Will the Knicks ever mesh?

[mahonedog88]

I think a very under the radar story in the nba right now is definately the Knicks.

The numbers don't lie...since trading for Melo, this new Knicks team is rough to watch.  Still no defense, and their offense going from last year to the first few games this year is very stagnant.  If guys start missing shots, no plays are drew up.  All they do is give the ball to Melo and let him go one on one.  Then they give the ball to Amare and let him go one and one, then back to Melo, so on and so forth.

Is there a chance Melo and Amare just won't ever be able to live up to expectations and mesh together?

[CelticSooner]

The Knicks are a point guard and coach away from being a contender.

[barefacedmonk]

Watching the game right now and Amar'e has only one rebound so far  

[RJ87]

The Knicks are a point guard and coach away from being a contender.

I fixed that for you.

It's not that I think they don't need a PG, I just think the platoon they have right now - Bibby, Douglas, and later Baron - is serviceable.

The issue is coaching. D'Antoni is not the guy for this squad, he honestly looks dazed. Heck, even Spoelstra would have this team looking better.

[RyNye]

Melo has never shown that he has the ability to play as a team-mate and not a volume scorer. Until he shows the ability to play otherwise, the Knicks have an uproad battle to meshing.

[cman88]

Melo doesnt play defense, and dantoni doesnt coach defense.

if we get our stuff together starting tomorrow, I still think we end up #3 in the east. Knicks very well could be 0-3 right now if not for that blown call

[Adelaide Celt]

By the time Baron Davis is back playing he will have had about 8-9 months out of the game.

Integrating him, either coming off the bench or starting, will be quite difficult for the Knicks you would have to think.

[cman88]

Melo while a great scorer is a ball-hog...I mean stoudemire was a BEAST when it was just him on the team last year, but you barely see him take any shots anymore...

this is where losing Chauncey was a blow IMO...im still under the impression that while a good player, chandler is a tad overrated. one good season in dallas out of how many in the nba?..when chauncey was on the team he handeled the ball most of the time..now, they are trying to create offense through Melo..its just the only person melo wants to create offense for is himself

[Sketch5]

They really don't have a leader on the team. Every great team has one, or two, or three. Chandler is not as good as his contract. He's lick Perk, great in the right system, okay out side of that.

This is why the C's won it in 08. PP the captain. KG the emotional defensive leader. And Allen the professional. Then you had Doc with the no BS coaching style to get the best out of guys.

And now you have Rondo the floor leader. Thats why they have had success the last few years. It isn't about the talent, its the heart and mind behind the talent.

[CFAN38]

The knicks have build a very contradictory foundation for their team.

Amare: the best running PF in the nba
Melo: the best half court scorer in the nba
Chandler: Defensive big who needs a PG to create his offense

In order for this team to win they are going to have to
 A. Find a defencive minded coach
B. Get a floor general point guard (Barron might work in short term)
C. Get amare to rebound

[greenpride32]

The numbers don't lie...since trading for Melo, this new Knicks team is rough to watch. 

I think you have to look at what they gave up for Melo.  The NYK were a much deeper team pre-trade than they are right now even though they added another "superstar" player in Melo.  They're just relying on a bunch of young unproven players to fill minutes because they have no other choice (good example Bill Walker).

[jdz101]

Carmelo Anthony just isn't that great after you factor in defense. He may drop 30 some nights but in the east against lebrons, dengs, and pierces melo always ends up giving away 30+ on the other end anyway.

Even Reggie and the TNT crew today were criticizing melo for "fake hustle" and cheating defensively.

[LooseCannon]

The Knicks are a point guard and coach away from being a contender.

I'd sort of like to see what would happen if the Knicks could trade D'Antoni to Miami for Spoelstra.

[JoT]

Melo while a great scorer is a ball-hog...I mean stoudemire was a BEAST when it was just him on the team last year, but you barely see him take any shots anymore...

this is where losing Chauncey was a blow IMO...im still under the impression that while a good player, chandler is a tad overrated. one good season in dallas out of how many in the nba?..when chauncey was on the team he handeled the ball most of the time..now, they are trying to create offense through Melo..its just the only person melo wants to create offense for is himself

The bold is where I completely agree along with everyone else's opinion on the Knicks. I don't think the organization truly understood what Chauncey meant for that team heck I don't think many still understand how important Chauncey can be for a team especially a young, inexperienced team or a team that doesn't have a defined leader.
They miss him for many reasons, but one is his leadership role and experience of going to the Funals and winning unlike many of them. Chandler is not as good as they thought and is not worth his contract at all.

[JoT]

They also need a new coach because Pringles is not gonna get them there.