Friday, November 29, 2013

Amar'e Frustrated as Melo and Knicks Make Their Way to the Mile-High

via Giphy.com
You find out the mettle of a team in its darkest hours. The Knicks don’t seem to have much of that. After their seventh straight loss the Knicks’ locker room is as united as the 2011 Red SoxTheir $100 million dollar Amar’e Stoudemire has had enough of losing and according to New York Daily News’ Frank Isola STAT’s frustration with the team is at an “all-time high”. That’s great Amar’e. This hasn’t been the first time Stoudemire has voiced his frustration with the team’s play. In his first year with the team starting out 2-8 when Stoudemire voiced his displeasure with the team’s effort. The team responded with a west coast winning streak. 

We can only hope history repeats it self. Going into tonight’s tilt with Denver the Knicks will have their chance to get back on track. Winning fixes everything. In order to win the Knicks will have to show effort, something that comes naturally to every team except the Knicks apparently. The lack of leadership in the locker room is growing more and more obvious. Last year veterans like Jason Kidd, Rasheed Wallace and Kurt Thomas kept order through thick and thin. This year it seems like no one in the locker room has that leadership ability. This is not a reflection of Mike Woodson. Woodson isn’t out on the court, on the front lines. Every team needs that on the court coach, a role Melo has tried to take on, but has come up unsuccessful. J.R. Smith continues to prove his doubters right, Shumpert has clearly been affected by the trade rumors and Tyson Chandler won’t be back for another two weeks. 

Amar’e Stoudemire is not the player he once was, but maybe he can be the leader he never was. The Knicks aren’t going to get their money’s worth from Stoudemire on the court. Stoudemire can earn his money another way; he can be that veteran leader and get that locker room in order. He’s been in the game long enough, played with vets like Kidd, Steve Nash and Grant Hill. The first step for Stoudemire will be practicing what he is preaching. Stoudemire said the ball movement needs to be better when asked about Shumpert’s and others Knicks’ struggles; in order for the ball to move you have to kick it back out of the post Amar’e! I have faith in Amar’e and I believe his leadership can turn the ship around like it did a couple seasons back. For once Knicks fans hope history repeats it self.

No comments:

Post a Comment