Game data: 1:00 pm EST Sat Nov 27, 2004 TV: RNET, MSG <font color="Indigo">Toronto </font>@ <font color="Blue">New York</font> Starting Line-ups <font color="Blue">New York</font>: PG: Stephon Marbury (Team Leader in APG and PPG) 2G: Jamal Crawford SF: Tim Thomas *sigh* PF: Kurt Thomas *Applause* C: Nazy Mohhamed <font color="Indigo">Toronto</font> PG: Rafer Alston ( Team Leader in APG) SG: Vince Carter SF: Jalen Rose PF: Chris Bosh C: Loren Woods <font size="4">Key Match-Ups:</font> To tell you the truth, every single match-up in this game is important. None stick out in particular. Keys to the Game (for the Knicks) 1,2,3,4...Oh yeah. The Knicks have to really step it up on defense in 4,5,6, different ways. (No particular order) 1.We have to keep Toronto from snagging offensive boards in the later parts of the game. Offensive rebounds and put-backs have damaged the Knicks in the past. 2.We have to keep Toronto from getting easy buckets in the early and late stages of the game. Palacio lit the Knicks on fire last time, we can't have that happen again. I have one question. WILL SOMEONE TAG VINCE? Geez, the Knicks seemed so intimidated by Carter last game that it made me sick. Let's get close to him and cause him to make some adjustments. PLEASE! 3.If possible, prevent Bosh from having a break-out game. Bosh has acted as a killer before, let's not let it happen in our domain. 4.Communication, communication, communication. A coach can never stress that word enough. The Knicks simply weren't running their mouths on defense in Toronto. Now how do you expect to keep yourselves from an onslaught of Carter-Rose-Bosh buckets and scores without calling switches, or giving each other help? You can't. Let's hear some talking tommorow, guys. 5. Give Ariza some minutes. The kid has the best perimeter defense on the team. I know that's not saying much. But Ariza really has what it takes to disturb some plays and force adjustments. We all experienced Toronto playing a smooth-tempo game and we saw some great plays from Toronto. If we had eliminated some of those, the tempo would've cracked. With a split tempo, you get oppurtunities to shut them down on defense and capitalize on offense. So Lenny, let's see some of Ariza, huh? How's about it? 6.<font size="6">Michael Sweetney.</font> That's music to all Knicks fans' ears. The boy is a real defensive playmaker when he's provided with enough minutes. And the kid can really get offensive rebounds, giving us second chances and milking the clock. Also, they are good for snapping a defensive rhythm set by the opposing team. Offensive success feeds off of defensive success. Period. ________________________ Team MVPs (This is a real toss-up): Knicks- Kurt Thomas Raptors- Chris Bosh _______________________ My prediction: I honestly think that if the Knicks do 4 of those 6 defensive adjustments very well, or do all of them to an extent that they will win this game. This game is decided by the coaches, especially Wilkens. If Lenny Wilkens reads this preview and implements my suggestions the Knicks will win 98-93. If the defensive adjustments aren't made I expect a loss - a bad one. Toronto: 104 New York 87 But, in all honesty, I think that the Knicks will come to win against Toronto. I really think that we'll play with heart. I think we'll win. Period. I hope you enjoyed the preview. <div align="center"> -AJD (Knicks Analyst)</div>
Good Preview Knicks Analyst. I honestly want the Knicks to return a 20 point defeat to the Raptors. I think the Knicks will play with more heart especially since they're at home, and Isiah will be watching and everything. Due to the heart that the Knicks will be playing I'm taking them by 10 100-90. I would've said 15 but, I'm going with 10 to be on the safe side.
Nice preview. We also have to keep playing the pick and roll. Kurt Thomas only had five shots last time. You already mentioned Ariza. And the Knicks have to feed Sweetney. He'll kill Bosh down there and possibly get him into foul trouble. This game wont be easy. I say the Knicks will not let themselves lose after that embarassing showing. Knicks will win it 94-89. By the way...can someone tell me why we dont play some sort of zone defense? That should stop teams from constantly breaking down our defense.
Sweetney is way bigger than Bosh. Bosh only has quickness over Sweetney. Bosh will have no chance on Sweetney downlow. A double is the only way Sweetney wont get his way.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting DerfZ:</div><div class="quote_post">sweetney will kill bosh in the post?LMAO.. ok...</div> WAKE UP CALL! Sweetney is perfectly capable of controlling Bosh in the post. It's a matter of whether he'll commit to it, and if Lenny will. I love Bosh, he's my 4th favorite player, but Sweetney is capable of killing Bosh in the post. I don't think Sweetney is there yet(Mentally). But DerfZ, you obviously don't know enough about Sweetney to 'scoff' or 'laugh' at that statement. (Bosh is the better player overall, though. IMO.
Yeah so feed the ball to Sweetney so he can work. I dont think anyone on the Raptors can play him one on one. Pick and roll them to death. Pull TT early and put in Ariza. Can someone tell me why dont the Knicks play a zone defense? I do believe the old Dallas Mavericks, who had also suffered from the same weak perimeter defense that we do, played alot of zone defense. Cant this work for us?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Tribute to H2O:</div><div class="quote_post"> Can someone tell me why dont the Knicks play a zone defense? </div> Easy. There are too many stupid players on the team. Plus, Wilkens wouldn't commit time to teach it to morons like TT. With TT out of the picture, we could've mastered the zone and other defenses a while back. Stupid ol' Tim Thomas.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Knicks Analyst:</div><div class="quote_post">Easy. There are too many stupid players on the team. Plus, Wilkens wouldn't commit time to teach it to morons like TT. With TT out of the picture, we could've mastered the zone and other defenses a while back. Stupid ol' Tim Thomas. </div> Oh. Thanks I guess. What if we took TT out of the rotation? You think we could learn to play the zone afterwards. Who are the other stupid players by the way? mrj18 I disagree. The zone defense will work wonders on our perimeter defense. Its becoming painfully obvious were simply lousy at the man to man defense. That is what the zone defense is designed for. Keep the opponent's perimeter players where they belong-on the perimeter.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Tribute to H2O:</div><div class="quote_post">What if we took TT out of the rotation? You think we could learn to play the zone afterwards.</div> I think without TT we'd have a good chance at locking the zone down as a defensive dimension. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Who are the other stupid players by the way? </div> Norris, Brewer, Baker (He's really lost it-never should've started drinking ), Mohhamed (not a genious, but not really stupid) ... That's about it. But that's too big of a number. Zone defense isn't successful unless everyone can really learn it.
The only person that can play Sweetney is either Jerome Moiso, or Pape Sow, but they won't be in the game, so no one that will get PT will be able to matchup against him.
zone defense might not be a good idea. Its usually best against teams that are strong inside. The raptors are decent outside shooting team. If you put a zone on you very well may get burned. Also the raps have several players capable of busting a zone to bits with dribble penetration and slashing. Raps win by 8 (and no it wont be a fluke ) Also Knicks Anaylast, i'm gunna disagree with the raps MVP and say its not Bosh, but rather Alston. he has been our catalyst all year, our leading scorer, and our leading assist man. He's been dynamite and should give the knicks trouble with their lax help defense. Just my 2 cents
It will be close, or not even close if any of these teams win IMO. I expect the Knicks to win by 5 or 15. Also, getting back to the Sweetney/Bosh thing, but you guy's might be overrating him just a bit. He's a great player no doubt, and will be for years to come, but Bosh will kill him with his quickness, just like he did against Rasheed Wallace (who is obviously a better defender than Sweetney).
Oh yeah guys. I forgot to mention that I'm going to the game, so I won't be here to give halftime updates and everything. mrj18/Tribute To H20- Would one you do the half-time updates and stuff since I won't be around?
Thanks mrj18 <div class="quote_poster">Quoting mrj18:</div><div class="quote_post">I got it Knicks Analyst. Have fun at the game!</div> Thanks man, I will. I appreciate your help.
I don't really know what kind of impact Sweetney will have on todays game. If he does Guard Bosh, I can see Bosh exposing him more than Sweetney exposing Bosh. With Bosh's quickness and ability to finish inside, it's easy to see Bosh racking up easy baskets or Sweetney racking up fouls. Sweetney will get his fare share of baskets versus Bosh, but he'll be helped out with some zone defense, Woods and Marshall.
Bosh is quick no question however, Sweetney is way too big and powerful for Bosh. Sweetney also has his share of agility down low as well. Sweetney has 35 more pounds on Bosh. So Bosh can easily get into foul trouble. Besides if things get out of hand for Sweetney, JYD is more than capable of giving Bosh a hard time. JYD is stronger and can match Bosh's quickness.
