And the Knicks missed. Plenty in the second half. But almost every article that's caught my eye today has read something along the lines of how last night was the Knicks "worst loss of the season". Some writers are explaining why it's too early to call the Carmelo trade a flop, some are asking whether the team can be fixed. Now, this is the New York media market, so hyperbole and overreaction come with the territory. But to pinpoint last night as the epicenter of the Knicks troubles is just plain wrong.
In order to deal with the good that I believe can come from this loss, the mistakes need to be assessed. After a sublime first 24 minutes, the Knicks came out in the second half with an air of arrogance, exhibited most by their small forward. Carmelo looked to continue his mastery of Paul Pierce at every opportunity. Unfortunately, Pierce wasn't interested in complying. He forced Melo into missing all five shots he took in the second half, most of which were absentminded heaves that halted the offensive flow and gave the Celtics room to run.
Overall, the quality of looks that the Knicks got in the second half dropped precipitously from those they got in the first. A combination of improved Boston defense, and uninspired ball movement that yielded mostly obscured looks from 15 feet and out. The Knicks defense wasn't good in the fourth quarter, especially in transition, but to place the blame on them entirely would be incorrect. Garnett was a monster on the boards and sank a crowd-silencing 20 footer to beat the shot clock, and Paul Pierce garnered the type of attention a player of his caliber warrants in the fourth quarter. He just made everything. Outside of the obligatory "let Rondo shoot from anywhere that his arms can't reach the rim" strategy, there was only one WIDE open look that Ray Allen had from three (which he missed).
I just have a very tough time calling this a bad loss when I felt that the Knicks had less of a part in losing it than the Celtics did in winning it. The Knicks started the 3rd quarter complacent, and the Celtics started it pissed off. By all accounts, Doc gave them their medicine at halftime, and they responded. They got angry, shifted into a "playoff must-win" gear, and the Knicks don't have that yet. How many teams do though? When the Celtics flip the nitrous switch, I would say maybe the Lakers can go toe to toe with them. Maybe the Magic if Howard's not in foul trouble, and that's it. I can understand how people are calling this a bad loss, but it just came at a bad time to a great team. Very different.
This isn't a loss that had no positives like the Bucks game. The Knicks struggled in the second half, that's no secret. Partially because they choked offensively, and partially because the Celtics made them work for everything defensively. But the best part about this loss is that it has to hurt, doesn't it? This wasn't losing a game off the grid in Cleveland or Milwaukee, or a half-hearted comeback attempt against Indiana. This was the show time at the Garden, with no possibility of going to take shelter on the bus after getting physically beat up and substantially out-guiled by the Celts in the second half. A win that could have erased all of the negative publicity of the past week was ripped from their fingers.
Especially Carmelo's. His turned from those of King Midas to a stone mason, and after blaming D'Antoni, Jeffries, and whoever else this past week, he'll now see his face plastered all over websites today. After eviscerating the Celtics with his shooting in the first half, he could have created havoc by looking for teammates. It's a big leap of faith to say that he's willing to do that, but if he can swallow his pride and occasionally look for cutters when he's isolated, the team will make a quantum leap forward. But if there's any time he'll be willing to budge, it will be sitting in the loser's locker room with a cut left eye and a severely bruised ego.
Make no mistake, last night the Knicks briefly achieved the dominance which had been pre-ordained for them by the same analysts panning them today. The sand fell through their fingers in the second half, but they had it. From an optimistic standpoint, which I usually choose to take to maintain my sanity, they're a team that's understanding what it takes night in and night out to win in this league. They've put together some great quarters, great halves, and even a great game (against Miami). The hardest thing to figure out how to do is close out a game, especially against a fired up championship contender tired of hearing that they suck from a crowd who should be smart enough not to poke a sleeping bear with a stick. If they do figure out how to pull it all together for one game, they proved that they can put a hurting on a good team for one half. Now they just need to have the killer instinct to pull the trigger one more time.
No comments:
Post a Comment