For the first time in years, the New York Knicks look like a real NBA team. It's amazing. 5-3. This hasn't happened in years! It's amazing how much difference a little change can bring. Here's how I see it thus far:
1 - Mike D'Antoni is a very good coach. I've said it before and now I can say it with proof: Mark Jackson - BAD CHOICE, D'Antoni - RIGHT CHOICE. Donnie Walsh was also the right guy to get this team back on track. These guys with one minor roster move have made the team respectable, and that move was for CHRIS DUHON. I heard someone on the radio saying D'Antoni "underachieved with the Suns." Please. He won 60+ games one year without a center. A few years ago he probably would have won a championship if David Stern didn't suspend Amare Stoudamire for taking one step off the Suns bench. The guy knows what he's doing. What I like best is how he's building for the future, not using guys who may be better now but won't help the team next year...and look, we're improved anyway. I'm starting to believe this team can actually make the playoffs.
2 - Also related to D'Antoni - Marbury and Curry can sit down. This is what should happen to players who aren't good in the first place. In Curry's situation there was no choice. He can't play with Randolph. Randolph is an overall better player, and Curry especially doesn't fit D'Antoni's system. Curry has to sit down. He doesn't do anything that helps the team win. Forget the future with Curry. Marbury can also take a seat. One year left on his 22 million dollar contract with a team trying to clear cap space. No chance he'll be around next season. Plus, I like Duhon. He's not as talented as Marbury, but he's the type of player this team needs in the system they're, a true point guard who push the ball and play defend. Marbury may score more points, but he can't run an offense, and always wants to be the first scoring option. In addition, Lil' Nate is stepping it up. I've bashed Nate in the past, also saying that he isn't a real point guard and wouldn't be a guy who'd amount to anything in the NBA. So far this season he's proved me wrong. I still think Mardy Collins is marginal at best, but his role is gradually lessening. Nate/Crawford/Duhon are likely to be the only guys who see steady minutes at guard this season. If Marbury got Mardy's minutes he'd complain about it...so forget about him. I doubt he'll be activated again this season.
3 - Wilson Chandler - Again, a guy I doubted this preseason when everyone said he was coming along. Well, he has come along, quite nicely stepping into our starting lineup. This guy could be around for a while. He's a perfect D'Antoni guy, and is only 21 years old with decades ahead of him. He's not a Trevor Ariza/Michael Sweetney type that's going to die off in a few years. He's good now. He's only going to get better. Him and Nate get my most sincere apologies. These guys are for real.
4 - This isn't really related, but lets hold out hope for Danilo Gallinari. When the Knicks drafted him he was 19. People already want to write him off. Come on. People need to start realizing that if they draft 19 year olds they probably won't be superstars right away. Especially this guy, he's got a bad back. So he may miss the rest of this year - so what. Honestly, who cares. As long as he comes back healthy. I'm not saying he's going to be a superstar - I don't think he will be. But he's young - he has potentially the next 15 years to evolve into a solid NBA player. Lets not write him off after 10 minutes of playing time.
Tonight's game is against the Superson...I mean Oklahoma City Thunder. If things keep going the way they have we should move to a very impressive 6-3. I'm looking at the Thunder schedule and they've been pretty bad so far. Also looking at their players and statistics, reiterating that tonight should result in a W. But be careful. The Sonics (like many NBA teams) came into the Garden in won in pathetic fashion last season. The Thunder are lead by a second year man, Durant (I'm curious to see how Wilson Chandler matches up with him...I'm assuming Chandler will guard him), and a rookie, Russel Westbrook who should be fun to watch (hopefully not too much fun). One things for sure: This should be a win, but the Knicks shouldn't take anything for granted quite yet.
Comments