Hooves for Hands

When I don't get to watch a game, and it ends up being a blowout, I always go to the boxscore to see what the deciding factor was. Often you can look at free throws, rebounds, FG percentage, turnovers, etc. and there will be a sharp difference in one or two categories. Well the Knicks got straight up assaulted by Boston over at Pleasure Island. According to the box score, this was the reason...


32 turnovers. I know it's the preseason but uhh...that can't happen.

I Got No Strings

Knicks-Celtics tonight at Mohegan Sun, not televised. When I was little I imagined the Mohegan Sun as looking like Pleasure Island from Pinocchio. I hope they don't turn Nate into a donkey.

Speaking of Knicks-Celtics, check out what Steph had to say about this Telfair business. Shit's getting crazy.

“He’s my little cousin,” Marbury said. “That’s my little cousin. That’s a stupid question. That’s my little cousin. You don’t ask me (expletive) like that. Somebody put a gun to him. If somebody put a gun to one of your family, wouldn’t you be concerned? You don’t want to ask that.”

Later.

Tis the Season Preview: The Coach

Part two of the season preview brings us to el entrenador, Mr. Isiah Thomas. First of all, let me note that I may very well have been Larry Brown's biggest hater. He was pissy and capricious about lineups and playing time, and took every opportunity to dump on his players to the media. It was disrespectful, dishonorable, and egotistical. It feels good to have his ass gone. So, off the bat, there's one plus for Isiah. No matter his downfalls, I doubt he's dumb enough to do anything to piss off or criticize his team- a squad of guys completely composed by himself. Who knows. Moving on, there are both positive and negative aspects to this new bench administration. (Note: We're not here to talk about Isiah as a GM, just as a coach. I won't talk about his management for now, because it makes me turn into the Hulk. No seriously.)


Positives:
1. Respeck: Isiah commands more respect from the players. When push comes to shove, no one gave a shit about Larry Brown's championship ring. He had no respect for them- as mentioned previously- and, in return, they had no respect for him. If you've watched the preseason, you've seen the players chatting and smiling with Zeke on the sidelines. This may not seem like a big deal but it is. No fun, no try. Also, Thomas is the reason these cats are here (with the exception of Francis maybe), so why not show him some love. We'll see.

2. VAMOS: Brown was all about playing the right way or some shit. Apparently the Knicks were not. Isiah has said that he's about running and passing, with a little defense thrown in there. I'm skeptical on the defense part, but there's reason to believe that running and passing might add some wins to last year's total. (So that makes it....four?). There are numerous lineup possibilities that lend to a running game. Prepare to see 4 guards, 5 guards, or even 6 guards on the court, which isn't even possible. Frankly, the D can't get worse than it was last year, so we might as well cash in on the offense. If anything, it'll be more fun to watch. Nate got the opportunity to dunk like twice last year, which made me wanna kick Larry Brown in the trachea. Anyway.

3. If he sucks he's gone. Try and fuck around when you've got the man who pretty much owns the Tri-State Area peering over your shoulder. Love it.

Negatives:
1. Um, Isiah Thomas: His track record ain't exactly golden, and his time with the Knicks has been far from perfect. His ability to judge talent and character in an NBA veteran (he does fine drafting for some reason), has not proven effective so far. It's just hard to feel comfortable when he's pulling the strings of anyth-...shit. I'm turning green. Enough of that.

2. Lies, lies, lies: While Brown was painfully straightforward with his assessment of things, Isiah likes to shroud things in mystery and deception. When he addresses the media, and says everything's cool, you know he's got something insane up his sleeve, you just don't know what. Also his way of speaking: a creepy, smiling whisper, reminds me of Michael Jackson. I don't know if that's really a negative, but it freaks me out.


Anyway, I have one huuuuuge hope for this season. Either this shit somehow works out, we break .500, make the playoffs, whatever, or we fucking tank. The prospect of 30 to 40 wins gives me indigestion. The worst thing that could happen is that Isiah loses just enough that everyone still thinks the Knicks suck, but wins enough that Dolan keeps him around. That just might be apocalyptic for the next few decades of Knicks basketball. Pray. I might put up some stuff this weekend, but expect more preview action on Monday. Peace.

Tis the Season Preview: Acquisitions

Part one of our season preview revolves around the offseason acquisitions. I started with this cause, well, it's mad easy. Ain't that much acquiring going on in these parts. And that's a good thing. So much dealing has been done in the previous season or two that it's hard to keep track of everyone. It seems like every now and then I'm watching or reading about the Knicks and I say to myself, "Shit, Jalen Rose is on the Knicks?" What this team needs is some chemistry and Knicks patriotism. And if you're never sure who your comrades are gonna be, it's hard to get united. So I think a closing of the doors and a nice, firm isolationist mindset is suitable. Generally satisfying my desires, Zeke made very little movement in the offseason market. Some moves, though, were a little controversial. Here's the rundown.

Jared Jeffries- Jeffers came at a pretty high price, but he's got an appropriate game for these Knicks. He runs well, and can defend the perimeter- a glaring hole last year. His wing defense is crucial since Curry, Frye and James aren't exactly elite shot-blockers. Perimeter players must be contained. The broken wrist is a setback, but from what I saw in the preseason he seems a good fit.

Mardy Collins- Don't know much about this chap, but he's built pretty damn well. The dude is like 6'5'' and is touted as a solid passer and playmaker, as well as a fine perimeter defender. Again, it's nothing extraordinary, but it fits. Also, if he gets really fat, we can call him Mardy Gras. Neato.

Renaldo "Predator" Balkman- Something in the Times today said that they're calling him "Taz" like the tasmanian devil. It's a decent name, but I prefer Predator, a previous idea. Cause, god damn, he looks like Predator. Anyway, Senor Renaldo has just about the strangest build I've ever seen on an NBA player. He's like 6'7'' and change, kinda hunched over, and has a solid midsection with really lanky arms. That said, the kid is a fucking whirlwind. He's everywhere on the court, and when he grabs D-bounds, he has the ballhandling skills to take off and lead the break. With that kind of hustle and a little work on his shot, this kid could be a baller. Definitely gonna throw down some highlights in the year to come.

So them's the newbies. It's nothing to write home about, but it's exactly what the team needed. Guys who bring just enough hustle, determination, and defense, and have the a team-first mindset. Don't be surprised if one or more of these three plays a big part in the rotation.


Next up: The Coach. That's right.

Welcome, bitches.

Yo. So I'm putting this thing together for the 2006-2007 Knicks Season. My goal is to provide some analysis, as well as my thoughts on the Knicks' games, players, transactions, etc. I'm gonna try to remain optimistic and lighthearted throughout what should be a very interesting season.

Let's do this.