# Hoopsworld Predicts 40 Plus Wins



## USSKittyHawk (Jul 22, 2005)

> New York Knicks: 40 wins. That’s what the Knicks should win without much improvement from the players, that should be enough for Isiah Thomas to say the team is better, but the playoffs may be the only thing that saves his job. Two fundamental things have to be resolved in training camp – Eddy Curry has to live up to the paycheck, and one of the overpaid small forwards has to stay healthy. The Knicks have a ton of talent, the question is can they all stop being impressed at being Knicks, and start getting hungry for the playoffs. Nate Robinson should get a ton of minutes under Thomas, and Stephon Marbury will likely play off the ball more. Look for the Knicks to be a free flowing team, and when the guys realize they can out run teams, they may win more than 40 games.


http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_18599.shtml

I say around 35 tops, but I sure hope they are right! I try not to get too hype based on so many disappointments over the years since the Ewing days. Hopefully we make some nose this season!


----------



## Dre (Jun 20, 2003)

I think I have high expectations for this time. I'm predicting like 43-44 really. I just have a feeling everyones in it to shock people. I mean, Isiah and Steph, how much criticism and bad seasons can they take?


----------



## frank9007 (Jul 4, 2006)

40 Wins? Thats to low.

I think the Knicks can win the division.


----------



## CocaineisaHelluvaDrug (Aug 24, 2006)

im not optimistic

while steve francis,jj and that little kid are around the knicks wont win a thing


----------



## Truknicksfan (Mar 25, 2005)

> 40 Wins? Thats to low.
> 
> I think the Knicks can win the division.


Win the divsion, doubt it. If we win 40 games this season nobody on earth will be happier then me though.


----------



## BG7 (Jun 25, 2003)

I think the Knicks will win 38-44 games, but I'm definitely hoping they go 0-82 , they can start making the playoffs after the Bulls get Oden from them.


----------



## knicksfan (Jan 4, 2003)

I think Isiah will do what he can to try to help us win 40 games. I don't think we've had a 40 win season in a while. Not since the Ewing days I don't think. Did we even win 40 when the Nets eliminated us in round 1 the last time we made it? If the team clicks right and adapts to a Suns-style system we definetly have a shot at it. We should use Channing as our K.Thomas type guy to hit them 6-10 foot open J's and do what we need to clear the space for Curry to work his magic. If our PG, whoever it is doesn't overdribble we should be fine. I worry about that with our set of guys though.


----------



## EwingStarksOakley94 (May 13, 2003)

40 wins is absolutely realistic. Winning the division, not so much. I have no expectations. I'm making no predictions. Hopefully they surprise me.


----------



## Kiyaman (Aug 14, 2006)

*President/Coach Isiah Thomas have assistant coach Mark Aquire and player-coach Jalen Rose to help him establish the same WINNING Format they used when all three was on the Indiana Pacers. 
So that is a 80% chance of getting a 40 plus season out of the Talent the Knicks have on this roster. 

Getting Eddy Curry to learn how to pass the ball backout when doubled teamed in the paint will bring a new preception to an organized offense on this Knick Team. Especially when Coach Isiah Thomas explain to Marbury & Francis the only way they will become ALL-STARS this season is if they average 15 assist together each game to convince the coaching commitee voting. :clap: :clap: :clap: 

The Knicks Roster have the Hustle & Bustle players to turn any game around in their favor with SG-Crawford, PG/SG-Nate, SF/PF-Lee, SF/PF-Jefferies, Rookie SF-Balkman, and final contract PF-Taylor. These players under the right team-concept with scorers Marbury, Francis, Frye, Jalen, and Curry could squeeze a WIN out of alot of POOR Defensive Teams in the league which will add up to 40 plus WIN Season.*


----------



## USSKittyHawk (Jul 22, 2005)

I agree with Kiya, can someone please teach Curry how to pass effectively when double teamed, it would do wonders for his game. I still can't believe he dosen't know how to do that! He has been in the league long enough to learn!


----------



## cpawfan (Jun 20, 2004)

Kitty said:


> I agree with Kiya, can someone please teach Curry how to pass effectively when double teamed, it would do wonders for his game. I still can't believe he dosen't know how to do that! He has been in the league long enough to learn!


A low basketball IQ is hard to overcome.


----------



## USSKittyHawk (Jul 22, 2005)

cpawfan said:


> A low basketball IQ is hard to overcome.


So true!


----------



## cpawfan (Jun 20, 2004)

I believe the Knicks success will be predicated on which players Zeke has in his 9 man rotation.


----------



## EwingStarksOakley94 (May 13, 2003)

cpawfan said:


> I believe the Knicks success will be predicated on which players Zeke has in his 9 man rotation.


Yes, that is key. And boy does he have a lot of guys who will not be happy if they're left out!


----------



## L (Sep 20, 2005)

EwingStarksOakley94 said:


> Yes, that is key. And boy does he have a lot of guys who will not be happy if they're left out!


They have to learn to deal with it. One job that a coach has is to be tough with his players and not to let them have their way all the time. This will be hard for Isiah because he is also the gm. But i dont think things will be like last year.


----------



## TwinkieFoot (Jul 8, 2006)

cpawfan said:


> A low basketball IQ is hard to overcome.


I think the perfect remedy to that may just be experience. It kind of reminds me of myself growing up as a ball player. When I first played organized ball when I was 8 years old, I was immediately placed at the 5 position? Why? Because I was the biggest, strongest and one of the fastest kid on the team that had no skill to speak of beside an uncanny knack for finding the ball on rebounds and playing solid defense. As time progressed, I began developing an all around game but that was because I was not good enough of anything to get playing time. Guys like Eddy never had that problem because he was so much bigger than his competition and so skilled offensively that they could not afford to sit him. As a result he probably never got the chance to analyze what he needed to improve on in his game. On a high school level, do you honestly believe there was a match for a 6-11 300lbs kid with the agility of a ballet dancer and scoring ability of a young Shaq? IMO, I think his real test has come in the NBA where he's no longer some abnormality and where he can find competition capable of making him work. So far, I think he's only in about his 4th year of improving his game and so far, he has proven he is capable of being a scorer on a NBA level. The question now is whether he can develop into a focal point of an offense after being that just one year before (the season before he left the Bulls). As far as the rest of his game, we have yet to see if that will ever change but he still is growing. Maybe we could see some progress in the fact that his rebounding per minute rate has gone up with the Knicks which is a very positive sign along with his defensive intensity (which saw him actually challenge defenders by poping up against the pick and roll several times). I'd like to see what he'd do this year capable of playing basketball in the offseason and training for a season unlike last when he had the heart issue.


----------



## Gotham2krazy (Nov 22, 2005)

The most I'm giving the knicks this year is 43.


----------



## Banjoriddim (Aug 14, 2004)

You are insanely optimistic... Yes Isiah is decent coach you have talent your team should have some balance and rotation but... Who of last playoff teams is going to fall of? Bucks? Maybe put they improved also... Then you have Magic who won 13 of theire last 15 games making strong case to become playoffs bound... Boston improved. Toronto was picked apart. You have some serious problems to overcome befor you can improve that much (like for example rebounding). 40 wins would surprise me 35 might not but...


----------



## TwinkieFoot (Jul 8, 2006)

Banjoriddim said:


> You are insanely optimistic... Yes Isiah is decent coach you have talent your team should have some balance and rotation but... Who of last playoff teams is going to fall of? Bucks? Maybe put they improved also... Then you have Magic who won 13 of theire last 15 games making strong case to become playoffs bound... Boston improved. Toronto was picked apart. You have some serious problems to overcome befor you can improve that much (like for example rebounding). 40 wins would surprise me 35 might not but...


Of 30 teams in the NBA, we ranked 13th in the league in rebounds per game which is only 1.69 less than first place. We rebounded 41.4 rpg but held our opponents to 38.6 rpg last year and I believe that deficit to have been one of the best in the league. As far as us amongst other East Coast teams, you do take into consideration the fact that no one has regressed from last year. I think though that you underestimate the importance of what balance and a rotation could do for the Knicks. Last year with that, we went on a 6 game winning streak against some of the best in the league including the Cavs, Mavericks and Suns. In short, our improvement from just becoming accostomed to each other and taking advantage of what most teams have to work with might make our improvement much better than any other.


----------

