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

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