lilman_bklyn
Rotation player
This is getting ridiculous. The New York Knicks, after having a completely ineffective, dis-gusting season in 2005-2006, came back to have a mroe than decent showing, a showing which could have lead them to the finals if injuries didn't step in. But knicks refuse to see the good in that, instead they choose to shit on the team and the players who assisted the Knicks in even getting as close as they did to entering the playoffs. These So called Knick Fans need a little history lesson, and I guess I have to give it.
The New York Knicks made it to the championship game in 1999. That Knicks team, ran under my favorite Knicks coach (Jeff Van Gundy) was not coached well. Jeff even admitted to that in later years. That Knicks team, healthy, could have possibly beaten the Spurs. But Larry Johnson, as good as a defender as he was, could not guard Tim Duncan and Camby couldn't guard Robinson.Ewing would have made a difference. With that said, the next year could have saw the Knicks build on that title run and fix up the faults that clearly stopped the knicks from winning a championship. That off season, the Knicks hired Scott Layden as their GM. Instead of building a team that could have continued to compete for a title, Layden does nothing, makes no off season transaction just stands pat and sees the Knicks lose Pacers in the Eastern Conf. Finals. That off season Layden decides this is the time to get into GM mode, so he trades the expiring contract of Patrick Ewing, for Glen Rice, Luc Longley, Travis Knight, Vernon Maxwell, Lazaro Borrell, Vladimir Stepania and a couple of picks. The first two guys having long hefty contracts. To add to the problem, a year later Howard Eisley is brought in along with Shanndon Anderson, Clarence Weatherspoon, Othella Harrington, etc... Mind you two years prior the Knicks were in the Finals against the Spurs. The only thing stopping the Knicks from beating them was a healthy front court. The year following what would have been Patricks final year as a Knick, Chris Webber was available. Chris Webber prior to the knee injury, chris webber whose good friend Latrell Sprewell was campaigning for him to come to the knicks, the chris webber who wanted to get out of sacramento... The knicks were unable to sign him because of the excess money they had in the cap from the Ewing Trade and the Houston signing. This is all done under the watch of Scott Layden. The Knicks turn into a SHIT organization, they begin to lose bad. 2002, the Gods however are watching down on the Knicks... The Knicks are in the Lottery, they have the the number 7 pick in a CROWDED field of can't miss prospects. The knicks had at the time a Healthy Allen Houston, Latrell Sprewell (both averaging 20 points), Marcus Camby( 11 rebounds and 2 blocks pg) and Kurt Thomas(great defense and 10 rebounds pg). THis is what some people in the sports call a nucleous to build around. Scott Layden wasn't some people. No he was not.. Instead of picking up talents Nene, Caron Butler, or Amare Stoudemaire, he decides to trade the pick AND Camby and Mark Jackson, for Antonio McDyese and what turned out to be Frank Williams. Scott Layden didn't believe that a starting of 5 of Latrell Sprewell, Allan Houston, Mark Jackson, Marcus Camby and Nene or Amarie with Kurt Thomas coming off the bench would be something good for the knicks to have.
Anyhow, that is a brief history of what was happening before Isiah Thomas came to the Knicks. I agree that Thomas has made bad moves, Jeffries for one, and releasing Maurice Taylor and Jalen Rose when they could have used their expiring contracts in a trade during the trade deadline are the only ones I can honestly say were detremental to the team. Even the Jerome James signing, the knicks had no center @ the time and he was addressing a need, tryin to stop the bleeding.
Unlike the Layden years, the Knicks have a GM who understands what the team needs in order to possibly win a championship, not just get to the playoffs. He is adding players based on need and is focusing on getting the right group together in order to win a championship. People can attempt to shit on him all they want but the truth of the matter is, Isiah has made the knicks not only watchable again, but in a year or two on the cusp of challenging in the Finals. Scott Layden had a Finals team in his hands, all he had to do was make a wise move here or there, the knicks would have been back in the drivers seat challenging for a title, but that wasn't meant to be. He was content on keeping the team as is, and then adding talent that wasn't going to take the team over the top just keep them challenging for the playoffs..maybe.. The moves that Isiah has made has proven that he cares that the knicks haven't won a championship in over 30 years. He is not content with just making the playoffs.
Listen I am a Knicks fan from the days of Rory Sparrow, Louis Orr, Benard King and those guys. So I remember that spring afternoon and the Nba on NBC when Bob Costas and Pat Riley were doing the in studio analysis of some game, and Pat Riley saying, "You could win a championship with Patrick Ewing." And though he wasn't able to get that championship, he tried with the focus being, running that offense through Patrick Ewing. If patrick had a talented consistant scorer like Marbury on his team, Pat Riley's words would have came true. Isiah is here now all these years later, making basically the same claim. No Eddy Curry is not Patrick Ewing, but Stephon Marbury isn't Charlie Ward or Derek Harper either, the knicks have players who equal or surpass any player that was matched up with Ewing during those years they challenged for a championship, with the difference being a lack of defensive intensity. But as Van Gundy would always say, Defense can be taught.
I digress, back to my point, the knicks have assemebled a core (nucleous) of talent whch are gelling together.(and they may possibly, maybe have a chance of getting the best player in the NBA) If you fans can not see what Isiah is doing, there is really nothing I can say to you. I can only lead the horse to water.
FIN
The New York Knicks made it to the championship game in 1999. That Knicks team, ran under my favorite Knicks coach (Jeff Van Gundy) was not coached well. Jeff even admitted to that in later years. That Knicks team, healthy, could have possibly beaten the Spurs. But Larry Johnson, as good as a defender as he was, could not guard Tim Duncan and Camby couldn't guard Robinson.Ewing would have made a difference. With that said, the next year could have saw the Knicks build on that title run and fix up the faults that clearly stopped the knicks from winning a championship. That off season, the Knicks hired Scott Layden as their GM. Instead of building a team that could have continued to compete for a title, Layden does nothing, makes no off season transaction just stands pat and sees the Knicks lose Pacers in the Eastern Conf. Finals. That off season Layden decides this is the time to get into GM mode, so he trades the expiring contract of Patrick Ewing, for Glen Rice, Luc Longley, Travis Knight, Vernon Maxwell, Lazaro Borrell, Vladimir Stepania and a couple of picks. The first two guys having long hefty contracts. To add to the problem, a year later Howard Eisley is brought in along with Shanndon Anderson, Clarence Weatherspoon, Othella Harrington, etc... Mind you two years prior the Knicks were in the Finals against the Spurs. The only thing stopping the Knicks from beating them was a healthy front court. The year following what would have been Patricks final year as a Knick, Chris Webber was available. Chris Webber prior to the knee injury, chris webber whose good friend Latrell Sprewell was campaigning for him to come to the knicks, the chris webber who wanted to get out of sacramento... The knicks were unable to sign him because of the excess money they had in the cap from the Ewing Trade and the Houston signing. This is all done under the watch of Scott Layden. The Knicks turn into a SHIT organization, they begin to lose bad. 2002, the Gods however are watching down on the Knicks... The Knicks are in the Lottery, they have the the number 7 pick in a CROWDED field of can't miss prospects. The knicks had at the time a Healthy Allen Houston, Latrell Sprewell (both averaging 20 points), Marcus Camby( 11 rebounds and 2 blocks pg) and Kurt Thomas(great defense and 10 rebounds pg). THis is what some people in the sports call a nucleous to build around. Scott Layden wasn't some people. No he was not.. Instead of picking up talents Nene, Caron Butler, or Amare Stoudemaire, he decides to trade the pick AND Camby and Mark Jackson, for Antonio McDyese and what turned out to be Frank Williams. Scott Layden didn't believe that a starting of 5 of Latrell Sprewell, Allan Houston, Mark Jackson, Marcus Camby and Nene or Amarie with Kurt Thomas coming off the bench would be something good for the knicks to have.
Anyhow, that is a brief history of what was happening before Isiah Thomas came to the Knicks. I agree that Thomas has made bad moves, Jeffries for one, and releasing Maurice Taylor and Jalen Rose when they could have used their expiring contracts in a trade during the trade deadline are the only ones I can honestly say were detremental to the team. Even the Jerome James signing, the knicks had no center @ the time and he was addressing a need, tryin to stop the bleeding.
Unlike the Layden years, the Knicks have a GM who understands what the team needs in order to possibly win a championship, not just get to the playoffs. He is adding players based on need and is focusing on getting the right group together in order to win a championship. People can attempt to shit on him all they want but the truth of the matter is, Isiah has made the knicks not only watchable again, but in a year or two on the cusp of challenging in the Finals. Scott Layden had a Finals team in his hands, all he had to do was make a wise move here or there, the knicks would have been back in the drivers seat challenging for a title, but that wasn't meant to be. He was content on keeping the team as is, and then adding talent that wasn't going to take the team over the top just keep them challenging for the playoffs..maybe.. The moves that Isiah has made has proven that he cares that the knicks haven't won a championship in over 30 years. He is not content with just making the playoffs.
Listen I am a Knicks fan from the days of Rory Sparrow, Louis Orr, Benard King and those guys. So I remember that spring afternoon and the Nba on NBC when Bob Costas and Pat Riley were doing the in studio analysis of some game, and Pat Riley saying, "You could win a championship with Patrick Ewing." And though he wasn't able to get that championship, he tried with the focus being, running that offense through Patrick Ewing. If patrick had a talented consistant scorer like Marbury on his team, Pat Riley's words would have came true. Isiah is here now all these years later, making basically the same claim. No Eddy Curry is not Patrick Ewing, but Stephon Marbury isn't Charlie Ward or Derek Harper either, the knicks have players who equal or surpass any player that was matched up with Ewing during those years they challenged for a championship, with the difference being a lack of defensive intensity. But as Van Gundy would always say, Defense can be taught.
I digress, back to my point, the knicks have assemebled a core (nucleous) of talent whch are gelling together.(and they may possibly, maybe have a chance of getting the best player in the NBA) If you fans can not see what Isiah is doing, there is really nothing I can say to you. I can only lead the horse to water.
FIN