# State of the Knicks



## Tapseer (Jun 13, 2002)

Listen, we don't need another wing player. We definitely don't need Vince Carter on the team. We need a real 5, and a commitment to playing defense. the funny thing about the Knicks, they can get away from not having a 5, just by playing D. I see some guys here talking about trading this one to get that one. This is not Fantasy Football, where you try to tally up all the offensive players for this week. This is the NBA. I really fail to see how VC is supposed to help this team. This not about the most offensive stats, or highlight reels. Once Houston gets into the mix we will have MORE than ENOUGH firepower on the offensive side to win games. We just need to play some DEFENSE. This team is so lackadaisical on the defensive end, it's hard to watch them sometimes. I see no pride there. Adding VC isn't going to help the Knicks one IOTA, either offensively or on D. Also, remember guys, there is only one basketball. You can't have a team full of guys looking to jack up the ball 20 times a night. If the Knicks played even a lick of defense in half their games they would be running away with the Eastern Conference right now. We can score on anybody...we just have to keep EVERYBODY from scoring on us.


----------



## Tapseer (Jun 13, 2002)

Marbury states in this mornings newspaper that the team plays bad defense when they don't score. From what I've seen, they play WORSE defense when they are scoring. 

We really need to be calling this team out on how the don't play D. We don't another offensive weapon, houston will be the ultimate zone buster when he actually gets to play. We need the team to focus on defense. Stop a guy once in a while.


----------



## Dr. J (Jul 12, 2002)

I am not saying that Nazr is the best center in the league, but he has not been the problem with the Knicks. He is putting up solid numbers, and the Knicks play very well when he is on the floor. They have a positive +/- when he is playing.

The Knicks problems
1) 3 spot- Tim Thomas is bad. Offensively and D.
2) 4 spot- Kurt Thomas should be a back-up. Start Sweetney, Thomas plays backup to Nazr and Sweets. If there is a trade, I would trade K. Thomas and start Sweet with JYD as backup.
3) Defense- The D stinks. Crawford is not good. Marbury is lousy around screens. Get the JYD more minutes. His defense helps.


----------



## The True Essence (May 26, 2003)

tim thomas is playing fine now. i think people need to hop off the hating tt banwagon. he had a death in the family, now hes over it i guess.

he lacks lateral quickness though, but hes almost average on d.....almost.


----------



## Tapseer (Jun 13, 2002)

When I say that we need a 5, I'm not really knocking Nazr. This is what I mean...if you have a real 5 who puts pressure on teams defense by drawing double teams, that will get teams out of that zone defense which is being used so effectively against the Knicks. I'm very happy with Nazr numbers so far, but he doesn'y put pressure on the opposing team. And to take it further..if you say we don't need a 5 because Nazr is playing so well, then you at least need a post up frontcourt player to do what I have stated earlier. We have Sweetney, but he doesn't command double teams...yet.


----------



## The True Essence (May 26, 2003)

thats why i think we should just be patient. sweets time is gonna come. dont think kurt is gonna last past february.hes gonna be traded.


----------



## Tapseer (Jun 13, 2002)

When I say that we need a 5, I'm not really knocking Nazr. This is what I mean...if you have a real 5 who puts pressure on teams defense by drawing double teams, that will get teams out of that zone defense which is being used so effectively against the Knicks. I'm very happy with Nazr numbers so far, but he doesn'y put pressure on the opposing team. And to take it further..if you say we don't need a 5 because Nazr is playing so well, then you at least need a post up frontcourt player to do what I have stated earlier. We have Sweetney, but he doesn't command double teams...yet.


----------



## truth (Jul 16, 2002)

great post..interesting discussion....

First of all,i agree,"Wince" is not the answer,but lets get back to that..

Naz is really a pleasant suprise...His offense is adequate,its true he doesnt command a double,but he alone shouldnt have to.The point is,someone up front has to.Since its not Naz,that should be KT but he is a pick and roll player with no game down low.So essentially we have no inside out game..Sweets really is the answer,and i agree its just a question of time before he is starting

More importantly,if we could get a 5,I would want a defensive presense,but its unfair to say Naz isnt playing good D..marbury constantly gets beat off the dribble,JC's D is fundamentally bad and TT is no all league defensive stopper.So that makes the job much tougher on Naz..

The real question is,what do we need from our starting fowards...I like TT,but he is wrong for this team.His D just isnt good enough..he should be a backup 3/4.Wally would be nice,though his D sukks as well..but he is a zone buster..A bruse Bowen type is really what we need,or should i say Ariza with a jumpshot.The kid is good...

At the 4,we need more athleticism or a foward who is a monster on the blocks...Its not KT..hes solid,but he should be a backup 4/5..he is the wrong guy for this squad..Either we get a great weak side defender to cover for marbury and JC,or we start Sweetney who could one day command a double..

Vince??I just ask WHY?? No D,another perimeter guy who is brittle and doesnt make the knicks any better.Unles you can flat out steal him,just say NO..

just my 2 cents


----------



## alphadog (Jan 2, 2004)

*My turn...*

Forget about a 5 that draws doubles..how many are there in the league? Besides, that is one of the strengths of a zone; eliminate consistent post play. The team is woeful against the zone because they don't have enough consistent shooters and they do not move the ball well most of the time. BTW, Wally does not suck at D. He is certainly not a stopper but he plays hard and is respectable. Even with H2O we are not good enough outside unless Marbury or Crawford happen to be "on" that game. Agree about Sweets, though. Larry Johnsonesque inside.


----------



## truth (Jul 16, 2002)

MT TURN

hey alfa,
your boy Seriack is definetly available..Have you been watching Eddie Griffins progress???He had a breakout game the other night.The guy can really stroke it and has 3 point range.And hes a great shot blocker...Thats a guy we should have gone after..

Also,Wally isnt the same player he was as of right now..and its not me saying it

What about the Cassell/Szczerbiak rumor? Is that realistic?
Quick's take:"I don't think so. (Nash) just isn't crazy about how Wally recovered and come back to being the player he was before his injury."

We need a defensive minded 3 who can shoot,and a inside presense at the 4...

Who in their right mind would want vince carter??


----------



## Tapseer (Jun 13, 2002)

We did go after Eddie. He didn't want us. That's what made IT want to make MSG a desirable place for player to come and play here. Eddie's snub turned to IT's obsession.


----------



## Tapseer (Jun 13, 2002)

Oh yeah, this team could have about 5 MORE WINS if these MOFO's played a lick of D. These guys are pathetic. Really. I know the refs jerked us at the end, but still the Knicks could help their own cause by playing DEFENSE. Wait until Houston gets his legs back. I expect good things from him.


----------



## The True Essence (May 26, 2003)

we gave up about 30 offensive boards. that migt be some kind of record. so much for kurt being a great defensive rebounder. 

At least i have Haywood on my fantasy team. he had like 8 offensive boards, 17 points and 4 blocks

but wtf. that was a blatant goaltend at the end. marbury shot the ball one foot inside the free throw line, and haywood swatted it right out in front of the basket. that was a terrible call that basically cost us the game, we woulda been up for good with that hoop.


----------



## Tapseer (Jun 13, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>PennyHardaway</b>!
> we gave up about 30 offensive boards. that migt be some kind of record. so much for kurt being a great defensive rebounder.
> 
> At least i have Haywood on my fantasy team. he had like 8 offensive boards, 17 points and 4 blocks
> ...



Yeah, that is true, but if this team played defense (which includes defensive rebounding) they would be so much better off. Yes, the refs jerked us, all night long as a matter of fact. We still should have won the game. Play some D. That's going to be my mantra until I see some changes. These guys want to be the Indianapolis Colts of basketball...There comes a time when you actually have to put a hand in someone's face, or to cut off the lane for once.


----------



## knicksfan (Jan 4, 2003)

MY TAKE:

it is very simple. we should change our starting lineup as of now. go with this.

C- Naz
PF- Sweets
SF- Ariza/Houston WHENS HES BACK THEY INTERCHANGE
SG- Crawford/Houston- REFER TO SF
PG- Marbury


----------



## knicksfan (Jan 4, 2003)

Also KT would be the backup at both power forward and center


----------



## truth (Jul 16, 2002)

agree with you knickfan..KT can not be your starting foward with Sweetney on the bench..makes no sense..Zeke says sweetney is untouchable,and he doesnt even start..what is he gonna do,back up KT for the next five years??

let hom develop..hopefully by the time thwe playoffs come around,he will be a force


----------



## Priest (Jun 24, 2003)

if the state of your team relies on the sweet man then you guys are in trouble


----------



## Rashidi (Oct 2, 2003)

Sweetney commits too many fouls to start. He's a weak defender. The guy is a situational guy, not one that has the variety needed to start.


----------

