SBNation.com User Blog: gian casimiro

Postgame Thread: Knicks 118, Celtics 108

gian casimiro — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 02:51:38 -0000

The threes bombed until they didn't but a trip dub from Carmelo Anthony helped make sure it didn't matter much when they stopped falling.

Recap coming later.

Jeremy Lin playing off the ball

gian casimiro — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 02:03:32 -0000

After three straight wins -- each where the offense scored over 100 points -- it's natural to think that Mike Woodson's system is better suited for these Knicks than Mike D'Antoni's. What's been interesting to see, though, is that the system hasn't changed much at all. Woodson's thrown some a new set or two into the repertoire, and he's certainly drawn up far more interesting plays out of timeouts, but the team is still utilizing D'Antoni's core plays.

The starters are still awkwardly figuring out whose space is whose. The bench is still running a 1-5 pick and roll with three players anchored behind the arch. And Carmelo Anthony is still getting the ball at the elbow. The difference is Melo's more engaged, Amar'e Stoudemire looks a bit springier, and Jeremy Lin isn't tasked with running 60 pick and rolls a game anymore.

And that may be the interesting wrinkle that emerges from this offense: Lin playing off the ball.

Here's Lin scoring off a designed curl.

Tyson Chandler and Stoudemire are bunched together, shifting weak-side, which keeps the opposing bigs busting up the play. Then Melo comes to his favorite spot off a Chandler screen.

As Melo fights for post position, Lin curls around Amar'e and Chandler who kept on shifting.

Landry Fields hits him as the Pacers overplay Melo, and Roy Hibbert gets caught looking in the other direction for those two shifty bros. Lin gets that weird runner he loves so much.

Is this much different from what we've seen from D'Antoni? Not at all. He ran variations of this all the time. What's different is that it's Landry setting up the entry pass, where he'd usually be the one curling, and Amar'e's setting a meaningful off-ball screen instead of just lurking around, humming Lalo Schifrin theme music.

But I like the idea of Lin playing off the ball more frequently. It takes some pressure off him and may limit how often he's trapped by numerous defenders.

Postgame Thread: Sixers 106, Knicks 94

gian casimiro — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 18:26:25 -0000

Seth with a short recap later. For now, enjoy the sun more than you enjoyed this game.

Spacing and Steve Novak

gian casimiro — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:31:32 -0000

This post was supposed to be about Jeremy Lin. Sorry if that's trite by now but I wanted to talk about how I think the offense would look with Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony coming back. Plus I wanted to make jaguar jokes cause I think that's how defenders must view him at this point.

Seriously, put yourself in the mind of a defender. Now picture Lin, similar to a jaguar the way he moves so fluidly. He dribbles in place. One dribble. Two dribbles. You've been in this position all night but you're still figuring it out. You're watching his feet now, expecting to feel the weight of Tyson Chandler any moment.

It hits you, left side, and you're pushing to get over it. Shit, you're trailing now but you see Lin hesitate. Wait, why'd he stop? Should you stop? Is that that new Michael Chabon book? And then he lays it up on you.

I wanted to talk about nonsense like that but as I checked the tape, I kept writing notes about Steve Novak instead.

Novak's been going nova for several games now to the point where Mike D'Antoni's actually doodling plays for him. That's significant because he didn't even do that for Shawne Williams. But where Extra E was only good for that corner kickout, Novak's been lethal each time he's fired one off.

Here's one set similar to the three he hit to tie the game against Minnesota. You can see how effective it is in the second clip in particular.

The Knicks are all bunched together on the right side of the floor which confuses the defenders once the play actually develops. First, Fields sets a decoy screen Lin, but the instant he rolls, Bill Walker cuts to the basket along with him and the defenders all naturally retreat to protect the basket.

Novak, who's lamping in the corner, simply curls to the space vacated by Bill Walker as his man recovers from helping on the cut. Tyson Chandler's there to set a screen for added protection and Novak gets a wide open jumper.

Where they utilize him most, though, is to space out strongside for Lin's pick and rolls.

The play is designed to attack away from Novak, who comes out of the corner and into the wing. This ideally takes his man (generally the other team's 4) out of defensive position, but lots of options open up for the Knicks depending on how the defense plays it.

The purpose is to leave the other team's center playing one-on-two with Lin and his roll man. In the first clip, Lin's man literally falls behind and Al Jefferson chooses to contest him and let Jared Jeffries go. Lin wraps it around and Jeffries gets an uncontested layup because Novak's man follows him out to the wing.

In the second clip, Novak's man chooses to help on the roll so Bibby simply finds him with enough room to be considered a spacious apartment in Manhattan.

The third clip is an example of how Lin can counteract the hard show that defenses have started throwing at him.

He quickly swings the ball weakside before the big can recover onto Chandler. This forces Kobe Bryant, who shades over to help on Chandler's roll, to shade back to his man in the corner. The rest is easy pickings for Iman Shumpert who lobs it up for Chandler's favorite basketball shot.

Unfortunately, the team can't survive with Novak playing the stretch four for extended periods with Amar'e coming back. The interior defense would just resemble those from recent years (and nobody wants to see that ever again). But during this stretch, Novak provided invaluable spacing that the team lacked for the first third of the season. Here's hoping he's not completely underutilized now that everyone's on their way back.

The Knicks sign Baron Davis

gian casimiro — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:49:57 -0000

He tweeted about it early this morning, but the Knicks officially announced the signing of Baron Davis via their Twitter feed today:

OFFICIAL: Knicks Sign FA Guard, Baron Davis

There are some conflicting reports on the actual contract but Al Iannazzone reports it's for the room exception.

Free-agent point guard Baron Davis will sign a one-year deal today with the Knicks for the $2.5 million exception.

The team will have to wait a month before he's able to step on the floor but don't seem too concerned. Considering what's left of the free agent market, and for a one-year commitment, I wouldn't either.

Beard up, bros!

Update: Howard Beck now says that Davis will sign for the veteran's minimum, ($1.4 million) which would be most excellent. That leaves the room exception to be dangled for a free agent frontcourt player of some sort (Beck names James Posey).

Update: Alan Hahn:

Baron Davis will wear No. 85, as he did in Cleveland. It represents the street in Ohio where he lived with his grandparents.

A bit of research leads me to believe that this is the highest jersey number on the Knicks ever. This is Seth, by the way. <3.

Carmelo Anthony and Toney Douglas take turns running the offense

gian casimiro — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 21:56:42 -0000

After Chauncey Billups was waived under the amnesty clause to make financial room for Tyson Chandler, the biggest concern turned to re-filling that very point guard spot. After all, there's still doubt about whether or not Toney Douglas can run an offense and Iman Shumpert is cut from the same impure point guard mold.

Mike D'Antoni cleared up some of those concerns, saying that the offense would run through Carmelo Anthony, doing that whole point forward thing. That isn't ideal, nor is it particularly reassuring, but that's perhaps the biggest misconception about D'Antoni's offense. It doesn't require point guards so much as it requires playmakers. Whether said playmaker is 6'2 or 6'8 makes little difference. But with Douglas as the starter, in the first preseason game we saw the difference between Douglas' position and Melo's role.

Douglas struggled with a few different things out of pick-and-rolls during the first game, though I think they're all related to a lack of aggression.

In the first clip, he successfully starts to make the defense collapse, but then kicks out before he penetrates the paint. This doesn't suck defenders in enough, allowing them to run back to their men.

Douglas shows a lack of aggression in the next three clips. The second he turns the corner on a pick, he jabs in but then immediately pulls back and passes off without any real purpose. Worse yet, he gives up his dribble whenever the roll defender steps up for a light trap.

And when Douglas does hit someone for an opportunity, his passes aren't exactly thrown with great accuracy. You see the amount of space Amar'e Stoudemire's defender has to make up on this catch, but it's almost negated by the time it takes him to reach down for the pass before getting into his shooting motion. Even on Toney's best opportunity, Chandler fumbles the pass a bit which allows Brook Lopez the opportunity to time a block.

There was a palpable difference in the way the offense felt with Melo initiating the offense as opposed to Douglas, both in flair and effectiveness. For one, the aggressiveness. There's no hesitation in the way Melo attacks openings and everything else falls into place because of it.

You see how quickly he attacks off Chandler's pick in the first clip and how he gets to the middle of the paint before deciding to give the ball up. He can choose to kick out with all five defenders collapsing on him or hit the cutter for easy money. The latter is generally more exciting.

The third clip is something we expect to see. Melo gets Lopez to switch off the pick, which he sees as a mismatch, and rightfully attacks the basket. Even though he gets his shot pinned, he's not just pulling up for his favorite midrange shot.

And the passing accuracy off screens is there, hitting Chandler perfectly in stride for a dunk, and again getting him the ball a foot from the basket.

Of course, running the offense is more than executing pick-and-rolls effectively. It's understanding what the defense gives. It's calling the right plays and knowing when to break from them. It's making sure everyone's in the right spot. And a whole heap of other things we'll never understand. But from pure feel and ability, the Knicks need to run it through Melo right now.

Stein: Baron Davis agrees to sign with Knicks

gian casimiro — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 19:14:10 -0000

Baron Davis agreed to sign with the Knicks and a deal could be completed as early as today, according to Marc Stein's sources.

Baron Davis has committed to sign with the New York Knicks, according to sources close to the situation.

The deal could be formally completed as soon as Sunday, sources said.

Davis is still hurt and is notorious for often being out of shape, but we have to assume the contract is for the minimum so there's little risk. That and he improves the point guard rotation in spite of these issues. Oh, and Fear the Beard.

Mitch Lawrence: Knicks ready to hire Mike Woodson

gian casimiro — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 19:05:47 -0000

Mitch Lawrence reports on the Daily News that the Knicks might hire Mike Woodson as the designated defensive assistant coach next week:

In the past few days, Woodson had told two confidantes that he expects to join the Knicks. The move might become official next week, according to sources, when Garden and team executives return from vacation.

There hasn't been any word on other interviews or candidates since his interview so this perhaps shouldn't be any surprise. I'm sure owners will be eager to end the lockout to allow Mike Dubs to implement defensive strategies once his deal is completed.

This is video of Melo in Hong Kong playing some basketball, wearing a headset, and using an iPad....

gian casimiro — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:34:32 -0000

This is video of Melo in Hong Kong playing some basketball, wearing a headset, and using an iPad. Oh, and Chris Paul was with him cause he probs doesn't have his own iPad and was like, "Yo, I need to find them Golden Eggs."

Mike Woodson to interview with Knicks for defensive coordinator position

gian casimiro — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 16:57:49 -0000

David Aldridge reports that former Atlanta Hawk head coach, Mike Woodson, is meeting with the Knicks this week to interview for the designated defensive assistant coach position.

For his part, Woodson has moved on, interviewing for the Minnesota Timberwolves' vacancy. And a source indicates he'll be in New York early this week to talk with the Knicks about becoming their defensive coordinator, a job that management has mandated coach Mike D'Antoni, entering the final year of his contract, accept for next season.

The Knicks' options have been dwindling since Lawrence Frank took over as head coach of the Pistons but bringing in Woodson doesn't appear to be a terrible decision. Woodson's teams finished 23rd, 18th, 11th and 13th in defensive efficiency (the number of points a team gives up per 100 possessions) in his final four years in Atlanta. He finished in the top half of the league his final two seasons while the Knicks finished in the bottom ten in the last three. Of course, he can't bring Al Horford with him so we'll see just how creative his schemes are should he be hired to coach that side of the ball.

Thanks to hvino already fanshot'd this.

Exclusive: Amar'e Stoudemire's first posts on his fashion site

gian casimiro — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 03:27:17 -0000

The Post broke a story yesterday about Amar'e Stoudemire launching a website in partnership with BigLeadSports.com.

The 6-10 power forward has struck a deal to launch his own website at BigLeadSports.com, The Post has learned. The 28-year-old all-star will focus his site on sports and fashion.

Stoudemire is expected to provide exclusive content for Big Lead, which was formed as a sports blog nearly five years ago, in exchange for a revenue-sharing agreement and small equity stake in the company.

The fashion angle shouldn't come as any a surprise considering the friends he's made in the industry in his first year in New York. He's already worked with designer Rachel Roy and sat front-row with Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, Anna Wintour, at a Tommy Hilfiger show. Really, it's a climb up the ranks only rivaled by Andy Sachs.

Now it seems he's ready to share his own thoughts on style with the masses and Posting and Toasting has his exclusive first posts.

Amar'e uses his new medium to unveil two new product lines: his new scent and underwear.

I chose Atonement not because you apply it when getting dressed after living in sin but because the scent is so revitalizing that you feel a sense of "At One-ment." You're at one with yourself as you prepare for your day ahead. It's great for the common man in his business casual environment where he needs to be centered to get by.

Yeah, you know, with this ad I wanted to convey how my line of underwears is so sexy that I can't even show them in the ad. If you think about it, for the common man, not a lot of people will see your underwears on a regular basis so this ad is, like, keeping you guessing just like the people around you.

If these first posts are any indication, Amar'e already has the fashion blog writing style down. It's photo-heavy which allows the fashion to speak for itself. With his celebrity and backing from fans, Amar'e's new venture will surely contend with the Gilt MANual's and Street Etiquette's of the game.

Carmelo Anthony chillin' with a panda.

gian casimiro — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:52:47 -0000

Carmelo Anthony chillin' with a panda.

2011 Progressive Report Card: Anthony Carter

gian casimiro — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 21:18:11 -0000

Back in The Internetz, Posting and Toasting enrolls all the Knicks in a progressive school with its own system of evaluation.

Anthony Carter was yet another addition from Denver that was expected to make little impact in the closing weeks of the season. How could he? He was on the wrong side of a certain age. He was stepping into the most difficult position of a difficult system. And he had three or four guards ahead of him on the depth chart.

What we didn't account for was how nothing phases men who've seen it all. See, AC was the OG captain of the starship -- I'm talking before Kirk and Pike. If he could pilot in warp speed, Mike D'Antoni's offense was totes like, "Whatevz, bro." Simply put, Anthony Carter is the man.

A thorny trance.

Not only was Carter the OG commander, he was also the original Fastest Gunslinger in the West. We're often told that time slows down for the greats of the game but AC is blessed with John Marston-like dead-eye targeting.

This graph plots players based on the percentage of shots they take using fewer than ten seconds of the shot clock vs their effective field goal percentage (eFG%) on those shots. AC, sharpshooter that he is, lead all point guards in eFG% while taking 45% of his total shots in under ten seconds. Not even fellow ageless brother, Steve Nash, could match his feat. That's the kind of quick-draw accuracy only an original gunslinger can provide. The only other explanation is that while most men acquire "Old Man Strength" as they age, Anthony Carter might just have been the first to acquire "Old Man Speed".

Charlie's Lesson Plan for Anthony

If he gets to be Anthony, I get to be frank. And when I'm being frank talking to Anthony, I'm talking to him about cardio. Anthony Carter showed during the playoffs that he is a useful emergency point guard, but he also showed that he is nothing more than that in the NBA.

Far be it from me to tell someone of Carter's stature that he should give up getting paid to do what he loves, so I won't recommend retirement. Instead, and this is in no small part due to my respect and admiration for someone who has carved a long career in my favorite sport, I recommend, similarly to Chauncey're recommendation, to get plenty of rest and do plenty of cardiovascular exercise this summer/Fall. It's one thing to possess the will to go out and compete all over the country for two thirds the year, but another thing entirely to do so as a 36 year old man with relatively limited athleticism. Stay in shape, Anthony, and you just may get picked up again by a team looking for an end of the bench player who won't give you any surprises, just hard work and veteran savvy.

Animals That Run Like Anthony Carter

Gazelle
Pronghorn Antelope
Ostrich
Reindeer
Kangaroo
Praying Mantis
Dust Mite
Ricky Watters

Nathaniel Hawthorne Passage That Most Closely Describes Anthony Carter

(From 1935's The Gray Champion)

"Oh Lord of Hosts," cried a voice among the crowd, "provide a Champion for thy people!"
This ejaculation was loudly uttered, and served as a herald's cry, to introduce a remarkable personage. The crowd had rolled back, and were now huddled together nearly at the extremity of the street, while the soldiers had advanced no more than a third of its length. The intervening space was empty--a paved solitude, between lofty edifices, which threw almost a twilight shadow over it. Suddenly, there was seen the figure of an ancient man, who seemed to have emerged from among the people, and was walking by himself along the centre of the street, to confront the armed band. He wore the old Puritan dress, a dark cloak and a steeplecrowned hat, in the fashion of at least fifty years before, with a heavy sword upon his thigh, but a staff in his hand to assist the tremulous gait of age.

When at some distance from the multitude, the old man turned slowly round, displaying a face of antique majesty, rendered doubly venerable by the hoary beard that descended on his breast. He made a gesture at once of encouragement and warning, then turned again, and resumed his way.

"Who is this gray patriarch?" asked the young men of their sires.

"Who is this venerable brother?" asked the old men among themselves.

But none could make reply. The fathers of the people, those of fourscore years and upwards, were disturbed, deeming it strange that they should forget one of such evident authority, whom they must have known in their early days, the associate of Winthrop, and all the old councillors, giving laws, and making prayers, and leading them against the savage. The elderly men ought to have remembered him, too, with locks as gray in their youth, as their own were now. And the young! How could he have passed so utterly from their memories--that hoary sire, the relic of longdeparted times, whose awful benediction had surely been bestowed on their uncovered heads, in childhood?

"Whence did he come? What is his purpose? Who can this old man be?" whispered the wondering crowd.

Meanwhile, the venerable stranger, staff in hand, was pursuing his solitary walk along the centre of the street. As he drew near the advancing soldiers, and as the roll of their drum came full upon his ears, the old man raised himself to a loftier mien, while the decrepitude of age seemed to fall from his shoulders, leaving him in gray but unbroken dignity. Now, he marched onward with a warrior's step, keeping time to the military music. Thus the aged form advanced on one side, and the whole parade of soldiers and magistrates on the other, till, when scarcely twenty yards remained between, the old man grasped his staff by the middle, and held it before him like a leader's truncheon.

"Stand!" cried he.

The eye, the face, and attitude of command; the solemn, yet warlike peal of that voice, fit either to rule a host in the battle-field or be raised to God in prayer, were irresistible. At the old man's word and outstretched arm, the roll of the drum was hushed at once, and the advancing line stood still. A tremulous enthusiasm seized upon the multitude. That stately form, combining the leader and the saint, so gray, so dimly seen, in such an ancient garb, could only belong to some old champion of the righteous cause, whom the oppressor's drum had summoned from his grave. They raised a shout of awe and exultation, and looked for the deliverance of New England.

I could have cut it short, but why deprive today's youth a chance to read some lesser-known work by America's greatest linguist?

Amar'e Stoudemire's back is still sore

gian casimiro — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:49:01 -0000

Amar'e Stoudemire is still feeling soreness in his back which he injured in the Playoffs.

Stoudemire said that while he can move and bend over fine, his back is still sore and it's slowly healing. In fact, the court is the last place you'll find him. Try the couch.

"Right now, all I can do is rest," Stoudemire said. "There's no rehab right now -- no cardio, no weightlifting, nothing. They say the best thing for me right now is another three weeks of rest, nothing else."

This is something that none of us want to hear about the team's $100M big man but anyone with back issues can tell you that they don't just go away after a week. I pulled something in my back in April and the soreness only went away over the last month or so (and believe me, all I do is chill).

Let's all find something for Amar'e to do whenever he's not chumming with celebrities over the next three weeks. Should we chip in for an Xbox Live account?

The Night of the Finger Roll

gian casimiro — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 12:15:27 -0000

The Night of the Finger Roll

Matt Moore revisits Game 7 of the '95 Knicks-Pacers series -- the night of the infamous finger roll. There are some vivid memories in these bullets.

Have a favorite Knick? Win a hat from SLAM. I know that when the Jason Mraz look grows stale, you...

gian casimiro — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 18:49:31 -0000

Have a favorite Knick? Win a hat from SLAM.

I know that when the Jason Mraz look grows stale, you guys look for other fly-ass headgear to be seen in public with. Well it just so happens that SLAM wants to know who your favorite Knick of all time is and they'll give you a Knicks-themed hat with an emergency shoelace on it if they really like what you say.

Mine? Charlie Ward cause he was humble and kind of short but he did say the thing about the people once.

Knicks were under the luxury tax

gian casimiro — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 13:55:12 -0000

Knicks were under the luxury tax

After years of paying double for an awful roster, Donnie Walsh managed to bring in two All-Stars and contend for the Playoffs while staying $3M under the luxury tax. Not too shabby, Donnie Dubs.

New York Knicks 2011-12 Schedule Released

gian casimiro — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 18:23:43 -0000

New York Knicks 2011-12 Schedule Released

So, theoretically, there will be professional basketball played at some point. If the league were to straighten everything out and play a full season, this is how it would look.

They have 29 nationally televised games, 7 of which on NBATV. All four of their games against the Celtics are on national TV so we can all pump that rivalry talk.

They also spend 10 of their first 15 games on the road (thanks!) but finish with 13 of their final 18 games at home (thanks!).

Knicks Want Julyan Stone in Training Camp

gian casimiro — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:05:46 -0000

This is a bit of old news but Hoopsworld spoke to Julyan Stone about his meeting with the Knicks prior to the lockout.

"I met with Donnie Walsh and Allan Houston," Stone told HOOPSWORLD. "I was able to talk to pretty much everyone within the organization. I talked to Mike D'Antoni for about a half hour. It was great and I got a really good feeling there. They want to win and basically they said that they have all the scorers they need. Now, they just need people who will play defense and they feel like what I do can help their team."

"They want me to come to training camp," he added. "They told me that there's going to be a lot of teams that want me to bring me in for training camp, but they said not to forget who wanted me first. They want me to talk to them before I make any decisions."

Of course, Stone is free to sign wherevs in the meantime as the lockout endures which complicates things.

P&T Book Club: "Mavericks Stampede" by Rob Mahoney

gian casimiro — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 00:03:27 -0000

The endurance to follow a single team through an entire season of basketball, and if you're lucky enough, at least four games on top of that, takes a special kind of fan. Over the years, mediums like blogs and Twitter fostered this kind of fandom. Information is always available for us, as well as an audience to entertain our opinions. Because of that it's becoming increasingly easy to overstate both the struggle and success of teams. When your favorite one wins eight of ten in January, you can't help but fantasize about the kind of run it can make May. Or worse, when it loses those eight and your threshold for failure breaks, you talk yourself into wanting unobtainable players from other teams. It's not just us. Players lose perspective as they go through these waves, too.

If you've followed Rob Mahoney's rise as one of basketball's indispensable scribes, you've been treated to writing that doesn't lose perspective. He's blessed in that he's followed a team that's won 50 games a season for over a decade. He's seen the evolution that that requires. He knows what kind of team can play in June, but he's also seen it exit painfully early. He knows how fragile all of these things really are.

All of that understanding is present in Mahoney's first published book Mavericks Stampede. In it, he recaps each quirk that made the Dallas Mavericks' first championship possible. From standard preseason fodder like "The goal is a championship" to injury fueled setbacks to deconstructing expectations set by others, you come away knowing the Mavs just as well as your favorite team.

It's difficult enough to capture the nuances of an entire season but Mahoney manages to do it for each game of the playoffs. He reminds you with each recap of how a single lineup adjustment, how a player's seven points, or another player's six rebounds fills in the gap between the all-world performances of Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki. Those seven points and six boards - season averages that we tend to laugh at after a player's career - help compensate for the loss of a starting shooting guard or a hotshot sophomore rehabbing an injury. You remember with each chapter that the sum of all these contributions working fluidly is what puts a team over the top.

But what drives you through these recaps is the retelling of Dirk's unrelenting, irrefutable dominance. And deservingly so. It's one thing to witness it over the course of two and a half months but it's another to absorb the improbability of following a 40 point, 18 shot game with a 40 point, 20 shot game two pages later. How do you digest that? You can't. You just remember Dirk slackjawing the NBA, or as Mahoney put it, "routinely accomplishing the impossible."

Aside from that joy, you truly start believing in basketball gods, "their time", and "everything falling into place" for these 2011 Mavericks. So, I leave you with this and implore you to relive it with Rob.

Basketball is often said to be a game of runs, but the 2011 Mavericks played with an almost serene consistency; little could knock them off of their path, and though opponents throughout their playoff run would try a wide variety of defensive strategies, nothing seemed to derail the headstrong commitment to moving the ball and executing their sets.

We've already discussed how Derrick Brown is really into his poetry but apparently he's currently...

gian casimiro — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 18:16:13 -0000

We've already discussed how Derrick Brown is really into his poetry but apparently he's currently interning for Warner Bros. Records.

I have two thoughts: 1. Sweet lockout plan, bro. 2. If a basketball player were my intern, I'd just make him dunk all day like some kind of Hardly Working sketch.

via Fuse via The Source

2011 Progressive Report Card: Derrick Brown

gian casimiro — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 18:53:42 -0000

Back in The Internetz, Posting and Toasting enrolls all the Knicks in a progressive school with its own system of evaluation.

Derrick Brown was a 2009 second-round draft pick of the Charlotte Bobcats who was reluctantly waived to make room for the Gerald Wallace trade. Claimed by the Knicks on March 1st, he sounded like your classic flyer. How fly was he? Derrick Brown was so fly he asked my lady for her number and I gave it to him. Also, he recited some fly-ass poetry while rockin' a purple robe (purple, of course, is the color of royalty). So naturally, on the court, flying was a big part of his game. But there are aspects of it that need much improvement - his jumpshot specifically. In fact, here's DB calling his shot.

DOWN. err. Brick.

This chart isn't just the QR code for P&T's upcoming iPhone app (which locates all the Jews in your proximity), it plots players based on the number of shots they take at the rim per 40 minutes versus what percentage of their total shots are taken at the rim. It's an important metric. Mark Cuban used it to win a championship.

Derrick Brown absolutely crushed the field by taking an incredible 76% of his total shots at the rim. Dwight Howard and Blake Griffin were at 52% and 44% respectively. With this information, we can only conclude that Derrick Brown was at least 24% better than both Dwight Howard and Blake Griffin.

Prometheus Brown's Poetry

Ambitious Girl.

You're usually on the defensive getting pinned down.

But I'll call out every screen so you can get over him now.

See, I'll set a pick on your past for you if you choose to roll with me.

Forget burn, blow up bridges. Read For Whom The Bell Tolls with me.

Ambitious Girl.

Derrick, or as he insisted we call him, "Prometheus Brown", submitted this poem for his creative writing assignment. Ever the romantic, it appears a young lady caught his eye this season. While we quite enjoyed his choice of bookending the poem with this unnamed "Ambitious Girl", what's most exciting is that he's expanding his reading material from what's been assigned!

2011 Progressive Report Card: Chauncey Billups

gian casimiro — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 18:33:54 -0000

Back in The Internetz, Posting and Toasting enrolls all the Knicks in a progressive school with its own system of evaluation.

Delivered to New York in the same box as Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups was the mitigating factor of a deal that depleted the Knicks of all its assets. Considered the third head of ~~yet another~~ a big three after some nifty dribbling and timely scoring, Burps immediately experienced just how quickly this city can turn on anyone after some erratic play. His anagram:

I [null] by such pace.

Fill in that blank however you wish because to evaluate someone playing on one leg is to judge a four course meal on the first bite. This was just an amuse-bouche.

While Raymond Felton warmed himself to the fan base by producing eerily similarly to Point Guards of Knicks Past, it's important to remember that he was given a short, affordable, trade-friendly contract for flexibility. That flexibility was key in obtaining another stud. He played himself into a steal of an acquisition, then regressed to a solid pickup. That's fine, and he's missed, but the point is he wasn't brought in for the long haul.

Billups assumed the same position of stopgap the minute he arrived but with the added bonus of championship experience and far better shooting accuracy. Still, given his age, there were questions about his ability to control this type of offense. Denver, as a team, was high-octane fun but they had springy legs in the backcourt to push the pace. All of New York's springy legs were casualties of the deal.

Sure enough the offense turned into a slow jam - still sexy but no longer frenzied, dance music. Billups' durability also became an issue but it wasn't simple wear and tear. He suffered a left thigh bruise (courtesy of Dwight Howard) so deep that it tickled the bone. After missing nearly two weeks of time, he came back only to see his production hit a similar kind of wall. With no explosion (vs how much he had left anyway) and little practice, Burps was limited to this dude who dribbled sans purpose and randomly launched shots like some kind of three-point Tourrette's but was somehow still the best point guard on the roster.

His playoff debut as a Knick? One game and out. That damn leg gave out again as he, uh, moved(?) toward the basket. Entirely dispiriting.

The backlash was swift. Somehow this - the Knicks' shortcomings, their lack of depth - was Billups' fault. The conversation switched from "Thank goodness he's here" to "What can he be traded for?" That's shortsighted. Billups is a fringe hall of famer that can't downplay a reputation he earned as a clutch shooter after one monumental championship run (though I doubt he actually wants to downplay it). His value can't be dismissed so quickly. And while there are legitimate concerns about the health of his left knee, he's a solid point guard for this team's ongoing transition.

Chauncey Billups	Points	Assists	FTA	eFG%	TS%	PER
Per Game	16.8	5.4	5.8	51.9	61.7	18.7
Per 36 Mins	18.8	6.0	6.5	51.9	61.7	18.7

On the surface, Billups performed as we've come to expect, shooting the ball accurately and scoring the way he's capable of doing. I highlight his free throw attempts because he topped double digit attempts in 6 of the 21 games he played for the Knicks, including a 20 FTA night the very game he sustained the thigh bruise. He's part of the reason the Knicks went from 28th in free throw rate in '09 - '10 to 11th in '10 - '11. And it's his free throw accuracy that bumps his true shooting percentage up over 60%. It's his accuracy of the non-free throw variety that became an issue in New York.

Billups didn't experience the same lift in three point percentage that Melo enjoyed under Mike D'Antoni. He attempted about two more threes per 40 minutes but converted about the same amount. His effective field goal percentage plummeted and he went from shooting 53.6 overall eFG% in Denver - the best in his career - to 48.3 eFG%. And the 7.5 3PA is so frequent that it places him second among point guards behind notorious chucker, Baron Davis, for most attempted per 40 minutes. Not surprisingly, threes made up 50% of Billups' total shots.

TEAM	% TIME	PPP	FG%	3FG%
DEN	20.7%	0.98	41.0%	36.1%
NYK	36.5%	0.93	40.2%	32.4%

But while it was eye-opening to see Billups' highly questionable shot selection at times, the biggest concern we all had was his ability to play pick-and-roll basketball. It wasn't a big part of his game in Detroit or Denver. What's encouraging is that while he struggled to run it early on, the stats show that he finished the year strong. On March 22nd, Billups was scoring 0.69 points per possession as the PnR ball handler on 29.8% shooting and 20% 3FG% as a Knick. It was terrifying considering he spent 38.3% of his possessions in that scenario. By season's end, his numbers were back in line with his days in Denver.

Like his pick-and-roll game, the shooting will correct itself. I find it improbable that a career 39% three point shooter will continue to shoot 33% from that distance. It's really just about that leg.

Charlie's Lesson Plan for Chauncey

Chauncey Billups exemplifies what it means to be a professional. He could have chosen any career path, from gas station attendant to obese dog breeder to Champ Bailey impersonator, and he would have been successful due to his work ethic and level head, both metaphorically and literally: Billups's head is completely level. Similarly, his nipples work as stud finders, but we're getting off topic. As you read this, Billups is working through a daily routine at Joe Abunassar's "Impact Basketball" Camp with several other pros and potential draftees alike, while other, more talented players may be home sleeping and tweeting. That's just the type of dude Chauncey Billups is. However, even if he works out every day at 88 miles per hour and refuels with the new Gatorade "1.21 Gigawatt" series, Billups cannot change the fact that he will start the season as a 35 year old professional athlete who has run up and down a 94 foot court in 1122 separate games.

In a division that includes such young legs as Jrue Holiday, Rajon Rondo and, most recently, Deron Williams, Billups is certain to have an athletic and age disadvantage. As such, Chauncey's lesson plan is to get plenty of rest before the season so he can chase around little waterbug-like, basketball-possessing creatures for 82+ games. I'm sure tons of people are thinking "How about he stops shooting so many stupid threes" or "Maybe he should focus on the pick and roll." Those are two somewhat valid points in my opinion, but I think they'll correct themselves. Billups ran an effective pick and roll in Denver with the NBA player perhaps most similar to Amar'e Stoudemire, Nene, so I am not too worried about him getting that down pat. Additionally (and Seth or Gian has already mentioned this), I believe the reason for the uptick in three pointers was simply unfamiliarity. He didn't know his teammates very well and he was thrust into a complicated offense that was alien to him. What would you have done if you had hit 1,694 trey-bangers in your career and didn't know when to get anybody else the ball? Aside from "hand it to Amar'e or Melo," the answer is "jack threes like Gilbert in NBA Live '08."

Rest up, Chauncey. If you're going to set the tone for the 2011-2012 Knicks alongside Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony, you can start with defense.

Other Black NBA Players Who Sound Like Characters From Mary Poppins

Shaun Livingston
Dante Cunningham
Charles Watson, Jr.
Albert Harrington
Earl Boykins
Wayne Ellington
Royal Ivey
Quentin Richardson
Thaddeus Young
Channing Frye
Earl Barron
Earl Watson
Othyus Jeffers
~~Hasheem Thabeet~~

Chauncey's Lockout Back-Up Plans

Chauncey's Fill-Ups (gas station)

Chesty Pull-Ups (home gym system)

Chunky Bull Pups (obese dog breeder)

Chaumpy Bailups (Champ Bailey impersonator)

Jaundiced Pin-Ups (fashion modeling agency for people with hepatitis)

Raunchy Build-Ups (pornographic screenwriting workshop)

Cheesy Pillows (a bed and breakfast where the bed IS the breakfast)

Bouncy Chill-Ups (spring-loaded popsicles)

Flouncy Up-Dos (hair salon)

Saucy Li'l Cups (little cups of sauce)

Chauncey Billups's Hip-Hop Recipe

4 cloves Rakim
2 sprigs GZA
2 sprinkles MF Doom
1 tsp Ma$e
half pinch Celph Titled

Grind Rakim, GZA, MF Doom & Mase with mortar and pestle. Put mixture in strainer, rinse for 2 hours with Colorado Spring water. Sun-dry for 6 seasons or until "ready."

Important: Only add Celph Titled during playoffs.

Point Values on a Basketball Court, as Perceived by Chauncey Billups

Orange= 2 points
Cornflower= 3 points
Red= 4 points
Pine Green= 5 points + extra .5 points if you hit it with more than 20 left on the shot clock
Violet= 6 points + sponge bath
Burnt Sienna= 7 points + personal taco fiesta
Black and Yellow= 8 points + brunch with Wiz Khalifa
Hot Magenta= 10 points + immortality + sweatshirt

Yearbook Message

"u keep gettin older but we stay da same age lolol HAGS" - AC

UNDFTD x PUMA Clyde "Cali Canvas" Event at Concepts

gian casimiro — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 13:38:52 -0000

(Photo via cdnl.complex.com)

The second release of the Clydes were made available for all yesterday and I was lucky enough to go to the release event at Concepts. From Complex:

The "Cali Canvas" Clydes pay homage to basketball legend Walt "Clyde" Frazier as well as the West Coast where Undefeated make their home. Same antimicrobial footbed and redesign as the original Undefeated Clydes, but this time the Formstripe was left alone.

While I rarely wear sneakers (monk straps whutup), I must admit that these are fresher than Maine clams. Click through for a couple of awful pictures and go pick up a pair if only to be a little more like Clyde.

Pretty much want this for the apartment.

If not for things like security, laws and dignity, these Walt Frazier signed Clydes would've been yoinked.

They were not sellin' this pastelin'.

Ball.

Shouts to my brown brother @TheChainsRemain for the invite.

2011 Progressive Report Card: Renaldo Balkman

gian casimiro — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 02:17:50 -0000

Back in The Internetz, Posting and Toasting enrolls all the Knicks in a progressive school with its own system of evaluation.

Renaldo Balkman is a pos-vibe emanator. When life gives him lemons, he volunteers at a fundraiser for cancer research. It's standard behavior on his part. His return to the Knicks was also fairly standard. Of course, standard for Humpty is sublime glory and that's precisely how we would describe his second stint with the team. Our deepest regret, and Mike D'Antoni's as well, is that he only did the basketball thing for 18 minutes. That small sample size is what makes it difficult to determine if Balkman is the best player in Knick history or merely the least worst defensive player of all time. His ~~life~~ season in anagram form?

Ball or dank, mane?

Balkman was traded in '08 to Denver for cap relief and roster flexibility. He was then traded back to the Knicks as part of the Carmelo Anthony deal to make finances work. These days he's rumored to be on the table for a draft pick, again, for financial considerations. This kind of history makes me certain of one thing: these teams can't afford to pay Humpty the max contract he's sure to receive after his deal expires.

Renaldo Balkman	Points	Rebounds	Blocks	Steals	PER	TS%
Per Game	2.0	0.9	0.3	0.5	9.3	54.2
Per 36 Mins	9.3	4.1	1.2	2.3	9.3	54.2

I texted 'Naldo about his stats and he replied simply with "*SMDreads*". He's no fool. He knows these things don't really matter. What matters is Balkman went 1 of 2 from downtown in a Knick uniform. Extrapolate that. If Humpty played starters minutes, he would have hit two threes a game or 164 threes this season. That's only four behind Ray Allen for fourth most threes made.

Charlie's Adoration/Analysis: Just Kidding, Only Adoration

My second favorite basketball player ever, Renaldo Balkman has what you might call a different kind of potential. I'll tell you with a straight face that he's in the top 5 in the NBA in terms of pure anticipation. As noted above, albeit in an extremely small sample, Balkman has a gift for picking off passes. Anticipation, which cannot be measured tangibly except through steals and blocks, manifests itself in the split second of every loose ball. Balkman has a keen eye for which balls to go after, even some that appear as though he'll never have a chance. 50/50 rebounds typically go Balkman's direction, although a valid counterargument is that everything gravitates toward Renaldo's soul, even ghosts (which explains why he's named his soul "Pac-Man," as well as why he is constantly jogging around and eating everything in sight). Actually, while we're on the subject of rebounding, check out his numbers from the first three years of his career, when he actually received significant minutes on a regular basis. His rebound rates compare favorably to those of Gerald Wallace. The offensive discrepancy between the two explains the minutes discrepancy, which is what brings me to my next section.

Charlie's Lesson Plan for Renaldo

The time has come. Balkman is entering his prime and needs to do something to prove he still belongs in the NBA, and not in the Hall of Fame / Outer Space. His ball handling and court vision need work, which goes doubly for his shot. Overall, actually, he contributes little to half court offense other than offensive rebounds and leading the NBA in "random cuts per 36." What this means is that Renaldo's lesson is to focus on defense and aim to become Luc Richard Mbah a Moute version 2.0. A shorter Jared Jeffries, Mbah a Moute contributes very little offensively but can wet blanket the shit out of nearly anyone in sneakers, which gives him value. Although Balkman is defensively valuable right now, it is up to him to take his physical gifts and superior anticipation and carve himself a role in the NBA. Defensive stoppers are en vogue, with great help from the proliferation of advanced stats. Keith Bogans started every fucking game this year for the number one overall seed, and Bruce Bowen has how many rings? Soon-to-be-supplanted Thabo Sefalosha started all but three games for the Thunder over the past two seasons, and Chuck Hayes makes tons more money than I ever will. The point I'm trying to make is, of course, that purely defensive players are thriving. Gifted with more athleticism than any of the names I mentioned, the only thing holding Renaldo Balkman back is his mind.

Renaldo should come into training camp demanding to guard Carmelo Anthony and he should shut him down completely. Easier said than done, obviously, but Balkman needs to up his tenacity and look to become a defensive anchor who Mike D'Antoni cannot afford to sit, er anchor down. With the Knicks' New World Order set to begin in earnest, and with very little elbow space in the wing rotation, Balkman may wind up at another team's training camp in a few months. I would cry deeply for a fortnight, but a move to a different team may be the best thing for Balkman's career. I hope he's still around in a couple of months, and I hope he takes my advice to learn tendencies, study scouting reports, and shut motherfuckers down.

How Renaldo Balkman sings "Row Row Row Your Boat"

Ro, Ro, Robot Man,

Pick me for your team!

I have energy, energy, a bubbler, and energy,

I define "Pipe Dream."

Renaldo Balkman's Hip-Hop Recipe

3 cups Del tha Funkee Homosapien
2 tbsp Redman
1/2 gallon Shock G
3 fresh cloves Busta Rhymes
a pinch Kid Cudi

Combine ingredients in a bowl or pot. Bake a long, long time.

Renaldo's Masterpiece

Students were asked to pick one favorite example of their artwork from this year to be their "masterpiece". This is Renaldo's.

Instructor comments: This particular piece is from our "Hand Turkey" unit. I think Renaldo chose well, because this really shows off his creative nature. As Renaldo described it, this is a self portrait of him "baconsk8ing in a cerise hat". He explained to me that the figures in the background are Andy Rautins, Lisa Lampanelli (we may need to schedule a separate meeting to discuss Renaldo's interest in human anatomy), and a mouse. The objects in Renaldo's hands, he assured me, are Super Soakers. After talking it over, I think Renaldo realized that a turkey's tail feathers aren't animate beings and that he shouldn't eat his fish sticks so close to his artwork, though we agreed that the ketchup stain looks like a beautiful sunset. Renaldo sure does have an impressive imagination!

2011 Progressive Report Card: Carmelo Anthony

gian casimiro — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 21:58:33 -0000

Back in The Internetz, Posting and Toasting enrolls all the Knicks in a progressive school with its own system of evaluation.

As we go through these report cards alphabetically, it's fitting that Carmelo Anthony is called up first, for no one, not even this team's best player, stole headlines and affected the final outcome of the Knicks' season quite like Melo. But before we go any further, we start with an anagram that best sums up his year in orange and blue.

An oracle, no myth.

As the Carmelo Anthony rumors took their first steps, I did my best to let the giants of this business handle the rabid speculation and continued to focus on the aspects of this team that I enjoyed, like Clyde or the players that were actually on the team. (Mostly Clyde, though.) Because what insight do the talking heads provide? What's fruitful about comment wars? How often do you get value out of an argument on Twitter? That stubbornness allowed me to enjoy whatever was on the way organically, I think.

All of the arguments against the trade were annoyingly logical (cause I illogically wanted Melo). The Knicks needed front- and backcourt help and Melo addressed neither of those issues. An already legitimate offense that lost track of the other side of the ball too often didn't need to compound the problem with another scorer/defensive liability either. And as the studies about Melo's inefficiencies on offense poured in - the offense that was supposed to be his only asset - the more I was convinced that this entire ordeal was unnecessary. Except that it was Melo. I mean, dude's pretty boss.

After all the goods were exchanged, the Knicks were left with an even more top-heavy roster that had the same problems rebounding and stopping teams as before. The offense slowed dramatically as Melo imposed his style and it wasn't entirely clear if he and Amar'e Stoudemire could get comfortable with each other in time for the Playoffs. The number of isolation plays he ran simply didn't complement Amar'e's need to move without the ball because they occupied the same space. And indeed, NBA Stats Cube tells us that both players scored significantly better when the other was on the bench.

Through all the struggles figuring "it" out, though, a hypnotic jab step, an innate sense of the moment, and late game heroics made me want more. It felt like there was something in Melo that he'd yet to tap for us in the regular season. Maybe it was just his lore, or perhaps I needed personal validation for the trade, but I selfishly wanted a defining game. It came. On the biggest stage the Knicks have graced in over a decade, Melo showed us the kind of brilliance and competitive fire we fans often overstate about players. In the Playoffs, Carmelo Anthony was no myth.

Carmelo Anthony	Points	Rebounds	Assists	eFG%	PER	USG%
Per Game	25.6	7.3	2.9	48.7	21.7	32.0
Per 36 Mins	25.8	7.4	2.9	48.7	21.7	32.0

Melo's production this season was on par with his career averages almost across the board (funny how that happens). There were significant changes in how he produced offensively under D'Antoni, however.

Melo took 21.8 and 21.9 shots per 40 minutes in Denver and New York respectively but the types of shots he took changed entirely. In Denver, 37% of his shots came at the rim. In New York, that dropped to 27% as he reallocated those shots to threes, bumping downtown attempts to 23% of his total shots. Not surprisingly, his free throw attempts dropped from 9.4 to 7.7 per 40 minutes as he distanced himself from the basket. Normally this trend should be unsettling as you don't want to see your stud wing player shy away from the hoop. But Melo was shooting lights out. He went from shooting 33.3% on threes in Denver to 42.4% in New York which boosted his effective field goal percentage to 51%. It's an anomaly in all likelihood but he certainly enjoyed the freedom to hoist from three-point range in this system.

An increase in threes made and attempted is one thing, but Melo scored in the same situations as ever. He didn't break his habit of holding the ball and, according to My Synergy Sports, spent 37% of his possessions in isolation, only 0.3% less than he did as a Nugget. It's frustrating that he has Amar'e at his disposal and this is his preferred method of attack. It's just something that we're going to have to live with, though. Sure, we want to see the two run pick-and-rolls the same way we want music and movies to not suck anymore, but Melo's simply not the kind of player to make it work. He ran only 62 PnR's as a Knick. Sixty-two. For someone who has the ball as much as he does, in this offense specifically, that's an absurdly low total. He's also only scoring 0.84 points per possession (PPP) as the PnR ball handler compared to 0.97 PPP in isolation. Scoring and passing out of the pick-and-roll is not his game.

But he's inspiring, deflating and everything in between with the ball in his hands. Let's give him a full training camp.

Charlie's Lesson Plan for Carmelo

The obvious choice for Melo's lesson is defense. Man defense, help defense, you name it; Carmelo Anthony isn't terrific at it. Practically, Anthony has probably gone all 27 years of his life coasting on the defensive side of the ball to save energy for the other end, and he may never break that habit. The rumored defensive specialist the Knicks are allegedly looking at may figure some Gooz-Frah-Bah method out for him, so let's hope for that. One positive facet of Anthony's defensive game is his rebounding. He posted a career high in rebound rate during the '10-'11 season and unless the Knicks draft Kenneth Faried and play him immediately and excessively, Anthony's rebounding should stay put.

Carmelo, your lesson is to rise to the standard of leadership Amar'e Stoudemire has set within the team's culture. Seth and I were privileged enough to attend training camp last year, where we saw a bouncy, energetic, and most importantly, vocal Stoudemire yelling out during drills and scrimmages. Whether it was bellowing after a huge dunk, staying on the court an hour after practice to get extra shots up, or actively trying to outrun his teammates throughout fast break drills, Stoudemire helped Mike D'Antoni to set the tone for training camp. No one was half-assing their backpedaling drills if Stoudemire was looking (except Eddy Curry, who probably just didn't give a fuck who was watching). I think it took staff and media by surprise to see how focused Stoudemire seemed to be for the season, one of greater possibilities than anyone had seen in nearly a decade. Well, ladies and gentlemen, at the risk of beating a dead horse, this is the most important, possibilities-filled season in a decade, now.

Rise to the occasion right out of the gate, Carmelo. For the first time in your career, every word, action, thought, wet dream, receding hair, and narcotic addiction will be analyzed every hour of every day. You are expected to ensure that other, less talented and far less experienced Knicks work their asses off. You are expected to compete with Stoudemire for Practice MVP every day. You are expected to remind everyone that no, this loss wasn't okay, we have to play hungrier if we want to compete with the two new beasts of the east, as well as the three old ones. Stoudemire seemed to have shit wired in December, when the Knicks were playing winning basketball behind stellar night-to-night effort by their superstar. Maybe things didn't work out too well for your and Allen Iverson in Colorado, but fortunately for everyone, this town is big enough for the both of you, and four shoulders are better than two. Speak up, set the tone, and work your ass off.

Carmelo Anthony's moves list if he were a Pokemon

Level N/A - Scratch

Level N/A - Growl

Level 5 - Jab Step

Level 9 - Poison Sting

Level 14 - Wing three

Level 21 - PoisonPowder

Level 21 - Slash

Level 26 - Midrange Jumper

Level 33 - Fire Spin

Level 39 - Isolate on the Elbow

Level 44 - Pump fake in the post to draw foul

Level 50 - Rebound own missed shot

Level 51 - Put back the rebound

Level 58 - Flamethrower

Carmelo Anthony's Hip-Hop Recipe

1 freshly squeezed Big Punisher
2 cups Cassidy
1 scoop LL Cool J
a pinch Hell Razah
a dash Method Man

Pour Big Punisher and Cassidy into food processor. Set processor to "puree." Add Hell Razah and Method Man to taste. Serve over a generous scoop of LL Cool J.

Donnie Walsh out as Knicks president

gian casimiro — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:18:17 -0000

Alan Hahn and John Schuhmann both tweeted that Donnie Walsh is out as the Knicks' president.

Dolan: "Donnie Walsh and I have mutually agreed that he will be leaving his position as president... at the end of June.... will remain with the team as a consultant for the 2011-12 season."

I ... I just don't have anything to say.

Update from Hahn:

Glen Grunwald will run the team as interim GM for the time being as a search for a new president and GM.

Update from Ken Berger:

Glen Grunwald will serve as interim GM beginning July 1, and the team will begin the search for Walsh's replacement.

Not entirely sure what that means. Does Donnie still handle the draft if Grunwald is taking over in July?

Danilo Gallinari is still poopin'. via our WCWP friendlies.

gian casimiro — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:19:03 -0000

Danilo Gallinari is still poopin'.

via our WCWP friendlies.

7SoM: Webisode 30, Ray Allen Gets Open

gian casimiro — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 05:49:06 -0000

It's difficult to overstate just how incredible Ray Allen has been through the first three games of the series. While the Knicks slowed him down for stretches early in Game 1, he's all but run amok since, making 15 threes and shooting an absurd eFG% of 84%. As the Celtics carpet bombed the Knicks from three-point territory in Game 3, Jeff Van Gundy was repeatedly befuddled by the amount of times Ray Allen got open looks. He and Paul Pierce seemingly hit every spot up opportunity that came their way and a quick look at the stats reveals just how accurate the bombings were. The Celtics had 28 spot up plays scoring 1.32 points per possession (PPP) while hitting 7 of 12 three-point attempts. They also took 12 shots off screens scoring 1.67 PPP and hitting 3 of 4 threes. I think we can guess who caused the damage considering Allen and Pierce were the only guys in green to make any shots from downtown that game. But it all starts with getting open and for that we go to the tape.

The Knicks aren't going to figure this Ray Allen problem out by this afternoon. The rest of the league hasn't got it down yet and it's been 14 years already. Let's just pray that he's drained cause getting up for a 3:30 tip should feel like waking up from the dead for Mr. Shuttlesworth.

Amar'e Stoudemire May Sit Game Four

gian casimiro — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 19:02:38 -0000

Amar'e Stoudemire, who was essentially absent from Game 3, may sit Game 4 if his back doesn't improve.

Stoudemire started on Friday night but struggled throughout the game. He finished with seven points on 2-of-8 shooting and pulled down three rebounds. He estimated that he was playing at less than 50 percent. He said on Saturday that he has to feel better to take the floor Sunday in Game 4.

"It has to be better. I knew last night I wasn't 100 percent. I wasn't 50 percent last night. I was pretty much in pain the whole game, from start to finish. I just don't want to further injure the injury," Stoudemire said. "We understand how bright the future is here with the organization. ... We want to continue that success out here in the next few years. So we don't want to damage anything by overdoing it."

If Amar'e's health meter isn't filled to 80 at the minimum, there's no reason to risk any further injury with the team down 3-0 in the series. Game 3 was a matter of heart and competitiveness and he's shown that, but if he's still wincing with each step on Sunday, he should cryogenicaly freeze himself like John Spartan until the following season.