Anyone that knows me know that I love my NY KNICKS! Being a fan since that 81’-82’ season with Michael Ray Richardson, sly Williams, Maurice Lucas, bill Cartwright. I’ve been through the up and downs with this team. NY is one of the most intriguing places to play and hardest of fans to please. When I became a fan of basketball everyone was talking about Dr J, Magic, Kareem and the likes of. And to be honest it was Dr. J that really got me hooked. But when I looked into our team, I was so Brooklyn I had to see how we looked to the other teams, and I was only a one player fan so becoming a 76er fan wasn’t what I had in mind. But they did have a good team. I then became a Knick fan. Richardson made it interesting but to claim your city and stand on it 100% made it that much sweeter.
Fast forward to the present and how we the fans view our team. You have some that will hang the players for this year failures but collectively the problem isn’t any one player. Let us keep this all-in perspective. The coaching is great but could be stellar if he puts players in as needed more. Reddish shouldn’t be a once and a while player neither should Toppin, sims, and grimes. It would help the starters play at a higher level and have fun doing it. Look at the grizzlies. Those boys are playing and having a ball doing it. Now besides JA the rest are honestly compatible with everyone on our team. But when you have as much fun as they do you play collectively. You play unselfishly because you know everyone will look out for the next. But if you feel like everything must go through you all the time then that’s when the deflation comes. Look at the magics lakers. Magic could have taken the game for himself, but he made everyone around him better. He elevated their game. Jordan the same, Kobe, Shaq, Ewing, all greats but moved the game. When no one move you lose. And that’s where my knicks are. Making moves for only a few players makes the team feel selfish and players wanting to go ham when they get in and that selfishness is where it all comes apart.
The other problem is the fact that the officiating in this league has made it known that it will not be fair for the knicks like it has been for other teams and with ownership knowing this and not making it known that they will not stand for that in fear of getting fined will make other players (elite players) feel like this is a career killer team. That must change. It could be about business for Dolan, but he must protect his brand and make sure the league respects this brand that us fans have known and loved. You could be a scumbag owner but if you see an entity trying to diminish your brand you must fight to protect that brand. So, I say to Dolan and all the coaches protect these players and I promise you will see a different team. A more team-oriented team.
Julius had an amazing year last year and the start of this year was no different but then the refs started the blackball of our knicks, and he took offense to it and hasn’t played the same. Yes, he must learn to just play through it. And honestly if he did, he would probably be one of the elite players like Lillard, DeRozan, kyrie. Those players that don’t get those LeBron calls. Those Harden calls. So, he must learn to just look and take it out on the next player who guards him. But that’s for another blog topic.
Till then sax out!!