another well-coached, well-played game, except for the 4th quarter.
typical Asstoni.
Antoni!
another well-coached, well-played game, except for the 4th quarter.
typical Asstoni.
Ya. Our offense was the killer...tho Turiaf did give us good all around game flow..
I don't remember exactly, but wasn't Ronnie in the works when The Cripples began to mount their ultimate deathblow towards end of the 3rd?
Specially w Dolan right now, and the options out there, I'd much rather hold off all talk on jumping the ship on our players...and coach,
Till some very basic but very important things materialize:
Time for amare-melo, time for billups (especially to either heal, or get cut), and for Walsh to bring in one veteran big who is an NBA center.
Escalating Negativity Is Like Cyanide In NY City
.500
Perimeter sitting in the 4th. Where was the 3 man threat that NBA TV so recently praised as the league's most potent?
Where the **** was Ronny T when needed?
2 of the league's best scorers go for a combined zero points in the 4th?
Tell me how Philadelphia have, not only a better team, but a better record than we do. How the **** is that even possible?
If we end up under .500 and are swept in the playoffs, what will happen to this franchise?
Until this point in time, the amalgam of the trade, the cohesiveness that Melo has NOT brought to the team offensively and the effect it's had on Amar'e and Fields, as well as the 'stick in the mud' stratagem of D'antoni have quickly become the worst thing that has happened to the NYK this season.
It hasn't worked so far, and if it doesn't show some merit or real promise in the next week, I don't believe that Anthony has the personal resolve to handle the psychological strain of not meeting expectations as a NY basketball star that earns in excess of $20M.
Not saying he/we won't, but the likelihood of an implosion needs to be avoided with some real, heads down tweaking of a failing enterprise that's dealt away its chances of being something special, by not waiting 5 months to sign an individual who, thus far and undeniably, has brought it a very disappointing -.500 record.
MDA and Melo are under the scrutiny of New York's magnifying glass. If they can't find a solution to a snow balling problem, they'll burn like ants underneath it.
Time outs aren't always good in these spots. Especially when ur squad is inherently more confused, out sync, unprepared, etc...than opposition, let alone The Cripples.
Idk why ppl think a time out automatically means we leave the huddle in an improved position. The other team is game planning, too.
I was calling for a time out here r there that wasn't...but may have been more for emotional reasons.
Pierce was an animal, but he rose to that occasion on his own accord. Amare and Melo going for 0 in the 4th, amidst a final 10-0 Cripple...You can't hold these guys' hands when their problems are so painfully simple, and simply in their direct control.
Are you kidding??? Really. Time outs are momentum stoppers. He should have called one in the 3rd quarter when the Celts turned the game from 17-9. He should have called one in the fourth when they brought it within 4. He messed up this team badly at the end of this game.
Another loss that shouldn't have happened. 31-17...
I think the first 2/1/2 quarters showed this team is capable of defense. MDA showed he wasn't competent enough to coach at the end. The players panicked, for sure; but, so did D'Antoni. He needs to be a better leader.
It's gonna feel wierd being under .500 after Wednesday night..
Sometimes, yes. It's rarely a true momentum stopper, tho, as you mean it. Id have liked on at the end of 3rd, nonetheless.
But you mainly do TO's to get ur team a new strategic edge or adjustment, when you think you'll leave the huddle with this accomplished and most importantly the opposition can not.
You honestly think we call a TO when the oiled BOS machine, top to bottom, is grinding us down...That their "momentum" will somehow dissapear? Or that they won't simply add in a few fine tuning to their rock solid team play and gameplan?
Our team is worse. Our individual players are/can be better. Our team problem runs deeper than anything a TO can help, but does allow a better team the chance to make final adjustments on how to stop our players.
Yes. I think one time out can change a lot. A lot. Look at the bad pass by Billups which led to the dunk by Garnett. It gave confidence to Boston.
Momentum can change in a single moment. A time out, a well drawn out play, and basket can provide confidence and turn a game around.
The team was losing confidence. He needed to do something to help give it back to them. Letting Boston score on them again and again was not the answer.
We lost this game b/c Carmelo and Stoudemire scored ZERO points in the 4th quarter. Remember when AMAR'E was the best scorer in the NBA in the 4th earlier this season?
The encouraging sign is (once again) this team is competitive playing against above .500 teams. People can talk about DEN all they want, and to their credit they beat the bad teams they're supposed to beat. BUT, they do have players, their PG knows what his coach wants him to do, and the "new" Nuggets are humbled and fitting into Karl's rotation (not dominating the ball).
AGAIN. WARNING ALERT. WHO CARES ABOUT THE NEXT 12 GAMES? I predict the Knicks will go 7-5. Finish season 42-40. This should be good enough for the 6th spot. We do play PHI again, so maybe a win there is good enough to help us finish 1 game ahead of the Sixers. IF NOT, then so be it. Knicks will be the 7th seed. NY wont collapse to the point they slip into the 8th seed, or out of the playoff picture.
SO... AGAIN... WHO CARES. Don't drive yourselves nuts. Relax and treat the next 12 games like exhibition contests. Relish the fact we do get at least one playoff series.
THIS TEAM DESERVES our patience. I know it's hard, especially with that fool Mike D'antoni roaming the sidelines. Last night was another perfect example how the players were good enough to win, but the coach just spoiled any hope the players had to win the game.
AND... the main reason I can't stomach MD, is his offense lets us down when we need it most. He may know how offense works in theory and his system my bring out the best in players... BUt you put 1 minute on the clock, get in the half court situation, and he just turns into a spectator... and since his offense is about spacing not movement, well... you get what we see most games.... EPIC FAILURE to get an open look at a high pct shot.
SO... we just chill. Watch the next 12 games. Save our judgement for what happens in the first round. IF we get swept or ousted in 5... LET THE SLAMMING BEGIN. If we win, then the season was a success. If we battle and go 6-7 games... That at least shows us hope.
NEXT YEAR will be put up or shut up time. For coach and 'Melo. Well, 2012-2013 season will be... there wont be a season next year.
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