thinking JJ should be on Zach and maybe Amar'e on Gasol?? Didn't notice they had tony allen, who coupled with battier gives them an amazing pair of wing defenders. It'll be interesting to see how Melo can perform against allen, as the last time I saw allen play he was shutting down KD. Melo is much thicker and powerful than KD, so I wouldn't imagine he'd fair better by going to the rim, so that'll be good to keep our eye on.

I'm most eager to see how our defense plays, as that has been the catalyst to our big runs during our wins.

Keeping Randolph off the offensive glass is a huge key to this game. They need to make sure to box his a$$ out on every shot and not get lazy.