Observations on Losing to the Celtics

This was an ugly and unworthy game.

Throughout the Knicks were not hitting open shots. The Knicks poor shooting had very little to do with the Celtics defense. Lee, Chandler, and Gallinari were stone cold for most of the game.

Hughes has yet to fire up his offense. Jeffries, Darko, and Douglas who shouldn't shoot as much showed why.

Hopefully the Knicks never have an offensive outing this bad during the season.

Bad as the offense was in terms of scoring, the bright side was that often these were wide open, uncontested shots. That bodes well for the offensive scheme. As Frazier pointed out in commentary, however, having a player who recognizes the need to drive and score during droughts would be nice.

The highlight of the game was Milicic's disruptive presence. He played noticeable defense and re-routed the occasional loose ball back to the Knicks. What he gives he sometimes gives back but still represents a positive presence.

Toney Douglas continues to impress on defense.

Late in the game, Jordan Hill showed some heads up play and demonstrated some promise.

Though the Knicks lost, the game remained close until Chandler and Lee were injured in the second-half. Both appear to be alright but the runaway Knick meltdown in their absence shows just how integral Lee and to a lesser degree Chandler are to this team.

The Celtics continue their tradition as a classless bunch of thugs and this game is not indicative of how the Knicks will play them during the season. Gallo got his first taste of these goons and Lee will have something to remember these guys by come season play.

It is too early to call the Chandler at the two-guard a bust experiment but Gallo did not look ready for prime time starters duty at the three.

And Boston likes to play rough. It would be sweet to have Eddy Curry in game shape when Boston comes around. Lee, Jeffries, and Milicic got roughed up pretty good for a pre-season game.

Knicks Lose to Boston

Meh. Pre-season.

Observations on Beating the Nets

I finally got an opportunity to watch the Knicks/Nets game that the Knicks 'won'.

First, the first half of the game was much better played than the second when different and secondary lineups were more likely to be clumsy.

However, what struck me is improved teamwork specifically when Lee, Harrington N8, Gallinari, and Douglas were on the floor.This both implied and demonstrated a greater trust in each other and the system.

There are a lot of Lee critics out there but this guy plays hard, plays smart, and has become a cornerstone of the current team.

The second big change in the Knicks is what one announcer called, the swarming defense. I'm one of the Toney Douglas critics eating crow this week. TD needs to learn when to shoot but his tenacity and hustle on both ends of the court is a much needed shot in the arm for those of us who believe defense is the cornerstone of winning. But the active hands and feet of the front-court players was a joy to behold. This must be sustained to over-achieve and to have any shot at the playoffs.

The biggest pleasant surprise was Jared Jeffries play. He is shooting with confidence and maybe finally settling in to being a Knick asset rather than also-ran. If Jeffries can be counted on to slow or shut-down some of the league's more potent offensive players then the Knicks by swarm and a rain of treys should squeeze out some surprise wins against the league's elite teams.

Darko Milicic looked as if he can be at least as good as Chris Dudley for us. His play is sufficient to provide the Knicks with a serious presence down low on a situational basis. And if he can do that effectively on a consistent basis, that's plenty from a pine bro.

I liken Wilson Chandler's play to Charles Oakley-lite. This guy plays the game like a silent, gentleman thug and I have to say it's a sublime experience. For many years we've lamented that the Knicks lacked toughness but Chandler is increasingly impressing me as a quietly tough and tenacious assassin.

In closing, we haven't lost a game in months. Let's keep it that way.

Wow, Just Wow

A story about Ted Williams' head has made the news and it ain't good. The Huffington Post reports in Ted Williams' Severed Head Abused In Cryonics Facility: Former Exec:

In "Frozen," Larry Johnson, a former executive at the Alcor Life Extension Foundation in Scottsdale, Ariz., writes that Williams' head, which had been severed and frozen for storage, was abused at the facility. Johnson claims a technician took baseball-like swings at Williams' frozen head with a monkey wrench.

Personally, I find nothing funny about this story. The person responsible should be hung by their, well, excuse the phrase... balls.

Lenny, Lenny, Lenny

Click here (it's in Japanese but worth the watch).

I Miss Jim Carroll

Cablevision wants to Give LeBron a 'Channel'

Kinda like Stephon Marbury. Baby powder manufacturers are lining up as sponsors.

There's even talk of Oprah retiring.

Let's Get Optimistic

That's right. Let's get downright loopy.

While most of us remain dazed and confused by the bottomless void this summer has produced for the Knicks, let's dream the impossible dream before the season opens and stamps out any embers of hope we may have.

Marvel comics used to produce a series called, What If?

Let's borrow the concept and see what a dream season might look like.

Eddie Curry has long intrigued fans because of his sheer size and background as a gymnast. The perennial disappointment of watching him demonstarte apathy and indifference has long driven us all to just want him out of here.

But what if, Eddie Curry has an epiphany and suddenly becomes a low post presence? Even if he simply plays up to his best season performances, this would be a major improvement at the center position. In a realistic dream scenario Curry would become a scoring center, not much D and not many rebounds but a body to be contended with down low, five hard fouls.

That brings us to Milicic. Darko was drafted high for potential that came and went. He will never be a superstar. But in a dream season, could Darko become a Mutumbo-like presence who can tag-team with Curry on a situational basis? In other words can Darko bring rebounds, blocked shots, passing and just a little offense to the center position?

In a dream season he can and does.

Jordan Hill. You can't teach size. But in a D'Antoni playbook it may be Hill's athleticism combined with size that is the secret sauce to exhausting the other team's front-court. In a dream season, Curry would be the physical presence, Darko the defender, and Hill the pestering Rodman-like gnat who would be used against teams already tired by schedule or injury, a guy would draws fouls and dismantles the opposing team's starting front-court.

In a dream season, D'Antoni acquires some of the satistical smarts of JVG and wins not only with a system but with an attention to the details of how the opposing team fails. Are they tired, who's hurt, who's hot or cold - push the buttons.

At PG, Duhon will need to play in top form all season. He'll have to dry out and party a lot less often for that to happen. But it could. In a dream season, he is mentioned as a most improved player - let's not assume an elite PG but a steady, dependable one.

Nate Robinson simply needs to continue being N8 without the self-destructive antics that lose games, cast doubt on his maturity, or lose games.

Toney by virtue of Walsh's inaction may already be a backup PG. In a dream season, he realizes his value is in defense and is utilized to hold leads or shut-down opposing team's scoring runs. In a dream season he will have to be a reliable backup PG, no more no less.

The glut at the PF position will settle itself into David Lee starting and providing the bulk of minutes backed by Jeffries and Chandler. In a dream season Lee's offense continues it's pattern but david learns to be a effective defender. Chandler becomes an energy booster off the bench and Jeffries provides lock-down defense as needed.

At SF, Al Harrington finally proves he is a consistent day-to-day starter, Gallinari becomes an up-and-coming start and Chandler backs them both with continued growth.

At SG, Larry Hughes has a great year both as a scorer, passer, and defender. Situationally, he sits for Chandler who plays against the league's bigger guards.

All that speculation leads to the key question... How many wins does that team produce? Vote in our poll on the left.

Community Hard-on for Rubio?

When Ricky Rubio signed with Barcelona, a strange thing started to happen in the local community. Impulsively the entire community began creating, um, erections. Human erections.

It is unclear if Ricky's signing with Barcelona triggered some kind of heretofore unknown ritualistic response or if this is just an attempt to change very high light bulbs without the use of a ladder. Click the link to see more.



Imagine what could happen in New York! Maybe that's why Walsh is hesitant.

Loyalty

The Washington Post reports the state of affairs in pro sports:

Hill says, her beloved Redskins are forcing her into bankruptcy.

Last year, Hill's real estate sales were hit hard by the housing market crash, and she told the team that she could no longer afford her $5,300-a-year contract for two loge seats behind the end zone. Hill said she asked the Redskins to waive her contract for a year or two.

The sales office declined.

On Oct. 8, the Redskins sued Hill in Prince George's County Circuit Court for backing out of a 10-year ticket-renewal agreement after the first year. The team sought payment for every season through 2017, plus interest, attorneys' fees and court costs.

Hill couldn't afford a lawyer. She did not fight the lawsuit or even respond to it because, she said, she believes that the Bible says that it is morally wrong not to pay your debts. The team won a default judgment of $66,364.

"It really breaks my heart," Hill said, her voice cracking as the tears well and spill. "I don't even believe in bankruptcy.

"We are supposed to pay our bills. I ain't trying to get out of anything."

Hill is one of 125 season ticket holders who asked to be released from multiyear contracts and were sued by the Redskins in the past five years. The Washington Post interviewed about two dozen of them. Most said that they were victims of the economic downturn, having lost a job or experiencing some other financial hardship.

from John Grimaldi's, For Redskins Fans, Hard Luck Runs Into Team's Hard Line.

The fan? A 72-year old grandmother. Redskins fan since 1960.

Nice.