You. Us. We. Now. Knicks Evaluation Thus Far

The new-look Knicks, dependent upon players north of eighty-five years old (in basketball years, of course), bring a new sense of hope and maturity for all previously skeptical fans and followers. The team not only dedicates itself on the defensive end but also appears to be hungrier than at any point in the past decade. The entire roster and coaching staff is more focused than ever and appear to have serious aspirations this year.

           The Knicks’ success starts with Carmelo Anthony. The Melo fellow appears to be laying off the sour cream and onion chips and sticking to the late-night gym seshes. He is playing with more tenacity, more intelligence, and, most importantly, more defense. His shot selection has improved and he only puts up those big scoring numbers we have grown accustom to when his team truly needs it. Melo seems to have figured out what it takes to make it past the first-round of the playoffs and truly focus on the ultimate goal of a title. 
            The other supporting players also throw some nice flavor into the Knicks new blend. Jason Kidd has been playing like an oracle, always knowing the best option on any given play and committing himself on both the defensive and coaching ends. Ronnie Brewer and his ferocious defense set an example for the other players, while his outrageously awkward jump shot has provided a great spark on offense. “Everybody Loves Raymond” Felton appears to have shed his Trailblazer baby fat quite nicely and has emerged as one of the premier point guards in a strong Eastern Conference. Tyson Chandler is playing like the reigning DPOY should play, and 35-year-old rookie Pablo Prigioni has added a nice variety of passing, defense, and hustle in his first five games with the team. Rasheed Wallace and his grotesque grey, black, and white beard have provided an unexpected spark with his combination of outside touch, low-post versatility, and general intensity. Kurt Thomas is doing his thing, thus far without the use of a cane, and Steve Novak continues to discount double check his way down the court after nailing three after three after three. Lastly, the whirling ball of talent, tattoos, and terrible shot selection known as J.R. Smith is showing the progress and development that Jonathon Abrams touched on. He is playing with more consistency (averaging 18.2 PPG and only one turnover per game) and a drastically higher IQ for the game. (Nothing personal to James White, Copeland, or Marcus Camby here, I just don’t have anything really to say about them.)
            With such depth and newfound determination, the Knicks still lack two of their best players: Iman Shumpert and Amar’e Stoudemire. When Shumpert returns, hopefully in December, he will prove to be another key component to the very effective defensive system Mike Woodson has implemented. One of the most athletic players in the league, Shumpert and his epic hi-top fade will bring the same intensity as last season and drastically improve the already-impressive Knicks team. Despite concerns of many fans, Amar’e Stoudemire will provide a similar level of improvement once he returns to the court and the locker room. Like many Knicks fans, I have been utterly disappointed in Amar’e’s level of play over the past two seasons. Given the fact that he was on pace to win MVP during the 2010-2011 season, it is not hard to see how much his production has gone down, a phenomenon many attribute to the addition of Carmelo Anthony. He has spent too much time with isolation plays that just don’t fit in Woodson’s system and must adapt and find his role once he returns. Last season, he became complacent, settling for his average jump shot and barreling into defenders rather than efficiently utilizing his offensive potential. If Amar’e is willing to tone it down a bit this season through perhaps less shot attempts and more defensive pressure, he will provide a significant impact on both ends of the court and help take the Knicks to an even higher level of play. As a side note, it is important to note that Amar’e dedicated himself this offseason to adding a new component to his game and worked tirelessly with Hakeem Olajuwon. These new post moves could prove to be lethal and give the Knicks something they haven’t had since the Ewing days.

            So are the Knicks ready to finally win a championship? Let’s not take it that far just yet. There are still questions left unanswered, including how the old dogs will fare forty-five games into the season and how Amar’e will integrate back into the system. However, Melo and the team prove to have their best shot at the Larry O’Brien trophy in recent years. They are playing harder, more together, and with a more focused mentality on what it takes to win. They remain the only undefeated team in the NBA and should come out on top by the end of the week in the power rankings. As any dedicated fan would do, our next step is to see how they fare in games when they don’t win by double digits. They face the 7-1 Spurs Thursday at 8:30, looking to have their first undefeated start through six games since the 20^th century.  

Written by Matt Miller and Davis Goldstein