Our Problem at the End of Games

TrueWarrior · Post #1 » by **TrueWarrior** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 8:39 am

Is the fact that we dont have a true go to guy. We have faced two teams the past 2 nights with star players who just took over in the end. Nate and Al are trying to be that but its just not enough. They arent consistent enough to be our go to guys.

The thing I like about this team is the fact that we dont have that 1 guy to go to, and its just a total team effort. But when you get down to the last 5 minutes of a game, thats when the stars come out to play. This is why we are having trouble closing out games.

The NBA is a stars league, and we really dont have any. Great role players? Yes. But no stars. Al couldnt keep up that insane play because hes inconsistent. Hes always had talent to do it all but just doesnt have the consistency of a true star.

While I love Nate, our best option down the stretch cant be a 5'7 SG. He was balling out of his mind tonight, but hes still just a great 6th man.

Honestly its amazing the job Dantoni has done with this group of players. I was saying to my boy tonight watching the game "I cant believe a lineup of Duhon-Q-Chandler-Al-Lee is beating the crap out of this star studded Laker team. Its just too good to be true." Of course it was. Kobe came out determined and that was it. Chandler guarded him as good as anyone but Kobe still made buckets.

So until we get that star, its always going to be a struggle to win these nail biters. That and the fact that our guys are tired as f*ck by the end of the game because 1) the pace and 2) we only run 7-8 guys on any given night.

TKF · Post #2 » by **TKF** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 1:19 pm

yea i it is sad. we can almost play without a star all game. All we need is for a star to come in the last 3 minutes of a game to get these gift calls.... :lol:

seriously. I agree, another bonafide scorer/player would help out Al and nate tremendously.

Pharmcat · Post #3 » by **Pharmcat** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 3:35 pm

i agree, but i just think our biggest problem is our guys get gassed at the end of games with this short 7 man rotation

next2spike · Post #4 » by **next2spike** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:24 pm

in the second half, why do we slow up the tempo? why aren't we continually running and gunning, keeping the pressure on. and when it's the forth quarter, why aren't we setting up those quick half-court sets for a three - doing what we are and what we are good at. anyone else agree? the knock on d'antoni in phx. was their half-court sets, or am I wrong?

richardhutnik · Post #5 » by **richardhutnik** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:25 pm

Pharmcat wrote:i agree, but i just think our biggest problem is our guys get gassed at the end of games with this short 7 man rotation

Yes, being tired does play a factor. I believe also being undermanned means that you don't play defense as aggressively as you could, because you don't want to foul out of the game, and hurt the team.

- Rich

TrueWarrior · Post #6 » by **TrueWarrior** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:29 pm

next2spike wrote:in the second half, why do we slow up the tempo? why aren't we continually running and gunning, keeping the pressure on. and when it's the forth quarter, why aren't we setting up those quick half-court sets for a three - doing what we are and what we are good at. anyone else agree? the knock on d'antoni in phx. was their half-court sets, or am I wrong?

Because like I said our guys are just tired I think. Not only is the pace exhausting in itself, we also only run with 7-8 players a night. We really just need a backup big man. Jeffries isnt a big man, hes just a SF who cant shoot. I like Nate and TT off the bench for some offense, but since TT and Jeffries arent true big men, we could really use one off the bench, preferably one who can block some shots and play some D. Sean Williams or something?

knicksNOTslick · Post #7 » by **knicksNOTslick** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:33 pm

If that's the case then we should just keep our core and sign one superstar, Lebron. We can win a championship with this team if you just add Lebron on it. We're hanging in with other teams while we're shorthanded and no go-to guy. We don't have to get two superstars and lose our current core.

Tony Montana · Post #8 » by **Tony Montana** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:40 pm

If the Knicks could replace Q with somebody like Michael Redd or Ray Allen the knicks would be a top 5 team in the east. Theyre lacking that guy thats automatic when left open. Maybe Gallinari can be that guy.

TrueWarrior · Post #9 » by **TrueWarrior** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:41 pm

knicksNOTslick wrote:If that's the case then we should just keep our core and sign one superstar, Lebron. We can win a championship with this team if you just add Lebron on it. We're hanging in with other teams while we're shorthanded and no go-to guy. We don't have to get two superstars and lose our current core.

Honestly I dont want to go off topic in my own thread but what is the deal with this? Is there any way we can keep both Lee and Nate AND sign Lebron and Bosh? Any possible way? If we sign Lee and Nate for like a combined 15 mil a year? We prob wouldnt be able to sign Duhon and Al again though.

We really just need to get rid of Curry and/or Jeffries for a shorter contract but I doubt that happens without moving Lee too.

knicksNOTslick · Post #10 » by **knicksNOTslick** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:41 pm

Tony Montana wrote:If the Knicks could replace Q with somebody like Michael Redd or Ray Allen the knicks would be a top 5 team in the east. Theyre lacking that guy thats automatic when left open.

Yep, a sharpshooter would do us a lot of good. Anthony Roberson was supposed to be that guy.

knicksNOTslick · Post #11 » by **knicksNOTslick** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:43 pm

TrueWarrior wrote:
knicksNOTslick wrote:If that's the case then we should just keep our core and sign one superstar, Lebron. We can win a championship with this team if you just add Lebron on it. We're hanging in with other teams while we're shorthanded and no go-to guy. We don't have to get two superstars and lose our current core.

Honestly I dont want to go off topic in my own thread but what is the deal with this? Is there any way we can keep both Lee and Nate AND sign Lebron and Bosh? Any possible way? If we sign Lee and Nate for like a combined 15 mil a year? We prob wouldnt be able to sign Duhon and Al again though.

We really just need to get rid of Curry and/or Jeffries for a shorter contract but I doubt that happens without moving Lee too.

That's the problem though. I want us to sign all four of them with reasonable contracts. We don't need to surround Lebron with another superstar. Just sign another free agent that's an up and coming star or something. But two superstars mean that we'll have to choose 2 out of the 4 in Lee, Nate, Duhon and AL. I doubt they'll take less money. You know they wanna get paid what they're worth.

Pharmcat · Post #12 » by **Pharmcat** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:57 pm

i think S williams is a good option to look at

fimo · Post #13 » by **fimo** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 7:10 pm

the first post pretty much hit the nail on the head.

We dont need 2 super stars but rather 1 mega star(lebron) and another frindge all star player. Take away Kobe from the Lakers and Vujabich and Walton would be playing in Russia. Lebron is the same way and by default will make everyone around him instantly better. Just picture the damage Al can do if we had someone on our team who would command a double team?

Ito · Post #14 » by **Ito** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 7:29 pm

I hate Harrington sometimes... at the end he be trynna do TOOOOO much

Post #15 » by **KnicksGod** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 7:49 pm

I don't like play calling where the idea is to give the ball to a guy and just let him do whatever. That SEEMED to be the play with Nate. And invariably, guys just go in and force. It seems nobody wants to shoot a shot (which is funny, because Nate was red hot) - they all want to get as far in as possible (even though the defense will collapse on them and they have less of a chance of getting a foul call than if they just pull up and perhaps get hit on the arm).

What about putting the ball in Duhon's hands, see if Lee can get open down low, and if that option is not there, kick it to Nate who pops out on the wing?

Far be it from me to criticize D'Antoni's play calling, but there's too much free lancing in general at the end of games, and the Knicks should look to get it in Duhon's hands at the start of a big possession.

That last play was a disappointment.

Ito · Post #16 » by **Ito** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 8:27 pm

Yeah, Duhon should be our "go-to-guy" just put the ball in his hands, and set up a pick and roll play.. if the right pass is made someone should be open.. if not Lee down low, somebody open for the 3

Hemispheres · Post #17 » by **Hemispheres** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 8:42 pm

Our problem isn't that we have no go to guy, it's that towards the end of games we go away from what put us in the position to win in the first place. We are a team that thrives on ball movement but for some reason towards the end of close games we focus on one-on-one isolations.

It was a huge problem when Crawford was here and it looks to be continuing now that he's gone. Though I am not upset with Nate at the end of the Laker game. He had Bynum guarding him on the perimeter so taking it to the whole was a smart decision and he usually makes those short floaters. It was just an unfortunate miss.