<font color="green">Seattle Supersonics (14-18)</font> at <font color="darkorange">New York Knicks (9-21)</font> Madison Square Garden, New York Sunday, Jan. 8th 1:00pm, MSG, FSN-SEA, NBALP <div align="center">vs.</div> <font size="2">The Knicks continue in their winning ways with a commanding 21-point home blowout against Gilbert Arenas and the Washington Wizards. The Knicks struggled on defense early, but picked it up in the second half holding Gilbert Arenas to just 4 points. With the roster getting healthier to go along with a tighter rotation, can the Knicks take advantage of a struggling Sonics team who just recently fired their head coach?</font> [div=50%] <font size="3"><div align="center"><font color="green">Seattle Supersonics </font></div></font> Projected Starters <div align="center"> </div> Backcourt [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/luke_ridnour.jpg[/imgl]<font color="green">PG ? Luke Ridnour</font> 9.7ppg, 6.0apg, 37.1%fg The third year player out of Oregon has been struggling 30 games into the season. He is averaging 10 points and 6 assists, but his field goal percentage (37.1%) and three-point percentage (25.4%) is very lacking. It will be up to Marbury and the rest of the Knicks? backcourt to keep Luke in check and try to make him less of a factor. Ray and Rashard will pose enough problems; the Knicks don?t need anymore. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/ray_allen.jpg[/imgl]<font color="green">SG ?Ray Allen</font> 24.5ppg, 4.3rpg, 3.7apg Perhaps the NBA?s purest shooter, Ray is in for another couple of seasons with the Sonics after signing an 80 million dollar contract this past offseason. He?s shooting 37.4% from downtown and 89.5% from the charity stripe, but only 42.8% from the field. Either Ray is struggling from the midrange area, or he?s taking too many bad shots. The Knicks have to capitalize on this. FrontCourt [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/rashard_lewis.jpg[/imgl]<font color="green">SF ? Rashard Lewis</font> 21.3ppg, 5.8rpg, 2.5apg Shard is another rumored small forward coming to the Knicks. I doubt there?s any substance to the rumor, just something made up by the BSPN crew. Anyway, Rashard Lewis is a 6?10?, dead-eye shooter and a regular match-up problem for the opposition. He?s simply fantastic on offense, but on defense he?s awful. For his size and athleticism, he?s also a subpar rebounder. Kind of like a black version of Peja or better yet, a filthy rich man?s Tim Thomas. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/johan_petro.jpg[/imgl]<font color="green">C ? Johan Petro</font> 2.4ppg, 3.0rpg, 0.4bpg Petro, a 19-year-old, French big man, comes in starting eleven games for the Sonics. He?s a very athletic seven-footer, but just like most bigs his age, he is extremely raw. In addition, his inexperience leads him to plenty of fouling. I think Collison, Evans, and Fortson will be better suited for center this game. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/vladimir_radmanovic.jpg[/imgl]<font color="green">PF ? Vladimir Radmanovic </font> 8.7ppg, 3.4rpg, 40.9%fg I think we all know what to expect from Vlad. He?s a typical European big ? great size, good shooting touch, not a good rebounder, and not a good defender. Radmanovic is shooting a shade under 40% from downtown, so he is dangerous from out there. He will also draw shotblockers out of the paint with his range. <u>Keys To Game</u> <font color="green">Defense in General:</font> The Sonics allow 104.7 points, a 49.2 field goal percentage, and 23.15 assists per game. Those are all league highs, so going up against a hot Knick team, the Sonics? defense must be improved. <font color="green">Rebounding</font> The Sonics are 24th in the league in rebounds per game and the Knicks are 3rd. The Knicks also allow the 3rd fewest rebounds to the opposing team. It is a must for the Sonics not let the Knicks thrive off of second chance opportunities. [/div] <font size="3"><div align="center"><font color="darkorange">New York Knicks</font></div></font> Projected Starters <div align="center"> </div> Backcourt [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/nate_robinson.jpg[/imgl]<font color="DarkOrange">PG ? Nate Robinson</font> 8.7ppg, 2.9rpg, 1.7apg Robinson had a good game starting on Friday chipping in 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. His biggest nemesis has been turnovers though. Last game he had seven of them. Ridnour ranks eighth in the NBA in steals per turnover. Considering Robinson ranks nineteenth in the league in turnovers per 48 minutes, it is imperative Robinson plays controlled. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/stephon_marbury.jpg[/imgl]<font color="darkorange">SG ? Stephon Marbury</font> 18.3ppg, 6.6apg, 3.4rpg Since the beginning of the year, unlike last, you could make a stronger argument Marbury is the best point guard in the league. He?s playing a pass-first team-oriented game averaging 10.5 assists the past two games. Going up against Ray Allen who is the best defender around, Marbury could take advantage of his scoring skills more. Frontcourt [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/david_lee.jpg[/imgl]<font color="darkorange">SF ? David Lee</font> 4.4ppg, 4.8rpg, 0.7apg Another good game was in store for David Lee Friday night. He had only 6 points, but 8 rebounds in only 24 minutes. He needs to cut down on turnovers and personal fouls in order to remain in the game. I would also like to see him being less passive and take what is his. Once he gets that under control, I think we will be looking at a solid player for years to come. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/eddy_curry.jpg[/imgl]<font color="darkorange">C ? Eddy Curry </font> 13.8ppg, 6.7rpg, 1.0bpg Curry has to be salivating over this match-up. Going up against a young, foul-prone rookie should make this a good game for Curry if he fully asserts himself. Curry?s been losing weight and getting into game shape and that?s been helping out his game. He?s also healthier and it?s been very apparent in his game. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/antonio_davis.jpg[/imgl]<font color="darkorange">PF ? Antonio Davis</font> 4.8ppg, 4.7rpg, 0.32bpg I?m not liking this match-up for Davis ?a traditional post defensive player. Davis doesn?t have the quickness to rotate on the perimeter guarding Radmanovic. I?d much prefer Malik Rose or David Lee playing power forward guarding Radmanovic. I guess we?ll just have to wait until he picks up two early fouls. Hopefully they won?t be two four-point plays. <u>Keys To The Game</u> <font color="darkorange">Perimeter Defense:</font> With Allen, Lewis, and Radmanovic behind the arc, the Knicks? perimeter defense has to be at its best. There must be communication and quick rotations on the defensive end. With the Sonics burying treys, the Knicks can quickly get into a hole and as we know ?Playing catch-up is frustrating and debilitating.? <font color="darkorange">Protect This House!:</font> The vibe is slowly getting back to normal in the Garden. With the home crowd playing as the sixth man on the court distracting the opposing team, the Knicks must thrive off the energy and make sure the Sonics know they?re visitors. Prediction: Post them below.
Knicks take this one for 3 in a row. Will check back during halftime of the G-Men game to see if my predictions come true! Go Giants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ugh...just the names Allan, Vladmir, Lewis, Ridnour...just depresses me on what they're going to do against our perimeter defense
<font size=""7"">Halftime</font> Knicks: 61 Supersonics: 63 <u>Knicks Stats:</u> Leading Scorer: Channing Frye 15 Points Leading Rebounder: Channing Frye 4 Rebounds Leading Disher: Stephon Marbury 8 Assists <u>Supersonics Stats:</u> Leading Scorer: Ray Allen 22 Points Leading Rebounder: The '03 Draftees: Luke Ridnour and Nick Collison and 3 Rebounds Leading Disher: Luke Ridnour 8 Assists <u><font color=""Red"">Hot @ Half Player:</font></u> Channing Frye [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/channing_frye.jpg[/imgl] Frye has once again given the Knicks a huge lift off the bench. In 16 minutes, he scored 15 points and got to the line 7 times including the And1 dunk. If he continues to take care of Seattle's weak frontcourt, he might be able to tie his career high ... again. Final Word: Well, the defense has to improve, but we did do a better job in the second half. Ray, however, has been going off on us. Containing him without doubling will be a must.
<font size="7">Final</font> Knicks: 120 Supersonics: 116 <u>Knicks Stats:</u> Leading Scorer: Stephon Marbury
Beautiful!!!! After watching the G-Men just SUCK on the field it's nice to find out the Knicks remain undefeated in 2K6. Way to go Blue! I know LB likes having Frye come off the bench especially w/ Crawford out but this guy is consistently puttin up the numbers...Can we find a starting role for him please?!!!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Ewings2ndcousin:</div><div class="quote_post">Beautiful!!!! After watching the G-Men just SUCK on the field it's nice to find out the Knicks remain undefeated in 2K6. Way to go Blue! I know LB likes having Frye come off the bench especially w/ Crawford out but this guy is consistently puttin up the numbers...Can we find a starting role for him please?!!!</div> Larry Brown knows what he's doing without a doubt, but Channing has been doing his thing when he's been coming off of the bench, and putting that kind of pressure of starting on Frye when he's completely fire off of the bench is very understandable. I believe that if anyone deserves to be our consistent PF at this point it should be Mo Taylor. He's a crusty old veteran (as the legendary mouth of the mets Tom Seaver would say) who is putting in time and deserves the reward. He's definitely shaking the lazy, one-way player image that the league had known him for, and he has bought in to the Larry Brown system which has caused him to become a hustle player who leads by example. We are persisting to become one of the bright, young teams in the league....If anyone disagrees with that I'll argue all day long. Larry Brown has done what he was brought in for, and that's change the entire complexion of high paid role players and poor contracts to a youthful, exuberant team that comes to play every night.
I agree. The Knicks have a great young core. Those rookies ... Channing Frye, Nate Robinson, and David Lee are going to be very serviceable to the team for years to come. We also have Trevor Ariza and Jackie Butler. It is for this reason and this reason only why I don't think Isiah has done a completely terrible job with the team. He's made mistakes, but remember when our youngest guy was Lavor Postell? Our roster was full of cats like Eisley, Weatherspoon, Anderson, and a whole bunch of other guys 30+ years old. I'm happy we're getting younger and our rookies are thrown into the fire early. This will accellerate their growth process.
channing frye = 6th man of the year, right now he's good coming off the bench, and i loved that jam on radmanovic, made the dunk plus a foul!! and nate robinson = future star i see a whole lotta potential in him, he's only 5 9 and guess what he love to attack the basket!!! thats whats good about him he's very aggressive, and hes fearless.. unlike damon stoudamire or any other short players, they love to shoot they hardly drives to the basket
