Tag: Madison Square Garden

This Is Our Town! Knicks Destroy Brooklyn 110-81, Continue Playoff Push

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With the Nets having the best Eastern Conference record since January, a few Nets fans have started to become too vocal. Some even have the audacity to claim they’ve “taken over” basketball in New York. Well, the Knicks had to remind them of their status with a beatdown last night at Madison Square Garden. After going 3-2 on the recent West Coast trip, there is no room for error with less than 10 games left in the season. The Knicks needed to make a big statement on national TV and boy did they ever deliver…

67%: How hot were the Knicks to start? How about jumping out to a 29-20 lead after the first and shooting 67% for the entire first half to hold a 63-38 lead. The ball movement was strong and the Knicks fed the paint (31 points) via Stoudemire post-ups (13 points) and Melo. On the perimeter, Tim Hardaway Jr., Iman Shumpert, and JR Smith all had their jumpers flowing. In addition, all three attacked the old legs of Brooklyn (who were on a back to back without Kevin Garnett) with aggressive drives, including the best finish at the rim Shump has had all year.

BRIEF LITTLE SCARE: In the third, Raymond Felton came down hard on his back and ribs during a rebound, leading to some deep contusions in those areas. His injury seemed to spark a five-minute period of lethargy where the Nets were able to pull within 14-points. The surge was finally put to a halt by a Prigoni three, and key shots from Melo and JR Smith to push the lead back over 20 headed into the fourth quarter.

LOCKDOWN SHUMPERT: Despite picking up five fouls, Shumpert never wavered in his defensive intensity. Everyone he guarded was harassed and forced into bad leads. His work caused him to be a +29 on the court, to go along with 10, 3 rebounds and 2 assists in 24 minutes.

With Shump leading the defensive charge, the Nets were reduced to sub 40% shooting for the majority of the game.

THJ N’ JR: Hardaway got 28 minutes off the bench and was a sharp-shooting 7/10 from the field (17 points). JR was lethal behind the arc (6/12) and had one of his best all-around games with 24 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists.

NO PRESSURE ON MELO: All the big contributions allowed Melo to take a step back on offense. This allowed him to be highly efficient from the field (8/16, 23 points), get to the line (7/8), and focus on rebounding (10).

IN THE PLAYOFFS…FOR NOW: Atlanta lost to the Bulls last night, allowing this win to put the Knicks into the playoffs. The hold is still very tenuous — New York’s next game falls on Friday against the Wizards, followed by the Heat on Sunday.

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[Video] Knicks Exorcise Pacer Demons in 92-86 Win

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I remember it like it was yesterday. The Knicks were up three and seemingly well on their way to victory on November 20 in the waning seconds of a home game against the Indiana Pacers. George goes up for a long three, and Shumpert makes a bad error in lightly touching George’s arm, leading to a three-shot foul, overtime, and a crushing home defeat that seemed to start the downward spiral that has been this season. It really didn’t help matters that this loss also occurred on my birthday.

But that was then. Last night, the Knicks team that rolled into Madison Square Garden was a squad riding a six-game win streak predicated on trust, defense and being unselfish with the ball. Outside of a few bad spurts (particularly the third), the Knicks showed their recent run was no fluke in defeating the Pacers 92-86 in Phil Jackson’s first attended game as team president. It was a “fun game” in the sense New York was playing loose, but a “serious game” in the sense the Knicks damn near have to win out to have any chance of making the playoffs.

IS THIS THE 90s???: For most of the night, the hard play and low shooting percentages reminded me of the Ewing-lead Knicks’s battles with the Reggie Miller’s Pacers. New York, despite shooting a wretched 24% in the first quarter and just 36% at the half, still lead most of the way by focusing on offensive rebounding (six in the first half) and forcing six Pacer turnovers. 

For the entire game, the Knicks managed to shoot just 39% and a lowly 24% from downtown. When the Knicks don’t hit their threes, a win is normally out of the question. Tonight showed they could grind out a W through defense and getting to the line (24/29).

BROADWAY BIGS DELIVER: Our big three of Melo, Stoudemire and Chandler set the tone for this win with key contributions. Melo kept Paul George in foul trouble and abused him in the post for several crucial baskets, including a spin move and dunk that put New York up 84-77 with under five minutes remaining. For the game, Melo shot 52% (12/23) for 34 points, had 3 steals and 5 assists. The final stat proved decisive with several of them coming in the fourth via quick passes to Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni.

Stoudemire did most of his damage in the second quarter, helping to spark an 8-0 run that put the Knicks up double digits (47-35). His post moves were too strong and quick for the likes of Luis Scola and Roy Hibbert. His outside jumper also kept the floor spread and made his defender come out, allowing Stat to make powerful drives to the rim. Outside a bad defensive lapse in the third (where Lance Stephenson literally flew right by him on a missed assignment), and his jumper starting to fail him late, Stat had a good game with 21 points.

Tyson Chandler’s (7 points, 14 rebounds) best work last night was on the defensive end and the glass. He had six offensive boards, and put Hibbert back in check after Roy abused Cole Aldrich for 14 points in the third quarter. Chandler essentially shut him down for most of the fourth.

POISE DOESN’T FALTER: Despite blowing a 16-point lead, the Knicks never mentally broke. Even when the Pacers pulled within one point in the fourth, the Knicks always had an answer. The biggest one was Felton hitting a bank shot miracle three-pointer with less than 3 seconds on the shot clock.

That’s not to say the Pacers didn’t have their chances. They had a multiple open three-point attempts from George Hill, Chris Copeland and Paul George. In addition, the Knicks were in the foul penalty with over six minutes left in the game. The Pacers just couldn’t execute — the worst blunder came on a fast break where Lance Stephenson tried to get too fancy and whipped a bad pass to a wide open George Hill, resulting a turnover.

DESTINY NOT IN OUR HANDS: While it’s great to see the Knicks play well, it’s also somewhat infuriating it took this long for it to happen. Now they not only have to keep winning, but also have to hope Atlanta, and possibly even Charlotte, get on an extended losing streak.

[Video] Walt “Clyde” Frazier Interviews Knicks President Phil Jackson

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Right after the big press conference yesterday, new titled Knicks president Phil Jackson sat down with friend and old teammate Walt “Clyde” Frazier to discuss his new position and the future of the franchise. Jackson spoke about the need to revamp the roster (“the players have to have a certain sense about themselves…”) and the importance of going back to the fundamentals of basketball (read: DEFENSE). Jackson specifically pointed out the problem with our perimeter players being blown by and relying solely on Tyson Chandler for rim protection.

What I already like about Jackson’s approach is the sense of calm and logic he’s bringing to his role. Lord knows the Knicks have been a chaotic, roller-coaster bunch. It’s readily apparent that Jackson already knows what he wants to do with this squad.

Phil Jackson’s Full MSG Press Conference, 11 a.m. ET, 3/18/14

Milwaukee Bucks v New York Knicks

Phil Jackson makes his first appearance as Knicks team president this morning at Madison Square Garden. What are his thoughts on Melo? Coach Woodson? The lineup? Where did the team go wrong this year? Will he relocate? There will be tons of questions and the Zen Master is sure to have all the answers. Click on the link below to watcht the entire presser.

*****UPDATE******

Live tream is now closed. The entire presser with media answer session included below.

[Video] Race to 8th Seed: Knicks Offense Overwhelms Sixers 123-110

I love nights like this. Four guys with 20-plus points. Sharing the ball. Making plays. Having fun out there. Taking the load off me. I love nights like that. – CARMELO ANTHONY

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As bad as the Knicks have been this season, it could be worse. Dont’ believe me? Just take one look at the Sixers, who are not only out of playoff contention, but currently on a 17-game losing streak. The Knicks added to Philly’s misery last night, overcoming a 12-point deficit (29-17) in the first quarter to score a much-needed home win to remain in play (3.5 games back) to catch the Atlanta Hawks for the 8th and final playoff spot.

SLEEPWALKING: The Knicks came out very lazy and allowed the Sixer guards like Michael Carter-Williams and Tony Wroten to get in the paint at will. With Tyson Chandler out due to personal reasons, the Knicks missed his defensive presence and rebounding. In addition, Melo wasn’t his usual self, looking lethargic coming off a cold last game. He didn’t have good lift on his inside game nor on his jumper. Thankfully, the Knicks only had to settle for a 31-26 hole after hitting a few timely threes to close out the first stanza.

DEFENSE PICKS UP: By the second quarter, the Knicks realized their were playing the Sixers and started playing defense. They took a small five-point lead following two Raymond Felton threes, but hurt themselves by going in the penalty six minutes in, allowing Philly to stay close at the line and keep it tied at halftime, 61 all.

THE BEST PLAYER ON THE FLOOR: Amar’e Stoudemire has been beasting and his output was sorely needed yesterday to keep the pressure off Melo. Playing at the 5, Stat was too fast and quick for guys like Thaddeus Young, dropping 23 points (9/10 shooting). Stat’s defense was adequate as well, including a nice block at the rim that lead to a JR Smith three on the other end. A 9-0 run late in the third, after a few minutes of back and forth buckets early on, allowed the Knicks to take the lead for good.

FOUR OVER 20: The Knicks had four different plays score over 20 points: Melo (22), Stat (23), JR (22) and Hardaway Jr. (28). Tim’s output was the most scorching, including 13 points in the fourth that allowed Melo to rest the entire period.

The Knicks head to Boston Wednesday night to take on the Celtics. I wonder if Melo and Rondo will have any “side” conversations.

[Video] Nowitzki Shocks Knicks With Buzzer-Beater

It’s a damn shame. – MIKE WOODSON

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You have heard this story before. Knicks start slow only to go on a strong run late in the first or second quarter to make it a game by halftime. They play well on offense, but keep shooting themselves in the foot on defense in the second half, making the game a life and death struggle going into the fourth quarter. The team then fails to get any stops over the waning minutes and simply hope for Carmelo Anthony to bail them out, leading to another heart-breaking loss.

Last night was a Knicks rerun, in Dirk Nowitzki getting a lucky bounce on a buzzer-beating jumper to hand the Knicks their ninth loss in the last 10 games. This is the third game in a row the Knicks have collapsed down the stretch. If you’re looking for a silver lining, it can be that at least the game was tight for the most of the second half, as opposed to the 14-point and 17-point leads New York blew in the previous two games against Orlando and Atlanta.

There was another wasted Melo effort of 44 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and a block. If you told me before the season started that Melo would be posting these type of the numbers and we’d by this far below .500 and effectively out of the playoffs, I’d have laughed. And yet, here we are. Until we get guards who know who to defend the perimeter, we may not win a game for the rest of the season. When the ghost of Vince Carter is lighting you up for SEVEN three-pointer off the bench, there is literally no hope.

Ferdette Goes for Career-High as Knicks Fall in OT to Kings

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Jimmer Ferdette? JIMMER FERDETTE?! Have you no pride, Knicks? No sense of honor in what you do? Yes, the Knicks limp into the All-Star break with another defeat, but this might be the most damning of the season, as Jimmer Ferdette of all people came off the bench to drop 24 points (6/8 from three) to lead the Western Conference-worst Sacramento Kings over the Knicks. After last night, there are some people I never want to see on a Knicks sideline again…

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FELTON: Who else did you think I’d start with? Only our star-crossed point guard could turn a game where he dished 12 assists into a nightmare. He had a bad shooting night (3/11), including an open three-pointer with 36 seconds left that could have extended the Knicks lead to 96-91. Rudy Gay followed Felton’s miss with a left elbow jumper to tie and take the game into overtime.

From there our offense went straight to the trash. In addition, Felton committed a crucial turnover that lead to a King fast break dunk and a 98-93 deficit. Later, he’d go 1-2 at the free throw line to make the deficit 102-98, allowing the Kings to have an easier time nursing their lead with just 49 seconds left.

So, let’s sum it up. The point guard position is our biggest hole on the offensive and defensive ends. Felton takes too long to get offensive plays going (if you want to call them that), can’t consistently penetrate, and can’t keep athletic guards in front of him. Oh, don’t let me forget that he’s a streaky shooter (including 67% at the free throw line) and injury prone.

The season is beyond salvageable, but if the Knicks want to at least have a respectable finish, this man has got to go.

WOODY’S ONE-MAN COMEDY SHOW: Is there anyone in the league that can’t outcoach Mike Woodson? For months, you’ve heard commentators defend him, stating that the “pieces don’t fit” and it isn’t his fault. YES IT IS. To keep doing the same thing over and over is the definition of insanity. Felton is a net negative, yet he continues to get heavy minutes. Small ball has been our best weapon this season, yet we go big in crunch time last night and wonder why the defense collapses. ISO MELO has been shown to not effectively work all season, yet that’s what happened with the game on the line in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter.

One of our main candidates to replace Woodson, Jeff Van Gundy, has already made it clear he doesn’t want to take the reins mid-season. I can definitely understand that, but I’d rather see Herb Williams patrolling the bench than endure two months more of coaching blunders from Woody.

THJ HAS MUCH WORK AHEAD OF HIM: Tim Hardway Jr. plays with a lot of confidence and fire. He’s one of the few guys who you can never doubt is bringing 100% effort every night. With that said, his defense can be downright horrific. He was -28 for the game and every time he can in, starting with the Knicks holding a 33-22 lead after the first quarter, the leads evaporated.

Normally, the bad defense can be offset by his hot three-point aim, but this time Hardaway was ice-cold, shooting 3/12 (1/6  from downtown). The fact that Fredette scored 15 points in the seconds quarter alone says it all.

MELO’S DESCENT: As has been pointed out for the last 2 weeks, Melo shooting percentage has been dropping alarmingly every quarter. For the season, he starts out shooting 51% and goes under 40% by the fourth. It’s no surprise to anyone who’s watched the Knicks this year, as he has to work so hard just to keep the team afloat.

Last night, Melo played 48 minutes, including all of the second half. There’s very few players that can remain productive logging that much time on the floor. From the fourth quarter on, he went 1-7, including a blown layup and missing an open three in overtime (0/5 in OT).

It doesn’t matter if you personally don’t like Melo’s game. Hell, I wasn’t a big fan of our beloved Ewing’s game. But it says a lot that Melo is one of the best players in the league and we can’t utilize him better than what we’ve seen, and get a competent team around him to highlight his strengths.

INJURIES: You already know you can’t have a Knicks game without someone getting crippled. Iman Shumpert left the game early with a bruised left hip flexor. There’s no timetable on his return, but he’ll likely be ready to go after the All-Star break. JR stayed out, still nursing the face injury he received courtesy of an errant Kevin Durant knee last Sunday.

BRIGHT SPOTS: Tyson Chandler did a decent job on DeMarcus Cousing and also managed to drop 17 points and grab 11 rebounds. However, his defense on driving guards in the fourth and overtime was lacking. Stoudemire had a good offensive game (20 points on 10/15 shooting)… you already know about his defense.

The Knicks front office has A LOT of work to do over the next week. Word is they’re back to exploring the Kyle Lowry and Shumpert/Kenneth Faried trade ideas. Anything would be better than what we’ve been seeing on the court.

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[Photos] Manny Pacquiao, Meet Carmelo Anthony and Ashanti…

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Photo Credits: Chris Farina/Top Rank

NEW YORK CITY, NY — Despite another tough loss last night to the Portland Trailblazers, Carmelo Anthony and Ashanti were all smiles afterward in greeting former champion Manny Pacquiao at the Garden.

Pacquiao was in town to complete a two-city press tour to begin the hype for his April 12 rematch with Timothy Bradley. Melo is a big boxing fan so he was definitely up for the meeting. Knicks  and boxing fans will recall that Melo was ringside last year to witness Guillermo Rigondeaux’s big win over Nonito Donaire at Radio City Music Hall.

Think Melo would be up to spar a few rounds with the Filipino phenom?

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[Video] Knicks Destroy Cavs 117-86

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What a difference a month makes. Around this time in December, the Knicks were getting embarrassed in Cleveland with Kyrie Irving running amuch for 37 points and 11 assists. That was against a Knicks team with no identity. Last night, New York never let the Cavs in it after blitzing them with a 38-21 first quarter, and holding off all comeback attempts over the remaining 36 minutes to take a well-deserved 117-8 6 win at Madison Square Garden. Like all Knicks blowouts this year, it was a total team effort on this one.

JR’S BACK?: After being on the verge of getting shipped out just a few weeks back, JR Smith is finally returning to the excellent form we saw at the end of last season. Starting in place of the injured Iman Shumpert, JR sliced up the Cavs defense with strong drives to the rim and long-range jumpers. It was a case of erratic shots falling — JR played within the offense and shot 8/16 for 19 points, including this collection of breath-taking plays below.

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THJ!!!: Tim Hardaway Jr. continues to shine in his expanded role and thank God Coach Mike Woodson is riding the hot streak. Tim dropped a career high of 29 points, going 11/17 from the field and 6/12 from downtown. Once this kid learns defense, watch out.

EFFICIENT TO THE LAST MAN: Melo (29 points, 5 rebounds), Chandler (11 points, 8 rebounds), and Felton (12 points, 9 rebounds) had good games, along with Jeremy Tyler (8 points, 6 rebounds). The team was shooting over 60% for most of the game while holding the Cavs under 40%. New York would wrap up the contest on 57% shooting from the field and a hot 46% (12/26) from downtown.

The Knicks get to put their win streak to the test against the defending champion Miami Heat on Saturday.

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[Video] Team Effort: Melo, Felton and Chandler Power Knicks Past Lakers

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NEW YORK CITY, NY — Weekend afternoon games have not been kind to the Knicks this season. Whether it’s due to partying or just lack of focus is anyone’s guess. This wasn’t an issues yesterday (well, at least on offense) as New York but together a total team effort highlighted by big games from Carmelo Anthony (35 points), Tyson Chandler (13 points, 14 rebounds), Raymond Felton (20 points), Tim Hardaway Jr. (18 points) and JR Smith (16 points) to take their latest “must-win” game over the Los Angeles Lakers. The last thing the Knicks needed was a letdown after Melo’s 62 point game and for now, the momentum is still intact.

DEFENSE NEED NOT APPLY: A win is a win, but it was disturbing how badly the Knicks guarded the perimeter. The Lakers burned them for 11 treys on 47% shooting. Felton was the culprit most of the time, but others were pretty lax closing out on the shooters until the final minutes of the game. Jodie Meeks (24 pts) had a 13 points in the third and was a scorching 6/8 from downtown.

The post defense got off to a bad start with Pau Gasol (20 pts) before our trio of bigs, lead by Chandler, clamped down in the second half.

AROUND THE RIM ISSUES: Jeremy Tyler and Cole Aldrich had some really good defensive stops and rebounds, but their offense also had you yelling at the TV. On about four occasions they missed point-blank shots at the rim. Once they get more comfortable with their playing time, that should cease.

THJ: Our rookie was on fire. Tim went 4/5 from downtown and attacked the basket for a sweet 3-point play. His best sequence came in the third when he swished a three-pointer and was the recipient of a Melo alley-oop to extend the NY lead to 83-79.

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FUN FACT: Since resigning from the Knicks and going to LA, Mike D’Antoni is winless at Madison Square Garden. Expect Melo to keep it that way.

On Wednesday, the Knicks will host the Boston Celtics.