Celtics (0-0) at Knicks (0-0) 12/25

[Jon]

Should be interesting to see how the Knicks look with Chandler.  He's undoubtedly a great defender; however, does he have it in him to change the whole culture of the Knicks like KG did to the Celtics? 

I'm not so sure about that. 

And if he doesn't have that in him, the Knicks will never be more than a 2nd round playoff team. 

[Surferdad]

Pierce is not playing.  We're going to lose.  Just being realistic.   

[Yogi]

Pierce is not playing.  We're going to lose.  Just being realistic.   

I'll bet you a tp that we win.

[RyNye]

Yeah, it sucks that Pierce is out, but I am not worried about this overrated Knicks team.

[Who]

Going to need a big game outta Rondo and on the boards to win this one without Pierce.

[celticslove]

Yeah, it sucks that Pierce is out, but I am not worried about this overrated Knicks team.

+1 this ain't nba 2k12 so have faith. i believe we are better this year.

[Fafnir]

Going to need a big game outta Rondo and on the boards to win this one without Pierce.

Yeah Rondo and Ray need to outplay their counterparts by a big margin.

[Surferdad]

Pierce is not playing.  We're going to lose.  Just being realistic.   

I'll bet you a tp that we win.

You're on!  I love this kind of bet. If they lose, a get TP.  If they win, THEY WIN!

[csfansince60s]

Not sure why so much doom and gloom here about our chances to win with or without Pierce tomorrow, and why anybody would think that the Knicks will finish higher than us in the standings for the year.

Our 1, 2 and bench are vastly superior to theirs.

Knicks play no D (one center does not a Defense make).

And their one on one style of offense plays right into our team defense concept's hands.

Pierce's absence obviously hurts us tomorrow and...

Knicks have the best frontcourt in basketball. After that....nothing.

We need to protect the defensive glass to stop them from running.

We will own them in the halfcourt on the offensive end and will more than hold our own with them on the defensive end.

I don't think that we are a good  match-up for them.

AS constituted, this Knicks team doesn't worry me at all. However...

If KMart and Chandler sign with them when they come back from China...look out Bulls and Heat and the whole east. That's a scary thought.

[nickagneta]

Just reading over the Knicks bench. That might be the worse assembly of talent to make up an NBA bench that I have ever seen.

[j804]

Going to need a big game outta Rondo and on the boards to win this one without Pierce.

Yeah Rondo and Ray need to outplay their counterparts by a big margin.

Yup because the Knicks will score and Melo definitely remembers being swept last year imagine without Pierce on him he will attack whoevers on him. I hope Marquis can at least slow him down because Sasha will probably end up in foul trouble. 

[dark_lord]

looking forward to the kg/amare matchup. always entertaining

[fairweatherfan]

Are we likely to have Pietrus in uniform by game time?  Or is it going to take too long to wrap up the signing?

[Who]

Knicks Defense

Starting lineup

C  - Tyson Chandler - elite defender
PF - Amare Stoudemire - average defender (as a starting four)
SF - Carmelo Anthony - solid defender, capable of very good defense
SG - Landry Fields - very good defender
PG - Toney Douglas - good to very good defender (yeah, he sucked in the playoffs last year but he has played good defense outside of that series)

Bench

PG - Mike Bibby - abysmal defender
SG - Iman Shumpert - rookie with good defensive tools and athleticism, likely average to above average defender
SF - Renaldo Balkman - good to very good defender
PF - Jared Jeffries - average defender (alongside Amare, one shifts to center where either one is really poor defensively)
C  - Josh Harrellson - rookie with limited athleticism, likely very poor defender

* Baron Davis - solid defender. Replaces M.Bibby.

Overall

I see two major liabilities. Mike Bibby and the lack of a defensive anchor when Tyson is resting. Across the rest of the team, I see average or better defensive players.

Looks to me that the Knicks have the personnel to build a pretty darn good defensive team.

Although, Mike D'Antoni is a pretty big unknown variable here. Very much looking forward to seeing how D'Antoni handles this roster. A Jeff Van Gundy type would be a brilliant replacement should D'Antoni fail.

[action781]

Knicks Defense

Starting lineup

C  - Tyson Chandler - elite defender
PF - Amare Stoudemire - average defender (as a starting four)
SF - Carmelo Anthony - solid defender, capable of very good defense
SG - Landry Fields - very good defender
PG - Toney Douglas - good to very good defender (yeah, he sucked in the playoffs last year but he has played good defense outside of that series)

Bench

PG - Mike Bibby - abysmal defender
SG - Iman Shumpert - rookie with good defensive tools and athleticism, likely average to above average defender
SF - Renaldo Balkman - good to very good defender
PF - Jared Jeffries - average defender (alongside Amare, one shifts to center where either one is really poor defensively)
C  - Josh Harrellson - rookie with limited athleticism, likely very poor defender

* Baron Davis - solid defender. Replaces M.Bibby.

Overall

I see two major liabilities. Mike Bibby and the lack of a defensive anchor when Tyson is resting. Across the rest of the team, I see average or better defensive players.

Looks to me that the Knicks have the personnel to build a pretty darn good defensive team.

Although, Mike D'Antoni is a pretty big unknown variable here. Very much looking forward to seeing how D'Antoni handles this roster. A Jeff Van Gundy type would be a brilliant replacement should D'Antoni fail.

I agree with a lot of that except I actually think Jeffries is a very solid defender.

Also, the term "average" for a defender is used awfully loosely on this blog.  If Amare is an average starting PF defender, that means that there are 15 or so starting PFs who should be worse than him.  I feel like I can name more PFs in this league I believe to be certainly better defenders than Amare than I can say are certainly worse defenders.