Post#1491 » by stuporman » Mon Dec 13, 2010 6:33 am
The summer of 1996 the Knicks were at a crossroads. Having some cap space to spend they opted to instead of do what it takes to get the guy who takes over games and likely would have put the Knicks over the top and possibly secure a title or two in the waning years of the Ewing era even though that player really wanted to be here. Instead thought they'd get cutesy and pay less for a less established player and hope that the added 'scoring' would be the difference.
It wasn't.
To be a playoff success a team needs players who take over games against the best of opponents. The Knicks have one. They need at least two. Will they do what it takes to get that player? Or will they get cutesy and hope that a less established player will be the difference? I love the young guys the Knicks have. Gallo, Chandler, Fields all of them. Great players and great teammates.
Unfortunately I also have seen them disappear at times and other times get overwhelmed by greater players. They have stretches of bad games where they struggle for 3-4 games, sometimes more. In a best of 7 series, that could be the end of your season. A true superstar might struggle one game, but the next bounce back. Take over games against the best of opponents most nights, not occasionally.
Tonight the Knicks got the best of the Nuggets despite the basket for basket showdown in the 4th quarter between Amar'e and Melo. The difference was Amar'e had the better supporting cast this night. Come game 4, 5, 6 and 7 of a playoff series the Knicks will be playing the best teams in the conference, in the league. I want that second player who can take over games. Amar'e might be in foul trouble, he might be hobbled, he might have a poor shooting night, he might be battling the best big man in the league and not able to to carry a team every night like he has this recent streak. Heck even is he does he still might need a side kick who shows up every game and pours in another 25ppg every game of the 7 game series to be the difference between winning and losing to the best teams in the league.
Having a side kick who can get that from every possible place on the court in isolation or in the flow of the offense while battling likely one of the best SFs in the league is what will be needed to win those games late in the game, late in the season and late in the series. Gallo is good, but he disappears sometimes and he gets in his 4 game funks. Chandler is good, but he also disappears sometimes and gets in his 4 game funks. I want that guy who even though hes playing the best in the league will show up game in, game out.
Look at game logs and see which players shows up game after game. Which player rarely has bad back to back games, let alone stretches of 3, 4 or more games where they just don't show up. Does this mean that our current young players can't become one of those players who show up game after game? They could very well become that. Although the Knicks have an established player who has a track record of taking over games deep into the playoffs who wants to be here. Let's hope they don't get cutesy again.
It's will be easier to find that last piece, that defensive center, that back up PG than it will be to find that player who takes over games well into the playoffs against the best the league has to offer. I hope our young players develop and grow but if that second take over player can be had for relatively pittance, you got to get him.
Now is the time to do what it takes, which to the Knicks advantage is looking like less and less as every day passes and might even wind up being practically nothing but paper. That's right, do what it takes... not get cutesy. The crossroads..... they are upon us.
If you'd rather see your team fail so you can be right
...you are a fan of your opinion not the team.
?Knowledge is just information stuffed into a mental bag
Wisdom is knowing what to pull out of the bag to do the job
.
