All that said, the Knicks are deficient in nearly every aspect of the game.
New York can’t run complicated offensive sets because of Curry’s inability to pass out of double teams. Stephon Marbury had the best season of his career last year in terms of unselfishness and ball movement, and the Knicks were still inept.
Don't expect it to get any better in '07-'08.
Marbury, Crawford, Curry, Randolph, and Nate Robinson have no use on the court when the ball isn’t in their hands.
Aside from Malik Rose, Richardson, and Balkman, no Knick is an accomplished individual or team defender.
Aside from Lee and Richardson, no Knick is willing to rebound in heavy traffic.
If Jared Jeffries were two inches shorter, he wouldn’t even be a starter in the Developmental League.
While Lee is perfect in a sixth man role, his minutes will be cut by Randolph’s presence—or he'll be forced on the court as an out-of-position small forward.
Most importantly, while nobody questions the one-on-one talents of the Knick players, have any of them ever sacrificed for the benefit of a team?
Few of them excel in distributing the ball or moving without it—especially with Richardson always injured.
In fact, you can often tell whether the Knick offense is moving smoothly by the point totals and shooting percentages of Richardson and Balkman.
If those two are scoring, it means the Knicks are moving the ball. If not, it means the ball is stagnating in the hands of one or two players.
With an obvious phony like Isiah Thomas in charge, it's no wonder the Knicks often lack leadership. Isiah’s offseason legal mess only makes it that much harder for players to develop the necessary trust required to succeed in the NBA.
Imagine Zach Randolph runs into trouble again. How can he take any punishment dished by Thomas seriously...when Thomas has already been found by a court of law of to be a sleazy, lying hypocrite?
Maybe the Knicks have too much individual talent to butcher themselves out of a No. 8 seed. But with the salaries, expectations, and individual talent in New York, would that be any sort of accomplishment?
5) Philadelphia 76ers
While Philly’s post-Chris Webber/Allen Iverson surge last season was admirable, it doesn't mask the problems with the Sixer lineup.
On the bright side, Andre Iguodala will continue to grow into a superstar, and Andre Miller’s toughness, intelligence, and leadership will be extremely valuable to the baby Sixers.
While Miller’s defense has always been subpar, his ability to run an offense is exceptional.
Samuel Dalembert and Reggie Evans make Ben Wallace’s offensive game look like Tim Duncan's.
Willie Green and Rodney Carney are dynamic scorers, Kyle Korver is a streak shooter, and Louis Williams is a project. None of the four are accomplished defenders.
The biggest problems in Philly are the lack of accomplished big men and the lack of experience on the roster. If Green, Williams, and Carney fine-tune their games, if any of the Sixer big men develop, if Thaddeus Young, Derrick Byars, and Jason Smith play more like veterans than rookies...the Sixers may have a nucleus to build around.
For this year, Iguodala has to be Clark Kent if the Sixers want to make the playoffs.
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