Editor's Note: Mase brings it once more. This is excellent. Game Thread coming soon.

Sometimes I really like Mike Lupica.  When the Knicks were relevant in the 1990's, his columns were a must-read.  He often praised the team for their effort, and was one of the few staunch Patrick Ewing defenders in the latter years of his career while others were highly critical.

But, there are other times I really don't like Mike Lupica.  Like when he's writing his 1,781st column on the Yankees' bloated payroll, preaching his extreme political views in a sports column (dude, you're a sports writer - not Keith Olberman), or complaining about the Knicks.

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Editor's Note: Mase was in attendance, and took over recap duties for the Knicks' second win of the season. Here he is...

Morning, dogs and poodles!  I got to catch one of the few Knicks' wins this season live and in person, in what was a pretty weird and sloppy game to say the least.

Game-time attire: Larry Johnson road jersey I got when I was a teenager, $8 Starburys, orange t-shirt.  You know how people say a shirt is a smedium (between a small and medium)?  This jersey is like a infxmall (between infant and extra-small).

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(I usually hate referring to myself in the third person, but I needed an attention-grabber).

In case you didn't realize the season started, the Knicks are 0-2.  A blowout loss in Miami was followed by a double-overtime loss to the putrid Bobcats.  Here we go again.

Yet, a lot of you (some newbies to the site, which is great) are screaming for Mike D'Antoni and Donnie Walsh's heads on a platter.

Not to sound too blunt, but who cares?

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P&T member and easy to remember nicknamer nyknickerbocker just posted his thoughts on the Z-Bo/Q deal and what it meant for the Knicks potentially keeping David Lee.  Memphis is all hot and bothered by our resident double-double machine, and reportedly offered him a 4/5 year deal in the $10 million per range.  But, with the acquisition of Randolph, maybe the Grizzlies will back off.

However, nyknickerbocker outlined this very well (check out his post), so I won't address it.

What I did want to address is the ACTUAL potential radioactive fallout from the Zach Randolph/Quentin Richardson swap.  We've seen really bad deals orchestrated by former team president Isiah Thomas - two first round picks for Eddy Curry, Trevor Ariza for Steve Francis, MLE's for Jerome James, Jared Jeffries, and Vin fucking Baker - but have we ever seen two former Isiah trade acquisitons get traded FOR EACH OTHER?

Could there be dire consequences when one terrible trade chip (Quentin Richardson) gets shipped out for another (Zach Randolph)?  Floods? Locusts? Pissed-off Baikal Seals?

Randolph only cost the Knicks Channing Frye, and Steven Francis' the-haunting-soul's expiring contract.  Plus, Spike Lee discussing the trade did give us (pause) - one of the fondest memories in P&T's short history.  You could actually make the argument that the Richardson deal, despite his ridiculous contract (almost $9M), worked out for the Knicks because it included the draft pick that eventually became Nate Robinson. 

My thinking is that because neither the Q-Rich nor Z-Bo trades were necessarily terrible (at least by Isiah standards), that there may only be an 5.2 earthquake or some lighter shit like that (be prepared). 

However, what if Jared Jeffries ever got traded for say Tim Thomas... armageddon?  The same could apply for coaches.  Could planet earth handle Lenny Wilkens replacing he-who-must-not-be-named in Charlotte?  Both of these theories pale in comparison to my biggest feat - an Isiah-era acquisition getting traded for a Scott Layden-era acquisition.   If Eddy Curry ever got traded for the still-not-expired Keith Van Horn contract and a fresh-out-of-retirement Shandon Anderson...

...then we'd all be totally screwed.

A: He was a 2nd round draft pick out of Iowa State who now plays for the Los Angeles Clippers.

via cache.daylife.com

Fun with Numbers involving Mike Taylor

157 - the number of points scored by Mike Taylor this season entering Wednesday night's game vs. Knicks.

35 - the numbers of points scored by Mike Taylor in Wednesday night's game vs. Knicks.

22% - the total percent of Mike Taylor's season points scored in one night by Mike Taylor against the Knicks.

454 - the number of points that Dwyane Wade would have to score in one game in order to reach 22% of his season total (2,064).

4/12/2009 - the date of the next Knicks/Heat game in Miami.

2 - the number of times Al dumbass Harrington has had a technical foul in the final minute costing the Knicks' potential wins this season.

2 - the number of times Al received said technical against the Los Angeles Clippers.

33-107 - the combined record of the Kings and Clippers, both teams the Knicks have lost home games to in the past week.

cue Francis the Vomiting Man...

To continue the discussion from last night and today's recap, I decided to try to make the argument that going after Ramon Sessions and letting Nate walk may be more beneficial than signing Nate to a long-term deal.

If you take a look at the stats, Sessions PER numbers this season are nothing to scoff at:

16.7 ppg, 6.4 ast, 4.4 reb, 1.4 stl, 45% FG

Those numbers are pretty much a wash when compared with Nate's:

17.9 ppg, 4.0 ast, 2.7 reb, 1.5 stl, 45% FG

PROS: Sessions turns just 23 in April and only made $424K this year. He's 6'3, and can play defense.  Not that Nate is the worst defender in the world, but his height is certainly a glaring flaw. 

CONS: Sessions is NOT a three-point shooter. In fact, he's just 6-33 for the entire season (Nte probably shoots 33 three-pointers a week).  Also, his dunks aren't as cool.

Considering that he made $427K this year, i'm assuming (emphasis on "assuming") that Sessions shouldn't demand much more than about $6M on a short deal, maybe three years or so at $2M per. That's a big drop-off from Nate, who should command anywhere from $5-7M per year. I'd like to re-sign Nate, but the organization has to keep the blueprints for 2010 intact. If you can get a player with similar production for one-third (or even one-fourth) of the cost, it makes sense.

It's at least something to consider.