# Starting Lineup Is Not Set



## USSKittyHawk (Jul 22, 2005)

> But Thomas said the apparent starting five who have been revealed during the portions of practice open to reporters - Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis in the backcourt with a front line of Eddy Curry, Jared Jeffries and Channing Frye - is "a long ways" from being set.
> 
> "All positions are open," Thomas said.


http://www.newsday.com/sports/basketball/ny-spknix104926945oct10,0,6441049.story?coll=ny-basketball-headlines

He may be lying, and saying this statement as a motivational tool.


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## ToddMacCulloch11 (May 31, 2003)

I agree, I don't know how much truth there actually is in the statement, but it might get players to try harder in the preseason.

That being said, I'd be surprised if Marbury, Frye and Curry weren't in the starting lineup, and Francis to a lesser extent (I'm still not sold on a Marbury-Francis backcourt). The other spot(s)...it just depends what Isiah wants to do.


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## knicksfan (Jan 4, 2003)

I honestly see him going with

PG: Marbury/Francis
SG: Marbury/Francis reverse of SG I HOPE MARB IS SG AND FRANCIS IS PG BUT DOUBT IT
SF: Jared Jeffries
PF: Renaldo Balkman
C: Eddy Curry

Frye is comfortable as a 6th man and I'm comfortable with him succeeding in that role. I honestly see Balkman as a great energy guy, but feel free to replace him with Lee in that lineup.


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## Truknicksfan (Mar 25, 2005)

Balkamn in the starting lineup? Not likely.


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## Real (Aug 3, 2005)

I think it is a motivational statement. 

I think he will go with Marbury, Francis, Jeffries, Frye, and Curry on openingn night. Not to say he won't switch up the lineups as the season goes on (though probably not like last year), but to start the season, unless one of the five is performing really badly, I think the lineup is mostl likely set.


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## Kiyaman (Aug 14, 2006)

After the first week of training-camp it should be hard for Coach Isiah to pick a Starting 5 lineup when you have the kind of chemistry Roster the Knicks have. 
What I mean is players like Crawford, Lee, and Jalen are Starters, plus are all healthy and showing big promise in Training-Camp. 
So when you look at the suspected Knicks starting lineup of Marbury, Francis, Jared, Frye, and Curry, you also have to look at the teamates on the roster that play best with them:
*Crawford and Marbury have chemistry together. 
Lee has great chemistry with Curry and Frye. 
Jalen has chemistry with Marbury, Frye, and Curry.* 

So if Coach Isiah want to put his Best FIVE-Players to start the game on the court it would look something like this: 
PG-Marbury 
SG-Crawford 
SF-Lee 
PF-Frye
C-Curry 
With the Knicks having to many great 6th-Man Players to add: 
6th-Man-Francis 
6th-Man-Jefferies
6th-Man-Jalen
6th-Man-Nate 

It all goes back to saying the Knicks have a strong bench that deserve decent playingtime, and should be used as a TWO-UNIT Team the first half of the season. 
The Knicks have TWO Star PG (Marbury & Francis). 
The Knicks have THREE SG or Combo-Guards (Crawford, Jalen, Nate). 
The Knicks have FOUR well played SF (Jared, Lee, Jalen, and Balkman)
The Knicks have Three PF (Frye, Lee, Malik) 
The Knicks have TWO Centers (Curry & James) 

*I like the combination of 
C-James (Enforcer)
PF-Frye (Scoring)
SF-Lee (Hustling)
And the combination of
C-Curry (Scoring)
PF-Malik or Lee (Hustling)
SF-Jared (Defense) 
Remember the Knicks Backcourt is 80% strictly offensive scoring so it would fit nice with the above two Frontcourts.*


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## ERAFF (Jun 27, 2005)

STARTING five? It will be wonderful if they can keep a COMPETITIVE five on the floor for ALL 48 minutes. 

Not to oversimplify....each game is 240 minutes of Total Player Time. More specifically---you begin with with 96 minutes of Total Playing time for your "Bigs", the 4/5 positions. In COMBINATION and HOPEFULLY AT ALL TIMES your 4/5 positions will give you:
Shot Blocking/Post scoring/Picking-Screening/Weakside Offensive Rebounding/Post Defense.........
Your 1/2 Guards need to provide:
1st level containment(STOP THE DRIBBLER!!!)/Playmaking/Scoring......

...and so on......

...so forget the notion of the BEST 5 players----it's all about COMBINATIONS....

....last year this team had NOT ONE 5 man combo that was Competitive and Complementary---too many guys who games competed with each other on the floor....too many of the same repetition of weaknesses.

This team should be better based on the growth of young guys like Frye and Lee....and perhaps Eddie Would Like to Compete?


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## Kiyaman (Aug 14, 2006)

ERAFF said:


> STARTING five? It will be wonderful if they can keep a COMPETITIVE five on the floor for ALL 48 minutes.
> 
> Not to oversimplify....each game is 240 minutes of Total Player Time. More specifically---you begin with with 96 minutes of Total Playing time for your "Bigs", the 4/5 positions. In COMBINATION and HOPEFULLY AT ALL TIMES your 4/5 positions will give you:
> Shot Blocking/Post scoring/Picking-Screening/Weakside Offensive Rebounding/Post Defense.........
> ...


*All the mishap happen last season when playing players out of their natural position which Coach Larry brown did. Plus never given any player enough time on the court to get into rythm (quick substitutions).*


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## ERAFF (Jun 27, 2005)

Kiyaman said:


> *All the mishap happen last season when playing players out of their natural position which Coach Larry brown did. Plus never given any player enough time on the court to get into rythm (quick substitutions).*


He did a bad job of dealing with the team and it's INADEQUCIES----but you need to recognize the inadequacies!!!

Larry Brown was a problem for Last Year's Team---and certainly a problem to go forward with the same cast. To think that the major problem of the team was the coach is way, way off the mark!


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## Mr. Hobbes (Jul 1, 2005)

Is Mardy Collins on the roster? Cuz Jerome James can rack up some points when he plays with a true PG. Seriously.


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## KVIP112 (Oct 31, 2005)

what i want...
pg-marbury/robinson/collins
sg-francis/crawford
sf-jeffries/richardson/balkman
pf-frye/lee
c-curry/james
ir
j.rose
m.rose

what it will prolly be....
pg-marbury/robinson
sg-francis/crawford
sf-jeffries/richardson/j.rose
pf-frye/lee/m.rose
c-curry/james
ir
balkman
collins

cmon zeke. choose my lineup. better defense and hustle/energy. let the young ones play and prove that balkman and collins was a greater choice rather than marcus williams and somebody else.


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## EwingStarksOakley94 (May 13, 2003)

KVIP112 said:


> what it will prolly be....
> pg-marbury/robinson
> sg-francis/crawford
> sf-jeffries/richardson/j.rose
> ...


Yeah, if I was a betting man (or had money, lol) I would bet this would be it, at least to start the year.


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## Truknicksfan (Mar 25, 2005)

> Is Mardy Collins on the roster? Cuz Jerome James can rack up some points when he plays with a true PG. Seriously.


...................


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## Kiyaman (Aug 14, 2006)

ERAFF said:


> He did a bad job of dealing with the team and it's INADEQUCIES----but you need to recognize the inadequacies!!!
> 
> Larry Brown was a problem for Last Year's Team---and certainly a problem to go forward with the same cast. To think that the major problem of the team was the coach is way, way off the mark!



Short history of this Knick Team: 

Coach Don Chaney best Knick team was the roster he had the day G.M. Isiah Thomas was hired. 

G.M. Isiah Thomas started trading players before he was even given an office (he feared that G.M. DumLaydumb last roster was a 500% winning roster so he traded half of them and FIRED the coach). 
Isiah Thomas could've waited to make all moves at the end of the season. 

The Knicks 33-49 season was caused by Lockerroom brawls between teammates, with the Team leader making a public statement of being the best PG in the NBA, and Isiah Thomas trading his 6.10 Center-Nazr for a 6.7 PF-Malik Rose. The Knicks needed help in the Center position and SF position. 

*There was no reason at all for a 23-59 season after having a 33-49 season. 
The Knicks had 3-Centers, and 3-SF, plus an exciting Rookie PG in Nate Robinson. 
Last season 23-59 stat column was 100% Coach Larry Brown million lineup changes and public humiliation of players. * 

C-Curry, James, Butler
PF-Frye, AD, Taylor, Malik 
SF-Q.Rich, Ariza, Lee 
SG-Crawford, Penny
PG-Marbury, Nate 

What position in the above Roster is the WEAKEST? NONE! 
SG-Crawford, SG-Penny, PG-Marbury, and PG-Nate should've been the Knicks Backcourt all season long.


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## Kiyaman (Aug 14, 2006)

Last season it seems like all Knick Fans forgot about Penny Hardaway career perimeter shooting average, plus his Point-Foward skillz that could've added 18 mpg to the Knicks backcourt. 
There was no reason why SG-Jamal Crawford should've been a 6th man and used the majority of all his playingtime at the PG position. 

Is Q.Richardson a better Guard than Penny Hardaway? NO! not even this season with an unhealthy Penny. 

*Larry Brown sabortage that Knick Team for Isiah Thomas position...   *


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