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The H8ERZ Guide to the Eastern Conference Finals

2013-05-22T14:00:10Z

For Knicks fans of my generation, the nineties were the closest thing to a golden age we've ever known. If that is the case, then the Knicks have recaptured their glory days in at least one regard – they lost a heartbreaking playoff series to a hated rival. This will be the second Eastern Conference Finals in a row to feature a bona fide Knicks conqueror, meaning the franchise has officially graduated from "Eastern Conference doormat" to "stepping stone to the Conference Finals." We're back, baby!

What follows is not a preview of the conference finals. Miami's gonna win, and everyone knows it. This is more a barometer of fan opinion heading into this series. No possible outcome should come as much comfort to Knicks fans, short of someone in the Heat organization opening the Ark of the Covenant at midcourt just before tip-off. I'd pay good money to watch Pat Riley's face melt, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Instead, the real rooting interest in this series will come down to a feeling of "the enemy who is also the enemy of my more-hated enemy is my lesser enemy (for the moment, anyway)." These are complicated, dirty (and not in a good way) feelings, and I'm interested in your thoughts on the subject. Let's break down the match-ups and then, in the poll below, settle the question of who is the most hated Easter Conference Finals Participant, '13.

The reasons to hate the Miami Heat have been discussed ad nauseam, so I'm just going to bullet-point a few choice thoughts on the matter:

I flipped on Spike TV the other night and watched the end of the movie "Doom", based on the video game, starring the Rock and one of the bros from "Lord of the Rings." During the climactic fight scene, the Rock began morphing into a demon cuz seriously bro this is "Doom" on Spike TV! I thought that half-Rock half-demon looked vaguely familiar, but couldn't quite put my finger on where I'd seen him before...until I caught a glimpse of LeBron James in his current state of hairline regression. Pro-wrestler-meets-demon would be a pretty apt description of his game as well, if you threw in Magic Johnson's passing ability, a healthy commitment to defense, and a flopping tendency that would make an Italian footballer blush. The guy is very good at a sport I enjoy watching, and yet my feelings for him remain...umm...complex.
As far as I'm concerned, Dwyane Wade's annual case of "I know it's the playoffs but my knee seriously hurts I don't think I can play SIKE watch me dunk from the foul line" has replaced Memorial Day as the new unofficial start of the summer. I've been gone from America too long to remember which Monday in May is Memorial Day, but I know for sure that Wade is going to pull that move in the third round. The man is a well-oiled machine...a well-oiled machine who, you know, acts like he isn't a well-oiled machine.
Losing to Chris Bosh and his freakishly long neck is like watching your opponent pull off an impossible move in Jenga – by all rights, that thing should have collapsed in on itself by now, but it hasn't and now I'm screwed.
Wrong flat-top is in the conference finals. Wrong flat-top is in the conference finals. Wrong flat-top. Is in. The conference finals.

The case for hating Indiana is simultaneously simpler – they just beat us – and more complex. They're a textbook underdog in this series, and I doubt anyone outside of New York will wish them ill. Even the 14 or so fans of the Atlanta Hawks, the Pacers' first round victim, probably wouldn't mind watching them stomp the Heat.

You can hate Pacer fans for their pathetic lack of support during the regular season (25^th in regular season attendance for a surefire contender), but quite a bit of selective amnesia is required to drop them beneath the fans in Miami. As far as pure fan douchiness is concerned, Indiana's "yellow out" has nothing on Miami's "whites only" yacht party – somebody needs to tell the people of Florida that "whites only" policies went out of style with the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

As for the Indiana players...I'm sorry, everyone, but I still can't muster the kind of hatred I feel for the Heat. I came out of that series with a healthy respect for Roy Hibbert. Think of it this way: should we hate the guy for taking the next step against the Knicks, or should we hate Tyson Chandler for basically shoving him up that next step? Should we spend the rest of our lives harping on a few non-calls? We always do that, Knicks fans. I expect him to struggle in the next series – his game still has a few weaknesses, and Erik Spoelstra is actually smart enough to exploit said weaknesses – but it wouldn't exactly bother me to watch him block a few Miami drives to the rim.

The most hate-able Pacer is undoubtedly Lance Stephenson – both in terms of personality and that damned "could have drafted him" narrative. Yes, the Knicks drafted Andy Rautins ahead of him, but Andy Rautins is the Canadian Steph Curry, and since Steph Curry is the American Steve Nash, and Steve Nash is Canadian...BRAAAAHM! Sure it looks bad, but here's the thing about second-round picks: every single team passed on them at least once. Oh, but Stephenson's a local boy? The Tri-State Area is the fifth-most populous metropolitan area on the planet, meaning there are a lot of local boys. Please forgive a survivor of the Stephon Marbury Era, but even after watching Stephenson dominate the Knicks in Game 6, I'm still not that interested in revisiting the "potentially unbalanced local prep legend comes home" angle. Also, I remember what happened to last time a dude named Lance wore a yellow jersey and triumphed over adversity...didn't turn out too well for him in the end, if I recall.

It's not easy for this writer to choose a rooting interest in these conference finals – mostly, I just want the series to go seven, if only to postpone the inevitable off-season Jason Kidd contract extension. What about you, P&T'ers? Answer the poll below and leave your opinions in the comments section. Hate, hate, hate!

Poll

Which team are you rooting for in the Eastern Conference Finals

Open Playoff Thread: 5/21/13

2013-05-22T00:00:09Z

If you're watching the draft lottery or Game 2 between the Grizzlies and Spurs or whatever, feel free to comment along here. <3

Mike Woodson and Glen Grunwald addressed the media.

2013-05-21T16:21:17Z

Good day! Today was the day for Mike Woodson to speak with reporters for the last time this season and for Glen Grunwald to speak to reporters for the first and last time this season. They sat around a conference table with all your favorite beat guys and churned out pap until everyone left. Just like yesterday's post-exit interview media availability by the players, this isn't exactly a forum for massive insights. There were, however, a few mildly interesting and informative things said:

- Mike Woodson is in favor of Iman Shumpert playing in Summer League, and generally spoke highly of Shump.

- Glen Grunwald acknowledged that the Knicks are-- for the time being-- too capped out to do anything major like a sign-and-trade but hinted at some more creative measures for adding low-cost production. Daddy Grun and company have a good track record in that department.

- The Knicks will have the mini mid-level exception and Grunwald suggested they might use it to pay Pablo Prigioni and/or Chris Copeland.

- Grunwald got a positive vibe from Jason Kidd in yesterday's exit interview and came away under the impression that he's leaning toward playing another year.

- Grunwald suggested that Amar'e Stoudemire could play on a minutes limit next season. Woodson claimed to be undecided about Stoudemire's place in the rotation (starting lineup vs. bench) next season. All of the above depends on Amar'e's health, of course.

- Amar'e may go work more with Hakeem Olajuwon, by the way.

- Woodson wants Tyson Chandler to grab more rebounds with his hands and then hold them in his hands. He also wants him on a "weight program". I assume that means gaining, not losing? A post game would be nice, too. Without the Olympics, Tyson's got more time to spend with Hakeem if he so chooses.

- Woodson got a li'l paternal re: J.R. Smith.

- Carmelo Anthony will have an MRI on his shoulder to make sure nothing's seriously injured. Glen Grunwald said that would be today, but it will not be today.

Those were the items of note. This is merely the beginning of a long summer, so there's not much being said now that's worth getting worked up about. Pretty much everything but the above was rote, uninteresting positivity, which is to be expected at an event such as this one. The only way to spice that stuff up is to declare today MEDIA AVAILABILITY OPPOSITE DAY. Here we go:

Glen Grunwald: "I am extremely discouraged by this team and filled with dread for the future."

Mike Woodson: "I hope our fans are fed up and have lost all hope."

Woodson: "I think we are headed in the wrong direction."

Woodson: "I throw my hat at Melo for a terrible season. He should give up."

Woodson, on Kenyon Martin: "My least favorite kind of player."

Grunwald: "Our focus is to destroy the core of this team."

Grunwald: "I think Woody did a terrible job. He gets my Worst Coach of the Year award. Are there Razzies for coaches? He gets that. Oh my god I hate Mike Woodson so much."

See? Way more exciting!

Monday was Locker Clean-out Day

2013-05-21T00:38:53Z

Today was that sad day in which the Knicks empty out their lockers for the summer, giving a few quotes to reporters on their way out the door. There is almost never any real information exchanged, but you can get a sense for how guys are feeling as they reflect on the season and how they intend to approach the offseason. Here are a couple notable bits:

- First of all, almost half the team didn't speak to reporters today. Mike Woodson and Glen Grunwald will do their availability tomorrow.

- Kenyon Martin says he wants to come back.

- Chris Copeland professed a career-long value of fit over finance and spoke positively about his season, which stokes at least a little hope that he might return.

- Raymond Felton's going to spend some time studying under Jason Kidd in the Hamptons.

- Meanwhile, there is real uncertainty about Kidd's odds of continuing his career into next season.

- Steve Novak is bummed not to have played much in the playoffs, but understands that's how things work. Steve also wants to improve at pretty much everything this summer. Cool!

- Carmelo Anthony wants J.R. Smith to return. Duh. Melo wants a fully healthy Amar'e. Duh.

- The Knicks staff didn't see anything wrong with Melo's shoulder, but he'll still get it checked out by another doctor very soon just to make sure there's no serious damage.

- Melo gave the appropriate response to Frank Isola's attempt to stir up Chris Paul rumors.

- Melo opted out of discussing the opt-out clause his contract has after next season.

- Tyson Chandler implied he won't need surgery or anything and blamed his postseason sluggishness on the lingering effects of strep throat caught from his daughter, not just basic laziness. He continued to say kinda pointed words about the team and system. Whatever. Just please be Tyson next season.

- Iman Shumpert was similarly critical of the team's offensive output and expressed the bluntest disdain for the season's outcome. He intends to play in Summer League in Las Vegas, which is great. He's up for anything position-wise.

So, that's a rough sketch of some of the Knicks' mindsets heading into the offseason and a lot of closed tabs in my browser. Nothing especially illuminating, but we should gain more clarity with each passing day of the offseason. We've a long way to go.

H.A.G.S.

Mike Woodson's Reluctant Revolution

2013-05-20T20:57:47Z

I understand why people want Mike Woodson fired. I can see how a constellation of illogical moves in the playoffs could have been the last straw for some Knicks fans. I don't want him to be fired. I value continuity above all else with this team and I reckon any replacement would bring flaws, blind spots, and other questionable idiosyncrasies of his own. None of this matters, anyway, since Woodson isn't going to get fired. Right? His hiring was uncontested, he's in with the right agency, and he, ya know, coached the team to their best season in over a decade. He's not going anywhere*. Nobody but fans has even mentioned his firing as a possibility.

*Note: Sometimes Knick employees who aren't going anywhere end up going anywhere.

Working under the assumption that Woodson will be back, I am ill at ease. It's not because I think he's a bad coach. It's that-- a year and a half into his tenure-- I don't quite understand what he wants. Allow me to flesh out something I first mentioned after that horrid Game 4 in Indiana. Mike Woodson came to New York with the reputation of being stodgy, defense-oriented, offensively unimaginative, and fuzzy. The man with that reputation went on to build a system that, among other things, featured Carmelo Anthony almost exclusively at the four for the first time in his career, regularly employed point guards in tandem, neared historic lows for turnover rate, and attempted more threes than any team ever. Ever! Mike Woodson! That same stodgy fuzzball imbued the Knicks with an identity and reputation opposite his own and achieved a ton of success in doing so.

However, there were signs along the way that Woodson wasn't totally committed to the approach, and they became fully realized during the Indiana series, especially in that Game 4. Menaced by a big, defensively brilliant opponent, Woodson got desperate and opposed that identity in nearly every way possible. Something about the way Woodson, when challenged, recoiled from his team's most basic tenets alarmed me. And then I looked back at how the team had built its identity and began to wonder in earnest if it was an accident.

Think back to the beginning of the season. With Amar'e Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert injured, Woodson surprised us by starting Carmelo Anthony at the four and Jason Kidd at the two in a preseason game against the Sixers. He went away from that sort of starting lineup (though he did use it at points) in the next and final exhibition game against the Nets, who were also supposed to be New York's first regular season opponent. Then Hurricane Sandy ruined opening night in Brooklyn, making a visit from the Heat the first game of the year. Now facing Miami's small lineup instead of Brooklyn's more conventional five, Woodson opted to match with the two-point-guard/Melo-at-the-four starting unit. The Knicks dominated, attempting and hitting an absurd number of threes. Then he stuck with that lineup in two games against the similarly small Sixers and the Knicks continued to dominate. So he kept at it, and that became New York's look. The defense struggled (albeit while forcing a ton of turnovers and rebounding well-- also strange) and the offense isolated at times, but there was also a heavy dose of innovation and absurdity-- wonky sets, wacky lineups (here's your reminder that Woodson once spun the shortest possible five-man unit on his roster), and so very many three-pointers. That it was grumbly ol' Mike Woodson governing one of the weirdest, funnest systems in the NBA was not lost on people. It was fairly nuts, and the zany shirts and whatnot only heightened the nuttiness.

There were breaks from that identity along the way-- hints, perhaps, at Woodson's reluctance. In response to some combination of injuries and desperation, Woodson moved Melo down to the three (with Marcus Camby or Kurt Thomas at the four) at several points and aborted the starting point guard tandem during the first two weeks of March (after which Woodson went to Pablo Prigioni, not the struggling Kidd, as his starting two). There were also, to be fair, signs of devotion to the approach, like Woodson's insistence on keeping J.R. Smith as a third bench guard instead of starting him at two and his decision to bring Amar'e Stoudemire off the bench even once he'd hit his stride. As the playoffs drew near, though, Woodson hinted that he might change things up and go big against Indiana or Chicago. When the time came, he did so gradually at first, then went full steam backward in that Game 4. Such a reversion could be foreboding.

I wondered before if Woodson would have fashioned the Knicks into a small, spread-out, three-point ripping offensive curiosity (and, for considerable stretches, juggernaut) if circumstances hadn't forced his hand to start the year. Now I wonder what he and the organization envision for next year. The Knicks could have a very similar roster, so will they try to achieve and enhance the same identity? Will they try to recreate those point guard tandems whether or not Prigioni and Kidd stick around? Will they plan around starting Melo at the four? Will they seek shooters? If Amar'e Stoudemire is healthy, I suspect they won't and I don't know if I should be upset about that. Playing small lineups with extra distribution and extra shooting alongside Melo at the four worked brilliantly this past season. There could be other configurations that work brilliantly, but we haven't seen large samples of them yet. A more traditional approach would essentially be starting from scratch.

In summary: Mike Woodson, perhaps due to circumstance and not will, created something weird and excellent this season, but abandoned it in crucial moments. Therefore, I don't think-- in our assessment of possible changes to the roster via draft, trade, and free agency-- we can assume the 2013-2014 Knicks will be a project of rebuilding and improving upon the 2012-2013 Knicks. They might very well be building something totally new, and perhaps more conventional, out of most of the same parts.

If Woodson does intend to revert to orthodoxy, I just hope he and management are on the same page in that regard. And if the team changes its identity, I realllly hope it works, because the 2012-2013 way, however weird it was, worked pretty nicely. If anything, the Knicks may have underachieved because Woodson got intermittently shy about the weirdness, and it'd be a shame to abandon that just for comfort's sake. Even still, and no matter what happens next year, we'll always remember the time Mike Woodson-- Mike Woodson!-- led one of the strangest, most revolutionary Knick campaigns we've ever seen, maybe by accident.

Preliminary Questions and Concerns Regarding the Knicks' Offseason

2013-05-20T13:50:29Z

Okay. Two frantic pre-alarm wake-ups later, it has sunk in. The Knicks' season is finished. It is the offseason. The fun and uncertainty off basketball season must give way to the tedium and uncertainty of the summertime. Well, it shouldn't all be tedious. New York having a first-round draft pick is rare and intriguing and it'll be fascinating to see how Glen Grunwald fills some open spots this summer. On that note, here is my list of noteworthy uncertainties surfacing with the end of 2012-2013 basketball.

How will the Knicks draft?

I figure this'll be the first question to get answered, but you never know. The Knicks are positioned for the 24th pick in this year's draft, and since 2013 happens to fall in a gap amid the eternity of forfeited picks from past trades, they'll get to use it. Just the one, though, as New York's second-rounder goes to Washington and the other second-rounder they'd acquired from Golden State goes to Denver. So, they've gotta make that 24th pick count. Will they, though? Are they interested in adding a young person to next year's roster? This past season, New York drafted a promising Euro-stash second-rounder-- Kostas Papanikolaou (fuck yeah I can still spell that)-- instead of an immediate contributor, then traded him anyway in the Raymond Felton deal. Then they barely bothered to field a Summer League team and cut all their young camp invites. Even the rookies were old. In short, this regime now has a reputation for preferring gray hair to peach fuzz, so trading the pick, stashing the pick, or trading the draftee must be regarded as possibilities.

That said, I hope the Knicks keep their 24th pick. Even given their gerontophilia, I like to think they will. On whom, though? I watched roughly three combined minutes of college basketball this season, so I'm familiar with exactly zero players. I hope our friend viva_morrison will put together some more "Know the Prospect" pieces for us this year, and I encourage all of you to use the FanPost section to share your own scouting reports. Generally speaking, though, I'd like the Knicks to pursue versatility over specialty. I'd love a guy who could defend and hit threes, run the point and hit threes, or rebound and hit threes. You know, versatility. If this past season's prevailing lineup format is the one that'll be used next season (not a certainty, and a topic for later...like perhaps this afternoon), then I picture the draftee being a wing. Whoever, though. I just love rookies and would like some on the Knicks.

What of J.R. Smith?

J.R. says he'd like to retire a Knick, which is nice of him, but could mean nothing once there's money involved. He is expected to decline next year's $2.9 million option and become a free agent. As holders of Smith's Early Bird rights, the Knicks can offer him league-average (about $5 million per) for up to four years. Note that this is an exception by which the Knicks can exceed the salary cap, not money below the cap that could otherwise be used on other players. Competing teams can offer more money and years, but: 1. They are not the Knicks and J.R. seems fond of the Knicks 2. They might not want any part of J.R. Smith anyway. The Knicks themselves could feel deterred by J.R.'s horrid May, but I suspect they don't. I'd bet on the Knicks exhausting every resource to re-sign J.R, which could end with Chris Smith becoming president of Cablevision or something.

What of the minimum contracts?

I assume Grunwald will endeavor to bring back his choicest minimum-contract signings, Chris Copeland and Pablo Prigioni. Either could become a restricted free agent by accepting New York's qualifying offer. Either of the two might find more money elsewhere. Pablo may want to return to Europe or South America (the Berman link up above mentions that Mrs. Prigioni sounds ready to leave). We'll see.

Of the remaining minimum bros, Kenyon Martin seems the most likely candidate for mutual interest in a return. James White, Quentin Richardson, and Earl Barron (<3 u, Earl) should all be gone, so there will be at least a handful of empty roster spots. I'm excited see if Daddy Grun and Kevin Wilson and company can turn up some more gems out of nowhere ("nowhere" being Belgium, mostly).

Time out.

I've used words like "bet" and "assume" in previous paragraphs. That is patently stupid. These are the Knicks. Assume nothing. Anything you feel certain about right now could be directly opposed this summer.

What of Jason Kidd and Marcus Camby?

Both are on long-term deals, but both are old. Both are probably wondering why Knick staff members keep mentioning how swell it would be to own a ranch in Montana and relax out on the porch watching the pronghorns cavort in the frosty mornings but alas duty calls if only we had accrued enough lifetime salary and achievements to comfortably walk away oh hi Jason/Marcus didn't see you there.

It's possible that one of the other uncles might follow Rasheed Wallace into retirement. Unlike Sheed's case, though, that'd involve leaving millions of dollars on the table. Reporters have described Kidd as somewhat undecided about his future. Camby's people say he was healthy during the last however many weeks of DNPs, so perhaps he's unhappy. I don't know how that would affect his willingness to retire.

Of course, either guy could be useful next season. Not out of the question. Kidd had some great stretches this past season and Camby might have been useful if healthy. I dunno. Old people.

Are there trades to be made?

I mean, probably not-- there certainly aren't any obvious outlines of deals-- but one never knows. New York's roster is half bedrock, half jetsam. They don't have loose, substantial stones to exchange. A deal would require either taking a jackhammer to the core or finding a partner weirdly interested in, like, Steve Novak.

What will the offseason bring for the Knick core?

Carmelo Anthony will get his shoulder checked out. Hopefully, he doesn't need any surgeries. He should have a quieter summer than last with no USA obligations on his plate. On that note: Tyson Chandler? What does this guy need to have a 2013-14 more like his 2011-12 than his 2012-13? Will an offseason spent recovering and training instead of competing help? Does his neck need surgery? Should we just flick him on the forehead a few times? And hey, how about Iman Shumpert getting his first full NBA offseason? His rookie offseason got weirded by the lockout and he spent all of last summer recovering from knee surgery. This should be his first experience with a normal training regimen and an opportunity to improve his game unencumbered. I am excited about that!

Amar'e Stoudemire?

Amar'e's in a weird place. He is healthy for the time being, but perhaps feeling a little marginalized after a year of being a perfect trouper. The Knicks might make some effort to trade him, but they almost certainly won't be able to. Will they work toward returning him to a prominent role? Will they prepare him for another season playing modest minutes off the bench? Eh?

Jorts!

Around July 10th, the Knicks can legally sign free agent Josh Harrellson. I want them to. I don't care if there are better players out there. I want Jorts back. He belongs with the Knicks.

These are the things on my mind as I gaze over the next five months. I've also been thinking a lot about the identity of this team under Mike Woodson, but that is a topic for...later.

Open Playoff Thread: 5/19/13

2013-05-19T18:51:00Z

Good afternoon! Knicks offseason coverage will begin in earnest this week, but I will be in transit most of today and unable to post much (this may be the case for a few intermittent days over the next couple weeks). Here, then, is a thread for those of us watching Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the Grizzlies and Spurs, which tips at 3:30 on ABC. Grizzly Bear Blues and Pounding the Rock are two excellent blogs for you to check out if you'd like to read more about the series.

It's always a little depressing when Knicks threads give way to these open playoff threads, but at least we're relatively late in the Spring this time around. And there's something to be said for enjoying games as a community when we're not all freaking out. It's relaxing!

But yeah, use this thread for the game and for whatever else you'd like to discuss. Have a pleasant Sunday.

The Last Twelve Minutes of Knicks Basketball

2013-05-19T16:49:41Z

Boys II Men - the troubadours and poet laureates of my generation. A-B-C, B-B-D...

It's time to hold a funeral for the 2012-13 New York Knicks - fortunately, we know they already have black suits handy.

I believe it is customary to say some kind words about the deceased. Oh, don't worry - there will be plenty of blame-laying and poop throwing, but we can save that, at least until tomorrow. For now, let us celebrate everything that was good about the '12-'13 Knicks.

We were fortunate that we got a chance to actually witness the good Knicks one last time. Sure, they didn't stick around for the whole game; if they had, we'd be talking about Game 7 right now. There was an extended period, however, when they came out of their hidey-hole and displayed their glorious plumage for all to see. In case you missed the appearance, it came between that final depressing fourth quarter and the complete miscarriage of basketball that was the second quarter.

Game 6 followed a familiar pattern: the Knicks messed all over themselves in a poop storm of lax defense, general whining, J.R. Smith, and questionable lineup decisions (often involving J.R. Smith). The third quarter wasn't much better at the start, with the notable exception of Carmelo Anthony, who steadfastly refused to let the game out of hand. Sure, he was isolating, but at that point it felt less out of selfishness and more out of necessity - his teammates were not delivering. Also, he was shooting 60% at that point, against that defense with little help from his teammates. Let's just forget the fourth quarter for a moment - that was the Melo we needed, coming through when we needed it. At the five minute mark of the third quarter Melo had outscored his teammates, 31-29, and the Pacers had a ten-point lead.

Then Shump happened. Per NBA.com...

4:52		70 - 63	+7	Shumpert 27' 3PT Jump Shot (8 PTS) (Felton 4 AST)
4:27	MISS Hibbert 14' Jump Shot
4:26				Anthony REBOUND (Off:2 Def:4)
4:22				MISS Felton 1' Layup
4:20				Felton REBOUND (Off:3 Def:0)
4:17		70 - 66	+4	Shumpert 25' 3PT Jump Shot (11 PTS) (Felton 5 AST)
4:01	MISS Hill 26' 3PT Jump Shot
4:00				Anthony REBOUND (Off:2 Def:5)
3:48		70 - 69	+1	Shumpert 26' 3PT Jump Shot (14 PTS)

Seriously, New York, was there any player you would have rather watched succeed in that spot? Iman Shumpert is a point of obsession among most of us - can he deliver on his promise as a quality two-way player? Well there he was, delivering, in the biggest moment of the season. As far as I'm concerned, he helped J.R. hit a three later in the quarter, simply by momentarily transferring his Shump-ness. Then, as if resurrecting J.R.'s corpse wasn't proof enough that the kid was divine, Shump hit two more free throws and buried a three to knot the game at 79-79. Melo finished the fun by hitting a driving layup to give the Knicks the lead. Imagine that: the Knicks leading a basketball game in the state of Indiana!

Naturally, the Knicks allowed an easy layup at the third-quarter buzzer. They are the Knicks, after all. The fourth quarter saw Melo come crashing down to Earth - both literally, with the ankle, and figuratively, with the turnovers and missed shots. Shump played 6:44, J.R. played the whole 12:00...annnnd now my blood pressure is rising. Okay,we'll discuss all that later. For now, just forget the fourth quarter even happened. I say grab a beer (yes I know it's noon!), pop in the tape of the third and celebrate the Knicks Irish-wake style! Long live Iman Shumpert! Long live healthy Melo! Long live Clyde! We are the New York Knicks!