Knicks Thinking Reunion?
Entering tonight’s game near the bottom of the barrel, in both shooting and assists, Mike D’Antoni and the Knicks will have a front row seat to watch and ponder over what once was. After three weeks of staring at a frequently inept and stagnant offense, the former Suns coach will be forced to watch the poster child for his offense, Steve Nash, still running it to perfection in spite of D’Antoni’s absence. And according to the New York Post, tonight’s game could be more of an audition then a simple competition.
With no true Point Guard to speak of, A’mare Stoudemire is off to the worst start in his career and rather then running the pick and roll with his former teammate, as they did to perfection for years, he will instead be trying to contain the 2-Time MVP. Stoudemire briefly touched upon the fact that his current team is presently unable to run the system as effectively as Nash orchestrates it, but he feigned confidence claiming, “We’ll get there.” Stoudemire also attributed his rare, early season struggles to a rythymic rust from his time off during the lockout and while recovering from back surgery.
While both of those are valid excuses, the truth is that Stoudemire’s biggest problem starts and ends in the backcourt. He has always been a pick and roll player who thrives on his Point Guard’s ability to get the ball in his hands with a clear lane to the hoop. Now, the Knicks guards are rarely creating that lane, and when they do, more often then not it has been for Center, Tyson Chandler rather then Stoudemire. As a result of this, A’mare has been left to his own devices, looking to create his own shot and therefore diverting from the game plan even further.
D’Antoni and the Knicks are clearly in need of a Point Guard who they can trust and rely on, each and every night. Steve Nash was that guy in years past, and according to the New York Post, he could be once again in the very near future. New York plans to fill the void by using their $5 million mid-level exemption this summer, but seeing as how Nash is already 38-years-old, they may need to be more aggressive then that and try to get their man as soon as possible. In addition to the extra mileage that will be on Nash’s legs by next summer, the waiting period will only provide a greater platform for bad habits to form in Stoudemire’s game and the Knicks system as a whole.
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[...] Knicks Thinking Reunion? | New York Knicks | Rant SportsBy Vince CunninghamEntering tonight's game near the bottom of the barrel, in both shooting and assists, Mike D'Antoni and the Knicks will have a front row seat to watch and ponder over what once was. After three weeks of staring at a frequently inept and stagnant …Rant Sports [...]
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