Shump Hits Black Gold in Texas

Everything is bigger in Texas and the Knicks got two huge wins in their Texas road trip. They could’ve swept their Texas slate had it not been for late game mental errors. Nonetheless the Knicks have come into 2014 with a new attitude. Amid trade rumors and heavy criticism, Carmelo Anthony and company finally look like a basketball team. Iman Shumpert got his swagger back putting up a career-high 27 points in a win against the reigning Western Conference Champion Spurs. Following that with an equally impressive 26 points in a tough loss to H-Town.  In the finale against Dallas Shump hit big shots late to secure the game.

The team returns to The Garden for the first time in 2014 with hopes of changing their luck in the New Year. Coach Woodson is starting to mix it up giving younger guys like Toure’ Murry decent minutes and it has paid off. Murry’s defense in the second quarter in San Antonio helped the Knicks get going. With Kenyon Martin getting healthier by the day the second unit looks a lot better with Murry, Hardaway Jr. and STAT.  J.R. Smith and Beno Udrih continue to struggle finding their range, but both have had key hustle plays to help keep the Knicks alive. 

The question heading into Tuesday’s matchup against the Pistons; was this Texas road trip a farce or the beginning of turn around the Knicks have been desperately looking for? Carmelo Anthony has had a rough year of criticism and trade rumors, but is starting to look like the leader his team has needed since the veteran presence of Jason Kidd and Rasheed Wallace left the locker room. Melo willed his soldiers to victory in Dallas and if this continues the Knicks can start climbing themselves out of the giant hole they dug. Detroit is coming off a mauling at the hands of the Grizzlies on their home floor. The Pistons do play better on the road going 8-8 compared to their 6-12 home record.

If the Knicks come out firing like they did in Dallas they can wrap this one up early. Coach Woodson has to continue riding his young guns. Their energy has changed the way the team comes out. If Shump remains hot and J.R. can start getting back to driving to the basket like he did last year he will start getting those open shots to hit. Expect Anthony to continue his good play and focus more on how he leads his squad during those tough moments. Those stretches of adversity will be where the Knicks will win or lose this game. So far the Knicks have given us no reason to doubt them in 2014; let's hope that does not change. 

Blazing out of Hell? Let's hope.

Can the Knicks escape the depths of NBA hell tonight?

The great Winston Churchill once said “If you’re going through Hell, keep going”. This is also an appropriate message for Coach Mike Woodson and his Knicks. Tonight the Knicks (3-9) visit Rip City to take on a Blazers team (12-2) that has not lost since November 5^th to Houston. For the fourth straight game the Knicks signal caller Raymond Felton will be out leaving the nightmare of guarding PG and reigning Rookie of the Year, Damian Lillard, to Beno Udrih and Pablo Prigioni. It is unclear whether Amar’e Stoudemire will be given the green light for the second straight game, something the Knicks’ staff has been against all season.

With or without Amar’e the Knicks will be fighting an uphill battle from the get-go. Aside from the dynamic Lillard the Trail Blazers have one of the top power forwards in the game in LaMarcus Aldridge, lanky small forward Nicolas Batum and shooting guard Wesley Matthews. Andrea Bargnani will have to shoot himself out of his slump and play competent defense against a Portland front line that will crash the glass if not boxed out. Expect Kenyon Martin and his high energy to play a big factor early to getting the Knicks going.

One dirty secret about Portland is that they start off slow, being outscored in the first half in three of their last four games per NBA.com. If Melo and the Knicks can start out hot and build a nice first half lead they can steal a win before heading to LA to meet the Clippers. The backcourt is long overdue for a good game especially Iman Shumpert and reigning Sixth Man J.R. Smith. I feel like we haven’t seen the same J.R. from last year since Game 3 in Boston before that Terry elbow. If Smith can finally help Melo on the scoring end and play hard on defense the Knicks can start to get on track.

In the end it boils down to effort, the theme of this early season. If the Knicks show up against Portland like they did against Indiana a Knicks win is in sight. The team has shown that they play up or down to the competition so expect this one to go down to the wire. If the defense finally gets that late stop the Knicks will be one step closer to getting out of basketball hell.

Tale of the Tape: Moving Forward

via The Guardian

If you’re still fuming over the no call on Carmelo Anthony’s final shot or the ticky-tack foul called on Iman Shumpert (who Melo doesn't want to see trade which is good news for us) just remember one thing; it can’t get any worse. The Knicks will close November with a whopping zero home wins. While this is disheartening and frustrating last night’s game gave me hope. Let’s look at some of the takeaways from last night’s heart-breaker.

• Effort: So the Knicks do have heart....at least for one night that is. Coach Woodson’s defense was the best it has looked all year. Players were fighting on the boards, jumping on loose balls for four quarters. Excluding the last couple possessions where J.R. Smith left Pacer’s one-trick pony George Hill open to do the one thing he’s good at (launch 3’s) the defense and overall effort was great and something they can build off of.
• Support Group:  Last night we saw Melo get some much needed help when he needed it most. Beno Udrih had his best game as aKnick putting up 19 points, taking some of the scoring load off Bargnani who had an off night and Shumpert who was using all his energy to hold Paul Geroge in check. Kenyon Martin and Metta World Peace’s intensity really helped the others get going on both ends.
• Return of J.R: It finally looks like Smith has found his rhythm as he had a season-high 21 points on 8-19 shooting. While he did miss a wide open three late in the game that he shouldn’t have ever shot it looks like Smith is closer to returning to form.
• Monster Melo: Last night Melo proved he is worth the big bucks. He led the team in scoring putting up 30 points and was an absolute animal on the boards grabbing 18 rebounds.  Melo was pedal to the metal for all 42 minutes he was on the floor. By the last two minutes he looked so exhausted it was amazing to see him still score. If the Knicks can just get Melo that sidekick that Amar’e never became the Knicks can challenge anyone in the East.

Moving forward the Knicks head to Washington where they will have their hands full with the great young backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal. If Felton is no-go expect Udrih to get his third straight start. The fact that Coach Mike Woodson refuses to give rookie Toure’ Murray some minutes is head scratching to say the least. Maybe Woodson gives the long limbed guard some time against a big and speedy point guard like Wall, as he will be a lot for Udrih and Prigioni to handle.  If the Knicks do bring that same intensity to the Nation’s capital I expect a long awaited victory. The only direction for the Knicks NEED to go right now is up. 

Knicks get Maliced at the Palace

The Knicks commemorated the 9th anniversary of the Malice at the Palace by putting on their own embarrassing show. Luckily no fans were physically hurt, only heart broken. The frustrations continued in Detroit as the Knicks fell to a shaky Piston squad, 92-86, dropping their season record to 3-7.

Following the themes of this year so far, the Knicks offense was stagnant as their point guard play remains suspect to the 10th degree. Beno Udrih, who started in place of the injured Raymond Felton, scored 0 points and was having  hard time getting everyone involved. Andrea Bargnani, one of the Knicks most consistent scorers, took only 2 shots in the entire second half, ending the game with 12. Melo scored 25 points but his struggles from the field continued shooting only 8-20. 

Amare, at times actually looked like his old self on offense. Powering through for several big dunks. But his defense, much like the whole team's, was an absolute different story. Look at this picture, it sums up the Knicks night pretty well:

via @NBASportsLegion

STAT really earning the "Standing" part of his nickname. Literally in the middle of the floor starring up at the stands like he got hypnotized by the empty Palace . Just straight confused. 

The play of the Knicks tonight will definitely heat up the trade rumors to an even higher level. A capable point guard who can be trusted with controlling the floor is desperately needed. As well as another big man who can pull down rebounds and become a presence in the paint. It would not surprise me if Dolan urges GM Steve Mills to pull the trigger as soon as possible. But in Dolan-esque fashion it will most likely be a trade for a shooting-guard, because, ya know, we don't have enough of those.