Knicks coming apart

[Cheesebeef]

You didn't get it either? What a shock!

does AzSteven have a vendetta against you also? All the dude seemingly ever does is talk basketball.

 

[Chaplin]

does AzSteven have a vendetta against you also? All the dude seemingly ever does is talk basketball.

See? Fascinating.

 

[elindholm]

Further, his atrocious defense was covered up by the best defensive player in the league. Clearly, Orlando was a unique situation, and on your average team, his shortcomings are amplified.

"Clearly" might be an overstatement, but your contention certainly seems likely. Which reinforces my belief that Turkoglu's problem isn't that he's aging or partying, but that he isn't in Orlando.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

"Clearly" might be an overstatement, but your contention certainly seems likely. Which reinforces my belief that Turkoglu's problem isn't that he's aging or partying, but that he isn't in Orlando.

Notes from last night's game...the frustration with Hedo is boiling over:

Goran Quote - "We cannot create shots for ourselves. Hedo has to shoot the ball more often when he's open."

Gentry sounded like a man who is going to make some harsh decisions in the rotation. In a way, he already has. The players with the long-term deals the Suns added in early July played the least Tuesday night in Portland. Warrick got 11 minutes. Dragic had nine. Childress played six.

"I don't know if we can play as many guys as we're playing," Gentry said. "We have too many perimeter guys we are trying to work into the lineup. It doesn't work."

The biggest quandary has been fitting in Turkoglu. For 18 minutes of work, his six points and five assists Friday would seem fine but one 3-pointer came after the game was decided and his impact is rarely felt otherwise for a $9.8 million bench player whose contract would be difficult to move.

"Sometimes we don’t get a good start coming off the bench," Turkoglu said. "They expect us to be aggressive and give a spark. Sometimes you feel good, sometimes you don’t. You can’t find your rhythm in those situations.

"He (Gentry) wants me to spread the ball and be a spot-up guy. Sometimes when they take that away, I'm not involved in anything and I can’t be aggressive."

This roster makeup is somewhere beyond a joke. I can see why Kerr decided to dump the loser FO. If there is any way to trade Turk I would, if not I would just release him. He is a cancer to both the first and second unit. I'd MUCH rather see Earl Clark out there. At least he shows a semblance of effort. That anyone would defend Hedo's performance thus far blows my mind.

 

[Errntknght]

Gentry isn't handling the situation right, IMO. He said he didn't think the make up of this team was suited to having a firmly established second unit like last year. Hopefully, he will notice that the bench's contribution is deteriorating under his current plan and return to what worked well before. There's no way he's going to keep everyone happy anyway, so pick a second unit and go with it. Give them a chance to develop some chemistry - and maybe even some team defense.

I was sure that losing Amundson would screw up the second unit for a while but I didn't think Gentry would scuttle the whole scheme.

The best platoons are probably: Nash, JR, Hill, Warrick, Frye and
Dragic, Dudley, Childress, Clark, Barron. Of course, Hedo is a better player than Clark but I'm assuming that he is poison if you're looking for chemistry and besides, he's never going to be able to defend at PF. For the second group, defense is the key but I don't think you can play Siler and Barron together as they're both so weak offensively. I actually like the idea of giving Clark a steady slot in the rotation... its time to find out if he's ever going to be a player in this league and we aren't going anyplace good this year so there's little to lose.

I understand Gentry pulling Warrick off the starting unit for better defense, but getting the second unit on track is far more important than anything else - and paired with Nash, Warrick compensates a fair amount on the offensive end.

Funny isn't it, you take Hedo out of the mix and suddenly there's not a glut of players.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Notes from last night's game...the frustration with Hedo is boiling over:

Goran Quote - "We cannot create shots for ourselves. Hedo has to shoot the ball more often when he's open."

Gentry sounded like a man who is going to make some harsh decisions in the rotation. In a way, he already has. The players with the long-term deals the Suns added in early July played the least Tuesday night in Portland. Warrick got 11 minutes. Dragic had nine. Childress played six.

"I don't know if we can play as many guys as we're playing," Gentry said. "We have too many perimeter guys we are trying to work into the lineup. It doesn't work."

The biggest quandary has been fitting in Turkoglu. For 18 minutes of work, his six points and five assists Friday would seem fine but one 3-pointer came after the game was decided and his impact is rarely felt otherwise for a $9.8 million bench player whose contract would be difficult to move.

"Sometimes we don’t get a good start coming off the bench," Turkoglu said. "They expect us to be aggressive and give a spark. Sometimes you feel good, sometimes you don’t. You can’t find your rhythm in those situations.

"He (Gentry) wants me to spread the ball and be a spot-up guy. Sometimes when they take that away, I'm not involved in anything and I can’t be aggressive."

This roster makeup is somewhere beyond a joke. I can see why Kerr decided to dump the loser FO. If there is any way to trade Turk I would, if not I would just release him. He is a cancer to both the first and second unit. I'd MUCH rather see Earl Clark out there. At least he shows a semblance of effort. That anyone would defend Hedo's performance thus far blows my mind.

This is why I said more than two months ago that the Suns were headed for chemistry problems. They have too many marginal players who think they deserve starters minutes. Childress, as much as I like him, will not find minutes here and Hedo is totally unnecessary. If Gentry has the guts to sit them, then good.

I hope Lopez is watching Barrett. Lopez can easily do everything that Earl does AND he is a better offensive player with better hands.

 

[jagu]

I give Gentry props for actually managing this roster and winning games. He does a great job and keeps adjusting to what is necessary rather than being stubborn.

 

[elindholm]

I give Gentry props for actually managing this roster and winning games. He does a great job and keeps adjusting to what is necessary rather than being stubborn.

I agree. Remember, he was the Clippers' head coach for a while, so he has probably learned a thing or three about navigating chemistry problems.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Gentry isn't handling the situation right, IMO. He said he didn't think the make up of this team was suited to having a firmly established second unit like last year. Hopefully, he will notice that the bench's contribution is deteriorating under his current plan and return to what worked well before. There's no way he's going to keep everyone happy anyway, so pick a second unit and go with it. Give them a chance to develop some chemistry - and maybe even some team defense.

I was sure that losing Amundson would screw up the second unit for a while but I didn't think Gentry would scuttle the whole scheme.

The best platoons are probably: Nash, JR, Hill, Warrick, Frye and
Dragic, Dudley, Childress, Clark, Barron. Of course, Hedo is a better player than Clark but I'm assuming that he is poison if you're looking for chemistry and besides, he's never going to be able to defend at PF. For the second group, defense is the key but I don't think you can play Siler and Barron together as they're both so weak offensively. I actually like the idea of giving Clark a steady slot in the rotation... its time to find out if he's ever going to be a player in this league and we aren't going anyplace good this year so there's little to lose.

I understand Gentry pulling Warrick off the starting unit for better defense, but getting the second unit on track is far more important than anything else - and paired with Nash, Warrick compensates a fair amount on the offensive end.

Funny isn't it, you take Hedo out of the mix and suddenly there's not a glut of players.

I totally agree with your rotation, although I'm torn whether moving Warrick to the bench when Lopez gets back is a good idea. Clearly, both Warrick and Frye are much better players with Nash. Hedo is just a disaster, and ruins the rotation.

 

[jagu]

I think Barron has showed enough to start on the Suns. Warrick was re-benched because he didn't play D and he has thrived off the bench as well.

 

[Errntknght]

I think Barron has showed enough to start on the Suns. Warrick was re-benched because he didn't play D and he has thrived off the bench as well.

Well, I wouldn't say Warrick's exactly thrived and the bench is certainly the worse for having him. I'm not unhappy with what Barron's doing on the first unit, but Warrick hurts the first unit less than he does the second while Barron might help get the second unit back on track. (In case you've not noticed, I don't care a whole lot what happens with the first unit - the second unit is our future, if we have one. I particularly care that the second unit thrive on defense.)

 

[cly2tw]

Knicks are coming apart tonight, giving up 110 pts to Raps and 41 pts to Barnani.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Knicks are coming apart tonight, giving up 110 pts to Raps and 41 pts to Barnani.

Ha. Not mentioned, the Knicks win again, and Amare gets MVP chants. Barf.

 

[jagu]

Oh man, 41 points to Bargnani lol. The Knicks faced the Raptors twice this week (sandwiched in between were the mighty Timberwolves) and now face the Wizards. Damn I wish we were an Eastern conference basketball team....

 

[AfroSuns]

Oh man, 41 points to Bargnani lol. The Knicks faced the Raptors twice this week (sandwiched in between were the mighty Timberwolves) and now face the Wizards. Damn I wish we were an Eastern conference basketball team....

Maybe you should wait till we beat the Raptors in the regular season before deriding them, considering the embarrassing beat-down they handed the Suns in the pre-season; Twice!!
Knicks are at least beating teams they should beat. We lose to a struggling Portland and Grizzlies team simply means the Suns are not taking care of business.

 

[Trifecta]

Maybe you should wait till we beat the Raptors in the regular season before deriding them, considering the embarrassing beat-down they handed the Suns in the pre-season; Twice!!

Preseason is preseason. We were losing games left and right in the preseason but that doesn't mean much now as we're currently playing .500 ball in real NBA games. I'm not saying I'm entirely happy with how we are playing at the moment, but it's a lot better than we were at preseason.

Knicks are at least beating teams they should beat. We lose to a struggling Portland and Grizzlies team simply means the Suns are not taking care of business.

Based on the pattycake schedule the Knicks have had so far, if they were beating all the teams they should beat they'd be top of the Eastern conference right now.

 

[Black Jesus]

If season ended today, I think you would have a solid argument for Amare top 3 MVP.

Knicks in line to make playoffs
25 pts a game as the guy

 

[AfroSuns]

Preseason is preseason. We were losing games left and right in the preseason but that doesn't mean much now as we're currently playing .500 ball in real NBA games. I'm not saying I'm entirely happy with how we are playing at the moment, but it's a lot better than we were at preseason.

Yes, pre-season is pre-season but losing a game by 50 with your starters is one thing, losing to the same team by over 30 again in what? less than 2 weeks should tell you something. Yes very likely we will beat them again, but as of then, they were a young and better running team. .

Based on the pattycake schedule the Knicks have had so far, if they were beating all the teams they should beat they'd be top of the Eastern conference right now.

Since Amare has called out that team and D'Antoni has allowed Felton to play his way; instead of trying to make him a Nash clone, they have beaten the teams they are supposed to. At least they have been almost consistent at that, can you say the same about the Suns? The Knicks are currently doing what the franchise haven't done in almost 10 years, you can swing it whichever way you want and say their schedule is soft but you cant deny they have improved. How good are they, or how better can they get? We will find out eventually but it is very likely they will make the playoffs this season.

We are barely getting by weak teams, and we are getting blown out by good teams. In case you haven't noticed; We are currently no better than the Knicks.

 

[elindholm]

In case you haven't noticed; We are currently no better than the Knicks.

I would not have agreed with this a week ago, but I do now.

 

[Chaplin]

We are barely getting by weak teams, and we are getting blown out by good teams. In case you haven't noticed; We are currently no better than the Knicks.

So? Now that our schedule is starting to let up and theirs is starting to get tough, we'll pull away from them, not that it matters one way or another.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

So? Now that our schedule is starting to let up and theirs is starting to get tough, we'll pull away from them, not that it matters one way or another.

We just lost to a 9-14 team that is 3-9 on the road. I don't think we're pulling away from anyone.

 

[Chaplin]

We just lost to a 9-14 team that is 3-9 on the road. I don't think we're pulling away from anyone.

We just came off a 3-game winning streak. We lost to Portland. Big deal. We're going to lose to a lot of teams, and we're going to beat a lot of teams.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

We're going to lose to a lot of teams, and we're going to beat a lot of teams.

That's true, but also meaningless.

Sure, we'll beat a lot of teams, but more disturbing is the losses to non/borderline playoff teams, especially at home. (Hence my statement about us not running away from anyone)

Further, we're running Nash and Hill into the ground, just to stay competitive against these borderline teams. Not a portent of good things to come.

 

[Chaplin]

That's true, but also meaningless.

Sure, we'll beat a lot of teams, but more disturbing is the losses to non/borderline playoff teams, especially at home. (Hence my statement about us not running away from anyone)

Considering everyone considers us a non/borderline playoff team, then what's worth getting so upset about?

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Considering everyone considers us a non/borderline playoff team, then what's worth getting so upset about?

Who's upset? I've already set my expectations for the Suns over the next couple years, so I doubt I'm in a position to feel too upset.