New York Knicks

[Celtics4ever]

What bench?

Their bench is not too scary to me.  They have some decent players but their guards are going to be their downfall.

I would not get to up or down about them.   People don't change that easily.   I don't them getting a tough mindset overnight.  They lack the lockeroom presence and the coach to do that.

[Who]

My friend is a Knicks fan and his argument as to why they will finish ahead of us is because of their bench. Thoughts on this?

Nah, the Knicks have one of the weakest benches in the league.

[huzy]

It may sound funny but I think their success is largely dependant on how much input Mike Woodson is allowed.

I think he did a fine job in Atlanta and should provide some philosophical balance to D'Antoni's approach.

If he can institute stronger defensive principles, there's an opportunity for improvement.

But, Melo, Davis, Bibby and Amare are chronically poor defenders. Chandler should help. Woodson has his hands full if he's given the opportunity to coach.

[BballTim]

My friend is a Knicks fan and his argument as to why they will finish ahead of us is because of their bench. Thoughts on this?

  I'd have to wonder why they're taking one of Melo or Amare out of the starting lineup, that's about the only way their bench looks good.

[Cman]

I hope the Knicks keep Relando Balkman in the lineup. He looks a very good backup SF.

Scrappy. Tough defense, great rebounding. Strong cutter. Very intelligent. Gives them a lot of lineup/matchup options in terms of going big or going small.

That guy is not good. I was surprise to see him score casually, but it was a pre-season game and the Knicks were playing the Nets. The Nets are not known for defense at all.

I'm a fan of Balkman. He's one of those guys I've always wanted to see on the Cs (in a bench role, mind you).

[Evantime34]

Yes I agree that he is crazy for thinking their bench is better but I didn't want to make the question seem leading by saying so.

[Who]

I hope the Knicks keep Relando Balkman in the lineup. He looks a very good backup SF.

Scrappy. Tough defense, great rebounding. Strong cutter. Very intelligent. Gives them a lot of lineup/matchup options in terms of going big or going small.

That guy is not good. I was surprise to see him score casually, but it was a pre-season game and the Knicks were playing the Nets. The Nets are not known for defense at all.

I'm a fan of Balkman. He's one of those guys I've always wanted to see on the Cs (in a bench role, mind you).

I think Balkman is an x-factor for the them. At least for their bench.

I was surprised to see D'Antoni play him. Didn't consider Balkman his sort of player. At least not as a SF. Maybe as an undersized PF.

It'd be great for the New York if D'Antoni trusted Balkman and used him as a three off the bench. Go with a power lineup and pound teams on the backboard. Play physical defense. Live with a more difficult offense, dodgy spacing.

[Who]

I really like Shumpert. He sounds terrific.

I think a real case can be made for him as the best two guard prospect to come out of last year's draft given his defensive talent + nose for the ball in combination with his ball-handling and slashing. If that jump-shot is real, that would be brilliant for the Knicks.

I think they should start Shumpert ahead of Fields at least until Baron Davis gets on the court. Give Toney Douglas another ball-handler out there. Give him some help.

[RyNye]

Baron Davis isn't even playing for the first 8-10 weeks of the season! MIKE BIBBY is their starting point guard. Landry Fields is good, but not game-changing. They must have the worst starting back-court of any legitimate playoff team, right? That's a huge hole right there. Boston, Miami, Chicago, even Atlanta are going to tear through that back-court.

Their strength is their front-court. And even then ... Melo is overrated. There is a reason the Denver Nuggets did better AFTER the Melo trade than before with him. Hell, you know Melo was only the 4th most productive member of that Nuggets team? Chauncey, Afflalo, and Nene all had more wins produced than he did. He is EXACTLY like Allen Iverson ... impresses everyone with his volume scoring even though the stats show he is NOT an especially elite player.

Amare is good, but on the decline, and has health issues.

Chandler was good last year in Dallas, and had one good year in New Orleans, and other than that has had 8 seasons of being a decent role player and nothing more. It is impossible to say, right now, how he will fit into the Knicks system.

And they lack a bench. Jared Jeffries isn't HORRIBLE ... and that's the most praise that second unit can possibly be given.

I really don't think these guys are as serious a contender as some people here think. All the stats indicate this will be a paper tiger, unless Chandler has another career season, D'Antoni pulls a complete 180 and coaches completely differently than he ever has in 21 years, Melo turns into an efficient and non-selfish player ... tall order.

[dtrader]

I live in NY so get Knicks TV(MSG). I get info on the Knicks and honestly their bench is weak right now. Their best player coming off the bench is a rookie named Iman Shumpert, SG with a little talent.

It will be interesting to see how they turn out this season. But I will not try to sensationalize the Knicks because they added Chandler. He might play defense, but others on that team can't. 

For someone from NY, Im not sure youre that familiar with your teams roster.  I get MSG as well, and wach a lot of knick games.  Shumpert isnt even one of the top 5 players on the current knicks bench.  The best 5 players of the bench are the players below.  Shumpert will probably be a good player...great athleticism, and a solid pullup jumper with NBA range, but he's far from he best their bench has.

Toney Douglass
Mike Bibby
Jared Jeffries
Bill Walker
Renaldo Blakman

[Chris]

Baron Davis isn't even playing for the first 8-10 weeks of the season! MIKE BIBBY is their starting point guard.

That was the claim before he cleared waivers.  Since he cleared, I have heard is more like 2 weeks.  It's amazing how going to the team that you want, and getting an extra million dollars can magically heal a back.

[barefacedmonk]

Baron Davis isn't even playing for the first 8-10 weeks of the season! MIKE BIBBY is their starting point guard.

That was the claim before he cleared waivers.  Since he cleared, I have heard is more like 2 weeks.  It's amazing how going to the team that you want, and getting an extra million dollars can magically heal a back.

Knicks have signed him using vet. min. They still have their 2.5 mil exception.

[BballTim]

Baron Davis isn't even playing for the first 8-10 weeks of the season! MIKE BIBBY is their starting point guard.

That was the claim before he cleared waivers.  Since he cleared, I have heard is more like 2 weeks.  It's amazing how going to the team that you want, and getting an extra million dollars can magically heal a back.

  Billups wishes he was smart enough to lie about the severity of an injury when he got amnestied. He could be starting pg on the Hear right now.

[RyNye]

That was the claim before he cleared waivers.  Since he cleared, I have heard is more like 2 weeks.  It's amazing how going to the team that you want, and getting an extra million dollars can magically heal a back.

Where have you heard this 2 weeks thing? All of the most recent articles I can find still give the 8-10 week figure.

[Marcus13]

A fat, old point guard with back problems who is going to miss the first 8-10 weeks in a shortened season...sounds like a winner