mafra
Legend
No one could blame the loss on ball movement, shot distribution or the growing pains of Carmelo Anthony learning to co-exist with Amar'e Stoudemire. When the Knicks needed points Tuesday night against the Indiana Pacers, they found a way.
The problem instead was the same problem Mike D'Antoni's team has experienced for quite some time now. When the Knicks need a defensive stop, they never seem to find a way.
"That's going to be our Achilles heel," Mike D'Antoni said. "We're going to dance with certain guys and we have to figure out how to guard."
Anthony was visibly frustrated when the buzzer sounded.
He had pleaded with Jared Jeffries to throw him the ball at the top of the circle even though D'Antoni's play with 0.3 seconds left was for Jeffries to throw the ball to the rim and hope that Landry Fields could tap it in.
The Pacers were committed to protecting the basket and allowed Anthony to roam free by the three-point line, but Jeffries ignored him and threw the ball toward the rim, but it was knocked away.
"I'm thinking go for whatever is open," Anthony said after the Knicks lost their third straight. "I really don't know what everyone else was thinking. If I see somebody backing up on me like that, get it to me and let's see what happens from there."
It would have been a low-percentage, bang-bang play. Did Anthony have a chance? Sure. But the Knicks would not have needed a miracle if they could defend consistently.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/b..._end_of_game_as_pacers_beat_knicks_11911.html
The Knicks overcame a 15-point late-third-quarter deficit to put them in position to win. Rugged Pacers forward Tyler Hansbrough again brutalized the Knicks, scoring a career-high 30 points to eclipse the career high of 29 he set in Sunday's win. Hansbrough punctuated his night with a vicious dunk on Stoudemire.
Anthony seemed to be taking a poke at the team's defensive strategy after the game when asked about Hansbrough's night.
"We all know what he's capable of doing -- he hasn't been missing that shot," Anthony said. "I don't think we made adjustments to him at the top of the key, especially after the game he had in the Garden. I'd think we'd make adjustments after that."
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knic...er_seals_eTE4bdWqtDpKPnaJTHSzFJ#ixzz1Gm4nvtb3
(AND THEN... look at how coach reacts after the loss last night)
Mike D?Antoni is no longer as forthcoming as he was when he first took over the Knicks. (The media and the Garden's media policy can break even the most loquacious coach.)
But there are certain topics that act like truth serum when asked to D'Antoni. One is asking him about his reluctance to coach defense. Another is whether his style can win and NBA championship. Those topics get his blood boiling.
And now we have a new topic. It's any and all discussions about pre-Melo Knicks vs. the Melo Knicks. When D'Antoni was asked on Tuesday why Denver is 8-2 and the Knicks 6-5 since the Carmelo Anthony trade, the truth serum starting taking effect.
"There's a lot of things," he said. "We were going well on a team that was playing a certain way and in the playoffs and (the Nuggets) were kinda up and down because of the situation that was there.
"One is like taking a restrain off of them and 'wow, look at what we got.' And ours was 'we don't know what we have.' (Also), different expectations.
(Denver is good), they have some good players. You never know what chemistry is and what it's going to be. (Denver) is playing well, which is good. I'm glad to see Wilson (Chandler) and Raymond (Felton) ... they had great games last night. Gotta love them. But we have our own job to do and we've got to do it better."
We were playing a certain way and in the playoffs? We don't know what we have? Very interesting.
What D'Antoni said next is also revealing. Chandler and Danilo Gallinari were part of some brutal Knick teams and barring a complete collapse they will make the playoffs for the first time with Denver. Asked if he is happy for his former players, D'Antoni said: "They're great guys and they did everything they could to make us successful. We just saw an opportunity to get a superstar and we think that's the right thing to do."
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/b..._end_of_game_as_pacers_beat_knicks_11911.html
There you have it folks. We're getting close to the end of the Mike D'Antoni era. Good riddance! Sure, this might be harsh and even unwarranted... but it is what is is and it's time for a change.
Most of us are aware that george Karl is a much better coach. I'm not looking at his 8-2 record since the trade and indictment on MD b/c NY is only 6-6 since the deal... I see if the other way, Karl takes 4 players from the Knicks... who were losing players in NY for their careers, and only a .500 team with MD this season... And now these same players are 8-2 (and playing defense). This is the indictment on MD.
I was thinking about during the All-Star weekend... Nyets were back at it (or so we heard) and had a deal to get Carmelo... We're hearing how Walsh was hesitating breaking up the squad, and how D'Antoni wanted Deron Williams anyway...
I'm like... HEY DONNIE... just call Utah and try to make a deal for the PG. After all, if we're going to stay with MD and run his system moving fwd... wouldn't it make more sense to trade for Deron over Carmelo?
FOR EXAMPLE:
According to NBA Confidential, the Jazz would have tried to trade Deron Williams to the Knicks instead of to the cross-river rival New Jersey Nets if the Knicks hadn't landed Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets. O'Connor decided to call whichever team lost out on Anthony to offer up Williams, the site reports.
Walsh told the site that things might have gone differently if he had known that Williams was actually available at the time.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/rumors/post/Knicks-could-have-had-Deron-Williams-?urn=nba-332642
This can't be on the level. I mean, if Walsh had no clue that Utah was prepared to send Deron to NY... then he should be fired immediately. HOw could he not even enterain the notion and place a phone call?
I believe this was all Dolan-driven... Dolan wanted Carmelo b/c he would sell more seats. OK. Maybe they were even a little greedy. Trade for Carmelo now and then sign Deron after next season. If they deal for Deron, then they have no shot at Carmelo.
BUT... what is clear... the moment the decided to pass on the PERFECT MD PG... the moment the chose to trade for Carmelo over Deron... that was the moment Mike D'Antoni had to know he was/is a goner when this season ends, or (at the very least) when his contract expires. Probably much like Donnie Walsh.
AND... to nobody's surprise... Carmelo will blame anyone and everyone for the Ls... Right now he'll get away with it. That means MD is walking the plank... heading to the gallows,, blindfolded on the firing line.
The problem instead was the same problem Mike D'Antoni's team has experienced for quite some time now. When the Knicks need a defensive stop, they never seem to find a way.
"That's going to be our Achilles heel," Mike D'Antoni said. "We're going to dance with certain guys and we have to figure out how to guard."
Anthony was visibly frustrated when the buzzer sounded.
He had pleaded with Jared Jeffries to throw him the ball at the top of the circle even though D'Antoni's play with 0.3 seconds left was for Jeffries to throw the ball to the rim and hope that Landry Fields could tap it in.
The Pacers were committed to protecting the basket and allowed Anthony to roam free by the three-point line, but Jeffries ignored him and threw the ball toward the rim, but it was knocked away.
"I'm thinking go for whatever is open," Anthony said after the Knicks lost their third straight. "I really don't know what everyone else was thinking. If I see somebody backing up on me like that, get it to me and let's see what happens from there."
It would have been a low-percentage, bang-bang play. Did Anthony have a chance? Sure. But the Knicks would not have needed a miracle if they could defend consistently.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/b..._end_of_game_as_pacers_beat_knicks_11911.html
The Knicks overcame a 15-point late-third-quarter deficit to put them in position to win. Rugged Pacers forward Tyler Hansbrough again brutalized the Knicks, scoring a career-high 30 points to eclipse the career high of 29 he set in Sunday's win. Hansbrough punctuated his night with a vicious dunk on Stoudemire.
Anthony seemed to be taking a poke at the team's defensive strategy after the game when asked about Hansbrough's night.
"We all know what he's capable of doing -- he hasn't been missing that shot," Anthony said. "I don't think we made adjustments to him at the top of the key, especially after the game he had in the Garden. I'd think we'd make adjustments after that."
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knic...er_seals_eTE4bdWqtDpKPnaJTHSzFJ#ixzz1Gm4nvtb3
(AND THEN... look at how coach reacts after the loss last night)
Mike D?Antoni is no longer as forthcoming as he was when he first took over the Knicks. (The media and the Garden's media policy can break even the most loquacious coach.)
But there are certain topics that act like truth serum when asked to D'Antoni. One is asking him about his reluctance to coach defense. Another is whether his style can win and NBA championship. Those topics get his blood boiling.
And now we have a new topic. It's any and all discussions about pre-Melo Knicks vs. the Melo Knicks. When D'Antoni was asked on Tuesday why Denver is 8-2 and the Knicks 6-5 since the Carmelo Anthony trade, the truth serum starting taking effect.
"There's a lot of things," he said. "We were going well on a team that was playing a certain way and in the playoffs and (the Nuggets) were kinda up and down because of the situation that was there.
"One is like taking a restrain off of them and 'wow, look at what we got.' And ours was 'we don't know what we have.' (Also), different expectations.
(Denver is good), they have some good players. You never know what chemistry is and what it's going to be. (Denver) is playing well, which is good. I'm glad to see Wilson (Chandler) and Raymond (Felton) ... they had great games last night. Gotta love them. But we have our own job to do and we've got to do it better."
We were playing a certain way and in the playoffs? We don't know what we have? Very interesting.
What D'Antoni said next is also revealing. Chandler and Danilo Gallinari were part of some brutal Knick teams and barring a complete collapse they will make the playoffs for the first time with Denver. Asked if he is happy for his former players, D'Antoni said: "They're great guys and they did everything they could to make us successful. We just saw an opportunity to get a superstar and we think that's the right thing to do."
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/b..._end_of_game_as_pacers_beat_knicks_11911.html
There you have it folks. We're getting close to the end of the Mike D'Antoni era. Good riddance! Sure, this might be harsh and even unwarranted... but it is what is is and it's time for a change.
Most of us are aware that george Karl is a much better coach. I'm not looking at his 8-2 record since the trade and indictment on MD b/c NY is only 6-6 since the deal... I see if the other way, Karl takes 4 players from the Knicks... who were losing players in NY for their careers, and only a .500 team with MD this season... And now these same players are 8-2 (and playing defense). This is the indictment on MD.
I was thinking about during the All-Star weekend... Nyets were back at it (or so we heard) and had a deal to get Carmelo... We're hearing how Walsh was hesitating breaking up the squad, and how D'Antoni wanted Deron Williams anyway...
I'm like... HEY DONNIE... just call Utah and try to make a deal for the PG. After all, if we're going to stay with MD and run his system moving fwd... wouldn't it make more sense to trade for Deron over Carmelo?
FOR EXAMPLE:
According to NBA Confidential, the Jazz would have tried to trade Deron Williams to the Knicks instead of to the cross-river rival New Jersey Nets if the Knicks hadn't landed Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets. O'Connor decided to call whichever team lost out on Anthony to offer up Williams, the site reports.
Walsh told the site that things might have gone differently if he had known that Williams was actually available at the time.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/rumors/post/Knicks-could-have-had-Deron-Williams-?urn=nba-332642
This can't be on the level. I mean, if Walsh had no clue that Utah was prepared to send Deron to NY... then he should be fired immediately. HOw could he not even enterain the notion and place a phone call?
I believe this was all Dolan-driven... Dolan wanted Carmelo b/c he would sell more seats. OK. Maybe they were even a little greedy. Trade for Carmelo now and then sign Deron after next season. If they deal for Deron, then they have no shot at Carmelo.
BUT... what is clear... the moment the decided to pass on the PERFECT MD PG... the moment the chose to trade for Carmelo over Deron... that was the moment Mike D'Antoni had to know he was/is a goner when this season ends, or (at the very least) when his contract expires. Probably much like Donnie Walsh.
AND... to nobody's surprise... Carmelo will blame anyone and everyone for the Ls... Right now he'll get away with it. That means MD is walking the plank... heading to the gallows,, blindfolded on the firing line.