Super, Crazy Wacky, Predictions for the 2014-2015 Knicks

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 24^th 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 2^nd 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 11^th 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!