I've been saying this team is ready to contend this year, that they would use the reg season to hone a very talented group into a great team. Now, I'm beginning to wonder if that's possible. Reason: comments posted by several people about the Knicks' switching defense.

Basically, I was told that (a) they overswitch on purpose. This I knew. But it's OBVIOUS that it has to change. It's idiotic to leave guys like Lin or (even) Shump guarding guys like Pierce or Garnett. Might as well hand over the points in advance.

If all opponents have to do is run a screen to get the Knicks to switch into a gross mismatch, then they'll do it every game, all game long. No man, you gotta WORK HARDER on defense.... stay with your man, or make sure the rotation guy can cover him. Basic stuff.

The other thing I read was that (b) Woodson has no intention of changing this strategy. And that's the really scary part. If that's true, then the Knicks will probably not make it past round 1.

Fact is, NY should have won that game in Boston. But they gave up so many easy buckets to mismatches, they allowed the Cs to get back in it. It was just absurdly easy for the Celtics to get great looks... they'd run a screen, and voila... either Pierce or Garnett are being guarded by small people. Huh?

One can only hope that the assurances I read that this defense ain't changing were wrong. I don't think it's negotiable. Knicks have to improve their defensive rotations, or they will die young.