Get use to no center

[VirginiaKnickFan]

LAS VEGAS - Get used to the odd frontcourt alignments in the Mike D'Antoni Era.

Today vs. Cleveland, KnicksNew York Knicks summer-league coach Phil Weber will start rookie Danilo Gallinari, Renaldo BalkmanRenaldo Balkman and Wilson ChandlerWilson Chandler up front.

That sort of center-less alignment may not bode well for Eddy Curry this season, as D'Antoni likes to be creative with his frontcourt. In fact, D'Antoni said David Lee is the one player who gives them an opportunity this season to be creative, with the Knicks coach eyeing the 6-8 forward as a potential center.

Meanwhile, the Knicks will be without guard Nate Robinson for at least the first two games, as he's not due in until tomorrow.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/07142008/sp ... 119798.htm

[aq_ua]

I sorta kinda remember a guy named Shaquille O'Neal starting for the D'Antoni Phoenix Suns. I think he played center. I also seem to remember guys like Kurt Thomas, Brian Skinner, heck, even Pat Burke getting starts depending on match ups. I think this is more a function of our best 3 (and drafted) front court players happening to be non-centers. Why would you bench 3 first round picks in favor of guys like Paul Miller and that other dude? Doesn't make any sense. Couple that with Balkman's ability to defend bigger players, even at the five spot, and this lineup makes perfect sense to me while implying nothing about D'Antoni's preferences about Eddy Curry.

[King of Canada]

Wow, five forwards starting, with two guys starting twice! That's pretty impressive.

[Tommy Udo 6]

I sorta kinda remember a guy named Shaquille O'Neal starting for the D'Antoni Phoenix Suns. I think he played center. .

I remember Steve Kerr acquiring Shaq over the apparent objections of Mike D

Of course, once acquired, Shaq plays

[aq_ua]

I sorta kinda remember a guy named Shaquille O'Neal starting for the D'Antoni Phoenix Suns. I think he played center. .

I remember Steve Kerr acquiring Shaq over the apparent objections of Mike D

Of course, once acquired, Shaq plays

And unless you can tell me Steve Kerr had a gun to D'Antoni's puppies during every game, that just tells me D'Antoni works with the talent he has, and it's kinda silly to assume he won't play a center.

[Mike Dan Tony]

Considering that the Knicks haven't had a center worthy of the name since Patrick Ewing, I'm already used to having no center.

[moocow007]

So because the Knicks SL lineup so happens to have these guys, that means it doesn't bode well for Curry? Heck, then it shouldn't bode well for Crawford, Richardson, Jeffries, Randolph, who else isn't playing in SL again?

This is a Marc Berman special isn't it?

I figure since it doesn't mention not boding well for Marbury (Berman's guy) it probably is Berman.

[NoLayupRule]

how do these guys have their jobs?

I wasnt aware that we had any centers on the summer league roster unless they are of the undrafted/scrub kind that every team picks up to fill out the summer league rosters.

silly article.

[Deeeez Knicks]

Yeah, its a pretty bad assumption. D'Antoni is not even coaching the summer league team. Again, people put waaaay too much stock in summer league.

But I think we will see some almost centerless lineups with Lee or Jeffries or maybe Malik at C. I think that has more to do with us not having a backup C though.

Assuming Zach is gone, I think Curry might benefit the most from Mike D's offense though as long as he comes into camp in decent shape. He's going to get a lot of easy baskets. I could see his stats improving the most.

[New Jersey Knick]

so no nate,,,

mardy
?
Gallo
Chandler
Balkman

who gunna start 2 guard....can mardy play uptempo?

[J9Starks3]

so no nate,,,

mardy
?
Gallo
Chandler
Balkman

who gunna start 2 guard....can mardy play uptempo?

Wafer at the 2 will light up SL

[hobojoe2131]

or anthony roberson.

[roy10]

I really hate this, since it looks like Gallinari will play out of position. I want to see what Gallinari can do at forward. Playing him at center doesn't make any sense and won't tell use anything about him.

[truth serum]

Considering that the Knicks haven't had a center worthy of the name since Patrick Ewing, I'm already used to having no center.

[god shammgod]

wasn't it reported that balkman is injured ?

[asdfgh]

I told you guys after the draft that D'Antoni will play Galinari at the 5. He used to play Tim Thomas at the 5 in Phoenix. He loves playing those long (no pun intended) 3-point shooters inside.

[cgf]

Balkman at the 5, galo at the 4 and chandler at the 3?

[moocow007]

Yeah, its a pretty bad assumption. D'Antoni is not even coaching the summer league team. Again, people put waaaay too much stock in summer league.

I say then that it doesn't bode well for D'Antoni when the seasons starts. I'd expect to see Weber coach more and more and D'Antoni fazed out quickly.

[roy10]

I told you guys after the draft that D'Antoni will play Galinari at the 5. He used to play Tim Thomas at the 5 in Phoenix. He loves playing those long (no pun intended) 3-point shooters inside.

there is no way the guy is strong enough to guard centers. This is insane.

[NoLayupRule]

Gallanari isnt guarding centers, where do people get this stuff from?

If anything its Balkman playing center as he did in college and as he has in the past against 'centers' like Dirk

But Id expect us to field some scrub big to simply hold that position. But starting the danillo, balkman and chander combo just means D'Antoni jr or whoever likes them the best

and Balkman was reported as injured from a hit to the face during practice and was questionable for todays game.