Let's not over react...

:calm: imp: :beer:

Alright, so things have not being going so great for the 'Bockers. The record is under .500, they've dropped 6 in a row and are 1-9 in the last 10. We've traded away talent, youth and size for big contracts on players that don't necessarily make the best match. The sky is ****in' fallin here, right?

Well hold up chicken little! There's still plenty to be hopeful for!

Let's start with some spring cleaning here:

1st up, STAT is NOT a FRAUD. He is a bonafied leader, proven himself on the road and at home to be so and is dragging this team into the playoffs, kicking and screaming. Yes we will make the playoffs! Which brings me to my 2nd point....

#2: We're going to the mo****in playoffs! With 5 games up on 9th place and were bound to win SOME games from here on out, we look poised to finish 7th or 8th. Some may think we will be eliminated in the 1st round, swept by one of the top 3 teams in the east. I remember something very similar being said before the playoff run of 8th seeded NYK in '94... oh yeah and again in '99. Let's p0nder that for a moment shall we?

#3 We just added some of the most proven players in the league. Proven, veteran, playoff experienced leaders. Mr. Big Shot himself in the big apple. This guy has lead his team to the promised land and has a finals MVP award that he won against Kobe's Lakers. Pedigree doesn't get ANY better then that. He took the Denver nuggets from a 1 man highlight show into a true Playoff contender in his first season there. Can he do it with the Knicks too??

#4 Carmelo Anthony is CLUTCH. No one in the league has hit more game winners then he has since he joined the league. He was born in NY and fought his way to get here. Some question him not just walking away from the nuggets in the offseason to get signed here. That would be irresponsible and stupid on his part. I'm glad he is not stupid enough to leave it until the offseason. No one knows what reprecussions that would of had and there could of been more roadblocks put in our way of getting him. We needed a 2nd superstar on this team. Outside of Dwight there is no other player in the league I would want on my team more then Carmelo. (**** kobe/lebron).

#5 PROGRESS. For the first time since we signed Marbury do I see a glimmer of hope for the Knicks. And not just hope for this season, but next season and the season after that, and every season moving forward from now. The knicks has been placed in a great position to win consistently. It's WAYY to early to lose our minds over this trade. I predict that it will go down as one of the best trades in Knicks history and lead us to consistent playoff appearances from here on out. Hell, even Jerry West is telling everyone to hold judgment on the trade. And he knows whats up. He practically built the modern day NBA team.

So, Patience... I know everyone is sick of hearing that. "We want a winner and we want it now!" Right? Well the available options for us were pay mediocre players to keep us in limbo, blow up the team for draft picks and develop a winner over several years, or blow up the team and pay some FA's to come to town to try and win ASAP.

We did the latter and now we are going to the playoffs. A 1 year turn around, could it get any faster then that? What team is more improved then we are? Last year we watched as ****ing Toronto ended ahead of us in the Atlantic division. This year.. well this year is just gettin started.

94 Knicks were not seeded 8th or 7th: they were #2 in the east. The 99 Knicks were always said to "not be a true 8th seed." They had injuries all year and got their previously top-ranked team healthy, just in time for the playoffs.

Billups is okay: not as good now that he is old, but I am glad to have him; Melo is inconsistent in the playoffs, but I agree on STAT, and maybe he can give Melo enough help for Melo to do his thing.

Anyway, I think people are tired of D'Antoni's system:lack of defense, run-and-gun offense, etc., not our players.

Don't know about you, but I am looking forward to a scrappy, defensive-minded team, beyond the D'Antoni era.

^thanks for the correction on the 94 knicks, Honestly I left D'antoni out of my OP because if the fall continues on this season I can not see how he will remain with the team and I'm really not sold on his future with the team. The system has it's faults and it's strengths, but results is what matters in this business. And NY is not the most patient city when it comes to coaches failing, so unless he can do some real damage in the playoffs, I don't see how he remains here beyond next season.

(again, unless he brings us to the ECF next season at minimum)

p0nder said:

^thanks for the correction on the 94 knicks, Honestly I left D'antoni out of my OP because if the fall continues on this season I can not see how he will remain with the team and I'm really not sold on his future with the team. The system has it's faults and it's strengths, but results is what matters in this business. And NY is not the most patient city when it comes to coaches failing, so unless he can do some real damage in the playoffs, I don't see how he remains here beyond next season.

(again, unless he brings us to the ECF next season at minimum)

Click to expand...

I guess we agree, then, because I like our players a lot. I even began to like Gallo, prior to the Melo trade. I just want a tough-as-nails team, like those we had during the Ewing era.

I think we need a new coach, if we are to return to those good 'ol days.

Excellent creation of a thread p0nder & your 100% correct about having plenty of things to be thankful for. It coulf be much worse, especially for the long-time Knick fans who lived through the laughing stock years of Thomas with no hope at all. Those Thomas years were like an inmate locked up in prison for 60+ years with no hope to even dream about his or her release date. There was no hope & there was no future before both Walsh & MDA accepted this job, knowing damn well; that we wouldn't become serious contenders until next year. Rebuild for 3 years (which we have), & explode onto the NBA scene as serious contenders next year (which we will). Thats what this offseason is all about; the time to turn a playoff team into a serious playoff contender with 2 or 3 big-time upgrades. Just because we landed Melo doesn't change the fact that we need to upgrade our Center, defense, rebounding ability & bench depth during the offseason. The best has yet to come, but it's been a special feeling dreaming playoffs again.

My point is that with the players we have right now we are a threat in the playoffs this year. Even if we do lose in the first round, I am encouraged by the pieces we have moving forward. With another off season to practice and make some adjustments to the roster, adding in a 7 footer and perhaps another distributor/play-maker at the 1 or 2, this team is poised to get to the ECF and beyond.

I think it is an amazing turn around for the franchise. We went from Eddy Curry to Amar'e Stoudemire. We went from Chris Duhon to Chauncy Billups. We went from Gallo to Mello.

In 1 year.

That is truly remarkable and I think we should all applaud Donnie Walsh and the job he has done. The future in Madison Square Garden has NEVER looked brighter.

Our coach is also nearly irrelevant. The talent on this team alone is enough to bring us to the ECF next year.

You make some good points yet again.

Like you stated, we went from:

A) Curry to Amare
B) Gallo to Melo
C) Duhon to Billups

We also drafted Fields as the STEAL of the draft. Best Knicks rookie in ages. What an amazing feeling watching Fields hold down NY during the rookie-sophmore All-Star game. Quickly becoming a solid peremeter defender & has shown flashes of greatness as an off the ball player. Can shoot the mid range, step back & drain the 3, & has shown the ability to not only drive but also finish at the rim. The sky is the limit for Fields. Already considered one of the best rebounding guards around. Simply plays the game of basketball with a championship style of production/play. Any serious contender would drool over this rookie.

Toney Douglas also came into his own as a raw rookie from last year to a big time reason & piece why we're in the playoff hunt this year. Real spark off the bench, 6th man of the year ability & potential starter talent.

We're one of the most improved Franchise's around..