GAME NOTES: Knicks v. Bulls
How low can you go?
by Russ Bengtson
I took notes all game, but I’m not even going to look back at them as I type this. Why bother? The word of the day (and quite possibly the season) is APATHY, and if no one else cares, I’m not going to either.
Things are bumping along the bottom at the Worlds’s Most Shameless, and with every double-digit loss it becomes increasingly apparent that nothing is going to change anytime soon. It starts at the top, where the slumping Jim Dolan (for all you Douglas Adams fans, he’s the Hotblack Desiato of team owners) has done nothing to show that he cares at all about the few fans the team still has (today’s matinee was a sellout, but judging from the noise level, many of the 19,000 seats were filled with mannequins and scarecrows). Dolan doesn’t care what you think or say, and neither does Isiah Thomas, who shockingly still has a job as 2007 rolls over into 2008. His press conferences are increasingly absurd, as he comes up with new rationalizations on a daily basis. The beatwriters don’t care, as they just echo his ramblings (perhaps realizing that their readers can see through them as well as anyone). The team doesn’t care, decimated as it is by injury (both emotional and physical), nonsensical substitution patterns and a nearly complete dearth of actual plays (I’ve never seen a team commit more turnovers out of time outs and at the beginning of quarters). And even the fans don’t seem to care anymore—the “fire Isiah” chants have decreased, not because of any success, but more because of the realization that the powers-that-be could care less what the paying customers think.
Today’s opponent, the Chicago Bulls, provided quite the contrast. GM John Paxson DID fire his coach, Scott Skiles, and replaced him with assistant Jim Boylan. And Boylan stepped right in with an immediate lineup change, taking Ben Gordon out of the starting five in order to give the second unit more punch. And for the moment, it’s worked, as Gordon has averaged 27 ppg in his first two games since moving to the bench, and the Bulls have gone 2-0.
The Knicks, on the other hand, are in free-fall. Today’s starting lineup was almost entirely new—Zach Randolph, David Lee and Jared Jeffries up front, with Nate Robinson and Quentin Richardson in the backcourt. Robinson, who received DNP-CDs in blowout losses to the Suns and the Pacers, was starting for the first time. And it’s unclear how Jeffries, who has been at best ineffective in his time in New York, earned a starting spot at all. The first lineup shakeup, which saw Randolph sent to the bench and Eddy Curry starting alongside Lee, was a complete disaster. Randolph was upset about being sent to the bench, and Curry played less than 10 minutes total after getting into immediate foul trouble and being sent to the bench two minutes in.
Today’s game started better, at least. The Knicks missed plenty of easy shots inside, but cleaned up on the offensive glass, and despite shooting under 35 percent trailed by less than 10 at the half. It was all downhill from there.
The Knicks’s problems remain the same. Teamwork is a dirty word, as offensive players dominate the ball. No one moves without the ball. There are no set plays, no set rotation. Opposing players get clear looks at the basket (especially from the perimeter), and convert at a spectacular rate. Gordon dominated in the fourth quarter, and even Ben Wallace got into the swing of things, cleanly netting his first two free throws and sinking a pair of fallaways. Tyrus Thomas earned a DNP-CD, and Thabo Sefolosha was a garbage-time afterthought. Despite all that Isiah’s said, it’s obvious (to everyone but him, apparently) that the Knicks simply don’t have the talent to compete for 48 minutes. Or the drive, which in the end is the same thing. This afternoon, the highlights were few and far between (an Eddy Curry dunk here, a Nate Robinson drive there). At least Renaldo Balkman got to play.
I could offer suggestions, but why bother? It’s abundantly clear that no one’s listening.
27 Responses to “GAME NOTES: Knicks v. Bulls”
Dec.30 at 9:11 pm
matt the jazz fan says:
(1st?) Hey Russ - thanks for this. Another HHGTG reference for you: just keep things in perspective and you’ll be OK…
Dec.30 at 9:14 pm
Gumdrop says:
It sounds like someone needs a hug Russ.
Dec.30 at 9:15 pm
Gumdrop says:
*a hug, Russ.
Dec.30 at 9:17 pm
Captain America says:
I admire your tenacity, Russ, in covering the franchise formerly known as Knicks.
Dec.30 at 9:26 pm
Gumdrop says:
It’s becoming harder and harder to believe that this franchise can possibly get its head above water again in the next half decade. They are overwhelmed by douchbags with bad contracts, and the arrogance of Knickerbocker management is so far beyond anything I’ve seen before in sports. Do they consider themselves to be in a rebuilding phase? I just don’t get it.
Dec.30 at 9:38 pm
Gumdrop says:
On a lighter note, check out this video of Bosh for all-star: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv7IZP7u9FE
Dec.30 at 9:45 pm
Myles Brown says:
I’d never read game notes that made me want to cry. Until now. The Knicks should be sponsored by Prozac.
Dec.30 at 9:59 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
The best part is that everyone still thinks they should be starting. NEWSFLASH: You’re 8-21, fellas. Time to start accepting your roles, whatever they may be.
Dec.30 at 10:01 pm
Slamyomama says:
The Knicks are a very sorry ball club that cant or dont work together and are a bunch of assholes with the exception of some players(David Lee) they’re just a bunch of punk bitches
Dec.31 at 1:37 am
Russ Bengtson says:
The guys who seem to work hardest and want it the most are Lee, Nate Robinson, Jamal Crawford, Renaldo Balkman and Malik Rose. And it’s almost guaranteed that one of them (usually Rose or Balkman, if not both) get a DNP-CD every night. Also, I don’t remember the last time Wilson Chandler or Randolph Morris played. You’d think a team that was 13 games under .500 (after all of 29 games) with a bunch of blowout losses would start playing the youngsters a little to see what they had. NOPE.
Dec.31 at 1:46 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Incidentally, as of right now, the Nets are sitting in the East’s eighth playoff spot, and are on pace to win 38 games. In order to win 38 games themselves, the Knicks would have to go 30-23 the rest of the way. And that’s assuming the Nets don’t improve (and nor do the Cavaliers or Bulls, who are both out of the playoffs at the moment). Stranger things have happened, but not much stranger.
Dec.31 at 2:19 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Also, while the Heat have a worse record than the Knicks, the Knicks have the worst point differential (-8.2) in the East and the second worst in the League (Minnesota’s is -8.8).
Dec.31 at 2:26 am
Russ Bengtson says:
And they’re dead last in the League in opponent’s field goal percentage (48 percent) and assists per game (16.78).
Dec.31 at 2:33 am
Larry says:
A couple of other things (what else is there to add). I assume the bad sub patterns you refer to is the one where Lee starts and plays the entire first quarter and doesn’t play for the next 10 minutes and the Knicks are well behind when he comes back. And with them being on pace for 21 wins, you’d think Randolph Morris would start getting some looks. After all, he was the equal of having a first-round pick. (Isiah Thomas’s description of him)
Dec.31 at 5:20 am
Kirk says:
Damn. I’m never compelled to post on anything in the interweb. But yeah, Russ, you hit it on the spot. We deserve better, cot-dammit. =(
Dec.31 at 5:21 am
Kirk says:
Oh. And here’s a virtual hug from a (quietly) weeping Knick fan.
Dec.31 at 8:40 am
Harlem_World says:
And yet, the Knicks remain the most profitable franchise in the league. As long as that remains the case, don’t expect any kind of commitment to change any time soon.
Dec.31 at 9:16 am
TADOne says:
I saw some of the highlights to this game, and the Knicks defensive rotations are pitiful. Their lack of effort couldn’t be any more apparent. If I was Zeke I would bench every last one of their a@#es until they showed just a little intensity.
Dec.31 at 10:40 am
Jared says:
What’s left to say? Wilson chandler sucks, he’s balkman with less game and intensity. Randolph morris probably doesn’t even know how to play basketball he sees such little burn. Why would anyone even wanna see them turn it around with this team? They’ve done so bad and been so terrible in every way feasible that I wouldnt even wanna root for them if they did well. I just want 10 different faces, keep a few of the guys, but team titanic 2 is not a team I want to even acknowledge.
Dec.31 at 10:55 am
BETCATS says:
i can see gum drops falling all around….
Dec.31 at 11:29 am
underdog says:
One thing I don’t understand. Why Knicks fans (?) buy tickets to the games? Yeah and one more thing. Why Ty Thomas gets DNP? I think he proved before he can ball, plus he’s quite useful.
Dec.31 at 11:55 am
dez says:
the thing with the Knicks saying that its a sell-out can’t be taken as how many ppl actually show up for games bc of all the corporations that hold season tickets.
so while the tickets might be bought, that doesn’t mean they’re used.
its a good thing Dolan doesn’t take the subway, otherwise he’d be slapped with a brick
Dec.31 at 4:22 pm
Jeff of InsideHoops says:
First
Dec.31 at 7:25 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
The latest stories (based on today’s practice session) seem to imply that Isiah will be coaching the Knicks for the rest of eternity. Needless to say, I’ll be skipping Wednesday’s Kings game–and possibly a few beyond that. I’ve had it.
Dec.31 at 7:27 pm
Co Co says:
Russ I think you should boycott Knicks games in 2008!
Jan.1 at 2:52 am
Ben Osborne says:
Russ, you weren’t even supposed to write notes for this one!
Jan.1 at 4:48 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Couldn’t help myself. Consider it an obituary.