Live Game Blog: Knicks vs. Nuggets

Be sure to join us for the showdown between the Knicks and the Nuggets which tips at 1 PM EST.  To join us at the live blog Click Here

Coming Up: Knicks vs. Nuggets

Get ready for the Sunday afternoon showdown between the Knicks and the Nuggets at 1 PM EST.  

Pre-Game Notes:

• Denver Nuggets: 19-11 (4th in West), 97.1 possessions per game (6th), 105.2 points per 100 possessions (11th), 101 points allowed per 100 possessions (5th).
• New York Knicks: 11-17 (12th in East), 100.7 possessions per game (1st), 103 points per 100 possessions (17th), 107.4 points allowed per 100 possessions (25th).
• Carmelo Anthony expects to return to the lineup on Sunday after missing the last 3 games.  Anthony has averaged 27.4 points in 10 career games against the Knicks.
• Chauncey Billups has made a real impact with the Nuggets.  Their starting unit of Billups, Smith, Anthony, Martin, and Nene has a Net +/- per 48 minutes of +23, which ranks 6th among NBA starting units.
• The Knicks struggle with defending good shooting teams.  They are 0-9 when facing teams that rank in the top 10 of eFG%.  The Nuggets are currently ranked 8th in that department.  Uh oh.  

Walsh Hires Two Execs

John Gabriel and Misho Ostarcevic have been hired by team president Donnie Walsh.  It has been reported by the New York Times:

“John Gabriel, a former N.B.A. executive of the year with the Orlando Magic, has joined the Knicks’ revamped front office and will assume a major role in rebuilding the roster after seven straight losing seasons.

“Donnie Walsh, the team president, appointed Gabriel as the director of pro scouting and free agency, a newly created position. Gabriel’s primary duty will be evaluating current N.B.A. players, with an eye toward future trades and free-agent signings.

“Gabriel is well versed in the art of rebuilding. He was the Magic’s general manager from 1996 to 2004, a period in which the franchise lost Shaquille O’Neal to free agency and traded Penny Hardaway, but restocked by obtaining Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady.

“Also joining the Knicks’ front office is Misho Ostarcevic, who will be the director of player personnel. Ostarcevic was Walsh’s international scout with the Pacers.”

I wonder if these guys are Eddy Curry guys or Zach Randolph guys.  We’ll see what kind of roles these new execs play as Walsh attempts to get under the cap for the big off-season summer of 2010.

How Good Is the Redeem Team?

The 2008 United States men’s Olympic basketball team, labeled as the Redeem Team, has had a great start to the Olympic competition.  In pool play they easily handled two pretty good international teams in Spain and Greece, and they also stomped over inferior opponents in China, Angola, and Germany.  Even though the US has technically not won anything yet, as the medal round does not start until Wednesday, many people are already discussing the greatness and legacy of the Redeem Team.  I can understand why this is happening.  The US has been able to stress the importance of teamwork along with incorporating a roster of some of the most talented players in the world.  They have been able to form a very cohesive unit to complement their superior athletic skills.  Plus it helps when you have three wing players that are as big and as talented as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Carmelo Anthony.

Recently the comparisons to the original Dream Team of 1992 have already begun.  Commissioner David Stern has even given his opinion on the matter.  Mike Freeman of CBS Sportsline has gone as far as to say that the Redeem Team would prevail in this fantasy hoops matchup.  Here’s a look back at the players that the Redeem Team would be up against:

PG: Magic Johnson
SG: Michael Jordan
SF: Larry Bird
PF: Charles Barkley
C: Patrick Ewing
Bench: Clyde Drexler, Karl Malone, Chris Mullin, John Stockton, David Robinson, Scottie Pippen, Christian Laettner

Redeem Team:
PG: Jason Kidd/Chris Paul
SG: Kobe Bryant
SF: LeBron James
PF: Carmelo Anthony
C: Dwight Howard
Bench: Dwayne Wade, Deron Williams, Michael Redd, Tayshaun Prince, Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer

Surprisingly I think that the Redeem’s starting five matches up almost as well to that of the Dream Team.  The Dream’s starting five is better but it isn’t by that big of a margin.  There are three real areas that make the Dream Team the superior team:
1)       The frontline: the one weakness of the Redeem Team is their lack of depth down low.  They can’t matchup with the frontline of Ewing, Robinson, Barkley, and Malone.
2)       Bench: Wade might be the best bench player from either side.  However, the Dream Team’s bench had much greater depth.  Mullin and Laettner were the only members of the Dream Team not named to the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players of the first 50 years.
3)       Perimeter shooting: the Redeem Team is not a team that constantly lights it up from the outside.  They rely more on their superior athletic skills and taking it to the hole.

So after all is said and done, I think the Dream Team wins in a fairly competitive game 102-93.  But hey, that’s just me.  Tell me what you guys think.  Who ya got?

The Seesaw That is the Stephon Marbury Situation

It seems like the future status of Stephon Marbury with the New York Knicks for this season is changing rapidly.  Marbury has been criticized as not being the leader that the Knicks need and being somewhat of a cancer to the team.  Granted he was not the only reason the team won just 23 games last season.  But by the way things went in the offseason it appeared that the Knicks would just cut Marbury and his $19 million contract.  The reason this was thought to be the case was that the Knicks signed free agent guards Chris Duhon and Anthony Roberson.  This gave the Knicks 16 players on their roster, one over the maximum.

So Marbury is outta here.  That is what a lot of Knick fans seemed to be hoping.  But then new GM Donnie Walsh traded Renaldo Balkman to Denver in a salary dump and the roster was back down to 15.  So maybe they refuse to eat Marbury’s absurd salary and stick it out with him.

However, there was still skepticism at this point.  Maybe Walsh reinforced the backcourt with Duhon and Roberson so he could afford to cut Steph loose.  But then recently at a seminar with season ticket holders, Walsh said that Marbury would be given a clean slate and see how he looks in training camp.  Translation: We refuse to eat this jerk’s monster salary and we’ll see if we can get anything out of him.

But it appears that the seesaw has swung back to the other side.  A report has surfaced from the Boston Globe saying:

“Point guard Chris Duhon was New York’s key offseason signee. Talented but troubled guard Stephon Marbury, however, has played his last day in a Knicks uniform, according to an NBA source.”

It has always been rumored that Mike D’Antoni did not get along well with Steph back in Phoenix.  Maybe since the Knicks appear to be rebuilding, they think they’ll be better off without Starbury.  But I think we all know the seesaw could swing a few more times in the next month or so.

And now we wait….