Section 423: We Gon' Make It... We Gon' Make It

(Note: A.F.O.M.G. will be in with a post later this afternoon. Also, please be aware that beginning Tuesday, Dec. 12, Yankees 2000: Promote the Curse will move to its new home, www.yankees2000.com.)

Heart. Teamwork. Passion. These are the staples of any successful squad in the National Basketball League. Important ingredients in the receipe for achievement, and slowly but surely, characteristics that describe the current group of those wearing the Orange and Blue.

As it does for the offense of late, it starts with Eddy Curry. Still lazy, still raw, still a nightmare at the charity stripe, but right before our eyes, we are witnessing a transformation.

Curry is blossoming into the premier big man in pro hoops. He is so talented offensively, and his recognizing the double team, and passing out of it to get his teammates shots, is a formula we are gong to be seeing at the Garden for a long, long time.

I'm ok with that. This is the transition from Portland to Indiana for Jermaine O'Neal. This is a boy becoming a man, accepting responsibilty for his undeniable blessing of size and skill. Curry is finally making the most of every minute out there, and most importanly, he looks and acts like he cares.

Same goes for the whole team. There is a sense of togetherness about the squad that hasn't been around 7th avenue in years. Last time this city saw this kind of unity was when David Wright, Uncle Cliff, Jose Reyes and the rest of the gang ran shit with the Mets over at Shea.

David Lee is fired up and rebounding out of his mind (still not crazy about him as a starter), Balkman is a beast, now dunking several times a game and always adding a spark. Even Steph is slowly finding a groove, treading water amongst the tabloids and Garden faithful (at least he's not drowning).

The problem is no longer a lack of energy or emotional investment, and it is no longer skill or athleticism. The focus now must be turned to strategy and in-game decision making. Matchups. Lineups. The game within the game.

When Crawford has it going, it's like watching the cockiest kid in the playground pick up anybody brave enough to call him out. He maintains this swagger even when he goes 0-for-8 and adds nothing defensively or on the glass.

If Crawford isn't feeling it on a specific night, that's fine, but Zeek needs to sit him. Why wasn't Francis closing out the 4th vs. the Grizzles Monday night?

At 7-13, things could be worse. 1-1 on the current 11-game homestand. Got to finish that 6-5, anything in the black at this point.

How does Isiah have time to focus on the front office? Is there anything available for a Crawford-Frye combo? And when will he take the reigns off Marty Collins?

Nate the Great needs to be playing 20 minutes or less. He is a nutcase and a loose cannon. I'm over that little dude. Grow up already. If Jerome James doesn't play one more second in his career, it will be a step forward for the entire sport.

So the keys right now are to ride out Curry into the sunset, have a little more focus in the lineup and in-game substitutions, and to keep having fun and playing with heart.

It's a nice reminder to the rest of the league, that even if you are the lacking stock of pro sports, at the end of the day you're playing sports for a living and that's worth a smile and a fist pump every so often... just to show that you're human.

Go Knicks!

- Chris & Mase