R.G.'s NY Knicks April 2K8 & Final Regular Season Recap for
2K7-2K8...2K8 NY Knicks Off-Season Notes, pt I
April 2K8 record: 3-6
MSG: 2-2 Road: 1-4
April 2K8 final scores
(A) Tues 4/1 vs Bucks L-->119-115 (OT)
(A) Wed 4/2 vs Grizzlies L-->130-114
(A) Fri 4/4 vs Hornets L-->118-110
(H) Sun 4/6 vs Magic W-->100-90
(A) Tues 4/8 vs Pistons W-->98-94
(H) Wed 4/9 vs Bobcats W-->109-107
(H) Fri 4/11 vs Hawks L-->116-104
(H) Mon 4/14 vs Celtics L-->99-93
(A) Wed 4/16 vs Pacers L-->132-123
*(H)-Madison Square Garden; (A)-Road
~END OF REGULAR SEASON~
*2K7-2K8 final record: 23-59
(MSG: 15-26; Road: 8-33)
*3-27 vs Western Conference
(MSG: 0-15; Road: 3-12)
*Final 2K7-2K8 team stats
Offense: 97ppg; 44%FG; 73%FT; 43rpg; 19apg
Defense: 104ppg; 47%FG; 74%FT; 43rpg; 22apg
~The Knicks Top Dawgs~
*SG Jamal Crawford*
Played & started in 80 games...Was the team's leading scorer at 20.6ppg
(1,645 total pts) on 41%FG...36% 3p...86%FT...Averaged just under 3rpg & was leading assist man at 5 per game (398 total assists)...Also lead team in steals at 1 per game (81 total steals) & minutes played per game at 40mpg....Scored season high 43pts in a Knicks victory over Toronto at The Garden in February...My choice obviously for team MVP....Jamal had a pretty nice season offensively & will continue to improve in all phases of his overall game going into next season, especially on the defensive end.
*PF Zach Randolph*
69 games played....Z-Bo had a nice, yet interesting 1st season for the Knicks, averaging 17.6ppg & 10.3rpg in 32mpg...46%FG & 77%FT...Was team's 2nd leading scorer behind Jamal Crawford (1,217 total points)...Led team in rebounds per game average at 10.3, but was 2nd behind David Lee in total rebounds with 710...I've come to witness that Z-Bo is a volume shooter in which he needs a lot of touches & shots to get his points....Was a below average defender, does look to pass & had a tendency to hoist up bad shots from time to time, but all in all, Z-Bo did his job for the most part this season.
*F David Lee*
81 games played; 29 as a starter...10.8ppg & 9rpg in 29mpg...Lead team in FG% (55%)...82%FT...Also led team in total rebounds with 724 & offensive rebounds with 242...D. Lee was one of the most consistent Knicks for most of the season...Plays hard every minute he's on the court & is continuing to get better...Still needs to become a better all-around defender...Towards the latter part of the season, he was slowly but surely improving on knocking down his jump shot, which will be vital to his success as an offensive player.
*G Nate Robinson*
72 games played; 17 as a starter...12.7ppg, 3rpg & 3apg in 26mpg...42%FG...33% 3p...79%FT...Was 2nd on team in total assists with
212 behind Jamal...2nd in total steals with 60, also behind 'Mal...Was 5th in total rebounds with 222...Nate, who's listed at 5'9, 180lbs was easily the Knicks most exciting player this season in my opinion & a big time fan favorite...Jamal was nice & D. Lee as well, BUT the Nate Dawg brings a unique brand of energy to the court that is BANANAS!...Scored single game team high of 45pts on 3/8/08 at MSG in a overtime loss to the Blazers, besting the 43pts scored by Jamal Crawford against the Raptors in February, also at The Garden...Has a tendency at times to play out of control & chuck up shots...For his height, he is what he is on defense...Must continue to improve on learning how to run the point guard position to show his versatility as a combo guard.
~The Knicks Disappointments~
*C Eddy Curry*
59 games played...Missed remainder of the season due to knee injury...13.2ppg & just 4.7rpg in 26msg...Was tied with D. Lee in FG% (55%)...62%FT...EC was a very poor rebounder (only 275 total for the season in 59 games) & a poor defender overall...29 total blocked shots...EC regressed big time this season, including offensively, which partially resulted in the team's awful season...Appeared to be in not the best physical shape for most of the season & just did not show the passion & desire to compete at a high level on a consistent basis, in my opinion; only in tiny spurts & that's about it.
*SF Quentin Richardson*
65 games played...Averaged just 8ppg & 5rpg in 28mpg...36%FG (terrible)...32% 3p...68%FT...Was 3rd on the team in total rebounds with 315...Nightmare season overall for Q-Rich, especially shooting the basketball...Played thru nagging injuries during the course of the season, plus underwent back surgery during the offseason leading into the 2K7-2K8 campaign...Still played hard, but did not translate into any success at all for the most part...Q-Rich should NOT be the starting small forward for the Knicks...He's more effective in my opinion as a 2-guard, but that was Crawford's position & there was no other viable option for the 3-spot but Q-Rich due to his experience & ability to rebound the ball.
*PG Stephon Marbury*
24 games played; 19 as a starter...Missed remainder of the season due to ankle injury...Averaged 14ppg & 4.7apg in 33mpg...42%FG & 72%FT...38% 3p...Nightmare season for Steph...The whole fiasco on the 1st road trip of season with him being benched in Phoenix in favor of Mardy Collins by Isiah & leaving the team to go home...His beloved father Donald passing away during the early season due to a heart attack & the season ending ankle injury.
*Knick On The Come Up--F Wilson Chandler*
Despite playing in only 35 games (16 as a starter) Wilson showed that he will be a very effective player for years to come in a NY Knicks uniform...Averaged 7.3ppg & 3.6rpg in 20mpg as a rookie...44%FG & 63%FT...30% 3p....Very athletic...Good rebounder & plays decent D....Wilson has a world of potential to be a nice player....Suffered a bad knee injury just before the season ended in a game vs Boston at MSG, but should be fine for both Summer League & the 2K8-2K9 regular season.
~NY Knicks Off-Season Keynotes~
*Wed. 4/2/08--Former Indiana Pacers President/G.M. Donnie Walsh takes over as President of Basketball Operations, ending Isiah Thomas'
disappointing & tough 4+ years at the helm.
*Fri. 4/18/08--Isiah Thomas is fired as head coach after just 2 seasons on the job. Thomas' record was 56-108, including the 23-59 debacle in 2K7-2K8.
Isiah as of this writing is still part of the Knicks orginization as a scout until further notice.
*Tues 5/13/08--Former Phoenix Suns head coach Mike D'Antoni takes over the Knicks job.
*Tues 5/20/08--Knicks get the #6 spot in this years NBA Draft Lottery.
NBA Draft will take place Thurs 6/26/08 at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden.
*Fri 6/20/08--New head coach D'Antoni hires brother Dan D'Antoni & Phil Weber as his assistants. Herb Williams remains on the staff.
*Thurs 6/26/08, 8:05pm--The NY Knicks select 19 year old Italian F Danilo Gallinari with the 6th overall pick in the NBA Draft. The NY Knicks fans in attendance booed the pick (prime reason: never seen him play; no familiarity), but at 6'9, 210lbs, I hear he is a pretty talented b-baller who's played on the highest level in Europe. It also helps that coach D'Antoni is very familiar with his game & knows his father as well. The Knicks to me needed to get with the "international player" program & the scouts feel they have their player of the future.
It's gonna take Gallinari some time to develop as an NBA player, but as long as he works really hard & stays focused, he'll work out just fine.
(We hope so for the Knicks fans sake!)
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
RG's NY Knicks Monthly Recap-March 2K8
RG's NY Knicks Monthly Recap-March 2K8
Team record: 2-13
MSG: 1-7; Road: 1-6
(A) Sat 3/1 vs Magic L-->118-92
(H) Mon 3/3 vs Hornets L-->100-88
(H) Wed 3/5 vs Cavs L-->119-105
(H) Fri 3/7 vs Pistons L-->101-97
(H) Sat 3/8 vs Blazers L-->120-114 (OT)
(A) Mon 3/10 vs Mavs L-->108-79
(A) Wed 3/12 vs Heat W-->91-88
(H) Sun 3/16 vs Hawks L-->109-98
(A) Mon 3/17 vs Pacers L-->110-98
(H) Fri 3/21 vs Grizzlies L-->120-106
(A) Sat 3/22 vs T'Wolves L-->114-93
(H) Mon 3/24 vs Nets L-->106-91
(H) Wed 3/26 vs Heat W-->103-96 (OT)
(A) Fri 3/28 vs Raptors L-->103-95
(A) Sun 3/30 vs Hawks L-->114-109
Offense: 97ppg; 42%FG; 71%FT; 43rpg; 17apg Defense: 107ppg; 47%FG;
75%FT; 47rpg; 22apg
SG Jamal Crawford
14 games played...Sat out game against Portland with a bruised right
hand injury...21ppg & 5apg in 37mpg...40%FG & 84%FT...Best game: 39pts
(including seven 3p), 8 dimes & 3 steals in 37 mins vs the Hawks in
ATL...Was team's top scorer in 9 of the 14 games played.
F David Lee
Played all 15 games...13ppg & 10rpg in 34mpg...51%FG, which is a 16%
decrease from February but still good & 81%FT...Was in the starting
lineup in 13 of the 15 games played...D. Lee posted 7 dub-dubs (points &
rebounds), including a stretch where he had 5 consecutive double-doubles
from 3/22 vs T'Wolves to 3/30 vs Hawks..
G Nate Robinson
11 games played...Sat out 4 games with sprained right knee
injury...17ppg, 3rpg & 3apg in 32mpg...45%FG & 88%FT, both nice
numbers...Was in the starting lineup in 8 of the 11 games played...Best
game: 45pts, 6 rebounds, 6 assists & only 2 turnovers in over 52 minutes
in an overtime loss to Portland at MSG...The 45 spot was the most points
scored by a Knick in a game this season & was also a career high...Had 5
steals in game vs Grizzlies.
F Zach Randolph
Played in only 6 games...Sat out 1st 5 games of the month with right
foot injury...Did not play 3/28 vs Toronto & 3/30 vs Atlanta due to
flu-like symptoms...DNP 3/21 vs Memphis & 3/22 vs Minnesota due to Head
Coach Isiah Thomas' decison to give more playing time to rookies Wilson
Chandler & Randolph Morris...18ppg & 12rpg in 31mpg...45%FG &
79%FT...Z-Bo recorded 4 dub-dubs (points & rebounds)....21pts & 14
boards against both Dallas & Indiana...Hit 3 from downtown vs the
Pacers.
C Eddy Curry
Played only 4 games...Last played 3/7 vs Detroit...Suffered small
vertical cartilage tear in his right knee & is out for the remainder of
the season...In the 4 games, EC averaged 18ppg & 6rpg in 33mpg...61%FG &
68%FT...Scored 23pts on 8-13 shooting vs Pistons before shutting it down
for the season due to knee injury.
G Fred Jones
Played all 15 games...9ppg in 25mpg...39%FG, 39% 3p & 80%FT...Was in
starting lineup 3/7 vs Detroit & 3/22 vs T'Wolves...Scored 17pts on 7-14
shooting (3-5 from downtown) in over 40 minutes vs Portland...Had 3
steals in a game vs Dallas...Jones is Knicks best three-pointer shooter
this season, hitting at a 39% clip.
SF Quentin Richardson
Played in only 7 games...Q had seven DNPs-Coach's Decision so Isiah
could get rookie Wilson Chandler, who like Q is out of DePaul University
more playing time & was not with team vs T'Wolves tending to personal
matters...11ppg & 6rpg in 31mpg...32%FG & 78%FT...Best game: 20pts on
just 8-20 shooting, 5 boards & 5 dimes in over 49 minutes vs Portland in
an overtime loss.
F Wilson Chandler
Played all 15 games...Was in starting lineup in 12 of the games...8ppg &
4rpg in 25mpg...43%FG & 54%FT...Being that Wilson is a rookie & starting
for the 1st time, he got off to a shaky start on both ends of the floor
naturally in the beginning...17pts, 7 rebounds, 3 assists & just 1
turnover in 35 minutes vs Memphis...Had his 1st dub-dub as a pro with
10pts & 10 boards vs Miami at MSG...Very athletic player who can rebound
the ball well & take it to the hole & score...Has potential to be a good
defender & will improve in all facets of his game as he continues to get
more playing time.
~Head Coach Isiah Thomas, knowing that season is yet another failed one
under his watch, giving more playing time to rookie 1st round draft pick
Wilson Chandler & also rookie big man Randolph Morris.
~F Jared Jeffries scored a career-high 21pts on 9-16 shooting & grabbed
10 rebounds in 36 minutes vs Toronto.
~Veteran F Malik Rose scored a season-high 20pts on 8-13 shooting & also
grabbed 5 rebounds in 30 minutes off the bench vs Minnesota & was the
top scorer for Knicks in 114-93 loss.
~The lone 2 wins in March came against the team with the worst record in
the league, the injury ravaged Miami Heat, & both games were played
pretty close.
~Team defense continues to be awful, giving up 107ppg to their opponents
during month of March.
~The Knicks are still playing hard despite the brutal record, but face
it & sorry to say, the more losses they can accumalate, the better the
chances of landing at least a Top 5 spot in the NBA Draft Lottery coming
up on May 20th. Point Guard Derrick Rose from Memphis University would
be nice for NY as he projected to be a Top 2 pick in the upcoming NBA
Draft in late June at Madison Square Garden, NYC.
Knicks record as of Mon 3/31/08: 20-53
Ross Guity
Contributing writer, GAME magazine
Team record: 2-13
MSG: 1-7; Road: 1-6
(A) Sat 3/1 vs Magic L-->118-92
(H) Mon 3/3 vs Hornets L-->100-88
(H) Wed 3/5 vs Cavs L-->119-105
(H) Fri 3/7 vs Pistons L-->101-97
(H) Sat 3/8 vs Blazers L-->120-114 (OT)
(A) Mon 3/10 vs Mavs L-->108-79
(A) Wed 3/12 vs Heat W-->91-88
(H) Sun 3/16 vs Hawks L-->109-98
(A) Mon 3/17 vs Pacers L-->110-98
(H) Fri 3/21 vs Grizzlies L-->120-106
(A) Sat 3/22 vs T'Wolves L-->114-93
(H) Mon 3/24 vs Nets L-->106-91
(H) Wed 3/26 vs Heat W-->103-96 (OT)
(A) Fri 3/28 vs Raptors L-->103-95
(A) Sun 3/30 vs Hawks L-->114-109
Offense: 97ppg; 42%FG; 71%FT; 43rpg; 17apg Defense: 107ppg; 47%FG;
75%FT; 47rpg; 22apg
SG Jamal Crawford
14 games played...Sat out game against Portland with a bruised right
hand injury...21ppg & 5apg in 37mpg...40%FG & 84%FT...Best game: 39pts
(including seven 3p), 8 dimes & 3 steals in 37 mins vs the Hawks in
ATL...Was team's top scorer in 9 of the 14 games played.
F David Lee
Played all 15 games...13ppg & 10rpg in 34mpg...51%FG, which is a 16%
decrease from February but still good & 81%FT...Was in the starting
lineup in 13 of the 15 games played...D. Lee posted 7 dub-dubs (points &
rebounds), including a stretch where he had 5 consecutive double-doubles
from 3/22 vs T'Wolves to 3/30 vs Hawks..
G Nate Robinson
11 games played...Sat out 4 games with sprained right knee
injury...17ppg, 3rpg & 3apg in 32mpg...45%FG & 88%FT, both nice
numbers...Was in the starting lineup in 8 of the 11 games played...Best
game: 45pts, 6 rebounds, 6 assists & only 2 turnovers in over 52 minutes
in an overtime loss to Portland at MSG...The 45 spot was the most points
scored by a Knick in a game this season & was also a career high...Had 5
steals in game vs Grizzlies.
F Zach Randolph
Played in only 6 games...Sat out 1st 5 games of the month with right
foot injury...Did not play 3/28 vs Toronto & 3/30 vs Atlanta due to
flu-like symptoms...DNP 3/21 vs Memphis & 3/22 vs Minnesota due to Head
Coach Isiah Thomas' decison to give more playing time to rookies Wilson
Chandler & Randolph Morris...18ppg & 12rpg in 31mpg...45%FG &
79%FT...Z-Bo recorded 4 dub-dubs (points & rebounds)....21pts & 14
boards against both Dallas & Indiana...Hit 3 from downtown vs the
Pacers.
C Eddy Curry
Played only 4 games...Last played 3/7 vs Detroit...Suffered small
vertical cartilage tear in his right knee & is out for the remainder of
the season...In the 4 games, EC averaged 18ppg & 6rpg in 33mpg...61%FG &
68%FT...Scored 23pts on 8-13 shooting vs Pistons before shutting it down
for the season due to knee injury.
G Fred Jones
Played all 15 games...9ppg in 25mpg...39%FG, 39% 3p & 80%FT...Was in
starting lineup 3/7 vs Detroit & 3/22 vs T'Wolves...Scored 17pts on 7-14
shooting (3-5 from downtown) in over 40 minutes vs Portland...Had 3
steals in a game vs Dallas...Jones is Knicks best three-pointer shooter
this season, hitting at a 39% clip.
SF Quentin Richardson
Played in only 7 games...Q had seven DNPs-Coach's Decision so Isiah
could get rookie Wilson Chandler, who like Q is out of DePaul University
more playing time & was not with team vs T'Wolves tending to personal
matters...11ppg & 6rpg in 31mpg...32%FG & 78%FT...Best game: 20pts on
just 8-20 shooting, 5 boards & 5 dimes in over 49 minutes vs Portland in
an overtime loss.
F Wilson Chandler
Played all 15 games...Was in starting lineup in 12 of the games...8ppg &
4rpg in 25mpg...43%FG & 54%FT...Being that Wilson is a rookie & starting
for the 1st time, he got off to a shaky start on both ends of the floor
naturally in the beginning...17pts, 7 rebounds, 3 assists & just 1
turnover in 35 minutes vs Memphis...Had his 1st dub-dub as a pro with
10pts & 10 boards vs Miami at MSG...Very athletic player who can rebound
the ball well & take it to the hole & score...Has potential to be a good
defender & will improve in all facets of his game as he continues to get
more playing time.
~Head Coach Isiah Thomas, knowing that season is yet another failed one
under his watch, giving more playing time to rookie 1st round draft pick
Wilson Chandler & also rookie big man Randolph Morris.
~F Jared Jeffries scored a career-high 21pts on 9-16 shooting & grabbed
10 rebounds in 36 minutes vs Toronto.
~Veteran F Malik Rose scored a season-high 20pts on 8-13 shooting & also
grabbed 5 rebounds in 30 minutes off the bench vs Minnesota & was the
top scorer for Knicks in 114-93 loss.
~The lone 2 wins in March came against the team with the worst record in
the league, the injury ravaged Miami Heat, & both games were played
pretty close.
~Team defense continues to be awful, giving up 107ppg to their opponents
during month of March.
~The Knicks are still playing hard despite the brutal record, but face
it & sorry to say, the more losses they can accumalate, the better the
chances of landing at least a Top 5 spot in the NBA Draft Lottery coming
up on May 20th. Point Guard Derrick Rose from Memphis University would
be nice for NY as he projected to be a Top 2 pick in the upcoming NBA
Draft in late June at Madison Square Garden, NYC.
Knicks record as of Mon 3/31/08: 20-53
Ross Guity
Contributing writer, GAME magazine
RG's NY Knicks Monthly Recap-February 2K8
RG's NY Knicks Monthly Recap-February 2K8
Team record: 4-9
MSG: 2-3; Road: 2-6
(A) Fri. 2/1 vs Blazers, L-->94-88 (OT)
(A) Sat. 2/2 vs Sonics, L-->86-85
(H) Mon. 2/4 vs Clippers, L-->103-94
(H) Wed. 2/6 vs Pacers, L-->103-100
(H) Fri. 2/8 vs Spurs, L-->99-93 (OT)
(A) Sat. 2/9 vs Bucks, W-->99-98
(A) Wed. 2/13 vs Celtics, L-->111-103
(A) Tues. 2/19 vs Wizards, W-->113-100 (OT)
(A) Wed. 2/20 vs Sixers, L-->124-84
(H) Fri. 2/22 vs Raptors, W-->103-99
(A) Sun. 2/24 vs Raptors, L-->115-92
(H) Wed. 2/27 vs Bobcats, W-->113-89
(A) Fri. 2/29 vs Hawks, L-->99-93
*(H)--MSG; (A)--Road
*February 2K8 Stats
Offense: 95ppg; 45%FG; 76%FT; 42rpg; 19apg
Defense: 101ppg; 47%FG; 78%FT; 40rpg; 22apg
*The Knicks Top Dawgs
SG Jamal Crawford.....Grade: A-
Played all 13 games...23ppg & 5apg in 43mpg...Shot just under 40% from the field & 88% from the line...JC was top scorer in 6 of the 13 games played...Best game came in a win against Toronto when he scored a season high 43pts on 15-29 shooting (6-16 from downtown) & handed out 5 assists.
PF Zach Randolph.....Grade: B-
13 games played...20ppg & right around 10rpg in 34mpg...Shot 46% from the field & 80% from the line...Was team's leading scorer in 5 of the 13 games...Best game came against the Hawks in Atlanta when he scored 29pts on 11-21 shooting, grabbed 17 boards & dished out 5 assists in a Knicks loss...Made 3 of 4 three-point shots in a loss vs the Pacers at MSG...Had a dub-dub (points & rebounds) in 7 of the 13 games & came 1 rebound away from a dub-dub on 2 other occasions.
F David Lee.....Grade: A-
13 games...11ppg & 10rpg in 32mpg...Shot 67% from the floor & 92% from the charity stripe...Was in the starting lineup the 1st 2 games of the month vs Blazers & Sonics in place of ailing C Eddy Curry (flu)...Scored 19pts off the bench in a Knicks win over the Wizards...In the 2 games he started, D. Lee went for 14pts & 15 rebounds against the Blazers & 10pts & 10 boards vs the Sonics...Had 6 double digit rebounding games, 2 as a starter & 4 coming off the bench...Jump shot starting to improve slowly but surely.
G Nate Robinson.....Grade B-
10 games played...8 as a starter...Missed 3 games due to quad injury & respiratory infection...11ppg, 4rpg & 4apg in 32.5mpg...Shot 37% from the field & 82% from the foul line...Against Charlotte, Nate led team with 22pts on 9-18 shooting & handed out 6 assists in a Knicks victory...Grabbed 8 rebounds in a game on a couple of occassions.
(Wizards, Raptors)...Best game came against the Wizards in an overtime Knicks victory: 38 minutes; 19pts, 8 rebounds, 5 assists & just 1 turnover.
SF Quentin Richardson.....Grade: C
10 games played...Missed 3 games due to ankle injury...10ppg & 5rpg in 29mpg...Shot 42% from the floor, which is a major improvement & just 69% from the line. (11-16)...Q's best game?...There's a couple of them:
Against the Wizards, 19pts, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals & just 1 turnover in 42 minutes in a Knicks overtime win...Against Charlotte in a Knicks victory, Q went for 17pts & 6 boards. All in all, the rough season continues for Q.
C Eddy Curry.....Grade: D
11 games played...Missed 2 games due to flu-like symptoms...9ppg & 3rpg in only 21mpg...Shot just 52% from the field & an improved 71% from the free throw line (25-35)...Best game came against Indiana in a Knicks
loss: 32 minutes, 20pts, 8 rebounds & 2 rare assists...EC's minutes & production have decreased substantially due to a combination of getting into constant early foul trouble & continued ineffective interior defensive play...EC is a good character guy, but just not playing well enough this season on a consistent basis which is a major disappointment.
G Fred Jones.....Grade: B-
13 games...Started 6 of them...Just under 10ppg, 4rpg & 3apg in 30mpg...Shot 45% from the field & 81% from the line...Best game came in an overtime loss to San Antonio: 44 minutes, 19pts (5-10 3p), 6 boards,
3 assists, 2 steals & just 1 turnover...Fred plays hard & to win every time he's on the floor & is a decent defender.
-High Lights
*The 99-98 come from behind victory over the Bucks on the road after trailing by 17 late in 3rd quarter, ending an 8-game losing streak.
*The 113-100 overtime victory over the Wizards in D.C. after trailing by
9 in 4th quarter of regulation. The Wizards played without All-Stars Gilbert Arenas & Caron Butler due to injuries. The Knicks scored a franchise record 23pts in the 5 minute overtime period, besting the 19pts scored in 1964.
*Jamal Crawford carrying the team scoring his season best 43pts against the Raptors at MSG in a big 103-99 victory. The Knicks were down by 14pts in 2nd quarter.
-Low Lights
*The season ending ankle injury to Stephon Marbury.
*The continued poor play & ineffectiveness of Eddy Curry.
*The brutal, uninspired & ugly 124-84 loss to the now resurgent Sixers in Philly. The Knicks were down by as much as 48pts. Terrible play all around. The loss was equally as worse as the 104-59 thrashing by the Celtics in Nov. 07 *The 111-103 loss to the shorthanded Celtics in Beantown. Boston was already without All-Star & league MVP candidate Kevin Garnett, improved player of the year candidate Kendrick Perkins due to injuries & lost rookie Glenn "Big Baby" Davis & vet Brian Scalabrine to injuries during the game & the Knicks failed to capitalize off the Celts shortage of big men.
*The excuriating & tough 99-93 overtime loss against the defending NBA champion Spurs at home. The Knicks were up by 18pts early in the 3rd quarter, but the Spurs rallied all the way back to make it a game. The Knicks still had a chance to upset the champs, leading 88-85 with 7 seconds left, but the Spurs Michael Finley hit a dagger 3- pointer with
.4 seconds left to send game into OT. The Knicks weren't able to recover & lost 99-93 in one of the more exciting games at The Garden this season.
Knicks record as of Fri 2/29/08: 18-40
Ross Guity
Contributing writer, GAME magazine
www.gamesportsmag.com
www.myspace.com/gamesportsmagazine
Team record: 4-9
MSG: 2-3; Road: 2-6
(A) Fri. 2/1 vs Blazers, L-->94-88 (OT)
(A) Sat. 2/2 vs Sonics, L-->86-85
(H) Mon. 2/4 vs Clippers, L-->103-94
(H) Wed. 2/6 vs Pacers, L-->103-100
(H) Fri. 2/8 vs Spurs, L-->99-93 (OT)
(A) Sat. 2/9 vs Bucks, W-->99-98
(A) Wed. 2/13 vs Celtics, L-->111-103
(A) Tues. 2/19 vs Wizards, W-->113-100 (OT)
(A) Wed. 2/20 vs Sixers, L-->124-84
(H) Fri. 2/22 vs Raptors, W-->103-99
(A) Sun. 2/24 vs Raptors, L-->115-92
(H) Wed. 2/27 vs Bobcats, W-->113-89
(A) Fri. 2/29 vs Hawks, L-->99-93
*(H)--MSG; (A)--Road
*February 2K8 Stats
Offense: 95ppg; 45%FG; 76%FT; 42rpg; 19apg
Defense: 101ppg; 47%FG; 78%FT; 40rpg; 22apg
*The Knicks Top Dawgs
SG Jamal Crawford.....Grade: A-
Played all 13 games...23ppg & 5apg in 43mpg...Shot just under 40% from the field & 88% from the line...JC was top scorer in 6 of the 13 games played...Best game came in a win against Toronto when he scored a season high 43pts on 15-29 shooting (6-16 from downtown) & handed out 5 assists.
PF Zach Randolph.....Grade: B-
13 games played...20ppg & right around 10rpg in 34mpg...Shot 46% from the field & 80% from the line...Was team's leading scorer in 5 of the 13 games...Best game came against the Hawks in Atlanta when he scored 29pts on 11-21 shooting, grabbed 17 boards & dished out 5 assists in a Knicks loss...Made 3 of 4 three-point shots in a loss vs the Pacers at MSG...Had a dub-dub (points & rebounds) in 7 of the 13 games & came 1 rebound away from a dub-dub on 2 other occasions.
F David Lee.....Grade: A-
13 games...11ppg & 10rpg in 32mpg...Shot 67% from the floor & 92% from the charity stripe...Was in the starting lineup the 1st 2 games of the month vs Blazers & Sonics in place of ailing C Eddy Curry (flu)...Scored 19pts off the bench in a Knicks win over the Wizards...In the 2 games he started, D. Lee went for 14pts & 15 rebounds against the Blazers & 10pts & 10 boards vs the Sonics...Had 6 double digit rebounding games, 2 as a starter & 4 coming off the bench...Jump shot starting to improve slowly but surely.
G Nate Robinson.....Grade B-
10 games played...8 as a starter...Missed 3 games due to quad injury & respiratory infection...11ppg, 4rpg & 4apg in 32.5mpg...Shot 37% from the field & 82% from the foul line...Against Charlotte, Nate led team with 22pts on 9-18 shooting & handed out 6 assists in a Knicks victory...Grabbed 8 rebounds in a game on a couple of occassions.
(Wizards, Raptors)...Best game came against the Wizards in an overtime Knicks victory: 38 minutes; 19pts, 8 rebounds, 5 assists & just 1 turnover.
SF Quentin Richardson.....Grade: C
10 games played...Missed 3 games due to ankle injury...10ppg & 5rpg in 29mpg...Shot 42% from the floor, which is a major improvement & just 69% from the line. (11-16)...Q's best game?...There's a couple of them:
Against the Wizards, 19pts, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals & just 1 turnover in 42 minutes in a Knicks overtime win...Against Charlotte in a Knicks victory, Q went for 17pts & 6 boards. All in all, the rough season continues for Q.
C Eddy Curry.....Grade: D
11 games played...Missed 2 games due to flu-like symptoms...9ppg & 3rpg in only 21mpg...Shot just 52% from the field & an improved 71% from the free throw line (25-35)...Best game came against Indiana in a Knicks
loss: 32 minutes, 20pts, 8 rebounds & 2 rare assists...EC's minutes & production have decreased substantially due to a combination of getting into constant early foul trouble & continued ineffective interior defensive play...EC is a good character guy, but just not playing well enough this season on a consistent basis which is a major disappointment.
G Fred Jones.....Grade: B-
13 games...Started 6 of them...Just under 10ppg, 4rpg & 3apg in 30mpg...Shot 45% from the field & 81% from the line...Best game came in an overtime loss to San Antonio: 44 minutes, 19pts (5-10 3p), 6 boards,
3 assists, 2 steals & just 1 turnover...Fred plays hard & to win every time he's on the floor & is a decent defender.
-High Lights
*The 99-98 come from behind victory over the Bucks on the road after trailing by 17 late in 3rd quarter, ending an 8-game losing streak.
*The 113-100 overtime victory over the Wizards in D.C. after trailing by
9 in 4th quarter of regulation. The Wizards played without All-Stars Gilbert Arenas & Caron Butler due to injuries. The Knicks scored a franchise record 23pts in the 5 minute overtime period, besting the 19pts scored in 1964.
*Jamal Crawford carrying the team scoring his season best 43pts against the Raptors at MSG in a big 103-99 victory. The Knicks were down by 14pts in 2nd quarter.
-Low Lights
*The season ending ankle injury to Stephon Marbury.
*The continued poor play & ineffectiveness of Eddy Curry.
*The brutal, uninspired & ugly 124-84 loss to the now resurgent Sixers in Philly. The Knicks were down by as much as 48pts. Terrible play all around. The loss was equally as worse as the 104-59 thrashing by the Celtics in Nov. 07 *The 111-103 loss to the shorthanded Celtics in Beantown. Boston was already without All-Star & league MVP candidate Kevin Garnett, improved player of the year candidate Kendrick Perkins due to injuries & lost rookie Glenn "Big Baby" Davis & vet Brian Scalabrine to injuries during the game & the Knicks failed to capitalize off the Celts shortage of big men.
*The excuriating & tough 99-93 overtime loss against the defending NBA champion Spurs at home. The Knicks were up by 18pts early in the 3rd quarter, but the Spurs rallied all the way back to make it a game. The Knicks still had a chance to upset the champs, leading 88-85 with 7 seconds left, but the Spurs Michael Finley hit a dagger 3- pointer with
.4 seconds left to send game into OT. The Knicks weren't able to recover & lost 99-93 in one of the more exciting games at The Garden this season.
Knicks record as of Fri 2/29/08: 18-40
Ross Guity
Contributing writer, GAME magazine
www.gamesportsmag.com
www.myspace.com/gamesportsmagazine
Friday, February 22, 2008
RG's NY Knicks Monthly Recap-January 2K8
RG's NY Knicks Monthly Recap-January 2K8
Team record: 6-10
MSG: 3-4; Road: 3-6
(H) Wed 1/2 vs Kings, L-->107-97
(A) Fri 1/4 vs Spurs, L-->97-93
(A) Sat 1/5 vs Rockets, L-->103-91
(A) Tues 1/8 vs Bulls, W-->105-100
(H) Wed 1/9 vs Rockets, L-->101-92
(H) Fri 1/11 vs Raptors, L-->99-90
(H) Sun 1/13 vs Pistons, W-->89-65
(H) Tues 1/15 vs Wizards, W-->105-93
(A) Wed 1/16 vs Nets, W-->111-105
(A) Fri 1/18 vs Wizards, L-->111-98
(A) Sat 1/19 vs Heat, W-->88-84
(H) Mon 1/21 vs Celtics, L-->109-93
(H) Fri 1/25 vs 76ers, W-->89-81
(A) Sun 1/27 vs Warriors, L-->106-104
(A) Tues 1/29 vs Lakers, L-->120-109
(A) Wed 1/30 vs Jazz, L-->100-89
*(H)-MSG, (A)-Road
*January 2K8 Stats
Offense: 96ppg; 45%FG; 75%FT; 41rpg; 21apg
Defense: 99ppg; 46%FG; 75%FT; 42rpg; 20apg
*The Knicks Top Dawgs
SG Jamal Crawford.....Grade: A-
16 games played...Averaged a little over 21ppg & slightly over 5apg in
43mpg...Shot 44% from the field & 89% from the foul line...Best outing
came in a win over the Nets when he scored 35pts on 11-20 shooting (6-10
from downtown) & 8 assists...Was the team's leading scorer in 8 of the
16 games played.
PF Zach Randolph.....Grade: B-
15 games played...Averaged his usual dub-dub, 15ppg & 10rpg in
33mpg...Shot 46% from the field & a nice 83% from the line...Was
suspended by the NBA for 1 game for throwing his headband at an official
while arguing a foul call during game vs the Kings...Sat out game vs the
Spurs to serve suspension...Best game I would say came in a win against
the Nets when he scored 24pts on 8-15 shooting, grabbed 11 rebounds,
dished out 4 assists & only turned the ball over twice in 37
minutes...Grabbed a season high 22 boards in a loss to the Rockets in
H-Town...Had a dub-dub (pts & rebounds) in 8 of the 15 games he played
in.
C Eddy Curry.....Grade: C-
16 games played...Averaged 14ppg & 5rpg in 25mpg...Shot 57% from the
floor & 62% from the charity stripe...EC is still not earning big time
minutes from Isiah primarily due to his stretches of poor defensive play
& also getting into early foul trouble...Best game came in a win over
the Bulls when he scored 29pts on 11-14 shooting, grabbed 8 boards &
blocked 4 shots in 37 minutes...Had 25pts & 12 rebounds in over 38
minutes against the Spurs...Played only 4 minutes in 1st quarter against
Utah & did not return due to flu symptoms.
G Nate Robinson.....Grade: B
16 games played...Averaged 16ppg & 5apg in 30mpg...Shot 47% from the
field & 81% from the line...Nate's playing time has increased due to the
ankle injury to Stephon Marbury & has played pretty well in his
absence...Best game? There's 2 games that really stood out for me in my
opinion: 22pts on 7-15 shooting (4-7 3p), 9 assists & turned the ball
over only once in 36 minutes in a loss to the Lakers...19pts, 7 assists,
6 rebounds with just 2 turnovers in 34 minutes in a win over
Miami...Grabbed 9 boards against the Wizards in DC...Lil big man Nate!
F David Lee.....Grade: B
16 games played...Averaged 9ppg & 8rpg in 27 mpg...Shot 57% from the
floor & 83% from the line...Best game for D. Lee came in a loss against
the Lakers, scoring 21pts on 8-13 shooting, grabbed 12 boards, 3
assists, 1 block & just 2 turnovers in 37 minutes off the bench...Had 3
dub-dub games (pts & rebounds) coming off the bench.
SF Quentin Richardson.....Grade: C
16 games played...Averaged just 6ppg & 3rpg in 22.5mpg...Shot 38% from
the field & 90% from the line (9-10)...Q continues to struggle, but has
showed some signs of breaking out of his season long slump towards the
end of the month...Best game came against in a loss against the Wizards
in DC when he scored 21pts on 8-16 shooting (5-10 from 3), 6 rebounds, 2
steals & zero turnovers in over 38 minutes played...Was ejected late in
3rd quarter of Knicks matchup against Boston after getting T'ed up twice
getting into war of words with the Celtics Paul Pierce, who was also
ejected from the game...Played just 6.5 minutes of 1st quarter against
Utah & did not return due to flu symptoms.
*High Lights:
-The 3 game winning streak, beating the Pistons, Wizards & Nets
-Despite the sub .500 record in January, the team seems to be playing
better team ball since Stephon Marbury went down with ankle injury.
(Where have we heard that before?)
-Jamal Crawford carrying the team offensively & assuming leadership role
quietly.
*LowLight:
-The bad loss against an injury depleted Sacramento Kings squad at home
to kick off the new year, 107-97. The Kings were without their stars
Mike Bibby, Kevin Martin & Ron Artest & beat the Knicks convincingly.
The Kings were up by as much as 24 points late in 3rd quarter & it was
pretty ugly at the Garden with the fans chanting both "FIRE ISIAH!!!" &
"DOLAN SUCKS!!!"
Knicks record as of Wed. 1/30/08: 14-31
Ross Guity
Contributing writer, GAME magazine
www.gamesportsmag.com
www.myspace.com/gamesportsmagazine
Team record: 6-10
MSG: 3-4; Road: 3-6
(H) Wed 1/2 vs Kings, L-->107-97
(A) Fri 1/4 vs Spurs, L-->97-93
(A) Sat 1/5 vs Rockets, L-->103-91
(A) Tues 1/8 vs Bulls, W-->105-100
(H) Wed 1/9 vs Rockets, L-->101-92
(H) Fri 1/11 vs Raptors, L-->99-90
(H) Sun 1/13 vs Pistons, W-->89-65
(H) Tues 1/15 vs Wizards, W-->105-93
(A) Wed 1/16 vs Nets, W-->111-105
(A) Fri 1/18 vs Wizards, L-->111-98
(A) Sat 1/19 vs Heat, W-->88-84
(H) Mon 1/21 vs Celtics, L-->109-93
(H) Fri 1/25 vs 76ers, W-->89-81
(A) Sun 1/27 vs Warriors, L-->106-104
(A) Tues 1/29 vs Lakers, L-->120-109
(A) Wed 1/30 vs Jazz, L-->100-89
*(H)-MSG, (A)-Road
*January 2K8 Stats
Offense: 96ppg; 45%FG; 75%FT; 41rpg; 21apg
Defense: 99ppg; 46%FG; 75%FT; 42rpg; 20apg
*The Knicks Top Dawgs
SG Jamal Crawford.....Grade: A-
16 games played...Averaged a little over 21ppg & slightly over 5apg in
43mpg...Shot 44% from the field & 89% from the foul line...Best outing
came in a win over the Nets when he scored 35pts on 11-20 shooting (6-10
from downtown) & 8 assists...Was the team's leading scorer in 8 of the
16 games played.
PF Zach Randolph.....Grade: B-
15 games played...Averaged his usual dub-dub, 15ppg & 10rpg in
33mpg...Shot 46% from the field & a nice 83% from the line...Was
suspended by the NBA for 1 game for throwing his headband at an official
while arguing a foul call during game vs the Kings...Sat out game vs the
Spurs to serve suspension...Best game I would say came in a win against
the Nets when he scored 24pts on 8-15 shooting, grabbed 11 rebounds,
dished out 4 assists & only turned the ball over twice in 37
minutes...Grabbed a season high 22 boards in a loss to the Rockets in
H-Town...Had a dub-dub (pts & rebounds) in 8 of the 15 games he played
in.
C Eddy Curry.....Grade: C-
16 games played...Averaged 14ppg & 5rpg in 25mpg...Shot 57% from the
floor & 62% from the charity stripe...EC is still not earning big time
minutes from Isiah primarily due to his stretches of poor defensive play
& also getting into early foul trouble...Best game came in a win over
the Bulls when he scored 29pts on 11-14 shooting, grabbed 8 boards &
blocked 4 shots in 37 minutes...Had 25pts & 12 rebounds in over 38
minutes against the Spurs...Played only 4 minutes in 1st quarter against
Utah & did not return due to flu symptoms.
G Nate Robinson.....Grade: B
16 games played...Averaged 16ppg & 5apg in 30mpg...Shot 47% from the
field & 81% from the line...Nate's playing time has increased due to the
ankle injury to Stephon Marbury & has played pretty well in his
absence...Best game? There's 2 games that really stood out for me in my
opinion: 22pts on 7-15 shooting (4-7 3p), 9 assists & turned the ball
over only once in 36 minutes in a loss to the Lakers...19pts, 7 assists,
6 rebounds with just 2 turnovers in 34 minutes in a win over
Miami...Grabbed 9 boards against the Wizards in DC...Lil big man Nate!
F David Lee.....Grade: B
16 games played...Averaged 9ppg & 8rpg in 27 mpg...Shot 57% from the
floor & 83% from the line...Best game for D. Lee came in a loss against
the Lakers, scoring 21pts on 8-13 shooting, grabbed 12 boards, 3
assists, 1 block & just 2 turnovers in 37 minutes off the bench...Had 3
dub-dub games (pts & rebounds) coming off the bench.
SF Quentin Richardson.....Grade: C
16 games played...Averaged just 6ppg & 3rpg in 22.5mpg...Shot 38% from
the field & 90% from the line (9-10)...Q continues to struggle, but has
showed some signs of breaking out of his season long slump towards the
end of the month...Best game came against in a loss against the Wizards
in DC when he scored 21pts on 8-16 shooting (5-10 from 3), 6 rebounds, 2
steals & zero turnovers in over 38 minutes played...Was ejected late in
3rd quarter of Knicks matchup against Boston after getting T'ed up twice
getting into war of words with the Celtics Paul Pierce, who was also
ejected from the game...Played just 6.5 minutes of 1st quarter against
Utah & did not return due to flu symptoms.
*High Lights:
-The 3 game winning streak, beating the Pistons, Wizards & Nets
-Despite the sub .500 record in January, the team seems to be playing
better team ball since Stephon Marbury went down with ankle injury.
(Where have we heard that before?)
-Jamal Crawford carrying the team offensively & assuming leadership role
quietly.
*LowLight:
-The bad loss against an injury depleted Sacramento Kings squad at home
to kick off the new year, 107-97. The Kings were without their stars
Mike Bibby, Kevin Martin & Ron Artest & beat the Knicks convincingly.
The Kings were up by as much as 24 points late in 3rd quarter & it was
pretty ugly at the Garden with the fans chanting both "FIRE ISIAH!!!" &
"DOLAN SUCKS!!!"
Knicks record as of Wed. 1/30/08: 14-31
Ross Guity
Contributing writer, GAME magazine
www.gamesportsmag.com
www.myspace.com/gamesportsmagazine
Monday, January 7, 2008
RG's NY Knicks Monthly Recap-December 2K7
RG's NY Knicks Monthly Recap-December 2K7
Team Record: 3-11
MSG: 2-7 Road: 1-4
(H)Sun. 12/2 vs Suns, L--115-104
(A)Wed. 12/5 vs Nets, W--100-93
(A) Fri. 12/7 vs Sixers, L--101-90
(H) Sat. 12/8 vs Sixers, L--105-77
(H) Mon. 12/10 vs Mavs, L--99-89
(H) Wed. 12/12 vs Sonics, L--117-110
(A) Fri. 12/14 vs Bulls, L--101-96
(H) Sat. 12/15 vs Nets, W--94-86
(H) Mon. 12/17 vs Pacers, L--119-92
(H) Wed. 12/19 vs Cavs, W--108-90
(A) Fri. 12/21 vs Bobcats, L--105-95
(H) Sun. 12/23 vs Lakers, L--95-90
(A) Wed. 12/26 vs Magic, L--110-96
(H) Sun. 12/30 vs Bulls, L--100-83
*December 2K7 Team Stats
Offense: 95 PPG; 43%FG; 33%3p; 71%FT; 41 RPG; 16 APG; 14 TO
Opponents: 103 PPG; 51%FG; 40 RPG; 23 APG
*The Players
SG Jamal Crawford......Grade: A
JC picked it up offensively in a big way due to the extended bereavement
leave of Stephon Marbury....In 13 games, 'Mal averaged just under 22ppg
& 5apg in 43mpg.....Shot 87% from the foul line & 39% from the field,
which could be a lot better, but you can't fault his agressiveness
shooting the basketball, especially when the rest of the team isn't
shooting well.....Jamal's best game was against the Nets at MSG when he
scored 32pts on 11-18 from the floor (4-7 from 3pt land), 7 rebounds, 3
assists & turned the ball over only once in over 45 minutes played in a
94-86 win.....Worst game was against the Sixers at MSG when he scored
just 6pts on 3-12 shooting (0-5 from 3) no rebounds, 2 assists &
commited 7 turnovers in over 38 minutes in a 105-77 loss...Jamal did not
play in the final game of the month against the Bulls due to a hand
injury he sustained during practice.
PF Zach Randolph......Grade: B-
Z-Bo had a pretty interesting month, to say the least...A combination of
his usual steady offensive play & moments that have been bad, most
notably on the defensive end of the court....Played in all 14 games &
averaged just over 18ppg & slightly over 9rpg....Shot 48% from the field
& shot an improved 80% from the free throw line. (49-62).....Z-Bo had 7
double-doubles (points & rebounds) this month & was a rebound away from
a dub-dub on two other occasions....His worst stretch were the
back-to-back games against the Sixers...The game in Philly, Zach scored
only 4pts on 2-11 shooting & grabbed 5 boards in 27 minutes in a 101-90
loss....The very next day at MSG against the same Sixers team, he scored
just 2pts on 1-3 from the floor & grabbed 2 rebounds in only 14 minutes
of action & was benched most of the game by coach Thomas due to poor
defensive play in a 105-77 loss.....Z-Bo averaged a little over 33
minutes a game & did a better job taking care of the basketball
averaging 2.5 TO.....In a game against the Orlando Magic, Z-Bo was
pulled from the starting lineup by Coach Thomas & would come off the
bench to score 22pts & grab 9 rebounds in 33 minutes in a 110-96
loss....Bottom line is that Zach is a very talented offensive player,
but he MUST play defense to earn those big time minutes again from
Isiah.
SF Quentin Richardson......Grade: C-
Q-Rich is still struggling big time on the floor, but yet Coach Thomas
continues to put him in the starting lineup as a result of being THE
vocal leader on the team....Q played in 13 games, averaged right around
32MPG, producing 9ppg & slightly less than 5rpg....Did not play in
101-96 loss in Chicago due to injury....Shot 35% from behind the arc &
just 33% from the field overall....BRUTAL!......Get this stat: In the 13
games played this month, Q only attempted 17 foul shots! 17!
(?)....Converted 9 of them for 53%.....Based on that statistic, it's
safe to say that Q no longer takes the ball to the hole with regularity
like he used to & is primarily a jump shooter.....Best game was against
the Cavaliers at MSG when he scored 16pts on 6-12 shooting (4-6 3p),
grabbed 7 rebounds, had 2 assists & a couple of steals in a big 108-90
win....Worst game came against the Lakers at MSG when he scored just
2pts on 1-5 shooting, grabbed 5 boards but commited 3 turnovers & fouled
out of the game trying to contain the great Kobe Bryant in a 95-90
loss...If Q does not improve his overall game soon, he will find himself
out of the starting lineup....I admire that he plays hard, but his lack
of big time, consistent production on both ends of the court is hurting
the team a bit.
C Eddy Curry......Grade: D
December was not a good month for EC....For some reason, his
productivity on the court has regressed, & as a result, he's hearing the
boos at the Garden & the NY sports talk radio hosts & the sports columns
in the newspapers are bashing his recent string of poor play...Even
Coach Thomas has questioned Eddy's passion for the game & rightly so due
to the financial commitment & the high draft picks given up to acquire
Curry.....EC averaged only 11ppg & just 4rpg in just under 23mpg....Shot
49% from the field & 57% from the foul line....EC to me just does not
play with the fire that's needed for a big man on a consistent basis &
it hurts the team in a huge way....When EC is in the starting lineup, &
it's not just Eddy I must reiterate, the opposing teams for the most
part have been jumping off to early double-digit leads against the
Knicks due to the lack of energy & defense & it's very frustrating for
Knick fans...Eddy's best game was a 23pts & 9 rebound effort at MSG
against the Nets in a 94-86 Knicks win....Came off the bench against the
Bulls on 12/30/07 at MSG & scored 12pts & 8rebs in 23 minutes of
action...We hope that Eddy will finally get "it" going into January '08
& play some defense!
F David Lee......Grade: A-
D. Lee's production went up during the month of December, averaging
12ppg on 57% shooting & 8rpg in 30mpg....Shot 76% from the foul
line...Best game was against the Cavs at MSG, scoring 22pts on 9-12 from
the floor & grabbed 11 boards in over 38 minutes off the bench after
Eddy Curry picked 2 quick early fouls in a big 108-90 win....Was a
starter over Eddy Curry in game against the Bulls at MSG & scored 11pts
on 5-7 shooting & grabbed 7 rebounds in 36 minutes....D. Lee must
continue to improve defensively & also needs to work on his jump shot to
become a more effective offensive player.
G Nate Robinson......Grade: B-
Due to the extended bereavement leave of Stephon Marbury, Coach Thomas
has given Nate more playing time after ending November with a couple of
DNPs....Averaged 11ppg on 41% shooting, just under 4rpg & 1apg in
19mpg.....Shot 74% from the line.....Scored 25pts in 20 minutes off the
bench in a 105-77 loss to the Sixers at MSG....His most interesting game
came against the Lakers at MSG where Nate scored 16pts & grabbed 9
rebounds in 35 minutes off the bench in a 95-90 Knicks loss...In
contrast, "Big Man" Eddy Curry in same game, scored only 8pts & grabbed
1 board in 21 minutes....Huh?.....Had 2 DNPs in December (Pacers &
Suns)..Nate must work on being a true point guard; getting teammates
involved & being more organized....Too much one-on-one play at
times....He's 5'7 who plays like he's 7'2....Gotta love his heart &
fearlessness, but he has to control himself at times & make better
decisions with the basketball.
PG Stephon Marbury......No Grade
Missed 10 of the 14 games in December due to the passing of his father
Donald Marbury on 12/2/07 of a heart attack during the game at MSG
against the Suns...In the 4 games Steph was able to play, he averaged
only 11ppg on 42% shooting & 3apg in 26mpg....Shot 65% from the foul
line.....Steph gets a pass from me...Losing a parent is a big deal, no
matter how you slice it & the time off to grieve & make sure the family
is OK was necessary for him & I'm not mad at that...Steph is a great
player, BUT still needs to provide the veteran leadership for this
struggling team.
G Fred Jones......Grade: B
Has earned some decent playing time from Coach Thomas, primarily to
provide defense...Averaged 8ppg on 43% shooting, a little over 2rpg &
3asg in 31msg....Shot 74% from the line.....Was in starting lineup in 7
of the 14 games, largely in part due to Steph's absence for most of the
month...Best game was against the Mavs as a starter at MSG when he
scored 16pts on 4-7 shooting (1-2 from 3p), grabbed 5 boards, dished out
4 assists & 2 steals in 41 minutes in a 99-89 Knicks loss.
*HighLights
~The 108-90 home victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers
*LowLights
~Bad, blowout losses against the Sixers(twice on back-to-back games),
Sonics, Pacers, Bobcats & the Bulls game at MSG. All 11 losses in
December were tough, even to quality teams like the Suns, Mavs & Lakers
with Kobe, but the bad losses I mentioned initially were the toughest
ones to stomach for Knick fans.
~Eddy Curry's individual poor play for most of the month.
~Steph's dad passing away on 12/2/07 from heart attack. (RIP Donald
Marbury)
Overall record after 12/30/07: 8-21
Ross Guity
Contributing writer, GAME magazine
www.gamesportsmag.com
www.myspace.com/gamesportsmagazine
www.myspace.com/rgmajor
Team Record: 3-11
MSG: 2-7 Road: 1-4
(H)Sun. 12/2 vs Suns, L--115-104
(A)Wed. 12/5 vs Nets, W--100-93
(A) Fri. 12/7 vs Sixers, L--101-90
(H) Sat. 12/8 vs Sixers, L--105-77
(H) Mon. 12/10 vs Mavs, L--99-89
(H) Wed. 12/12 vs Sonics, L--117-110
(A) Fri. 12/14 vs Bulls, L--101-96
(H) Sat. 12/15 vs Nets, W--94-86
(H) Mon. 12/17 vs Pacers, L--119-92
(H) Wed. 12/19 vs Cavs, W--108-90
(A) Fri. 12/21 vs Bobcats, L--105-95
(H) Sun. 12/23 vs Lakers, L--95-90
(A) Wed. 12/26 vs Magic, L--110-96
(H) Sun. 12/30 vs Bulls, L--100-83
*December 2K7 Team Stats
Offense: 95 PPG; 43%FG; 33%3p; 71%FT; 41 RPG; 16 APG; 14 TO
Opponents: 103 PPG; 51%FG; 40 RPG; 23 APG
*The Players
SG Jamal Crawford......Grade: A
JC picked it up offensively in a big way due to the extended bereavement
leave of Stephon Marbury....In 13 games, 'Mal averaged just under 22ppg
& 5apg in 43mpg.....Shot 87% from the foul line & 39% from the field,
which could be a lot better, but you can't fault his agressiveness
shooting the basketball, especially when the rest of the team isn't
shooting well.....Jamal's best game was against the Nets at MSG when he
scored 32pts on 11-18 from the floor (4-7 from 3pt land), 7 rebounds, 3
assists & turned the ball over only once in over 45 minutes played in a
94-86 win.....Worst game was against the Sixers at MSG when he scored
just 6pts on 3-12 shooting (0-5 from 3) no rebounds, 2 assists &
commited 7 turnovers in over 38 minutes in a 105-77 loss...Jamal did not
play in the final game of the month against the Bulls due to a hand
injury he sustained during practice.
PF Zach Randolph......Grade: B-
Z-Bo had a pretty interesting month, to say the least...A combination of
his usual steady offensive play & moments that have been bad, most
notably on the defensive end of the court....Played in all 14 games &
averaged just over 18ppg & slightly over 9rpg....Shot 48% from the field
& shot an improved 80% from the free throw line. (49-62).....Z-Bo had 7
double-doubles (points & rebounds) this month & was a rebound away from
a dub-dub on two other occasions....His worst stretch were the
back-to-back games against the Sixers...The game in Philly, Zach scored
only 4pts on 2-11 shooting & grabbed 5 boards in 27 minutes in a 101-90
loss....The very next day at MSG against the same Sixers team, he scored
just 2pts on 1-3 from the floor & grabbed 2 rebounds in only 14 minutes
of action & was benched most of the game by coach Thomas due to poor
defensive play in a 105-77 loss.....Z-Bo averaged a little over 33
minutes a game & did a better job taking care of the basketball
averaging 2.5 TO.....In a game against the Orlando Magic, Z-Bo was
pulled from the starting lineup by Coach Thomas & would come off the
bench to score 22pts & grab 9 rebounds in 33 minutes in a 110-96
loss....Bottom line is that Zach is a very talented offensive player,
but he MUST play defense to earn those big time minutes again from
Isiah.
SF Quentin Richardson......Grade: C-
Q-Rich is still struggling big time on the floor, but yet Coach Thomas
continues to put him in the starting lineup as a result of being THE
vocal leader on the team....Q played in 13 games, averaged right around
32MPG, producing 9ppg & slightly less than 5rpg....Did not play in
101-96 loss in Chicago due to injury....Shot 35% from behind the arc &
just 33% from the field overall....BRUTAL!......Get this stat: In the 13
games played this month, Q only attempted 17 foul shots! 17!
(?)....Converted 9 of them for 53%.....Based on that statistic, it's
safe to say that Q no longer takes the ball to the hole with regularity
like he used to & is primarily a jump shooter.....Best game was against
the Cavaliers at MSG when he scored 16pts on 6-12 shooting (4-6 3p),
grabbed 7 rebounds, had 2 assists & a couple of steals in a big 108-90
win....Worst game came against the Lakers at MSG when he scored just
2pts on 1-5 shooting, grabbed 5 boards but commited 3 turnovers & fouled
out of the game trying to contain the great Kobe Bryant in a 95-90
loss...If Q does not improve his overall game soon, he will find himself
out of the starting lineup....I admire that he plays hard, but his lack
of big time, consistent production on both ends of the court is hurting
the team a bit.
C Eddy Curry......Grade: D
December was not a good month for EC....For some reason, his
productivity on the court has regressed, & as a result, he's hearing the
boos at the Garden & the NY sports talk radio hosts & the sports columns
in the newspapers are bashing his recent string of poor play...Even
Coach Thomas has questioned Eddy's passion for the game & rightly so due
to the financial commitment & the high draft picks given up to acquire
Curry.....EC averaged only 11ppg & just 4rpg in just under 23mpg....Shot
49% from the field & 57% from the foul line....EC to me just does not
play with the fire that's needed for a big man on a consistent basis &
it hurts the team in a huge way....When EC is in the starting lineup, &
it's not just Eddy I must reiterate, the opposing teams for the most
part have been jumping off to early double-digit leads against the
Knicks due to the lack of energy & defense & it's very frustrating for
Knick fans...Eddy's best game was a 23pts & 9 rebound effort at MSG
against the Nets in a 94-86 Knicks win....Came off the bench against the
Bulls on 12/30/07 at MSG & scored 12pts & 8rebs in 23 minutes of
action...We hope that Eddy will finally get "it" going into January '08
& play some defense!
F David Lee......Grade: A-
D. Lee's production went up during the month of December, averaging
12ppg on 57% shooting & 8rpg in 30mpg....Shot 76% from the foul
line...Best game was against the Cavs at MSG, scoring 22pts on 9-12 from
the floor & grabbed 11 boards in over 38 minutes off the bench after
Eddy Curry picked 2 quick early fouls in a big 108-90 win....Was a
starter over Eddy Curry in game against the Bulls at MSG & scored 11pts
on 5-7 shooting & grabbed 7 rebounds in 36 minutes....D. Lee must
continue to improve defensively & also needs to work on his jump shot to
become a more effective offensive player.
G Nate Robinson......Grade: B-
Due to the extended bereavement leave of Stephon Marbury, Coach Thomas
has given Nate more playing time after ending November with a couple of
DNPs....Averaged 11ppg on 41% shooting, just under 4rpg & 1apg in
19mpg.....Shot 74% from the line.....Scored 25pts in 20 minutes off the
bench in a 105-77 loss to the Sixers at MSG....His most interesting game
came against the Lakers at MSG where Nate scored 16pts & grabbed 9
rebounds in 35 minutes off the bench in a 95-90 Knicks loss...In
contrast, "Big Man" Eddy Curry in same game, scored only 8pts & grabbed
1 board in 21 minutes....Huh?.....Had 2 DNPs in December (Pacers &
Suns)..Nate must work on being a true point guard; getting teammates
involved & being more organized....Too much one-on-one play at
times....He's 5'7 who plays like he's 7'2....Gotta love his heart &
fearlessness, but he has to control himself at times & make better
decisions with the basketball.
PG Stephon Marbury......No Grade
Missed 10 of the 14 games in December due to the passing of his father
Donald Marbury on 12/2/07 of a heart attack during the game at MSG
against the Suns...In the 4 games Steph was able to play, he averaged
only 11ppg on 42% shooting & 3apg in 26mpg....Shot 65% from the foul
line.....Steph gets a pass from me...Losing a parent is a big deal, no
matter how you slice it & the time off to grieve & make sure the family
is OK was necessary for him & I'm not mad at that...Steph is a great
player, BUT still needs to provide the veteran leadership for this
struggling team.
G Fred Jones......Grade: B
Has earned some decent playing time from Coach Thomas, primarily to
provide defense...Averaged 8ppg on 43% shooting, a little over 2rpg &
3asg in 31msg....Shot 74% from the line.....Was in starting lineup in 7
of the 14 games, largely in part due to Steph's absence for most of the
month...Best game was against the Mavs as a starter at MSG when he
scored 16pts on 4-7 shooting (1-2 from 3p), grabbed 5 boards, dished out
4 assists & 2 steals in 41 minutes in a 99-89 Knicks loss.
*HighLights
~The 108-90 home victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers
*LowLights
~Bad, blowout losses against the Sixers(twice on back-to-back games),
Sonics, Pacers, Bobcats & the Bulls game at MSG. All 11 losses in
December were tough, even to quality teams like the Suns, Mavs & Lakers
with Kobe, but the bad losses I mentioned initially were the toughest
ones to stomach for Knick fans.
~Eddy Curry's individual poor play for most of the month.
~Steph's dad passing away on 12/2/07 from heart attack. (RIP Donald
Marbury)
Overall record after 12/30/07: 8-21
Ross Guity
Contributing writer, GAME magazine
www.gamesportsmag.com
www.myspace.com/gamesportsmagazine
www.myspace.com/rgmajor
Sunday, December 2, 2007
RG's NY Knicks Recap-November 2K7
RG's NY Knicks Recap-November 2K7
Team record: 5-10
MSG: 5-3 Road: 0-7
November 2K7 Stats
*Team (Averages per game)
Offense: 93 PPG; 43%FG; 32%3p; 70%FT; 43 RPG; 17 APG; 17 TO
Opponents: 102 PPG; 46%FG; 37%3p; 42 RPG; 21 APG
*The Starting Lineup
*PF Zach Randolph aka Z-Bo....Averaging his usual dub-dub at 18ppg &
11.3rpg in 12 games played....Missed 3 games & was on bereavement leave
due to the passing of his grandmother...Z-Bo is still getting acclamated
to his new digs here in NY, & is doing alright so far....He's only
playing an average of 33 minutes per game...Even with his nice start
offensively, Z-Bo is only shooting 44% from the floor & 64% from the
charity stripe....I like his aggression & intensity, but he must improve
on those percentages & he MUST take care of the basketball, especially
during critical stages of the game....Zach averages 4 turnovers a
game...Z-Bo is a nice addition & is becoming a home crowd fan favorite
slowly but surely.
Grade: A-
*C Eddy Curry aka EC....Has started all 15 games playing 31 minutes on
average....Averaging 16.3ppg on 56% shooting from the floor....EC is
only averaging 6rpg & less than a block per game, which again is a
disappointment based on his size & strength at 6'11, 280lbs....And this
is coming from a player who felt he should've been a starting center for
the East All-Stars in Las Vegas February 2K7 over Dwight Howard of the
Orlando Magic, who has now established himself early in his career as
THE best & most dominant big man in the NBA now....EC is shooting only
60% from the foul line, which has to improve...EC must stay out of foul
trouble if he wants to stay on the floor in key situations & must be
aggresive on the defensive end, which according to past track record, is
easier said than done...Eddy has had his nice moments on D, blocking a
Marcus Camby layup attempt in a Knick win over Denver & blocking a shot
in a crucial moment late in game in a win over Utah, both at MSG.
Grade: C
*SF Quentin Richardson aka Q-Rich....14 games played, averaging 31
minutes per....Only averaging 6ppg & 7rpg....Shooting just 31% from the
floor; 23% from behind the arc....57% from the foul line...Q is off to a
bad start shooting the basketball....I will kinda give Q a pass because
he did undergo major back surgery during the offseason & is still trying
to get right physically....Despite his poor shooting, Q has been a
warrior rebounding the basketball & just being a team leader, which has
warranted his playing time.....In a home Knicks win against Chicago,
Q-Rich grabbed 15 boards....Poor shooting aside & being a bit banged up,
Q is putting in the work, trying to be THE leader on the team.....
Grade: B- (for good effort)
*SG Jamal Crawford aka 'Mal, JC....Also has started all 15
games....Averaging 17ppg on 41% from the floor, 30% from downtown &
4.3apg....Shooting a nice 84% from the free throw line early on...JC is
a streaky offensive player....In the Knicks home opening win against
Minnesota, 'Mal scored 24 points & dished out 7 assists....In a huge
come-from-behind victory over Milwaukee, JC scored 28 points....Jamal
has some nice ball-handling skills, but at times tends to be real sloppy
with it, which results in him averaging 3 turnovers a game....JC needs
to be consistent every game offensively for the Knicks to be really
dangerous & must continue to improve defensively....
Grade: B
PG Stephon Marbury aka Starbury....Has played in 14 games; 11 as a
starter, 3 coming off the bench...Averaging 14ppg on 41% shooting; 42%
from behind the arc & handing out 5.3 apg.....Shooting a decent 78% from
the line.....Steph plays hard as usual, but MUST be a leader on this
young team now that he's 12 years deep in the League at age 30....It's
vital that he's a team player & accepts the criticism that head coach
Isiah Thomas tries to give him if he's not playing well...His big game
so far was in a big home win against Utah when he scored 28 points &
dished out 6 assists in a matchup against one of the rising star point
guards in the NBA, Deron Williams...Steph has been booed frequently by
the home crowd because of his selfish & at times immature attitude...Now
he must change that with good play & leadership & slowly he will win the
fans over.
Grade: B- (The minus is for his selfish attitude)
*The Key Bench Players
F David Lee aka D. Lee....Played all 15 games; 3 as starting PF in place
of Zach Randolph when he was on bereavement leave...As a starter in a
Knick home loss to Miami, D. Lee had a dub-dub with 14pts & 14
boards....Averaging 8.5ppg on 48% from the floor & 7.5rpg in 24 minutes
per game....Shooting a nice & improved 82% from the free throw
line.....D. Lee is a super 6th Man & home crowd favorite for the energy,
hard hustle & rebounding that he brings to the table....His minutes will
be down a bit with the acquisition of Z-Bo, but he understands that &
still does his thing...Needs to stay out of foul trouble at times &
continue to improve defensively to really be a bigger factor that he
already is coming off the bench....The sky continues to be the limit for
one David Lee...
Grade: A
G Nate Robinson...14 games played, averaging only 20 minutes per....8ppg
on only 37% from the floor; 41% from 3-point land & averaging 2 apg &
also 2 steals per....For someone that is shooting the 3-ball pretty
well, Nate is struggling from the line, shooting only 65%, which can
only improve as the season goes along....Nate is maturing a bit now
entering his 3rd season & is also a home crowd favorite for his amazing
athletic prowess being the shortest player on the court in most
games....Being that he is Steph's backup PG, Nate must continue to
improve being a floor general & do the best he can on the defensive end
due to his height, but don't get it twisted: Nate is a strong guy who
has played football in college along with basketball...
Grade: C
F Renaldo Balkman aka Dred....Only averaging 4ppg....Missed a few games
nursing an ankle injury, but his presence was sorely missed & it partly
resulted in the Knicks losing 8 straight games....Dred brings a unique
energy & intensity to the team when he checks in for duty & also a big
crowd favorite...See the pattern?.....If u play hard & show that u care
& wanna win, the fans appreciate that a lot & show the love
back...Renaldo needs to stay healthy & also minimize getting quick fouls
early in the game to be effective for the Knicks off the bench...
Grade: B
Head Coach Isiah Thomas....After going through a trying offseason with
the sexual harrasement trial against former employee Anucha Browne
Sanders, with Sanders winning a $11.6M judgement with both Thomas & MSG
appealing the case, Coach must stay focused & guide this talented team
hopefully to a playoff berth....Going 5-10 to start with this Knick team
is not helping matters, as the home fans are growing frustrated with how
Thomas is running things thus far. Benching Marbury in favor of reserve
G Mardy Collins has backfired on him & partly contributed to the 8 game
losing streak early on....This team should be better than 5-10 in the
Eastern Conference....Everytime the Knicks play terrible at home, the
fans call for Thomas' head by chantly loudly, "FIRE ISIAH!!!"....The
saving grace in a way is that teams like Chicago & Miami are both
equally talented teams off to equally bad starts as well....Isiah needs
to get this team to play consistently good quality basketball & if he
can turn the losing culture into a winning one, he will win the Knicks
fans over in a huge way!
Grade: C- (poor start is not all Isiah's fault)
HighLights:
*At home vs MIN-1st home opening win since 2K1.
*Comebacks wins at home against Denver & Milwaukee after being down
double-digits late in game.
*Beating a very good Utah team at home 113-109.
*Zach Randolph making a good 1st impression so far as a NY Knick,
averaging a dub-dub. (18ppg & 11.3rpg)
LowLights
*The 0-7 road record.
*Tough 75-72 loss to the Dwayne Wade-less Heat.
*Historic & embarrasing 104-59 loss to a very talented Celtic team in
Boston.
*Uninspiring bad loss to the Warriors at home 108-82 with fans booing
Steph & Isiah & loud chants of "Fire Isiah!" cascading all over the
arena.
*The whole Marbury-Isiah fiasco before their game in Phoenix against the
Suns.
Saturday, 12/1/07
Ross Guity
Contributing writer, GAME magazine
www.gamesportsmag.com
www.myspace.com/gamesportsmagazine
www.myspace.com/rgmajor
Team record: 5-10
MSG: 5-3 Road: 0-7
November 2K7 Stats
*Team (Averages per game)
Offense: 93 PPG; 43%FG; 32%3p; 70%FT; 43 RPG; 17 APG; 17 TO
Opponents: 102 PPG; 46%FG; 37%3p; 42 RPG; 21 APG
*The Starting Lineup
*PF Zach Randolph aka Z-Bo....Averaging his usual dub-dub at 18ppg &
11.3rpg in 12 games played....Missed 3 games & was on bereavement leave
due to the passing of his grandmother...Z-Bo is still getting acclamated
to his new digs here in NY, & is doing alright so far....He's only
playing an average of 33 minutes per game...Even with his nice start
offensively, Z-Bo is only shooting 44% from the floor & 64% from the
charity stripe....I like his aggression & intensity, but he must improve
on those percentages & he MUST take care of the basketball, especially
during critical stages of the game....Zach averages 4 turnovers a
game...Z-Bo is a nice addition & is becoming a home crowd fan favorite
slowly but surely.
Grade: A-
*C Eddy Curry aka EC....Has started all 15 games playing 31 minutes on
average....Averaging 16.3ppg on 56% shooting from the floor....EC is
only averaging 6rpg & less than a block per game, which again is a
disappointment based on his size & strength at 6'11, 280lbs....And this
is coming from a player who felt he should've been a starting center for
the East All-Stars in Las Vegas February 2K7 over Dwight Howard of the
Orlando Magic, who has now established himself early in his career as
THE best & most dominant big man in the NBA now....EC is shooting only
60% from the foul line, which has to improve...EC must stay out of foul
trouble if he wants to stay on the floor in key situations & must be
aggresive on the defensive end, which according to past track record, is
easier said than done...Eddy has had his nice moments on D, blocking a
Marcus Camby layup attempt in a Knick win over Denver & blocking a shot
in a crucial moment late in game in a win over Utah, both at MSG.
Grade: C
*SF Quentin Richardson aka Q-Rich....14 games played, averaging 31
minutes per....Only averaging 6ppg & 7rpg....Shooting just 31% from the
floor; 23% from behind the arc....57% from the foul line...Q is off to a
bad start shooting the basketball....I will kinda give Q a pass because
he did undergo major back surgery during the offseason & is still trying
to get right physically....Despite his poor shooting, Q has been a
warrior rebounding the basketball & just being a team leader, which has
warranted his playing time.....In a home Knicks win against Chicago,
Q-Rich grabbed 15 boards....Poor shooting aside & being a bit banged up,
Q is putting in the work, trying to be THE leader on the team.....
Grade: B- (for good effort)
*SG Jamal Crawford aka 'Mal, JC....Also has started all 15
games....Averaging 17ppg on 41% from the floor, 30% from downtown &
4.3apg....Shooting a nice 84% from the free throw line early on...JC is
a streaky offensive player....In the Knicks home opening win against
Minnesota, 'Mal scored 24 points & dished out 7 assists....In a huge
come-from-behind victory over Milwaukee, JC scored 28 points....Jamal
has some nice ball-handling skills, but at times tends to be real sloppy
with it, which results in him averaging 3 turnovers a game....JC needs
to be consistent every game offensively for the Knicks to be really
dangerous & must continue to improve defensively....
Grade: B
PG Stephon Marbury aka Starbury....Has played in 14 games; 11 as a
starter, 3 coming off the bench...Averaging 14ppg on 41% shooting; 42%
from behind the arc & handing out 5.3 apg.....Shooting a decent 78% from
the line.....Steph plays hard as usual, but MUST be a leader on this
young team now that he's 12 years deep in the League at age 30....It's
vital that he's a team player & accepts the criticism that head coach
Isiah Thomas tries to give him if he's not playing well...His big game
so far was in a big home win against Utah when he scored 28 points &
dished out 6 assists in a matchup against one of the rising star point
guards in the NBA, Deron Williams...Steph has been booed frequently by
the home crowd because of his selfish & at times immature attitude...Now
he must change that with good play & leadership & slowly he will win the
fans over.
Grade: B- (The minus is for his selfish attitude)
*The Key Bench Players
F David Lee aka D. Lee....Played all 15 games; 3 as starting PF in place
of Zach Randolph when he was on bereavement leave...As a starter in a
Knick home loss to Miami, D. Lee had a dub-dub with 14pts & 14
boards....Averaging 8.5ppg on 48% from the floor & 7.5rpg in 24 minutes
per game....Shooting a nice & improved 82% from the free throw
line.....D. Lee is a super 6th Man & home crowd favorite for the energy,
hard hustle & rebounding that he brings to the table....His minutes will
be down a bit with the acquisition of Z-Bo, but he understands that &
still does his thing...Needs to stay out of foul trouble at times &
continue to improve defensively to really be a bigger factor that he
already is coming off the bench....The sky continues to be the limit for
one David Lee...
Grade: A
G Nate Robinson...14 games played, averaging only 20 minutes per....8ppg
on only 37% from the floor; 41% from 3-point land & averaging 2 apg &
also 2 steals per....For someone that is shooting the 3-ball pretty
well, Nate is struggling from the line, shooting only 65%, which can
only improve as the season goes along....Nate is maturing a bit now
entering his 3rd season & is also a home crowd favorite for his amazing
athletic prowess being the shortest player on the court in most
games....Being that he is Steph's backup PG, Nate must continue to
improve being a floor general & do the best he can on the defensive end
due to his height, but don't get it twisted: Nate is a strong guy who
has played football in college along with basketball...
Grade: C
F Renaldo Balkman aka Dred....Only averaging 4ppg....Missed a few games
nursing an ankle injury, but his presence was sorely missed & it partly
resulted in the Knicks losing 8 straight games....Dred brings a unique
energy & intensity to the team when he checks in for duty & also a big
crowd favorite...See the pattern?.....If u play hard & show that u care
& wanna win, the fans appreciate that a lot & show the love
back...Renaldo needs to stay healthy & also minimize getting quick fouls
early in the game to be effective for the Knicks off the bench...
Grade: B
Head Coach Isiah Thomas....After going through a trying offseason with
the sexual harrasement trial against former employee Anucha Browne
Sanders, with Sanders winning a $11.6M judgement with both Thomas & MSG
appealing the case, Coach must stay focused & guide this talented team
hopefully to a playoff berth....Going 5-10 to start with this Knick team
is not helping matters, as the home fans are growing frustrated with how
Thomas is running things thus far. Benching Marbury in favor of reserve
G Mardy Collins has backfired on him & partly contributed to the 8 game
losing streak early on....This team should be better than 5-10 in the
Eastern Conference....Everytime the Knicks play terrible at home, the
fans call for Thomas' head by chantly loudly, "FIRE ISIAH!!!"....The
saving grace in a way is that teams like Chicago & Miami are both
equally talented teams off to equally bad starts as well....Isiah needs
to get this team to play consistently good quality basketball & if he
can turn the losing culture into a winning one, he will win the Knicks
fans over in a huge way!
Grade: C- (poor start is not all Isiah's fault)
HighLights:
*At home vs MIN-1st home opening win since 2K1.
*Comebacks wins at home against Denver & Milwaukee after being down
double-digits late in game.
*Beating a very good Utah team at home 113-109.
*Zach Randolph making a good 1st impression so far as a NY Knick,
averaging a dub-dub. (18ppg & 11.3rpg)
LowLights
*The 0-7 road record.
*Tough 75-72 loss to the Dwayne Wade-less Heat.
*Historic & embarrasing 104-59 loss to a very talented Celtic team in
Boston.
*Uninspiring bad loss to the Warriors at home 108-82 with fans booing
Steph & Isiah & loud chants of "Fire Isiah!" cascading all over the
arena.
*The whole Marbury-Isiah fiasco before their game in Phoenix against the
Suns.
Saturday, 12/1/07
Ross Guity
Contributing writer, GAME magazine
www.gamesportsmag.com
www.myspace.com/gamesportsmagazine
www.myspace.com/rgmajor
Friday, November 23, 2007
RG's GAME Sports Blog
RG's GAME Sports Blog
NFL-The New England Patriots are the only undefeated team still standing
at 10-0 thru week 11. Both QB Tom Brady & WR Randy Moss continue their
impressive & dominating MVP caliber play & there seems to be no letting
up in sight, regarding that their key players stay injury-free the rest
of the regular season heading into the playoffs. Also on the plus side
bringing the noise so far this season are the Dallas Cowboys & Green Bay
Packers, both with 9-1 records. The Colts are 8-2, but with key players
injured such as All-Pro WR Marvin Harrison & now All-Pro DE Dwight
Freeney, who's out for the rest of the season, they will struggle a bit
down the stretch. On the minus end at a miserable 0-10, the Miami
Dolphins thru week 11 are STILL seeking their 1st win of the season.
College Football-LSU is currently the new #1 ranked team in the country.
The Kansas Jayhawks football team comes in at #2 & is having a
remarkable & landmark season at 11-0. Missouri, West Virginia & Ohio St.
round out the Top 5.
NBA-The teams starting strong right out the gate are the Orlando Magic &
the Boston Celtics in the Easten Conference. In the West, the usual
suspects jumping off well to start the season are the defending NBA
champs, the San Antonio Spurs, along with the Dallas Mavericks & Phoenix
Suns. The New Orleans Hornets are the surprise team so far with a 9-3
record. Early disappointment hands down goes to the New York Knicks.
Knicks president & head coach Isiah Thomas is in serious jeapordy of
losing his job due to the team's poor start. My pick for NBA player for
the month of November would go to superstar young big man Dwight Howard
from the Orlando Magic.
College Basketball-The 2K7-2K8 season is underway for both the mens &
womens team. The Florida Gators mens team & the Tennessee Volunteers
womens team will both try to defend their respective championships.
MLB-The 2007 Awards have all been given out & here are your winners for
excellence this past season in MLB:
*AL MVP-Alex Rodriquez, 3B, NY Yankees
*NL MVP-Jimmy Rollins, SS, Phillies
*AL Cy Young-C.C. Sabathia, LHP, Indians
*NL Cy Young-Jake Peavy, RHP, Padres
*AL Rookie-Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Red Sox
*NL Rookie-Ryan Braun, 3B, Brewers
*AL Manager-Eric Wedge, Indians
*NL Manager-Bob Melvin, Diamondbacks
*AL Hank Aaron Award-Alex Rodriguez
*NL Hank Aaron Award-Prince Fielder
NASCAR-Jimmie Johnson wins the Nextel Cup for the 2nd year in a row.
Blog written Wed. 11/21/07; 11:20am NYC
Ross Guity
Contributing writer, GAME magazine
www.gamesportsmag.com
www.myspace.com/gamesportsmagazine
www.myspace.com/rgmajor
Email: rguity@tmail.com
NFL-The New England Patriots are the only undefeated team still standing
at 10-0 thru week 11. Both QB Tom Brady & WR Randy Moss continue their
impressive & dominating MVP caliber play & there seems to be no letting
up in sight, regarding that their key players stay injury-free the rest
of the regular season heading into the playoffs. Also on the plus side
bringing the noise so far this season are the Dallas Cowboys & Green Bay
Packers, both with 9-1 records. The Colts are 8-2, but with key players
injured such as All-Pro WR Marvin Harrison & now All-Pro DE Dwight
Freeney, who's out for the rest of the season, they will struggle a bit
down the stretch. On the minus end at a miserable 0-10, the Miami
Dolphins thru week 11 are STILL seeking their 1st win of the season.
College Football-LSU is currently the new #1 ranked team in the country.
The Kansas Jayhawks football team comes in at #2 & is having a
remarkable & landmark season at 11-0. Missouri, West Virginia & Ohio St.
round out the Top 5.
NBA-The teams starting strong right out the gate are the Orlando Magic &
the Boston Celtics in the Easten Conference. In the West, the usual
suspects jumping off well to start the season are the defending NBA
champs, the San Antonio Spurs, along with the Dallas Mavericks & Phoenix
Suns. The New Orleans Hornets are the surprise team so far with a 9-3
record. Early disappointment hands down goes to the New York Knicks.
Knicks president & head coach Isiah Thomas is in serious jeapordy of
losing his job due to the team's poor start. My pick for NBA player for
the month of November would go to superstar young big man Dwight Howard
from the Orlando Magic.
College Basketball-The 2K7-2K8 season is underway for both the mens &
womens team. The Florida Gators mens team & the Tennessee Volunteers
womens team will both try to defend their respective championships.
MLB-The 2007 Awards have all been given out & here are your winners for
excellence this past season in MLB:
*AL MVP-Alex Rodriquez, 3B, NY Yankees
*NL MVP-Jimmy Rollins, SS, Phillies
*AL Cy Young-C.C. Sabathia, LHP, Indians
*NL Cy Young-Jake Peavy, RHP, Padres
*AL Rookie-Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Red Sox
*NL Rookie-Ryan Braun, 3B, Brewers
*AL Manager-Eric Wedge, Indians
*NL Manager-Bob Melvin, Diamondbacks
*AL Hank Aaron Award-Alex Rodriguez
*NL Hank Aaron Award-Prince Fielder
NASCAR-Jimmie Johnson wins the Nextel Cup for the 2nd year in a row.
Blog written Wed. 11/21/07; 11:20am NYC
Ross Guity
Contributing writer, GAME magazine
www.gamesportsmag.com
www.myspace.com/gamesportsmagazine
www.myspace.com/rgmajor
Email: rguity@tmail.com
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