Mike Dougherty's blog
1) I also spoke to Donnie McGrath, who starred locally in high school before heading to Providence College. He?s spent the last two seasons playing in the Italian league, and knows Gallinari fairly well.
?He?s really good,? McGrath said. ?I saw the Knick fans react last night, and they probably just don?t know how good he is. He?s killed my teams most of the times we?ve played them. He?s really hard to guard. It?s crazy because he?s only 19 years old, and most of the people he?s going against are 25 and 30.?
2) Walsh was asked about the start of free agency next week, and indicated there?s no reason to assume the Knicks will not hit the open market looking for help. It seems the man in charge is amused by the way his game plan is being portrayed. He never intended to make it solely about LeBron James. There isn?t a lot of room to add salary, but there are ways to squeeze helpful pieces in. And how exactly will that work?
?I?m not going to tell you,? Walsh said. ?I?m going to be frugal.?
(regarding getting a PG)
?I think we could use help,? Walsh said. ?We could probably go in the way we are, but I think we?re going to look for help.?
New York Times article
3) According to Wilson [Kevin Wilson, Knicks director of international scouting], Gallinari has exceptional ball-handling skills for his size, a high basketball I.Q. and a jump shot that is much better than he showed in Europe. He can hit the N.B.A. 3-pointer consistently and is an adept passer with good court vision, Wilson said. But unlike the stereotypical European big man ? including his countryman Andrea Bargnani ? Gallinari is not content to float on the perimeter.
Wilson said that Gallinari aggressively drove to the basket and averaged 8 to 10 free-throw attempts a game this season. Gallinari was his team?s primary fourth-quarter option, as a scorer and a playmaker.
?He has toughness,? Wilson said. ?American guys over there heard that he was ?the Man,? so they wanted to put him in his place. They would pop him, they would ?bow him, they would hit him. He would take it. He wouldn?t get mad, he wouldn?t get rattled. Just come down, make a basket on them, look at them, wouldn?t back down.?
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