Section 423: Ain't No Place Like The Road
Why does the NBA, the master of manipulating schedules for their own marketing purposes (think Jordan coming out of his 2nd retirement at MSG, or 3 years in a row of Kobe vs. Shaq on Christmas), stack the odds against our beloved orange and blue right out of the gate?
Of their first 11 games, only two were against teams that did not make the playoffs a year ago (Celts and Hawks, and of course the squad lost both).
It would seem to me, if I were David stern, that I would do everything possible to get the Knicks winning again. But even the commish can't help a team that for some reason plays its best ball on the road, and looks like a junior varsity team at home.
Why do the Knicks have a better record on the road, (3-3) than they do at 'the world's most famous' (1-4)? Let's discuss.
One reason the Knicks play better on the road is that Jamal Crawford can't go to Marquee, Bungalow 8, or Tenjune when he is in places like Memphis. The Knicks are club rats, and if you hit up the meat packing district the night before you guard Paul Pierce, chances are he's going for 39pts.
The Knicks caught a break in Miami as the Heat still have a championship hangover. The help side defense is still atrocious, but they do have something this year that they lacked all of last...a routine. We know who the bench guys are, who the starters are. There is some semblance of order.
The next two games are critical. On the road in Minnesota, where again, as Starbury knows all too well, not much popping on Thanksgiving eve in the land of 10,000 lakes....and then Saturday night in NYC vs Los Torros.
I will be in attendance for the Knicks and Bulls Saturday night in the Garden. Ten years ago, over a holiday weekend, that would have been the hottest ticket in town. Now, it's Wicked on Broadway. My how things have changed.
The Knicks need to start protecting the honor and history of Madison Square Garden. Isiah said others teams and players who are visiting feel as if they can put on a show in the Garden. That is disgraceful. Let's get a David Lee dunk in the open floor, or a Channing Frye 11-14 from the field night to get things going.
While things are obviosuly not good, considering the strength of schedule, 4-7 isn't the end of the season just yet. The Atlantic division is so awful, the Knicks may just have a chance of sneaking into the playoff hunt.
Lee averaging over 8 boards a game has been a tremendous positive this season, and that block Lil' Nate had monday night on Yao is the highlight of the season so far.
I'm still not comfortable with Q Rich as the leading scorer, and one of the Crawford-Starbury-Franchise 3-headed monster needs to go. It's just too much dribbling. When they move the ball and use the low post, they are effective. When they watch Stevie dribble as hard as he can (how does he bang the ball so hard and go absolutely nowhere?), they are a mess.
Good to see Pat Ewing courtside the other night. Why can't he come back and teach Eddy Curry how to play basketball?
Allan Houston is better on camera than an E! Correspondent, and I love having Kenny Smith call the games over Clyde. Sorry, but it's true, he is so in touch with today's NBA lifestyle, and he can enjoy a good Jadakiss song and a glass of Chianti.
So two in a row is the goal; if they can manage that, the squad will be a game under .500 and only half a game out of first place. With the team struggling at home, this Thanksgiving, let's be thankful they only play half the season on 32nd and 7th.
- Chris & Mase
posted by A Friend of Mr. Glass' at 10:51 AM
3 Comments:
Well played once again by our favorite CBA PG/Point forward combo.
I gotta say though, I think the Knicks best chances are with Q Rich leading the team in scoring.
At least that means Marbury and the Franchise aren't chucking up too many terrible shots.
It has taken me a month and a couple of lost hands of black jack with him and Al Horford, but I am sold on David Lee. He is everything that the Knicks are not.
If Isiah had any balls he would play Mardy Collins, Balkman, and Lee the whole game and pray that we can stay in the game defensively with any of the guards (Crawford, Marbury, Francis, Q Rich) and one of the big men (Frye or Curry) serving as defensive liabilities at the other two spots.
A team only needs two people who can score.
Lets bring some toughness back to the garden.
"Tough town, tough team." 1993 Knicks.
Sip
I would say I agree 100% with SM, however, I dunno what makes Mardy Collins good. plus I dont think I trust him. I have never heard of a black dude named Mardy. It makes me a bit nervous. All jokes aside...one of the 3 dudes gotta go(Starbury, Franchise and Crawford) I was at the Celtic game on Saturday. I liked the effort that Franchise gave(he actually tried to penetrate a few times and laid his body on the line a few times) Crawford got hot in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. So his circus type plays were fine in this game. Starbury was buttcheeks on offense, yet, he played decent defense for the most part he was not scared to put his body on folks but Wally shot over him like 3,4 times without jumping and he showed extremely show reaction time to 3/4 court pass near the end of a quarter(3rd?). I vote on Stephon, primarily because he played with no offensive gusto in this game which became evident when he tried to take his man and got blocked in the 4th quarter. He could have at least tried other times. He was bullshitting. I hate bullshitters. Plus I never really liked dude. Plus his name is soft. If you hurt, go sit down. Especially with Lil Nate dying to get on the floor run, jump and talk shit.
oh yeah..my bad I wanted to entitle my musings "Curry sucks and is a lazy bitch and looks like all he wants to do is continue his Peg Bundy workout plan." I think Ima swing on him if I ever see him in the street.
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