R.G.'s NY Knicks April 2K8 & Final Regular Season Recap

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!)