NBA Season 2012/2013

[faldor]

The Celtics just can't put together a 48 minute game.  Another abysmal 2nd half performance.  Luckily the Knicks were bad enough in the first half that they were able to hold on.  I imagine Carmelo is icing his shoulder today after hoisting 35 shots and 20 FT's.  I actually thought he hurt the Knicks a little down the stretch by being a little too selfish.  I mean, I know you live and die with your stars but he just didn't have it going yesterday and Felton was far more effective.  Maybe he felt like he had to do too much with Smith out, but it Felton certainly seemed up to the challenge.

I did think when the Knicks forced OT, the momentum would have shifted in their favor but somehow the C's were able to prevail.  While they were able to avoid the sweep, I don't hold out much hope for winning game 5.  The lack of ball handlers has been too apparent, especially late in games when the Knicks really up their pressure.

[tim_m]

No Smith is what i think hurt us the most. He's been so consistent for us and he helps create so much off the pick and roll to get guys open. He's also great at getting to the basket for layups or throwing it back out to the perimeter for a 3 cause defenders have to collapse to defend him. Melo is definitely our star but so much of our offense revolves around Smith. Not to mention he and Chandler are perfect together with the ally oop.

[tim_m]

Jason Collins from the Wizards has become the first pro athlete to come out and say he's gay. Good for him! I can't wait for the day when this is a non issue and we're all accepted for who we are no matter what.

[Bodhi]

I still think the Knicks actually have a shot against Miami. If they can play 4 complete games like the game they played last night against the Celts. If they can play D like that for 48 minutes in 4 games i think they have a chance. They were 3-1 against the Heat during the season. That wasn't an accident.

Wade and Lebron sat one of those games, so you can scratch that one.  Also the other games happened in November.  When the Heat came to the garden the last time with their streak on the line they embarrassed the Knicks in the fourth quarter of that game.  The Knicks are a terrible one on one defensive team.  Who is going to stop James or Wade?  Nobody.  I would be surprised if the Knicks took it past 5 against the Heat.  I dont think theyll get swept but I them losing all the games in Miami and splitting the 2 Garden games.

That is also not a knock on the Knicks, they are a good team.  The Heat are a great team

[GeorgeSteele]

I don't see the Knicks or any other team winning more than 2 games in any series against Miami.  I would, though, be most interested to see Miami-Memphis in the Finals, specifically to see how Miami would handle defending Z-Bo/Gasol inside.

[tim_m]

I still think the Knicks actually have a shot against Miami. If they can play 4 complete games like the game they played last night against the Celts. If they can play D like that for 48 minutes in 4 games i think they have a chance. They were 3-1 against the Heat during the season. That wasn't an accident.

Wade and Lebron sat one of those games, so you can scratch that one.  Also the other games happened in November.  When the Heat came to the garden the last time with their streak on the line they embarrassed the Knicks in the fourth quarter of that game.  The Knicks are a terrible one on one defensive team.  Who is going to stop James or Wade?  Nobody.  I would be surprised if the Knicks took it past 5 against the Heat.  I dont think theyll get swept but I them losing all the games in Miami and splitting the 2 Garden games.

That is also not a knock on the Knicks, they are a good team.  The Heat are a great team

You also forget though that one of those games the Knicks blew them out in Melo was out and it was before Shumpert returned. It may not be likely we'll beat them but its certainly possible.

[tim_m]

I don't see the Knicks or any other team winning more than 2 games in any series against Miami.  I would, though, be most interested to see Miami-Memphis in the Finals, specifically to see how Miami would handle defending Z-Bo/Gasol inside.

We'll see, the West could be wide open now with Westbrook done for the Thunder for the season.

[tim_m]

For the record i'd like to say how much i hate all these days off between games! 3 days between nearly ever game. What is this garbage? I hope it isn't the same for the next 3 rounds. We'll be playing in July still!

[faldor]

For the record i'd like to say how much i hate all these days off between games! 3 days between nearly ever game. What is this garbage? I hope it isn't the same for the next 3 rounds. We'll be playing in July still!

The NBA playoff schedule is horrendous.  They want to spread everything out so they have games every night, but it is ridiculous.

[tim_m]

For the record i'd like to say how much i hate all these days off between games! 3 days between nearly ever game. What is this garbage? I hope it isn't the same for the next 3 rounds. We'll be playing in July still!

The NBA playoff schedule is horrendous.  They want to spread everything out so they have games every night, but it is ridiculous.

That's pretty ridiculous especially with the first round. A day off maybe 2 for a travel day is all you need. With as many opening round series there are a game daily wouldn't be hard with a day off max unless there's travel. I'm anxious for game 5. I guess i can look at it on the bright side. The Knicks can advance on my birthday.

[tim_m]

My god that Knicks/Celtics game tonight sucked something awful. Both teams should be ashamed at how they played. I would really hate to be in either locker room after that one. Both coaches were probably spitting nails at every player. It was like i was watching a competition on who can miss the most shots.

[AxlsMainMan]

The Answer to the Lakers' problems?

[tim_m]

Took a bit longer then expected but the Knicks as they were supposed to have disposed of the Celtics. Onto the Pacers Sunday.

[Eazy E]

It's about time!  .. and that goes for all of these series that were 3-0, 3-1!  Miami will have been sitting around doing nothing for over a WEEK before they face either Chicago/Brooklyn on Monday or Tuesday.

[tim_m]

It's about time!  .. and that goes for all of these series that were 3-0, 3-1!  Miami will have been sitting around doing nothing for over a WEEK before they face either Chicago/Brooklyn on Monday or Tuesday.

Maybe they'll be rusty and get their asses handed to them. I can only hope.

[tim_m]

Same old selfish Melo has returned and its shown for 4 games in a row now. We barely escape the Celts now get our ass kicked by the Pacers. If he can't get back to sharing the ball and fast we're dead. Smith also needs to get his shit together. Since being suspended and opening his fucking fat mouth he's been garbage. 4 baskets a game isn't going to get us past the Pacers. He should've just kept his fucking mouth shut and played.  Unless you are say Mark Messier and can back up your big mouth you keep it shut.

[tim_m]

Dear Charles Barkely, please just shut up. Your opinions are stupid and usually completely way off base. Indiana is not a better team then the Knicks. Remember you're the same idiot who said the Knicks wouldn't finish second and couldn't beat the Heat without Melo. So do the world a favor and shut your trap and Shaq shame on you for agreeing with this moron.

[LongGoneDay]

Charles Barkley is the man! Guy is fucking hilarious if you ask me.
I don't always agree with him, but think he's entertaining. Shaq has been a disappointment, though.

As for the Knicks? They have had a hell of a turnaround and deserve a ton of credit for it.
They turned themselves from a joke to a threat in a pretty short amount of time. Not easy to build a team and keep it happy and driven when it's built around the incredibly gifted, but biggest ball hog in NBA, Carmelo Anthony.

That said, I don't see them getting by the Celtics if Rondo is on the floor, and even though I'll be rooting for them if both teams get that far, I don't see them getting past Miami.
The whole black clothes before game 5 thing showed me a lot about them. I know it's not so much basketball related, but to think that a team that had been so inept for sooo long could have something like that rolling around in their small minds really shows their mindset. We've known for a long time that not much is going on upstairs with guys like Kenyon Martin and JR Smith( I still appreciate what they bring to the table otherwise), but to think a whole team could think that's a good idea, and then still lose to a team decimated by injuries? Hard to imagine a team like that contending for a championship.

Nothing would shock me this year though. The road gets easier by the day for the Heat.
C's with Rondo, Bulls with Rose, Thunder with Westbrook were all teams that could have kept them from repeating.
Knicks have a chance in hell, but they will need Melo's shots to fall consistently, because you know he's gonna be jacking em up regardless if they are or not!

Spurs are my team now, but they are always on thin ice with old injury prone bastards Duncan, Parker and Ginoblli.
Would love to see them get another ring, and keep James at bay for a year.

[tim_m]

I'll give your hilarious but he's shockingly wrong way too often to be any kind of credible analyst.

If the Knicks can consistently play like they did last night they definitely have a chance in hell. Good ball movement great defense. If the play like they did the previous few games they have no chance. Smith has got to get his shit together though. It looks like Stoudemire will return Saturday. I'm not sure if that's good or bad though.

[faldor]

I'll give your hilarious but he's shockingly wrong way too often to be any kind of credible analyst.

If the Knicks can consistently play like they did last night they definitely have a chance in hell. Good ball movement great defense. If the play like they did the previous few games they have no chance. Smith has got to get his shit together though. It looks like Stoudemire will return Saturday. I'm not sure if that's good or bad though.

The Knicks are a weird team.  At times they look really good.  They play suffocating defense, they can shoot the lights out, Carmelo, Smith, and Felton can all take over at a moments notice.  But at other times they look like a middling team at best.  They let a hobbled and advanced in age Celtics team hang around for 6 games, when Boston played horrendous for the most part of that series.  Now maybe that's a testament to their playoff experience and the Knicks lack of experience.  Maybe winning that series gave them a needed boost in confidence.  But then they go and lose game 1 at home to the Pacers.  I think Indiana is a slightly more solid team than the Knicks, and have a better chance at giving the Heat a more competitive series.  If the Bulls weren't so banged up, I'd put them in the conversation, and they still might be.  Unfortunately, the Heat are just so much better than any other team in the East, or the NBA right now that I don't think it matters.  Every other team is playing for 2nd place, and it looks like it's going to be that way for the foreseeable future.