A Thread for Pre-Game Two Positivity

The day off between Knicks playoff games hasn't relieved the sting of the Game One loss, but it has given me time to convince/delude myself into thinking the Knicks aren't out of it just yet. On Sunday evening (especially after the Iman Shumpert diagnosis. "The Shumpert Diagnosis" would be a cool Robert Ludlum novel.), I was at the point where I just wanted the Knicks to just get swept and go home and maybe just go back in time and lose a few games to the Bucks so they missed the playoffs. Now, I'm ready to be optimistic again, and I hope y'all are, too. Let us raise our spirits with some reasons to be happy and hopeful.

1. Early reports suggest that Tyson Chandler is feeling much better and should be good to go this evening. I'll post more on this after shootaround, when we should have more detailed intelligence, but that's promising. One can't forget that the Knicks played that first game (essentially) without their most important defensive player.

2. Baron Davis, last we heard, sounded ready to go for Game Two as well, and maybe this time he'll think twice about running headlong into Dwyane Wade. It's okay if you avoid contact and don't, like, dive on the floor a lot, Baron.

3. The Heat held Carmelo Anthony to 3-15 shooting in Game One. By the law of averages, they have to let him shoot like 12-15 tonight. They must or they'll all go to prison. It's a law.

4. But seriously, the Knicks MUST have worked on ways to get Melo and Amar'e Stoudemire more quality touches in this one. They were looking okay in Game One until Miami started fronting the post and New York's ability to to get the ball anywhere near Melo/the basket completely dissolved. Mike Woodson should have a plan of attack and a set of contingency plans for when Miami changes up their coverage, because they are certain to give Melo and the Knicks a different look tonight.

5. Oh, damn. That last one was more ominous than positive. Um...um...

6. Often, babies get born! Pretty miraculous!

7. Gravity! That stuff is awesome!

8. Tonight still qualifies as a "house money" game. If they lose, they lose. If they win, SERIES CHANGER.

9.

10. Landry Fields, who will likely start and play a bigger role tonight, was one of the few Knicks to perform somewhat okay on Sunday. That was by far the best playoff game of his young career (he surpassed his field goal total for the entire '11 Boston series).

Once shootaround and media availability are done, I'm sure I'll have more to share. Until then, how are we feeling? More optimistic? Still demoralized from Game One? Gassy?

Update: Totally forgot to link FrankieLoC's Shumpert Fanpost! Read it if you want to feel more optimistic than you do right now! (Thanks to Jesus Ham on Rye for remind me).