New York Knicks Preview

The Knicks are in my opinion,  the most interesting team. The Knicks, given their talent, could have a serious claim for the NBA title, but at the same time the Knicks, given their inconsistency, may bow out in the first round to a team like the Heat or Celtics (the two teams who have eliminated New York the past two seasons). Jeremy Lin made the most noise coming out of New York as he left for Houston, but the Knickerbockers have made some quality pickups that could help them finally make a deep run into the playoffs, and reward their fans who have been starving for a championship for so long.

The Knicks are unquestionably led by Carmelo Anthony, the most important cog in the team, and one of the best scorers in the NBA. Melo has been one of the strongest players on this years Olympic squad and he isn't even starting, most notably his 37 point performance against Nigeria, which included 10 treys in just 14 minutes of action. Anthony said that he would be the next to get his ring after Lebron won his in game 5 this season. Anthony posted 22 points a game, a line that is down from Melo's usual 28 points a game.

Anthony does have help however, with Tyson Chandler anchoring the defense, Amare Stoudamire still an able bodied offensive player. Chandler won't contribute a whole lot on the offensive end, but he has officially transformed the Knicks from a disgraceful defensive unit, to a respectable group. Stoudamire is definitely past his prime, and would likely be better off being traded rather than staying in New York, where the pressure is on and the fans are getting sick of him. That being said, Stat can still put up 20 points a contest, that is if he is able to keep his second hand. Marcus Camby was also brought to NY to strengthen the front court. Camby will grab a lot of boards with Chandler at second, which is great for the Knicks, because of the fact that it will give guys like Melo and the Steve Novak more bullets and second chance points from the three point line.

 The Knicks are iffy at the guard position, especially after the departure of Landry Fields and Jeremy Lin. The Knicks did acquire Jason Kidd and Raymond Felton, plus holdovers J.R. Smith and possibly Iman Shumpert, if hes healthy enough after tearing his ACL against Miami in last years first round playoffs. If Shump is indeed good to go, he could take a huge leap and potentially become a starter. Shumpert is a tenacious defender who also holds his own on the offensive end with some major ups when driving to the hoop. Steve Novak is also a decent holdover who can shoot lights out from 3 point range.

As for Kidd, he took a U-turn and signed for the Knicks rather than returning to the Mavs. Kidd can still distribute the rock and make all his teammates around him better offensive basketball players. Kidd can also play some defense, which is good news for the Knicks, who are always looking for better defensive players. He won't average 10 assists per game, but he will be a playmaker and thats what the front office is asking him to do.

Ray Felton is looking forward to his second stint in the big apple, primarily because he was pretty successful in his first. Felton averaged 15 points and around 6 assists during his time in New York, until being traded in which he moved to two different teams in the space of two years (Nuggets, Blazers). Felton will be asked to play solid defense, and make a good all around contribution on the offensive end in the 25 or so minutes behind Jason Kidd. We have all been waiting for J.R. Smith to blow up and become one of the best players in the league, but he hasn't. Smith may get the starting nod at the 2 if Shumpert isn't able to play at the start of the season, and the front office will look to him for offensive explosiveness.

PG: Kidd/Felton
SG: Shumpert/Smith
SF: Anthony/Novak/White/Copeland
PF: Stoudamire/Thomas
C: Chandler/Camby

Expectations for the Knicks are always high in New York, and they will be around the States this year as well. The Knicks have a loaded roster and a solid coach in Mike Woodson, so the sky is the limit for this team. Call me crazy, but I could see the Knicks hoisting the Larry O'brien trophy at the end of the season, with Melo carrying them on the offensive end and Chandler carrying them on the defensive side of things. I wouldn't mind it either, Melo is a fantastic player; it wouldn't hurt that he would be remembered as the player who finally brought a title to New York.