Knicks beat Boston by 2: Melo 17 in 4th qtr

[arbitragegls]

Knicks finally broke through after losing 8 in a row to Boston...Melo scores 35 with 17 in the 4th qtr...he is so good!

 

[mark79]

That was quite a game. Did you see KG choking a Knicks player after the game? Def some bad blood. Not sure they could have beat Boston with pierce but a win is a win. Fun to watch!

 

[triplethrea]

Saw the 2nd half. Carmelo stepped up on D in the 4th but man did he look lazy on D in the 3rd. I don't watch enough NBA to know if that's typical but it really looked half-assed. Maybe I just watch too much Syracuse.

 

[pfister1]

I don't think it was just Melo, seems like the whole team was failing to get back on defense or even challenge break outs.

BTW Shaq sucked in the studio show, he is a low talker and I found it difficult to understand what he was saying.

 

[HoustonCuse]

That's just NBA defense. The players allow each other to pad stats for 3 qtrs then everyone tries in the 4th.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

That's just NBA defense. The players allow each other to pad stats for 3 qtrs then everyone tries in the 4th.

that's nba defense for some times, including the knicks. if you're watching the heat-mavs game right now, you're seeing nba defense the right way.

 

[rrlbees]

 

[Fireball Jr.]

That's just NBA defense. The players allow each other to pad stats for 3 qtrs then everyone tries in the 4th.

it's early, but chicago playing strong defense, too.

 

[OrangeCrush22]

that's nba defense for some times, including the knicks. if you're watching the heat-mavs game right now, you're seeing nba defense the right way.

Yup the Knicks aren't good on D. That's why they got Chandler. One man can't guard 5, though. Which is why we saw Melo and others step it up in the 4th.

 

[Gabjon]

Saw the 2nd half. Carmelo stepped up on D in the 4th but man did he look lazy on D in the 3rd. I don't watch enough NBA to know if that's typical but it really looked half-assed. Maybe I just watch too much Syracuse.

The knicks came out very flat in the 3rd, but melo played hard on D in the first half and got in a little foul trouble. He picked up his 4th foul early in the 3rd qt and sat most of that qt the problem with the knicks is there guards can't stop penetration. I think they should play zone with the pick up of chandler who played great zone defense from dallas last year and the fact that their guards cant play man to man to save their lives probably make zone D their best option.

 

['72 Orange]

That's just NBA defense. The players allow each other to pad stats for 3 qtrs then everyone tries in the 4th.

This is why for me the NBA is un-watchable. I cant stand the lack of effort on D. The only enjoyable games are the finals when there is something on the line.

 

[44cuse]

Saw the 2nd half. Carmelo stepped up on D in the 4th but man did he look lazy on D in the 3rd. I don't watch enough NBA to know if that's typical but it really looked half-assed. Maybe I just watch too much Syracuse.

Don't believe everything you have read/heard about these guys staying in shape over the lockout. Just wasn't the case. Some stayed in shape (KD, Blake G, D Rose), but a lot of these guys got fat. It's gonna take a couple of weeks for the nba to get cranked up.

44cuse

 

[stuckinbig11]

That's just NBA defense. The players allow each other to pad stats for 3 qtrs then everyone tries in the 4th.

Kinda like an NBA season--teams go through the motions until the playoffs. Or is it the antithesis of a L. James game--pad your stats for 3 quarters and then stop trying?

 

[cuserulesall]

Don't believe everything you have read/heard about these guys staying in shape over the lockout. Just wasn't the case. Some stayed in shape (KD, Blake G, D Rose), but a lot of these guys got fat. It's gonna take a couple of weeks for the nba to get cranked up.

44cuse

I feel , when the Knicks get Kmart and Davis on the court , They are going to be a tough stop in the playoffs !!!

 

[Actionthrill]

It's funny Melo goes for 37 with 17 in the 4th and basically wins the game for the Knicks yet he's still selfish. But Lebron goes for 37 in a complete blowout and everyone says how much he's improved. Seems Melo can't do anything right.

 

[NineOneSeven]

With regards to the defense comments--

Agree the NBA is D is amateur at best. At least they are trying to buckle down and call more travels. But, people also need to remember how skilled offensively almost every player on the court is. Good O beats good D every time.

Again, I am not defending poor defense at all and would much rather watch NCAA ball.

Also, the NBA is a business and fans like high scoring games. Just like we complain about big 10 basketball here.

 

[Gabjon]

With regards to the defense comments--

Agree the NBA is D is amateur at best. At least they are trying to buckle down and call more travels. But, people also need to remember how skilled offensively almost every player on the court is. Good O beats good D every time.

Again, I am not defending poor defense at all and would much rather watch NCAA ball.

Also, the NBA is a business and fans like high scoring games. Just like we complain about big 10 basketball here.

I think many people don't realize how good some of these guy are offensively. Being able to drive just as hard with their off hand as there strong hand, also if a players jumper is considered their the weakness of their game when the defense sags which is the scouting report it looks like they are not playing D. Our best offensive players didn't stick in the league largely because of their defense for example John Wallace. It is no coincident that our best offensive players (minus melo) struggle to make the league and our best defensive Jason Hart and Etan Thomas both had 10 year NBA careers because of their defense not their offense.

That said this is basically the preseason we are watching today. Most teams are still making roster moves and team defenses schemes will take weeks to get where they should be.

 

[Knicks411]

Another thing to point out is that the NBA calls games tighter than college games are called. You can't get away with as much clutching and grabbing on the perimeter.

And yeah, the NBA athletes are pretty much the best in the world, there aren't a lot of Carmelo's, Wade's, Lebron's, etc in college hoops.
But I definitely wouldn't describe the defense as amateur. There are definitely some bad defenders, as there are at every level of hoops, but for the most part, the effort is usually there. (Though this year wil be an interesting year because of how compact the schedule is.)

Who said Melo was selfish last night? Sure he shot a lot, but Boston had no one who could check him; he was supposed to shoot a lot. I also never really noticed this until this year, but Melo only posts up on the right block. (offensive's right). He didn't post up on the left block once the entire I game I don't think.

 

[longislandcuse]

That was a great win for the Knicks. Melo looks like hes ready to enter the Top 5 elite player category. If we can get ANY point guard play (looking at you Baron Davis) this Knicks team could be a legit Finals contender. Big thing I saw yesterday as opposed to last year is that even though the defense in the 3rd quarter was atrocious, they stepped up and showed they can lock down in the 4th. They wont be a Chicago Bulls lockdown defensive team, but with their offense, if they can be adequate and get some big stops when need be they will be able to beat anyone.

 

[Knicks411]

It's still a relatively small sample size, but Carmelo has become a much more efficient player since joining the Knicks. If he's going to up his true shooting to the 58% range or so, that's going to be a huge improvement, and he probably does go, if not to the top 5, then I would certainly think in the top 10, which would be great for the Knicks chances.

I really think Baron, if he is healthy, is going to be a good pickup. He's a very good passer; he just needs to realize he isn't a key cog and not jack up 7 3's a game.

 

[Gabjon]

I hope you're right but I had higher hopes for Iman Shumpert than Davis. Now Shumpert is out for 2-4 weeks and no Davis for 6-8 weeks I am very concerned about our guards!

 

[SUFan44]

I hope you're right but I had higher hopes for Iman Shumpert than Davis. Now Shumpert is out for 2-4 weeks and no Davis for 6-8 weeks I am very concerned about our guards!

Shumpert isn't ready yet mentally. Don't know if he ever will be. Much more JR Smith than legit PG option. Shoots way too much and is a selfish player. Best chance Knicks have is getting Baron Davis healthy and playing at the level he is capable of.

 

[qdawgg]

Shumpert isn't ready yet mentally. Don't know if he ever will be.

I have no idea how you could make this prediction after 1 game. He shows a high level of skill already and he's barely had a chance to get acclimated to the level of play. Some guys look completely lost as rookies and you have no idea whether they will ever get it, others look like they can at least be role players after a few years of learning, IMO Shumpert already looks like he belongs. I have been impressed with everything I've seen from him so far.

 

[Knicks411]

I thought Shump looked impressive, but also like a rookie. Which is fine, he is a rookie, and rookies this year had even less time to prepare than rookies in other years.

He shot a lot, and blew some layups which he will normally make, but I thought he was pretty impressive at getting into the paint.

 

[Gabjon]

Shumpert isn't ready yet mentally. Don't know if he ever will be. Much more JR Smith than legit PG option. Shoots way too much and is a selfish player. Best chance Knicks have is getting Baron Davis healthy and playing at the level he is capable of.

I'm not going to respond to his mentally make-up because neither one of us know anything about that. He is not the shooter that Smith is but he is a little stronger and plays much better defense, which isn't saying all that much I know but he is the only guy that the knicks have to can prevent/slow down dibble penetration. Davis has no shot of stopping penetration at this stage of his career even if he drops the 30lbs he needs to get into shape and I don't believe he will get in the kinda of shape he needs to be in to help this team on a nightly basis.