JR Back for the Showdown in Indy

via vlsportysexycool.com

The Knicks were brought back down to reality Tuesday night, falling to the Charlotte Bobcats 108-98. This game could be categorized as a schedule loss as Gregg Poppovich would call it. The Knicks may have been looking ahead to Thursday night's match-up against the rival Indiana Pacers. The Knicks started out nice, but as the game progressed the lackadaisical effort kept getting stronger and stronger.  Coach Woodson’s team didn’t have much interest in defending, letting AlJefferson and Kemba Walker go off for a combined 60 points. Tyson Chandler played only 15 minutes scoring 5 points and pulled down 4 rebounds. Carmelo Anthony struggled from the floor scoring 20 points on 9-22 shooting.

There was not much to talk about from this one other than, you guessed it, J.R. "Tweeting Asses, Smoking Weed, Untying Shoes, Etc." Smith. To the surprise of many Smith got his second DNP in four games. According to Frank Isola of the Daily News Smith’s benching comes after he and Woodson got into a confrontation regarding Smith’s minutes or lack thereof in overtime verse the Suns the night before. Woodson has seemed to reach his end with Smith and has him on a leash shorter than his brother Chris’ basketball career. According to various sources, Smith will play on Thursday in Indiana, and it will be interesting. Will we get the J.R. who doesn’t shoot the ball at all? Will we get the efficient Smith we got in Philly? Either way, expect a lot more Tim Hardaway Jr. who has been proving himself as a legit player since the season began.

The Knicks passed their first home test of 2014 in flying colors. Tonight they get their first road test of 2014 going to Indiana where the Pacers are close to unbeatable. Chandler and Kenyon Martin need to play their toughest game of the season with Hibbert and West always looking to bang in the paint. Anthony will have Paul George on his case and Shumpert will have to fight off the pesky New Yorker Lance Stephenson. The match-up that will swing the game is Raymond Felton vs. George Hill. If Felton can recreate whathe did against Miami the Knicks will pass another big test and take a gigantic step in the right direction.

Knicks Hold Off Suns, Move Into Playoff Position

Tina informs Melo that he's in the middle of a back-to-back. Melo's reaction is priceless.

You can officially take your hand of the panic button if your heart is still beating after another nail-biter at The Garden. With last night’s win against the Phoenix Suns the Knicks are now 6-1 in 2014. They're on a season-high five game winning streak and have moved into the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. Carmelo Anthony continued his dominant play putting up 29 points and 16 rebounds in addition to 4 assists and a steal. Outside of Anthony scoring was hard to come by with Raymond Felton being the second leading scorer with 19 points. Felton got to the basket relentlessly and knocked down a huge corner three to give the Knicks a two-point lead late in regulation. The Suns were relentless all night, pulling down board after board and hitting big shots to keep them in the game.

Goran Dragic led the Suns with 28 points and 8 rebounds giving the Knicks all they could handle. Veteran guard Leandro Barbosa torched the Knicks for 21 points, putting up 14 in the fourth quarter alone. The bench did not have the stellar performance it has had of late, but provided some clutch buckets from the likes of Tim Hardaway Jr. and J.R. Smith. Iman Shumpert and Andrea Bargnani shooting woes continued, but also provided some energy plays and big shots. Kenyon Martin did his best to hold down the defensive side of the ball without Tyson Chandler for a fourth straight game. Martin had 8 points and 9 rebounds with some nice tip-in slams. Chandler spoke with reporters yesterday and said he was optimistic that he will be back in the line-up Tuesday against the Charlotte Bobcats.

This hot streak could not have come at a more opportune time. After Tuesday’s game in Charlotte the Knicks will head for Indiana on Thursday to take on rising-star Paul George and the Pacers, seeking revenge for a memorable overtime loss at The Garden back in November.  The team then returns home on the back end of a back-to-back against the Clippers. With Chandler back and every one starting to buy in, these next couples of games will be crucial if the Knicks want to steal back the Atlantic crown from the first place Toronto Raptors.

The biggest difference from the 2013 Knicks to the 2014 Knicks has been their resiliency late in games. When the Suns fought back to take the lead in the fourth quarter, Anthony and company persevered and eked out another victory. The Knicks team from the end of 2013 seemed to always fold the tent and lose a close game (see the Washington Wizards game in December). The 2014 Knicks have more resolve and are finding ways to navigate the storm and get the job done. Maybe the team is tired of the trade rumors, coach firings and being the butt of every of joke. Maybe Coach Woodson and company have righted the ship. Only time will tell. 

Time to Press the Panic Button

It might be time to push the button. After yet another loss in Washington Saturday night, the team is now 3-9 and heading into a tough west coast road trip. On Monday the Knicks go to the Rose Garden to take on a sizzling Blazers team led by Damian Lillard. John Wall destroyed the Knicks with not much of a jump, so you can imagine what last season’s Rookie of the Year will have in store for Beno Udrih and Pablo Prigioni who will be taking the place of an injured Raymond Felton.

After a heart-breaker on Wednesday night when the Knicks were a finger-tip away from beating the best team in the Eastern Conference - the Indiana Pacer -  they followed that with a loss to the Wizards. The Knicks defense in the second half was terrible as Wall, young sniper Bradley Beal and Martell Webster had their way, scoring 31, 18, and 19 points respectively. It was very familiar to Wednesday night’s game when Paul George torched the Knicks in the second half scoring 23 of his game-high 35 points in the fourth quarter and overtime alone.

The team simply has not been on the same page on either offense or defense. The buckets aren’t dropping. The rotations are too late. Coach Woodson has to grab control of this spiraling team before those Calipari whispers become chants. Woodson’s favoring of playing Smith with a big lineup and putting Shumpert on the bench is just not working. Last year’s team was at its best when they had Melo at the four, Shump at the three and Smith at the two. These big lineups are too clunky. For a second straight night Andrea Bargnani did not shoot the basketball well, putting more pressure and double teams on Melo. Smith was especially awful, missing all four of his free throw attempts in the fourth quarter in addition to a couple of mental mistakes that cost the team late. Amar’e Stoudemire had his best game of the year posting 12 points, but only two of those coming in the second half.

This upcoming week the Knicks face two top Western Conference teams in Portland and the Clippers followed with a Melo homecoming at Denver. If Woodson doesn’t make some changes and get everyone on the same page the Knicks might be 3-12 heading into December.

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. 

Time for a change. Woodson out? Calipari in?

via Fansided.com

The Knicks are in the throws of 4 game losing streak. They will end November without a win at home, and are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. This is a lot to swallow for a team that ended last year as the Atlantic Division Champions with 50 plus wins. If you ask any avid Knicks fan, things need to change.

Trade rumors are swirling through NYC and the blogesphere like a F-5 tornado. New trades involving every player, other than Carmelo Anthony, seem to crop up daily. Us die-hard Knick fans need to see a turnaround and we need to see it fast.

Yesterday’s battle with the Eastern Conference leading Pacers could have been a win that began to right-the-ship. The Knicks were finally playing with some intensity. Beno Udrih, who was starting at point the for an injured Raymond Felton, was able to move the ball and even made a couple circus shot himself. Melo was on his grind; finding his stroke and pulling down a game high 18 rebounds. But it all came crashing down in the final seconds of the fourth quarter when Shump committed a questionable foul on Paul George. The three foul shots allowed the Pacers to bring the game to overtime, where George willed his team to a comeback win.

Many fingers can be pointed at the beginning of this young season, but it all falls down on the coach. Woodson is obviously on the hot seat. Some of his coaching decisions are making all us scratch our heads. On the offensive side of the ball there is no continuity and the lack of ball movement is cringe worthy. I often wonder if Woodson is even calling plays. Much of the time it looks like this team is running a schoolyard pick-up game, rather than an NBA offense. Per ESPN, we are ranked 25^th in points per game and 26^th in assists, a HUGE drop from last years high fly, three-ballin' offense.

Defense, where Woodson used to hang his hat, is severely lacking. We have given up big lead after big lead. Without Tyson Chandler, out for at least 3 more weeks with a leg injury, there is no defensive floor general. No post threat to contend the layup. Players are standing around missing assignment. It’s confusion all around, and Woodson shouldn’t be allowing it.

If the losing streak continues into Washington on Saturday night, Woodson’s time as Knicks head coach will most likely be cut short. I’ve heard a lot of rumbling, first through SI’s Chris Mannix on the Artie Lange Show, and today through CBSSports, that University of Kentucky head coach, John Calipari, is interested in coming back to the NBA and the Knicks may be at the top of his calling card. I don't think this will be a good move for the Knicks. He failed in the NBA before and he will probably fail again. Mike Woodson’s time may be up, but I’d rather have Phil Jackson patrolling our sidelines than a failed Nets coach turned recruiting scammer.

Struggling Knicks Welcome Pacers to the Garden...Uh Oh

via NY Daily News

As the world continues to collapse around them, the Knicks try and right the ship yet again tonight at MSG against the class of the Eastern Conference, the Indiana Pacers. Coming off an embarrassing loss last night in Detroit where Rodney Stuckey looked like the second coming of Isiah Thomas, Coach Mike Woodson is starting to look like he has no answer for this Knicks team. Effort has been at a premium with the team showing signs of life only in spurts. Enough is enough. With a restless owner, fed up fan base and a head coach fighting for his job, tonight is a must win for Knicks

The Pacers are coming into the Garden with the NBA’s best record (tied with San Antonio) at 9-1 and with tons of confidence. It was only a couple of months ago these Pacers cancelled the Knicks’ date with Miami in the Eastern Conference Semis. Tonight the Knicks will face a Pacer team that is bringing back all the starters from that team and with a reloaded bench of Luis Scola. C.J. Watson, and former Knick Chris Copeland.

Andrea Bargnani and Kenyon Martin have a long night ahead them as Roy Hibbert has finally takenthe leap and become one of the top centers in the league and resident tough guy David West who is no walk in the park. It is unknown if Amar’e Stoudemire is set to play, but if he gets minutes let us pray that he at least looks at the person he is defending. Paul George and Lance Stephenson have also made huge leaps and are not the same players the Knicks saw in May...they are both vastly improved.

Carmelo Anthony will have to put on a similar show he did against Houston when he was an absolute monster putting up 45 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists. Outside of Anthony, and recently Bargnani, no Knick has consistently put the ball in the hoop. With Raymond Felton out it will be interesting to see the ball movement or lack there of on offense. Woodson’s offense has been unwatchable at times with one player dribbling and the other four just watching. This would be a great time for the Knicks to give rookie Toure’ Murry some burn at the point. Murry was impressive in the preseason and might give the Knicks the spark they need to get going. Another player in need of a spark is J.R. He continues to struggle from the field, which leaves Anthony to carry the load by himself. If Smith can get going and Shumpert can shake off the trade rumors and get back to his usual form the Knicks can definitely get an edge on Indy. 

If Bargnani continues to score and lure Hibbert out of the paint to make room for Anthony and company and Martin can out-tough West that leaves Anthony vs. George and Smith vs. Stephenson two matchups I have faith in the Knicks winning. If Murry and or Shumpert hold George Hill from launching 3’s the Knicks are in business. Unfortunately all of this means nothing without effort; hopefully the Garden is jumping and infuses much needed energy. Let’s see what type of team comes out tonight.

PETITION TO SAVE SHUMP

https://www.change.org/petitions/mr-dolan-do-not-trade-guard-iman-shumpert

Since the Knicks were eliminated by the Pacers in the second round of last year’s playoffs the team has been looking to make moves to please soon to be free agent Carmelo Anthony. Every move the Knicks have made or plan to make in the near future revolves around re-signing their franchise player. Trading the Knicks only real asset and player that Melo thinks highly of is not the smartest move. It is also unwise to trade away your only line of defense when James Harden, Kobe, Westbrook and Rose come to town.

Iman Shumpert has fallen out of favor with both Owner James Dolan and Head Coach Mike Woodson making him most likely to leave. The team already tried to get Kenneth Faried in exchange for Shump and it is reported more teams have inquired about the talented shooting guard. Trading Shumpert would be a panic move that the Knicks will regret just as much and maybe even more than not matching Jeremy Lin’s offer sheet. 

Please help talk some sense into James Dolan and sign our below petition to keep Iman Shumpert in the Orange and Blue!! 

PETITION: MR. DOLAN DO NOT TRADE SHUMP

Shump Trade Rumors: Denver, Pacers in the Mix

via Getty Images

It seems like déjà vu all over again. Another Knick might be heading to Denver. Or will it be Indy? News broke yesterday that the Knicks are in trade talks with Denver to acquire Kenneth ‘The Manimal’ Faried in exchange for Iman Shumpert. There have also been several other reports that numerous teams have inquired about Shump. One source points to the Pacers as a landing spot for the energetic guard, which for many would be heart breaking. Indy without Shump looks dangerous, but with him they could be the league's elite. 

However, the move that seems most likely and is being talked about around the blogesphere is the swap with the Nuggets. Frank Isola of the Daily News reported that Shumpert who was taken ahead of Faried in the 2011 Draft has fallen out of favor with both Coach Mike Woodson and owner James Dolan. If indeed this trade happens, is this a good move for the Knicks?

Case for Faried

The team gets a much needed front court presence that’s good for 10 rebounds a night and someone who goes 100 miles per hour every minute he’s in the game. With Tyson Chandler out he immediately becomes Knicks best rebounder and fills that huge void as defensive interim captain. When Chandler returns he and Faried have the potential to be one of the top frontcourts in the league. Most importantly it saves Melo from the punishment of having to fight with the likes of Z-Bo and Kevin Love night in and night out. Financially the Knicks get a cheaper contract in Faried helping lower that salary cap for room to re-sign Melo and clear more room for Jim Dolan’s grand spending spree in 2015.

Case for Shumpert

Shumpert is more than just a starting shooting guard for the Knicks. He is one of the leaders on this team. He is a huge fan favorite as one of the founder of the #Knickstape moniker to being out in the community. On the court Shumpert is no doubt the best perimeter defender on the team. He is virtually the only line of defense when players like Derrick Rose, James Harden and Kobe come to town. He has shown improvement on offense, developing a three-point and mid-range shot. If it is true that Shump has fallen out of favor with James Dolan and Coach Woodson it will be interesting to see how Melo takes this. When rumors swirled about Shumpert being traded to the Suns Melo was not happy. The Knicks have to keep in mind they have to please Anthony with his impending free agency and dealing a player he is high on is not the best way to woo someone.

There is no doubt that someone like Faried is needed right now; but what about a year from now? Or two years? The Knicks supposed grand plan is to go after Kevin Love in 2015 so where would Faried go? Why not wait out Tyson’s injury and sign a cheap free agent?  These are interesting questions that General Manager Steve Mills has to answer before he makes his first big move since taking over for Glen Grunwald. 

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