15. 1999 NBA Finals Game 5 Knicks vs. Spurs

Let’s be honest, in hindsight, the Knicks were doomed the moment the NBA Finals began June 16^th, 1999.  The Spurs had the homecourt advantage. Patrick Ewing was out with an Achilles injury, and the guy who initially took Ewing’s spot (Chris Dudley), reminded me of Stinky Peterson from Hey Arnold.

But it didn’t matter; the Knicks would find a way somehow to win the title!

Well, let’s just say, things didn’t go according to plan. The Knicks lost three out of the first four games. The Knicks managed to win Game 3, 89-81, thanks to Latrell Sprewell (24 points) and Allan Houston (34 points).

Although no team has ever come back from a 3-1 deficit[i], I still believed the Knicks were still going to win the series, before Game 5 began. The game was close throughout, my heart was beating at least 1,000 times per second.

 Avery Johnson, the same player who Damon Stoudamire ,infamously proclaimed, “Would never be a point guard on a championship team”,   hit a wide open corner jumper with 47 seconds left to give the Spurs a one point lead. After both teams exchanged empty possessions, the Knicks had the ball with two seconds left.  Sprewell got the ball and airballed a desperation turnaround jumper, which probably would not have counted anyways.

And that was it the Knicks lost 78-77… the game, and the series was over.

This game was painful for several reasons. Obviously, it’s always painful to lose a championship game, or series, especially during an extended championship drought.

(Cue to Mets fans nodding their heads)

But besides that, it was painful to watch Sprewell play the game of his life, and have nothing to show for it.   He finished the game with 35 points and 10 rebs, and literally carried the team on his back in the fourth quarter. This game is one of the reasons why he is one of the most beloved Knicks in franchise history.

It was also painful to watch Ewing wear that ugly grey suit , during the Knicks last timeout, when he should be playing.  This was perhaps Ewing’s, by far the greatest player in Knick history last chance at a ring and he couldn’t do anything but mercifully watch the Knick’s title hopes go up in flames.

 

But even though the Knicks had lost this series, fans, myself included of course, believed the Knicks would be back in the Finals. The Knicks were undermanned and still managed to put up a damn good fight against a great Spurs team.

Boy, were we wrong..

 

The Knicks haven’t been back to the Finals ever since. In fact, the Knicks would only win three playoff series in the next 15 years. While the Spurs would go on to become the model NBA franchise, winning four more titles during that same span.

 

 

 

Up Next: 14. 1992 Eastern Conference Semis Game 7 Knicks vs. Bulls

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[i] No team still has not been able to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the Finals

16. Game 6 1969 NBA Eastern Division Finals Celtics vs. Knicks

Four straight Celtic games!!!!!

 

God I hate the Celtics…

 

When it comes to painful losses, this game never gets mentioned. To no fault of their own, Knicks fans do not have any recollection of this game whatsoever because there isn’t a plethora of NBA footage from the 60s.

 

The Knicks were favorited to win this series; they won six of the seven regular season meetings. But after going down 3-1 in the series, the Knicks managed to get a Pyrrhic eight point victory, as Walt Clyde Frazier suffered a groin injury in the final minute.

The injury hampered Frazier and the Celtics won game six , by one point,  and would go on to win the NBA Championship, defeating the Lakers in seven games.

 

“I took one look at Clyde and knew we were out of it.”

-Willis Reed

That quote says it all: Imagine if social media was around back then!

 

The good news: That loss, along with Bill Russell’s retirement, propelled the Knicks to win their first NBA title, which led to approximately 203,309,390 books about that historic team.

 

Up Next: 15. 1999 NBA Finals Game 5 Knicks vs. Spurs

 

 

 

 

Open Letter to Knicks Fans: We are Delusional

Dear Knick Faithful,

I have been concerned with the overwhelming positive fan reaction regarding the Knicks’ offseason this summer, so in response, I am reverentially writing this letter to inform you: we are unequivocally the most delusional fan base in the National Basketball Association.   I assume you must be pondering: “Who the are you to say something like that?”

Please allow me to overture this by saying, we generally are the most obsessive fans in the league; it is admirable how we consistently fill the World’s Most Famous Arena, whether the team stinks or not.  Unfortunately, in regards to our Knickerbockers, while we excel in loyalty, we are severely lacking in intelligence.  It is baffling the amount of praise we are giving Phil Jackson for this offseason.  Let us not forget Jackson’s draft debacle. Despite what NBA draft experts claim, we were justified in booing Kristaps Porzingis. We decorously assumed the pick was catastrophic. Jackson drafted a player, who will probably make little to no impact, thus effectively wasting another year of Melo’s prime.  Don’t be shocked if Melo eventually waives his no trade clause, and decides he wants out of New York. A month later, we’re praising Jackson for taking the long-term approach in rebuilding this team back to prominence, instead of taking the “quick fix” approach, an approach that has bedeviled us for almost two decades. Of course, no one raised the question: how exactly does one rebuild with a 31-year-old star in Melo, who delayed knee surgery, just so he can impersonate John Starks, in an all star game?

 In addition, let us also not forget, when Phil Jackson was hired on March 18^th, 2014, he stated, he planned to make a big splash in this free agency class.  He reiterated this statement in March, as the Knicks were in the middle of the worst season in franchise history, stating, “We know what the first-round pick is going to mean for us, but we also know we're going to build our team with free agents.”

Jackson, whose  $12 million a year salary exceeds league MVP Stephen Curry’s[1], failed to make a big splash in free agency, in fact, he failed to even make a ripple. When did our standards become so low, as to where Robin Lopez, a decent center, but certainly not a game changer, Aaron Affalo, a pro who is basically on a one year deal, but is slightly overrated, especially on defense and Derrick Williams, an athletic four, but has been a bust since being drafted number two overall four years ago, warrants a successful offseason? [2], A few months ago, if someone had told you the Knicks would land Robin Lopez, Aaron Affalo, Kyle O'Quinn, and Derrick Williams this offseason, would you have been satisfied? I’ve heard fans claim this was the plan all along; Jackson wanted use cap space, to find role players, who fit his outdated system (The Triangle), instead of max guys like LaMarcus Aldridge or Marc Gasol.  Let’s be honest with ourselves, given the chance, do we really think Jackson wouldn’t have signed Aldridge or Gasol?  I’ve even heard fans claim players will perform at a higher level in a structured system. For example, Demarre Carroll was a journeyman his first few years in the league, before blossoming into an excellent ‘three and D’ player in Mike Budenholzer’s system in Atlanta and just became the highest paid player on the Raptors.  Do we really think Derek Fisher, who arguably was the worst coach in the NBA last season, can pull the same feat?

After all of these moves, according to the gambling website Bovada, the Knicks have just 150-1 odds to win the championship, after having 50-1 odds to win the championship last year. That’s right, there is actually a less chance the Knicks will win the championship. So I ask you again, how successful was this offseason?

I will give Jackson some credit: he and his eleven rings, have amazingly hypnotized an entire fan base, in such a way that makes even Sam Hinkie jealous.

Unfortunately, when someone constitutes a negative point, or a possible concern, we have a tendency to designate that person as a hater.  For example, we designate guys like Frank Isola and myself as “Knick haters” due to our propensity for negatively writing about the Knicks, but praise guys like Alan Hahn, who notably had Jason Smith in his “ideal starting five.” May I ask, what makes us Knick haters? Do we not bleed orange and blue, similar to the rest of you? May I remind you this is the worst stretch in franchise history? We’ve dealt with terrible teams, despite high payrolls, due to abysmal trades and draft choices. Not to mention, we’ve only had the pleasure to witness one playoff victory since 2000, after setting an NBA record for most consecutive playoff losses. Are we not allowed to be naturally pessimistic after nearly two decades of incompetence?  I understand things can eventually turn around, we need to look no further than the Golden State Warriors, the current NBA champions, who were incompetent for decades, before an ownership change and some shrewd moves, led to their first Larry O’Brien trophy since 1975.  Believe me, if the Knicks start to progress, I will be the first one to praise them, but I will continue to criticize the team, if need be. I’m not guiltless either, but at least I have the decency to recognize what is actually going on.

 If you want to join a Knicks group filled with positivity, join the Knicks’ Click, a group on Facebook, which is over 16,000 members strong.  It’s a closed group, but I’ll be glad to add you, if you’d like. You can all sing kumbaya songs, while holding hands and all of that jazz.

As long as James Dolan is the owner, we should continue to have my doubts on whether things will eventually turn around, no matter what high profile name Dolan decides to hire next. Oh believe me, it will happen again, and once again, we will be genuinely excited, despite the lack of experience that person may have in whatever position they’ll get hired for.[3]  How excited were Knicks fans, the day Phil Jackson was hired as President of Basketball Operations, despite never having experience running a team?  And as long as we continue to attend the game, purchase the merchandise,[4] Dolan won’t have any incentive to sell the team.

I urge you to open your eyes; hopefully after reading this letter, you will start to see what ‘s really going on. I don’t hate any of you, despite the ridiculous statements, in regards to the Knicks, I hear on a daily basis. I’ve consistently used the word “we”; despite our opposing views, we are in this together, And if you disagree, that’s fine, but try to articulate intelligently, instead of resorting to using the appalling “hater” phrase.

Of course, I’ll be watching our Knickerbockers this season, and I look forward to debating with you all.

                                                                                    Sincerely,

                                                                                    A realistic Knick fan.

 

 

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[1] Curry signed a four-year, $44 million extension in October 2012

[2]  I will admit, I am a fan of the Kyle’ O’Quinn signing, as he is a fantastic passing big man and his some range; at only $4 million a season, I believe we are getting a steal.

[3] Isiah Thomas and Derek Fisher, are other examples that come into mind.

[4] I admit, I should be the last one discussing purchasing merchandise; after all, I’m considering spending over $100 dollars on a t-shirt.

Letter to A'mare

Dear Amare,

After witnessing Carmelo have one of the worst All-Star Game performances I have ever seen, in a game he probably shouldn’t have even been playing in, I found out your Knicks tenure was coming to an end after you and Knicks had reached a buyout agreement. Initially, I was ecstatic, after a long 4 and a half years, I figured it was best for both parties to just move on. But later that night, I couldn’t help to feel a little bit depressed; for the rest of my life, I’ll always wonder, what could have been. You had a chance to be on the Mount Rushmore of Knicks big men, but unfortunately I’m not convinced you even crack the top 25 Knicks of all time. You will forever be associated to Allan Houston, another former Knick, who signed a $100 million contract, and failed to live up to expectations.

But unlike in 2001, when we were dumbfounded when Allan Houston signed his $100 million dollar contract, the majority of the Knick fan base (including myself) was openly excited when you signed your deal (even though it was uninsured) in the summer of 2010 and proclaimed, “The Knicks are back.” Unlike Allan Houston, you had that it factor; I watched you go toe to toe with Tim Duncan, the greatest power forward to ever play, on several occasions in the playoffs. The fan base could sense the Knicks were heading in a positive direction. I still believe to this day you would have stayed in Phoenix had they offered you the same deal, but we were just glad to have a superstar, it had been almost a decade since Patrick Ewing was infamously traded to Seattle. We had to endure a long two years of horrendous basketball, waiting for this moment. I’ll admit, you weren’t our first choice; hell you weren’t even the second or third choice for some people. Of course, we all wanted Lebron; others preferred, Chris Bosh, or Joe Johnson.

Although I knew there was diminutive chance we’d get Lebron I was  still dejected when Lebron, Wade and Bosh decided to construct a potent trio in Miami, but I still maintained on to the idea that hopefully one day, we could form our own trio. Soon after you signed, to my satisfaction, I remember reading rumors about you, Melo, and Chris Paul, joining forces to form a new potent trio. I’ll never forget your first season in a Knick uniform; you brought electricity back to the Garden, and was a legitimate MVP candidate. Your two and a half week stretch where you averaged 34 points, and 11 rebs, including nine straight 30-point games, was some of the most superb basketball I’ve ever seen by someone in a Knick uniform. When the Knicks acquired Melo later that year, your effectiveness was affected, but I was still on cloud nine because the Knicks had reached the playoffs for the first time in seven years.

 Over the next few years you became a cap casualty as your play deteriorated due to your body starting to break down and unfortunately, we never got to see you, Chris, and Melo unite at the Garden. You have to forgive the Knick fans who wanted the team to get rid of you. It’s nothing personal, it’s been over 40 years since we’ve seen the Knicks host the Larry O’Brien Trophy. We have to deal with an incompetent owner, probably the most imprudent owner in sports history, who somehow seems to manage to make ill-advised decisions on a daily basis, including accusing die-hard fans of being alcoholics.

 I could never forgive you for injuring yourself in Game 2 against the Celtics, when you attempted a dunk during warm-ups and embarrassing yourself by punching a fire extinguisher after a playoff loss to Miami. In addition, you were one of the worst defenders I’ve ever seen.  With that being said, I always defended you for helping bring Knicks basketball back to relevance. Soon after your departure, Carmelo stated, “People started believing in the New York Knicks again. He was the main reason for that belief and for that hope."

In addition, you were one of the nicest Knicks I have ever had the pleasure to meet. As a former MSG employee, I was lucky enough to attend two of your Christmas events in which all of the employees received free breakfast. I remember you telling all of the employees how hard you’ve worked to become a professional basketball player and how we could achieve our goals if we were willing to work hard. I will ever be indebted to you for your gratitude.

As I was writing this letter to you, I have found out you have committed to the Mavericks. Unfortunately, you will not have a chance to return to the Garden. Still, I look forward to seeing what a positive impact you will make, as they look to get back to the NBA Finals while competing in an arduous Western Conference. Whenever you make your return to “The World’s Most Famous Arena”, I pray the fans award you with a standing ovation. But even if they don’t, realize there is at least one fan appreciates all of your contributions.

Sincerely,

 A die-hard Knicks fan

Worst Knick Team of All Time?!

Horrid….

That would be the ideal word to describe the Knicks so far this season.  The first quarter of the season ended Friday night, with a heartbreaking loss to the Charlotte Hornets, a team who had previously lost 10 games in a row.  No equitable Knick fan thought the Knicks would contend for a championship this season.  But even the most cynical Knick fan could not have expected this! Conceivably, fans should have listened to Carmelo when he said, "It's about next year when we have cap space."

 Despite playing one of the easiest schedules in the NBA, the Knicks are now losers of eight games in a row.  The Knicks are now 4-18, which is the worst start in franchise history. They currently have the third worst record in the league; only the Detroit Pistons, who already beat the Knicks this season, and the Philadelphia 76ers, who are deliberately losing games for the 10000^th year in a row, are worse.  Although the Knicks play in the ghastly Eastern Conference, the Knicks’ playoff aspirations are nothing but a pipe dream.

            So far, the vaunted Triangle Offense has been a disaster.  The Knicks play at the slowest pace in the NBA (89.5 possessions per game), which isn’t unusual in the Triangle Offense; the 90s Bulls routinely played at a slow pace.  But unlike Phil Jackson’s Triangle Offenses in the past, the Knicks are 26th in points per game, only scoring 93.5 points per game and 21^st in offensive rating, scoring only 104.2 points per 100 possessions.  They are last in free throw makes (13.6 a game) and free throw attempts (17.5).  Obviously, the offense doesn’t look as magnificent without players such as Jordan, Pippen, Kobe, and Shaq, but how can a team with one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, be so atrocious on offense?

            The defense has been proportionately as putrid as the offense.  Their pick n’ roll defense is still abysmal, and they tend to foul way too often; opponents are attempting 26.5 free throws a game, which is 25^th in the league.  As a result, they are 12th in opponent’s points per game (99.0). That’s more indicative of the Knicks slow pace; consequently, they are 27th in defensive rating (110.1 points per 100 possessions). The Knicks were never expected to be the ’94 Knicks (the greatest defensive team of all time in my opinion), especially with the lack of defenders on the team, but watching the Knicks struggle to play defense every night has been exasperating to watch.

            First time Head Coach Derek Fisher has been abysmal so far. Fisher seems way over his head as a coach, which is understandable since he did not have any prior coaching experience.   To his credit, the Knicks do seem to be playing harder than they did last season.

He’s enforced a bizarre defensive strategy, which prioritizes the Knicks to protect the rim at all costs, even if it means giving up wide open three point shots. Consequently, the Knicks are 25^th in three-point shooting percentage defense and they give up the third most threes in the league. His rotations are a mess; the Knicks have had 11 different starting lineups, part of that is due to Jose Calderon’s injury, which is the most in the league.   His crunch time adjustments are nonexistent; in seven of the Knicks eight straight losses, the Knicks were down only one possession in the 4^th quarter.  In every one of those games, the Knicks execution was abysmal to say the least. How many times are the Knicks going to refer to Melo isolation ball late in the fourth quarter?  For goodness sake, Fisher can’t even get a timeout called correctly!

He’s been cautiously optimistic throughout this season. After a buzzing beating loss to the Jazz, a reporter asked him, “ How do you feel after a loss like that?”  Fisher responded,  “Excitement, belief. That’s what Knicks fans want to see.”  Yes Coach Fisher, I’m sure that is what the fans, who constantly spend their dollars on overpriced season tickets, want to see.   By the way, Steve Kerr, Phil Jackson’s first choice, has Golden State off to their best start in franchise history (17-2).

After the Knicks lost to the Nets, I pondered whether this potentially could be the worst Knick team of all time. I received some interesting feedback from Knicks fans:

“ You don’t have any idea what you’re talking about, the Knicks just need time to gel.”

“Any team with Carmelo on it can’t be the worst team of all time. Just keep trusting Phil Jackson.”

“Once the Knicks master the Triangle offense, they will be unstoppable, keep doubting them if you want to.”

            Currently, the Knicks are projected to lose 61 games, which would be most in franchise history.  But does that mean they are the most dreadful team of all time? According to Basketball Reference’s Simple Rating System (SRS), which takes into account average point differential and strength of schedule, this current Knick team is worst of all time, with an SRS rating of -6.62.

 Lets compare this Knick team to the other four Knick teams with the lowest SRS rating.  Brace yourself for this, Knick fans!

            The 2007-2008 (SRS rating -6.54) Knick team started out with some pretty lofty expectations.  After trading Channing Frye and Steve Francis for Zach Randolph, fans were genuinely excited about Knicks and pairing Randolph with Eddy Curry. The Knicks were hoping for the revival of the Twin Towers.

Remember this?

But as usual in the James Dolan era, the Knicks season, turned out to be a catastrophe. Curry and Randolph proved to be ineffective together when on the court.  The Knicks attempted and failed to trade Randolph and Curry before the trade deadline. Curry’s season ultimately ended in March with a torn meniscus in his right knee.   There was a public feud between Stephon Marbury and Isiah Thomas. Marbury even threatened to “dish info” on Thomas after finding out he wouldn’t be starting a game against the Phoenix Suns and then eventually went AWOL.  Marbury only played 24 games (the Knicks were 6-18 in those games) before having season ending ankle surgery in February. Then there was this in November:

The Knicks were 21^st in points per game (96.9) and 22nd in opponent’s points per game (103.5). They were 23^rd in offensive rating (104.7) and 29^th in defensive rating (111.9), which was the worst in franchise history. They ended the season at 23-59, which is tied for the most losses in NBA history.  At least Thomas eventually was fired at the end of the season right?

            After failing to qualify for the playoffs in 2005, 2005-2006 Knicks (SRS rating -6.30) were hoping to redeem themselves. The Knicks seemed to have upgraded their coach, when they hired Larry Brown, who replaced Herb Williams, who was the interim Head Coach after Lenny Wilkens was fired resigned.  Ironically, the Knicks had one of the worst seasons in franchise history and Larry Brown turned out to be one of the worst coaches in Knick history.  Brown used more than 42 different lineups, which is the most in NBA history. He routinely feuded with Marbury, even once saying, “So, you're the best guard in the league and the team is 17-45, yeah, it's the coach's fault.   I’ve never left a team in worse shape than I got it. Not once. Now think about that. Think about me and think about the guy who's talking. All right? I've never asked anything of my players any different than I'm doing right now. Think about that.”  The Knicks were a circus show on a nightly basis, finishing 23-59, which was the second worst in the NBA only to the Portland TrailBlazers, after finishing a pedestrian 33-49 the previous season.  The Knicks finished the season 20^th in points per game (95.6), 27th in opponent’s points per game (102.0), 24th in offensive rating (104.0) and 26th in defensive rating (111), which is fourth worst in franchise history.  Here are some reminders of how dreadful that team was:

And this:

The 1962-1963 Knicks (SRS rating -6.20), coached by Eddie Donovan, the dreadful coach in Knick history, were an NBA laughingstock. They had the lowest winning percentage (.263) in franchise history, finishing with a record of 21-59, which was the worst in the league. They finished 37 games out of first place! The Knicks were 7^th in points per game (110.5), 6th in opponent’s points per game (117.7), 8th in offensive rating (93.5) and 8^th in defensive rating (99.7).  Sounds impressive right? Unfortunately there were only nine teams in the league at the time.  The Knicks had Richie Guerin, who was the most underrated player in Knick history, but also had a cast-off of below average players surrounding him.  Somehow, the Knicks suffered losing streaks of ten, eight, seven, and six games.

            The 1963-1964 Knicks (SRS rating -5.91) were just as dreadful as the previous year’s version.  For the second year in a row, the Knicks finished with the worst record in the league (21-58).  The Knicks didn’t have a problem scoring, finishing 3^rd in points per game (112.2) and third in offensive rating (95.4), but were atrocious on the defensive end finishing last in opponent’s points per game (119.0) and last in defensive rating (101.2). After two games, Guerin, who was ready to quit after enduring one losing season after another, was traded to the St. Louis Hawks. “I still enjoyed playing basketball with the Knicks, but losing takes a lot out of you” Guerin said after being traded. The Knicks experienced two losing streaks of nine games, and one seven game losing streak.

            This current Knick team has a long way to go to become the worst Knick team of all time, but don’t count them out!  Even though Coach Fisher predicted the Knicks would make the playoffs, they might be accidently tanking to secure a high draft pick. There have been various reports that the Knicks believe that they will strikeout with Marc Gasol this summer, so they may try to target a blue chipper such as Jahlil Oakfor or Karl-Anthony Towns. The draft is only 198 days away. All of you Knick fans, who recite “In Phil We Trust” after every loss and believe the Knicks will turn this around as the season progresses, don’t count on it.

It won't hurt as much, I promise!

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!