The Knicks
seasons officially starts in a week! The NBA is always
unpredictable, but it’s fun to make crazy predictions, especially when it comes
to the Knicks. For the past four years, I’ve made about 40 predictions
regarding the Knicks. Of course, none of these predictions have come
true. But predictions are fun, so I’m going to do this every year. No matter
how stupid I’m going to look by April, I won’t back off any of these crazy
predictions, I promise!
With that said, here are my fifth annual 10 crazy predictions for the Knicks 2014-2015 season:
1. Samuel
Dalembert will lead the NBA in blocks and rebounds and win Defensive Player of
the Year.
No Knick has
ever led the league in blocks; only one Knick has ever led the league in
rebounds (Harry Gallatin, 1954-55). Samuel Dalembert was a huge part of the
reason why the Knicks were willing to trade Tyson Chandler to Dallas this
summer. The Knicks believed that Dalembert could give the same production as
Chandler at a much cheaper price. (Dalembert will make $3.9 million this
season, compared to Chandler’s $14.6 million.) But he will be even better than
Chandler. He will average 14 rebounds a game, while blocking 5 shots a game and
will help turn around a defense who was 24th in defensive
efficiency last year. I don’t care that he’s never finished in the top
five in either category; he is in a contract year, which means he will have a
monster season. The Knicks will proceed to give him a six-year $100
million dollar contract next summer. Sound familiar?
2. Jose
Calderon will league the league in steals and assists this season and become a
top five point guard.
When the
Knicks acquired Jose Calderon in the offseason, they not only got rid of
the worst Knick point guard in franchise history, but they also
got in Calderon one of the best international guards this world has ever seen.
Calderon
has finished in the top five in assists in four different seasons, but has
never finished in the top 10 in steals. With offensive weapons like Melo,
Amare, and Smith, he will lead the league with 12 assists a game. He is a
horrendous defender, especially in the pick-and-roll, but Phil
Jackson Derek Fisher, will get him to become a decent defender.
He’ll get a league leading three steals a game this year, which will make
him the first guy since Michael Ray Richardson (1979-1980) to lead the league
in steals and assists. Knicks fans will love Calderon so much; they’ll start
comparing him to Walt “Clyde” Frazier. He’ll be the fourth best point
guard this year, behind Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, and Kyrie Irving.
3. Amare will average at least 20 points per game and play at least 75
games.
In
an interview after yesterday’s practice, Amare told reporters, “I think the
previous years of battling injuries people have forgot," "But it's my
job to remind them.”
He is right
People forget
how amazing Amare’s first season was as a Knick. He was a legit MVP candidate
for the first half of the 2010-2011 season. Knee and other injuries have hurt him since
then. Now, fans are debating on whether his contract is worse than Houston’s
six-year $100 million contract. Let me set the record straight, Houston’s
contract will always be the worst contract in Knick history.
After
nearly a decade of futility, highlighted by that awful Houston contract, Amare
helped put the Knicks back on the map. As for this season, Amare will be
the 2nd leading scorer. When he gets the minutes, he is
still able to put points on the board. Last year, he scored 20 or more points
nine times; he played at least 27 minutes in eight of those games. Phil
Jackson has stated that the Knicks hope to play him four rotations of eight minutes
per game. That should be enough time for him to score, and it will also allow
to play every back to back this season. If he takes those baths after every game, he may be an
all star again.
4. J.R.
Smith will shoot 50 percent from the field this season.
BREAKING
NEWS: After a decade in the NBA, J.R. Smith admitted that he must change
his shooter mentality. Smith has struggled adjusting to the triangle
offense this preseason; he is averaging 8.5 points and shooting 39 percent from
the field. “Trying to think about the rest
of the team over myself or my scoring is something that I never really had to
do before,” Smith said after the game.
To quote Booker T:
At
least it’s a start right? Phil Jackson Derek Fisher will get
Smith to buy into the team concept and Smith will eventually learn the triangle
offense. Hey, even Michael Jordan didn’t learn this offense overnight. This
summer, Smith declared he was one of the best shooters in NBA history, which
most people found hysterical, considering he isn’t even the best shooter
on his team (Tim Hardaway Jr. anyone?).
He will prove his doubters wrong this year though; somehow, he’ll figure out this triangle offense before the season starts, which will help Smith, take better shots. His knee should be 100 percent this year and he hasn’t been caught smoking weed, so Smith will get off to a fast start to the season. This year is finally the year when people will start comparing him to other great shooters like Ray Allen, Reggie Miller, and Larry Bird. Smith will be that good.
5. Carmelo
will be the MVP and average 40 points per game
In
1970, Willis Reed won only MVP in franchise history. It was a very
controversial decision; many people felt like Jerry West deserved the award for
carrying a 46 win Laker team that lost Wilt Chamberlain after 12 games. Since
then, there have been a few Knicks who have been close winning the award: Melo
third in 2012, Bernard King second in 1984, Ewing fifth in 1990, and fourth in
1993.
Melo
will finally end the 44-year MVP drought; Melo plus the triangle offense equals
doom for the NBA. I don’t care if he said that he doesn’t think he’ll win the
scoring title and that he’ll take less shots. Just like last season, he’ll
still average about 22 shots a game and will finish in the top five in usage
rate.
He’ll
be the triangle offense’s 11th scoring champion, and will
average 40 points per game, something that Jordan, Kobe nor Shaq has ever
accomplished in this offense. That is not a misprint. I realize that
he’s never even averaged 30 points in a season, but with this new offense,
he’ll get open looks that he’s never had before. The triangle offense will
automatically give Melo 10 extra points per game right? Of course!
He will win the MVP over LeBron, who won’t get it because he’s playing with two other all stars, over Durant, who might be out two months with a foot injury, and over Chris Paul, who will split votes with Blake Griffin.
6. The
Knicks will win at least 50 games and a playoff series; Phil Jackson Derek
Fisher will be the Coach of the Year
Many
basketball experts are predicting the Knicks will miss the playoffs for the
second straight year; they are projected to win just 38 games. The Knicks will
surprise everyone this year with an explosive offense and a solid
defense. Phil Jackson Derek Fisher will get everyone to
buy into the team concept and they’ll finish the season at 52-30, winning the
Atlantic Division and finish as the third seed in the Eastern Conference. Due
to the Knicks miraculous turnaround, he’ll become the third Knick coach and the
first in over two decades (Riley in 1993) to win the Coach of the Year.
They’ll
beat the Heat in the first round, ending the Heat’s reign as Eastern Conference
Champions and give the Bulls all they can handle in the next round. I won’t
predict that series yet, I don’t know if Derrick Rose will last the entire
season.
Remember, you
heard these predictions here first, so thank me later!
I’m ready
for the season to start!
