David Lee of the New York Knicks

After watching the New York Knicks play this year, it is sad to realize that they haven’t really accomplished anything! This year they won 30 games, which is not really an improvement from what we had saw with Isiah Thomas, whose best season was 39-43. Isiah’s team, therefore had 9 games ahead what Mike D’Antoni accomplished this season. The Knicks record this year in fact ranks 6th worst season of all time based on overall wins. If there was anything positive to take from this season it was we have Donnie Walsh. Walsh has made great moves over this season, setting the Knicks up for the future. Understanding that, I trust he will make the right decision on which one of his young stars he will need to keep going into next year.

Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks Fighting J.R. Smith

The large debate up until this point has been who he should sign, David Lee or Nate Robinson? This to me sounds pretty silly considering that David Lee lead the league in Double Doubles this year posting 62, which was one above Dwight Howard. If you look at Lee’s numbers he is a power house averaging 16 points and 11 rebounds a game. David has always been a consistent star for the Knicks, putting out great performance after great performance. David Lee at the age of 25 and a height of 6′9 still has a lot of great Basketball left in him.

Nate Robinson fights with Chris Paul!

Nate Robinson on the other hand, has had a very up and down career. This year Nate only started 11 games for the New York Knicks, most likely because of his size. They say it’s amazing to watch Nate play, being tha that he is only 5′8. I say that is just dumb. I don’t need any circus freaks on my team. I’d rather just win. So what, the guy can dunk, defensively he is a liability. Do you really think Nate can keep up his game considering it is completely predicated on his jumping ability when he hits 28 years old? He doesn’t even start and until this year he was not even a great scorer, as shown by his career average of 12 points per game. Nate also has had problems with his own demons. Everyone knows that he has a very short fuse and is far to emotional for his own good. Just look at the all the instances where Nate flew off the handle. There was the Nugget fight, the Kyle Korver incident and let us not forget the Chris Paul fight as well. Nate needs to grow up literally and figuratively. There are way to many issues with him talking back to officials and he gets way to many technical fouls. It funny to think that some people think he is a great PG. They are just delusional. He only averages around 4 assists per game purely because he thinks of himself as a SG more than a PG. If he really was a Point Guard averaging 2 assists per game over his career would just be pathetic. Nate is giving out the most that he can currently and honestly it really isn’t enough for me. I say New York move on, let this dunking midget go!

Hey Walsh, make the right choice, don’t just keep Nate because he’s exciting, lets try to get to the playoffs next year, so get him out of here and keep your Stud Forward David Lee. It’s just that simple!

Rookie Derek Rose has his squad thinking Playoffs.

With about 18 or so games to go for each NBA team, the playoff races begin to tighten. By now, any true NBA enthusiast should know the situation in the Western Conference and how seeds eight through two are neck and neck. They should also know that the Phoenix Suns are in poor shape in the ninth spot being five and a half games behind the currently eighth seeded Dallas Mavericks. However, over in the Eastern Conference the race for eight is on. With Chicago, New Jersey, Charlotte, Indiana, Milwaukee, and New York no more than two games apart from one another, that battle is still very interesting.

The New York Knicks have improved mightily from last season with the run-and-gun style that has been infused by new head coach Mike D’Antoni. However, they have a run-and-gun with a bevy of role player caliber ballers. It’s not like they’re the superstar-filled Suns of years past that D’Antoni had before. So, although the Knicks are a much improved team, they shouldn’t be making the playoffs any way.

The Charlotte Bobcats were already making positive strides prior to the trade that brought them Raja Bell and Leandro Barbosa at mid-season. Now, they have improved further, but they are still highly inexperienced and will require more time and at least one All-Star player to get in.

The Pacers on the other hand have their All-Star caliber player in Danny Granger, but he has been hurt. They too are like the Knicks and tend to run, but once again, too many role player type people on their team. That’s no good.

New Jersey’s got All-Star Devin Harris, and former superstar, but more than capable Vince Carter. But they have too many woes at home and they can’t be expected to make a run just because they are decent on the road. Decent on the road is great, where they have a 14-17 record, but a non-winning 14-19 home record just won’t do it.

The Milwaukee Bucks currently hold the eight spot, but they still have one problem… they are Michael Redd-less. They did a great job in the early going of his absence from his season-ending injury, but now his loss has started to catch up and the Bucks are just 3-7 in their last ten games.

With that being said, the eighth seed has to be given to Chicago. They have the leading candidate for rookie of the year in Derek Rose, and a great scoring pickup up at mid-season in John Salmons who is averaging 18.2 points per game this season. On top of this they have a stable of young guys with playoff experience in Kirk Hinrich, and top-scorer Ben Gordon. Their big men are also efficient; Tyrus Thomas and Luol Deng. Last, but not least, the other guy that game over from Sacramento with John Salmons… veteran and playoff-savvy Brad Miller.

The Bulls, in my mind, are already a team with a bright future, while the others that were mentioned still do not have much to build on except for some true grit. Bulls get in.

On Sunday March 8, Stephon Marbury made his debut start for the Boston Celtics, replacing the injured starter PG Rajon Rondo against Orlando. Some people are going to claim that Steph is just rusty, but I really think this is the beginning of the end for Starbury. After refusing to play for more than half a season, Marbury is no longer mentally in the game. It was pathetic experience watching the once omnipresent Point Guard struggle to try to find his once omnipotent court vision once again. Thanks Clyde! Marbury started for the Celtics and ended the game with NO ASSISTS and 4 points in 20+ minutes on the court. He was replaced by Eddie House for the majority of the game, and to be honest I think Steph has really destroyed his career because now he is not the same player he once was. At this point, Rondo is the more talented PG and Marbury has no business playing with this team, Eddy House is a better PG than him, heck bring back Sam I Am (Sam Cassell) but please don’t play Marbury. At this point I can only hope is that Steph does not destroy this squad since they are fun to watch. I don’t find it shocking that Assists, are down for the Celtics. You have to admit though, thats it is kind of funny that Boston has once again inherited a New York curse!

Nate "The Great" Robinson

Mr. Double Double

I have been quite upset with the Knicks this season. With the hiring of Mike D’Antoni, the Knicks have promised playoffs for the fans this year. The thing is I can’t see it happening. The reason it can’t happen is simple,  you can’t win games when you can’t finish. Literally the last 5 games the Knicks have played pathetic in the 4th quarter. It’s depressing and awful, considering that the talent on this squad seems to have been raised with the acquisition of Al Harrington, Chris Duhan and the promising play of Nate Robinson, David Lee and Wilson Chandler. I really think this team has the potential to be a 4 seed, yet they just seem to be to green. Well time will only tell if they can take that 8 spot and make the playoffs like D’Antoni promised.

Wilson Chandler

Now what do you do when you think someone has wronged you? Oh yeah, accuse him of sexual harassment and racists comments right? Seriously what is this pathetic world coming too. Today Eddy Curry has been accused of just this. Seriously can they leave anyone alone. EDDY CURRY IS GOING THROUGH A HARD TIME RIGHT NOW, LEAVE EDDY CURRY ALONE!!!!…I am just joking around but I know Eddy Curry couldn’t do anything to anyone because Eddy is really not a jerk at all. He is just a lazy bum. I mean really, he got robbed blind while he was in his own the house, trust me he is no threat to anyone. But what I find even funnier is that The guy who is accusing him is trying to make this a Jewish vs. Black issue. From the report I have read, it makes no difference if he was Jewish because the offensive comments are just about all white people in general, so why does he feel the need to interject the fact that he is Jewish? On NBA.com they describe the comments by writing,

Kuchinsky also accuses Curry of exposing himself and harassing the former driver and said Curry referred to his Jewish heritage in a derogatory way, calling him a “cracker,” “white slave,” “white devil” and “grandmaster of the KKK”

All I can say is know your racial terms people. These insults make fun of white poeple as a whole, not a specific group. This won’t hold up in court, Jesus. But to get back on track, Eddy Curry is most definitely  innocent. I can’t really see this guy showing his drivers his special parts and verbally accosting them. Eddy Curry has four children, so let me ask you when you think he would have a chance to pull this off? It just doesn’t seem realistic, atleast to me. Personally I know that Eddy Curry would be too lazy to even use the energy to expose himself. Dave Kuchinsky is suing him and supposedly he is seeking 5 million dollars. When I heard that I was like WHAT!!?? Seriously, 5 million because you were damaged by a Black superstar showing you his Johnson? Was it really that traumatic for you to need 5 million in compensatory damages. Come on for a million Eddy Curry could cock smack me in my face and call me “whitebread” all day. These poeple who are just searching for money need to stop attacking our athletes and get real. Holla back y’all!

Steve Nash and Dirk

I was reading the daily news recently and I stumbled on a article by Frank Isola. The article was basically about the fact that Steve Nash misses his coach and would be willing to come to New York in 2010. Is Bill Parcells coaching the New York Knicks? Who thinks up this stuff? Do you really think D’antoni thinks, “Lets just move all the stars of my last squad to my new one.” I mean do we just want the Knicks rosters and Sun’s rosters just switching jerseys like this? Message to Dolan “These SUNS NEVER WON A TITLE”. Come on D’Antoni bring me new blood, bring me better defenders and whatever you do, just please don’t combo up Nash and Amare in 2010. I would be more upset, than the first movie critics to watch Kazaam. In fact if that were to happen we could petition that the team name should be changed to the New York Geriatrics. If I see the Knicks pick up an aging superstar in 2010 who is over 33 I will be furious, There is just to much young talent available in this free agent class. Dirk and Nash should be crossed of the Knicks wish list already!

Al Harrington of the New York Knicks

The highly favored Nets did not pull through on Wednesday night at the IZOD center. Rather they fell victim

Wilson Chandler draws contact and the foul

to below par New York Knicks team by a score of 121-109. The Knicks trailed early in the game allowing Devin Harris 14 points in the 1st quarter. It seemed like this night was destined to be a failure from the beginning for the Knicks, we have grown accustomed to seeing. Yet, some thing has changed within the New York Knicks, this team now after the departure of Randolph and Crawford and benching of Curry, refuse to quit. I almost hate to say this but Al Harrington plays with such passion while wearing his hometown orange and blue jersey, it’s almost inspiring. Al Harrington lead the knicks with 39 pts, 13 Rebounds, 3 Assists. The Knicks never lead in the 1st half and were getting pushed around until Tim Thomas took over in the 3rd putting up 9 points in about 1 minute. This sparked the crowd and Al Harrington to get to work. Chris Duhon had another great double double performance, with 10 pts and 10 assists. Chandler, who also put up big numbers, rebounded from his bad night in Chicago putting up 24 pts, 9 rebounds, 3 assists.

In other news:

Cuttino Mobley is going to announce his retirement from the NBA tommorow. He is retiring due to a heart condition that will prohibit him from playing basketball. This heart complication was caught during his physical conducted during his trade from the Clippers to the knicks this year. This is pretty upsetting story, but atleast he isn’t going to sit on the knicks bench and collect a paycheck while he gets fat and doesn’t work hard, due to his “injury or condition”. I applaud Cuttino for knowing when to get out. For Mobley I know there will be life after Basketball. Thats more than what I can say for some knicks!

I will fully admit that I have been a Marbury supporter throughout the entire fiasco of this season. I believed that the kid from Brooklyn could bring us a championship. I still think he is the New York Knicks most talented guard, yet I am starting to realize that the Knicks aren’t even in bad shape, without him. They have all been playing so well this season. Nate Robinson has put his name on the map whenever he wasn’t hurt and got minutes. Wilson Chandler has shown huge potential and is on the verge of turning into a superstar wing man. Yet, there are two players that deserve special recognition.  These two players that are making this season happen.

David Lee Relaxs with the Ladies!

The first player I would like to talk about is the cornerstone of the New York organization, Mr. David Lee. Known by some in New York as “Doctor Leebound”. This aggressive young man, plays tenaciously under the boards and does all the dirty work that needs to be done to win games. Unlike Eddy “Fatness” Curry, David is a hard worker and a tough guy which makes up for his lack of size at the center position. David Lee is a breed of player which sadly enough that seems to be dissolving from the league. Nevertheless, I hope he makes the All-star team, because quite frankly he deserves it. The man has averaged 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. Yep David Lee averages a double double. That’s pretty tough to shallow isn’t it. He actually has just as many double doubles as Tim Duncan right now with 12 on

David Lee Center of New York Knicks

the year. This year he has looked like a superstar posting up a numbers comparable to none, for example this year he put up 37 points 21 rebounds game against The Warriors. This guy works hard and does what he needs to do to fit the new system and give his team the edge in any game. Therefore, he is All Star in my book.

Chris Duhan has played like Steve Nash did under Mike D

The second player i wished to talk about is Chris Duhan. Is it me or the Knicks hell bent on picking up all of the Chicago Bulls scraps, and B side players. Literally at one point we had Crawford, Eddie Curry and Chris Duhan. To me that is just funny. Yet I think this time maybe the knicks are in luck. Obviously I hated this kid before he even stepped into the door at MSG, but I have grown to see that he has fulfilled a huge hole in this knicks organization. He has became a team leader. I did not believe this player would have been such a gifted talent considering he was the Bulls 3rd string PG. I was very upset, in fact, when I heard the rumor, The Knicks are going to trash Marbury in order to start Duhan. Which did turnout to be true. I wanted to vomit at the idea of Chris Duhan, being the “The REAL PG of the New York Knicks”. My nausea was not necessary it turns out, because This season he has had moments of greatness. When a player brakes the assist record for The New York Knicks at 22, that is something special. This guy has heart. Just look at the minutes he plays. Some players can give you 35 minutes, but in that 35 minutes you might not get 100% of the player. He may take brakes and loose concentration, this is not Duhan, he has been averaging 40 minutes per game and plays every possession like it was the first or last. He forces turnovers and he feeds open teamates using Mike D’Antoni’s system.  Honeslty the last couple of games he has started to look like Steve Nash. Right now he is averaging more assists per game than Nash actually.  Chris Duhan is the truth and when he is not on the floor the Knicks look like a terrible team. Chris recently lead the Knicks to victory against the Detroit Pistons in a large upset 104-92. He played for 48 minutes in the uptempo system, which must be brutal, yet he pushes on. Chris has been focal point for the media, and they have also attempted to trick him and say controversial statements about Marbury. Chris Duhan is a solid man, and refuses to converse about such things, unlike idiot child Q. If Duhan does not go to All Star game It will be a travesty, for New York Knicks fans world-wide.

So far in the NBA a few teams are back up to their old tricks, a few have been somewhat disappointing, and a good number of upstarts from last year as well as some surprising newcomers have begun to surface.

The newcomers that need to be involved in this discussion are as follows; in the east it’s Miami, New York, and New Jersey and in the west all of the other teams with playoff aspirations are of no surprise at this point in the season. Miami, led by top scorer in points per game, Dwyane Wade, are currently 9^th in the eastern conference standings. Last year, everyone remembers how atrocious they were. New York seems to be hitting its stride under the tutelage of former Phoenix head coach, Mike D’Antoni as they are 8-8 and 8^th in the standings. Finally, the previous season’s trade between the Dallas Mavericks and New Jersey Nets has finally begun to payoff, as the Devin Harris led Nets are 8-7, 6-4 in their last ten, and 7^th in the east.

The Upstarts from last year that are proving their worth are as follows; in the east it’s the Orlando Magic, the Atlanta Hawks, while in the west we have Portland and Denver. The Magic currently sit at 3^rd and atop the eastern conference standings at 13-4 going 9-1 in their last ten. Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis, and Hedo Turkoglu and company are really hitting their stride. The continued and improved production of guard/forward Keith Bogans and the extra lift provided by off season veteran pick up Anthony Johnson as point guard have been stalwart.

The Hawks slid a bit after starting off 5-0 mainly because of losing Josh Smith for the next few months, but have regained form and are now 10-6 and 5^th in the eastern conference.

In the west the Portland Trailblazers, continue to look like a team of the future with stars Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, and the potential of first-year NBA players like Rudy Fernandez, and Greg Oden. They are now tied with Phoenix, Denver, and Houston at 11-6 while going 7-3 in their last ten games.

Denver’s success can be attributed to the trade of Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson. The Nuggets are 11-6 and 7-3 in their last ten while holding 3^rd place in the west. They have had many impressive victories and performances as they beat Boston in Boston, and took the Lakers to the brink of a loss in L.A.

Now come the disappointments. The Detroit Pistons are hovering somewhere between average and above average. Although they are 10-5 and in 4^th place in the east, they are suffering some inexcusable losses, most recently a 10+ point loss to Minnesota, do not yet seem to have their act together with Allen Iverson skipping the thanksgiving day practice (however, I do give huge props to Michael Curry for taking charge by suspending him for one game), and are not nearly as consistent as they were when they had Chauncey Billups in the lineup. 

The other eastern disappointments for the eastern conference are the Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers, and Washington Wizards.

The Raptors just 8-7 and are barely holding a spot in the eastern conference as the 7^th seeded team. With capable point guard Jose Calderon, and former all-start Jermaine O’Neal, they should be doing better.

The Sixers were a team last year that without Elton Brand finished 6^th in the east and took Detroit to six games in the playoffs. Now with virtually the same team and Elton Brand, they are struggling to find their rhythm and are 7-9 and 5-5 in their last ten. As for the “Wiz Kids,” although without injured star Gilbert Arenas they may not have been a playoff contender anyway, they are still abysmal with their 2-12 record which is good for worst in the east. Last season they played without Arenas for the most part, but still managed to finish above .500 and make the playoffs. They have now fired their coach Eddie Jordan and are in a state of disarray.

The disappointments in the west are the New Orleans Hornets, Dallas Mavericks, and L.A. Clippers. The Hornets finished second last year and were one game away from the western conference finals. They are now 9-6 and 7^th in the standings in the west. The Mavericks are 8-8 and look like they are ready to get their act together one game, and then go back to mediocrity the next. As for the Clippers, you would think they could be more competitive than their 3-13 record would suggest with the pickup of marquee point guard Baron Davis. Oh well.

As for the Spurs, I’m sure a lot of people would like to put them in as a disappointment, but they have been playing without Manu Ginobli for the entire season (who is set to return soon), and Tony Parker has just returned from his injury earlier in the season. To further their defense, they are now 9-7 and 7-3 in their last ten while being 8^th in the west.

Finally we come to the top dogs in the league.

In the east you have the Cleveland Cavaliers with their 14-3 records, 9-1 in the last ten games, and 2^nd place spot in the standings. They have put together a bevy of blowouts on their opponents this season, and the addition of a scoring point guard in Mo Williams has been absolutely huge for them.

The second team that has picked up right where they left off from last year is the Lakers. They are 13-1 and making mince meat out of would be superpower teams and have the best record in the NBA.

But the pinnacle of all teams continues to be the Boston Celtics. They’re 16-2 and are still dominating defensively and continue to get great production from their supporting cast members. And although the Lakers get much help from their bench and up and coming players, let’s face it… the Celtics are still the champs.

The last three teams I must mention are the Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, and Utah Jazz. To me, these three teams are in a state of limbo. Houston would look to be an upstart, but they can’t seem to keep their stars, Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming, healthy. The Suns seem like the same team as last year, which wasn’t a contender anyway, and the Jazz keep being a team with potential that can’t seem to build on it.

That would about sum up the NBA season at or around its quarter mark. We’ll look to see who shifts from wherever they were in this discussion and who remains where they are in the coming weeks. As for those that I did not include in this article… you really just aren’t worth mentioning (Chicago, Indiana, Milwaukee, Charlotte, Golden State, Minnesota, Sacramento, Memphis and Oklahoma City).