Tonight's Knick game: at MSG vs Pacers. (Preview)

Well, now that the afterglow has faded from the Knicks beating up on a team more dysfunctional than they are, the Trailblazers, it's back to reality. Tonight the Knicks face the Indiana Pacers who are on a two game winning streak, including a blow out win over the same hapless Blazers, at MSG and will be a tough match up for the Knicks.

The Pacers (25-16) have had a nice season with impressive wins that have fallen under the radar. They have been a good road team beating the Lakers, Mavericks, Bulls and Timberwolves (with Rubio) without much fanfare around the league. Such is the life for a small-market team.

The Pacers have a diverse set of players that can hurt the Knicks in different ways. From David West & Roy Hibbert and their inside game to outside shooters including three players shooting at least 40% from the three point line (Jones, Collison, George). While Danny Granger has never become the franchise player many thought he would be after back to back seasons with a 25 ppg avg ('09, 10), he's still the Pacers leading scorer at 18 ppg. However, Granger is shooting a career low 40% from the field. To be fair, Granger has played a lot better since the all-star break.

Overall, this looks to be a tough game for the Knicks , who must face them again tomorrow at Indiana, and will be a true test for Woodson's new system especially on defense. If the Knicks, especially the "stars" Stat/Melo, don't put pressure on their shooters, this could get ugly.

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Check Out These Sneakers Coming Soon To A Store Near You

Well , first let me apologize on my lack of updates regarding kicks on this blog. My aggravation towards the Knicks got the better of me, but then I remembered "I HAVE A BLOG, VENT THAT ISH!!"

Let's get back to kicks for a minute! The next few weeks will have a couple of interesting releases coming up. Some I like and some I would like better if they send me a free pair. (Just saying)

Nike Kobe VII (7) System Supreme ‘Year Of The Dragon

Release date: March 17th (tomorrow) 

Price: $180

Interesting colors, I like the design on the back of the kicks. Interesting that you can take out the lining to use as slipper (?). I wouldn't use them as basketball sneakers (I don't like "lows"), but they are unique.

Photo Credit:Sneakerfiles.com

NIKE AIR FOAMPOSITE ONE ELECTROLIME/ELECTROLIME-BLACK 

Release Date: March 17th (tomorrow)

Price: $220

Ah, the Foamposites! How the kiddies love them. Ok , grown men love them too. Me, personally, I like some of their colors, but I like the OG, original versions. Anyway, here we have them in "Electrolime-black". Who comes up with these names? Anyway, it has the funky ridges you always get from a pair of 'Foams in a bright yellow topped off with black topping and a nice clear outsole on the bottom. I like these a lot!

AIR JORDAN 10 “STEALTH”

Release Date: March 24th

Price: $160

How could I post about kicks without a mention of some J's or (for the non-sneakerheads) Air Jordans.

The Jordan Brand has come out with a few different retros of this style including the Chicago 10's. Overall, not bad. All black is always a good thing and the white bottoms add a nice touch. Overall, I think it's a pass. I'm more a fan of the 1's, 5's , 6's and 8's. 

Let me know which pair of kicks you see yourself in or that you are looking forward to.

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Goodbye (No D) Antoni

Thanks coach Mike for the great mustache, the cow-lick hairstyle and being a nice enough brother to give your brother a job on the bench.  For those who didn't know, Mike D'Antoni is out of a job. The reports vary from (no D) Antoni quitting to a "mutual parting". The lazy media in New York typically just take the line that the MSG suits throw them as they did here. The NYDN pandering to the Knick's owner's line of  a "honest discussion" where Antoni agreed with Dolan that it was  "best for the organization if he were to not continue as the coach of the team".

However, upon further review one of the best sites for news that actually does some research, deadspin.com , located this interesting tidbit from David Aldrige where the "honest discussion" was more about (No D) Antoni telling the MSG suits to trade Carmelo Anthony for Deron Williams straight up. Even a coach that's only about offense realized that Carmelo is not about ball movement or a "team-first" mentality. 

In the end everyone can believe what they like, coach (No D) Antoni is gone and the Knicks are better for it.However, the times of "Lin-sanity" and ball movement will be sorely missed. For now, get ready for a ton of  iso plays for the stars and Fields/Lin/Novak blinking and yawning outside the three-point line.

At least till Phil Jackson arrives.

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Pick and roll to the finals? Probably not!

“Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results.” 

― Albert Einstein

What can you say about a man that can only write up offensive schemes in a world of "defense wins championships"? 

Mike Antoni (no D in his coaching, no D in his name) is in his last year of his contract with the New York Knicks. A contract that paid him 24 million for 4 years and what has been the results? At times, the Knicks looked exciting especially in the Felton/Stat days, but overall one playoff appearance in three years (getting swept by Boston in the first round last year). We may not be able to commend Antoni for his coaching, but he's quite the thief! Robbing the MSG honchos without a gun!

117 wins in three and a half years?

It's time to get a coach who is a teacher, understands personalities of stars, can convince players to play a role and stick to it for the good of the team, who is known for spending at least an hour each practice on fundamentals such as how to inbound the ball. 

It's time to get Phil Jackson!

Jeremy Lin; The battle between "Look!!" & "See!!"

I live in NYC & the reason I made this blog is because so called NBA experts like "Bomani Jones" and "Michael Wilbon" speak on our beloved sport, especially the Knicks, with a real bitterness in their mouths. They can't discuss an N.Y. team without mentioning the media, the "spotlight", etc. NYC is the biggest city in the world when it comes to the stage of public opinion. It has crushed many a talent from Randy "the big unit" Johnson to Glen Rice. The constant bashing of their play, the amount they are getting paid, where they ate, who they were with , it's an ongoing drilling. However, it works the other way too. In NYC, your arrival can be so full of pomp and circumstance one can't help but wonder if royalty has arrived!

Jeremy Lin is the best example of the flip-flop of the media and bias towards NYC. For one, we know his story and if you don't then check here where Sports Illustrated made Lin their cover boy. However, let's look at the response Lin's sudden appearance has created. There is a question of whether the Knicks are better without Carmelo Anthony, was Antoni's (no D in his coaching, no D in his name) system really just a point guard away from success this whole time and other headlines. Some are valid , others are just nonsense.

The biggest story that sticks out for me is this one. Michael WIlbon, he of ESPN/ABC fame and the grandstanding show on ESPN "Pardon The Interruption", claimed that Lin's success was more a creation of the "New York media". On a pregame of a national television Knick game vs the Lakers , Wilbon was reminding viewers other NBA players have come out of nowhere, “but in New York it’s back page, front page" as Bob Raissman of the Daily News points out in his excellent article regarding Lin's impact on NYC's cable wars with MSG honchos. However, after the first half Wilbon put on his bib and enjoyed a healthy serving of humble pie as Lin had an amazing game, finishing with 38 pts 7 assists and scored more than Kobe Bryant while getting the win. I did not see anyone from the media setting any picks.

This is a battle between the media yelling "LOOK, LOOK" in excitement about Lin's excellent play and the inevitable "SEE, SEE" & the playground taunts of "I told you so's" when Lin and the Knicks finally do lose a game. I ask all my readers to please keep this in mind as THIS is the true agenda of the NYC media & thus whitewashing all that Lin has created in our basketball loving city. The main reason to condemn the NYC media is the "love you now, hate you later" song and dance that is always a loss away. However, Lin's success has nothing to do with the media in NYC.

For now, just look at the pic accompanying this post and ask yourself when was the last time the Garden rocked like this for the Knicks.

May be a story there, huh?

For honest and up-to-date feedback on NYC media , I highly recommend you all follow Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News on twitter & as always, this blog for the true measure of what our Knicks are about.

Follow me on twitter @NycNbaBlog

Western Conference Rankings Pre-Season.

1.Thunder
It's a close race for the #1 spot, but Durant/West/Harden is such an exciting young trio, they have to get it. Keeping the same core group with a slimmed down Perkins (lost 20 lbs!) has the Thunder starting off right.

2.Mavericks
The main song you heard being sung during the Mavs playoff run was "Tyson Chandler changed Mavs attitude". He's now a Knick, but Dirk/Kidd/Terry/Marion remain along with the additions of Vince Carter and Lamar Odom. The old legs may catch up to them, but the Mavs will remain a powerhouse throughout.

3.Grizzlies
Lest we forget, what a run this team had. Pushing the #1 ranked Thunder to the brink without Rudy Gay. A year of seasoning for this young team and I can easily see them passing one of the two top teams.

4. Clippers
It's not hype people! MVP worthy pg with a Finals MVP guard in the backcourt is not an everyday thing. Blake Griffin/Jordan are mean and hungry, Caron Butler joins them to open the floor with his shooting and his defense will add a nice touch. Gomes/Mo/Foye is a nice bench, just have to wonder about the back up bigs.

5.Lakers
Amazing how much the Celtics/Lakers have in common. From the old legs, to the loss of key players (Odom/Green) to an obvious tension that comes from trades that never happened.  Bryant is still an elite player and Gasol/Bynum are a good frontline. However, the way I feel about this old team in a shortened season is best defined by the moment where Kobe Bryant tried to take it to the hole on DeAndre Jordan during the pre-season and ended up injured. It's gonna be a LONG, shortened season for the Lakers.

6.Spurs
The Spurs have a very bad taste in their mouth from last year's very short playoff run, however they also have more rest. A slim-downed rejuvenated Tim Duncan and rested Paker/Manu will probably get the Spurs to a strong, fast start. However, they need to do something about that bench. Let's see if they pick up any players in the next few weeks.

7.Nuggets
This team was actually ranked 5th overall in a Sports Illustrated article on their site recently, but I don't see it. Sure they are young and have nice pieces in Nene/Affalo, but that run late last year reeked more of  frustration over the "MELO'DRAMA" than any indication of being a real contender. Youth may get them further then it should though.

8.Trailblazers
Let's be clear, the Blazers are used to the idea of "no Roy/Oden" so don't put too much into it. As long as LaMarcus is healthy, this is a team that should make their annual appearance in the playoff, but not much after that.

9.Rockets
The trade that never was keeps Kevin Martin and Luis Scola on the roster, add in Dalembert and it could be a solid season for them. I like Patterson and Budinger to make some noise this season.

10.Hornets
Replacing David West and Chris Paul is not possible so let's end that speculation and focus on reality. Kaman/Gordon/Ariza/Okafor/Jack is a nice line up. Throw in Landry/Aminu along with a team who has something to prove after being written off and they may surprise everyone with a playoff appearance ala last year's Nuggets.

11.Wolves
This pick here is one that will surprise many, but I will stick to it for now. You have Kevin Love who deserves more press than he gets. A winner in J.J. Barea, mixed with Beasley, Rubio, Randolph and rookie sensation Derrick Williams and I think they will over-achieve. A shortened season helps....a lot!

12.Kings
Losing Dalembert will hurt more than you realize when you look around and see no one that can hold down the middle. Evans and the JIMMER will add points and an up and down pace with lots of points and zero defense. I think John Salmons will have a much better season.

13.Warriors
Mark Jackson no longer wears an NBA uniform, but he will have the biggest role in how this team does this season. There is no reason this team shouldn't do better than they have, but defense is something they badly lack. If Coach Jackson can get them on the same page, the Warriors should jump a lot higher than this position. Big "IF".

14.Suns
Steve Nash is not only a legend, but such a a classy guy. He still has game left in him, but not much, yet he is loyal to Phoenix. Sadly, there isn't much to look at except the will of one of the best point guards in the last 20 years.

15. Jazz
Is Devin Harris healthy yet?

Eastern Conference Rankings Pre-season

1.Heat
Adding Battier and young legs in a tough season should get them to the top. Should is the key word with Lebron's mental game hopefully caught up with his physical game. Inside presence is a big question mark.

2.Bulls
Adding Richard Hamilton gives them a legit shooter and allows rose to be more of a passer and save his legs for a grueling playoff run. Health is always key with this team with Boozer/Noah injury prone.

3.Knicks
Lots of names added on to this team from Chandler to Davis and now Stat and Melo should have better chemistry. However, who's team is it, will Chandler/Davis stay healthy and will the addition of assistant coach Mike Woodson help the Knicks finally play some D in the "AntonI" era.

4.Magic
This team could drop big time before the season ends if Dwight Howard leaves as expected. For now, they have added a championship experienced player in Glen Davis and the same core group remains. Chemistry is a big attribute in a season with less practice time/pre-season.

5.Pacers
The underdog has bark and bite since they added David West. As long as no health issues occur with West, coming off surgery, this is a very dangerous front-line. Granger/Hibbert/West need to mesh quickly and Darren Collison needs to continue to improve his impressive game to the next level.

6.Celtics
Names don't help old legs. Garnett/Allen/Pierce are still an incredible nucleus to begin a season with, but with so many games in such little time and little rest, there's bound to be deep repercussions. Still have that championship spirit, but will Rondo get over the trade rumors? Keep an eye on Rondo.

7.Sixers

An exciting team with young legs, some playoff experience under their belt and still have the same core group. Will Andre Iguodala step up and take on a leadership role? Brackins and Turner now have a full season and if they added confidence to their game, the Sixers may take full advantage of a shortened season.

8.Hawks
The Hawks remain a mystery. A team with three marquee players like Joe Johnson , Josh Smith and Al Horford should have better results. The truth is they have no leader. If any of these three decide to carry the team, this team could certainly go up a few spots.

9.Bucks
I like some of the new players they added on, beginning with Stephen Jackson and Mike Dunleavy is a nice pick-up. A healthy Andrew Bogut combined with a more mature Jackson and Brandon Jennings could make this a nice season. Drew Gooden returning from the dead would really help too!

10.Wizards
Rookie of the year pg, John Wall, young exciting center in Mcgee and veterans Rashard Lewis and Josh Howard make the Wizards a sleeping dog. The main issue will be John Wall's shot selection as well as improving that shot (40%!!). The future is bright, but is it now?

11. Cavs
Sometimes teams have a better season than expected because they improved and other times it's because other teams got worse. While #1 pick Kyrie Irving looks to be the early favorite for ROY, the Cavs should take advantage of other bad teams in their conf. Jamison/Varejo are a nice frontcourt, Parker returns for his shooting/D. Playoffs seem far off though.

12.Nets
Deron Williams, DeShawn Stevenson and Mehmet Okur will take the Jazz....oh wait, actually they are on the Nets now. Unless Dwight Howard walks in through that door (Rick Pitino voice), Brooklyn may not be too excited yet for the Nets to arrive. I still like Damion James very much, look out for him.

13.Pistons
There are actually some nice pieces on this team from Stuckey to Maxiell , however, the other pieces need to show up. Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva are still getting their paychecks, but certainly not earning them. If Lawrence Frank can get them to mesh, they may move up a few spots.

14. Raptors
In the battle to avoid being dead last, the Raptors win second to last for a few reasons, but nothing to be excited about. They have a number of returning players who under-achieved badly last year, but still have a nice skill set. Barnani, Calderon and Barbosa is not a bad group of players. Add on some strong 2nd year players and who knows.....I think we all know how it will end though. Sorry Raptor fans.

15. Bobcats
They have Kemba Walker and get all the free Air Jordan sneakers they want. Merry Christmas.