The New York Knicks have been the ugly middle child of the Big Apple sports scene over the past few years.
The New York Yankees are moving into a new ballpark and have added the likes of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Teixeira.
The Giants are a year removed from a Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots.
The Rangers are second in the NHL’s Atlantic Division and fifth in the Eastern Conference, which leaves us with the Blueshirts’ Madison Square Garden roommate, the Knicks.
There hasn’t been much to cheer about if you’re a Knicks fan recently as the limelight has moved away from them.
The team is suffering from a four-season-long playoff drought and has missed the postseason six out of the last seven years.
The Knicks have averaged 28 wins and 54 losses over the past four seasons and have been, as Peter Stein of the Pro Basketball News described, “putrid.”
But lush foliage can blossom out of manure and the Knicks have a shot to make the playoffs if they get their act together.
As of Tuesday morning, the Knicks sported a 21–26 record—good enough for fourth in the division and tenth in the conference with the All-Star break looming. To put things in perspective, the Knicks won a total of 23 games last year.
New York’s NBA team is by no means amongst the Eastern Conference’s elite, or the Atlantic Division’s elite for that matter, but they are challenging for a playoff spot and that in itself is progress.
With Isiah Thomas behind the bench from 2006–2008 and with the Knicks sporting an anemic winning percentage of .341, it was clearly time to go in a different direction in the coaching department. Former Phoenix bench boss Mike D’Antoni fit the bill.
Not only was the Suns former coach the 2004–05 NBA coach of the year, he also led Phoenix to four straight seasons with at least 54 wins.
D’Antoni doesn’t have the horses like he did in Phoenix but seeing as the Knicks are close to equaling their win total from last year with about 30 games left, it looks like he hasn’t lost his touch.
It doesn’t hurt that locker room cancer Stephon Marbury isn’t around either.
“Starbury” publicly feuded with two out of the past three New York coaches, Larry Brown and the aforementioned Thomas, but hasn’t played a minute this season after losing the battle for point guard at training camp.
Rumors have circulated about possible Marbury trades but as of yet, none have come to fruition. Chris Duhon, who beat out Marbury at point guard, is averaging 12.7 points per game and 8.0 assists per game. He gets along just fine with the coach.
According to John Hollinger’s ESPN.com playoff odds, the Knicks have a 30.6 percent chance of making the playoffs.
New York needs to improve on the road and within the division records. Their road record stands at 7–16 and their divisional record stands at 2–5 at the start of the week.
And with the trade deadline set for Feb. 19, the team could add a shot blocking presence as it ranks dead last in the league in shot-blocking.
Following a 126–117 home loss to the L.A. Lakers on Monday, a game which saw Kobe Bryant net 61 points, D’Antoni gave us a status update on his team.
“We’re not there yet,” the coach said at the postgame press conference.
“We’re going to learn [from the loss] and we’re going to be better; we’ve got another two months to correct a lot of things that we didn’t do, we’ll get there.”
“We saw what it’s going to take to be one of the better teams.”
The New York Yankees are moving into a new ballpark and have added the likes of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Teixeira.
The Giants are a year removed from a Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots.
The Rangers are second in the NHL’s Atlantic Division and fifth in the Eastern Conference, which leaves us with the Blueshirts’ Madison Square Garden roommate, the Knicks.
There hasn’t been much to cheer about if you’re a Knicks fan recently as the limelight has moved away from them.
The team is suffering from a four-season-long playoff drought and has missed the postseason six out of the last seven years.
The Knicks have averaged 28 wins and 54 losses over the past four seasons and have been, as Peter Stein of the Pro Basketball News described, “putrid.”
But lush foliage can blossom out of manure and the Knicks have a shot to make the playoffs if they get their act together.
As of Tuesday morning, the Knicks sported a 21–26 record—good enough for fourth in the division and tenth in the conference with the All-Star break looming. To put things in perspective, the Knicks won a total of 23 games last year.
New York’s NBA team is by no means amongst the Eastern Conference’s elite, or the Atlantic Division’s elite for that matter, but they are challenging for a playoff spot and that in itself is progress.
With Isiah Thomas behind the bench from 2006–2008 and with the Knicks sporting an anemic winning percentage of .341, it was clearly time to go in a different direction in the coaching department. Former Phoenix bench boss Mike D’Antoni fit the bill.
Not only was the Suns former coach the 2004–05 NBA coach of the year, he also led Phoenix to four straight seasons with at least 54 wins.
D’Antoni doesn’t have the horses like he did in Phoenix but seeing as the Knicks are close to equaling their win total from last year with about 30 games left, it looks like he hasn’t lost his touch.
It doesn’t hurt that locker room cancer Stephon Marbury isn’t around either.
“Starbury” publicly feuded with two out of the past three New York coaches, Larry Brown and the aforementioned Thomas, but hasn’t played a minute this season after losing the battle for point guard at training camp.
Rumors have circulated about possible Marbury trades but as of yet, none have come to fruition. Chris Duhon, who beat out Marbury at point guard, is averaging 12.7 points per game and 8.0 assists per game. He gets along just fine with the coach.
According to John Hollinger’s ESPN.com playoff odds, the Knicks have a 30.6 percent chance of making the playoffs.
New York needs to improve on the road and within the division records. Their road record stands at 7–16 and their divisional record stands at 2–5 at the start of the week.
And with the trade deadline set for Feb. 19, the team could add a shot blocking presence as it ranks dead last in the league in shot-blocking.
Following a 126–117 home loss to the L.A. Lakers on Monday, a game which saw Kobe Bryant net 61 points, D’Antoni gave us a status update on his team.
“We’re not there yet,” the coach said at the postgame press conference.
“We’re going to learn [from the loss] and we’re going to be better; we’ve got another two months to correct a lot of things that we didn’t do, we’ll get there.”
“We saw what it’s going to take to be one of the better teams.”
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