HALFWAY TO NOWHERE
Plenty of drama but not enough wins for Dolan’s dysfunctional Knicks
We should get this out of the way because the rest should be read with the following context: the Knicks are a disappointment. We’re not talking about James Dolan’s pettiness or Phil Jackson’s Twitter account. We’re talking about the product that won just 23 of 57 games heading into the All-Star break, the team that sits 12th in the Eastern Conference and hasn’t won back-to-back games since 2016.
It’s a shame because this season started with so much promise. Remember those heady days when the top question was how New York’s Big 3 stacks up against Cleveland’s? Now we’re asking when is the appropriate time to ditch the season and start another rebuild.
Oh well. Sigh. Here’s a look back at what transpired from the start of training camp to the AllStar break, broken down in sections for your convenience.
FIRST HALF STAR
We’re hard pressed to find one since Kristaps Porzingis plummeted the last two months after an outstanding start. But it has to be Carmelo Anthony. Not only does he lead the team in scoring (23.4 points per game), dropping at least 25 points in his last five appearances, he’s dealt with all the franchise’s nonsense with class and only missed one game at 32 years old. We’re going to miss Melo when he’s gone.
FIRST HALF DUD
We heard that Joakim Noah was shot even before the Knicks signed him to a $72 million deal. But even the most dire projections couldn’t prepare for the current reality: the 31-year-old moves too slow laterally, he’s a liability on offense, and he’s missed 11 games due to ailments. This is Year 1 of the massive contract. Imagine Year 4.
BEST GAME
It happened just this week when the Knicks shocked the Spurs at the Garden while limiting Gregg Popovich’s squad to 90 points. Unfortunately, the victory became a side note to Dolan bringing back Latrell Sprewell as a PR stunt. Three days later, the Knicks lost to the Thunder.
WORST GAME
There are a lot of candidates but the one that sticks out is the 121107 loss to the Lakers on Feb. 6. At the time, L.A. was riding a 12game road losing streak and had a starting lineup with Tarik Black at center. The game ended with the Garden crowd chanting for Lakers
benchwarmer Metta World Peace.
BEST COACHING MOVE
Jeff Hornacek ditched Jackson’s triangle and reintroduced the Knicks to pick-and-rolls. They are 12th in the NBA averaging 106.1 points per game.
WORST COACHING MOVE
It’s not so much one specific move but rather an inability to get the Knicks to play hard and together on defense. We knew defense wasn’t Hornacek’s strong suit, and he wasn’t able to bring in his defensive specialist Mike Longabardi to the staff. So Kurt Rambis was placed in charge of the defense, and the Knicks are allowing 109.2 points per game (25th in the NBA).
BEST SURPRISE
Willy Hernangomez has shown real potential as a 22-year-old rookie. He has smooth post moves and a soft touch, having finally been given an opportunity to start at center with Noah injured.
WORST SURPRISE
Kristaps Porzingis’ regression after the first two months. He has looked physically outmatched and tentative lately, with his averages dipping to 14.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 42% shooting since Jan. 9.
HIGH POINT
By beating the Lakers in L.A. on Dec. 11, the Knicks improved to 1410 and jumped to third in the Eastern Conference. Phil and Carmelo had just met to diffuse their first fire. Porzingis was thriving. Charles Oakley hadn’t been banned from the Garden. Dolan was deep in the background.
LOW POINT
So many to choose from. Was it LeBron James pummeling the Knicks after posse-gate and flipping water bottles on the bench? Derrick Rose going AWOL? Joakim Noah’s air-balled free throw? Phil’s tweet? We’re going to settle on Oakley’s ejection and arrest at the Garden.
REASON TO BELIEVE
Despite his roster-building blunders, Phil Jackson has resisted trading draft picks and the Knicks currently own their first rounders for the next infinity years. So if it gets to the point of giving up, maybe losing is the best thing.
REASON TO WORRY
We’ll answer that by calculating Phil Jackson’s record as president — 72-149. Carmelo Anthony (clockwise from top r.) has been his usual self even though former Knick Charles Oakley has drawn most attention at MSG, where Kristaps Porzingis has taken step back in coach Jeff Hornacek’s first season, while Joakim Noah seems close to losing his job to up-and-comer Willy Hernangomez.