Hollinger's East Predictions (pure comedy inside)

7. New York Knicks (35-31)



This might seem pessimistic in light of the hype coming from Gotham, but in the short term, I'm not sure the Knicks have dramatically improved. They've essentially traded Chauncey Billups for Tyson Chandler, which will help, but this is the wrong season to have a thin bench and brittle stars. Between Amare Stoudemire's knees and Chandler's toes, the Knicks are likely to feel the brunt of the schedule-makers' wrath.

Baron Davis, despite his weaknesses, will prove quite useful when he's able to play. Mike D'Antoni's system demands a point guard who can pass, and Davis can do that when he's not jacking up 3s with 20 on the shot clock. It's even more important given the Knicks' other high-profile moves -- they boast three of the best frontcourt finishers in the game, but nobody to get them the ball.

I factored half a season of Davis into my projection, figuring he will miss more than a quarter of the season with his current back injury and then some more with his next injury. When he's out, the Knicks have Toney Douglas running the point, which is less than ideal. While I like him as a player, he's a bad fit at the point in this system because he's blind as a bat.

Otherwise, the roster is a bit of a mess. Landry Fields and Iman Shumpert are nice prospects but aren't ready to be top-seven players on a contending team. Jared Jeffries and Renaldo Balkman are the top two frontcourt reserves. Really. And at some point the Knicks will have to play Mike Bibby in a real game.

About the best thing New York has going for it is, well, New York. Players are lured by the city, and, as with the Lakers, the Knicks have a great shot at signing any decent veteran who shakes free during the season via buyout, waivers or departure from China. Better yet, the Knicks still have their $2.5 million "under-cap" exception lying around to use on such a player.

Nonetheless, I have trouble envisioning a high seed for this team. The Knicks get more dangerous once the playoffs begin. If their three frontcourt stars and Davis make it to May upright, they'll be a very difficult first-round out. Getting to that point is the problem.

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Oakman88 said:

Pure Comedy Gold


Somebody please tell me what this dude has been mixing with his weed?

To make things even more comical .

He has

1 Miami
2 Chicago
3 Boston
4 Orlando
5 76ers
6 Indiana
7 Knicks
8 Bucks


Hawks are 9th.

He has hawks not making the playoffs. Sixers and Indiana both better than Knicks.

Even more comedy below.


1 OKC (45-21)
2 Denver (43-23)
3 SA (42-24)
4 Clippers (41-25)
5 Lakers (40-26)
6 Dallas (39-27)
7 Portland (38-28)
8 Memphis (37-29)

He has Memphis as being 8th seed out west. I guess when you get Rudy Gay back it makes you worst.

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