We were all expecting it to be a gradual learning process for Danilo Gallinari, but its sounding more and more like we won't be seeing very much of Il Gallo at all this year. From the Times:

"His back just flared up again," Coach Mike D'Antoni said. "He was making progress, and then one morning he said he couldn’t put his pants on."

Ladies, chill.

Test results were not immediately available. Team officials are hopeful that Gallinari can avoid surgery, but they cannot rule it out.

"I’m worried about it at this point," D’Antoni said. "We’re just going to do what’s best for him. He’s 20 years old. We’d love for him to play in the next two or three weeks, we’d love for him to play in the next two or three months. But he’s got to be 100 percent well."

And so it is. Given that we're not exactly expecting a playoff appearance from these Knicks, Gallinari's absence isn't the end of the world. The draft doubters, though, will surely be shaking their chubby little fingers at the news. Gallinari's fragile, he's not NBA-ready, he's a bust, whatever. I say we all knew it was a long-term move, and while I don't wish season-killing injuries on anybody, I think we'll live. I was excited to see Gallo play, but his health comes first.

Nothing major, but going in to tonight's contest against San Antonio, we've got a couple nagging injuries to mention. First off, Danilo Gallinari's back is acting up again.

The pain level in the Italian Stallion's lower back and leg increased the past few days, causing growing concern among the team's medical staff that new treatment may be needed for the 6-foot-10 forward from Milan, who was selected sixth overall in this year's draft.

The source said a new diagnosis is not expected, but the increased level of pain is a bad sign and could imperil Gallinari's season. Coach Mike D'Antoni took Gallinari out of the rotation after the second game because of ineffective play, but hoped to eventually spot him in.

Sounds like Danilo won't be around on this mini road trip, and that we might not be seeing much of him in the near future. It's a shame, but better to get him healthy than set him way back so early on. Meanwhile, a more active Knick is having some problems of his own. 

David Lee did not practice yesterday and told The Post he has been suffering from a bone spur in his ankle for three weeks. Lee said he will play through the pain and the spur is too small to require surgery.

That might explain some of his troubles around the basket and low rebounding numbers. Lee is expected to play tonight, so it sounds as if it's nothing to worry about for the time being. Doesn't make us any more equipped to handle Tim Duncan, though. Anyway, tipoff's at 8. Your game thread will be up in a couple hours.

(AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)

The Knicks were surprisingly impressive in their first game of the season. As for their second run...not so much. The Sixers were just too big, too active, and too hot from the field for New York to even have a shot in this one. It's Halloween and I wanna go drown my sorrows in candy corn while dressed as a hippo...so let's recap quickly.

- On Wednesday we saw, at least for part of the game, New York D'Antoniball at it's most potent. Tonight was an example of what happens when a team with a collective green light to shoot goes collectively cold from every range. The Knicks shot 33% from the field. Thirty-three percent! And it wasn't always good defense. It was just an epidemic of chucking, instead of attacking the basket when things weren't clicking.

- I was arguing at lunch today that the one player I'd like on the Knicks is Sean Williams. Tonight was a perfect example of why Chong would be a valuable asset. With Curry beyond repair, Jerome James more or less retired, and Randolph Morris elsewhere, the Knicks are without a center. This means that, even for a team that's been without shot-blocking, the defensive intimidation is dismal. Rebounding, too, suffers quite a bit without a single 7-footer to be seen. The Knicks got swatted 7 times tonight (compared to zero for us). The rebounding deficit was 61-43. I'd be get mad, but how is a squad with nobody over 6'9'' (besides Gallinari, but, you know...) supposed to stop Elton Brand and Sam Dalembert. This is going to continue to be a problem until changes are made.

- Stephon Marbury will not be playing any time soon, and I think D'Antoni defended that decision pretty well. Or at least I thought that before the game. His point was that Marbury doesn't factor into the Knicks' future plans, so he'd rather let Collins, Gallinari, and friends get some burn instead. That makes it sense, but it does suck to watch Collins airball threes while Marbury sits out in a black suit with leather panels. I think he was Zorro for Halloween.

- Speaking of which, we've now got a statistic called the Mardy Collins Assist (MCA). I've been meaning to give a label to this phenomenon for years, and I've finally got my namesake. Mardy twice airballed jumpers directly into a rebounder's hands, thus providing them with an easy, albeit unexpected, look at the basket. Long live the MCA.

- Chris Duhon has been underwhelming. He's still getting used to his teammates and the offense, but he's having way too much trouble finishing around the rim.

- David Lee looks incredibly frustrated. Maybe it's the fact that his jumpers aren't falling. Maybe it's being repeatedly ignored on the pick-and-roll. Maybe it's being stuck boxing out trees like Sam Dalembert. I can't say I blame him. Keep your head up, Dave.

- Danilo Gallinari got 8 garbage minutes, and once again looked terrified. He did get his first points at the line, but it's gonna take many more toe-dips into the forbidding NBA waters before he can contribute with any regularity. Gus Johnson: "He's a young kid trying to find his grown man legs". A little homoerotic, but Danilo has really got a ways to go.

- Tonight's meaningful numbers: Richardson (3-8), Lee (5-13), Randolph (5-19), Crawford (5-12), Duhon (1-8), Colllins (3-7), Robinson (4-14), Chandler (5-13). Rose and Gallinari both missed their only attempts. The only Knick to hit half of his shots was Anthony Roberson. That generally doesn't bode well for a professional basketball team.

Anyway, it was a really aggravating loss, and it hurts to see things fall apart that badly, but these things happen. It's just one game. Everyone have a fun, safe Halloween, and remember not to eat candy that isn't wrapped. Your neighbors may have poisoned it! Peace.

ESPN won't put up any pictures of people playing basketball, so here's Phil Collins. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

1-0! The Knicks are above .500 for only the fourth time in the last 4 years (thanks Mase). It was very nearly a full-on, feel-good win, but it's never that easy. Some notes on the win:

- Clyde kicked off the season in style, with a full-body black leather outfit. Word has it was borrowed from the "Friday Night" drawer of Mike Breen's wardrobe.

- Our starting lineup is now the "T-Mobile Starting Lineup". What does that mean? Does Mike D'Antoni text "im strting qrich 2nite...lol oopz!" to the MSG producers?

- David Lee is already showing that he's more committed to playing defense. Udonis Haslem's preposterous 10-14 would lead you to believe otherwise, but I promise Dave's getting it together. He put up a workmanlike 16,11, and 5 of his own, too.

- Danilo Gallinari made his rather surprising debut late in the first quarter. He looked pretty shaky and rimmed out a few jumpers, but what do you expect from a man who hasn't played organized basketball since July? The debut lasted only four minutes, but it was terribly exciting to see him on the floor.

- Speaking of terribly exciting, Jared Jeffries was interviewed in a tight-fitting gray and yellow sweater Jared Jeffries shops at Aber-Camby & Fitch.

- Wow, I'm really rusty.

- The first half set the bar for a half of D'Antoni basketball. The Knicks dropped 60 by playing pretty solid defense, pushing the ball, and staying in motion on the offense. Granted, the Heat were pretty cold, but it was a great start to the season.

- The second half was a bit of a drop-off, but in a different way than you might expect. In the preseason, we got accustomed to first-half excitement giving way to second-half drudgery and poor shooting. The third quarter tonight was a refreshing departure from the norm. Save for a few bonehead threes, the Knicks responded to defensive adjustments by pounding the ball inside and utilizing the multiple talents of Lee and Randolph to get looks around the hole. It was in the fourth quarter that things fell apart. Towards the end, Crawford was heaving premature threes, Robinson was over-dribbling, and nobody got back on defense. Miami was able to cut the double-digit lead down to as little as three.

- I don't want to give this too much attention, because we're sure to get some sort of "BENCHBURY!!11" headline from the Post, but Stephon Marbury didn't play a minute in this game. Not one. The likes of Mardy Collins and Malik Rose preceded him off the bench. I trust D'Antoni, but when the team is collapsing in the fourth quarter, Marbury's cool head and sure hands might steady the ship.

- Jill Martin's halftime interview was with Phil Collins and his two little kids. Future poll: Mardy or Phil?

- My girlfriend thinks Donnie Walsh looks like the giant evil booger from the Mucinex commercials. I think he looks more like the grumpy lizard secretary from Monsters Inc.

There can only be one.

- "The one thing you like about Mardy Collins is his size"- Gus Johnson. Don't ever tell me what I like, Gus. Especially if it's Mardy Collins.

- Eddy Curry spent the entire second half icing his knee in the locker room. How he injured his knee on the bench, I can't explain.

- Q-Tip performed pre-game and at halftime. Here's an analogy. '93 Knicks are to Knicks now as '93 Q-Tip is to Q-Tip now. I love Tribe, but...oy.

- Wilson Chandler was everything we want him to be and more. He had a very quiet 17 and 8, canned a couple jumpers, and scrapped all over the glass to get putbacks and loose balls. "Wilson is my homeboy" t-shirts coming soon.

- Dwyane Wade got his 26 points, but was held to 9-24 shooting by a carousel of Knick defenders. Duhon, Richardson, and Chandler all got looks, and Wade looked off the whole night. The fact that he still manages to put up near-triple doubles on awful nights speaks to his greatness. I'll take the win, though.

- The Knicks as a team shot 9-25 from downtown. The number really should've been about 8-21. As I mentioned, Crawford went into his glassy-eyed shooting seizure, jacking up any ball he caught and throwing away a handful of crunchtime possessions. So, Jamal's fourth quarter late-game gaffes aside, the downtown numbers were both reasonable and respectable.

All that said, Game 1 of '08-'09 was a solid glimpse of things to come (hopefully), though there were understandably some kinks in the machinery. It felt great to kick things off with a win. The next game's on Friday, so more on this one tomorrow. Leave your post-game thoughts in the comments.

And so it begins. The Knicks are at home tonight to tip off '08/'09 against the Miami Heat. Michael Beasley will be making his NBA debut for the Heat, while we all wonder whether Danilo Gallinari will make his for the Knicks. The biggest question, though, is whether Mike D'Antoni has anybody to stop Dwyane Wade version 2.0 (Guess: No.)

Either way, it's bound to be a season fraught with glee, heartache, surprise, and more of the same. The ride begins tonight. This game thread is for your game-related comments, whether you're watching along or not. The more comments the merrier. Get them W's!

For the opposing viewpoint, check out the brand new Peninsula is Mightier.

I already wrote this damn post, but my computer froze, so I'll just run down some links quick-like.

- Danilo Gallinari is ready to bang. No word on whether he'll be ready for the final preseason game, but he's cleared to practice. Who knows if and how long it'll take for him to crack the rotation, but we could certainly use his sure shooting stroke.

- Donnie Walsh has decided to pass on this opportunity to extend the contracts of David Lee and Nate Robinson. The decision will wait until next summer, when the team's direction will be a bit clearer. Lee's resigning will probably be a point of much contention this offseason. In the meantime, The Knicks Blog is under the impression that both Dave and Nate are filing this under the "basketball's a business" category, and know how important their roles are this coming season.

- Gian at 7SoM has your video recap of that uggggly game against Boston.

- Bethlehem Shoals runs the Knicks through his quotemonger apparatus. A highlight:

Jamal Crawford on all the uncertainty swirling around the Knicks:

"It’s the preseason…I don’t take it that serious."

Translation: So wait, all you in the media actually think we’re figuring anything out around here? Also, no shit this was an Iverson reference–you fell right into the trap, since now you’re forced at act like D’Antoni’s going to have the 2008-09 Knicks, and a gulag set up for Isiah-era retreads, by Opening Day. This is campaign season, motherf*ckers, where everything’s in flux and talk is cheap. And then once it’s on, don’t expect no W.-like silliness from D’Antoni. You’re trying to trap him, too. Damn liberal media.

- Frank Isola wonders if Mike D'Antoni may have made his first chink in the Knicks' collective armor. I worry much less about Jamal Crawford than I do about Eddy Curry.

- Wilson Chandler will be OK. It'd still be nice to have Gallinari mobilized, just in case.

That's all for now. Remember to measure twice, cut once.

Alan Hahn yesterday made resurfaced a rumor that Danilo Gallinari, who rehabbed his summer away, and Patrick Ewing Jr., a bit too raw just yet, could be candidates for the D-League going into their rookie seasons.

"That is definitely open . . . that's a possibility," D'Antoni said before Friday's 104-97 preseason win over the Boston Celtics at TD Banknorth Garden. "Now I'm just saying it hypothetically, but I can see you doing it. You'd be rehabbing, making sure you're playing 40 minutes, get you in good shape and then you come back up. I could see that happening . . . Whether we do it or not, I don't know."

Remember, the current roster stands at 18, so 3 cuts need to be made before opening day. D'Antoni, as we've seen, is unlikely to play anywhere near a 15-man rotation, which is why he might be interested in tapping a resource that was never once utilized by Isiah Thomas or his predecessors.

As for their potential destination, the Reno Bighorns are the Knicks' developmental affiliate (10 P&T points if you knew that). They are coached by Jay Humphries, who has been on D'Antoni's staff in the past and is expected to run the familiar "7-seconds-or-less" system, obviously adjusting for time zone differences.  I'll let the only expert I know- Matt at Ridiculous Upside- explain what this would mean for the Bigs and Knicks alike:

This would be huge for Reno, which was unlikely to get much attention this year from its other affiliate, Sacramento (regrettably). Sending down a pick that high would do huge for the league to show a major market team's coach having faith in the system. The Humphries-D'Antoni connection could pay huge dividends for Reno. This would equal the highest pick sent to the D-League on assignment, previously by the Blazers sending down Martell Webster in 2005.

As for Gallinari, this would be a good move for the youngster who has missed almost all of preseason with a back injury, including Summer League. Say what you want about the level of talent in the D versus Europe, it's the closest you're going to find in terms of speed and physicality, both of which Gallinari will need to develop if he's going to be succesful. Tucking him away for a season gets him away from the constant criticism and could allow him to get his confidence up.

I wholeheartedly agree with that second paragraph. Gallinari's disadvantage is that he hasn't yet had the stage to prove his worth because of his injuries. If he has any shot at gaining some court cred this season, it'll be lighting up the D-League with that smooth stroke. Remember that we're talking about a guy who averaged 17.5 points a game last year in professional ball in Italy. My math tells me that that translates to approximately 303.8 points a game in the D-League. Not a typo. Danilo's 100% more likely to make a name for himself on the court canning jumpers in Reno than he is on the bench doing sudoku in New York.

As for Ewing Jr., Pat's future depends on his making the team. Unless Donnie Walsh is looking to cut some payroll, that isn't a sure thing. Assuming Allan Houston and Dan Grunfeld won't be around, (which would really hurt. I've grown to love the Grun.) Ewing's gotta beat out someone with NBA experience to make the roster. Mardy Collins has looked surprisingly sharp all preseason, and Anthony Roberson's got enough of a jumpshot to make any team. I'm hard-pressed to find a way for Ewing to make the Knicks unless a pricier cut is made- someone like Jerome James or Jared Jeffries. That said, if Ewing were to make the team, Reno would be a fantastic spot to hone his offensive game, practice fundamental defense, and drop some earth-shaking highlight reel dunks to get his name out there.

I expect that New Yorkers might have some acid reflux at the idea of our prized 6th pick heading west for the start of the season. We're not too familiar with the D-League, and, well, it's Reno. I reall do feel, though, that the NBDL is the only place for Gallinari to rehabilitate, get used to the fast-paced system, and show the league that he's ready to contribute. He can't do any of that on the bench.

The Knicks left town yesterday afternoon, and I felt more than a little sad to see them go. They're a strikingly friendly group of guys, from the coaches and staff right down to the players. I've got some interviews and stories to share (the final videos will go up tomorrow), but for the moment let's review some major themes from practice.

- Forget most of what Mike D'Antoni said earlier this summer about changing up his style. While I'm sure he'll adapt to his new roster, Coach D is undoubtedly running and/or gunning whenever possible. I don't know if you could fully grasp it from the grainy practice videos I posted, but the five-on-five drills were mostly run with an 8-second shot clock after a missed shot was rebounded by the opposing team.

- I wasn't pleased with the Chris Duhon signing because, well, we was pretty much completely uninteresting in Chicago, but I've gotta say I'm on board now. Du looked like the smartest guy on the floor for all of training camp. He knew the plays and drills better than anyone, and kept his cool when things got chaotic (as they did quite a bit in practice). Our friends at Blog-a-Bull might be chortling in their little saddles at that notion (For some reason, I always picture Bulls fans riding actual bulls. I'm also incapable of bathing myself.), but I'm feeling good about Duhon as D'Antoni's leader and on-court representative.

- Patrick Ewing Jr. is one of the nicer guys on the team, but I'm worried about his future. Pat made it clear that he's as athletically capable as anyone on the team, but looked a little tense throughout camp. He was dropping passes, committing fouls, and generally lacking in confidence throughout. I'm sure if he sharpens his game and commits to defense that he can make a career for himself, but I wonder if he's got Walsha nd D'Antoni convinced.

- Two fun trends: 1. Danilo Gallinari calls for ice and tape by yelling "chico!" at the nearest trainer. Now all the guys do it. UPDATE: "Chico" is Anthony Goenaga's nickname, and it wasn't coined by Gallinari. Oh well. Thanks to Alan Hahn for the tip. 2.  When anybody shoots from the outside, someone else (usually Jerome James) yells "BANG BANG (name)!". Example: "BANG BANG MARDY COLLINS!".

- Speaking of which, Collins looks improved, and carried himself confidently in practice. He's getting to the basket with great success, and while his jump shot isn't any prettier, it does appear to be falling more.

- David Lee's shot wasn't falling all that consistently (Which isn't unusual. Nobody's shots were falling.), but he's certainly more willing to face the basket and operate from 18+ feet out. That also means putting the ball on the floor and making some guard-like moves to the rim. He also looks more focused and poised on defense, and was probably the most vocal of anybody on that end. This could be a year in which D-Lee proves that he's got all the tools to succeed in the D'Antoni system.

- Nate Robinson looks as talented as ever, but he's really going to have to impress D'Antoni to take minutes away from Duhon and Marbury, the latter of whom looks healthy and focused.

- Training camp towel boys fear Quentin Richardson. He's as emotional in practice as most people are in playoff games.

- Zach Randolph loves to shoot from outside, and Coach doesn't seem to have an issue with that.

- Mike D'Antoni is unbelievably nice and also smells fantastic.

And that's all she wrote. I've got one more tape of videos to come tomorrow morning (probably), then we'll wrap up training camp coverage and get ready for the preseason. Stay sweet.

After practice this evening I got a chance to catch up with the Knicks on topics such as politics, rookie initiation, and the Sonics' move to OKC. Oh, and I finally asked Mike D'Antoni if he'd shave his 'stache. Check it out.

I'll be back at practice tomorrow, so rack your brain for any more questions you might want me to ask the guys. Seriously.

Update: Forgot to mention, Mike D'Antoni smells very nice. Just saying.

Jeff Clark from Celtics Blog has once again mobilized the basketball blogosphere to write season previews on our favorite teams. Joey from Straight Bangin' and my very own self are the two bloggers sad enough to cover the Knicks. Here's my contribution for the Knicks.

Team Name: New York Knicks
Last Years Record: 23-59
Key Losses: Renaldo Balkman, Frederic Weis' contract
Key Additions: Chris Duhon, Anthony Roberson, Danilo Gallinari (R), Patrick Ewing Jr. (R)

1. What significant moves were made during the offseason?

Aside from the draft choice of Danilo Gallinari, the Knicks' biggest roster move was signing free agent Chris Duhon to fill an apparent point guard gap. The real moves were made off the court, with Mike D'Antoni and his staff taking over for Coach Isiah while Donnie Walsh took over for GM Isiah.

2. What are the team’s biggest strengths?

Depth- For better or worse, the Knicks are deep at several different positions. Coach D'Antoni should be able to toy with different lineups and patch holes when the injury bug hits.

Freshness- Much like a Subway sandwich, the Knicks are chock full of freshness (Yes, I know solicit product placement in my blog posts. Your company could be here!). With a new staff, management, and media policy, there is finally an air of change in the...air. I don't know if that even counts as a strength, but I get the feeling that the overall mood of the club is taking a turn for the better.

3. What are the team’s biggest weaknesses?

Deadweight- New York has a few players on the roster who are serviceable, but might not be exactly what D'Antoni and Walsh are looking for going forward. You've surely heard about them. Guys like Curry, Marbury, and Randolph are widely believed to be undesirables within the Knicks front office. Their continued presence will be a test of D'Antoni's coaching and patience.

Defense- The addition of Chris Duhon should bolster the backcourt defense slightly, but our frontcourt is still far too sedentary to stick with some of the flying man-beast forwards and centers that populate the league. Shipping away Renaldo Balkman doesn't help matters.

4. What are the goals for this team?

Significant improvement. I know, that phrase rings of a bitter and (hopefully) bygone era, but it's what we're looking for. A cinderella run to the playoffs would be sweet, no doubt (except for losing that lottery pick), but I think most of us would be happy with at least sniffing the top 8. Such an improvement would bring at least some modicum of respectibility and a sense of foundation rather than reinvention in the years ahead. Oh, and no more truck parties.

5. Will Gallinari be a factor?

Much fuss was made about the Knicks picking Danilo Gallinari with the 6th pick in this year's draft. Some weren't sure he could hang with NBA forwards, while others were foretelling All-Star berths for Il Gallo. The jury may still be out come next summer. The big rooster has a nagging back injury that kept him out of most of the Summer League and looks as if it will keep him shackled to an exercise bike for the rest of the training camp. If he misses all of preseason, Danilo just might not crack the rotation for the early part of the year. We may even be looking at a D-League candidate. It appears we're taking ourselves too seriously this year to let the young and the raw develop on the Garden floor. So, if Gallinari can't stay healthy, he'll be hard-pressed to make an impression in his rookie campaign.

Predicted Record: 36-46. Improvement, and hope for '09.

Here's the rest of the division:

Boston Celtics
CelticsBlog.com    
 Green Bandwagon      
 LOY's Place
Red's Army
Celtics 24/7

New Jersey Nets
About Basketball

New York Knicks
Straight Bangin'

Philadelphia 76ers
 Recliner GM
Passion and Pride

Toronto Raptors
RaptorsHQ.com
Hoops Addict
Cuzoogle