No Melo, No Problem

Thursday, December 6^th, 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: New York Knicks: 112 Miami Heat: 92

No Melo, No Problem as Knicks Blow out Heat

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No Melo, no problem for the Knicks tonight in Miami as they blew out the Heat 112-92.  It is the second time this season the Knicks beat the Heat by 20 points.  The win by the Knicks gives the Heat their first home loss this season and biggest loss at Miami since Lebron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwayne Wade in South Beach; leaving the Knicks as the last team in the NBA without a home loss.

Just like the first time around, the Knicks beat the Heat by putting on a show from the three point line, knocking down 18 of their 44 attempts.  This is the second time they made 18+ three pointers in a game, with the other time being the first defeat of the Heat; this time around they did it without the help of Carmelo Anthony, who was sitting out with a laceration on his left middle finger that required five stitches.

In his place, Raymond Felton picked up the slack as the go-to scorer.  Felton played by far his best game of the season given the circumstances.  Knowing Anthony would sit, Felton took it upon himself to carry the Knicks and responded with a monster game.

Felton did everything tonight, running the pick-and-roll to perfection with Tyson Chandler and even taking over some of Anthony’s isolation sets; on one occasion Felton cooked Udonis Haslem with a crossover reminiscent of Allen Iverson, taking it to the rack for a layup. 

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Felton attacked the basket with fearless abandon and precision tonight, always making the right move to counter whatever the Heat were doing on offense.  Felton actually shot the ball better from deep, going six of 10 from the three point line and four of 10 inside of it.  He finished the game with a season high 27 points in addition to seven assists, four rebounds and two steals.  The Knicks needed him to step up tonight in Anthony’s absence and he did that and more.

Chandler continued his great play tonight, finishing around the basket and controlling the paint on both sides of the court.  Chandler’s stats are not as eye popping as some of his recent performances with 13 points and nine rebounds tonight, but his presence alone made a difference.  The Heat shooting 42.1 percent from the field shows just how tough the defense was tonight, led by Chandler in the middle.

The Knicks defense was on point tonight and was the driving force behind the building of the big lead.  The perimeter rotations were crisp and came out strong in the second half, limiting the Heat to only one basket the first six minutes of the third quarter.  Without that effort on the defensive end, the Knicks would have gotten hammered tonight.  They allowed only 39 points in the second half and 12 in the fourth quarter.

With Anthony injured, the Knicks were in need of people stepping up and that is exactly what they got; under the bright lights of a nationally televised game the whole team shined in picking up the slack left by Anthony’s absence. 

The bench played outstanding, as they outscored the Heat’s bench 57-19.  Steve Novak led the way on the bench, with 18 points.  Rasheed Wallace chipped in 12 of his own and the same good defensive effort he has been giving all season to go along with seven rebounds.  J.R. Smith struggled with his shot again, going four of 15, but he made timely baskets and made contributions in other parts of the game, grabbing six rebounds, handing out four assists and getting one steal. 

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Pablo Prigioni did his thing as the backup point guard, chipping in seven points of his own and grabbing a career high six rebounds.  James White was forced into duty because of injuries and responded as well as Mike Woodson could have hoped for, not missing a shot en route to scoring seven points. 

The Knicks came into the game with supreme focus and an understanding of what they had to do to get the victory without their star player.  Not only were they on point with the defense, they put in a concerted effort to protect the ball, turning the ball over a season-low tying seven times. 

Next up for the Knicks is a visit to Chicago to end a three game road trip Saturday night, the third game in a stretch of four games in five nights for the Knicks. 

Knicks Stay Perfect at MSG

Sunday, December 02, 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: Phoenix Suns: 99 New York Knicks: 106

Knicks Continue Home Dominance with Victory over Suns

The Knicks continued their win streak at home, running their home record to 7-0 on the reason with a victory over the Phoenix Suns Sunday afternoon.  This was the first home victory this season for the Knicks that was not of the double-digit variety and the best start at Madison Square Garden since 1992-1993.  The Knicks moved to 12-4 on the season, sitting at second place in the Eastern Conference behind the 12-3 Miami Heat.

Once again the Knicks offense was led by Carmelo Anthony.  Anthony got off to a good start from the beginning, scoring eight points in the opening frame and having 30 heading into the fourth quarter. 

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Head coach Mike Woodson had hoped Anthony’s afternoon would end there, but the Suns made a run in the fourth quarter and Anthony was reinserted, ending the game with 34 points on 11 of 27 shooting.  He also added six rebounds, two assists, one steal and two blocks. 

Raymond Felton seems to have the rough game against the Nets permanently behind him, as he put in yet another great effort Sunday.  Felton scored 23 points, handed out seven assists and added three rebounds.  He didn’t turn the ball over once in the game, a great stat for any point guard to have.

The Knicks as a whole protected the ball very well, turning the ball over only seven times as a team.  Anthony and Pablo Prigioni were the only two players to actually accumulate any turnovers, as Anthony accounted for four and Prigioni three. 

Tyson Chandler picked up right where he left November in the efficiency department.  Chandler ended November shooting 71 percent from the field and continued with it in his first game in December.  Chandler shot six of eight from the field, finishing with 15 points and season high tying 13 rebounds. 

The Knicks defense suffered some in the second half, as they gave up 57 second half points but they pressured the Suns consistently, forcing 17 turnovers and scoring 23 points off of them. 

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Anyone watching the game also got to see Rasheed Wallace in prime Portland Trail Blazer form, getting ejected after accruing two technical fouls after a whopping one minute and 25 seconds of playing time. 

Wallace got the first technical after arguing a foul called on him.  After Goran Dragic missed his first attempted, Wallace yelled, “Ball don’t lie,” and was handed his second technical.

With Marcus Camby sidelined with a sore foot, Chris Copeland was called on to pick up the slack and that is exactly what he did.

In 10 minutes of playing time, Copeland packed the stat line with eight points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal and block. 

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Steve Novak continued his hot shooting from deep, going four of nine from the three point line for 12 points in the game.  He also added two rebounds, an assist and two steals.  Novak getting hot and scoring some helps off-set how poorly J.R. Smith has been playing recently.

Smith went one of 11 in the game, scoring only 4 points.  This is the third time in the last four games Smith has scored five or less points in a game.  At least he is helping out in other areas of the game, as Smith grabbed five rebounds and handed out four assists. 

Next up for the Knicks is another road trip, as they will take the day off Monday before returning to practice Tuesday in preparation for the Charlotte Bobcats Wednesday.  After Charlotte, the Knicks will head to Miami to play the Heat then Saturday to play the Bulls in Chicago. 

Knicks Bounce Back, Dominate Bucks

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: New York Knicks: 102 Milwaukee Bucks: 88

Knicks Bounce Back, Dominate Bucks

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The Knicks needed to put the disappointing game against the Nets behind them and move on and that is exactly what they did.  The start was a little shaky, but the Knicks would start taking control as the second quarter went on and eventually took the game completely over right out of the gate after halftime.  Jason Kidd did not make the trip with the team because of back spasms and for at least one night they were able to overcome his absence

Playing in Milwaukee means home coming time for Steve Novak and he responded in a big way.  Novak set season highs across the board tonight in minutes played with 40, points with 19, three pointers made with five, steals with two and rebounds with four.  Novak put on a show in front of his friends and family tonight in Milwaukee, playing his best overall game on the season.

I have been critical of Novak because he is really a one dimensional player with his calling card as his three point shooting, but he has done a solid job on defense recently.  He is putting forth effort and at least trying on defense, which is better than nothing.  He knows that he isn’t the most gifted of athletes but at least looks to at least be giving his all and trying to improve his game.  He cannot be faulted if he is at least trying to improve.

Novak was not the only bench player to put on a show tonight, as Pablo Prigioni had his best game in his brief Knick career.  Prigioni brought a spark off the bench in the second quarter, scoring eight points and getting one of his patented steals and finishing for a layup.

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Prigioni has been berated by head coach Mike Woodson for not always shooting the ball when he has open looks, but tonight he was aggressive.  He knocked down two quick three pointers to start the second quarter and was aggressive attacking the paint as the Bucks do not have a strong defensive backcourt in Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis.

Prigioni filled in masterfully for the injured Kidd, finishing the game with 11 points, seven assists, three rebounds and one steal.  Prigioni is capable of running this team if need be; he is a rookie according to NBA regulations but in actuality is far from a rookie.

Chris Copeland got some significant minutes tonight as well, starting the second quarter for the Knicks.  He looked a little nervous in that time though, hesitating on some of his decisions and not going to the basket aggressively on his pick-and-rolls, instead passing it back to the perimeter after receiving an entry pass.  He finished with five points and one rebound in 11 minutes.

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J.R. Smith once again struggled for the Knicks, getting into foul trouble early picking up three fouls in his first six minutes of action.  Smith seems to be effected the most with Kidd sidelined, as this is the second consecutive poor performance as he managed to only score two points.  Smith just does not seem to have his head in the game like he had earlier in the season, something the veterans on this team will undoubtedly change and get Smith back on track; he is too important to the season to not.

The ineffectiveness was offset tonight because of the strong play by some of his bench mates and the starting five.  Raymond Felton had a nice bounce back game after a disappointing effort Monday, finishing with 12 points on five of 10 shooting, seven assists, three rebounds and four steals. 

Tyson Chandler continued his super efficient streak, making all four of his field goal attempts, running his total to 32 of his last 36 shots as makes.  He finished the game with 17 points, eight rebounds and one steal in only 27 minutes of play as he was able to get a rest with the blowout score. 

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Once again Carmelo Anthony came out on fire for the Knicks, scoring 11 of his game high 29 in the opening stanza.  Anthony finished the game going nine of 18 from the field, including three of four from deep, continuing his torrid shooting pace from three point range.  Anthony also added a team high tying eight rebounds and took care of the ball much better tonight, having only one turnover.

Next up for the Knicks is a weekend home, as they will host the one-win Washington Wizards Friday night and the Phoenix Suns Sunday afternoon.  This is a great opportunity for the Knicks to get their defense back on track and get a nice winning streak going. 

What to Watch For: New York Knicks vs. Milwaukee Bucks November 28

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Pre-Game News and Notes

New York Knicks vs. Milwaukee Bucks

The Knicks will look to bounce back against the Central Division leading Milwaukee Bucks Wednesday night after a tough overtime loss at the hands of the Brooklyn Nets Monday night.  This will be no cake walk for the Knicks, as they have struggled with the Bucks in recent seasons and they finally have some offensive firepower to go along with a suffocating defense.  

The Knicks will be without Jason Kidd for the second game, who did not make the trip because of back spasms and is said to be day-to-day by head coach Mike Woodson. Here are some things to watch for tonight:

-Ball Movement

The Knicks struggled mightily Monday without Kidd in the lineup, placing an immense amount of responsibility on the shoulders of Raymond Felton to run the offense.  Felton responded with his worst performance of the season, shooting three of 19 with only five assists.

The lack of another facilitator also saw Carmelo Anthony revert back to his old ways of hero-ball and a ton of isolation.  This made things easier on the Nets, as they just threw everything they had at Anthony knowing he was the only thing the Knicks had going for them.  That needs to change against a Bucks team that has more ammunition than the Nets did to throw at Anthony. 

The Knicks assisted on only 14 of 33 makes against the Nets, a number that has to improve as that indicates that the Knicks were not moving the ball enough and relied too heavily on tough shots going one-on-one.

-Get Back to Basics

The most basic play in basketball is the pick-and-roll; a simple play that every team uses extensively yet is one of the hardest things to defend.  The Knicks need to utilize this more tonight than they did against the Nets; meaning Felton has to put together a solid effort against a tough backcourt in Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis.

With Jennings and Ellis in the backcourt, the Bucks have a very quick and swift perimeter, helping them in allowing the least amount of three point attempts per game at 16.7.  Running the pick-and-roll will open up the lanes and create easy scoring opportunities for the Knicks.  If they can open up the middle some, it will make the Bucks’ wing defenders help off their man equaling open jump shots.

-Slow Down the Backcourt

Without Kidd, the Knicks will most likely go with a more traditional lineup with Kurt Thomas starting at the 4 and Anthony sliding back to the 3.  This means Felton and Ronnie Brewer, if he starts after dislocating his finger Monday night, will get the first shot at slowing down the dynamic combination of Jennings and Ellis.

Jennings historically has lit up the Knicks, averaging 20.3 points per game against them in his career, his highest against any Eastern Conference team.  The Knicks passed on Jennings in the 2008 NBA Draft in favor of Jordan Hill. 

Brewer or whoever starts at the 2 will be manned with the responsibility of slowing Ellis down and keeping him out of the paint.  If the Knicks can force Ellis into jump shots, it will go a long way in stopping him as his efficiency and shooting percentage drops the further away he gets from the basket.

-Bench Play

The Knicks bench struggled mightily Monday night against the Knicks, giving almost no help whatsoever to the starting lineup in the way of scoring.  The bench mustered only 13 points Monday, their lowest output of the season by 15.  J.R. Smith scored a season low five points and Rasheed Wallace shot an ugly two of 11 from the field. 

The Knicks bench will need to step up tonight with Kidd and possibly Brewer out of the lineup.  The Bucks have depth for days at virtually every position with some shuffling done, so the Knicks will have to be prepared for many different matchups and schemes from the Bucks. 

One person the Knicks will have to keep an eye on is Mike Dunleavy, who torched the Knicks last season for 25, 26 and 19 points in the last three meetings the teams had last season.

Knicks Bounce Back, Blow out Pistons

Sunday, November 25^th, 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: Detroit Pistons: 100 New York Knicks: 121

Knicks Bounce Back, Blow out Pistons

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The Knicks didn’t exactly bounce back on the defensive end of the ball against the Pistons, but it didn’t matter much as the Knicks were unstoppable on the offensive side, dropping 121 on Detroit en route to a blowout victory.  The Knicks gave up an average of 122.5 points in their last two games, giving up 100 for the third straight time but they were able to cause problems for Detroit; the Knicks forced 19 Detroit turnovers and converted them into 33 points.  The Pistons also became the fifth straight team to lose at Madison Square Garden this season by double-digits.

Carmelo Anthony came out scorching from the start again, as he scored 15 points in the first frame in the most dominant of fashions.  Anthony went for 15 points in the first quarter, following up an 18 point first quarter Friday night against the Rockets.  In the quarter, Anthony went six of seven from the field, knocking down all three of his three point attempts.

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Anthony would finish the game with a game high 29 points, adding two rebounds, three assists and one steal.  A glaring stat is Anthony’s high turnover number again, which was six this afternoon.  That makes 20 turnovers for Anthony in his last three games, something that will need to get lower as the Knicks will not be able to stay in the game with better competition with turnovers that high.

Steve Novak has been struggling thus far this season, but Sunday afternoon he was on.  Novak went for a season high 18 points, knocking down five of his seven three point attempts.  Novak also showed up in the box score in other places, something he hasn’t done recently, getting two rebounds, two blocks and one steal. 

If Novak has his shooting stroke back it gives the Knicks a deadly weapon.  Novak is a perfect floor spacer for the offense that the Knicks run, but he has to be making his three point attempts as his shooting ability is really the only thing that he brings to the table.

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J.R. Smith didn’t allow Novak to be the only shining star off the bench, as he had another strong game for the Knicks.  Smith hit only three of eight shots from the field, but attacked the rim consistently, getting to the foul line for eight attempts and knocking them all down for 15 points.

Where Knick fans are happy is that Smith stuffed the stat sheet and helped the team in other ways than just scoring.  Smith grabbed a team high 10 rebounds, while handing out five assists and getting a steal.  Smith is an x-factor this season for the Knicks and when he has performances like Sunday afternoon, they will be tough to beat especially when Iman Shumpert and Amar’e Stoudemire return from injury. 

Another strong performance was put forth by Raymond Felton as well, notching his second double-double in three games as he went for 14 points and 10 assists.  Felton also added four rebounds, two steals and a very impressive zero turnovers. 

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Outside of Anthony, the Knicks ball security was as great as it has been throughout the season, as the rest of the Knicks combined for only five turnovers. 

Rasheed Wallace also returned from his sore foot and had a big impact on the game, as he scored 15 points off the bench to go with one rebound, steal and block.  Marcus Camby also got into the game, playing five minutes and grabbing three rebounds. 

Overall, the Knicks shooting was lethal from everywhere on the court.  The Knicks shot 48.1 percent from the field and 17 for 33 from the three point line, good for 51.5 percent.  They also shot an impressive 28 for 31 from the foul line, good for 90.3 percent. 

Next up for the Knicks is the first game against the Brooklyn Nets for the season Monday night at 7 P.M. ET.  It is the first of four meetings between the teams this season and a game fans of the Knicks would like to see them dominate. 

What to Watch For: Detroit Pistons vs. New York Knicks November 25

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Pre-Game News and Notes

Detroit Pistons vs. New York Knicks

The Knicks are coming off a very disappointing stretch of six quarters in which their defense was non-existent, giving up 196 points over that span.  The Knicks will look to get back on track Sunday afternoon against the 3-10 Detroit Pistons, a winnable game that the Knicks cannot over look with a big matchup with the Brooklyn Nets the following night.

-Get Back to Basics

The Knicks have suffered severe lapses for parts of the past six quarters and it has hurt them, as they are on their first two game losing streak since Mike Woodson took over as head coach.  Role players such as Chandler Parsons and Omer Asik dominated the Knicks Friday night in addition to the big name players Jeremy Lin and James Harden.

The Knicks need to get back to trusting each other on defense, as there was no help defense given Friday night.  Tyson Chandler needs to get back to his Defensive Player of the Year ways, as he has become Charmin Soft in the middle at times this season. 

Chandler has a lot of his plate, as Woodson has not been matching up his players well at points, leaving Chandler as the only big on the court a large portion of time.  Chandler has not been protecting the rim well recently either, as foul trouble has deterred him and caused him to be less aggressive.

-Crash the Boards

One glaring problem Friday night was the thumping the Knicks took on the boards, as the Rockets out rebounded them 49-30.  That is a trend that needs to change even though the Knicks have been successful thus far this season with an 8-3 record.

The Pistons sport a huge front line in Greg Monroe and Jason Maxiell in the starting lineup and have Andre Drummond coming off the bench.  Monroe is becoming a household name in the NBA and Maxiell has been a menace on the boards since entering the league.  Drummond has been quite impressive thus far in his rookie campaign, averaging 5.2 rebounds in only 16.2 minutes per game.

It will take a team effort from the Knicks to win the rebounding battle, as the Pistons are not going to just roll over; head coach Lawrence Frank will have his young team ready to roll Sunday afternoon.

-Offense Needs to Flow

The Knicks offense does not garner a ton of assists because of the post-ups that Woodson runs for Carmelo Anthony and Rasheed Wallace; that does not mean the ball movement is always there though.

The ball has been stopped multiple times in the recent games, as Anthony has turned the ball over seven times in each of the last two games.  Anthony was featured heavily Friday against the Rockets because of matchups, but teammates became spectators and were standing around watching most of the game, causing for a stagnant offense.

If the Knicks can get the ball movement and flow back in their offense this should be a relatively easy game before heading to Brooklyn Monday night. 

Knicks Blown Out By Rockets to End Road Trip

Friday, November 23, 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: New York Knicks: 103 Houston Rockets 131

Knicks Blown Out by Rockets to End Road Trip

The Knicks came into the game saying all the right things about their match-up with Jeremy Lin, but it was Lin who came out on top as the Rockets blew out the Knicks 131-103.  The Knicks left their defense in the locker room at half time of the game at Dallas, as the Knicks have given up 196 points in the last six quarters and 122.5 points per game in the last two.  The Knicks were unable to stop anyone tonight, including Lin. 

Lin had a strong game, scoring 13 points while grabbing seven rebounds and handing out three assists.  That is child’s play compared to what some of his teammates unleashed against what looked like an unprepared Knicks squad.

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James Harden came in as one of the top five scorers in the NBA, averaging over 24 points per game; he blew that away tonight.  Harden scored 33 points, including a perfect 16 of 16 from the foul line, dishing nine assists, bringing in four rebounds and getting two steals.

The Knicks had no answer for Harden tonight, as he danced into the lane at will and did whatever he wanted against the Knicks.  He took advantage of having the slower Jason Kidd on him for most of the night, slashing to the rim and attacking the paint; this put the Knicks in a tough position as their rotations were slow tonight and no one trusted each other on the court.

The Knicks expected a strong showing from Harden, as he has really taken to his new role as go-to player after being the third option in Oklahoma City.  What the rest of the Rockets starting lineup did no one could have predicted.

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Chandler Parsons, a second year player who was drafted in the second round last year, set his career high in the first half alone when he scored 26 points alone, 18 of which came in a perfect shooting first quarter.  He finished with a career high 31 points in addition to five rebounds, four assists and four steals. 

The second surprise came from Omer Asik, who is considered a top defensive center in the NBA and strong on the boards but not revered as a strong offensive option; tonight Asik scored around the rim and looks every bit worth the $25 million dollars the Rockets gave him.

Asik had a game high 14 rebounds to go along with 18 points, as he showed a deft touch around the rim making multiple reverse lay-ups and finishing off second opportunities. 

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The Knicks defense was non-existent tonight, as they allowed the Rockets to shoot 51.7 percent from the field and a blistering 56 percent from the three point line. The Knicks also got destroyed on the boards, as the Rockets outrebounded them 49-30, a number that is embarrassingly bad.

This raises the question of where Marcus Camby is.  Once again, Camby was unable to get off the bench even though Rasheed Wallace was out with a sore foot.  Camby was brought in to New York to be the backup to Tyson Chandler and bring a defensive presence on the court in addition to his outstanding rebounding skills.

Head coach Mike Woodson says Camby is still rounding into playing shape, but that excuse is getting stale fast.  The Knicks are in desperate need of rebounding help and are refusing to use what was the top rebounder in the NBA last season by percentages. 

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In addition to the poor rebounding, the Knicks didn’t take of the ball well either.  The Knicks turned the ball over another 15 times tonight, leading to 23 Rockets points.  The main culprit in this was once again Carmelo Anthony, who had seven turnovers alone and is reverting back to his old tendencies; a recipe that ends in disaster for the Knicks.

In one instance, Anthony argued with a referee while going up the court, completely ignoring what was going on around him in the game and allowing the Rockets to get an easy fast break dunk as Anthony was more concerned with yelling at the ref than playing defense.  This led to yet another technical foul for Anthony, as losing his cool rubbed off on his teammates and the Knicks imploded again in the third quarter. 

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Other than those problems, Anthony had an outstanding game, scoring 37 points while grabbing four rebounds and dropping two assists.  Anthony hit a career high seven three pointers in the game, as the Knicks shot well in the game but were unable to get enough stops to make the game close. 

Raymond Felton had a strong game for the Knicks as well, as he scored 17 points and had eight assists.  He got hit with the turnover big in addition to Anthony though; as he turned the ball over four times himself. 

Next up for the Knicks is a matinee Sunday against the Detroit Pistons.  The Knicks cannot look past the Pistons, as Lawrence Frank will have his team ready to go and they have a big front court; another team that will make it hard on the Knicks on the boards.

What to Watch For: New York Knicks vs. Houston Rockets November 23

Friday, November 23, 2012

Pre-Game News and Notes

New York Knicks vs. Houston Rockets

The Knicks head into Houston after a tough defeat at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks Wednesday night looking to bounce back and win the last game of their road trip.  The Knicks have not lost two consecutive games with Mike Woodson has head coach and they will look to continue that streak against the Rockets.  The biggest headline for Knicks fans will be Jeremy Lin, but to win this game there are more pressing needs to take care of; here are a few to look at throughout the game.

-Stop James Harden

Knick fans will focus on Lin, but he has struggled mightily this season, shooting 33.3 percent from the field and 22.9 from 3 point land, averaging only 10 point per game to go along with 4.4 rebounds and 6.3 assists. The bigger threat is the biggest catch the Rockets have had in recent memory in James Harden.

Harden has become the vocal point of the offense and franchise player for the first time since being traded from Oklahoma City.  Harden is averaging 24.5 points per game thus far this season, relishing in his role as the go-to player. 

The Knicks would be smart to focus their defensive efforts on Harden, as he is the only real scoring threat the Rockets have.  He handles the ball a lot and is put in isolation situations, but is prone to turning the ball over, so the Knicks should double him whenever they have a chance.  He is a good playmaker, but turns the ball over 4.2 times per game.

If the Knicks can limit Harden, it would make getting a victory tonight that much easier.  The Rockets are ranked only 17^th in offensive efficiency and if you take Harden away they most likely would not break the top 25.

-Win the Turnover Battle

As just stated, Harden turns the ball over quite frequently, one of the reasons the Rockets are last in the NBA in turnovers per game with 17.3.

The Knicks are on the opposite spectrum of the turnover list, as the Knicks turn the ball over the least amount of times in the NBA per game, with 10.7.  The Knicks actually set a franchise record for turnover differential, +58, through ten games in a season.

Turnovers hurt the Knicks Wednesday against the Mavericks, so getting back to what they had been doing and putting a premium on ball security.  This is a good opportunity to take advantage of; as the Knicks thrive on teams turning the ball over and the Rockets do that better than any team in the NBA.

-Rebounding

The Knicks rebounding woes have been well documented thus far this season and could very well continue tonight.

The Rockets are fifth in the NBA in rebounding, which means the Knicks have a big problem on their hands tonight.  It will take gang rebounding and an asserted effort on the boards to keep the numbers close.

 

If I were Mike Woodson, I would have to use Marcus Camby and Kurt Thomas tonight.  They bring a defensive mentality and rebounding to the court, something the Knicks sorely lack right now.  Rasheed Wallace has done a great job thus far off the bench, but the problem is with Anthony logging all his minutes at the 4, the Knicks are at a disadvantage rebounding.

I do not mind Anthony starting the game at the 4, as it has gotten the Knicks off to hot starts nightly; the problem is as the game goes on and the rebounding differential starts to grow.  Woodson has to adjust and get those rebounding numbers closer to even or in the Knicks favor; it would go a long way and make a great start to the season that much more sustainable. 

Furious Knicks Comeback Falls Short, Lose to Mavericks

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: New York Knicks: 111 Dallas Mavericks: 114

Furious Comeback Falls Short for Knicks

The Knicks fell tonight to the Dallas Mavericks 114-111, as they just did not have enough in the tank in the end to pull off the comeback.  Dallas built a 12 point lead in the fourth quarter, yet the Knicks never laid down and had a chance to win right up to the final buzzer.

The biggest problem in the game for the Knicks was on the defensive end of the court, as they surrendered 65 second half points.  The Knicks had no answer for the Mavericks perimeter players tonight, as Darren Collison, O.J. Mayo and Vince Carter all had great games.

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Collison scored 19 on seven of 11 shooting, adding seven assists.  Mayo continued his hot shooting start to the season, knocking down 10 of 17 shots for 27 points and two assists.  Carter was the Knicks killer tonight, as he knocked down five of 10 three point attempts and nine of 17 shots overall for 25 points.

Jae Crowder also stuffed the stat sheet for the Mavericks, as he scored 12 points and grabbed four to go along with one assist and a steal.  Crowder knocked down some big shots for the Mavericks, killing the Knicks momentum whenever they would start building some.

Overall, the Mavericks shot 49.4 percent from the field overall and 44.8 from the three point line.

The Knicks also had problems taking care of the ball for portions of the game in Dallas, turning the ball over 14 times in the game.  Carmelo Anthony turned the ball over seven times alone, and Raymond Felton had four turnovers of his own.

Felton was strong otherwise in the game, scoring 18 points and dishing 11 assists, continuing his outstanding start to the season and proving all his doubters wrong thus far.

Anthony was the recipient of two very questionable calls down the stretch of the game.  The first was on a circus lay-up that Anthony did a 180-turn in the air, banking it in; but it was waived off as the refs called an charging foul against Anthony when Carter slide underneath him. 

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The second call Anthony drove to the basket and was hit in the face with a Chris Kaman elbow after blowing by Shawn Marion.  What happens after the ball is out of a players hand is supposed to be irrelevant, but jump shooters get those types of calls all the time.  Anthony does not receive the start treatment from refs that many other All-Star caliber players do.

Anthony finished the game with 23 points, six rebounds and four assists but missed the game winning shot with 6 seconds left, fouling out afterwards.  Anthony’s stat line didn’t end up looking to bad, but he struggled in the first half shooting only one of six for four points in the first half. 

In their returns to Dallas, Jason Kidd and Tyson Chandler had arguably their best games of the season.  Kidd looked like vintage Kidd, putting on a show for the Dallas fans.  Kidd finished the game with 17 points, five assists, six rebounds and five steals.  Again, Kidd had no turnovers and the Knicks played best with him on the court, as the Knicks were a +12 with him on the court.

Chandler showed up for the Knicks tonight and dominated when he was on the court.  Chandler finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds and showed why he won Defensive Player of the Year last season.  Chandler finished with one block and one steal, all the while having multiple plays that will not show up in a box score; there were a number of times Chandler changed the shots of Mavericks’ players and made it difficult on anyone who drove the paint. 

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Mike Woodson was out coached tonight plan and simple, but he held himself accountable like he does with his players post game.  Woodson admitted that his strategy of an eight-man rotation in the game tonight did not work, as the energy just was not the same on the defensive end of the court with the cut down rotation.  It was a questionable decision by Woodson, as the Knicks were coming off the second night of a back-to-back and normally play nine or 10 players double-digit minutes.

It was also surprising to not see Marcus Camby of Kurt Thomas come off the bench tonight, as the Knicks struggled on the boards once again.  Camby, even in his older age, is a dominant rebounder; he led the NBA in rebounding percentage last season.  Thomas offers veteran leadership and a no back-down mentality and would have helped slow down the Mavericks onslaught tonight. 

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Next up for the Knicks is a visit to Houston to take on Jeremy Lin and the Rockets.  Lin will not be the only person the Knicks need to keep an eye on, as James Harden has taken to his new role as lead dog and ran with it in Houston. 

What to Watch For: New York Knicks vs. New Orleans Hornets November 20

Tuesday, November 20^th, 2012

Pre-Game News and Notes

New York Knicks vs. New Orleans Hornets

The Knicks start a three game road trip with a match-up against number one overall pick Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Hornets.  The Knicks are on top of the Eastern Conference right now and again own the best winning percentage in the NBA with the Grizzlies losing Monday night.  The Knicks had a nice bounce back victory Sunday afternoon, as they have yet to lose two games in a row with Mike Woodson as head coach. Here are some things to watch for tonight

-Carmelo Anthony vs. Anthony Davis

Carmelo Anthony has made a living on the offensive end thus far this season against bigger opponents that cannot keep up with him on the perimeter.  Tonight could be the biggest challenge Anthony faces thus far this season in number one overall pick Anthony Davis.

Davis was drafted already being an elite defensive prospect because of the impact he was capable of making on that end of the floor.  His length and athleticism could cause a problem for Anthony, who has struggled at times around the basket because of the punishment the bigger players are delivering.

When the roles are switched, with Anthony on defense, hopefully he will not have to guard Davis.  Davis is skinny, but the continuous beating against bigger opponents will eventually wear down Anthony. 

It will be an interesting matchup, as Davis is not an imposing man but definitely causes problem on the defensive end because of his gift of blocking shots.

-Keep Up the Pressure

The Hornets have one of the lesser offenses in the NBA, scoring only 93.1 points per game and ranking 23rd in the NBA.  Without shooting guard Eric Gordon in the lineup with knee problems, the Hornets lack a go-to scorer to fill up the basket.  This is definitely bolds well for the Knicks, who are currently surrendering the least amount of points per game in the NBA at 90.

-Three Point Shooting

The Knicks three point shooting has cooled off some from the first week of the season, but they have some players that are still lighting up the scoreboard from deep. 

J.R. Smith, Jason Kidd and Ronnie Brewer are all shooting well above their career averages from deep, going for 60, 52 and 42.1 percent respectively.

The Knicks will have to continue their hot shooting and limit the 3 point opportunities for the Hornets, specifically Ryan Anderson.  Last season, Anderson destroyed the Knicks, knocking down seven three pointers en route to a 30 point game. 

This season, Anderson is shooting 38.9 percent from three point land and knocking down three a game, making him the leading Hornets scorer at 16.4 points per game.  If the Knicks can limit his opportunities, it would make life much easier.