Heat 99, Knicks 89: "At least the threes are falling."

and it worked. This game could have followed the “Really fucking good basketball team steamrolls mediocre, identity-less basketball team by 27” script, but it didn’t. If not for a perfectly executed defensive gameplan, I actually think we might have won that.

For the record, I have a memo to Tyson Chandler, circa the first half: when you’re going for a put back, and there are 6 heat hands just as close to the basket as you are… don’t. Just use two hands, pull it down, and kick it to someone open. I counted 3 failed putbacks tonight that just had NO chance of going in.

I love that the shot selection has gone from bad to horribly infuriating, all the way around to hilarious

TD really stepped up and filled in the hole left by Melo there: he took 18 shots, went 33% from the field, and put the team on his shoulders in the closing minutes (and failed to carry us home). Quite impressive.

With TD playing Melo-ball and some typical performances from Amare, Chandler, and Fields, it’s a wonder that Walker’s explosive play wasn’t enough to put us over the top. I guess the Heat must be doing something right.

The most instructive moment in the game was when ESPN broadcast what D’Antoni was telling the team during a timeout in the first half. As it was becoming obvious that the Knicks were just going to chuck up 3s for the rest of the night, D’Antoni told them to keep up the good work! He had no interest in using the early luck from behind the arc to make room for some smart inside play, and eventually the Knicks started to regress towards the mean. 29% from within the arc is pretty cringe-worthy and explains why the Knicks were able to get so incredibly lucky and still lose by 10.

This was D’Antoni’s system reduced to absurdity. He should be ashamed.

He has a pretty nice (but streaky) offensive game, but he just makes some mistakes that make you realize why he would never step on the court for most teams. I feel like if he had a coach that really got on him about the turnovers and taught him better defensive technique, he could become a solid bench player.

How many times do we hear an announcer say “A bit of a frustration foul there by Stoudemire”. I love the guy cause he came to NY when no one else wanted, but he throws his teammates under the bus with stupid “frustration” fouls like the one we saw in the fourth quarter. Not to mention all the technicals. If he wants to share the throne of superstar with Melo then he has to lead by example.

Dantoni’ll never bench him though to send a message, even though he should.

Right on point as per usual.

Nothing to add except that I hate the Miami Heat with a passion. I hate Lebron and his Amish beard, I hate D Wade and his free from the Dealer $300000 Maclaren birthday present, I hate Chris Bosh and his whiny third wheel status, I hate the Beach, I hate pretentious South Beach restaurants that have shitty food and think they are as good as New York Restaurants, I hate the half of Eddy Curry that’s playing for them, I hate Grandpa Juwan Howard, I hate Pat Riley and his hair grease, I hate Dolphins, I hate that shitty music that seems to permeate from every car and club, and most of all I hate that they’re good and they beat us tonight.

Now that I got that out I can chill….Thanks for letting me vent.

…if tonight was lucky, then many of the other games (remember Andre Miller’s three preceded by Melo’s rim out?) have been unlucky. Tonight was a good thing. Take it as so. Flukey? Yes. But they needed a little something like that to stay in this tonight. And because they did, they played hard. It can’t hurt. We all knew they were going to lose this game. Especially when goddamn Dwyane Wade decided tonight was his night to come back.

But…

The Knicks’ season starts on Tuesday. Melo healthy (maybe), Davis playing (hopefully). They are probably going to be 7-13. I hope we steal tomorrow night in Houston. But what we’re realistically looking at is a team 6 games under which, despite all our hand-wringing, has started to make some strides: better ball movement, a defense that has its moments, the improved play of Fields ( a HUGE factor if this team ever gets it together), a little more confidence from guys like TD and BW. I know this sounds like wishful thinking. But this might be a year—considering the lockout training camp and D’antoni trying to figure out his 5th or 6th team (depending on how you count) in less than 4 years—when we’ve just got to suck up the first half and scare someone in the playoffs. With Bogut’s injury, it’s hard to imagine this team not being at least an 8th seed. And by then, they could be live, the same way they were in ‘99. Remember how much we hated that team during the regular season? (I’ll never forget them getting beat in Chicago early in the season by 15 or so. They barely scored 60 and Chicago was terrible that year.)

Might sound like pie in the sky, but I like the way Amare looks lately. I know the numbers aren’t good. But I think, with the addition of Davis, they are close. They played hard tonight. Fluke or no fluke.

Better times are a comin’.

winning cures all that ails. a lot of times passes are forced which leads to easy transition buckets for the opponents, stifling morale. i’d be curious to see what our defensive efficiency is on “non turnover possessions”

it was a joke that we were even this close and a team with amare and chandler should be able to have some plays drawn up for them by a 1 legged prostitute distributing the ball. MDA is like the wildcat offense in football. cool gimmick that might work for a while but eventually will get figured out.

TD is a tiny, selfish 2 guard that can’t shoot that we keep playing at point-makes sense?

Chandler plays OK, but our guards think shoot 1st and turnovers 2nd. Passing to a team mate
and driving the lane or taking a midrange jumper ARE NOT OPTIONS.

Amare is the worst passing power forward in the NBA. He can’t make his own shot and is a
turnover machine.

Any comparison of Amare to David Lee is NOW so ridiculous that it is insane. Have no clue what
we can trade Amare for, because of his poor play and un insured contract.

Mel is our one tradeable asset, maybe we can move him for Deron Williams. It won’t be long
before ALL fans realize that Gallinari is not only a more efficient shooter, defensive player, and
cheaper player than MELO

Can’t believe it, Lee & Gallinari were 2 cheap AND BETTER players than Amare & Melo and we
gave up on them.

This is all on Dolan and Walsh. Still can’t forgive Walsh for letting lee go and trading 3 number
ones for McGrady (played only 24 gms for NY).

T. Mozgov C 16:58 1-3 0-0 2-2 +16 0 8 0 3 0 2 1 2 4
D. Gallinari F 36:23 7-18 2-10 5-7 +14 0 7 0 0 0 1 0 1 21

we’d all like to think we do, but we don’t. not like other teams. landry is athletic, but not a great ball handler. just like amare and melo, and even their athleticism isn’t what it is in our minds… just watch the real athletes and you can see the difference.

a profoundly limited, average team with profoundly limited, below average chemistry.

more ballhandlers. more athletes. smarter players… and one less star is the recipe we should be following.

though i respect the grit last night.

Well, lets see. First 2 years, he was subjected to getting rid of players to get under the cap. In 3rd year, when team improved, he was upended with a trade that changed the basic team.

That led to amnestying their only point guard while getting a serviceable center.

Given all of the above how could anyone criticize Coach.

I have no idea how good he’s been. His players have to wear name plated just to identify them.

Coach’s Grade? Inc.

Getting really old. Even when the guy doesn’t play all you guys can do is try and support your bullshit hypotheses.