Anybody else watching the Knicks....

[Déjà Bru]

I just consulted the schedule. The Golden State Warriors will be 47-0 when they play the Knicks at MSG on January 31. I like the Knicks in this one. Yes.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

I just consulted the schedule. The Golden State Warriors will be 47-0 when they play the Knicks at MSG on January 31. I like the Knicks in this one. Yes.

Shut my mouth.

18-19 tonight. One more victory than ALL of last season! Plus they just beat the Hawks back-to-back and the Heat at home.

Things are looking up. The Knicks are not going too far, even if they do make the playoffs, but at least I can watch this team without cringing and raging at the TV.

They play hard. They mesh. Nobody is loafing on the court (J.R. Smith) or skulking on the bench (A. Stoudemire). A number of guys whose names are not C. Anthony are stepping up offensively and everyone seems to be playing defense like it's an important thing to do.

[kenyan_cheena]

Really pushing the Spurs all the way in San Antonio...

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

Really pushing the Spurs all the way in San Antonio...

Yes, that's what I am saying! Either these quality teams are not taking the Knicks seriously and therefore slacking off, or these Knicks are suddenly competitive with the likes of the Hawks, Heat, and Spurs.

Yet, it was only one month ago (see above) that I was complaining about how bad they looked against the Jazz. And it was on January 2 that they set a franchise record for lowest number of points in a quarter (8, in the fourth quarter).

What's happening?

[kenyan_cheena]

Hmm, looks like the Nets are going to win the latest NYC derby. Not good, hey?

[Déjà Bru]

Wow, I really think Derek Fisher got the shaft. And from his mentor and pal Phil Jackson!

Fisher got handed a terrible Knicks team. After only a season and a half, they were showing signs of improvement until this recent losing streak.

Given where the team was when he took over, and the short time that he was in charge, I would say he was not given a fair shot to finally turn the team around and enjoy their resurrection. [It was only on January 29 that the Knicks blew out the Suns and everybody was upbeat and optimistic.]

They say he was a decent coach, a motivator and tactician. But lose 9 of 10 and you're outta here! I can hear him telling Jackson, "Thanks for the opportunity, Phil. Thanks a lot."

Here's my take: You bring me in to manage a terrible team like the 2014-2015 NY Knicks (17-65) in a season where nobody is blaming the coach because it is obvious that the players are a bunch of lazy losers led by a sulky and selfish superstar. You give me at least one FULL season after that, having made some roster upgrades, to turn things around. You don't dump me mid-season because I have only gone from a .207 to a .426 winning percentage in half a season.

Phil Jackson is starting to get on my nerves. I am thinking of starting a "Why do people hate Phil Jackson?" thread.

[Déjà Bru]

I LOVE this trade. We get Derrick Rose, a former MVP. Old, washed up? I just looked it up: He's only 27! The only caveat: Is he injury prone? Is he the same player after torn right knee meniscus a year ago February?

Still, what did we give up? Jose Calderon (thank you, Bulls, for taking him), Robin Lopez (eh, all right, not really a star), and Jerian Grant (who may be a star someday and may be the biggest loss in this deal).

The Bulls threw in Justin Holiday (literally a throw-in; the Knicks will be his fifth team in five seasons) but, get this, the Knicks also received a second round draft pick!

When was the last time the Knicks GOT a draft pick in a trade?!? Maybe this is one of the ones they traded away recently?

[Lukas Berger]

Yeah, I think it's a great trade too.

The injuries are a real issue, but the talent is still there. Rose was great in the later half of last season as this post breaks down.

Calderon is just bad and Lopez is ok, but nothing special. He's really overrated by many Knicks fans who have forgotten what a good center actually looks like. Hint, it's not Lopez! As for Grant, eh. There's some promise there but I never liked him much even in college. There's 0 chance he's a star imo. Best case scenario he's a decent starting PG, and that's not even terribly likely.

I think we're the only two Knicks fans that think it's a good deal though! What's wrong with us?

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by lukasberger

I think we're the only two Knicks fans that think it's a good deal though! What's wrong with us?

Let's stick together. It's lonely around here!

[TribeFanInNC]

I guess since he only has 1 year left on his contract, it is worth the risk. Lots of potential outcomes here; anything from nothing at all to all-star production. The biggest risk I guess is that he performs this year, then they throw $120M at him.

[BaseballMan]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Wow, I really think Derek Fisher got the shaft. And from his mentor and pal Phil Jackson!

Fisher got handed a terrible Knicks team. After only a season and a half, they were showing signs of improvement until this recent losing streak.

Given where the team was when he took over, and the short time that he was in charge, I would say he was not given a fair shot to finally turn the team around and enjoy their resurrection. [It was only on January 29 that the Knicks blew out the Suns and everybody was upbeat and optimistic.]

They say he was a decent coach, a motivator and tactician. But lose 9 of 10 and you're outta here! I can hear him telling Jackson, "Thanks for the opportunity, Phil. Thanks a lot."

Here's my take: You bring me in to manage a terrible team like the 2014-2015 NY Knicks (17-65) in a season where nobody is blaming the coach because it is obvious that the players are a bunch of lazy losers led by a sulky and selfish superstar. You give me at least one FULL season after that, having made some roster upgrades, to turn things around. You don't dump me mid-season because I have only gone from a .207 to a .426 winning percentage in half a season.

Phil Jackson is starting to get on my nerves. I am thinking of starting a "Why do people hate Phil Jackson?" thread.

I don't blame Fisher but you lose 9 out of 10 and your team is not much better then your gonna lose the job. Management isn't gonna wait for him to get things straighten out. Not after giving Isiah Thomas so much time to screw things up. Not saying it's right or fair. Just the way it is.

[Leo_The_Lip]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Let's stick together. It's lonely around here!

My first Knick hero was Ken Sears.

[reflections]

[Antonin]

Originally Posted by lukasberger

Calderon is just bad and Lopez is ok, but nothing special. He's really overrated by many Knicks fans who have forgotten what a good center actually looks like. Hint, it's not Lopez!...

Really? I'll take your word, since I don't pay much attention to the Knicks--we watch them when they are on and the Cavs aren't, but just for entertainment value. To be honest, though, whenever the Cavs played the Knicks my wife and I would always say Lopez would look pretty good in a Cavs uniform. We need another aggressive big man, since Timo Mozgov just sort of disappeared this season.

[Lukas Berger]

Originally Posted by Antonin

Really? I'll take your word, since I don't pay much attention to the Knicks--we watch them when they are on and the Cavs aren't, but just for entertainment value. To be honest, though, whenever the Cavs played the Knicks my wife and I would always say Lopez would look pretty good in a Cavs uniform. We need another aggressive big man, since Timo Mozgov just sort of disappeared this season.

Sure, he'd be fine on the Cavs as their 6th or 8th best player, getting paid half what he is now. On the Knicks, as their third best player, and what, second most highly paid player? I don't see the value. He doesn't really provide anything that makes them a better team.

He's a solid but limited starting center or a good backup center getting paid way too much. That could be valuable to to a championship contender like Cleveland. To a team going nowhere as currently constructed though, he really doesn't provide anything terribly useful other than filling a roster space at too high a cost.

[kenyan_cheena]

The Knicks should go after Pau and Noah. With what they have already plus those two guys, that's easily a 50-win team in the east.

[kenyan_cheena]

Maybe get Mosgov back also. He's clearly on the outs in Cleveland.

[Déjà Bru]

This 2016-2017 Knicks team is starting to shape up! Now they've signed Joakim Noah to play center. Besides the usual concern about injury history, the only thing I wish about Noah is that he would lose the top knot.

I am trying to be liberal (as in "accepting") about gender-bending weirdness these days, but I think the top knot is beyond that. It just looks goofy.

The other day, I was driving behind a car that had a man and a woman in it (as indicated by the beard in the rear view mirror on the left, and the slimness of features on the right, so I think I had it right). Both were sporting top knots. The sight of their silhouettes sitting side by side, top knots bobbing in rhythm as they conversed, made me burst out laughing!

[kenyan_cheena]

We call it a man bun down here, lol.

[Déjà Bru]

Projected starting five for the Knicks are Noah, Rose, Anthony, Porzingis, and now Courtney Lee at shooting guard.

Maybe for the first time in years I will not want to stick a foot through my television screen while viewing Knicks games! As much.