# Jamal Crawford starting



## Tapseer (Jun 13, 2002)

If we get Jamal Crawford, he starts over Allan 'Bum Knees" 
Houston. It shouldn't even be a question. Forget H2O's salary for a sec. All things being equal JC is younger, more athletic, and more versatile than H2O. Also factor in the X faxtor concerning H2O knees, it just makes more sense to have Allan come off the bench. Yes a backcourt with Starbury and a healthy H2O is good, but you switch that and put JC along with Starbury you put a lot more pressure on a defense. Also, I don't think you want a disgruntled JC talking about playing time and coming off the bench here. He started for Chicago, showcased his talents and is parlaying it for a big payday; he is not going to come off the bench.


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## truth (Jul 16, 2002)

i am with you Tap..He simply will not sign with a team to come off the bench...No WAY....


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## son of oakley (Dec 24, 2003)

I agree with you in principle, but politically it could be weird. If I were Isiah I'd tell him not to worry, between the PG and SG spot, and 3 guard alignments, he'll get his minutes regardless of who starts. I think I'd tell Houston the job is still his to lose, but it's wise to limit his minutes until his recovery is beyond suspect. I'd insist that should Jamal become the starter Houston is still our best clutch shooter and regardless of who starts Allan should expect to be on the floor to end close games. Point being you still give Allan the nod with the understanding you respect him and value him, but if he can't produce he needs to get out of the way. Jamal should know that even without starting he'll be used at least as much as Allan, and with Allan's age and health the starting spot is a heartbeat or two away.

But If Houston's health doesn't allow him to play more than 20 mins a game to start the season it throws the whole thing into question...


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## truth (Jul 16, 2002)

OAK,H20 has dug his own grave..I am certainly a big advocate of holistic healing,but I am noit sure Dolan and IT are,especially when you are being paid close to 20 big ones..

H20 has every right not to undergoe surgery..But he should be fully prepaired for the consequences


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## Tapseer (Jun 13, 2002)

Well, if Allan is taking this time to show up management, then he should watch his back. Even though IT did not sign off on H2O's contract, Dolan did, and If I was Dolan, I would expect my Max player to show me Max EFFORT into getting better. I understand that H2O is concerned about the long term, but he has to get better NOW, and the HOLIOSTIC appraoch isn't sitting well, with me. I know he doesn't think the Knicks should let an opportunity pass like trying to acquire his eventual replacement NOW. He is doing what he thinks is good for him, and the Knicks are trying to do what is good for them. And what's good for the Knicks right now is getting J. Crawford on this team now. Something tells me that H2O won't be ready to start the season, and if he is, he won't be effective.


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## son of oakley (Dec 24, 2003)

Regarding the holistic approach, do you guys have no sympathy for the fact that he underwent surgery last year and it made things worse? He toughed out 82 games in 02-03, then had surgery, then could only play 50. Part of the reason it didn't work is that the teams doctors, with team priorities, allowed him to play on it before it was healed. It not only made it worse but having to compensate from the pain made the condition spread to the other knee too. Or, if it spread to the other because he is genetically programed to lose the cartilage in his knees at this age surgery wont help him anyway. So the way I see it, Houston may be the one with the right to be bitter, or he may just be cooked and surgery can't save him anyway.


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## Knicksbiggestfan (Apr 29, 2003)

With two slashers like Crawford and starbury there will always be a place for houston.

As for him recouping I'll go by his injury history, I think he'll make a recovery. 


Even if he gets to be a spot up shooter he's still going to be lethal.

The thing is neither he nor crawford are physical like spree, and won't be able to defend the 3.

As for Crawford starting.

Sure why not. He and houston can split some minutes.

There's 48 in a game give himi 30 give houston 28. Switch him out if he starts to screw up. Well to do that we need someone else besides Wilkens. I don't exactly know where you guys are getting your holistic information from, living in california I think most of it's nonsense, but I think Houston not only wants to play but knows what it takes to heal.

After the Marcus Camby debacle I put little faith in the Knicks medical staff so I'd rather houston go his own route.


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## truth (Jul 16, 2002)

> Regarding the holistic approach, do you guys have no sympathy for the fact that he underwent surgery last year and it made things worse


Oak,I have all the symathy in the world,and believe me,I am all about letting the body heal itself as opposed to surgery..But I am not IT,nor Dolan,who is shelling out a VERRRRY generous 20 per.....I doubt they share my views on Holistic medicine and energetic healing


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## son of oakley (Dec 24, 2003)

I suspect that if surgery fails again - on two knees now, not one - it's over. This path might take longer but might have a better outcome. Houston may be getting old to be a force, but he can play the Steve Kerr role for a long time, so he needs to look beyond just opening day.


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## Tapseer (Jun 13, 2002)

I have sympathy for Houston, but he has had only one good season since signing the max contract that is strangling us right now. Houston is lucky that people aren't getting after him like a few people over here has gotten after Patrick Ewing. what we're saying about H2O is nothing compared to what a lot of you were saying about PW, a person who put it on the line EVERY NIGHT. He is my favorite Knick of all time. I don't see that from H2O, so I'm going to give him the business. Allan can play 10 more years, and his stats still won't match Ewing's, but people still want to give him a free pass. I'm not. If Jamal Crawford comes to NY J. Crawford starts period. I don't care how awkward it will be and H2O or Allan or Houston better handle it.


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## truth (Jul 16, 2002)

H20 never sacrificed for the team like Spree..He is a bit of a primadonna..I wouldnt be shocked if he just walked off in to the sunset...carrying a dufflebag with 100 million bucks in it..


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## son of oakley (Dec 24, 2003)

Why are we comparing Houston to Patrick? We all know making him a franchise player was Laydens sick sense of humor.

Guys, you don't have to worry about Houston being babied. I've never seen Houston's contract defended here or anywhere. And we all know it took him a long time to stop deferring to Patrick and whoever. AND, Isiah has totally dissed him when Lenny came to the podium and said this isn't his team it's Steph's. Not Allan and Stephs, just Steph. He was left exposed to the Bobcats. And now he's being replaced. So if you want Houston to take a bloody nose for the good of the teams he's taken a few.

But Houston has been an iron man for us since being here, apart from a quick recovery from a broken wrist. And part of being a manager is getting the best from your people, not just making tyrannical decisions that players gotta suck up. Point being, Houston has to produce, and Crawford WILL get plenty of minutes regardless. 

Some of you guys seem more hung up on punishment than what's right.

Here's what I think is up with Houston. I think he has a genetic condition where there is insufficient cartilage in his knees. The surgery was meant to stimulate new growth but it didn't. It's possible new cartilage will not grow in there. The only hope is to strengthen surrounding muscles to take the strain off that part of the knee. The surgery would WEAKEN those surrounding muscles - those same muscles Houston has been training for months.

If I'm wrong someone please correct me.

Meanwhile, you guys gotta take your anger out on your neighbors dog or something.


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## Tapseer (Jun 13, 2002)

It's not anger, it's just calling it what it is. I am not holding out much hope for Houston to come back and be his old self. I am willing to wait to see how his knees respond in training camp in Oct., but I'm not willing to hold my season hostage to his knees or his whims. I'm all for putting the best players on the floor and if Crawford is the better player, then so be it. Houston is a deadly accurate shooter no doubt, but basically he is a one trick pony. Put the better athletes on the floor and let them do their thing. Forget about Houston defensively, he is a liability there also. Houston would be great coming off the bench (Crawford too), he would be going against teams second stringers and he can light them up. It will also help take the pounding off his knees. A 25 year old healthy guy, versus a 32 year old player with wounded knees.


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## jamalcrawford01 (Feb 25, 2004)

Houston's future is what steve smith is right now. a good shooting veteran who will come in to hit shots and not play big minutes. Jamal will start, IT loves the guy, he thinks JC and SM are the next Dumars and IT.


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## Tapseer (Jun 13, 2002)

Wow, that's a little extreme. I really hope that H2O does not turn into a Steve Smith, but the potential for that is highly possible.


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## son of oakley (Dec 24, 2003)

I still say it should be Houston's, the team captain buy hte way, job to lose. If he's not up to snuff, so be it, he sits. But Jamal is a 24 year old who's proven nothing. No last minute heroics against the heat to clinch the series, no heroics to clinch any series anywhere. We aren't taking Kobe here. He's just a kid with potential, including the potential to shoot below 40%, something he's done twice in his 4 year career and Houston has never done in his 11 year career.

Now anyone can check my post history and see I've been probably the most adamant person on this board that I think Houston's knees are pretty shot, but that's just my hunch. He should still be given first option to prove what he can or cant do.

But that's not what I came here to say. I had another thought about Isiah's relationship to Houston's rehab situation. It's possible he doesn't trust Knick drs either. ANyone not named Chanmey or Layden could see McKnee was rushed back into the lineup before he was ready, not doing him or the team any good. And Isiah himself may feel he was misdirected in regard to Houston's health. I'm quite sure the first task at hand as GM was to know the status of his players. I'm sure he knew Houston was rehabbing but in pain, but I'm also pretty certain that the drs were telling him that the swelling and pain was normal after surgery and that Houston could continue to play through it and all should be fine, which obviously turned out not to be the case. I'm sure Isiah was as seduced by the rest of us by the thought having one of the premier back court tandems in the league in Houston and Marbury, and I sometimes wonder if he knew Houston was shot if he might have gone in the other direction and rebuilt and not done the Marbury deal.


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