Mr. J
Triple Up
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Well, so far we have played just one more game than half of the 82 NBA season. During these 42 games, we have seen stretches of happiness and stretches of sadness. The season started out somewhat promising however, due to many factors such as injuries, coaching, and ourselves, it wasn?t until yesterday we ended a 7 game losing streak and a stretch in which we lost 11 of our last 10 games. Despite losing this many games, the Knicks are only 1.5 games behind the Boston Celtics in the Atlantic Division. Because of Ice, I have given every Knick midseason grades. I also would like to hear everyone else?s opinions of the grades and maybe your own.
*Keep in mind that BOLD indicates leads the team
Let?s begin with Our Starters:
Stephon Marbury?Captain
Position: Point Guard
Height: 6?2
Weight: 200 lbs.
College: Georgia Tech
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/act_stephon_marbury.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 40.0
PPG: 20.5
RPG: 3.1
APG: 8.5
FG%: 45.7
FGapg: 15.3
FGmpg: 7
3P%: 31.4
3apg: 3.7
3mpg: 1.2
FT%: 84.8
SPG: 1.45
PF: 2.3
TO: 3.23
Stephon Marbury is a great point guard and one of the top ones in the league. He is considered the best player on the Knicks, and was given the honor of becoming a part of the Knicks tri-captains. Stephon Marbury is our leading scorer and is also our leading assist man. Because of Marbury?s presence, he is able to set up players on the Knicks when the defense attempts to collapse on him. Nazr Mohammed and Kurt Thomas are many times the beneficiaries of Marbury?s offensive abilities. He is also able to get to the charity stripe almost at will because of his penetration abilities. Even though he has all of those great qualities, he has his share of bad ones as well. Despite his excellent speed and unusual strength for the point guard position, Marbury is a great liability on defense. The amount of points he scores are often given right back up because of his lack of defensive intensity in fact, a hall of fame point guard namely Isiah Thomas said, Marbury is the worst defensive guard in the league. That is how poor his defense is. Marbury is 100% capable of becoming a good defender or at least decent, it?s more about his lack of effort that causes him from becoming a good defender. If Marbury fixed this part to his game, he might be considered the best point guard in the league. Marbury also has a problem sometimes with balancing scoring with passing. When the Knicks need a scorer because no one is producing, Marbury occasionally becomes more of a passer instead of the scorer we need him to be. At other times it is just the opposite. If Marbury could manage this part of his game, then we will obviously become a better team. I also feel that Marbury?s captain role was premature because he is not much of a leader for the Knicks. If Marbury could be a consistent leader for the Knicks, then again, I think it will do wonders for the Knicks.
Overall Grade: B+
Jamal Crawford
Position: Shooting Guard
Height: 6?5
Weight: 190 lbs.
College: Michigan
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/act_jamal_crawford.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 37.1
PPG: 19.3
RPG: 2.9
APG: 3.8
FG%: 39.4
FGapg: 17.4
FGmpg: 6.8
3P%: 34.8
3apg: 7.1
3mpg: 2.5
FT%: 86.1
SPG: 1.44
PF: 2.3
TO: 2.41
Jamal Crawford has been playing well for us and it is because of his scoring and his great passing ability. Since Houston has been struggling and has been out for a majority of the season, Crawford has given us Houston?s scoring that we need. When he had that turf toe injury, we saw how valuable he was to us. The last two games, Jamal Crawford has been Averaging 31 points for us and has been the catalyst for us which set the tone for the game. Had Jamal Crawford decided not to step up, we probably would have been done for the last two games with embarrassing blowouts. Jamal Crawford recently has been the leader for this team. He also puts fans in their seats with those amazing crossover moves, and those playground layups that look so easy to do. He is a true crowd entertainer. He is also a high class individual. We do like to see great players on the court but, let?s not forget he is a very respectful person. I even remember a time when he was diving to save the ball and inadvertently hit a girl on the side. He said sorry almost unconsciously. He also apologized after his one technical foul of the season. He is a good person on and off the court. Jamal Crawford?s game isn?t flawless either. Although Jamal Crawford does give us scoring he is also identified as what one would call a ?chucker.? Crawford?s shot selection has definitely improved since he came from Chicago but, it is not at all at the quality we would like to see. Many times he has an open lane however, he chooses to shoot it rather than get an easy layup and possibly a trip to the line. He shoots 86% from the freethrow line and rarely takes advantage of it. This is a part of the reason why he shoots under 40%. His shot selection is poor and his field foal percentage is suffering because of it. He is also not that great of a rebounder due to his lack of weight. Jamal Crawford is a bit underweight at 190 for that shooting guard position. His defense also needs work just like Marbury?s. Aside from getting posted up, Crawford is a defensive liability because his defense is inconsistent. Sometimes he plays great defense like yesterday, and other times he plays lazy defense and doesn?t always put in the effort that he is capable of.
Overall Grade: B
Tim Thomas
Position: Small Forward
Height: 6?10
Weight: 240 lbs.
College: Villanova
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/act_tim_thomas.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 36.4
PPG: 10.1
RPG: 3.4
APG: 1.1
FG%: 39.4
FGapg: 9.6
FGmpg: 3.8
3P%: 34.5
3apg: 2.3
3mpg:0.8
FT%: 78.8
SPG: 0.61
PF: 2.5
TO: 1.56
Tim Thomas has given us some good numbers at times and also hit a couple of big shots which proved to be game clinchers. He did dunk on Tony Battie this season too. That?s all of the positives that I can think of. Tim Thomas has been playing absolute deplorable basketball. He is shooting less than 40%, is not contributing, is a horrible rebounder, a horrible defender, breaks up picks all the time, and is playing horribly so far. Surprisingly enough, this is his worst season. He said many relatives of his died and I do feel sorry for him, but when you are playing this badly, maybe you need to sit out. I think Tim Thomas will play well off the bench like what he did with Milwaukee. Maybe that will get the best out of him. Anyway, he has not been playing well at all for us.
Overall Grade: D+
Kurt Thomas-Captain
Position: Power Forward
Height: 6?9
Weight: 235 lbs.
College: TCU
[imgl] http://www.nba.com/media/act_kurt_thomas.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 36.5
PPG: 11.8
RPG: 9.7
APG: 2.0
FG%: 47.6
FGapg: 11.4
FGmpg: 6.6
BPG: 1.0
FT%: 81.6
SPG: 1.10
PF: 3.7
TO: 1.17
I think Kurt Thomas has been our best Knick so far. He is by far the most consistent Knick who has played. Anytime Kurt is in the game, you know what you are going to get. Kurt Thomas plays great post defense, he has a nice midrange jumpshot, and a great rebounder. I was so surprised when his rebounding prowess was being questioned! Only a real stupid clown would even question his abilities. A true moron. Without Kurt Thomas? toughness and experience, I am sure our record would have been far worse than it is now. He makes you pay for doubling Stephon. Kurt and Steph?s little pick and roll game has been a focal point in our offense. His jumper spreads the floor and it makes players like Nazr Mohammed, Crawford, and Marbury better giving them more space. His picks that he sets and all that other stuff can not be forgotten as well! Kurt Thomas? does have a nice jumpshot to his offensive game but, he still can not really create his own shot. He relies a lot on Marbury, or Crawford setting him up. Sometimes he posts up and has a little fade away jumper that goes in but, it is not really that reliable. We have seen this improve but not to our standards. Kurt Thomas is a bit foul prone. With his amazing contributions on the court the Knicks can ill afford him to have to sit on the bench because of his foul trouble. He has improved his attitude and now because of it the Knicks are doing well. He acted like a captain especially yesterday when he could have gotten a technical foul for atguing with the official but he decided to maintain his cool and because of it, the Knicks were able to score at the other end. He has been great for us this season.
Overall Grade: A-
Nazr Mohammed
Position: Center
Height: 6?10
Weight: 250 lbs.
College: Kentucky
[imgl] http://www.nba.com/media/act_nazr_mohammed.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 29.9
PPG: 12.0
RPG: 8.9
APG: 0.5
FG%: 51.7
FGapg: 9.1
FGmpg: 4.7
BPG: 1.05
FT%: 73.2
SPG: 1.19
PF: 3.4
TO: 1.11
If I told you guys last season that Nazr Mohammed would be given All-Star consideration I think I would have heard a variety of responses such as, are you crazy, what are you smoking, and ha ha ha ha. Well who?s laughing now? The only person who kept the faith was our very own Bobby Escobar. Nazr Mohammed has been an incredible surprise for us and is in contention for most improved player. Do you guys remember where Nazr came from. Picking up two fouls in 1 second, or called for steps so frequently, or missing simple baskets. I think the word scrub comes to mind. Well now he is averaging around 12 points and 9 rebounds and a solid block per game. Nazr Mohammed has been playing very well for us has been rebounding, cleaning up the boards, and has been really producing. I am very happy to see his improvements. Although he has turned the corner, he is still inconsistent. There will be a couple of games where he might have 20 points and 15 rebounds and other games where he wil1 have 6 points and 3 rebounds along with 5 fouls. Mohammed still does make some silly mistakes. Like some of those traveling violations and those really silly very avoidable fouls. Before Mohammed can reach the next level and be considered better than he is, he will have to fix this problem. With the Knicks going on a tough road trip, we can ill afford Mohammed to have one of his off nights. We need Mohammed 24/7. Mohammed overall has been playing exceptionally well. He wins the Knicks most improved player by a landslide.
Overall Grade: B-
Starting Lineup
You guys have seen what I feel about our starters. Overall I think we have a decent starting lineup. It is far from flawless however, it is very capable. Their offense is very good and is full of capable scorers. Their defense however, (especially the perimeter defense) is not good at all. A majority of our perimeter defense gives up a lot of points. I wouldn?t even say the frontcourt is bad at defense. We guard the power forward position the best, and Nazr Mohammed is a solid defender. Marbury, Crawford and Tim Thomas do not defend very well at all. The Knicks need to fix this before their lineup becomes very successful.
Overall Grade: B-
Alright, now it?s time to go into our bench. I will very briefly describe our bench and give them their grades just like what I did above. Let?s start with a man that should have been our 6th man or maybe even starting however, due to injuries he has only made a brief appearance for us. You guys are familiar with:
Allan Houston-Captain
Position: Shooting Guard
Height: 6?6
Weight: 205 lbs.
College: Tennessee
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/act_allan_houston.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 26.6
PPG: 11.9
RPG: 1.2
APG: 2.1
FG%: 41.5
FGapg: 10.25
FGmpg: 6.8
3P%: 38.8
3apg: 4.0
3mpg: 1.55
FT%: 86.3
SPG: 0.40
PF: 2.5
TO: 2.1
Allan Houston was arguably the best shooter in the game a couple of years ago. At least I thought so. The thing that distinguished Houston from other great shooters such as Ray Allen or Peja Stojackovic is because he didn?t have the same tools. Ray Allen had pretty good handle and was very athletic while Peja was tall and can easily shoot over his opponents. Another thing about them is that they all had pretty good point guards who could set them up for easy shots. Houston didn?t always have that. Allan Houston didn?t have that great handle or that height or those point guards. Houston created his own shots while he was stationary. For many years, the Knicks lacked a great point guard. Sure they had Mark Jackson a couple of times but, mostly they had pretty mediocre point guards so obviously, Houston?s shots were not affected by that. If Houston could become the great shooter that he once was, the Knicks can easily make it to the conference finals. Many reports are coming in saying Allan Houston will never become his old self. Houston has shown us flahses of what us Knicks fans have appreciated for years, but it is not on a consistent basis. His lateral movement has greatly been effected since his return as well so he is another defensive liability on an already weak perimeter on defense. I for one am getting a bit concerned about Houston hopefully he can become the H2O of old. Anyway as much as it hurts me, for the season I am going to have to give him a not too nice grade.
Overall Grade: C
Michael Sweetney
Position: Power Forward
Height: 6?8
Weight: 275 lbs.
College: Georgetown
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/act_mike_sweetney.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 16.9
PPG: 7.8
RPG: 4.7
APG: 0.5
FG%: 51.9
FGapg: 4.9
FGmpg: 2.6
BPG: 0.59
FT%: 75.7
SPG: 0.38
PF: 2.3
TO: 1.32
Ah yes, Michael Sweetney the victim of everyone?s bashing. People just do not know how good this guy is unless you see him. I can not believe many people have no respect for this guy. Oh well, surprisingly enough these people were people who don?t even watch Knicks games. But what else is new? Michael Sweetney is a threat on the low post and must be doubled. Anytime he is down low, you can almost always predict a foul. Once he gets his foot in the paint it?s a wrap. Michael Sweetney also has great hands and has a great rebounding touch especially in traffic. He is 6?8 but uses his bulk very effectively. He is a man with tremendous work ethic and will only get better. The only concern that I have with Sweetney is that he is very foul prone. A lot of his fouls come from picks and some silly fouls. If Sweetney is to continue being effective, he can?t make silly plays like that. He needs to keep calm and not always be too overzealous. He is a great pick for the future and will become very good for this Knick organization. Hopefully he gets locked up along with Ariza and the Knicks will dominate in the near future.
Overall Grade: B-
Trevor Ariza
Position: Small Forward
Height: 6?8
Weight:200 lbs.
College: UCLA
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/knicks/ariza_140_041026.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 16.6
PPG: 5.4
RPG: 2.8
APG: 1.3
FG%: 40.7
FGapg: 5.1
FGmpg: 2.1
3P%: 0.0
3apg: 0.02
3mpg: 0.0
FT%:70.8
SPG: 0.88
PF: 1.8
TO: 0.93
Trevor Ariza is simply amazing. The guy is 19 years old, a freshman from UCLA, and is getting decent minutes in New York with perfectionists with high expectations. To tell you the truth, I thought Trevor Ariza would be on the injuried list but he is actually getting minutes. Trevor Ariza is an excellent defender and makes you pay for leaving him open. The Suns thought that he was just a little rookie and Ariza had to show them he was no joke. He showed them by getting 20 points, and 11 rebounds (8 offensive). He is also an underrated passer. He has great court vision especially for someone his age and his position. Ariza still doesn?t have a good jumper however, from where he started in UCLA, it is a major improvement. Our very own Knicks Analyst has tapes of his jumper in UCLA and can see the vast improvement from college to the pros. I think Ariza will develop into a solid all around player once he gets some weight and a little jumper, we will have no problems. Ariza came into the league like most rookies, without a jumpshot and without the weight. At times he is overzealous but that is to be expected. He will turn into a great player in this league.
Overall Grade: B-
Penny Hardaway
Position: Shooting Guard
Height: 6?7
Weight: 215 lbs.
College: Memphis
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/act_anfernee_hardaway.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 22.4
PPG: 6.2
RPG: 2.6
APG: 1.8
FG%: 38.1
FGapg: 6.6
FGmpg: 2.5
3P%: 38.8
3apg: 1.5
3mpg: 0.4
FT%: 68.4
SPG: 0.53
PF: 1.90
TO: 1.24
Penny Started off great for us and showed us what he is capable of doing in the season. He is an experienced veteran player and his versatility really helps the Knicks. He can score he can pass and he has the experience to be a good leader. Penny Hardaway has played very little this season for me to come up with a real accurate grade for him. I will judge on the little I have seen.
Overall Grade: C+
Jerome Williams
Position: Power Forward
Height: 6?9
Weight: 206 lbs.
College: Georgetown
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/act_jerome_williams.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 17.3
PPG: 5.1
RPG: 3.9
APG: 0.7
FG%: 52.1
FGapg: 3.4
FGmpg: 1.8
BPG: 0.17
FT%: 68.8
SPG: 0.79
PF: 2.4
TO: 0.98
From looking at the stats, Jerome Williams looks like a scrub however, Jerome Williams is one of the best players that we have. He always hustles, he is a great defender and if there were actual statistics for the many intangibles that he does, he would be on one of the All NBA teams. He also has a great attitude. He never looks to fight, retaliate or things of that nature. His hustling heroics is why the Knicks have not bombed out of the Atlantic division. He is versatile and can defend many positions for us. His offensive game isn?t really polished though. He has a decent little 15 footer however, he really isn?t an offensive threat at all. His overall game is pricless and there are few players that even exist that are like The Junk Yard Dog. Definitely a joy to have on the team.
Overall Grade: B-
Moochie Norris
Position: Point Guard
Height: 6?1
Weight: 185 lbs.
College: West Florida
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/act_moochie_norris.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 12.8
PPG: 2.7
RPG: 1.3
APG: 1.2
FG%: 34.1
FGapg: 3.0
FGmpg: 1.0
3P%: 0.0
3apg: 0.39
3mpg: 0.0
FT%: 76.1
SPG: 0.58
PF: 0 .88
TO: 1.40
Moochie Norris has been a good leader for the Knicks. He has been very vocal and has played good defense for them. He also has a decent jumpshot that was never exploited to it?s fullest. Again, yet another player that doesn?t get any time. He would have definitely been better
Overall Grade: C
Vin Baker
Position: Power Forward
Height: 6?11
Weight: 240 lbs.
College: Hartford
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/act_vin_baker.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 7.5
PPG: 1.4
RPG: 1.6
APG: 0.2
FG%: 33.0
FGapg: 1.7
FGmpg: 0.33
BPG: 0.22
FT%: 45.5
SPG: 0.11
PF: 1.1
TO: 0.50
Vin Baker has gotten pretty much no burn when Lenny Wilkens was around. I thought that was a huge mistake. Last year, Vin Baker was a valuable contributor for us. The very few minutes that he got with us he has been pretty decent. But again, his minutes are just ridiculous. He deserves much more. The grade that I?m giving him should probably be higher but, it is due to his lack of minutes.
Overall Grade: D+
Position: Center
Height: 7?2
Weight: 260 lbs.
College: Croatia
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/act_bruno_sundov.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 3.8
PPG: 1.9
RPG: 0.9
APG: 0.1
FG%: 31.8
FGapg: 2.4
FGmpg: 0.33
BPG: 0.22
FT%: 1.00
SPG: 0.22
PF: 0.80
TO: 0.44
I have not seen too much of Bruno so I?m going to have to give him another bad grade. I heard other than Houston, he has the purest jumper. His defense could use some work though. He should get more time though. Wow, I don?t even know if he is even gradable because he can?t get a good score. Too bad.
Overall Grade: D
The Knicks have been struggling so far this season and have not met expectations so far this season. This is mostly due to injuries and the coaching of Lenny Wilkens however, it is partly on the players. They have not been playing up to par and their record has struggled because of it. The Knicks just recently ended a stint in which they lost 10 of their last 11. Last night vs Cleveland they ended it. They look back on track now though. Hopefully we will see some good results soon. We have everything to fight for this season.
The Knicks Overall Grade: C+
*Keep in mind that BOLD indicates leads the team
Let?s begin with Our Starters:
Stephon Marbury?Captain
Position: Point Guard
Height: 6?2
Weight: 200 lbs.
College: Georgia Tech
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/act_stephon_marbury.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 40.0
PPG: 20.5
RPG: 3.1
APG: 8.5
FG%: 45.7
FGapg: 15.3
FGmpg: 7
3P%: 31.4
3apg: 3.7
3mpg: 1.2
FT%: 84.8
SPG: 1.45
PF: 2.3
TO: 3.23
Stephon Marbury is a great point guard and one of the top ones in the league. He is considered the best player on the Knicks, and was given the honor of becoming a part of the Knicks tri-captains. Stephon Marbury is our leading scorer and is also our leading assist man. Because of Marbury?s presence, he is able to set up players on the Knicks when the defense attempts to collapse on him. Nazr Mohammed and Kurt Thomas are many times the beneficiaries of Marbury?s offensive abilities. He is also able to get to the charity stripe almost at will because of his penetration abilities. Even though he has all of those great qualities, he has his share of bad ones as well. Despite his excellent speed and unusual strength for the point guard position, Marbury is a great liability on defense. The amount of points he scores are often given right back up because of his lack of defensive intensity in fact, a hall of fame point guard namely Isiah Thomas said, Marbury is the worst defensive guard in the league. That is how poor his defense is. Marbury is 100% capable of becoming a good defender or at least decent, it?s more about his lack of effort that causes him from becoming a good defender. If Marbury fixed this part to his game, he might be considered the best point guard in the league. Marbury also has a problem sometimes with balancing scoring with passing. When the Knicks need a scorer because no one is producing, Marbury occasionally becomes more of a passer instead of the scorer we need him to be. At other times it is just the opposite. If Marbury could manage this part of his game, then we will obviously become a better team. I also feel that Marbury?s captain role was premature because he is not much of a leader for the Knicks. If Marbury could be a consistent leader for the Knicks, then again, I think it will do wonders for the Knicks.
Overall Grade: B+
Jamal Crawford
Position: Shooting Guard
Height: 6?5
Weight: 190 lbs.
College: Michigan
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/act_jamal_crawford.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 37.1
PPG: 19.3
RPG: 2.9
APG: 3.8
FG%: 39.4
FGapg: 17.4
FGmpg: 6.8
3P%: 34.8
3apg: 7.1
3mpg: 2.5
FT%: 86.1
SPG: 1.44
PF: 2.3
TO: 2.41
Jamal Crawford has been playing well for us and it is because of his scoring and his great passing ability. Since Houston has been struggling and has been out for a majority of the season, Crawford has given us Houston?s scoring that we need. When he had that turf toe injury, we saw how valuable he was to us. The last two games, Jamal Crawford has been Averaging 31 points for us and has been the catalyst for us which set the tone for the game. Had Jamal Crawford decided not to step up, we probably would have been done for the last two games with embarrassing blowouts. Jamal Crawford recently has been the leader for this team. He also puts fans in their seats with those amazing crossover moves, and those playground layups that look so easy to do. He is a true crowd entertainer. He is also a high class individual. We do like to see great players on the court but, let?s not forget he is a very respectful person. I even remember a time when he was diving to save the ball and inadvertently hit a girl on the side. He said sorry almost unconsciously. He also apologized after his one technical foul of the season. He is a good person on and off the court. Jamal Crawford?s game isn?t flawless either. Although Jamal Crawford does give us scoring he is also identified as what one would call a ?chucker.? Crawford?s shot selection has definitely improved since he came from Chicago but, it is not at all at the quality we would like to see. Many times he has an open lane however, he chooses to shoot it rather than get an easy layup and possibly a trip to the line. He shoots 86% from the freethrow line and rarely takes advantage of it. This is a part of the reason why he shoots under 40%. His shot selection is poor and his field foal percentage is suffering because of it. He is also not that great of a rebounder due to his lack of weight. Jamal Crawford is a bit underweight at 190 for that shooting guard position. His defense also needs work just like Marbury?s. Aside from getting posted up, Crawford is a defensive liability because his defense is inconsistent. Sometimes he plays great defense like yesterday, and other times he plays lazy defense and doesn?t always put in the effort that he is capable of.
Overall Grade: B
Tim Thomas
Position: Small Forward
Height: 6?10
Weight: 240 lbs.
College: Villanova
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/act_tim_thomas.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 36.4
PPG: 10.1
RPG: 3.4
APG: 1.1
FG%: 39.4
FGapg: 9.6
FGmpg: 3.8
3P%: 34.5
3apg: 2.3
3mpg:0.8
FT%: 78.8
SPG: 0.61
PF: 2.5
TO: 1.56
Tim Thomas has given us some good numbers at times and also hit a couple of big shots which proved to be game clinchers. He did dunk on Tony Battie this season too. That?s all of the positives that I can think of. Tim Thomas has been playing absolute deplorable basketball. He is shooting less than 40%, is not contributing, is a horrible rebounder, a horrible defender, breaks up picks all the time, and is playing horribly so far. Surprisingly enough, this is his worst season. He said many relatives of his died and I do feel sorry for him, but when you are playing this badly, maybe you need to sit out. I think Tim Thomas will play well off the bench like what he did with Milwaukee. Maybe that will get the best out of him. Anyway, he has not been playing well at all for us.
Overall Grade: D+
Kurt Thomas-Captain
Position: Power Forward
Height: 6?9
Weight: 235 lbs.
College: TCU
[imgl] http://www.nba.com/media/act_kurt_thomas.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 36.5
PPG: 11.8
RPG: 9.7
APG: 2.0
FG%: 47.6
FGapg: 11.4
FGmpg: 6.6
BPG: 1.0
FT%: 81.6
SPG: 1.10
PF: 3.7
TO: 1.17
I think Kurt Thomas has been our best Knick so far. He is by far the most consistent Knick who has played. Anytime Kurt is in the game, you know what you are going to get. Kurt Thomas plays great post defense, he has a nice midrange jumpshot, and a great rebounder. I was so surprised when his rebounding prowess was being questioned! Only a real stupid clown would even question his abilities. A true moron. Without Kurt Thomas? toughness and experience, I am sure our record would have been far worse than it is now. He makes you pay for doubling Stephon. Kurt and Steph?s little pick and roll game has been a focal point in our offense. His jumper spreads the floor and it makes players like Nazr Mohammed, Crawford, and Marbury better giving them more space. His picks that he sets and all that other stuff can not be forgotten as well! Kurt Thomas? does have a nice jumpshot to his offensive game but, he still can not really create his own shot. He relies a lot on Marbury, or Crawford setting him up. Sometimes he posts up and has a little fade away jumper that goes in but, it is not really that reliable. We have seen this improve but not to our standards. Kurt Thomas is a bit foul prone. With his amazing contributions on the court the Knicks can ill afford him to have to sit on the bench because of his foul trouble. He has improved his attitude and now because of it the Knicks are doing well. He acted like a captain especially yesterday when he could have gotten a technical foul for atguing with the official but he decided to maintain his cool and because of it, the Knicks were able to score at the other end. He has been great for us this season.
Overall Grade: A-
Nazr Mohammed
Position: Center
Height: 6?10
Weight: 250 lbs.
College: Kentucky
[imgl] http://www.nba.com/media/act_nazr_mohammed.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 29.9
PPG: 12.0
RPG: 8.9
APG: 0.5
FG%: 51.7
FGapg: 9.1
FGmpg: 4.7
BPG: 1.05
FT%: 73.2
SPG: 1.19
PF: 3.4
TO: 1.11
If I told you guys last season that Nazr Mohammed would be given All-Star consideration I think I would have heard a variety of responses such as, are you crazy, what are you smoking, and ha ha ha ha. Well who?s laughing now? The only person who kept the faith was our very own Bobby Escobar. Nazr Mohammed has been an incredible surprise for us and is in contention for most improved player. Do you guys remember where Nazr came from. Picking up two fouls in 1 second, or called for steps so frequently, or missing simple baskets. I think the word scrub comes to mind. Well now he is averaging around 12 points and 9 rebounds and a solid block per game. Nazr Mohammed has been playing very well for us has been rebounding, cleaning up the boards, and has been really producing. I am very happy to see his improvements. Although he has turned the corner, he is still inconsistent. There will be a couple of games where he might have 20 points and 15 rebounds and other games where he wil1 have 6 points and 3 rebounds along with 5 fouls. Mohammed still does make some silly mistakes. Like some of those traveling violations and those really silly very avoidable fouls. Before Mohammed can reach the next level and be considered better than he is, he will have to fix this problem. With the Knicks going on a tough road trip, we can ill afford Mohammed to have one of his off nights. We need Mohammed 24/7. Mohammed overall has been playing exceptionally well. He wins the Knicks most improved player by a landslide.
Overall Grade: B-
Starting Lineup
You guys have seen what I feel about our starters. Overall I think we have a decent starting lineup. It is far from flawless however, it is very capable. Their offense is very good and is full of capable scorers. Their defense however, (especially the perimeter defense) is not good at all. A majority of our perimeter defense gives up a lot of points. I wouldn?t even say the frontcourt is bad at defense. We guard the power forward position the best, and Nazr Mohammed is a solid defender. Marbury, Crawford and Tim Thomas do not defend very well at all. The Knicks need to fix this before their lineup becomes very successful.
Overall Grade: B-
Alright, now it?s time to go into our bench. I will very briefly describe our bench and give them their grades just like what I did above. Let?s start with a man that should have been our 6th man or maybe even starting however, due to injuries he has only made a brief appearance for us. You guys are familiar with:
Allan Houston-Captain
Position: Shooting Guard
Height: 6?6
Weight: 205 lbs.
College: Tennessee
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/act_allan_houston.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 26.6
PPG: 11.9
RPG: 1.2
APG: 2.1
FG%: 41.5
FGapg: 10.25
FGmpg: 6.8
3P%: 38.8
3apg: 4.0
3mpg: 1.55
FT%: 86.3
SPG: 0.40
PF: 2.5
TO: 2.1
Allan Houston was arguably the best shooter in the game a couple of years ago. At least I thought so. The thing that distinguished Houston from other great shooters such as Ray Allen or Peja Stojackovic is because he didn?t have the same tools. Ray Allen had pretty good handle and was very athletic while Peja was tall and can easily shoot over his opponents. Another thing about them is that they all had pretty good point guards who could set them up for easy shots. Houston didn?t always have that. Allan Houston didn?t have that great handle or that height or those point guards. Houston created his own shots while he was stationary. For many years, the Knicks lacked a great point guard. Sure they had Mark Jackson a couple of times but, mostly they had pretty mediocre point guards so obviously, Houston?s shots were not affected by that. If Houston could become the great shooter that he once was, the Knicks can easily make it to the conference finals. Many reports are coming in saying Allan Houston will never become his old self. Houston has shown us flahses of what us Knicks fans have appreciated for years, but it is not on a consistent basis. His lateral movement has greatly been effected since his return as well so he is another defensive liability on an already weak perimeter on defense. I for one am getting a bit concerned about Houston hopefully he can become the H2O of old. Anyway as much as it hurts me, for the season I am going to have to give him a not too nice grade.
Overall Grade: C
Michael Sweetney
Position: Power Forward
Height: 6?8
Weight: 275 lbs.
College: Georgetown
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/act_mike_sweetney.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 16.9
PPG: 7.8
RPG: 4.7
APG: 0.5
FG%: 51.9
FGapg: 4.9
FGmpg: 2.6
BPG: 0.59
FT%: 75.7
SPG: 0.38
PF: 2.3
TO: 1.32
Ah yes, Michael Sweetney the victim of everyone?s bashing. People just do not know how good this guy is unless you see him. I can not believe many people have no respect for this guy. Oh well, surprisingly enough these people were people who don?t even watch Knicks games. But what else is new? Michael Sweetney is a threat on the low post and must be doubled. Anytime he is down low, you can almost always predict a foul. Once he gets his foot in the paint it?s a wrap. Michael Sweetney also has great hands and has a great rebounding touch especially in traffic. He is 6?8 but uses his bulk very effectively. He is a man with tremendous work ethic and will only get better. The only concern that I have with Sweetney is that he is very foul prone. A lot of his fouls come from picks and some silly fouls. If Sweetney is to continue being effective, he can?t make silly plays like that. He needs to keep calm and not always be too overzealous. He is a great pick for the future and will become very good for this Knick organization. Hopefully he gets locked up along with Ariza and the Knicks will dominate in the near future.
Overall Grade: B-
Trevor Ariza
Position: Small Forward
Height: 6?8
Weight:200 lbs.
College: UCLA
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/knicks/ariza_140_041026.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 16.6
PPG: 5.4
RPG: 2.8
APG: 1.3
FG%: 40.7
FGapg: 5.1
FGmpg: 2.1
3P%: 0.0
3apg: 0.02
3mpg: 0.0
FT%:70.8
SPG: 0.88
PF: 1.8
TO: 0.93
Trevor Ariza is simply amazing. The guy is 19 years old, a freshman from UCLA, and is getting decent minutes in New York with perfectionists with high expectations. To tell you the truth, I thought Trevor Ariza would be on the injuried list but he is actually getting minutes. Trevor Ariza is an excellent defender and makes you pay for leaving him open. The Suns thought that he was just a little rookie and Ariza had to show them he was no joke. He showed them by getting 20 points, and 11 rebounds (8 offensive). He is also an underrated passer. He has great court vision especially for someone his age and his position. Ariza still doesn?t have a good jumper however, from where he started in UCLA, it is a major improvement. Our very own Knicks Analyst has tapes of his jumper in UCLA and can see the vast improvement from college to the pros. I think Ariza will develop into a solid all around player once he gets some weight and a little jumper, we will have no problems. Ariza came into the league like most rookies, without a jumpshot and without the weight. At times he is overzealous but that is to be expected. He will turn into a great player in this league.
Overall Grade: B-
Penny Hardaway
Position: Shooting Guard
Height: 6?7
Weight: 215 lbs.
College: Memphis
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/act_anfernee_hardaway.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 22.4
PPG: 6.2
RPG: 2.6
APG: 1.8
FG%: 38.1
FGapg: 6.6
FGmpg: 2.5
3P%: 38.8
3apg: 1.5
3mpg: 0.4
FT%: 68.4
SPG: 0.53
PF: 1.90
TO: 1.24
Penny Started off great for us and showed us what he is capable of doing in the season. He is an experienced veteran player and his versatility really helps the Knicks. He can score he can pass and he has the experience to be a good leader. Penny Hardaway has played very little this season for me to come up with a real accurate grade for him. I will judge on the little I have seen.
Overall Grade: C+
Jerome Williams
Position: Power Forward
Height: 6?9
Weight: 206 lbs.
College: Georgetown
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/act_jerome_williams.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 17.3
PPG: 5.1
RPG: 3.9
APG: 0.7
FG%: 52.1
FGapg: 3.4
FGmpg: 1.8
BPG: 0.17
FT%: 68.8
SPG: 0.79
PF: 2.4
TO: 0.98
From looking at the stats, Jerome Williams looks like a scrub however, Jerome Williams is one of the best players that we have. He always hustles, he is a great defender and if there were actual statistics for the many intangibles that he does, he would be on one of the All NBA teams. He also has a great attitude. He never looks to fight, retaliate or things of that nature. His hustling heroics is why the Knicks have not bombed out of the Atlantic division. He is versatile and can defend many positions for us. His offensive game isn?t really polished though. He has a decent little 15 footer however, he really isn?t an offensive threat at all. His overall game is pricless and there are few players that even exist that are like The Junk Yard Dog. Definitely a joy to have on the team.
Overall Grade: B-
Moochie Norris
Position: Point Guard
Height: 6?1
Weight: 185 lbs.
College: West Florida
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/act_moochie_norris.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 12.8
PPG: 2.7
RPG: 1.3
APG: 1.2
FG%: 34.1
FGapg: 3.0
FGmpg: 1.0
3P%: 0.0
3apg: 0.39
3mpg: 0.0
FT%: 76.1
SPG: 0.58
PF: 0 .88
TO: 1.40
Moochie Norris has been a good leader for the Knicks. He has been very vocal and has played good defense for them. He also has a decent jumpshot that was never exploited to it?s fullest. Again, yet another player that doesn?t get any time. He would have definitely been better
Overall Grade: C
Vin Baker
Position: Power Forward
Height: 6?11
Weight: 240 lbs.
College: Hartford
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/act_vin_baker.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 7.5
PPG: 1.4
RPG: 1.6
APG: 0.2
FG%: 33.0
FGapg: 1.7
FGmpg: 0.33
BPG: 0.22
FT%: 45.5
SPG: 0.11
PF: 1.1
TO: 0.50
Vin Baker has gotten pretty much no burn when Lenny Wilkens was around. I thought that was a huge mistake. Last year, Vin Baker was a valuable contributor for us. The very few minutes that he got with us he has been pretty decent. But again, his minutes are just ridiculous. He deserves much more. The grade that I?m giving him should probably be higher but, it is due to his lack of minutes.
Overall Grade: D+
Position: Center
Height: 7?2
Weight: 260 lbs.
College: Croatia
[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/act_bruno_sundov.jpg[/imgl]MPG: 3.8
PPG: 1.9
RPG: 0.9
APG: 0.1
FG%: 31.8
FGapg: 2.4
FGmpg: 0.33
BPG: 0.22
FT%: 1.00
SPG: 0.22
PF: 0.80
TO: 0.44
I have not seen too much of Bruno so I?m going to have to give him another bad grade. I heard other than Houston, he has the purest jumper. His defense could use some work though. He should get more time though. Wow, I don?t even know if he is even gradable because he can?t get a good score. Too bad.
Overall Grade: D
The Knicks have been struggling so far this season and have not met expectations so far this season. This is mostly due to injuries and the coaching of Lenny Wilkens however, it is partly on the players. They have not been playing up to par and their record has struggled because of it. The Knicks just recently ended a stint in which they lost 10 of their last 11. Last night vs Cleveland they ended it. They look back on track now though. Hopefully we will see some good results soon. We have everything to fight for this season.
The Knicks Overall Grade: C+