37 replies to this topic

[manaro90]

I just put out some quotes of the ESPN article (down) and made up my mind why the Knicks have success and started the season with 21-10 and our Lakers, at probably, the same age, are at 15-16, with a record of 12. seed in the west and they play sluggish defense and lack of confidence at both end of the floor (like yesterday)

Wee seem to bounce back always at the end of the games but we just cant finish to really get back and turn the table..

Then why can the Knicks kick out every team in the league, without having this fear? I mean they are also a great nostalgic franchise like us...they play in a basketball Mekka like us and they have several players over 30, like us...

Damn.. I just cant figure it out...

"You just saw an old damn team," Bryant continued. "I don't know how else to put it to you. We're just slow. You saw a team over there that was just younger and just had fresher legs and just played with more energy, and we were just stuck in the mud. I think individually we all have to figure out how to get ourselves ready each and every game to have a high level of energy. That's all that is."

Metta World Peace, 33, refused to accept the age of the Lakers' roster as an excuse for their play, pointing out what the New York Knicks have accomplished so far this season.

"That's no excuse, the Knicks are playing great, so that's no excuse," World Peace said. "You can't use it as an excuse for us. Thank you. Thanks for trying."

http://espn.go.com/l...ers-lack-energy

Edited by manaro90, January 02, 2013 - 09:20 AM.

[Real Deal]

Without Amare, the Knicks are centered around a superstar that can carry the load scoring 25-30 a night (Melo) and they have defensive players to help back on that end of the court (Chandler, Kidd, Brewer). They aren't THAT great defending the ball...bottom half of the NBA...but to make up for that, they have surrounded Carmelo with shooters. They are arguably the best 3PT shooting team in the NBA, attempts/makes and percentage considered, and they rarely turn the ball over.

In other words, they are a real TEAM that has an offense built just for them, relying on a defensive anchor (who was DPOY last year) and a stellar defensive PG that can defend up to three positions on the court AND a two-guard (well, he's playing SF) that can do the same, not to mention solid bench players in JR Smith, Steve Novak (best shooter in the NBA) and Chris Copeland.

We aren't a team. We don't fit the offense. We have two superstars who have to have the ball and are used to creating for their teammates, and one all-star PG who is 38-39 years old who is used to creating for everyone AND running his own offense...and a PF who just doesn't want to score.

[alec613]

We're all forgetting they had 2 years to mesh

[TheOriginalCZM]

You forgot to add the "Cause we're old as [expletive]" quote. Lol.

[Real Deal]

We're all forgetting they had 2 years to mesh

I wouldn't say that. Felton, Kidd, and Brewer (three starters) are all new additions to the team. So is Rasheed, Copeland, and Prigioni.

Melo, Chandler, Smith and Novak are the four that are familiar with each other, and Chander has been playing alongside Melo for just a season (since last year was cut short, and this year isn't but 30-some games in). Same with Novak.

Last year, they ran through three different strategies: Meloball, Melo/Amare duo (which was horrific), and Linsanity. Two of those three strategies are long gone.

[BasketballIQ]

Mike D'Antoni left them and came here.

No seriously, though. You have not had a chance to allow Kobe,Pau,Nash and Howard to play ten games together. We have a new coach and system. On top of that we aren't playing guys like Jamison who have more talent than Meeks and Morris. We allow Metta to be too aggressive, since he is in shape.

Those are the main problems but CONTINUITY is the number one issue. You see it at the end of close games. BUT I thought we lost last night due to bad offense. I think we weren't in a great offensive rhythm and it cost us. You start the game down 8-9 and it's a constant fight back. Philly is a team with pride and they needed the win.


We are on the right track, now we have some tough games on our hands though.

Clippers and Thunder

[reryo]

Weak ass eastern conference

[DanishLakerFan]

The age is a factor, obviously, but we should still be better than this. NY have a handfull of pieces that fit very well around Melo (shooters, defenders, ball-handlers etc.).

I think D'Antoni has to take a big part of the blame. His rotations are strange at times (Morris plays too much, Hill and Jamison not enough) and he is determined to play HIS system HIS way instead of getting the best out of the players that is available. That is what a good coach is supposed to do!

[manaro90]

I dont really get it.. they say the expierienced and older teams make the difference but in my eyes the Lakers look lost right now.. we are winning games and then right back get a defead... I just dont get it..

[Honey Boo Boo]

Weak ass eastern conference

Main reason honestly.

[manaro90]

Knicks have JR Smith, Steve Novak, Chris Copeland, Amare Stoudemire, Iman Shrumpert under 30 !

We just have...

Jodie Meeks, Jordan Hill, Metta World Peace* from the bench... thats it... ---.----.

[djcovi]

The majority of their contributors are young. Melo, JR, Felton, Chandler, Brewer, Novak, Copeland. Those guys are all under 30 I think, except Tyson who is 30. Soon they'll get Shumpert back, more young legs for perimeter defense.
The only two guys who are old and actually contribute are Kidd and Sheed. Camby and Thomas aren't expected to do much.
So the Knicks being old is a little but of a mirage. The average age is brought up so drastically because they have four 40 year old players and Prigioni is 35.
The rest of the team, the major contributors, are all under 30 (with the exception of Tyson and Stat who are both 30).

Meanwhile, the Lakers major contributors are all old with the exception of Dwight, Meeks, Hill, and Morris, and we will be adding another pair of old legs when Blake gets back.

[True Lakers Fan]

effort,

[BasketballIQ]

Knicks have JR Smith, Steve Novak, Chris Copeland, Amare Stoudemire, Iman Shrumpert under 30 !

We just have...

Jodie Meeks, Jordan Hill, Metta World Peace* from the bench... thats it... ---.----.

well Amare and Shumpert haven't played in any wins...

Copeland BARELY plays..but Smith and Novak do and they contribute.

Well Meeks and Hill contribute at a really nice level for us.

Kidd and chandler are the second and third most important contributors on the Knicks after Melo

[gque24]

Cuz they actually have catch & shoot players who convert on their wide open looks routinely. Its also cuz they play defense knowing their limitations & work around them to give enough effort to get the W. THey also protect their home court & Win!. Their injury issues are nothing like the Lakers.

[BasketballIQ]

They are a great passing team. We are starting to play like that, and with time, I think we will be a better version of the Knicks.

Kobe is Melo
Dwight is Tyson
Nash is Kidd

I just don't understand why we can't figure out a way to use Jamison. At his best he can be a much more useful player than Novak.

Obviously Meeks isn't the player that JR is, but still, we can roll with Meeks .

Hill is amazing as far as rebounding and effort slash energy.

Metta starting to play underwhelming ball, but still a contributor and hits big shots for sure.

I think we HAVE to find a way to incorporate Jamison.

woodson has found niches for Rasheed Wallace and Prigioni for God's sake.

[MDI]

Knicks have lost 5 out of their last 8 games by the way while we've won 6 out of our last 8. What the heck are you talking about OP

[Real Deal]

Knicks have lost 5 out of their last 8 games by the way while we've won 6 out of our last 8. What the heck are you talking about OP

For the record, NY has been struggling because they are shifting practices to fit in Amare, and planning on him getting big minutes..and they've played slightly worse on the court because of it. Stoudemire and Melo...it's like putting mustard and chocolate on your hot dog.

The Knicks knocked off some pretty good teams before doing this: Miami twice, the Spurs in San An, back-to-backs against a Philly team that was very good defensively to start the year, a Pacers team that is ranked 2nd in the NBA on defense...and one of those wins against the Heat was without Melo, when Felton dropped nearly 30 and Novak had 18.

[Nak]

The main difference between the Knicks and the Lakers is that the Knicks have elite defensive-minded players and young athletic swingmen while the Lakers have an aging core of washed-up players with neither defensive stoppers (only Howard) nor athletic players.

[hotpocket]

The Knicks put all the right pieces in place and are running a scheme that fits like a glove for them. Interesting to see what happens with Amare, but they are a really good team.

Lakers pulled in a bunch of talent but neither Brown or MDA has really figured out how to use that talent correctly. Kind of seems like trying to fit a square into a round hole, it's just not really working. With the roster as is, we SHOULD be a title contender. But, until this team figures out a way to play that maximizes the talent they have, and commit to each other and defense, we seem like a low seed and a 1st round exit.

Edited by hotpocket, January 02, 2013 - 12:36 PM.