What next? So exciting... and so scary...

by bucketsncents on Feb 9, 2012 6:25 AM EST

Linsanity, Lincredible, Lintangibles and my personal favorit AdrenaLin.

We're all thoroughly enjoying (understatement) this new refreshing, and winning brand of TEAM basketball.

And I also think we're all a little scared of and curious about how long this will last, and how our stars will fit in to our new squad.

Will Stat flourish and learn to co-exist with Tyson and with our new PnR PG? Or will he continue to bump into Tyson in the lane and clog things up?

Will Lin have the chops to run the show and play his and MDA's way? Or will he feel intimidated by Melo's stardom and start dumping the ball into Melo's non-running/post up loving hands at the 3 point line.

Is Melo watching our games while he's nursing his groinals and thinking about how he can fit in to this offense? Or is he just assuming it'll work and his role will stay the same?

How will Lin respond when Kobe decides to try to shut our new hero down?

Will Landry and Tyson and Shump and Novak and Jefferies stand up to our stars if things regress and demand that they evolve and get on board?

There are so many questions. There have been soooooo many smiles and true joy watching free-flowing, moving, cutting, dunking, passing, hustling basketball.

So for now, I'll join the P&T masses in appreciating the HECK outta these last few games because they've been THAT spectacular and more... but whilst I rejoice and embrace... I can't help but hear that faint little voice of dread that's been imbedded in me over the years of being a Knick fan.

What are your big questions/fears?

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Comments

No way Kobe guards Lin. He'll expend way too much energy chasing him and take way too much of a beating fighting through picks.

We actually might be better off without Stat for this one. We can stick Shump at the 2 and make Kobe run through some PnRs. Let Landry play at his more natural 3 spot and do his wing thing. Stick Novak at the 4 and put him in the corner, and bring Pau with him. And force Bynum run around in space jumping out at Lin on PnRs and trying to get back before Tyson gets his oops.

That line-up isnt bad defensively either, sands Novak. Novak on Pau sucks. But I prefer Shump on Kobe, rather than Landry. I like Tyson on Bynum.

by Crackback on Feb 9, 2012 7:55 AM EST reply actions

My thinking is that this is the first smart team we've played...

and that Kobe knows if he stops or slows Lin, we have no chance. Sooooo curious how Lin plays against a championship caliber team.

by bucketsncents on Feb 9, 2012 11:11 AM EST up reply actions

THen who are they going to stick on Shump?

Fisher? I’ll take that matchup all day.

GO CUSE, BLUE, AND EAGLES!

by tanman5 on Feb 9, 2012 11:53 AM EST up reply actions

I think Kobe is so competitive

That he will take a turn on Lin if he is playing well. But that’s good actually. Kobe’s competitiveness is already starting to be a hinderance to them winning because he is getting older. For instance, he had to show he could still throw down vs. the Clips in preseason, and he hurt his wrist. If he wants to chase Lin around, let him expend energy doing that.

I agree that Shump on Kobe is a nice idea. But you know, Kobe’s gonna be hard to guard. The thing the Lakers will do better than any of our last three opponents is play good interior D. I miss Jorts for this game.

Anyway, I don’t expect the Knicks to win, but you never know. It will be interesting to see how Jeremy reacts to this latest chalLINge

Get The Frickin' Rebound

by fuhry on Feb 9, 2012 4:37 PM EST reply actions

well played... chalLINge... nice...

it’s pretty much all i want to see… how lin plays against the most competitive player in the league. it’ll be a tough go against their length, but our chemistry and energy and excitement may actually be a wild card.

by bucketsncents on Feb 9, 2012 4:41 PM EST up reply actions

You really think so?

But you know, Kobe’s gonna be hard to guard

GO CUSE, BLUE, AND EAGLES!

by tanman5 on Feb 9, 2012 6:25 PM EST up reply actions

Rec'd bucketsncents....

Sorry for lurking too long on the blog but Lin’s success is a fun thing to watch. I was almost as disappointed when the Warriors front office dropped Lin to make cap rm for an unsuccessful run on the Clipps C as I was when the Niners drafted Smith instead of Aaron Rodgers.

Is Melo watching our games while he’s nursing his groinals and thinking about how he can fit in to this offense? Or is he just assuming it’ll work and his role will stay the same?

This is the big question and glad to see you bring this up. Like any good soap opera it is going to be very interesting to see how Melo handles this…if he supports Lin the team will be much better…if he decides that Lin is a threat to his stats and NY glory then it will be a tragedy….it may also display why Denver is better without him.

by Only In Fairfax on Feb 9, 2012 4:56 PM EST reply actions

let's hope he's reading P& T posts regularly while his recovering...

i’d love it if MDA pulled Melo aside and said “it’s Lin’s ball for the first 19 seconds of every possession… and than it’s yours if we get to the last 5… or I’ll bench your ass”.

by bucketsncents on Feb 9, 2012 6:20 PM EST up reply actions

hopefully it doesn't come to that

because I doubt that MDA has the gonads to get tough with Melo.

I hate losing more than I love winning -- Billy Beane

by YuckFou on Feb 9, 2012 11:51 PM EST up reply actions

better in da regular season without him...

but in da playoffs without him is incomplete to me because maybe im wrong but i think they lost in da 1st round last year

by lets go buffalo on Feb 10, 2012 2:05 AM EST up reply actions

Well

If Lin ends up being as good a passer as Aaron Rodgers, I’m all for it.

GO CUSE, BLUE, AND EAGLES!

by tanman5 on Feb 10, 2012 2:28 PM EST up reply actions

P.S. I think Stad will love this P&R machine.

by Only In Fairfax on Feb 9, 2012 4:58 PM EST reply actions

It'll be interesting

I can’t wait for tonights game, and it isn’t simply because I think they have a chance to win (which I think they do). This will finally be a good test for Lin, and if he puts up solid numbers against LA, then we can start looking at him as the team’s starting PG for the rest of the season. I wish we had Stat ‘n’ Melo, but I’m confident in this team.

And the Knicks are finally fun to watch, which is all we’ve ever really asked, sans the playoffs.

New York Knicks = Sleeping Giants

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by moose35 on Feb 10, 2012 10:41 AM EST reply actions