While we will try to get to the Jazz-Warriors notes later (as well as the Bulls-Pistons), want to take a second here to remember who we are. That's right, Knicks fans, or losers for short. We look at the Warriors recent success, and it hits us why we like them so much (and everyone else, too) - because they could be anyone. But especially the Knicks.
It was funny to read Simmons on Friday talking about how the Warriors are winning because they took chances. He's pretty representative of the sports press in this way. This is the same guy that has knocked Warriors GM Chris Mullin various times over the years for those same moves that have now made the Warriors the talk of the NBA scene. Remember this quote from his "No Balls Association" post?:
"The Warriors already made their big move -- trading their problems (Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy) to the Pacers for Indiana's problems (Jackson and Al Harrington), which was a little like Britney Spears trading her drug/alcohol problem to the Olsen Twins for their eating disorder. Although I'm in disbelief that they were so desperate to move Jason Richardson, one of the legitimately good 2-guards and someone who averaged 23 points last season. If Chris Mullin didn't pick Monta Ellis two drafts ago, he'd be in the running for "Worst GM In The League Not Named Kevin McHale."
Now must sceptics agree that the Warriors killed the Pacers on that deal.
But let's get to the larger point: how this relates to the Knicks. The Knicks team has a similar roster to the Warriors. One of the most common complaints about the Knicks is that their team is all combo guards. Marbury, Francis, Crawford, Balkman, Richardson, Robinson - those are all SG/SF (you can also add in Jeffries and Lee, too, though both play a bit of PF). Baron Davis, the hero of the Warriors, was considered as lowly regarded as Stephon Marbury by the press as recently as three weeks ago. The joke was trade Baron Davis to the Knicks, so Isiah can have all the PG/SG in the league. Crawford is actually a better shooter than Stephen Jackson, though S-Jax's defense has been great so far in the playoffs. But both are similar in that they overplay the passing lanes in an attempt to get steals. (Quentin) Richardson is not as athletic as (Jason) Richardson, but Q-Rich can do a lot of those J-Rich things - hit the big three, grab boards, play better defense. J-Rich is a far superior driver, though.
And let's not forget that it was the Knicks who talked about going small ball on the league at the begining of the season, with Isiah talking about using a 4 guard lineup. That is in fact what propelled the Warriors, but it is also what Knicks fans, the ones who actually watched the games, saw propelling the Knicks when they were playing their best. At the best points this season, the Knicks team could beat anyone (like the Warriors) by running. Even when they fell behind by like 18 points in the 1st quarter, you had to watch because you knew at some point they would go on a run and get back into the game. It's like they were playing the Warriors style of play, but only when necessary.
This is why alot of Knicks fans, such as Seth from Posting and Toasting, are opposed to big trades this offseason. They (and myself, too) don't want to see the Knicks mess up a fun young team that can run and gun and be competitive, too, when healthy. It's not that we think we can win a championship with this team as is it composed; it's that we see that it can win 41 games, make the playoffs, and make some noise when they get there. And more importantly, be fun to watch, too. The Warriors done stole our flow, yo. It's too bad we don't have Nellie coaching our team....
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The last time I checked the Warriors didn't have a 500 pound center who plays no D and couldn't grab a rebound to save his life as their centerpiece.
Well, the Knicks don't have anything like that, either. But thanx for chiming in, Brian!
My bad, I was wondering how long it would take Knicks fans to reach the, "The Curry trade never happened, the Curry trade never happened, the Curry trade never happened..." state of denial.
Imagine what a running and gunning team the Knicks would have if they had Tyrus Thomas and possibly Kevin Durant instead of Eddy.
Curry gets a bad rap but whatever. He's still kinda a peice of shit.
I like what you wrote though, the Knicks have to try something. Beirdins and D Lee are pretty similar. I kinda disagree with your Richardsons comparison because Jrich is "good" and Q Rich (a local Chicago guy) really isn't anymore.
What am I denying, exactly? That Eddy Curry is 500 lbs, plays no D, and grabs no boards?
Yeah. I'm denying that.
That Curry would've struggled last year in a run-n-gun system? No, never denied that (did you read my comment?).
That Curry will never improve, could never thrive in such a system in the future, or that Ty Thomas and Kevid Durant are better today?
Yep. I'm denying that, for now. Unless you've got some kind of crystal ball that fortells the future, seems you've got to deny it, too.
So you don't like Eddy Curry. That's clear.
I do.
I'm a Knicks fan who's willing to take the good with the bad, meanwhile hoping my team can improve. If you can't deal with that, then just move away slowly, my man. Non-Knicks fans shouldn't be concerned about what we're doing over here, anyway.
Besides, aren't you one of those insufferable Bulls fans? Hasn't your team gone through a recent metamorphosis from laughing-stock bad, to passable, to almost good now? So let us Knicks fans dream if we want to, after all, you Bulls fans been dreaming since '98, and your dreams are just now beginning to come true.
But wait. Isn't Detroit beating your ass right now? So don't you have other things to worry about?
Go 'way.
Nope, not a Bulls fan.
And the denial comes when you think the Knicks are going to be an up-tempo team when the key to their offense is a guy who can only waddle up and down the floor a couple of times a quarter. Yet Knicks fans still seem to think they're going to improve with him as their foundation.
Anyway, I'm sure you'll have injuries to blame for your 33 win season next year, so no worries. Curry rocks. Isiah's a genius. Blame Larry Brown.
Brian,
I gotta hand it to you. It's gotta take hard work to be the consistent, pompous jackass that you have proven to be. I'd love to be there sometime to see the hate spread tightly across your face everyday, so cool and refreshing, I'm sure.
That's twice now you've reached for hyperbole, when mere overstatement would suffice to prove your points, whatever they are.
And that's twice now you've gone riffing on your own peccadillos without even acknowledging the fact that I have answered your "concerns" about my state of "denial," or Mr Curry's level of fitness - I had answered them, actually, before you'd launched your very first salvo. You can read, can't you, Brian?
Still, the question which goes unanswered is this: what are you doing here? It takes a lonely, desperate, tiresome, hackneyed Rube to come rain on another man's blog site, as you seem so fond of doing.
Now a little debate and discussion is always good for the soul, but what is the point of only coming around to pick a fight?
Listen, I'm a Knicks fan, no matter their win total, no matter who's waddling down the court, no matter who rocks, who's the genius, and/or who's to blame. Whatever problems there are with the forgoing sentiments are yours to discover, and yours alone. So, again, what point is served by you coming around here?
Be gone, I say. Shoo, fly, shoo! You're an annoyance, to be sure, but your constant drivel has grown banal and stale.
"Hi, I'm Brian, and I don't like the Knicks. Eddy Curry is fat. Isiah Thomas is dumb. And so on. Rinse and repeat as needed."
Thanks, Brian, have you anything else to say?
No?
Bye bye, then.
One more thing, Brian:
I just had the unmitigated pleasure of visiting your very own blog site, and no, you're not a Bulls fan at all (sorry, I misidentified you). But rather - wait, drum roll, please...
You're a SIXERS fan?
Got-damn, home boy, that's knee-slappin, laugh out loud funny!
You got the nerve, the audacity, the unexcusable gall to come talk shid to Knicks fans? When you follow the Sixers? Actually, my comments about you re the Bulls still stand, ie, get your own house in order before you go tattling on your neighbors'.
Your team is trash. Your coach is trash. Your GM is trash. Your "team consultant" is some old trash we had discarded once before, but you already know that because HE had discarded YOU once before, as well. But you all were desperate and stupid enough to bring that old trash back into the fold. And your center, though admittedly not fat, is trash nevertheless.
Oh my damn, I can't believe I ever wasted my valuable time responding to your attacks. Rest assured, I never will again.
You, Sixers fan, are completely unworthy.
Poet, I'm glad you took the time to look up hyperbole before your most recent comments, since you obviously couldn't recognize it earlier.
For the record, my original comment wasn't directed at your comment, but at the title of the post on which I was commenting. Your comment hadn't even been posted when I wrote mine.
Last time I checked, it's a free country and I can comment on any blog I want, for whatever reason I want. Though I do appreciate your concern.
As for the Sixers, it's funny that all that "trash" finished ahead of your beloved Knicks, huh?
Add Ron Artest to the Knicks and I can definitely see this happening. Still not sold on Crawford, Curry, Jeffries, Richardson, or Robinson. Or Isiah. Give me the rest with a new coach and Ron Artest and I think we can make some noise.
SML,
I like everything about this post, except the last line...
As you know, Don Nelson already rode our team straight to hell late during the last century. That was a long time ago with a totally different Knicks team, but still... Don Nelson only has the body of an elephant, whereas I've only got the memory of one. I can't forget it, bro!
Now we all know that Pat Ewing was the greatest jump shooting center of all time, but Don Nelson wanted Pat Ewing to be Dirk friggin Nowitzki before Dirk Nowitzki had been properly invented! Those were some bad times (much like now), and I can't forget...
But I'm right there with you on all the rest. We have "discussed" before about how Nash, Marion, and Amare, or Dizzle, Jacko, and J-Rich, are not the ultra rare, once-in-a-generation type players that the media loves to love, but rather how most every team in the L already has the type of players who would thrive while playing small ball or run-n-gun.
The Knicks are indeed such a team. I can even remember during the summer before the season, when it was finally announced that Brown was gone and that Thomas would coach the team, Zeke had mentioned more than once his desire to add tempo. But he had to back off quickly because players were injured (Jeffries, Marbury, Francis, Balkman), undisciplined (Crawford, Robinson), and/or poorly conditioned (you know who!).
Nuff said.