NBA 2012-2013 Season Thread - Page 633

I'm on board. Questions for you guys watching:

1) Is this the team buying into Woodson's system, or just a result of an early season soft schedule?

2) How has the loss of Lin (or gain of losing Lin) affected the team?

3) Is it me, or did Fat Ray Felton just score 25? That party's going to come crashing down shortly.

i havent been able to watch the Knicks, but i have similar questions about how they're doing this. it doesn't seem to be Melo taking over in his traditional sense - box scores show he has plenty of help. is he finally becoming a playmaker? it's hard to even type that with a straight face.

the Heat haven't been in championship form so far. their record is not horrible, but they lost to all the contenders they've faced so far except for Boston on opening day. their offense has carried over very well (Bosh! Ray!) but their defense is out of sync. they're not big, so their strength is the speed and precision of their rotations, and it's just not working well right now. i wonder how many practices they've had - they've had a busy game sched and now are on a long road trip.

Allen in particular is getting badly abused, but it's hard to be mad at him given how he's killing it from the 3-point line and taking pressure off Lebron and Wade. but even the experienced guys aren't doing well. also, Memphis in particular showed one way to kill the Heat offensively - abuse Shane Battier with a beast frontline. i'm sure the Lakers were watching.

here's the gist for the knicks:

 

1. Melo is a dominant small-ball PF, but a mediocre traditional SF. He's too quick for traditional PFs plus with him playing at the 4 you space the floor more. Also, he's big enough to defend opposing PFs in the paint.

2. The Knicks are getting unsustainable production out of their role players. JR Smith is shooting 73% (73!) from 3, Kidd is shooting 55% Brewer is shooting 47%, Felton is shooting 41%. History tells us these numbers are going to drop quite a bit.

3. They're actually playing defense.

4. Pretty soft schedule. They've played the fewest games so far and have only had one back-to-back (both games being against a Bynum-less 76ers.)

 

Overall, I'd say they are the only legitimate opposition Miami has in the east right now.

This doesn't seem so terrible to me. Given the quality of teams in the East, they can probably coast on D, especially on the road, and cruise to the best record just by beating all of the bad teams who can't score on anybody. In Feb. and Mar., get the defense together, and crush teams in the playoffs. Pacing is everything.

1. Yes and a bit of the second thing. Philly was two wins, Dallas was one, Orlando was another.
2. It has helped, much to my surprise. Felton is playing great, very aggressive and is in shape (!). It is obvious that he came in wanting to prove the people wrong and forget about Lin. The other plus that he (and the vets like Kidd, Wallace) have bought to the table is that they are not defering to Melo. They are playing their game and Melo is being forced to meld his game with the rest of the team. Playing PF is also helping Melo and the Knicks. He is the team's leading rebounder and scorer. Lin, to me, will still prove to be a very good player but it was obvious he and Melo could not play on the same team.
3. Felton is playing as good as any point guard in the league. He is in shape, he is aggressive and he is taking the ball to the hoop against anyone.
4. The biggest surprise and benefit to the team so far has been the consistency and great play of Smith. Last year he had bursts of great play and bursts of awful play (he admitted that he partied too much last year). So far he is basically this year's Harden, just terrific solid play off the bench and he brings the NY swagger which I am sure everyone hates but I love.
5. Rasheed Wallace has been surprisingly good. He is the only legitimate back to the basket player the Knicks have and he is slowly getiing into game shape and showing signs of old Rasheed. Most teams can't really guard a solid back to the basket guy like him and when he is on the floor, he stretches the defense because of his ability to shoot the three.
6. The defense has been spectacular, as have the turnovers, you have to ALOT of credit to Woodson.

7. All the above being said, there are still issues. They are obviously an old team, so we'll have to see how the 82 game season wears on them. Stoudamire and Shumpert have to be mixed in when they come back, how will that affect the team chemistry and Melo can theoretically go back to being Melo, I don't think it will happen but its possible? Right now though, much to my suprise, they are playing as wel as anyone and are definitely the beasts of the east.

BTW, what is the 7, they are 6-0

clipper''s gonna clip!

having to listen Stephen A. Smith, and Michael Kay cream their pants on [ESPN NY Radio ] about the knicks is almost as bad as them squawking about Tebow and the Jets.

I hate those two, they are just awful. The only broadcaster/reporter I hate more is Bob Costas.

yes, i'm not exactly worried about them. just saying that they aren't in championship form yet.

Grizzlies are taking the Knicks to the woodshed.

Well, there's still 1 quarter left

Kidd lol
Edited by gettoasty - 11/16/12 at 8:45pm

Lakes played fast ball last night. D'Antoni already moving things around.

30 years of watching NBA... Damian Lillard is one of the best rookies I have ever seen. I'm actually going out of my way to way Por games, he's that good. He'd start over all but 5 or 6 point guards in the Assn. And that Por team has something to say. Aldridge, Batum, Lillard... that has conf finals 2014 written all over it.