He came off a Carmelo Anthony screen and drove down the middle of the lane. Brandon Bass made a half-hearted attempt to contest the dunk, but it was too late.

(H/T to @shighkinNBA for the video)

Boston Celtics

The Celtics have weathered injuries to Rajon Rondo, Jared Sullinger and Leondro Barbosa to cling to the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. They’ve done so battled without their star playmaker for the second half of the season, in which they held steady to go 21-17 to close the season after Rondo tore his ACL. With Rondo going down, a team that revolved around their speedy dime disher completely transformed their make-up and morphed to the kind of team that Doc Rivers ran before Rajon Rondo emerged as a star. It’s still a team that strives to move without the ball and work the ball around the perimeter. But what makes the Celtics strong isn’t their offensive prowess, but their stingy defense that finished 12th best in the league at restricting opponent scoring.

Boston accomplishes through employing lockdown defender Avery Bradley against their strongest opposing guard, and anchoring the veteran Kevin Garnett in the paint to work down any inside threat. Still surviving off the masterfully constructed defensive scheme engineered by Tom Thibadeau during his tenure as an assistant with the Celtics, they still load the strong side almost as good as any other elite team in the NBA. It’s a strategy that is set to be particularly effective against a Knicks team that is most exploitable to this kind of stragety. The Knicks both lean heavily upon one wing scorer and are, on the whole, a terrible passing team. It’s not necessarily that turnovers are a problem for New York, but they favor an isolation branded game of basketball; which is why they’re ranked dead last in assists. For Boston, this works to their favor as they try to shut out Carmelo Anthony’s bevy of scoring moves and force some turnovers. This may have become even easily as Knicks guard Pablo Prigioni has been ruled out of game 1 with an ankle ailment. The Knicks managed to scorch the Celtics in two of their three convincing wins over them this season by allowing their supporting cast to carry the scoring load with Anthony neutralised, but if the Celtics are diligent in shutting down the passing lanes when Anthony is blanketed, they could have a much better chance at forcing some turnovers and winning this series.

The other big defensive strength that the Celtics can use to strangle the Knicks is their perimeter defense. As the season closed this week, the Boston Celtics finished as fourth in the league in restricting their opponents’ three-point percentage. For a team that relies on the likes of Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith, Jason Kidd and Steve Novak to bank their threes to win, this is bad news for the Knicks. Granted, Anthony and Smith have managed to collectively torch the Celtics during the regular season; but there’s no guarantees they’ll continue to buck the trend. With the better part of a week to gameplan for this series, the brains trust of Doc Rivers and his staff are likely to have found a way to address the ways of Anthony and Smith and Celtics fans will hope that the Knicks become another victim to the stifling Celtics D.

However, the Celtics are going to have their hands full dealing with Tyson Chandler. Ranked second last in the league for rebounding, it’s no secret Boston has issues with their size and their ability to collect boards. A far cry from Celtics of Bill Russell’s time, this squad is marred by a lack of height and weakness at the rim. The team’s leading rebounder, Kevin Garnett, brings down only 7.8 per contest. While these numbers were acceptable when Garnett played at the 4 to Kendrick Perkins on previous iterations of the Boston Celtics, but a 6’11 Center with greatly diminished athleticism is not the recipe to dominate the glass. The rebounding weakness is going to be a large concern for Doc Rivers going into battle against Tyson Chandler (10.7rpg, 4.1 off.) and Carmleo Anthony (6.9rpg, 2 off.). While not a great rebounding team either, this is one area that the Knicks do have the advantage in and will exploit the Celtics. Tyson Chandler, creeping towards the twilight of his career, knows how important this year is to his aspirations of adding a championship ring to the Olympic Gold medal and will be preparing to exploit the small Celtics to the best of his abilities.

Apr 14, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) reacts during the third quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 90-80. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Adding to the rolling pain for Boston is the bullish Kenyon Martin. Expected to match up on either Brandon Bass, KG or Jeff Green when on the floor, Martin brings aggression off the pine and has been impressiv e during the season for the Knicks since signing on as a free agent. A veristile defender, Martin provides a good secondary option to cover the interesting Celtics big man line-up. He has the skills and length to cover Bass and despite conceding some foot speed, should be able to do the job on Jeff Green when Melo is resting or on Pierce. With Anthony developing into a LeBron-esque combo forward, the Knicks now have the ability to load up on a ‘big’ line-up of two guards (hey, Shump!), Melo, Martin and Chandler that could potentially wreak havoc against a Boston outfit that is suspectible to size and rebounding.

New York Knicks

This is the New York Knicks that MSG wanted. They’re second-best in the East for a reason. Carmelo Anthony, fresh off his first scoring title, seems poised to lead from the front by piling on the points and he’s brought some friends this time. Adding to the scoring attack marshaled by Melo is J.R. Smith. Both guys are extremely talented scorers to the point you can’t isolate a specific aspect of their offense that is particularly good. You take away their shot and they drive to the hole. Lock down the paint, and they’ll hit a step-back jumper right in your face. Surrounding the two gifted scorers are a combination of good perimeter scorers (Novak, Kidd) and the inside bangers who are ready to receive and finish down low (Chandler, Martin).

The well crafted offense of Mike Woodson’s will test the stingy Celtics defensive more than almost any other side in the East. Raymond Felton, while not continuing the promise he showed during the hot start to the season, has done a serviceable driving the offense while Kidd has played his role of back-up ballhandler and spot-up shooter despite hitting some slumps throughout the year. Carmelo Anthony isn’t simply a brilliant scorer, or a superstar either – he’s a brilliant superstar scorer who is in red hot form. Closing the season, Carmelo Anthony threw 50 points on the Heat and then another 40 the following week on the Hawks. Not only are these primetime Kobe numbers in terms of scoring, but he went about his business in a very efficient manner – shooting 66% over the two games. The Celtics are going to struggle to contain him. In an earlier encounter, Rivers overloaded the strong side to death which successfully threw Anthony off his game…but allowed J.R. Smith to bury 32. Next time out the Celtics were blown out of the water on all cylinders.

The say that Anthony or Smith aren’t the best offensive weapon in Woodson’s chest would seem laughable, but there’s a third toy the Knicks have to play with that could keep the Celtics staff awake at night. The ‘two-PG combo’ that Woodson has used effectively throughout the year has been devastatingly effective. When two of Raymond Felton, Pablo Prigioni and Jason Kidd hit the floor, they become one of the most biting offenses in the league bar few. It works because the Knicks retain everything mentioned above that makes their offense so spectacular and strong – Anthony and Smith’s scoring, Chandler’s inside work and the perimeter guys – but adds in an element of ball movement that the Knicks don’t have when they throw out other line-ups with a traditional two.With the ball pinging around, it opens up more opportunities for the Novaks placed around the perimeter and also gets the Knicks a lot of good looks inside that the Celtics need to work hard to try to limit.

When the Knicks are fit and firing, they are near-unstoppable. The only issue for New York, is that they’re never healthy. The Knicks have already had to rule out starting guard Pablo Prigioni for game 1 with an ankle injury. Offseason signing Rasheed Wallace has already retreated to retirement before the Playoffs commenced due to a foot injury that has kept him sidelined for a lot of time this season, which led to Earl Barron coming on board to fill the void. The biggest out however for the Knicks could be Amar’e Stoudemire.

Speaking to the New York Daily News, Mike Woodson believes the former All-Star Stoudemire may m “I think he’s going to be out, That’s my gut. But he was out here moving around and shooting a little bit. It’s kind of nice to see him on the floor.” Stoudemire’s out compounds the hit to the Knicks’ depth as well as Prigioni’s injury. The injury will force Chris Copeland to start, which is another blow to the bench that is now likely going to lean more on the production of Steve Novak and Kenyon Martin during the Boston series.

It’s no secret that the Knicks’ health has been their biggest limitation this season, with their full list never being available because of injury. J.R. Smith and Steve Novak are the only two to play in more than 80 games this season. Prigioni and Kidd both have more than 75 under their belt but the list begins to thin with Felton (68), Melo (67) and Chandler (66) being the only other to play above 60 games this season. For the Knicks, they’ve had nearly $30,000,000 worth of players that have not topped that 60 game plateau this season with many of them – Kurt Thomas, Amar’e Stoudemire, Marcus Camby and Rasheed Wallace – unavailable for this series.

Players to Watch

The players to watch in this series are very directly linked with each other. The two have been at two ends of the spectrum this season – from lining up on the same side of the center stripe at All-Star Weekend, to coming within inches of a WWE-style parking lot brawl at the Celtics team bus. Carmelo Anthony has a chance to exact some revenge to the trash talking psycho Kevin Garnett. It’s a storm that the NBA has been waiting for and praying for all season. There’s Carmelo, who has always emitted a sense of sensitivity and vulnerability about himself while earning some sympathy from some of the more partial fans. A member of that star-studded 2003 draft class, he’s had to watch his peers collect their championship rings while meddling away on the Nuggets and lately the Knicks. He went to London and, we suspect, had to sit around while LeBron and Kobe compared championship rings and told Kevin Durant and James Harden how good it’ll feel when they one day get theirs. Well, maybe it didn’t exactly go like that, but Carmelo Anthony has long seemed like the guy who ends up without a chair when the music stops. However, he’s the most devastating scorers in the league today and has his best chance this year.

Apr 13, 2013; Orlando, FL, USA; Boston Celtics center Kevin Garnett (5) reacts against the Orlando Magic during the second half at the Amway Center. Boston Celtics defeated the Orlando Magic 120-88. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Enter Kevin Garnett, who has done everything from have a bar fight with Dwight Howard to allegedly calling Detroit’s Charlie Villanueva a ‘cancer patient’  and driving LeBron James to insanity – to his own detriment last season in the Eastern Conference Finals. He’s already exploited Carmelo’s emotional vulnerability in a game earlier this season with an alleged slur about Anthony’s wife LaLa that led to a heated confrontation between the two. Both later dismissed it and even palled around at the All-Star game, but Garnett holds no punches when on the hardwood; let alone during a Playoffs game.

For both, time is running out. I’ve written before about the urgency of the Knicks putting it all together now and time is short for Kevin Garnett. Every year since the 2008 Finals, everyone has wondered how long this Boston outfit has left. Some would say their championship window has already closed. Garnett is nearly thirty seven years old and in his seventeenth year. Paul Pierce is treading similar water. Danny Ainge has come close to detonating this core for years now and came close sending KG to the Clippers at the last deadline. If he has any chances left to win another title in Celtic green, it’s this year. Don’t expect KG to go down without a fight.

Prediction

At their best, both teams could make the Eastern Conference Finals while at their worst, both are borderline playoff teams. The Knicks marched into the Playoffs with fifteen of their last eighteen while Boston closed their year with a 3-12 slide. The Celtics will fight valiantly as they always do, but the New York Knicks know their time is now. Carmelo Anthony is simply unstoppable, and sadly for the Celtics Army, nothing Boston can throw at the Knicks will be enough to overcome the strength of Anthony and the interior defense of Chandler and Martin. While I am taking the Knicks in this one, I must remark that this is the most unpredictable series, I believe, in the entire bracket. We don’t even know who’s suiting up for the Knicks every night, let alone how they’ll play. For the Celtics, they’re as good as their movement suggests – at their peak, they were light-footed and strong when diving to the hoop. At their worst, they throw up enough bricks to build a new home stadium if they so desired. One variable which could play large is the enormous sense of motivation and passion that the proud Boston Celtics may encompass going into the series following this week’s tragic events. Doc Rivers has spoken beautifully this week of his anger at what has been inflicted upon his city, and the team’s love and affinity with it. The Celtics are certainly not a team that ever lacks passion, but the galvanising events of the past week may be something that takes them into another gear which could lead them to an upset. With all that being said though, I am still backing the Knicks who I think will continue their hot run and take this one in 6.

Apr 12, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (left) and point guard Raymond Felton celebrate on the bench in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

If you didn’t already know, me and fellow STS writer Taylor Armosino are both fans of the New York Knicks. We both agreed that this was one of the most fun seasons in the recent memory, and with a series with the Boston Celtics coming up, we decided to do a small chat. This chat took play right after the Knicks clinched the second seed in the East with a victory over Boston, so we didn’t touch upon Soloman Jones, the potential Coach Of The Year Mike Woodson, and Rasheed Wallace’s retirement.

Quentin: We’re number two! We’re number two! Good lord. How exciting has this Knicks season been?  From Eddy Curry to Patrick Ewing, I give this season a Dave Debusschere. How about you?

Taylor:  Can I give this season a Carmelo Anthony? I feel like this Knicks season has been reflective of his time in NY. The start of the year was similar to the post-trade Knicks. The team got off to a hot start and Melo was cooking. There was so much excitement around the team. The middle lull of the season was like last year’s lockout shortened year. The end of the season has been exciting – similar to how Carmelo’s had the best season of his career.

This Knicks season had 3 parts and Melo’s really had 3 different phases of his Knick career. First the team was 18-5, then average, now great again. He was the savior, he had a mediocre season along with the mediocre team last year and now this year he has been great.

Quentin: Almost like a musical! Act one was to bring us in with the early season excitement, Act two was to slightly temper our expectations, and Act three was to get us re-energized and excited about the season that was. Chandler was the rock that held everything together, Felton was that one actor who forgot a line from time to time, Iman Shumpert is that actor who jumped in mid show, and Carmelo was the lead actor. Speaking of Carmelo…

I don’t know if you like ranking players, but I do. Not only does it kill time, but it’s also interesting from the perspective of what people value more. With that in mind: Is Carmelo Anthony one of the top 10 players in the league right now? I feel like this has been one of his best seasons, and while I don’t know if he’s matured, I’d argue that he “gets it” now. He understands what he needs to do now. At power forward, he understands that he needs to take advantage of those slow-footed big men, he understands that he needs to battle for rebounds, and he (somewhat) understands that he has to be active on the defensive end. The two month dropoff in February and March was rough, but all things considered, do you think Melo is in that top 10?

Taylor: Oh god, you’re going to get me killed on Knicks twitter. Here’s what I’ll say about Melo:

He’s my favorite player in the league, hence my Knicks blog being named “Meloship of the Ring”. That being said, I’m not sure he’s a top 10 player, but I don’t think it’s ridiculous to say that he is. This conversation is interesting because it’s dependent on how much people A) value defense and B) value advanced metrics. I tend to be more of a hoops traditionalist, in that I think offense is 50% of the game and defense is 50% of the game. I can’t put Melo who s a +++ offensive player, but a – defender ahead of someone like Marc Gasol who is a ++ offensive player and a +++ defensive player. The counter-argument is that Melo can take over a game on offense whereas someone like Gasol can’t, but I still value Gasol more than Melo because he’s a more complete player. 

Melo is interesting because he’s the most polarizing superstar in our game in terms of the eye test versus the advanced metrics. Metrics have long portrayed Anthony as less than a super star in terms of his efficiency and value to a team. However, the eye test suggests he’s one of the best players in basketball. While I value advanced metrics, I balance them greatly with the eye test. From a talent perspective, he’s one of the top 7 players in basketball. From a production standpoint, he’s not a top 7 guy. Ultimately I think that balances out. I’ve said I think Melo’s in the 12-17 range, closer toward’s the 12 range. An amazing playoff run would change my thinking, similar to Dirk’s playoff run two years ago. I will agree that this season Anthony’s been a top 10 player. I want to see if he can do it in the playoffs before I stick him in my top 10 overall.

Quentin: Heh. I’m going to make sure Knicks twitter reads that part. I ultimately agree with you. I think Carmelo is the ultimate advanced stats test, and this season, he’s been really good, enough for the advanced stats people to….relax a bit. Also, nice of you to bring up Marc Gasol, who I also think is in that 10-15 area. We can’t put Melo in front of Gasol, who’s been the best big man in the league this season. While I want nothing more than to put Anthony in that top ten stratosphere, I still see him as that perfect number 12 guy. When I do the rankings this summer, I’m going to put him there, I think. We’ll see. The playoffs might drop or boost him a bit.

Do you think we owe the Jason Kidd/Raymond Felton duo an apology? I was not a fan of either move this offseason, but both seem to have their fits. Felton is a good point guard for what the Knicks are attempting to do every night, and he was a good pick and roll partner with Chandler (the Knicks-Mavs game early in the season stands out for me). For Kidd? Love everything he’s provided. Even with his shooting percentages falling off a cliff in the middle of the season, his ability to be a pest and anticipate potential errors from the opponent has been one of the top four things I’ve loved from this Knicks season.

Taylor:  Kidd has been a total shocker, but in fairness to myself the Knicks have used him differently than I envisioned. I thought he’d be running a lot of point, which hasn’t done. They’ve used him as an off-ball spot up threat and he’s shot the ball much better than I thought he could/would. I maintain that Felton is average, but he’s very valuable to this Knicks team. They need a point guard who can break down defenses in pick and roll game and dish to open guys. By far Felton’s biggest strength as a basketball player is his pick and roll game. He can split double teams, get to the hoop and he’s a great passer. Both players have been below average on defense, as expected, but offensively they’ve both been very important to the Knicks success.

Quentin: Alright. Let’s talk about “Mr. Pipe”….. J.R. has been everything and more at times this season. He’s also given me pause in trusting him at times this season. He’s been that flavor the Knicks needed this season. When Smith went to the basket in the Boston game, I was in awe. Along with that, those game-winners were just everything. Again, he was a victim of the swoon in the middle of the season, but recovered to help the Knicks garner a 14 game winning streak. What are your thoughts on Smith, and do you have fears of losing him this offseason?

Taylor: JR has been a joy to watch over the last month. I’m not that worried about losing him in the off-season. I think the Knicks can give him 4 years 24 mil and he loves playing here. Even with his successes, I highly doubt another team gives him more than that. This has been the best season of his career and it’s taken a coach he loves, a city he loves and teammates he trusts to get that out of him. He won’t get that elsewhere and I don’t think another team offers him more than what the Knicks can.

Quentin:  Love that you mentioned that piece from the Knicks Wall on his pending free agency. I don’t want Smith to leave, but I wouldn’t be shocked if someone tried to lure him away. Someone might offer him 30 million. This is NBA GM’s were talking about.

I just want to say: J.R. Smith has been a joy to watch this season. I loved it when the Knicks got him last year.  I love the fact that he turned his career around and turned into a respectable shooting guard. Not only that, but I think he’s the 6MOY, simply because of the production. He’s been the Knicks second best offensive player, and third best overall this season. You say that at the beginning of the season, and I think people scream 7th seed. As I stated, J.R.’s been everything and more this season, and I’m happy for them.

A couple rapid fire things: Iman Shumpert, Kenyon Martin, and Wally Szczerbiak. Thoughts?

Taylor: Shumpert: Complete beast. His flat top is almost as cool as his 40% three point shooting this year.

Kenyon: I thought Kenyon would be trash because he was bad with the Clippers last year. He’s invaluable now.

Wally: Meh.

Quentin: No love for Wally? Ouch.  Alright. Let’s shut it down. Give me your take on our upcoming playoff series with Boston.

Taylor:  The Knicks are better than the Celtics so they should win in 5 or 6 games. Without Rondo, the Celtics don’t have a point guard who can penetrate consistently and hurt the Knicks. Garnett and Pierce still give me nightmares, but I think the talent discrepancy is so large between the teams that the Knicks should be okay.

Boston’s been using some weird big lineup lately with Pierce, Green and Bass as the 2-3-4 alongside Bradley and KG. It’s an interesting lineup, but I like the way the Knicks match up with that. They’ll have a mismatch at the 2 spot, whether it’s Prigioni, Shumpert or JR Smith, and likely at the 3 spot where Bass would be playing defense because of cross-matching. Melo would be guarded by Green (still advantage Knicks) KG would guard Chandler and Bradley would guard Felton. Those 2-3 spots are important spots in the Knicks offense as JR handles the ball and the 3 spot gets a lot of spot up looks.

We know the Knicks aren’t very good on defense, but Boston isn’t very good on offense either. Unless Pierce or Green get consistently hot for the whole series, Boston will struggle offensively. Even if they’re both hot offensively, that still might not be enough. With the Knicks weird double-teaming leaving shooters open, opposing teams do shoot well from three land. However, Boston doesn’t shoot the ball very well so I’m not that worried about that.

Mar 13, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the first half against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

As Carmelo Anthony took his lashings in his trip back to Denver, I pondered about how excited I was when the Knicks first acquired Anthony. Even though the Knicks are the worse team, the Knicks ultimately gave up Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, and a 2014 first round pick for Carmelo Anthony (Raymond Felton is now back with the Knicks, and Timofey Mozgov isn’t in Denver’s rotation, and is a free agent this season). Moving forward, it seems the Nuggets will win the trade, while the Knicks might be dealing with three superstars and four good knees, as Tyson Chandler left the game with an injured knee. So I decided to look back at the Knicks after the Carmelo trade and create my own alternative timeline. Let’s work from the Carmelo Anthony trade, and see what the Knicks could’ve done to fix their current misfortune.

(This is mainly to help me ignore the Knicks imploding, but it’s also a tribute to Dragonball Z)

The Alternative New York Knicks Timeline

• Knicks acquire Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Corey Brewer, Anthony Carter, Shelden Williams, and Renaldo Balkman

It’s done. Before the trade deadline, the Knicks acquire Carmelo Anthony to go with Amar’e Stoudemire. They even acquired Chauncey Billups, creating a slight upgrade at the point guard position. Sure, we have questions about Anthony and Stoudemire’s defense, but under MDA, the team will score a ton of points. With Amar’e Stoudemire, Toney Douglas, Landry Fields, Shawne Williams and Ronny Turiaf there, the Knicks have three players who can help Anthony achieve success in his New York run. Along with those four players, the Knicks have a smorgasbord of bench players with Shelden Williams, Renaldo Balkman, and Anthony Carter. Before we move forward, let’s right the first wrong post trade.

• Knicks keep Corey Brewer

Soon after acquiring him, the Knicks sent Corey Brewer packing for Jared Jeffries. To this day, I feel like this was one of the biggest blunders of the Melo era. The Knicks now keep Corey Brewer, and he plays a role similar to Raja Bell. Although Brewer can’t knock down the three-pointer with the same efficiency as Bell, the Knicks use him off the bench as defensive wing who can come in to replace Fields to defend superstar wing players.

Rotation: Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, Chauncey Billups, Corey Brewer, Ronny Turiaf, Toney Douglas, Landry Fields, and Shawne Williams.

• Second Half Of 2010-2011 Season

The Knicks finished with the 6^th seed, but in this scenario, the Knicks finish with the 5^th seed, thanks to keeping Brewer on their bench. The Knicks finish with a record of 45-37, just three games better than their actual 42-40 record. Instead of facing the Boston Celtics, the Knicks slide into the 4-5 series against Orlando. However, the result changes slightly as New York takes one game against Orlando, but loses the series in five games. Amar’e Stoudemire begins to get hurt, and the Carmelo Anthony power forward lineup continues to receive praise, winning them a game against Orlando in Madison Square Garden.

• Knicks offseason: Billups, Brewer, and six fouls

Rotation Free agents: Chauncey Billups, Sheldon Williams, Corey Brewer, Shawne Williams, Aaron Carter, and Ronny Turiaf

Looking back, the Knicks let Brewer walk and amnestied Billups to sign Tyson Chandler. Not a bad move, Chandler is one of the top 20 players in the league, but it severely crippled New York, taking away one of their best assets on the table; the amnesty clause. Even with Amar’e having a fantastic season (25-8, All-NBA 2^nd team), Stoudemire came to New York with horrible knees, scratched corneas, and a bad back. In this scenario, the Knicks allow all of the bench players to walk, and continue to keep Billups under his team option (one year, $18 million). Along with Billups, the Knicks also re-sign Corey Brewer to a three year, 12 million dollar contract, making sure the Knicks have a respectable wing player on the bench who can defend.

With Stoudemire in limbo, the Knicks decide to sure up the frontcourt with some cheap free agents. The first free agent is Kwame Brown. For two years, six million dollars, the Knicks use Brown to grab rebounds and defend opposite of Amar’e. After Brown, the Knicks sign Steve Novak. One of the main issues with the Knicks is open shooting. For just three million over one season, the Knicks take Novak and place him into their rotation as a knockdown shooter. With Fields and Brewer on the roster, the Knicks feel comfortable with placing Novak, Brewer, and Fields on the court together to have some defense and open shooting.

Rotation: Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, Chauncey Billups, Corey Brewer, Toney Douglas, Kwame Brown, Landry Fields, and Steve Novak.

• Knicks draft Reggie Jackson 17^th overall in the 2011 NBA draft 

After struggling in the playoffs, the Knicks are quietly looking to rid themselves of Toney Douglas. With Fields and Brewer, the Knicks for a replacement who can develop as a point guard. The Knicks make numerous calls to move up for Jimmer Fredette, but no dice. Instead of Iman Shumpert (the actual pick), the Knicks go with Jackson, whose defense and shooting could jump into the rotation as a backup point guard.

Rotation: Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, Chauncey Billups, Corey Brewer, Toney Douglas, Kwame Brown, Landry Fields, and Steve Novak (Reggie Jackson looming)

• 2011-2012 New York Knicks Season

In a lockout shorten season, the Knicks finish with a record of 39-27, claiming the Atlantic Division title over the Boston Celtics. Carmelo leads the team in scoring, and Billups misses time with various injuries, but holds down the roster, while getting Anthony and Stoudemire to co-exist. This is the season where we see Amar’e continue to break down. Battling injuries, Stoudemire plays just 36 games battling various injuries to his knee, neck, and back. As a result of Amar’e injury, we see glimpses of Anthony at power forward, and interesting Fields/Brewer combinations. Also, as predicted, Reggie Jackson jumps into the rotation, taking Toney Douglas’ rotation spot.

The Knicks go into the playoffs with the fifth overall seed, and lose to a good Indiana team. Roy Hibbert and David West dismantle New York in six games. In the series, we see Stoudemire go down with another knee injury, leaving New York to ponder his future. Along with Stoudemire’s injuries, the Knicks also look for a replacement for Chauncey Billups, as Darren Collison and George Hill obliterate him on the offensive and defensive end.

• Knicks Amnesty Amar’e Stoudemire

By not using the amnesty clause on Chauncey Billups, the Knicks decide to use it on Stoudemire, who has three years left on his contract for over $66 million dollars. Carmelo Anthony is upset, but the Knicks watch as someone signs Amar’e to a respectable contract for three seasons. This moves opens up a ton of money, as amnestying Stoudemire, combined with Billups’ expiring contract, allows the Knicks to flaunt max contract space.

• Mike D’Antoni Resigns

The Knicks allow D’Antoni to leave, as he and Anthony have numerous spats about the offense. Seeing the writing on the wall, the Knicks don’t fire D’Antoni, rather allowing him to resign. In his place, the Knicks hire Mike Woodson for the following season.

• Knicks free agency: Playing It Safe

Rotation Free Agents: Chauncey Billups, Landry Fields (RFA), Kwame Brown, and Toney Douglas

The Knicks now have a ton of cap space, but they don’t enter the Dwight Howard fiasco, due to a lack of cap space. Going into a contract season, Mike D’Antoni wants to assist Glen Grunwald in signing free agents. With Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks are looking to sign a big free agent: Deron Williams. However, the Knicks lose to the Nets in the chase for Williams. After being matched for multiple restricted free agents (Nicolas Batum, Roy Hibbert, and Eric Gordon), the Knicks are left digging for other free agents.

The first move is Ramon Sessions? After opting to go away from Billups, the Knicks look for an inexpensive alternative, and Sessions is an option for two years, 10 million, where a team option could be exercised at the end of the season.. The second move is O.J. Mayo. While he is restricted, Memphis’ hands are tied, and the Knicks acquire Mayo for three years, 17 million. Mayo gives the Knicks a starting shooting guard who can fit next to Anthony. To rebuild the frontcourt post-Stoudemire, the Knicks sign two big men. The first is Marcus Camby for one year, Camby is a big body who can rebound and block shots. Carl Landry is the second man. For three years, 13 million, the Knicks get a respectable big man who can score and rebound at the power forward position. With one more rotation spot needed, the Knicks also acquire Anthony Tolliver (one year, 3 million) to bang down low when Camby needs rest.

Current Rotation: Ramon Sessions, O.J. Mayo, Carmelo Anthony, Carl Landry, Marcus Camby, Reggie Jackson, Anthony Tolliver, Corey Brewer, and Steve Novak.

I don’t know how much that changes this season, but what that current rotation, the Knicks have the correct amount of size, speed, offense, and defense. Without Tyson Chandler, that team doesn’t have the key defensive player needed, but with Mike Woodson as head coach, the Knicks have the defensive coach needed to figure it out. This team isn’t a team contending for the top seed in the East (something the current Knicks have done before Miami exploded), but it keeps the Knicks in contending, and it also saves them cap space to entice both Dwight Howard and Chris Paul to New York. Do they all team up in New York? Who knows. What I do know is it would’ve given the Knicks a chance to have a successful season, and actually have a future, something the current Knicks do not have.

Mar. 7, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amar

Earlier this evening, the New York Knicks announced that forward Amar’e Stoudemire will be out for six weeks due to a procedure he is getting done on his right knee. Stoudemire didn’t play until January this year as a result of getting the same procedure done on his left knee.

Forward Amar’e Stoudemire is scheduled to have a right knee debridement this coming week. He is expected to miss approximately six weeks.

— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) March 9, 2013

If he takes the full six weeks to recover, Stoudemire will miss the remainder of the regular season. The injury is another blow for the Knicks, who are already missing Carmelo Anthony.

Over 29 games this year, Stoudemire has averaged 14 points and 5 assists in 23 minutes a game, while coming off the bench.

Mar. 3, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) looks to pass the ball against the Miami Heat during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Miami won 99-93. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Knicks are enjoying a season better than most expected, sitting second in the Eastern Conference with most of the season behind them. Their bold offseason moves of acquiring Raymond Felton and Jason Kidd have worked out pretty well, and their core of Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler and J.R. Smith have all lifted their game to help lead the Knicks through an interesting year. Despite all of this glory and success New York have had this season, nobody gives them a puncher’s chance to come close against the Miami Heat in the NBA Playoffs. Most would take the likes of Indiana, Brooklyn, Chicago and perhaps even Boston over the Knicks in a seven game playoffs series. The Knicks aren’t scaring anyone, even if Carmelo Anthony is playing out of his mind. For both the NBA and the Knicks, this is not what we expected from the Melo-Amar’e era in New York. Nobody expected the Knicks to be this high in 2013, but the Knicks are still much further away from a championship than they would like when they signed their historically old roster. This is not something to critique, it’s just the way the NBA works. There’s only so many LeBron James’ and Kevin Durants to go around to legitimate championship contenders. That’s fine. The Knicks aren’t at risk of folding, they can afford to ride out this successful list and try to step to a championship contender if the right move or player comes their way.

However, Carmelo Anthony can’t wait. Nearly 29, Anthony is the only top five pick in the 2003 NBA Draft not to have an NBA championship. We know Carmelo wants to win, that’s why he endured the Melodrama to force his way out of a good-not-great Denver team to get to the Knicks in the first place. The Knicks are a good team with one of the best scorers in Anthony and defenders in Chandler. They’d probably be a bigger threat in the dulled East if LeBron James wasn’t in the prime of his historic career right now. For Carmelo, he’s contracted until the end of 2014, where he’s then given a player option and the chance to move on once more for a shot winning a championship. However, it’s beginning to look more and more likely that Anthony will fail to lead a team to the elusive NBA title that his career probably needs to go from great to ‘a great’, and it’s a shame to see such a gifted scorer suffer in the sad reality of sports – there has to be winners, there has to be losers, and there have to be the winners that never win it all.

Feb 13, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) takes a free throw against the Toronto Raptors during the second half at Madison Square Garden. The Raptors won the game 92-88. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Wednesday night, the New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony injured his arm, potentially leaving him out of the All-Star game.

Carmelo Anthony says he has a contusion on his right bicep. Says he might not play in All-Star Game if pain continues.

— Nate Taylor (@ByNateTaylor) February 14, 2013

Anthony finished the game, but struggled mightily from the field, going 5-24 for 12 points. The Knicks ended up falling to the Toronto Raptors 88-92.

If his arm continues to bother him, it would be wise for Anthony to sit out of the game on Sunday. There is no reason for him to play through pain and potentially risk further injury.

He has been on a tear this season, tied for the league lead in scoring at 29 points per game, as well as grabbing 6.5 rebounds a night. Losing him would end any slim chance the Knicks have of moving past the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference.

If Anthony does end up missing All-Star weekend, there are numerous players who would like to make a trip to Houston to take his spot. Paul Pierce, Al Horford and David West have all been playing well this season, and play similar positions to Anthony.

Stay tuned to Saving The Skyhook as we continue to follow this, and other NBA All-Star Game news.

Jan. 7, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) and Boston Celtics power forward Kevin Garnett (5) have words on the court during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Boston won 102-96. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Carmelo Anthony was a lack of respect. Though some, including Anthony himself, were in favor of the decision and saw it as an act of protection, to avoid embroiling Anthony in further scandals like the infamous Garnett-Melo incident.

Doolan, for a welcome change, is right on the money with his decision to install microphones in his arena and the NBA should follow his lead and make it mandatory around the league. On-court trash talk is a part of the game, and it rightfully should remain that way, but there are an increasing number of incidents where players take it too far.

Racism, homophobia and personal statements about a player’s family have no place on a basketball court, and any offender should be dealt with appropriately  Finding a way to catch more instances of this may unearth some bad short-term publicity for the league, in the case that more instances are discovered because of the more ways to detect them, but in the long-term will be a better step forward for the league.

It is currently against the rules of the league to say offensive, derogatory comments on the court. In 2011, Kobe Bryant was fined $100,000 by the league for a gay slur against a referee. The incident was only reported and sanctioned because television cameras for TNT picked up the incident. Had TNT’s cameras not been focusing on Bryant at the time, and had TNT commentator Steve Kerr not drawn attention to the issue, perhaps Bryant would have proceeded unpunished for his comments. Thankfully, there was a solid audio track that caught the Lakers star in the act and the situation was able to be dealt with properly.

In November of the same year, Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva tweeted of a clash he had with Celtics star/resident psychopath Kevin Garnett. Villanueva alleged Garnett called him a ‘cancer patient’ on the court, ridiculing Villanueva – a suffer of alopecia. The allegations against Garnett were never proven, it was a matter of Villanueva’s word against KG’s, and thus no suspension came out of it.

If the NBA is serious about preventing more instances like Bryant’s gay slur, and actually catching players who take trash-talking too far, they would make on-court microphones like Dolan’s as mandatory as a shot clock and video review. It has been implementing in other sports across the world to solve disputes and appropriately allocate blame. On the other side of the world in Australia, a spat between two stars of their domestic cricket competition made headlines across the country. The fiery confrontation was only resolved because of microphones installed on pitch, which captured the instigator, Shane Warne, abusing the batsman who snapped on the next delivery. Had microphones not been in place, it would have been extremely difficult to correctly place the blame for the explosion, who to sanction and what for. Warne’s only crime would have been throwing the ball at an opponent, something he managed to get away with in the hearing as an accident; while Samuels’ motive for throwing his bat down the pitch may have been blown out of proportion and punished more heavily than he deserved.

The debate is not whether comments like Bryant’s, Garnett’s or Anthony’s are out-of line or just a part of the game. Regardless of our personal views, the NBA have made it their stance that what happens on the court can well and truly come off the court if it crosses the line. However, just hoping that a television camera will catch a player uttering the offending phrase and otherwise leaving it for media speculation is not an appropriate or professional way for the league to go about it. The Knicks took the right step to ensure they have hard evidence every time Carmelo Anthony is accused of saying something, and it should become policy that all other clubs do the same.

Jan. 7, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) and Boston Celtics power forward Kevin Garnett (5) have words on the court during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Boston won 102-96. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

… the fans! Of course it’s the us, the NBAbrethren. Think about it for a second. We just watched two players, two mega stars nonetheless, in Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Garnett scuffle all over the basketball court, with ‘Melo trying to scuffle just as much off of it as he “hung out” by the Celtics team bus after the game.

Now with chaos ensuing, we have everything NBA fans dream of… an intense, dramatic and at least “in-season” rivalry, where the two teams will meet another three times before the end of the season (twice in Boston, once more in New York).

We’re going to have hostile basketball, trash talking, video clips, exaggerrated interviews, social media blowups and lord willing, a continued storyline heading into the playoffs. Another fact: If the playoffs started today, take a guess at who would meet in the first round. That’s right, the #2 Knicks would host the #7 Celtics. After last night, please, please let this happen.

Now, I don’t need to go into the rant about how much KG is disliked on the basketball court, his reputation proceeds him. But we saw a side of Carmelo Anthony last night that we have never seen before. Angry Carmelo. Like he needed even more support from New York’s MSG faithful, now he’s chirping raucously at one of the league’s most hated players? Spike Lee was having a baby on the sideline. And we all know that Spike represents the “people.”

My favorite part of the Carmelo video (linked to above) was the fact that halfway through the clip, Rajon Rondo just wanders into the picture with his hands in his pockets. Remember, this is the guy who didn’t even play in the game because he was already serving a 1-game suspension, and now he’s just casually surveying the scene? We’re even getting unintentional comedy out of MeloGate, BusGate, whatever “Gate” label will be cast upon this. But we all love it.

Thursday, January 24th is when Round 2 is scheduled. This time in Boston. Like Spike, they’ll be ready.

October 11, 2012; Washington, DC, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) prepares to shoot the ball against Washington Wizards forward Jan Vesely (24) in the first half at Verizon Center. The Knicks won 108-101. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-US PRESSWIRE

Carmelo Anthony
Resume: 22.6 points (6th in league), 6.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.1 steals, 34.1 minutes, 295 free throws made (9th in league), 43% FG, 34% 3PT, and 80% FT… Team record in games played: 29-26 (7-4 without)… Playoffs: 27.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 42% FG, 76% FT, 1-4 record… All-Star, 3rd Team All-NBA

Back in January I imagined that the Team USA roster was under my control (yes, a bit ambitious for someone with the limited credentials that I have), and with that control I made the executive decision to leave Carmelo Anthony off of the USA Olympic Basketball team. It was somewhere around his 6^th three pointer against Nigeria I realized how incredibly idiotic it was to leave off one of the best international players in the entire world; someone who would feast when he was dealt a size mismatch and knock down a whole bunch of wider than wide open threes. In retrospect I was incredibly stupid and I like to think I wouldn’t make a mistake like that again.

Something that my friend Corey Edwards and I briefly talked about after the Olympics were over and I had cooled down from my Team USA Basketball craze was if the play of certain guys in the Olympics was going to impact their rank on this top 50 list. For example, I became a huge Alexey Shved fan during the Olympics (slightly anti-American, but I couldn’t help how I felt), but at no point in time did I ever get so irrational about how well he played that I even considered him for the top 50. He didn’t even come close to making the list of guys I considered. However, seeing as how Carmelo Anthony always seems to play huge for Team USA, and 2012 was no different, we discussed Melo’s ranking and where it should rightfully be. Yes, I know I factored how the Gasol brothers played a bit into each of their respective rankings. But their situation is vastly different than Carmelo’s.  I did my best to not use too much of Carmelo’s offseason in his ranking.

The one thing I am going to take into consideration from the offeseason is the workouts Carmelo is having with Hakeem Olajuwon. It seems as if the thing to do if you are an NBA player and you want it to be known that you are serious about your career is now to work out with Olajuwon. Kobe Bryant set the precedent. Dwight Howard and LeBron both went to The Dream for expert tutelage. Now it’s Melo, who already possesses a great post game of his own, who will pay a visit to Olajuwon, giving us even more of a reason to put the pressure of winning a title on his shoulders.

I’ve called Carmelo Anthony out for years, and I’m calling him out again right now. I’ve gone on record saying that Carmelo couldn’t be the best player on a title team, and I’m sticking to those guns. I need more from a superstar player than Carmelo Anthony has given me. As someone who is often characterized as the best scorer in the NBA, Melo has never won a scoring title and has finished in the top 3 in the league only three times in his career. But really, that’s fine. It’s not like the best player on a championship team needs to lead the league in scoring. The problem with Carmelo is, what else does he do for you at an elite level? He rebounds reasonably well, but he isn’t elite. He doesn’t make his teammates better. The majority of the time he looks not only like a poor defender, but a poor defender that doesn’t even care to be playing defense. Are you going to win a championship with that kind of guy as your best player? Does that sound like a Kobe Bryant/LeBron James type of player? What about Michael Jordan? Are you going to win a title where you best guy and leading scorer shoots 43% from the field, and doesn’t do anything else at an elite level? We are foolish to put Melo in a similar class as these players since he is seemingly so far from that mold. At the same time, it’s unfair to Carmelo that he’s constantly being compared to all-time greats.

What will Carmelo’s legacy end up being? If you had to bet your life on one of the following two choices, which would you pick?
A.) Volume scorer who will be mentioned in the same breath as George Gervin and Dominique Wilkins- Someone who can score brilliantly in stretches but will never win the big one or be remembered as a truly elite player.
B.) Great player who will be mentioned in the same breath as LeBron James and Kobe Bryant- Someone who can do whatever it takes to win the big one and will be remembered as a truly elite player.

Frankly, I’m rooting for Carmelo and option B. As I said with Andrew Bynum a couple of days ago, I’m never going to root against more great players in the NBA. Maybe Carmelo will prove me wrong and thus take my life into his own hands and hypothetically end it in a very violent fashion, but I’m betting on option A and feeling pretty confident about it.

Apr 18, 2012; Newark, NJ, USA; New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler (6) gets a slam dunk during the first half against New Jersey Nets power forward Kris Humphries (43) at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

Tyson Chandler
Resume: 11.3 points, 9.9 rebounds (9th in league), 1.4 blocks, 33.2 minutes, 68% FG (1st in league, career best), and 69% FT… Team record in games played: 34-28 (2-2 without)… Playoffs: 6.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, 44% FG, 60% FT, 1-4 record… 2nd Team All-Defense, 3rd Team All-NBA, Defensive Player of the Year

About two weeks ago I talked about how nobody is a more destructive shot blocker and weak side defender than Serge Ibaka. Let me continue on with that point and say that Chandler is probably the smartest weak side defender in the league. Even though he isn’t a great one on one defender in the post (amazingly apparent to anyone who watched what Pau Gasol did to him in the Gold Medal Game at the Olympics), he’s a good enough communicator and a smart enough basketball player to win the Defensive Player of the Year, but not make 1st Team All-Defense. Wait, what?

Yes, Tyson Chandler was the Defensive Player of the Year but 2nd Team All-Defense, which proves that so-called experts and analysts really have no effing idea what they are doing. I mean, isn’t that just common sense? How does that get screwed up? And let me just ask, how does Dallas screw things up and not re-sign Tyson Chandler before last season, just to take a flier on potentially signing a wishy-washy superstar the following season? Come on now, Mark Cuban should’ve known better than this. Didn’t he watch the entire postseason run? Didn’t he see that other than Dirk Nowitzki, Tyson Chandler was without question the most important player on the Dallas roster? You can’t just substitute in any other center for Tyson Chandler and expect Dallas to still win the title. Does Dallas make the finals with Roy Hibbert at starting center instead of Tyson Chandler? Hell no. What about Al Jefferson? Maybe, but it’s impossible to know for sure. What we do know for sure is that Chandler transformed the Mavericks into a title contender. Just take a look at what Dirk Nowitzki thought about Tyson Chandler:

“His positive energy, his defense I think is really what turned this whole thing around and what really won us the playoffs. Every big game down the stretch we did it with defense.”

That is an actual quote from Dirk Nowitzki talking about Tyson Chandler’s impact on the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 postseason. Pretty high praise from a guy who had every reason to feel like he was the cats pajamas after slaying the Miami Heat and their Big Three in the NBA Finals, to cap off a 2 month run of unbelievable basketball brilliance. Dirk gave a lot of the credit to Chandler, the man in the middle, the anchor of a defense that slowed down three of the NBA’s best (Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James) en route to an NBA Championship.

Without Dirk the Mavericks wouldn’t have been able to sniff the Larry O’Brien Trophy if it was doused in Ben-Gay and gasoline, but it became very apparent that this season Dallas was missing a vital piece to the championship puzzle. Maybe the departures of JJ Barea, Peja Stojakovic, and DeShawn Stevenson had something to do with it, but if I were a betting man I’m taking the imaginary 5/1 odds on the “Tyson Chandler’s effect on a team is a little more profound than we might know of” option.  We know for sure that Chandler is the basketball version of the quarterback of the defense not just for Dallas in the 2010-11 season, but also for the defensively much improved New York Knicks this past season.

Remember, we’re talking about a Knicks team that had Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, JR Smith and Baron Davis on the roster. You could ask the question who the hell were those four guarding, but a better question is who the hell are they even interested in guarding? Chandler was the security blanket and the biggest reason the Knicks didn’t look like a Rucker Park team’s defense on a nightly basis, and he’ll need to keep that up this year after the Knicks have added Jason Kidd, Kurt Thomas, Marcus Camby and Rasheed Wallace (at a combined age of 154 years old). Chandler knows his role. He fits his niche well. He’s going to catch a few lobs, slam home a couple of tip-in dunks, block/alter quite a few shots, and most importantly light a fire under guys that you wouldn’t exactly say are lock down defenders. Can’t we get a statistic for that?

17. Carmelo Anthony, F, New York

Consider the following, and perhaps Anthony doesn’t even deserve the ranking legions of Knicks fans believe is at least 10 spots too low – Carmelo was part of just one regular Knicks lineup last season that had a positive adjusted +/-, and in it he played power forward (hat tip to ESPN’s Beckley Mason).  You won’t find a similar statement of fact about any of the players in this stratosphere of the rankings and rightfully so.  Prodigious talent will only take a player so far in the NBA if he refuses to adjust his game to best befit his team, and so far in his career Anthony just hasn’t done so consistently.

He’s a negative defensively despite his natural gifts, a ball-stopping, long-jumper-taking offensive presence, and is all too often out of shape and/or disinterested at different points of the season.  Anthony should be a true franchise player in the mold of James or Kevin Durant, a forward with prodigious skill and the unique ability to play multiple positions and roles for his team equally well.  But he isn’t, and to expect anything more now – at 28 and in his 10th season – will prove disappointing for Knicks and basketball fans everywhere.

On potential ability alone, Anthony is a near-singular player.  But “what if,” “could be,” and “flashes” only mean so much, and taking that in mind as well as the countless statistics that downplay his positive influence point to Carmelo being overrated at 17.  However, New York should take solace in the fact that the best season of Anthony’s career was 2008-2009, one in which he was coming off a Gold Medal in the Olympic Games.  It was easy to believe in ‘Melo back then, and if he replicates that performance in 2012-2013 many will again.  But I won’t be one of them.

16. Tony Parker, PG, San Antonio Spurs: The Spurs couldn’t have re-invented themselves the way they did last season without a surprise career year from Parker, and he delivered with aplomb.  Taking on new responsibilities on the floor and in the locker room at the behest of Gregg Popovich, Parker led San Antonio to the league’s best regular season record, an incredible run of 20 straight victories that lasted into the playoffs, and a near NBA Finals birth.  Not too shabby.

Always an awesome scorer and individual creator, Parker spearheaded the Spurs free-wheeling offensive attack by distributing more than he ever has, averaging a career-high 9.6 assists per 40 minutes.  Of particular note was his newfound proficiency at getting into the lane and finding awaiting shooters in the corner, a key aspect of SA’s overwhelming offense.  And despite owning the wheel of the Spurs’ breakneck pace, Parker didn’t turn it over much either, registering the third lowest rate of his career.

In the past it was hard to place Parker among the league’s point-guard hierarchy due to the presence of Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili alongside him.  But in 2012 the Spurs were his team first, and his new brilliance could be fully appreciated by seeing just how influential he was to the SA offense on a nightly basis.  He’s not on Chris Paul’s level and maybe not Russell Westbrook’s, but he’s clearly one of the league’s best players regardless.

15. Pau Gasol, F, Los Angeles Lakers: This is an interesting spot for Gasol, who may take on even less of an offensive role this season than he did in 2011.  With Steve Nash and Dwight Howard aboard, though, his opportunities – though fewer in quantity – will undoubtedly spike in quality.  And if LA runs as much Princeton Offense as Mike Brown recently indicated, it’s hard to imagine a big man better suited for his role in it than Gasol, and two better running mates than Nash and Howard, too.  Let’s just hope Kobe Bryant doesn’t mess it up by jacking a bunch of contested, off-the-dribble 20-footers.

Gasol will again play farther away from the basket this season due to the presence of Howard, and though he’s not in the extremely mobile mold of LaMarcus Aldridge or Chris Bosh he can still do a lot of damage from the perimeter.  He’s a very solid shooter from 18-feet and might be the league’s best passing big man, two key traits for an offense that boasts this much talent. He’ll be a constant weakside release valve, throw countless lobs to Howard, and run the occasional pick-and-roll this season for the Lakers, and it’s tough to imagine another player primed to thrive in that role more than him.

Defensively, Gasol isn’t the savant he is on the other end, but is nonetheless a solid player.  He’s stuck between not being quite big enough to handle centers like Howard or Bynum, and not quick enough to chase stretch 4s on the perimeter (a weakness exploited notably by Denver and Oklahoma City in the playoffs).  Still, he’s a good shot-blocker and a very underrated rebounder, and won’t be a negative here by any stretch.

That out of the way, is his ranking justified? It’s tough to choose between guys like he, Aldridge, Bosh, and Kevin Garnett at this point, but ESPN’s voters put him at the top of that group.  That might be a stretch but hardly worth consternation.  Gasol is still elite, and the one upcoming could be his best season in years.

April 15, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; Boston Celtics forward Brandon Bass (30) drives to the basket and scores as he is defended by Charlotte Bobcats center Byron Mullens (22) during the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-US PRESSWIRE

• BRANDON BASS, PF, Boston Celtics
  Last season: 31.7 MPG, 12.5 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 14.21 PER
  The Celtics certainly have a new look to them this season. The biggest changed occurred at the 2-guard spot with Ray Allen taking his shooting stroke to South Beach and the C’s bringing in Jason Terry and Courtney Lee to replace him (though Avery Bradley will eventually be the starter). However, the key guy in the Celtics equation isn’t a new addition of one of Rondo, Pierce or Garnett. It’s Brandon Bass, and particularly his growth in an increased front court role this season. The guy averaged almost 32 minutes per game last season, but beyond Pierce and Garnett, the Celtics had a lot of trouble scoring (26th overall) and rebounding (30th) up front. With the return of Jeff Green from heart surgery, the drafting of two very young forwards (Sullinger and Melo) and the career question mark this is Chris Wilcox, the Celtics depth at forward for at least this upcoming season is unknown. This is where even more weight shifts to the shoulders of Bass, who showed flashes of ability last season.
• 

  Apr 8, 2011; Newark, NJ, USA; New Jersey Nets center Brook Lopez (11) drives to the basket against New York Knicks power forward Shelden Williams (13) at the Prudential Center. New York Knicks won116-93.Mandatory Credit: Jim O

  BROOK LOPEZ, C, Brooklyn Nets
  Last season: 27.2 MPG, 19.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 21.96 PER (5 games)
  As the “backup plan” to Dwight Howard, Brook Lopez cashed in with a HUGE contract this offseason, despite only playing in 5 games last year. With the Nets being truly thin at the center position, Lopez will need to be THE guy, meaning he has to stay on the floor for the whole season. Even though the Nets have some very high profile names on their roster (and of course added Joe Johnson), it’s Lopez that should feel the pressure to be an interior force, particularly defensively, in the middle. The Nets hope that the alarming 3.6 rebounds per game from their 7-footer in 5 games last year will be closer to triple that amount for this season.

• 

  April 15, 2012; Sacramento, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers point guard Raymond Felton (5) controls the ball against Sacramento Kings point guard Isaiah Thomas (22) during the first quarter at Power Balance Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-US PRESSWIRE

  RAYMOND FELTON, PG, New York Knicks
  Last season: 31.8 MPG, 11.4 PPG, 6.5 APG, 13.46 PER
  After the Knickerbockers missed out on Steve Nash this offseason, they brought over Jason Kidd to handle mentorship duties. Kidd will provide endless leadership, but the real impact to the point guard position and to the team, will be the question of whether or not Ray Felton can have a bounce back season. Yes, Melo, Amar’e and Chandler are the stars, but the Knicks need Felton to really RUN this team for the important game stretches. After a terrible year in Portland and once again hearing the punchlines about his weight, he should have plenty of motivation to push this team to a playoff run. The Knicks may know right away how deep the commitment is when Felton and his frame show up for training camp.

• 

  May 12, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard Evan Turner (12) shoots the ball against Boston Celtics power forward Kevin Garnett (back) during the first half of game one in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-US PRESSWIRE

  EVAN TURNER, SF, Philadelphia 76ers
  Last season: 26.4 MPG, 9.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 12.69 PER
  It’s obvious that the Sixers will live or die based on the degree of dominance displayed by Andrew Bynum. But aren’t we at a point of make-or-break with Evan Turner? A former #2 overall pick and once considered the best player in college basketball in his draft year, Turner’s Pippen-like point forward versatility has not translated to the NBA. With Thaddeus Young, Dorell Wright, Jason Richardson and Nick Young requiring a significant amount of minutes at the SF and SG spots, they will push for Turner’s playing time, especially if he starts slow. He needs to build upon Doug Collins’ increased trust factor in the playoffs where he played 34.5 minutes per game. That 12.69 PER has to come up.

• 

  Mar 29, 2011; Newark, NJ, USA; Houston Rockets point guard Kyle Lowry (7) drives to the basket against New Jersey Nets point guard Jordan Farmar (2) and power forward Kris Humphries (43) at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

  KYLE LOWRY, PG, Toronto Raptors
  Last season: 32.1 MPG, 14.3 PPG, 6.6 APG, 18.89 PER
  One could easily argue that Jonas Valanciunas will be just as big an X-Factor as Lowry. As of now, he’s the only “true” center on the Raptors roster. But without seeing a single minute of NBA action, it’s hard to set realistic expectations. Lowry however, acquired via trade and coming off a fantastic year in Houston, was given the keys to the entire offense in Toronto, while pushing Jose Calderon to the bench. Whether he averages close to 20 points or 8-9 assists per contest, production out of point guard position is something the Raptors sorely lacked. Combine that with his unquestioned toughness and he has a chance to be THE guy that leads the Raptors back to a playoff birth.

Mar 9, 2012; Milwaukee, WI, USA; New York Knicks forward Amar'e Stoudemire (1) dunks during the second quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

Amar’e Stoudemire played some of the best basketball of his career before the All-Star break in 2010-2011, his first season as a New York Knick  averaging 26.1 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks a game in the 53 games prior to the All-Star game. Stoudemire helped rejuvenate a fan base starving for a superstar talent and embraced being the face of the franchise rewarding Knicks faithful by playing at close to an MVP level.

Even after the Carmelo Anthony blockbuster trade, Amar’e still posted strong numbers averaging 23.5 points and 7.3 rebounds a game in the 25 games after the Anthony acquisition.

It is safe to say however that year 2 in New York was one to forget for Amar’e Stoudemire. Between the death of his brother, dealing with injuries, struggling to form chemistry with Carmelo who is also an alpha personality on the court, twitter beefs gone wrong and losing fights with fire extinguishers, Amar’e disappointed Knicks fans everywhere this past season.

While Amar’e posted a respectable stat line of 17.5 points and 7.8 rebounds a game, it is still far below his standards and not what New York got excited about when they signed him to a near 100 million dollar contract in the summer of 2010. Nagging injuries seemed to rob STAT of his game-changing explosiveness and forced him to rely more on his jumper, which can help explain his lowest field goal percentage over a full season (48.3 percent) since his 2003-2004 year.

Normally you would think a player turning 30 in November whose greatest asset is his athleticism is trending downhill and has seen his best days as a NBA player. And in the scenario of Amar’e, you may be correct to assume that. He is at times allergic to playing defense, has never averaged 10 rebounds a game for a season despite his size and athletic prowess and is not the most durable individual in the league.

On the other hand, there are other reasons to feel that the 2011-2012 season was an abberation for STAT. Amar’e recently got engaged to long time girlfriend Alexis Welch, the mother of his three children and this may have a calming affect on his game. If you don’t believe me, ask Lebron James how stability in his relationship with his fiancee helped his life on and off the court.

Luckily for Amar’e, he has proven the ability to bounce back from injuries in the past. He was able to regain his explosiveness after having microfracture knee surgery during the 2005-2006 season while a member of the Phoenix Suns and his injuries that slowed him in 2011-2012 were nowhere near as serious. An off-season of rest and minimal distractions may work wonders for STAT.

Perhaps the most encouraging reason for Amar’e to bounce back in a big way in 2013 however is the work he has put in with Hakeem Olajuwon to expand his low post game. Ever since Kobe Bryant visited the Hall of Famer down in Houston in the summer of 2009, this has become a rite of passage for other NBA superstars to seek Olajuwon’s tutelage. Dwight Howard and Lebron James are among other prominent NBA players who have followed suit. Amar’e for all of his skills offensively is not particularly polished in the low post. When playing under Mike D’Antoni in Phoenix and New York, Amar’e thrived off pick and roll and didn’t necessarily need a post game. Coach Mike Woodson inspired Amar’e to visit Hakeem as he expects Amar’e to operate more on the block in the upcoming season and I’d be lying if I said he doesn’t look good in the post from this clip, my only word of advice to STAT  is to wear longer shorts in the future.

Amar’e has talked a big game of late, proclaiming anything less than a championship is a bust while at the Las Vegas Summer League and this season is his chance to back it up on the biggest stage, I don’t expect the Knicks to be in the championship conversation but I do believe in Amar’e that he can come back and have a big year. The days of STAT destroying Anthony Tolliver and Adonal Foyle may be behind him but with a refined post game, this may be the perfect recipe to help Amar’e extend his career and get him back to performing at an All-Star level. The greats often find a way to adapt their games once their athleticism leaves them behind, this could be Amar’e Stoudemire’s chance to do the same.

Mar. 3, 2012; Portland, OR, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio (9) drives to the basket on Portland Trail Blazers point guard Raymond Felton (5) during the fourth quarter of the game at the Rose Garden. The Timberwolves won the game 122-110. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-US PRESSWIRE

While we’re coming off a fresh supply of basketball with the Olympics and before that, the Summer Leagues, it’s easy to lose track of those players that were sidelined with significant injuries to end last season. There were some major players (no pun intended) who will be battling back from injuries in 2012-13. Not all of them will be ready for the start of the season, but nonetheless remain a focal point to what the team might consider a successful season.

Before we carve into stone a Heat vs. Lakers NBA Final, let’s take a look down the comeback trail.

The very first name that comes to mind when we think “injury comeback” is the 2011 MVP, Derrick Rose of the Bulls, who tragically blew out his knee (torn ACL) in the first round of the playoffs last year. Even though Rose may be the biggest name on the board here, I feel like this is the least significant injury with regards to the ”when will he come back?” factor. If things go according to schedule, we already know that it’s looking like a March return for Rose, at which point I fully expect the Bulls to be either very close to being eliminated from the playoff race or just hanging on. Joakim Noah‘s gimpy ankle that kept him out of the playing in the Olympics for France is also something to keep an eye on. I feel like the Bulls lack firepower this season and personally, I’m very down on them.

In Boston, the Celtics are dealing very much with the unknown. They have holes to fill with the departure of Ray Allen and dare I say it, even Greg Stiemsma. The key guys to replace those minutes are Avery Bradley and Jeff Green, who were on the shelf for an extended period of time. Green, who came to Boston as part of the Kendrick Perkins trade with Oklahoma City, unfortunately found out before the season that he had a heart condition that would require surgery and force him to miss the entire 2011-12 season. An injury to an arm, leg or back is one thing, but to come back from a heart condition? That will be a challenge.  With Green out last year, the Celts had to plug the bench small/power forward hole with the likes of Stiemsma and Chris Wilcox. Even though they drafted young bigs in Jared Sullinger and Fab Melo, Jeff Green’s versatility at the forward positions will be key to the inevitable Rondo-led youth movement in Boston.

Avery Bradley, a second-year guard, was a surprise contributor to the Celtics last season, to the point where they eventually trusted him with the starting spot and want him to be their shooting guard of the future. Bradley, now known for his elite perimeter defending, is coming back from major shoulder(s) surgery to repair a dislocation, which kept him out of key playoff games down the stretch for the Celtics. At this point, Bradley’s timetable to return is still up in the air, but he will definitely miss the first part of the season, which they will fill in with Courtney Lee and Jason Terry… not a bad contingency plan.

When the talk of ”Timberwolves” and “playoffs” now surfaces, only two words matter in the heart of Minnesota… Ricky Rubio. Rubio burst on the scene and was immediately better than advertised. Questions about his shooting still linger, but the way he distributed the ball to Kevin Love and company was nothing short of breathtaking. Before Rubio tore his ACL in March, the Wolves were pushing hard for the playoffs. With too many games sandwiched in March and April, they simply collapsed in the tough Western Conference. Rubio won’t be ready for the start of the season, but with an anticipated December/January return date, the Wolves hope they’ve collected enough talent to make it through the first trimester this time. While Luke Ridnour and J.J. Barea aren’t superstars, they aren’t scrubs either and should be able to hold down the PG spot. But one thing we saw last year early on was that as Rubio goes, so do the Timberwolves. After years futility, you really can’t help but root for this young, potential franchise-saving grace in Rubio (and Love).

Kyrie Irving‘s broken hand was hot “freak accident” injury news in Cleveland this summer, after he smacked his hand against a padded wall in practice for the Vegas Summer League. Irving would be the landslide winner for the hypothetical ”dumbest” injury award. While he needed only 8 weeks to recover, he will obviously be ready for the start of the season. He will bounce back with ease, but with a hand injury, it’s something to keep on eye on. One hard strip foul and it could be trouble. The Cavs ENTIRE hopes of making a playoff push for the bottom of the East rest solely on the shoulders of this young (and still immature, watch the Kobe challenge) man.

It’s amazing how big a deal Iman Shumpert became in New York in such little time. He went from rookie role players to almost “untouchable” in trade talks, especially when it came to including him in any Steve Nash deal at the time. While his offensive numbers didn’t explode at you, he was a pleasant defensive surprise for the usually inconsistent Knicks and it’s clear that the fans at The Garden absolutely love this guy. After tearing his ACL in April, he needed all summer to rehab and get ready for next season, to which he’ll start in street clothes. His defensive ability, especially on the perimeter, is something the Knicks will miss sorely. Shumpert may only be a big name in New York City, but it won’t be long until he has a league-wide reputation.

Comebacks to WATCH closely:

Brook Lopez, Nets (Ankle), Andrew Bogut, Warriors (Ankle),  Jeremy Lin, Rockets (Knee), Chauncey Billups, Clippers (Achilles), Dwight Howard, Lakers (Back), Dwyane Wade, Heat (Knee).

Feb. 22, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Golden State Warriors center Andris Biedrins (15) against the Phoenix Suns at the US Airways Center. The Warriors defeated the Suns 106 - 104. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-US PRESSWIRE.

Thankfully, all the Dwight Howard drama that just ended didn’t heavily involve actual contract talks, but rather the various pieces that made up the final trade puzzle. The contract stuff? Oh that will be next year. Although you just might hear it mentioned once or thirty times during the season itself.

But speaking about contracts, let’s move away from Howard. There are plenty of bad contracts scattered throughout the league and EVERY team has been guilty of handing out a bad contract or two over the past few seasons. It’s a reality of NBA business and sometimes the decision to offer an unproven NBA player a sizable contract is the indirect portrayal of an NBA GM’s quality.

Frequently, a “bad” NBA contract has as much to do with length (number of years given) as it does with the dollar value and guaranteed money. However, in this instance, we’re going to eliminate the length factor and focus in on simply the 2012-13 NBA salaries and determine the ugly contracts haunting some teams.

Andris Biedrins, Warriors ($9,000,000)
Few players have fallen off the earth as quick as Biedrins, so let’s start here. Just a couple of seasons ago, the Warriors thought they had their center of the future and a defensive force in Biedrins. What they got instead, since his very nice 2008-09 year (11.9 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 1.5 bpg, 1.0 spg), were three seasons full of injuries and declining production. In averaging only 15.7 minutes per game last year, (and even started 35 games) he averaged 1.7 ppg and 3.8 rpg. Worst of all, the guy shot 11% from the free throw line! 11%!! Good thing the Warriors are only investing $9 million dollars into this terrible situation this season.

Joe Johnson, Brooklyn Nets ($19,752,645)
Personally, I didn’t like this contact the moment the ink dried on the paper. I completely respect Johnson’s game and do think he’s a great talent, but he’s not a max player. While we know he can score the basketball, he’s better suited to be #2 option or even an equal part of an outstanding backcourt like he will be in Brooklyn with Deron Williams, rather than “the” guy. Obviously his 25.0 ppg in 2006-07 was impressive, but he also only played 57 games that year. Simply , there are better players in the league that are making a fraction of Joe’s $20 million. Now joining the Brooklyn Nets, he gives them four players that now make at least $12 million (Humphries, Lopez, Johnson, Williams). While I think the Humphries and Lopez contracts are bad as well, Johnson’s seems to bring least bang for $20 million bucks.

Ben Gordon, Bobcats ($12,400,000)
Although Gordon finally lands in a place where he’ll be featured as at least “a” primary scoring option again, he’ll be doing it for an extremely costly $12.4 million! Other than scoring, Gordon has failed to provide anything else of significance on the court (I suppose that one could make a small case for his three-point and free throw shooting). For the bulk of minutes he’s played, his career averages of 2.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game are disappointing. Really, it’s almost unfathomable to think that Ben Gordon will be making more than $12 million next season. But then again, doesn’t that perfectly reflect what the broken Bobcats are these days?

DeSagana Diop, Bobcats ($7,372,200)
Speaking of the Badcats, how on earth is DeSagana Diop still making THIS much money? Really, how is Diop even in the league at all? His 2011-12 stat line represents what a complete travesty this salary is: 12.0 mpg, 1.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 0.5 bpg. On top of that, I didn’t think that 36% shooting was even possible for a 7-foot center. Keep the dollars and losses flowing Charlotte.

Jose Calderon, Raptors ($10,561,982)
With the signing of Kyle Lowry to be the new starting point guard in Toronto, Calderon’s contract becomes an even bigger disaster. Calderon, currently the highest paid player on the Raptors squad, ultimately got handed a multi-year deal for his career year in 2008-09 when he averaged 8.9 assists, shot 98% from the free throw line and was at the top of league in assist-to-turnover ratio. However, by acquiring Lowry, Jose will now come off the bench, making him an extremely overpaid backup point guard. The Raptors failed to find partner to move him this offseason, so they now have to endure one more season of this inflated deal. Even though his numbers haven’t declined significantly, his impact has been minimal and doesn’t justify a $10.5 million contract.

Luke Walton, Cavs ($6,091,363)
The glory days of Luke Walton being an important role player appear to be over, though he is still being paid like one. While there will be more opportunity for minutes in Cleveland than there was in L.A., at 32-years old and with a limited skill set to begin with, Walton won’t contribute like a $6 million player should. Luckily, the Cavaliers have a very young roster, lots of cap space and really no other terrible contracts on the team. It’s not ideal, but they’ll be able to absorb the signing of Walton’s paychecks for one more season.

Amare Stoudemire, Knicks ($19,948,799)
There really couldn’t be a “bad contract” post without mentioning a New York Knick could there? Look, Amare Stoudemire is still a solid player, he’s just not the same player he was during his Suns glory days and certainly not a guy that should make $20 million dollars. Even though he now represents one third of New York’s “Big Three,” this is an absolute joke of a contract. Amare really needs to bet back to the 20 and 10 player he used to be and avoid punching fire extinguishers to validate this monstrosity.

Hedo Turkoglu, Magic ($11,815,850)
This contract doesn’t even need an explanation, as it’s punchline popularity has spanned a couple of seasons now. The contract is so attached to Turkoglu like it’s a cancer that whenever he’s mentioned in a trade scenario, the question is always, “who is going to take on Hedo’s contract?” The Raptors were on the hook for giving Turkoglu a 5-year, $54 million deal in 2009, but now the Magic hold the three remaining years on this juggernaut.

Marvin Williams, Jazz ($8,287,500)
As a former #2 overall pick, a big time bust with an even worse contract. Somehow has averaged 30.4 minutes and started 78% of his games over his career. Marvin’s coming off season of 10.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg and shooting a career-low 43% from the field, certainly not worthy $8.2 million. But you really can’t blame him, he cashed in and the Jazz traded for him. It may be begrudgingly, but Utah now has to pay the guy.

Dishonorable mentions
Al Horford, Hawks ($13,000,000), Kris Humphries, Nets ($12,000,000), Carlos Boozer, Bulls ($15,000,000), JaVale McGee, Nuggets ($10,000,000), Corey Maggette, Pistons ($10,924,138), Rudy Gay, Grizzlies ($16,460,538), Zach Randolph, Grizzlies ($16,500,000),  Richard Jefferson, Warriors ($10,164,000), Brad Miller, Suns ($5,104,000), Stephen Jackson, Spurs ($10,059,750), Amir Johnson, Raptors ($6,050,000)

Other teams aren’t near finished with offseason transactions.  The Houston Rockets, with 8 of the 15 roster members being power forwards, clearly have a long way to go.  The Brooklyn Nets have already made plenty of moves, including signings of Joe Johnson and Deron Williams.  The Rockets and Nets probably have another year or two before they get back into the mix of things, even with all the transactions they’ll have made by the start of the next season.

There is one team that is totally in-between.  The New York Knicks are already a playoff team, but they’ll probably have to have some new personnel if they want to be a legitimate top team in the East.

New York needs to key in on 2 major factors: Depth and Defense.  They need to have a good starter at each position and a solid backup for each starter.  This includes having healthy options, which is definitely an uncertainty for this team.  Amar’e Stoudemire is a worn down version of his Suns self, and Iman Shumpert will be recovering from his ACL injury.  Jeremy Lin played great for a month, then got hurt, which put extra point guard pressures on Baron Davis- who also got hurt.  Having good depth will lessen the significance of an injury here and there, in case the key guys do get hurt.

Apr 28, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler (6) during the first half of game one in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Part of this depth will have to involve getting better defensive players.  Although the Knicks didn’t rank poorly in defensive stats, much of it was from having the Defensive POY, Tyson Chandler, hanging out at the basket and swatting shots after his teammates let their guys fly past them.  New York has to become a better all-around defensive team.  They’ve got a few guys with questionable defensive attributes, playing important minutes:

Carmelo Anthony didn’t bring his defensive game each time out, so don’t bank on him being a defensive advantage.  Steve Novak isn’t asked for much on defense, but still, having him in the game forces others to cover more ground.  Josh Harrellson is a good strong rebounder and knows how to foul, he’s just not quite the enforcer that Tyson Chandler is.

Now consider some guys the Knicks just brought in.  Jason Kidd is almost 40 years old.  It’s not like he’s going to shut down other point guards in the division, like Rondo.  James White is a freak athlete with great length, but is he really good enough to play much for the Knicks?

With Landry Fields and JR Smith entering free agency, New York likely loses Fields’ all-around game and Smith’s explosive scoring ability.  This leaves Shumpert as the only viable shooting guard option, unless their 2^nd Round draft pick from Greece turns into a Larry Bird/Penny Hardaway hybrid.  If New York ends up not re-signing Jeremy Lin for some reason, they could spend big money on Eric Gordon, and move Shumpert to the 1.  That would take care of offense, defense, and depth.

New York is clearly an incomplete team for the time being.  They’ve got 10 guys, not counting their draft pick, Kostas Papanikolaou.  They could use an additional player at any position right now, and it would be in their best interest if the next addition is healthy and can play defense.  If you’re a Knicks fan, don’t be quick to fret.  This is a huge year for free agency and the next couple of moves your team makes should make your current roster look immensely better.  New York still has a solid core group, a successful (so far) coach, and plenty to pick from in the free agent market.  Depending on what moves are made, they could be looking real good by the time the season starts.

May 6, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) shoots a free throw against the Miami Heat during the second half of game four in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 89-87. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks with 41 big points, including a huge 3-pointer to break a tie with just 54.5 seconds left in regulation. Melo was one point shy of his personal playoff best, but you could argue that today was the best playoff performance of his career. With so much turmoil surrounding the game and the two teams involved, Anthony rose to the occasion and connected on 15 of his 29 field goal attempts and ensured his team would live to fight another day.

Amar’e Stoudemire returned from his infamous fire extinguisher injury to give New York a huge lift. He scored 20 points and grabbed 10 boards while playing with protective padding over his hand. He returned just in time to watch as another teammate was lost to injury. Baron Davis (Davis injured? That’s unheard of, right?) left the court on a stretcher in the third quarter after dislocating his right knee.

The Miami Heat seemed well on their way to completing their sweep of these Knicks for much of the game on Sunday. Lebron James was his usual MVP-caliber self, scoring 27 points to lead his heavily favored team. Dwayne Wade added 22 points, but I can guarantee he is thinking of nothing else besides the 3-point jump shot he missed with 1.6 seconds left that would have won the game for the visiting Heat, thus completing their four game sweep. Had that shot gone in, not only would it have given the Heat the series win, but it would have also netted them a nice, long break before they begin their second series. Instead, they will have to try and close out this series yet again on wednesday.

Apr 30, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) reacts next to New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the second half of game two in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

These New York Knicks were hell bent on proving to the world that they are not a team that’s going to be decimated by 33 points routinely, and that’s exactly what they did. They brought more energy and determination onto the court and proved that if Miami wants to beat them they are going to have to beat them by 10 points; no more 30+ point laughers. Way to go, boys.

The Miami Heat continued their hot play this post-season as they took everything New York threw at them before finishing them off en route to a 104-94 victory. Dwayne Wade led the Heat with 25 points, while Chris Bosh and Lebron James contributed 21 and 19 points respectively. James made sure to fill other areas of his stat-line, too, grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out nine assists.

Despite the deflating loss, the Knicks showed some guts in their effort this time around. Carmelo Anthony responded to the criticism of his lackluster game 1 performance by racking up a game high 30 points. Tyson Chandler added 13 points and 7 boards, 6 of those actually came on the offensive end of the court. It was nice to see Baron Davis enjoy a solid performance of his own with 12 points and 6 assists. Of course we cannot forget the man of the hour himself, Amar’e Stoudemire. He definitely left his imprint on this game – as well as the now-infamous hallway fire extinguisher – by chipping in 18 points and pulling down 7 boards. His biggest play of the night won’t show up in any stat sheet though, I’ll get to that in a minute.

New York did a commendable job of responding every time Miami attempted to shift gears and pull away from them. The Knicks stayed more or less within striking distance for the better part of three quarters, but a barrage of Lebron James directed offensive firepower to close out the third period would prove to be the proverbial dagger. The Heat led 78-69 at the opening of the fourth period. The Knicks would never get any closer than that.

The Heat did what they were supposed to do as time expired and their 104-94 victory became official. The teams went through their post game motions before heading back to their respective locker rooms just like any other game. This story should have ended already but oddly enough, it was far from over. Leave it to the boys from Broadway to dazzle us with a flair for the dramatics.

By now I am sure you have heard the details of this strange development over and over again, so I won’t delve too deep into them. As Amar’e Stoudemire made his way back to the visitors locker room of the American Airlines Arena he apparently had some sort of altercation with a fire extinguisher. He reportedly punched the fire extinguisher and suffered a laceration on his hand as a result. This injury is rumored to be serious enough to keep him out of game 3.

Apr 30, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amare Stoudemire (1) reacts during the first half of game two in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Much is being made of Stoudemire’s selfishness and how it may have very well cost The Knicks their season. Normally I wouldn’t see a purpose in dignifying such absurd statements with a response, but I am in a jolly mood so I will state the obvious for anyone who needs assistance. If you want to get down and dirty into it, you can dig up the statistics that suggest the Knicks perform better without Amar’e and you can try to make sense of how and why that is. If you don’t like wasting time and energy on pointless drivel then I wouldn’t suggest that method. Instead, just turn to my good friend, logic. The Knicks were annihilated by 33 points in game 1. Then they put up an admirable fight and still lost by double digits. If you think the absence of Stoudemire for a single game is what will keep the Knicks from making a series of this then I would strongly suggest you make an appointment to have your head examined.

If you are a Knicks fan and you are looking for a positive to take away from this game, I think I can help you out. When was the last time Amar’e attacked the glass like that? I got jokes. It appears the entire internet does too though. What kind of dramatics await us in game 3? We will find out May 3rd on TNT.

Said an unknown source with the team of D’Antoni’s departure, “It was a mutual decision [between D'Antoni and owner James Dolan] to no longer coach the Knicks… conflicting visions of the club’s future.”

Saving the Skyhook will have more on this story as it develops.