The Knicks try to do damage control with Gallo

Is it just me, or is Gallinari only good when his few good moments are "mixed?"


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OGKnickfan

Enlightened
Folks, the Knicks are now OFFICIALLY trying to hide Gallinari's whackness, in an attempt to continue to present him as the future of the Knicks, as well as Nowitzki 2.0 and a supposed lure for coveted 2010 free agents, like Lebron and Wade.

And who could argue that Wade and James stay up all night, thinking of how great it would be to play with "Il Gallo?" They know that, with Gallo at their sides, they could really win it all.

Anyway, here's an article that is comprehensive in all the excuses and fantasies we regularly read from the gallosexuals on this site: Gallo is really a rookie, Gallo is a 21 year old baby (other young stars, comprising about 90% of the league, are just extraordinary examples), Gallo has never (prior to this season) played professional basketball (*Milano doesn't count, except for D'Antoni's time there), and Nowitzki didn't have a great rookie year, either (I guess we can expect Joe Alexander to turn into Nowitzki, too: he also currently sucks).

Okay, folks.... here it is: Knicks hiding their a55, after having exposed it, for the world to see, with the Gallinari-at-six debacle:


Despite Recent Struggles, Gallinari Still Showing He's The Real Deal

by Mike Slane, nyknicks.com
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New York Knicks head coach Mike D’Antoni still considers Danilo Gallinari a rookie, and rightfully so. Even though the sharpshooting forward is in his second season, Gallinari has only played in 85 games after battling a back injury throughout his rookie campaign. That’s the equivalent of one full season and three playoff games.

So is it really a surprise that Gallinari has hit somewhat of a “rookie wall” past the midway point of this season? Gallinari started the year off strong, becoming one of the league’s best three-point shooters along the way, but has since seen his offense flatten out a bit in the final stretch of the season.

“I think what’s going on is he’s a 21-year-old rookie, and when you have a team that’s not real powerful everything is magnified,” D’Antoni said before the Knicks’ loss to Memphis on Saturday. “You want him to score 20 points and anchor a defense and win every game, but I don’t think that’s realistic right now for anybody. But I think he’s answered a lot of questions you would have.”

Some of the question marks surrounding Gallinari when the Knicks made him the sixth overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft were his defense and toughness. But those questions have since been answered. While his jumper has not been falling recently, he has stepped up on the defensive end and recorded a career-high four blocks in last Friday’s a win over the Wizards.

“Now, just as a team and him individually, we need to incorporate him a little bit better with his offense,” D’Antoni added. “He’s been off his shot a little bit for whatever reason.”

With five new players on the team after the Knicks made three trades at the league’s deadline over a week ago, Gallinari has been unable to adjust to his new teammates. In the five games since the roster overhaul that brought veteran scorers Tracy McGrady and Eddie house to New York, Gallinari has taken just 30 shot attempts and is averaging 7.2 points, over six points below his season average.

Gallinari, who led the league in 3-pointers for most of the season and participated in the three-point contest during All-Star Weekend, has also made only two 3-pointers on 14 attempts over the previous five games. Gallinari didn’t reach double figure scoring numbers since the trades until McGrady sat the entire second half and played only 15 minutes on Saturday.

“I don’t think it’s any (reason for) alarm,” D’Antoni said. “He’ll get better. He’ll get better this summer and do pretty well.”

There is no question Gallinari will continue to get better despite his recent slump. He has shown signs of offensive greatness this season, hitting seven 3-pointers on opening night in Miami and scoring 26 or more five times. And, maybe more importantly, his back has not caused any problems since undergoing surgery toward the end of last season.

Gallinari - along with forward Wilson Chandler – is considered the cornerstone for the franchise and the Knicks are willing to give the youngster time to develop. Gallinari has already drawn comparisons to Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki, one of the league’s best offensive big men for over a decade. And when you compare Gallinari’s numbers over his short career – 11.2 points and 4.1 rebounds – he’s already ahead of where Nowitzki was during his rookie year when he averaged 8.2 and 3.4.

Gallinari will have an opportunity to get his offense back on track when the Knicks visit LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday. You can be sure the confident “rookie” wants to bring his best when playing against the Eastern Conference’s best team.
 
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Paul1355

All Star
Gallinari has hit a rookie wall like I have never seen. This guy has no clue what he is doing on offense anymore. He shoots three's when he is contested and passes up the open shots.

If anyone watched last nights game against the Cavs...Gallo got an open shot from mid range...he was wide open and pump faked and then was contested and shot a fade away and missed....THESE ARE THE FOOLISH THINGS GALLO HAS SHOWN WHILE IN HIS SLUMP...HORRIBLE SHOT SELECTION THAT IS KILLING HIS CONFIDENCE. Mike D, the offensive genius, should be showing this guy how to play basketball and play to his strengths...Mike D honestly has no clue how to help Gallo, this is why I am worried that Gallo will have to try and figure out for himself how to get out of this slump...which might go all the way into next year at this point.
 

paris401

Starter
maybe he is not in a slump... maybe he just blows... there has been numerous players over the years who have dominated in college, yet blow when they get into the pro's.. maybe its the same for 'zip'ole coming from the italian league...
 

Paul1355

All Star
maybe he is not in a slump... maybe he just blows... there has been numerous players over the years who have dominated in college, yet blow when they get into the pro's.. maybe its the same for 'zip'ole coming from the italian league...

No because Gallo was very good in the start of the year...he became over confident and started thinking that he can make any three and started bricking shots...he then got contested and is now failing to realize that the has to get open off the ball or drive to the basket in order to score....for some reason an 18 year old like myself can see this but Mike D can't...and he's getting paid 6 million dollars....just sad.
 

knickzrulezH20

Sexy Stud
There's times when Gallo just camps out behind the three point line. I don't know if that is D'antoni's doing or is, because Gallo has shown a more improved dribble drive. Albeit he does get stripped sometimes b/c he dribbles a lil high, most result in him getting fouled or him getting a high percentage layup. When your in a slump chucking up threes won't get you out of that. And agreed with what Paul said about that shot, even Clyde was like "Wtf" lol. And did anyone else see Gallo's aggresiveness in the 4th quarter? Yes I know he was playing with scrubs, but once the starters went to the bench Gallo finally started being aggressive. He needs to be aggresive with the starting five.

Gallo's just in a slump, it's not DuDonkey's slump, he'll be fine imo, he'll be a star.

That being said, Brook Lopez is making those Nets look attractive, hope he gets in a slump so no big free agents go there.
 

TR1LL10N

Hannibal Lecter
I must admit that Gallo's play of late is really disappointing. I partially blame it on the rookie/sophmore wall, he still does not have NBA legs and seems burnt out by the long season. That said, he needs to be more assertive and call for the ball. He may be an elite 3 point shooter but he needs to stop impersonating a statue on the three point line. I would like to see him work run through some screens and pull up on a curl play for a midrange jumper. At 6'10" it will be very hard for a defender to alter his shot.

In the offseason Gallo needs to go to an athletic sports camp and really work on his quickness, legs and stamina. He has the raw talent and the jumpshot mechanics now he needs to build a body to utilize those natural gifts. Hating on him is not an option at this point...he has been disappointing but is certainly not a bust.
 

p0nder

Starter
Makes you wonder if Kiya's screaming about how gallo should only have been playing 20 mins a game was not just the ramblings of an incoherent Knicks Fan...

Honestly, it's just taking some time to mesh with the new parts of the offense. With T'Mac only playing when he wants/feels up to it and with many new players on our squad it will take some time for D'antoni to get it right and figure out how to incorporate Gallo into the offense better.

I like how D'ant has noticed his shot has fallen off and hopefully he encourages Gallo to drive the lane more and work on his first step and driving moves. These are the areas Gallo needs to improve, along with shot selection, but i feel that comes with experience.
 

LJ4ptplay

Starter
OG, you want Gallo to fail, so it is just you.


How come nobody is complaining about how much Chandler has fallen since TMac's arrival? Just seems odd to label a european player a complete bust half-way into his first season.

Where were all these comlpaints in December? Not a peep. Now that the Knicks are losing and Gallo is playing poorly, there is a new thread every day about how Gallo and D'Antoni are terrible. Do you want to be right more than you want the Knicks to win?
 

paris401

Starter
i don't see a fall-off with wilson... he has a nice all around game... 'zip'ole on the other hand looks like the 'proto-type' white player... good shooter as long as he is open...can't create his own space, and his fg % goes way down with a hand in his face...

maybe he is in a funk, maybe has hit the soph. wall, maybe his back his aching a bit, but i was not overly impressed with him in dec, and less so now..
 

abcd

KnicksonLIN.com
I think people are making excuses for Gallinari. Gallinari is a sophomore.
He's 21 years old, going on 22 in August.
  • <LI class=firstli>Danilo Gallinari
  • #8
  • Forward
Born: Aug 8, 1988
http://www.nba.com/playerfile/danilo_gallinari/index.html

Brook Lopez and Eric Gordon are about the same age as Danilo Gallinari, and they're producing better numbers than he is.
Brook Lopez: 19.1 ppg, 8.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.9 blocks
Eric Gordon: 17.4 ppg on 46% fg, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals
Danilo Gallinari: 13.8 ppg on 41.7% fg, 1.6 assists, .9 steals

People use the double standard of how he played against top competition in Europe, but when it doesn't convert to quality production at the NBA level, they make excuses for him.

I'm going to give Gallinari one more chance.
If he can't turn it around, in the 2010-2011 season, then I will consider him a complete bust. As of right now, I consider him an overrated role player with
3 point range, but if he improves, I'll give him credit. And if he continues to suck next year, I'll call him a bust.

41.7% fg for a 6'10 player is horrible. Bottom line.
Those are Quentin Richardson-like field goal percentages. Gallinari needs to block shots and post up, before I give him any credit. He doesn't have to rebound, because I understand he plays small forward, but defense and post up moves are the least he should be able to provide, at #6 in the 2008 draft.
Especially considering how fast Brook Lopez and Eric Gordon have developed their games.
 

New New York

Quiet Storm
Relax everbody, this is very typical of a young player

They guy has already played more games this season then he has his entire career. He is burning out while He is playing against players who are just starting to hit their stride!

Look even when he was shooting the lights out his game still needed improvement, I think we are just noticing his short comings more because the shots are not falling


Wilson hit this same slump last season!

Gallo still has potential to be very very good!
 

p0nder

Starter
I've got to C/S on abcd's evaluation of the situation. I see his defense improving but he needs to get better in the post and cutting in the lane/moving without the ball. His handles are lacking as well, but he's not a player that needs the ball that much, usually just long enough to shoot.

I do like his improvment on defense and he has quick hands and a good eye for picking off passes. That generates turnovers and points. If he can improve in cutting off the passing lanes and rotating on help defense at the right times, he'll be a good two-way player.
 

jimkcchief88

All Star
I think people are making excuses for Gallinari. Gallinari is a sophomore.
He's 21 years old, going on 22 in August.
  • <LI class=firstli>Danilo Gallinari
  • #8
  • Forward
Born: Aug 8, 1988
http://www.nba.com/playerfile/danilo_gallinari/index.html

Brook Lopez and Eric Gordon are about the same age as Danilo Gallinari, and they're producing better numbers than he is.
Brook Lopez: 19.1 ppg, 8.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.9 blocks
Eric Gordon: 17.4 ppg on 46% fg, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals
Danilo Gallinari: 13.8 ppg on 41.7% fg, 1.6 assists, .9 steals

People use the double standard of how he played against top competition in Europe, but when it doesn't convert to quality production at the NBA level, they make excuses for him.

I'm going to give Gallinari one more chance.
If he can't turn it around, in the 2010-2011 season, then I will consider him a complete bust. As of right now, I consider him an overrated role player with
3 point range, but if he improves, I'll give him credit. And if he continues to suck next year, I'll call him a bust.

41.7% fg for a 6'10 player is horrible. Bottom line.
Those are Quentin Richardson-like field goal percentages. Gallinari needs to block shots and post up, before I give him any credit. He doesn't have to rebound, because I understand he plays small forward, but defense and post up moves are the least he should be able to provide, at #6 in the 2008 draft.
Especially considering how fast Brook Lopez and Eric Gordon have developed their games.

Another dead-on-the-money post here by ABCD. First of all Gallo is not a rookie like ABCD said. Secondly, Gallo's contemporaries are out playing him by far. Thirdly, Gallo's shooting % is godawful. Now where is Metrosexual saying that Gallo "is a chucker"??? You look up "chucker" in the dictionary and there is a picture of Gallo. The man camps out 5 feet behind the 3pt line and wonders why nobody throws him the rock. Its ridiculous. Jamal at least went to the hole. Gallo couldn't take his own mama to the hole. The worst part is this is D'antoni's pet player. We passed on much better, NBA ready talent for this clown. The Knicks got sold a bill of goods. Gallo was nowhere near NBA ready physically, mentally, or skill wise, which says alot about the Euroleague. That says to me any team ranked #20 or above in the NCAA could go into the Euroleague and run it. Gallo needs to sign up for Patrick Ewing's big man camp this summer, and then go to Allen Houston's midrange camp, then go to Jerry Rice's conditioning camp, and then call Dwight Howard's strength coach.
 

SSj4Wingzero

All Star
I'm not selling out on Gallo yet. How many people probably thought Joe Johnson was going to be a bust when he averaged 6.3 PPG his rookie year and 9.6 PPG his sophomore year? The Celtics thought he was going to be a bust. The Suns weren't entirely sold on him despite his improvement to 16 PPG. Now he's emerged as a legitimate superstar in the league.

Gallo is in his second year in the NBA and he's playing better than Johnson did his second year in the NBA. Give Gallo a break.

We might be talking about how Eric Gordon would've worked out better for us. The Clippers probably also thought they made a wise pick by picking Tyson Chandler over Joe Johnson - and now they're shooting themselves in the foot for it.
 

jrdrny

Benchwarmer
I think people are making excuses for Gallinari. Gallinari is a sophomore.
He's 21 years old, going on 22 in August.
  • <LI class=firstli>Danilo Gallinari
  • #8
  • Forward
Born: Aug 8, 1988
http://www.nba.com/playerfile/danilo_gallinari/index.html

Brook Lopez and Eric Gordon are about the same age as Danilo Gallinari, and they're producing better numbers than he is.
Brook Lopez: 19.1 ppg, 8.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.9 blocks
Eric Gordon: 17.4 ppg on 46% fg, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals
Danilo Gallinari: 13.8 ppg on 41.7% fg, 1.6 assists, .9 steals

People use the double standard of how he played against top competition in Europe, but when it doesn't convert to quality production at the NBA level, they make excuses for him.

I'm going to give Gallinari one more chance.
If he can't turn it around, in the 2010-2011 season, then I will consider him a complete bust. As of right now, I consider him an overrated role player with
3 point range, but if he improves, I'll give him credit. And if he continues to suck next year, I'll call him a bust.

41.7% fg for a 6'10 player is horrible. Bottom line.
Those are Quentin Richardson-like field goal percentages. Gallinari needs to block shots and post up, before I give him any credit. He doesn't have to rebound, because I understand he plays small forward, but defense and post up moves are the least he should be able to provide, at #6 in the 2008 draft.
Especially considering how fast Brook Lopez and Eric Gordon have developed their games.
But out of the two players u named how many games have they missed
Brook:0
Gordan:4
Gallo:54
Thats 50 more games they played than him and still a decent player and i dont think gordan is that good. So i still think his a rookie.
 

Crazy⑧s

Evacuee
I think people are making excuses for Gallinari. Gallinari is a sophomore.
He's 21 years old, going on 22 in August.
  • <LI class=firstli>Danilo Gallinari
  • #8
  • Forward
Born: Aug 8, 1988
http://www.nba.com/playerfile/danilo_gallinari/index.html

Brook Lopez and Eric Gordon are about the same age as Danilo Gallinari, and they're producing better numbers than he is.
Brook Lopez: 19.1 ppg, 8.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.9 blocks
Eric Gordon: 17.4 ppg on 46% fg, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals
Danilo Gallinari: 13.8 ppg on 41.7% fg, 1.6 assists, .9 steals

People use the double standard of how he played against top competition in Europe, but when it doesn't convert to quality production at the NBA level, they make excuses for him.

I'm going to give Gallinari one more chance.
If he can't turn it around, in the 2010-2011 season, then I will consider him a complete bust. As of right now, I consider him an overrated role player with
3 point range, but if he improves, I'll give him credit. And if he continues to suck next year, I'll call him a bust.

41.7% fg for a 6'10 player is horrible. Bottom line.
Those are Quentin Richardson-like field goal percentages. Gallinari needs to block shots and post up, before I give him any credit. He doesn't have to rebound, because I understand he plays small forward, but defense and post up moves are the least he should be able to provide, at #6 in the 2008 draft.
Especially considering how fast Brook Lopez and Eric Gordon have developed their games.
Congratulations!!! That's your 100th post that mentions Brook Lopez.

Lopez > Knicks
 
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