Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Knicks @ Spurs Game Thread

Shumpert starting for Fields like we suggested. Harrellson starting for injured Tyson. Jeffries is out.

Let see if Jeremy can lead NY to a victory over the Spurs. It would be the first for the Knicks @ San Antonio in 10 years.

36 comments:

  1. He needs to get his jumper going again. Lack of one recently has really hampered him. His form looks off. Maybe fly his shooting couch in for the game ;).

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  2. He was shooting it really well in the game vs. the Lakers and the 1st game vs. the Mavericks. He was hitting long jumpers and 3's so easily, that the teams had to change their defense strategy on him to account for his range. Their scouting reports said that Lin couldn't shoot the ball.
    Then he started hitting a bunch of fadeaway and pull-up jumpers, so they couldn't pack the paint on D.

    What Lin needs to do is develop an outside shot, and hit it consistently in the 1st quarter .... that will send a message that they can't simply defend against his drive.

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  3. Jeremy Lin has to adapt to the new situation and he will continue to learn.
    Jeremy has the skill, I think he will do his best.
    Remember sometimes win or lose is normal.

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  4. I've had enough.

    Lin + Melo < 2.

    I can't stand it. I really wish Melo was injured sitting on the bench again. Their style of basketball really conflict each other. Jeremy didn't look comfortable out there, and Melo hasn't been worse with his iso. D'Antoni being who he has been, isn't going to bold up and play Melo and Lin separately. It is so disturbing and frustrating to watch the Knicks reversing to the pre-Lin era. This was exactly the type of basketball they were playing.

    Can't stand this. Just can't.

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  5. Folks, first half gone by...the defense and rebounding is horrible. Stat and Melo can not defend or rebound. To them it seems like a shooting contest only. That is not going to get it done against some good teams -- Spurs being one of them.

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    1. Yes, a shooting contest, and Stat/Melo don't even stand a chance. If this were to be a shooting contest, at the very least give it to your best shooters. How many shots did Melo take from 20 feet and miss? Get into the paint and draw fouls!

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  6. Immediately noticeable:

    Splitting up Chandler (injured) and Stoudamire opens up the paint, necessary for D'Antoni's system.

    With the paint freer, Lin more comfortable and effective creating off his scoring than being pass-first.

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    1. I saw that too. Jorts works well with Lin's game. He crashes the boards, and doesn't clot in the paint. Yet D'Antoni sits him despite being the only player having a +1.

      It's not Mike's fault that the Knicks' got both Melo AND Stat, but it's his to blame for not adjusting to it.

      So frustrating.

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  7. Lin not making his shots... wide open too. No one to blame except himself.

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  8. Every opposing point guard is elevating their game and taking JLin17 AND Baron Davis to school. Lin really needs to take his game to another level.

    http://www.dopewar.com

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  9. Lin isn't guarding Parker. Parker is DESTROYING Amare who doesn't rotate to defend pick and roll. Even with Shumpert on Parker it doesn't matter bc Amare doesn't rotate when Duncan sets the pick.

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  10. lin just looks really different vs a few weeks back. i don't see that swagger. i don't think he's having fun but just laboring out there throwing up shots.

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  11. Almost every possession, he dribbles the ball upcourt, gives up the dribble, and forces a pass to Melo who holds the ball for a bunch of seconds. When the double team comes, he forces up a bad shot.
    Jeremy Lin isn't making plays anymore, he's just leaving everything for Carmelo to fail.

    This is exactly the kind of pre-Lin basketball that got the Knicks to 8 games below .500.

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  13. There's a pretty clear pattern, here. When the team revolves around Jeremy (even if he goes 8-24 with 6 TOs)...the Knicks win. Or at least lose a close one. When it revolves around Amare and Melo...the Knicks lose. Usually a blowout. Doesn't matter if they score 25 or 30.

    The competition is much tougher, but Knicks should have beaten Boston and had a chance at Dallas or San Antonio.

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    1. Oh and I don't mind Jeremy padding his stats in garbage time.

      He should have had 8-10 assists the last couple games if his superstar teammates could finish a layup or hit just some of their wide open jumpers.

      If Jeremy were on the Celtics with dead-eye shooters like Pierce, Allen and Garnett, he'd have 12 assists a bad night.

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    2. Yeah I totally don't mind him padding his stats either. They were blown out most of the night anyway. The only positive thing out of this for me is Lin getting 20 points lol.

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    3. You are right, if Lin were with Celtics he would have over 10 assists every game.

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  14. Knicks with Lin and scrubs was 7-0 with wins over the Mavericks and Lakers. Knicks with Amare and Melo's nonexistent defense and rebounding are now 2-6.... Right in line with the 8-15 before Lin started playing.
    Lin needs to stop deferring. This is HIS team, the other players don't know how to win

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    1. To be fair, it's different on the road. Refs give all most of the calls to the home team...which is why every single team in the NBA is much better at home.

      But I agree. It's sacrilege to say it publically, and I understand how crazy it sounds to most fans. But this needs to be Jeremy Lin's team. With the Knicks designed around him.

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  15. This will never happen, but if the Knicks actually wanted to WIN instead of worrying about egos, they would start Lin with Shumpert (so Jeremy wonn't get tired on defense) Novak, Jeffries and Chandler.

    Everyone knows their exact roles. Lin and Tyson PnR is the #1 option. When they double-team him, he pulls out and passes it to Shumpert. Shumpert resets the offense and gets it back to Lin who drives and kicks to Novak. Jeffries is there to set screens, grab rebounds and hustle for loose balls. Shumpert is the also there for fast breaks.

    Forget A/T ratio. Lin needs to be the exciting all-or-anothing PG who scores 28 with 10 assists and 8 TOs. Look at the Bulls. You don't need 3 20-point scorers to win. You just need offensive chemistry and defense.

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  16. What they have out there doesn't resemble a team...it was fun watching the Knicks a few weeks back. They played like a team, and everyone was having fun. Now I see less drives to the basket, and more just pull up jump shots by Amare and Stat. And when they miss, there is no hustling for rebounds.

    Granted that the Spurs are a good team. However, if the Knicks can play defense, they should be able to stay in the games and not get blown away by 20 points. If this continues, the playoffs are out the window.

    The Knicks need a solution real quick.

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  17. The way this game started out, Lin was looking heavily for his shot. He tried his darn best to summon up Linsanity but he made only 4 of 12 shots. Last 3 games he's not been converting at all. I don't know what happened to him but to say that it's anybody else's fault is not a truthful statement. He's the PG and how he goes is how the team goes. He's just not delivering. He looked like a DLeaguer out there.

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    1. He looked for shots, but not *his* shots. He settles for too many jumpers and floaters instead of attacking the rim for layups.

      There are two reason for this. The first is that refs don't give him any calls. The second is that people kept criticizing his TOs (even when he had a great game), so he's hesitant to take those risks again.

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    2. Yes, the reasons why Lin can not delivered some high scores and stats as first couple games could comes from he trying very hard to reduce the TOs which then make him looks bad.

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    3. A bit shocked by your comment Mr Screwup. How can you sit there and say 'you don't know what happened to him'. The answer is staring you in the face and is what most of us knew was going to happen. JLin is an attacking PG, much like DRose or Westbrook is, but he's not being allowed to attack anymore. Have you not seen the amount of criticism about how he isolates/ignores Melo, shoots more than Amare, has too many turnovers etc. Now he's cut down on the turnovers, is looking to force the pass to his superstar teammates and others and now he's looking like a D-Leaguer? Amazing.

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  18. The Knicks need to build around Lin/Chandler.. Melo/Amare can not be on the same line-up at all...

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  19. Didn't get to see this game, but saw some of the last game against the mavs. Slowing down the videos, I noticed that the pick and roll is too predictable now. Very little variation, most of it up top near the center with one pick. Dantonni needs to use double picks (going left then back right to Jeremy's strong side), from the sides and not always at center. Pick with a scorer or a penetrator. Someone like "the matrix" on dallas. Carmelo or shumpert will qualify. No more chandler or amare because it is not working. Jeremy either has to give it up fast either straightline to the roll or pass it to the wing and have the wing drive and shoot or pass. Carmelo and amare lined up on the same side. They should be on opposite sides and Chandler should always be next to the basket for the rebound or pass and dunk. They rely on the pick and roll too many times with no variations. Jeremy should just drive without hesitation. Chandler and Amare is setting the picks too late and roll way too fast. Doesn't allow Jeremy enough time to pass to them with the double team coming. Even if Lin passes to them they can't do much with it so far from the basket. So it's not working. Knicks need swing it around many times and not be so predictable.

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  20. I'm looking at jeremy lin's stat line it's not bad at all. It's actually pretty good. Only problem is starting 5 chemistry is 0%, that said I wouldn't mind seeing jeremy lin run with the 2nd group given the 2nd group gets more minutes of playing time.

    In addition, everyone knows that melo & amare don't play defense. It's given melo is like kobe, he makes his teammates play worse by wanting to be the star power. Only difference is kobe is alot better player than melo.

    Melo & Amare needs to be traded for dwight howard.

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    1. No one will take one of the Knicks max contract, never mind two. Too bad the Knicks have already used their amnesty clause on Billups to sign Chandler.

      Lin will be stuck with A'mare and Melo for two more years. Lin may do better with the second unit.

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    2. No second unit. Gotta work the kinks out. Playing in the second unit is not gonna make Amare or Melo disappear. Just have to find some consistency on running good plays and stressing ball movements and penetrations other than Jeremy. One penetration and kickout, second penetration and kick out. After that I guarantee you somebody will be open.

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  21. Whatever happened to the post up game. Without a post up game, you're gonna lose for sure. Knicks not using their size advantage. Somehow watching them reminds me of the clippers, no legitimate post-up game, and frustrating to watch with all their stars. I know, Dantonni's system doesn't use a post-up. That's why I don't think the Knicks will go very far under Dantonni. There's great potential, but the players aren't giving it 110%. That is also rubbing off on Jeremy. It's a lazy system where alot of players are standing around to shoot and only one guy is working hard.

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  23. Sigh, Jeremy is not playing the same. The chemistry that we saw in the past month is gone. I hope Jeremy can play without thinking too much. He needs to just shoot more and take over.

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  24. Sad to say, but Jeremy looks like he is falling back into his Warriors days. With the Warriors, he was deferring to Monta / Curry. Now he has to defer a bit to Carmelo and became a set shooter.

    Jeremy did well the early part because he could play his game and get into a flow. Now, he's going against his attacking instincts a little bit. The only reason he can still do ok is he has confidence.

    We'll see how this mixing and matching goes. It's easy to say that Carmelo should be able to catch and shoot the ball without issues. Unfortunately, some players just aren't comfortable without the ball into hands constantly. I think Jeremy and Carmelo are SIMILAR in that situation.

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  25. Phil Jackson and the triangle would solve the Knicks spacing and distribution problems.

    Jackson's mind games would force Anthony and Stoudemire to play at least good position defense, which is all anybody truly asks of them.

    Lin is such a great player that he would thrive in any offense, particularly the triangle.

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