# Making Knicks a .500 Team



## Kiyaman (Aug 14, 2006)

*Making Knicks a .500 Team *


*Making the Knicks an above .500 Team with the Roster they have now is easy.* 

The Knicks biggest mistake with Isiah Thomas at the helm is they had 5 coaches in just 4 seasons (Chaney, Wilkins, Herb, Brown, Isiah). 

Another mistake is putting Players in the Starting Lineup before they can take off their previous team Jersey. Way to many Knick Players should not have been in the Knicks Starting Lineup their first season with the Knicks *(Marbury, Crawford, Q.Rich, Curry, Davis, Jalen, Francis, Jefferies, and now Zack this upcomming season). Why?* 
Each one of the Players have a NBA Career History of being a "ONE on ONE" Player, not a Team-Player and that is the main reason why their Previous team did not want to keep them. 

NBA Sports Writers and Commentators are waiting for the beginning of the 2007-8 regular season to start so they could see all the major moves of Big Players this offseason "MESH" with their NEW teammates early in the season. 

Do we Knick-Fans see Zack Randolph making this Knick Team finally start meshing together on both sides of the court? or do we just see Zack making it easy for certain Knick teammates to score without being double-team by defenders? 

*For the Knicks to start the 2007-8 regular season getting off to a WINNING start of being a 500% and better team than they have to have "STARTERS" that are familiar with each others talents and skillz in certain situations.* 

*1)* The Marbury/Crawford Tandem is not great but they do know each others talents/skillz in alot of situations on the court. 

*2)* The Curry/Lee Tandem has been the best Bigman Tandem that compliments each other on this Knick-Team as Starters the last two seasons (each time they start together the Knicks start the game off with a decent lead vs any oponent). 

*3)* A healthy Q.Richardson (mentally) likes to play his HEART-OUT at the SF-Position with Crawford as his SG and David Lee as his PF. Q.Rich physical injuries do not stop him from having a well played game with Crawford & Lee on the court with him. 

*The offseason addition of Zack Randolph is "GOOD and BAD" for this Knick-Team. It's GREAT if Zack do not Start early in the season unless injuries to Curry or Lee. Maybe, by midseason Zack Randolph could become a Full-Time Starter, Maybe.* 

Zack Randolph should be the BEST backup to Curry or Lee, for the Knicks to have a Successful Season, *Zack comming off the bench with Players like Balkman, Nate, and Collins would give this Knick Team a strong deep depth off the bench.* 
If Jared Jefferies is getting his thing together this offseason knowing NOW after one season of learning how his teammates talents and skillz flow on the court could also bring more depth off the bench. Making Jefferies a Starter last season with him being CLUELESS to his teammates performance is a major reason for a 33 WIN season *(SAVE-FACE coaching*).

*Starting Zack Randolph because of his Star Stats of 23-10 is a "SAVE-FACE" FOOLISH mistake that will lead to an unsuccessful Knick season.* Especially having knowledge of why David Lee had such a successful 2006-7 season. 
*It was not Lee's double-double Stat that made Lee have such a great season, it was David Lee COMPLIMENTARY Talents with his Teammates. He made his teammates talents and skillz shine.* 

*Example,* the Toronto Rapters had a somewhat decent Bigmen lineup with C/F-Bosh in the middle of everything with their Bigmen rookies well performances. Would you mess-up Toronto Bigmen STARTERS by adding this new player Zack Randolph who just arrived to the team to the Starting Lineup? or would you have Zack comming off the bench to earn him-self a Full-Time Starters job by meshing with his teammates first???


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## Da Grinch (Aug 17, 2002)

You start the best players and the players who give yoiu the best chance for good starts and ultimately wins , and really at this point zach randolph migh actually be the best player on the knicks , he is a legit star entering his prime but a little further ahead in his progress than eddy curry.

there were times last season when knick players were not hitting their shots from the outside and the opposing team was able to swarm and stop curry , the other supposedly more versatile big man often came up empty in those lean times and almost always in those situations the knicks lost .

this year it might be very different ...they now have another consistent scorer down low to run the offense through and teams would now have to be reluctant to double either if they learn to look for each other.

Zach requires a double team to stop as does curry , but Randolph is a better ballhandler and passer, rebounder and shooter but Curry is areal dominant scorer under the hoop and there really aren't that many of those walking around in the nba .

this team should be a good bit above .500 if things go well.

for chemistry purposes the quicker you get your best players playing together i say the better.

for the record even without the trade i felt the knicks would be a .500 team next season but basically i feel the knicks got maybe a top 7 PF on a team started the worst starting PF in the league last season ...this year its not so inconcievable that Randolph is the best or 2nd best PF in the east.

the knicks were a team that got off to numerous slow starts last season , i think having another powerful offensive option could be the cure for that , its was shown that David Lee had no impact on the slow starts when he started last season .

zach randolph is exactly what the knicks need on offense if Thomas' vision of a power team is to be realized , on defense is another story but even then he helps , he is a very good rebounder and an avg. man defender basically vs. Frye there is no downside

and really Lee has great chemistry with the 2nd unit he has never started for any extended amount of time , so to start him over a player convential wisdom will have that guy starting over him eventually only slows down the team gelling.


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## Bubbles (Nov 12, 2005)

I think reducing their payroll would help down the line.


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## Kiyaman (Aug 14, 2006)

> You start the best players and the players who give yoiu the best chance for good starts and ultimately wins , and really at this point zach randolph migh actually be the best player on the knicks , he is a legit star entering his prime but a little further ahead in his progress than eddy curry.
> 
> there were times last season when knick players were not hitting their shots from the outside and the opposing team was able to swarm and stop curry , the other supposedly more versatile big man often came up empty in those lean times and almost always in those situations the knicks lost .


Watup DaGrinch, I like your B-Ball philosophy, but this one I have to disagree on. 

I'm speaking about the Knick-Players that have Chemistry together, that will use their Logic together to out-play the different types of oponents they get at the Start of each game. Because they are alot familiar with their teammates Talents and Skillz at the many situations on the court. 

I'm not speaking about Best Scoring Stat Players (No-Defense Zack Randolph). 
Those type of Players we Knick-Fans should know about. Marbury 20-10 before a Knick, Francis 20-7 before a Knick, Jalen Rose 15-5-5 before a Knick, I can go on and on. 

*You have two types of Players in this NBA league?* 
1) You have the "ONE on ONE" Players like Kobe "Bryant & Iverson" 
2) You have the "Team-Players" like Lebron & Tim Duncan. 
All 4 players are capable of scoring 20 or more points a game on any given night. 

Well, the majority of all the traded Players that are on the Knicks Roster are "ONE on ONE" Players (And Zack Randolph is not a TEAM-PLAYER). 
So if the Knicks are going to Start three "ONE on ONE" Players in Marbury, Crawford, and Curry, then they must put two "TEAM-PLAYERS" Q.Rich & Lee in the Starting Lineup with them. This way there wont be any controversy amongst the STARTERS this season. 

*Answer this about Last season? 
Did Francis deserve to Start over Crawford?
Did Jefferies deserve to Start over Q.Rich? or even Start period? 
Did Frye deserve to Start over Lee? 
That is three Major-Mistakes early in the Season that was not fixed at the start of midseason. And alot of Knick-Fans wonder WHY Season-Injuries happen to Q.Rich, Crawford, and Lee???* 

The only good thing that I can say about getting Zack Randolph is the Knicks dont have NO Consistent scoring-Player in the 4th quarter (and at Crunchtime), but Zack is not a CrunchTime player either (His Team just got the first LOTTERY Pick). However, the Knicks have Scorers on this team so adding Zack gives the Knicks plenty options in scoring in the 4th quarter. 
Scoring in the first three quarters are easy for Carmelo Anthony but teams be shutting him down in the 4th quarter, that is why his team got Allen Iverson.


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## da1nonly (May 8, 2006)

I think zachs ego wont let him not start


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## Ruff Draft (Nov 21, 2004)

In Isiah We Trust.


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## Kiyaman (Aug 14, 2006)

*At the Start of the 2007-8 regular season the Knicks Starters must START each game "READY" and prepared to get off to a great start vs each NBA team oponent.* 
The Knicks Bench have a strong deep depth that gives this Knick Team the 500% quality it need with David Lee or without David Lee coming off the Bench. 
It has always been the Knick Starters that been needing the most help in the First Quarter and 3rd Quarter of each game. 
*Give Complimentary Player PF-David Lee the oportunity to START the first 20 games alongside the Leadership of SF-Q.Richardson this upcomming season.* 

*The last Four offseasons of Isiah Thomas NEW additional players for the "Starting Lineup" had each one of us Knick-Fans optimistic throughout the offseason of dreaming of a successful Knick regular season (with this new player in the Starting Lineup). Which has not happen yet.* 
Tim Thomas & Crawford
Q.Richardson & Curry 
Francis & Jefferies 
And Now Zack Randolph 

*Each one of the above Players Performances showed they were not ready to be a Starter in their first full season with the Knicks.* 
This is the BIG(*Media New York*)Apple, is Zack ready for the New York crowds and controversal Media? 
None of the above players were prepared to "MESH" with the other Knicks Starters so soon on the team after Training Camp and Preseason games. 
Do you think Zack is different? 

It has not been easy for alot of Knick teammates to "MESH" with Marbury & Curry in a rotation, so how could I expect a player like Zake Randolph to start "MESHING" with the two players in the STARTING-LINEUP? 

PG-Steve Nash seems to earn at least 4 of his assists per game from Amare Stoudemire. Can we Knick-Fans say the samething about PG-Marbury assists to Curry????????


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## Da Grinch (Aug 17, 2002)

Kiyaman said:


> Watup DaGrinch, I like your B-Ball philosophy, but this one I have to disagree on.
> 
> I'm speaking about the Knick-Players that have Chemistry together, that will use their Logic together to out-play the different types of oponents they get at the Start of each game. Because they are alot familiar with their teammates Talents and Skillz at the many situations on the court.
> 
> ...


to me you play the guys who give you the best chance to win.

in the nba today you cant win if you cant score and if you are the knicks its almost a certainty they are going to have to beat teams with offensive efficiency.

they got curry and Lee shooting nearly 60 % from the field, randolph should shoot much better on a team with real scoring options , he basically had Roy as the only other guy whom you could call a scorer to help him.

teams could cheat a bit last season with frye giving nothing on many nights and sometimes guys like jeffries and lee being either reluctant or incompetent shooters, Randolph should have a great impact on slowing that stuff down...offensively he can hit the offensive boards , score inside , hit the J from outside and create off the dribble

on the knicks you have JC, Curry , marbury and Qrich all players who have avg. at least 17 points a game before and are still capable given the right circumstances...whereas on the blazers no such player exist on the entire roster outside of Roy who still hasn't reached that # yet.

as far as the group of marbury JC curry and richardson goes I think it was obvious they were gaining chemistry, I'm pretty sure when that group started together it had a winning record or was close to it...lee is a nice player and it is important to have guys who dont demand the ball, but last season it was proven he had a much greater impact off of the bench than he did as a starter , giving him the honor of starting is nice but not when it comes at the expense of a better player who more than likely gives the knicks a better chance to win.

Frye to me was a zero last year and yes Lee played better(much better in fact) but Thomas' job isn't just to win but also to develop his young talent and maintain their trade value (he's not just the Head coach but also the GM so he has to keep his mind on the big picture), at one point he was so disappointed with his 24 yr. old PF's he was starting Jerome james...and then malik rose.

2 defensive minded players because imo the combo of frye and Lee were not trying hard enough on D , it was a disaster on the court because james and rose kinda suck but i think it was more of a statement than anything else.

Thomas knows what he's doing he's been in pro ball for 27 years he is very capable of seeing who is playing well and who isn't but sometimes you cant go for immediate gains instead you have to go for future ones.

and I'll agree some player have gotten to start more off reputation and not on their actual game , but sometimes it was a good call that didn't work out, due to injury or some other unforseen happening.

but basically the good players will get their minutes , and I dont see much of a reason to get riled up about it when the actual season is still over 3 months from now, I still think Lee gets his 30 minutes and if he doesn't his biggest threat to minutes wont be randolph it will have been balkman who staistically had a better rook year and a dominant summer league while being basically a 3/4 just like Lee with most of the same strengths while being a very good defender.


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## Bubbles (Nov 12, 2005)

Step One - Cut Payroll
Step Two - Can Isiah
Step Three - Owner gets some common sense


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## Kiyaman (Aug 14, 2006)

Da Grinch said:


> to me you play the guys who give you the best chance to win.
> 
> in the nba today you cant win if you cant score and if you are the knicks its almost a certainty they are going to have to beat teams with offensive efficiency.
> 
> ...



At the end of this past season the question of the Knicks BEST player of the season was posted in alot of Forums. Alot of Knick-Fans put Eddy Curry. I put David Lee! I chose David Lee as the Knicks MVP for his passing-game and his outstanding hustle on both sides of the court to compliment his teammates (Best Complimentary Teammate on the Knicks). 

I did not add David Lee's Double-Doubles games on some of the Post-Season Teams and top players in deciding the Knicks MVP of the past season. 

Any and All WINNING Teams Starters has always had two or three Complimentary Players that are not the main scorers on the team. 
Players like: "Prince & Ben", or the best Complimentary player that I've ever seen was Horry & Divac. 

Any Team-Fan dont want their teams best complimentary-player traded.


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## Da Grinch (Aug 17, 2002)

Kiyaman said:


> At the end of this past season the question of the Knicks BEST player of the season was posted in alot of Forums. Alot of Knick-Fans put Eddy Curry. I put David Lee! I chose David Lee as the Knicks MVP for his passing-game and his outstanding hustle on both sides of the court to compliment his teammates (Best Complimentary Teammate on the Knicks).
> 
> I did not add David Lee's Double-Doubles games on some of the Post-Season Teams and top players in deciding the Knicks MVP of the past season.
> 
> ...


i agree with you in theory that good teams need both star and complimentary players to be very successful, but its easy to trade for complimentary players , its very hard to get a team to deal its star to you.

also i kind of see lee as replacable right now , i think balkman can deliver alot of what lee brings in an expanded role...although i dont advocate trading either if its not going to bring about a serious upgrade for the team.

but i disagree on who is a better player i see Lee as no better than the 6th best player on the team , behind curry, marbury, randolph, crawford and possibly Qrich as well....and if comparable rookie seasons and summer league is a clue than balkman may pass him up soon enough as well.

but teams need glue guys and the knicks have a few of them in prominent roles already , Lee included.

the knicks actually have a bunch of guys capable of doing the dirty stuff (david Lee , Balkman , Jeffries, mardy collins Qrich to name some ) its really on them and the star players to do what needed to win and all of them need improvement at something to help make that happen.


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## AFunk4Life (Jan 10, 2003)

Quite Frankly said:


> Step One - Cut Payroll
> Step Two - Can Isiah
> Step Three - Owner gets some common sense


This is the smartest comment I have seen regarding the Knicks getting back to respectability. Amen brother. Please!!!! Can the Knicks go in that direction????


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## Kiyaman (Aug 14, 2006)

Da Grinch said:


> i agree with you in theory that good teams need both star and complimentary players to be very successful, but its easy to trade for complimentary players , its very hard to get a team to deal its star to you.
> 
> also i kind of see lee as replacable right now , i think balkman can deliver alot of what lee brings in an expanded role...although i dont advocate trading either if its not going to bring about a serious upgrade for the team.
> 
> ...


In the last two seasons the only time I seen Knick Chemistry on both sides of the court was from players Frye, Nate, Lee, and Balkman. 

*ONE on ONE Scoring dont WIN much Games.* 
I have yet to see any chemistry or teammate bonding from Marbury, Crawford, Curry, Jefferies, and James. They showed one-dimensional ONE on ONE performances as a Knick.


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## Da Grinch (Aug 17, 2002)

Kiyaman said:


> In the last two seasons the only time I seen Knick Chemistry on both sides of the court was from players Frye, Nate, Lee, and Balkman.
> 
> *ONE on ONE Scoring dont WIN much Games.*
> I have yet to see any chemistry or teammate bonding from Marbury, Crawford, Curry, Jefferies, and James. They showed one-dimensional ONE on ONE performances as a Knick.



i think marbury and crawford show a great deal of chemistry(starting next to each other both have been able to claim their best seasons.) , also crawford and curry show a phenomenal amount of chemistry ...now marbury and curry ? thats another story.

jeffries missed or came off the bench for most of last season , its hard to form chemistry with 3 starters under those conditions.

james ...is not very good is often hurt , out of shape and throughout his tenure as a knick has almost always come off the bench save for a 11 game experiment.

also on offense the knicks before the injuries hit in march were actually a top 10 team in the league despite a bad start offensively and in general.

and 1 on 1 teams can win and win big if thats how they are built to run and the guys going 1 on 1 are good enough to get their team wins.

the best 1 on 1 player of the last 20 years has 6 titles.(MJ)


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## Kiyaman (Aug 14, 2006)

Da Grinch said:


> i think marbury and crawford show a great deal of chemistry(starting next to each other both have been able to claim their best seasons.) , also crawford and curry show a phenomenal amount of chemistry ...now marbury and curry ? thats another story.
> 
> jeffries missed or came off the bench for most of last season , its hard to form chemistry with 3 starters under those conditions.
> 
> ...



The thing that bothers me the most about these Knick players is that the Head Coach that made them a Knick dont know how to utilize any of their talents. 
*Our Knick Head-Coach STUNK-BAD last season.* 
The truth be said Marbury & Crawford should've been Starters together for the Last three seasons. 
I just read somethings that ESPN had to say about the Knicks this offseason. I'm going to copy it and put it in the next response.


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## Kiyaman (Aug 14, 2006)

*ESPN had alot to say about the Knicks making the Playoffs this season:* 
KG threw a big Monkey-Wrench in the Knicks chances of making the Playoffs this season. 

*Does the addition of Zach Randolph make the Knicks a postseason lock?*
*Abbott:* If I'm right that Chicago, Detroit, Boston, Cleveland, Miami, Toronto, and probably New Jersey will make the playoffs, then there's one spot left. The Knicks may well take it, but they're not a lock for anything. Practically every player on the roster needs the ball to be effective. I hope it'll work out, but I wouldn't count on it. And they'll have to beat out Orlando, Washington, Philadelphia and everyone else. 

*Hollinger:* Not with that defense, no. The only lock here is that the Knicks will be a bottom-five defensive team with that Curry/Randolph frontcourt. Maybe they sneak in and maybe they don't.

*Stein:* Even though I thought trading for Zach was a worthy risk for Isiah Thomas, if his owner is willing to take on the added expense, I have to see how Randolph and Eddy Curry co-exist before I buy all the way in. I know Zach can step out and hit jumpers, but I still have doubts about how those two divvy up the offensive touches on top of their shared defensive shortcomings. 

*Thorpe:* No. We still need to see how Eddy Curry does when the offense does not revolve around him. And they will struggle to defend people inside. Toronto, Orlando, New Jersey, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and Boston are all better on paper, leaving just one spot. And Charlotte plus the Hawks will be improved, too.

*Bucher:* It makes them a lock for the most volatile chemistry experiment, on and off the court. I'm most interested to see how the league determines who to suspend if an altercation occurs between teammates and someone leaves the bench area.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=Roundup-EastPower 

1) Billups will lead the *Pistons* to the Playoffs.
2) Kidd will lead the *Nets* to the Playoffs
3) Lebron will lead the *Cavs* to the playoffs
4) T.J Ford will lead the *Rapters* to the Playoffs 
5) Hindricks will lead the *Bulls* to the Playoffs 
6) Wade will lead the *Heat* to the Playoffs 
7) The *Celtics* new PG ??? will lead Boston through some Post season games. 

Now the 8th, 9th, and 10th seed spot is open to 
Arenas *Wizards*, 
Jameer Nelson *Magics*, 
And Marbury *Knicks*.


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## Kiyaman (Aug 14, 2006)

We must not forget about the Veteran Leadership of Steve Jackson is back in the East, this time alongside of Felton & Okafor, and if they resign PG-Brevin Knight passing abilities so that the Boston Celtics dont go over the Luxury Tax to get him with their MLE. *The Knicks is DEAD 9th or 11th seed material if they Start Curry & Zack for 82 games this 2007-8 season.* 

Now if the Knicks Start David Lee for 82 games this season with Curry, and have Zack, Balkman, Nate, and Collins come off the bench for some serious playing-time minutes the Knicks are LOCKED for the 5th to 8th seed playoff spot.

But every sports writer knows Isiah Thomas will not do that because he is a *"SAVE-FACE"* Coach who is stubborn to admitt that Jerome James, Jared Jefferies, and now Zack Randolph is not a STARTER on this Knick Roster, especially in their first season as a Knick...


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