It's time for the Knicks to shape up
New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith tries to keep the ball from Atlanta Hawks guard Thabo Sefolosha during the first half of an NBA game, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2014, in Atlanta. Credit: AP / John Amis
Phil Jackson's remarkable coaching record includes never missing the playoffs in 20 years on the bench. But it might take some player maneuvering by Jackson for the Knicks to reach the postseason in his first full season as an executive.
There still are 72 games left. But aside from their play in back-to-back wins over Cleveland and Charlotte, the Knicks haven't shown much to make anyone believe they will be in the playoffs. They're 2-8 -- one game worse than last season at this point -- and have dropped seven straight.
Earlier in the week, Jackson said what the Knicks are experiencing is part of the "growth process'' as they learn the triangle offense. But he added that if players "haven't gotten it'' by Thanksgiving or early December, "we'll have to think about if you're a learner or not a learner.''
That's the closest Jackson came to putting his team on notice. Players acquired in the offseason can be moved as of Dec. 15, and it's around that time that trade talks pick up. The Knicks would be willing to move just about anyone not named Carmelo Anthony.
But Jackson wasn't going to be critical of the Knicks in his state-of-the-team address Monday -- not this group, not yet.
The Knicks ultimately should be better than last season, but you had to expect them to struggle out of the gate.
They're missing their lead guard and main offseason pickup, Jose Calderon, who would do a better job than unproven Shane Larkin of getting the Knicks into their offense. Calderon also would be able to hit open jumpers, which would open things up for everyone else.
Also, Derek Fisher has been coaching for 10 games now. With no previous coaching experience, he needs time to grow on the job. But his impassioned "that was New York City'' speech to the media after Friday night's home loss to the Jazz at the buzzer was strange.
It wasn't the right time for Fisher to be critical, either. He's trying to remain upbeat and keep his team positive.
But this is New York City, not Little Rock, Arkansas. The Knicks have the second-highest payroll in the league and many veteran players, so there are no moral victories -- not at home, not against Utah.
Trying harder?
Imagine if Anthony or J.R. Smith said what Tim Hardaway Jr. did after Monday night's loss to Atlanta.
"We're out there trying,'' Hardaway Jr. said. "It's not like last year. This year, we're actually out there trying to give it our all.''
Hardaway Jr. later said he "misspoke'' via his Twitter account, and it basically went away. But that remark was a slight of former coach Mike Woodson and an indictment of the team as a whole. Imagine if Anthony or Smith said it.
On your Marc
Marc Gasol will be on the Knicks' radar in the summer of 2015, but there are a number of teams that will want him. The Grizzlies want to keep Gasol, and the Spurs and Mavericks have an interest, will have money and have far better rosters than the Knicks.
Gasol would be a good center in the triangle. He can score inside and hit open jumpers and is one of the best-passing big men. He's also a good man-to-man and team defender.
All of that makes him a perfect fit for the Spurs, too. Gasol, a smart player, ultimately could be the guy who replaces Tim Duncan. Duncan is in the last year of his deal, so this could be it for him. Gasol in the Spurs' system makes a lot of sense.
Rose's outlook
Derrick Rose's statement that he sits out of games sometimes because he wants to preserve his body for his life after basketball -- "I don't want to be all sore at my son's graduation" -- created quite a backlash.
Rose, who played in only 10 games the previous two seasons because of knee surgeries, gives his all every moment he's on the floor and is one of the NBA's most competitive players.
If the Bulls have no problem with it, no one else should. They want Rose to be as healthy and strong as possible, and as long as he plays in the postseason, that's the most important thing.
Dominant Davis
The Pelicans are on the rise with rising young star Anthony Davis, who is only 21.
"He can be one of the greatest power forwards who has ever played,'' Kobe Bryant said.
Davis and Shaquille O'Neal are the only players to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks at age 20. This season he's averaging 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 4.1 blocks and 2.3 steals and is an early-season candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.
Buzzer beaters
- Duncan joined three elite clubs this week. He became the 19th player to score 25,000 points, the 11th to grab 14,000 rebounds and the seventh to do both. The others are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Karl Malone, Elvin Hayes, Moses Malone and Kevin Garnett.
- For the first time, the NBA All-Star ballot features all NBA players instead of 60 players from each conference. The Garden will host the All-Star Game in February.
- This past week, Hawks forward Paul Millsap's uniform read "Milsap'' and Pistons center Andre Drummond's jersey had "Drummund'' stitched into the back. Both were switched out with the proper spellings later in their games.
- The Philadelphia 76ers, once a proud franchise, scored 29 first-half points in Thursday night's loss to Dallas and trailed by as many as 58. The Mavericks could have gone scoreless after halftime and still won by three.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
