# Knicks: Eastern contender or pretender?



## Johnny Mac (May 6, 2003)

With Marbury, Houston, Van Horn, Thomas, Mutombo. They've got a very solid lineup that could go far in the east. Stephon Marbury is a very competitive player come playoff time, and he could almost will a team past the first or second round in the east. 

So, when/if the Knicks make the playoffs: Contender or Pretender?


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## Stevie B (May 15, 2003)

They are probably the 5th or 6th best team. I'd take NJ, Det, NO and Indy over them clearly. They are still weak inside and are not a good defensive team at the 2 and 3. They got rid of alot of players they didnt want and are certainly better for it right now.

I think they'll be an 8 seed and lose to Indiana.


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## Pinball (Aug 3, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>John The Cool Kid</b>!
> With Marbury, Houston, Van Horn, Thomas, Mutombo. They've got a very solid lineup that could go far in the east. Stephon Marbury is a very competitive player come playoff time, and he could almost will a team past the first or second round in the east.
> 
> So, when/if the Knicks make the playoffs: Contender or Pretender?


They got Marbury? Awesome! I'm going to watch a hell of alot more Knick games now. Regarding your question, they are still a pretender. A bad defensive team just got worse. They probably dealt Ward and McDyess. Marbury is alot of things but he isn't defensive minded. Penny is a turnstile. Houston is a sieve. Van Horn puts up about as much resistance as a drunk girl on prom night. They'll be better though. At worst they'll become bad and exciting instead of bad and boring. They'll make the playoffs but I don't see them going past the 2nd round. They'll score alot of point and try to do what Boston did 2 years ago. Lets see if they are successfull.


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## zerotre (Sep 28, 2002)

They definatly could be a scarry team when playoff time comes, I believe they could go deep into the playoffs. However if something freaky should happen such as them advancing to the finals they would get destroyed, I dont think they have enough talent to win out west, but they are one of the top teams in the east.

1. Pacers, I think they are too deep and talented to win 4 games agaist, however starbury willl KILL whoever pacers point guard is, anderson right?

2. Pistons, another talented and deep team. I think billups should be able to hang with starbury so the point position could be a wash out. Pistons are overall more talented then the knicks so i see them advancing.

3. Knicks or Hornets, not sure who to put here. I like the size of the Hornets and Baron is prolly one of the only point guards that could handle starbury. If only NY had more depth I would considering putting them 3 but as it stands Im going to keep 3 position in the east a tie. 

None of this actually matters because even with this trade NO team has a chance to win 4 games against the west.


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## Johnny Mac (May 6, 2003)

*Re: Re: Knicks: Eastern contender or pretender?*



> Originally posted by <b>Pinball</b>!
> They got Marbury? Awesome! I'm going to watch a hell of alot more Knick games now. Regarding your question, they are still a pretender. A bad defensive team just got worse. They probably dealt Ward and McDyess. Marbury is alot of things but he isn't defensive minded. Penny is a turnstile. Houston is a sieve. Van Horn puts up about as much resistance as a drunk girl on prom night. They'll be better though. At worst they'll become bad and exciting instead of bad and boring. They'll make the playoffs but I don't see them going past the 2nd round. They'll score alot of point and try to do what Boston did 2 years ago. Lets see if they are successfull.


Yea, they got Mutombo in the middle though which may help the poor defense, and make it atleast average. Plus Kurt Thomas.


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## HoustonHoopa33 (Jan 2, 2004)

This definitely makes the Knicks a contender, especially in the weak East. Mutombo, Thomas, KVH, Houston, Marbury...arguably the most talented starting 5 in the East. Isaiah is working wonders.


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## Pinball (Aug 3, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>HoustonHoopa33</b>!
> This definitely makes the Knicks a contender, especially in the weak East. Mutombo, Thomas, KVH, Houston, Marbury...arguably the most talented starting 5 in the East. Isaiah is working wonders.


He's doing something, which is encouraging. He realizes that his roster is too deep at certain positions and he's trying balance out the roster a little more. He's adding talented players in the process. Layden tried to stockpile players at one or two positions and overwhelm teams with depth. What he didn't realize was that the players he was building around were nothing more than role players. He was stockpiling average PGs like they were nuclear weapons. He tried to upgrade the frontcourt but all he did was corner the market on shorts, slow, unathletic PFs. Thomas seems to recognize that you need great players to win. Marbury is a step in the right direction.


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## rebelsun (Nov 25, 2003)

Serious East contender now. If they get Artest, forget it.


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## Starbury03 (Aug 12, 2003)

Contender for the next five years now.


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## Jonathan Watters (Jul 20, 2002)

Once again, the Knicks mortgage their future in an effort to turn a bad team into a mediocre one. 

How many more bad contracts can this team acquire? 

KVH and Marbury on the same team once again? Classic!


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## RoyWilliams (May 25, 2003)

They have gone from pretender to contender in my mind.


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## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

They are obviously a contender now. That's a damn good starting five. And you've got Penny off the bench. Some other guys. Not bad. Not bad at all.

They are now in that bracket of teams that can officially beat anyone in the east. There's like 6 teams out east now that could all run the table into the Finals. Knicks, Sixers, Hornets, Pistons, Nets, Pacers.


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## Crossword (Jun 7, 2002)

Easily a contender. If they don't make the playoffs though, Knick fans are gonna kill Thomas. Especially since they lose two first rounders and their PG of the future.


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## reHEATed (Jun 29, 2003)

i say contender..i see them as 4th in the east behind NJ, DET, and of course INDI


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## Minstrel (Dec 31, 2002)

It's the East. One bonafide superstar and some decent supporting players immediately throw you into the mix with the best of them.

They should make the playoffs, and they could win the East if they got hot. Like their "miracle run" in the lock-out year (which was really just the first sign of a terrible conference).

They stand no chance of beating the Western champion, though, even if they managed to get that far.


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## jokeaward (May 22, 2003)

1-05-03 3:50 CT

Pretender, but they could be very good and become Contender. I'm not gonna expect a lot and gush already. They're just a losing team without Marbury, and he doesn't make them no-brainer elite. Even in the East. Look at Orlando and Marbury < T-Mac.

There's hope, at least, in the Big Apple.

How would they get Artest? Marbury-Houston-Artest+others could contend and win the East, definitely. Would Indy do that for an in conference team?


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## schub (Jul 13, 2003)

5-8 in the East are wide open. Breaking into the top 4 will be tough.

I think they had a shot for 7 or 8 before the trade if McDyess recovered completely, and if Frank Williams continued to develop.


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## Minstrel (Dec 31, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>jokeaward</b>!
> 
> They're just a losing team without Marbury, and he doesn't make them no-brainer elite. Even in the East. Look at Orlando and Marbury < T-Mac.


NY is certainly not "elite," but you don't necessarily *have* elite in the East. You have a mishmash of teams that rise and fall almost randomly each year. Being hot at the right time is the key.

And yes, Marbury is inferior to McGrady (but not hugely so, which I think is getting lost here; Marbury is significantly underrated), but NY probably puts more around Starbury than Orlando has around McGrady.


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## Mattsanity (Jun 8, 2003)

In No order from Seeds 1-5 in the east: Nets, Pacers, Pistons, Hornets, Raptors

In order from Seeds 6-8: Celtics, 76ers, Knicks

They are contenders definitely.


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## FloridaSportsFan (Dec 15, 2003)

After today's trade they are a pretty srious contender but I still question their D


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## rebelsun (Nov 25, 2003)

Am I the only one that thinks Marbury will flourish in NYC?


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## NYKBaller (Oct 29, 2003)

Playoffs, second round.


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>RebelSun</b>!
> Am I the only one that thinks Marbury will flourish in NYC?


Definitely throw me in that mix who believes he will flourish. 

I like the Knicks rotation and now that they have Starbury, I shall be rooting for them (maybe even moreso than my Nets, I love Steph that much). 

I like the starters and the bench. 

PG - Starbury
SG - Houston
SF - Van Horn
PF - Thomas
C - Mutombo

Bench
Williams, Penny, Anderson, Sweetney, Doleac and Harrington

I am fine with the squad the way it is. And why should the Knicks be afraid of anyone in the East. They can beat any team in the East with this team. The Pistons are not very good, defense only, will only get them so far. 

I expect the Knicks to rise. Thank god, because there hasn't been a superstar here since Ewing in the mid 90's.


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## Jonathan Watters (Jul 20, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Minstrel</b>!
> It's the East. One bonafide superstar and some decent supporting players immediately throw you into the mix with the best of them.
> 
> They should make the playoffs, and they could win the East if they got hot. Like their "miracle run" in the lock-out year (which was really just the first sign of a terrible conference).
> ...


Exactly. They might be able to put up a run in the East, but they don't stick out from the pack at all, in my opinion. And long-term, this team is in much worse shape. 

Especially with the contracts of Houston, Marbury, Hardaway, Anderson, KVH, and such. 

This team was starting to do the right thing by building through the draft. Vuljanic, Sweetney, and Lampe may have been a start. Now they are just the Knicks again. 

Does anybody seriously think Marbury is going to work out in NY long enough where it's justifed to throw away 2 draft picks and a nice prospect?


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## rebelsun (Nov 25, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Hong Kong Fooey</b>!
> 
> 
> Definitely throw me in that mix who believes he will flourish.
> ...


That is a very solid starting 5. The bench guards are good, and we'll see if Sweetney can contribute. I think they will make a good run in the east. I just think Marbury will be so excited to play in MSG, in his hometown; the crowd will love him, I think it's just a win-win for Starbury and the Knicks.


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>RebelSun</b>!
> 
> 
> That is a very solid starting 5. The bench guards are good, and we'll see if Sweetney can contribute. I think they will make a good run in the east. I just think Marbury will be so excited to play in MSG, in his hometown; the crowd will love him, I think it's just a win-win for Starbury and the Knicks.


People don't understand how much Steph wanted to play in NYC and now he will be out to prove something for sure. Don't be fooled he is having a great year, it's just that the Suns are extremely banged up. It wasn't his fault.

I also forgot we have Amaechi (slouch) and Norris too off the bench. I will be watching every Knick game from here on out.


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## Minstrel (Dec 31, 2002)

Sometimes I wonder, in New York, if it's more about being "high-profile" or more about winning.

Starbury certainly will light up the marquee. New Yorkers will go to watch him sparkle in droves. The Knicks will likely get more national appearances.

But they may end up going the way of the Patrick Ewing Knicks...a Hall of Fame career and no titles to show for it.

But the Garden still rocked every night for most of the '90s.


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## jokeaward (May 22, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Minstrel</b>!
> 
> 
> NY is certainly not "elite," but you don't necessarily *have* elite in the East. You have a mishmash of teams that rise and fall almost randomly each year. Being hot at the right time is the key.
> ...


Oh, he's definitely underrated. 

He can just about play 1 v 5. Or he can distribute really well. But he's not as good as 32/25-6-6.

And, when you think about it, it is a mishmash. Indy can start out great, but apparently not be that good and plummet to earth, hard. Orlando can challenge Detroit, and Indiana, still the 3 seed, can almost be swept. This year NJ, Emperors of the East, can look very bad.

Maybe this'll be a little like AI, but with a softer team. Marbury'll give his all, and be worth the price of admission, but it just won't work sometimes. They can get hot and be a candidate for great achievement, but it just doesn't work out.

P.S. Who's Marbury gonna lob it too? He goes from Matrix and Stoudemire to KVH and KT. Jumper assists, only. lol


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## 50-CENT (Aug 16, 2003)

Wat is wrong with u guys!!! how can u say the knicks are all of a sudden a top 5 team in the eastern confrence!! 
Marbury is a good player, i admit that but look at this:
In phoniex(wrong spelling?) he had MARION, the matrix. Now he has HOUSTON. Who do u think is better marion or houston????
Anybody who picks houston over marion is a true idot. Marbury's couldn't win games with marion this year. WHY do u think is gonna win with houston?!?!?!?


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## rebelsun (Nov 25, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>50-CENT</b>!
> Wat is wrong with u guys!!! how can u say the knicks are all of a sudden a top 5 team in the eastern confrence!!
> Marbury is a good player, i admit that but look at this:
> In phoniex(wrong spelling?) he had MARION, the matrix. Now he has HOUSTON. Who do u think is better marion or houston????
> Anybody who picks houston over marion is a true idot. Marbury's couldn't win games with marion this year. WHY do u think is gonna win with houston?!?!?!?


My varsity team from HS could contend in the East. You gotta remember, this year in the NBA, aside from a couple teams, the East is NBA JV.


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## KIMCHI (Oct 16, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>RebelSun</b>!
> 
> 
> My varsity team from HS could contend in the East. You gotta remember, this year in the NBA, aside from a couple teams, the East is NBA JV.


your high school team must be really, really good.
not even lebron's high school team could contend in the east


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## Amareca (Oct 21, 2002)

They might have to wait for serious improvements.

It is not as easy to play with Marbury as with Kidd. They need to learn to play with him.
With Kidd you just have to be athletic and run the floor.

Next season the Knicks should be much better. This season, I don't know.


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## 1 Penny (Jul 11, 2003)

Contender...


but the chemistry may be questionable... with Van Horn and Houston being great mid-range shooters... Marbury will average 10+ assists this season... he should anways...


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## Kunlun (Jun 22, 2003)

Knicks are definately contenders in the East now.


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## walkon4 (Mar 28, 2003)

*ha*

well c aboutthat


Jermaine will have something to say about the knicks chances


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