New York Knicks: Is it finally their year?

The New York Knicks are coming off their best season since the start of the millennium. They won 54 games last season and finished as the #2 seed in the eastern conference. The postseason ended in disappointment (unsurprisingly) but they managed to create the impression that they are a force to be reckoned with. This season, they’ll look to prove that statement.

The Knicks squad largely remains the same. They lost veterans Jason Kidd and Rasheed Wallace to Father Time and Chris Copeland via free agency, but they re-signed free agents J.R. Smith and Pablo Prigioni. They drafted Tim Hardaway Jr. and traded for Andrea Bargnani (which might be this offseason’s most puzzling move). Late in the transfer season, they signed Metta World Peace and Beno Udrih.

While they have managed to retain their core, the rest of the league has improved. This means that they will be hard pressed to re-enact their 54 win season again. Nevertheless, the Knicks will be one of the most entertaining and impactful teams in the Eastern Conference.

Offense

Melo, Melo and Melo. He was their offensive spearhead last season and was supported by the Sixth man of the Year J.R. Smith. Anthony was the league’s scoring champion and with Smith out for the initial few weeks, his role on offense will increase even more.

Felton will be their starting point guard and they couldn’t have asked for a better fit. He’s a capable floor general and has excellent court vision. He’ll complement Anthony extremely well on offense.

Smith is a liability. Yeah yeah, he won the 6th man of the year award, but that doesn’t change the fact that he is a shot-chucker. He’s a smart guy, but chooses to shoot the ball as and when he pleases. He’s a dunk-machine and is capable of making it to the highlight reel twice a night. But more often than not, Smith shoots the ball without considering his teammates, and any player who does that, irrespective of their individual accolades, is a negative factor.

They have decent contributors in Stoudemire, Bargnani and World Peace. Overall, when healthy, The Knicks have a potent offensive team.

Defense

Surprisingly, this is their strongest suit this season, unlike last season, when they ranked 17th in defensive efficiency. They probably owe that to the signing of Metta World Peace who waived by the Los Angeles Lakers (yet another mistake by LAL).

Let’s take a look at their defensive unit: Tyson Chandler, Defensive Player of the Year 2012; Metta World Peace, who will take on the opponents’ best forward; Kenyon Martin, an ageing, but one of the most physical PFs in the league. Their front-court is one of the strongest ones in the league, when it comes to defence.

Their back-court’s defense is definitely not up to the mark. Felton and Pablo Prigioni are capable on-ball defenders, but none are capable of shutting out an opposing guard. Veteran Beno Udrih is even more of a liability, defensively.

Team Chemistry

Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, J.R. Smith. Need one say more? With three big egos in one locker room, and noone to cool it down, the Knicks are seriously lacking in team chemistry.

Anthony is their premier option on offense and Stoudemire is their primary option among PFs and Centers. Smith, is not the primary option, but due to his ability to put up 30+ points on any given night, considers himself the Reggie Miller of our generation. No offense mate, but if you put up 450 three pointers and just 35.6% of them fall, you really need to take a hint.

They also have a lot of new players this season. There’s bound to be settling in time, but fortunately, none of them except World Peace will be a core player.

While World Peace is one of the most intense and physical guys on the court, he’s also one of the most respected players in the locker-room. He’s one of the players who’s liked by his teammates whichever team he plays for.

Injury woes

J.R. Smith, despite his flaws, was their second highest scorer last season with 18.1 PPG from 33 minutes. Not bad for a sixth man. His injury and delayed return to the court will impact them heavily. This means that newbie Tim Hardaway Jr. and the unheralded Iman Shumpert will have to make their marks right from the word go.

Amar’e Stoudemire’s wobbly knees have restricted him to a little over 20 minutes each night, and even less if it’s a back-to-back. One of the league’s most talented offensive PF, it’s certainly sad to see him contribute a mere fraction of his full potential.

Their addition of Andrea Bargnani isn’t helping them one bit in this aspect. Bargnani is severely injury-plagued and has played an average of 40 games per season the last three years.

Insufficient firepower in their frontcourt

They have one of the most physical frontcourts, no doubt. But at the same time, they’re not exactly the first frontcourt which comes to your mind when you talk offensive firepower.

Tyson Chandler scores a decent 10.4 PPG. Stoudemire scored 14.2 PPG last season, but played a meager 29 games last season with 23 minutes each game.

Bargnani averages 13 PPG, playing 30 games a season, averaging 27 minutes each game. He’s a versatile player offensively but in a team where most players play 2-3 positions, versatility is not what they need. Seriously, why on earth did they sign him?

Verdict

The Knicks are a talented bunch, no doubt. They’re terrific on offense, and are above average on defense. They have incredibly talented players, but that’s what they have. Incredibly talented players but not an incredibly talented team. They’re severely restricted by injuries and team chemistry.

They have a good coach in Mike Woodson, who is known as someone who focuses on defense, certainly something they need at the moment. But are they talented enough to make it to the Conference Finals? Talented enough to hold their ground against teams like Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers and the Mighty Miami Heat? Certainly NOT.