<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">NY Post - Coach Larry Brown announced it's time to sink or swim with their three first-round rookies, even if it means sacrificing wins. The biggest shocker? David Lee will become the new permanent starting small forward ? the vacuum position on the roster. For the second time in three weeks, Brown said he's ready to pare his rotation to nine men and establish a set starting lineup that will include two rookies ? Nate Robinson at shooting guard and David Lee at small forward. If the Knicks are going to lose, they might as well lose with the young guys. The Knicks, who face the Suns and old friend Kurt Thomas tonight, are tied for the NBA's worst record at 7-21 with Atlanta. The tragedy is their potential No. 1 pick was dealt to the Bulls in the Eddy Curry trade. "I've talked to Isiah [Thomas] about this for weeks," Brown said. "We're 7-21. We might as well play some of the younger kids, get down to a shorter rotation and give those kids some experience. How our season is going, the most important thing is to play them." Brown has used a ridiculous 19 different starting lineups in 28 games and usually plays all 12 players. "I never done that my whole life," Brown said. "I'm trying to figure out who to play. I've always been comfortable with eight or nine and that's eventually what we're going to have to do." The Knicks' newly acquired busts, center Jerome James and shooting guard Quentin Richardson (who will miss tonight's game with a sore back against his old club), likely will be out of the rotation, as will Malik Rose. Brown said Jackie Butler, 20, could be the new backup center over James. "He's going to have to play better and show me that in practice," Brown said of James. Brown will keep bringing rookie Channing Frye off the bench and leave Antonio Davis as the starting power-forward because Frye still struggles defensively. "I never expected Nate and [Lee] and Channing in our top 7-8 guys, and that's how it's going to be," Brown said. Lee's emergence was long overdue. Brown blew it by deactivating him seven straight games last month. The goal is to convert him into a small forward since Frye is the club's power forward of the future. "David's got to learn to play the 3," Brown said. "It's not going to be easy for him. I like his energy. He got 12 rebounds [in Orlando]. We got to get him to improve offensively."</div> http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives..._starting_five/
What a season (on and off the court) it's been for Quentin. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> "David's got to learn to play the 3," Brown said. "It's not going to be easy for him. I like his energy. He got 12 rebounds [in Orlando]. We got to get him to improve offensively." </div> I don't get this. You have a guy that already can play the 3 in Ariza, and you elect to put a rookie PF there, who according to the coach, still needs to learn to play the posistion. He also says needs to improve offensively, so why is he starting? Is it because of his defense? Well Ariza can guard the 3 better than he can, thats for sure. Is he starting for his energy? Well energy players are better off coming off the bench.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting P.A.P.:</div><div class="quote_post">I don't get this. You have a guy that already can play the 3 in Ariza, and you elect to put a rookie PF there, who according to the coach, still needs to learn to play the posistion. He also says needs to improve offensively, so why is he starting? Is it because of his defense? Well Ariza can guard the 3 better than he can, thats for sure. Is he starting for his energy? Well energy players are better off coming off the bench.</div> I get confused with what Brown does sometimes too, but I like this move. Ariza is a very good defender, but I think Brown wants him on the floor to give the Knicks some early energy. There have been many times where the Knicks start out sluggish and when they finally play the bench, it's too late. Ariza is a offensive liability too. He can't shoot and he can't dribble. He's only good for offensive rebounding, really. Lee can pass better and rebound better. We've also been playing better with him on the floor and Ariza's been struggling as of late, so the move makes sense to me.
It's about damn time! Lee should have been named starter a month ago. He needs to develop in a couple of areas, but Brown's been saying all along the talent pool in New York is shallow and this was going to be an uphill battle. Lee provides toughness and energy that Ariza simply does not have, and the things Ariza does better, Lee should be given the chance to grow. He showed promise in Florida, give him a chance to fulfill it on a failed NYK squad. j
