Bleacher Report - Articles by Gabe Podair

Knicks' Success Comes With Much Help From Bench

Gabe Podair — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:31:50 -0400

Over the last several years the New York Knicks have been terrible, there is no disputing that, but what about this year? Is there still a chance, or is this season just going to be another disappointment?

Coming into the 2008-2009 NBA season, the Knicks look like a rejuvenated team. Many things have gone their way, and hopefully the Knicks will continue to have this good luck. But the Knicks cannot just rely on pure luck, there are still many aspects the Knicks must address or all else they will fail.

The Knicks starting lineup looks promising with the anchors being David Lee and Zach Randolph, but the starters cannot win games by themselves. Over the past several years a main flaw in the Knicks lineup has been their bench player’s production.

The Knicks are usually able to hold their own during the first couple quarters of the basketball game, but once their starters get tired and cannot play anymore the bench cannot hold the lead or stay in the game.

So is this year the same as the rest or do the Knicks have a promising bench?

The Knicks need a guy that can instantly come off the bench and energize the crowd and the players, someone that ignites defense and hustles. Last year, that guy was David Lee who is now in the starting lineup. This year several guys may be called upon to fill this role.

The first player that comes to mind would be The Great Nate, Nate Robinson. Although sometimes considered to be a purely show-boating player, he has been called one of the most athletic players on the team by head coach Mike D'Antoni. Robinson can provide energy off the bench as well as great shooting and dribble penetration.

Another player that can contribute to the Knicks success this year off the bench is forward Wilson Chandler. Chandler, who is two years removed from DePaul, has the potential to become a five-star player. He can shoot, penetrate, pass, has become a defensive stopper and has played almost every position on the floor over the last two years as a Knick.

These two energetic players won’t be the only ones contributing off the bench this year, as Stephon Marbury and Malik Rose look to get in the mix.

Stephon Marbury, although sometimes considered a self-centered player, has put aside the fact that he is not starting and has accepted his role off the bench. If he is the Stephon Marbury we all know on the court, he can be one of the key players on this Knicks bench because he has the ability to get to the rim extremely well and also shoots better than most point guards.

Malik Rose, on the other hand, is a decent player on the bench, but is more of an asset as one of the only veterans on the team. He can provide leadership to a team with promising young talent and can also keep Stephon Marbury’s ego at ease.

Overall, the Knicks have an extremely promising future ahead of them, but only if the bench continues to produce and live up to expectations. This is the year the Knicks need to prove what type of team they are and if it truly is a new era of basketball in New York.

Welcome to a New Era of New York Knicks Basketball

Gabe Podair — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 12:11:27 -0400

After an abysmal performance last year, the New York Knicks look to start a new era of successful professional New York basketball.

So far, there has only been success with the Knicks this offseason. First, former head coach Isiah Thomas was finally fired, after years of below-average basketball and terrible transactions. It was thought that Thomas essentially crippled the New York Knicks after the five years under his rule, but that is mistaken.

Once the Knicks were rid of Thomas, the next step was to select a head of basketball operations. After days of speculation by the media, the Knicks finally announced on April 2, 2008 that the new president of basketball operations was going to be Donnie Walsh.

This was not a surprise to many Knicks enthusiasts, since Walsh has expressed some interest in making the Knicks his project for the next couple years. This is exactly when Donnie Walsh took complete control of the Knicks' reins.

The next step towards a successful future was the selection of a new head coach to fill the void left by Thomas. There were many viable candidates for this position, including former great Knick point guard Mark Jackson, but ultimately Donnie Walsh decided that the man to lead his team to victory would be none other than Mike D’Antoni, former head coach of the Phoenix Suns.

This was very controversial, because many analysts agreed that D’Antoni is an offensive-oriented coach, unable to impart the defense teachings that the untamed Knicks players needed. But this choice was the correct choice, because Mike D’Antoni’s fast-paced offense seems to trigger more intense defense on the other end of the court.

Howeverm this was not Donnie Walsh’s final product.

After openly admitting that Stephon Marbury was not the point guard D’Antoni needed, Walsh scoured the free-agent market and stumbled on Chris Duhon, formerly the starting point guard for the Chicago Bulls. Duhon has the ability to keep up with a fast-paced offense, and is a pass-first, shoot-second point guard—unlike Marbury. On top of Duhon’s offensive prowess, he is also known as an exceptional defender, something that is essential in such a strong Atlantic Division and something that the Knicks have lacked.

Along with the addition of Chris Duhon, Donnie Walsh drafted Danillo Gallinari with the sixth-overall pick. Gallinari was an extremely controversial pick, because not much is known about the 19-year-old Italian. Previously, Gallinari played for teams in Milan and Pavia, Italy. What basketball fans do know about the 6'10" forward is the he has a very smooth jump shot, and is the epitome of a European big man.

With these two transactions as the only huge additions made by the team, the Knicks are relying not only on the new guys, but also on the old guys. Ironically, the same basketball players that Isaah Thomas could only win twenty games with seem to be producing for Coach Mike D’Antoni.

Some of these "old" guys include David Lee, Zach Randolph, Jamal Crawford, and Nate Robinson. Many of these players are going to be relied upon to carry the team and help Donnie Walsh usher in a new era of New York Knicks basketball.

Overall, Walsh seems to have done a great job. He has made great decisions on coaching and player signings. Additionally, Walsh has not made spontaneous decisions regarding trades or buyouts. He realizes that the Knicks will not become a great team overnight. Instead, he understands that the next few years in New York will be transition years to wait out hefty contracts and scour a more highly regarded free-agent class.

If the Knicks do become successful, Donnie Walsh deserves unanimous praise, considering the conditions he had to overcome. Under Walsh’s, rule the Knicks have entered somewhat of a basketball renaissance—but only time will tell whether he has truly made the correct decisions.

2008 NBA Atlanic Division Overview and Predictions

Gabe Podair — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 08:19:57 -0400

With the focus in the Atlantic Division mostly on the NBA champion Boston Celtics, teams like the New York Knicks and the New Jersey Nets are trying to make a new name for themselves.

Here are my predictions for this season:

1. Boston Celtics

As the reigning NBA champions, the Boston Celtics should be seen as the NBA favorite. They still have their core three in Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett, and also have young potential in players like Rajon Rondo and Bill Walker.

Although Bill Walker is seen as raw talent, he is the type of player that can instill life in an unenergized Celtics team when coming off the bench. Rajon Rando is one of the best up-and-coming point guards in the NBA. He plays great defense and does not need to score to be a threat. If Doc Rivers can get his guys into last year's shape, the Celts have good chance of winning back-to-back titles.

2. Toronto Raptors

The Toronto Raptors should win an award for being one of the NBA's most improved teams. With the addition of Jermaine O'Neal, the Raptors are a huge threat on the boards and also on the defensive side.

The Raptors also have Olympic silver-medalist Jose Calderon running the floor. In his first year in the NBA, he averaged 11.2 points and a staggering 8.3 assists per game. The Raptors will look for Calderon to become to leader of this squad.

Not only is the starting five great, but they have the former number-one pick of the draft in Andrea Baringani coming off the bench, with added muscle and refined post moves. Guys like Jason Kopono also give the Raptors great shooting beyond the arc.

The Toronto Raptors have a aspiring future ahead of them, and Chris Bosh could see his squad in one of the top five spots in the playoffs this year.

3. New York Knicks

After one of their worst seasons in history—even having David Stern calling for a change in the front office—the Knicks can only go up from here. Now three might look to be much too high of a ranking for the Knickerbockers—but after several preseason games, the Knicks are looking better than ever.

It seems that the new head coach Mike D'antoni has answered the Knicks' prayers by providing a shoot-first, run-and-gun style of offense.

The interesting thing is that Donnie Walsh, the new Knicks president of basketball operations, has not made that many changes to the roster. He has opted to keep guys drafted by Isiah Thomas like David Lee and Wilson Chandler—and ironically both have come out and been two of the best players on the team so far.

The Knicks look to have a bright future ahead of them and might find themselves in one of the last spots in the 2008-2009 playoffs.

4. Philadelphia 76ers

Putting the Philadelphia 76ers behind the Knicks may be a controversial pick, but the 76ers have a lot to improve on. With the addition of former Clipper Elton Brand, the 76ers have tremendously improved their front court—but have relied too much on their younger players.

Mo Cheeks has decided to start Thaddeus Young out of Georgia Tech at the small forward position. After only one year in college, how could a head coach put so much trust in the guy?

Coming off the bench they have guys like Louis Williams and Willie Green, but how much time will they get on the court playing behind Andre Miller and Andre Iguodala?

The 76ers have tremendous potential, but might not see themselves playing basketball in the playoffs this season.

5. New Jersey Nets

The New Jersey Nets seem to have swapped positions with the New York Knicks. After trading away star player Richard Jefferson, the Nets will rely on young players like Yi Jianlian and Brook Lopez to carry the team.

The Nets seem to be in a transition year, after trading more experienced players for younger players. Vince Carter, the leader of the team, is rumored to be on the trading block, so point fuard Devin Harris might be called upon to lead this team as one of the more experienced players.

The Nets should not expect a playoff spot this year, unless GM Rod Thorn pulls off a Vince Carter trade.

Dan Grunfeld and Patrick Ewing, Jr: Living in Their Fathers' Shadows

Gabe Podair — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:18:20 -0400

What makes professional sports so great?

Is it the history of the sport? How about the fans that watch the sport?

Both of these characteristics of the sport contribute to the atmosphere and make watching sports so intriguing. But what about the players?

Throughout every sport there are always a select group of standout players. In basketball it might be the great Michael Jordan, or in baseball it might be Babe Ruth. These players have had extremely successful sports careers by winning championships and awards. But what about their kids? All of this talent, does it transfer from the father to the son?

Patrick Ewing is currently an assistant coach for the Houston Rockets, and was recently inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame. He was an 11-time All-Star, Rookie of the Year, and was mentioned in the NBA's Top 50 players of all time.

So after all of this success, shouldn’t his son Patrick Ewing Jr. have similar success? No.

Despite his father's success, Patrick Ewing Jr. is a meager 6'8" compared to his fathers towering 7'0" stature. Don’t get me wrong, 6'8 is huge—even for an NBA player.

But how about Patrick Ewing Jr.'s skill? His father, after never touching a basketball, learned to play the great game during his adolescent years in Cambridge, Massachusetts. After mastering the game of basketball at a high school level, Patrick decided to play Division I basketball at Georgetown University.

At Georgetown, Ewing thrived as a basketball player which resulted in him being picked number-one overall in the 1985 NBA draft by the New York Knicks.

After transferring from University of Indiana to Georgetown, following his father's footsteps, the only difference Junior and is father is the success each one had playing basketball at Georgetown.

Patrick Ewing, Jr. averaged 4.1 points his first year and 6.1 points his second year at Georgetown, compared to Patrick Ewing's 15.3 points over four years at Georgetown.

Patrick Ewing, Jr. was raised by one of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball. Shouldn’t some of the skill portrayed by Ewing transfer to his son? After all his adolescent years, Patrick Ewing never taught his secrets to his son?

Ernie Grunfeld, a former basketball player for the New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks and Kansas City Kings, is another example of a father's success overshadowing his son.

In high school, Grunfeld was one of the most highly-recruited basketball players in the nation. He was compared to NBA greats such as Bernard King, who he grew up with in New York City.

In the NBA he was known for his superior three-point shooting and his extremely high free-throw percentage. He was so good in the NBA, that he was chosen to represent the United States in the 1976 Olympics and won the Gold Medal.

Similar to the situation between Patrick Ewing and his son, Grunfelds' son, Dan was also overshadowed by his father’s success. Recruited to play for Stanford University, he was a key contributor to the Cardinal's basketball success.

Although successful in college, Dan Grunfeld went undrafted and was forced to play basketball overseas, something his father did not have to do. In 2008, after being signed to an undisclosed non-guaranteed contract by the New York Knicks, it seems as though Dan Grunfeld will be cut by the Knicks. His hardships in basketball continue.

Players like Patrick Ewing, Jr. and Dan Grunfeld have tremendous potential. They are great players. Patrick Ewing, Jr. has amazing jumping ability and plays exceptional defense, while Dan Grunfeld followed in his father footsteps with a smooth stroke.

This article is not about how bad both Patrick Ewing, Jr and Dan Grunfeld are. It is about how they do not get a fair shot at being their own player. Since growing up each of them were expected to become great basketball players.

The media is not giving these players a fair shot. Both players can contribute great things to NBA teams, but before they do that they need to be given a chance to become their own player, not Patrick Ewing’s son or Ernie Grunfeld's son.

New York Mets Are Doing Their Best 2007 Impersonation

Gabe Podair — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:50:57 -0400

It seems like the Mets may be headed in the same direction as last year. Down the drain. After losing three out of their last four games, the New York Mets are now only a half-game in front of the Phillies for first place.

With the Mets' magic number at 13, they have a long way to go to win the division. Throughout the next several days, the Mets are facing tough opponents, like the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta Braves, two teams that wont go down without a fight.

To win these games, the Mets need to shake things up. Once the starting pitcher is out, whoever it may be, the reliever must come in and pitch well. One of the reasons the Mets are in this position is because the bullpen has not pitched well.

If the Mets can get six or seven innings out of their starting pitchers and get two to three decent innings out of their relievers, the Mets will be on their way to the World Series. With hitters as good as David Wright and Carlos Delgado, the starting pitching does not have to be spectacular.

Currently, the Mets have two legitimately good starters in their rotation, Mike Pelfery and Johan Santana. Oliver Perez is a good pitcher, but every time he pitches everyone gets nervous.

In the back of the rotation the Mets have guys like Brandon Knight, who is starting on Wednesday, and Jon Niese, who, after a terrible debut, pitched lights out his last outing.

One positive note that has been piled underneath the Mets' current losing streak is the emergence of Bobby Parnell. Parnell, one of the Sept. 1 call-ups, was not given a chance by Manager Jerry Manuel until last night, when he struck out the side in one inning pitched. If none of the other relievers are pitching well, why not give Parnell the ball and see what he can do?

Also, what about Al Reyes? Why not give him a chance? He can contribute just as well as Luis Ayala or Pedro Feliciano, but he hasn't been given a chance. Who knows, maybe he'll become their go-to guy these next couple days.

If the Mets want to win these last remaining games, they need to start playing to their potential. Pitchers need to pitch and the hitters need to hit. Mets players need to put last season's nightmare behind them and go out and play some real New York Metropolitan baseball.

Can the New York Mets Succeed with What They've Got on the Pitcher's Mound?

Gabe Podair — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:55:27 -0400

Coming into September of 2008, the New York Mets are 82-63, one win less than they had at this point last year. That makes Mets fans wonder: Will there be a repeat of last year's collapse?

The difference between last year and this year is that the New York Mets are coming into September with more confidence than they had last year. They have been knocking off good teams left and right and have impressed many doubters.

Although the Mets have experienced recent success, don't expect this success to last much longer. With the state the Mets roster is in now, it is absolutely remarkable that they are in contention for a playoff spot, let alone the division championship.

For the Mets to win these last 16 games players need to step up and play their hearts out. But even if the New York Mets made the playoffs, how could they win with so many flaws on their roster?

Earlier this season, the Mets bullpen was considered to be one of the worst in the NL. Critics said that the Mets would go no where with the bullpen the way it was.

But recently the Mets bullpen has been outstanding. With Billy Wagner down, Luis Ayala has come in from a terrible season with the Washington Nationals and has converted seven out of eight save opportunities for the Mets.

But the way Ayala pitched in Washington makes the fan wonder, if the Mets do make the playoffs will they be able to compete without a real closer? Ayala has been great so far, but how about under playoff circumstances? How can you rely on a guy with a 5.17 ERA to close out games? You cant!

So what other replacements are there? Well for one, Al Reyes, the former Tampa Bay Devil Ray closer, pitched great last year as a closer hasn't pitched one game as a Met. Why not give him a chance?

So what he has had a bad year, doesn't mean you shouldn't atleast give him a chance. There would definitely be more room for comfort if he was closing out games instead of the usual "I hope Ayala doesn't blow this one" comment.

As a team, the Mets are tough competition. They have magnificent hitters like Carlos Delgado, David Wright and Jose Reyes. They even have decent pitching with one of the best pitchers in baseball in Johan Santana.

But who would be the third pitcher for the three man rotation in the playoffs?

Johan Santana is the ace. Mike Pelfery certainly is No. 2. But what about the third spot?

Pedro Martinez would be the first person to come to many peoples mind, but what about the way he has pitched this year? In 17 games with the Mets, Pedro has a 5.44 era and a 5-4 record. That's not good enough for a number five spot pitcher.

The only other options seem to be Oliver Perez, John Maine and Nelson Figueroa.

Perez has been troubled throughout the season with control problems and has not been to great as a starting pitcher for the Mets, but is know for great performances in the playoffs as shown in 2006.

John Maine hasn't pitched a game in weeks due to an injury. It would be better if he went easy on himself and pitched out of the pen.

Nelson Figueroa, despite having a high ERA, has been a decent pitcher for since being called up for the second time.

Nelson Figueroa brings another veteran pitcher in a playoff situation and allows Oliver Perez to come in early if needed. Imagine. Nelson Figueroa starts out the game, pitches five innings of good baseball and then Oliver Perez takes over and finishes off with his over powering pitches.

After the collapse of 2007, who knows what will happen this year. But the Mets will go nowhere with the pitching they have now.

Serious changes need to be made, and they need to be made quickly before their playoffs hopes are gone.

Isiah Thomas Is Finally Gone: Now Is the Time for Knicks' Redemption

Gabe Podair — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 11:41:50 -0400

After a terrible season last year, the New York Knicks look to change the way they are perceived around the NBA. The newly hired President of Basketball Operations, Donnie Walsh, has brought a completely different mentality to the way the Knicks are run.

Walsh's first big decision as President of Basketball Operations was who was going to carry out the same mentality on the court. After interviewing many coaches, Walsh decided that the best pick would be the Phoenix Suns' head coach, Mike D'Antoni.

Mike D'Antoni is considered to be one of the most prominent head coaches in the NBA today. He piloted the Suns to four straight 50+ wins and won their division three times. D'Antoni, who played professionally overseas, brings a completely different playing style to the decrepit Knicks' style of play.

But since signing Mike D'Antoni, Walsh has become somewhat quiet. He has made one trade, freeing up their salary cap, signed Chris Duhon, and drafted a questionable unproven European forward.

Are these moves all the Knicks need to become a successful ball club? I don't think so.

The main problem that the Knicks have had these past couple of years has been defensive presence from big men. Players like Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph are not exactly known for their overpowering defense. If the Knicks could get a good defensive center such as Darko Milicic or even Ben Wallace, they could get many more stops in transition.

One positive for the Knicks this year is the production of their 2007 first round pick, Wilson Chandler. Chandler started off the 2007-2008 Knicks season riding the bench. From November to February the Knicks' first round pick never averaged over 10 minutes of playing time a game. It was not until March that Isiah Thomas started to give the rookie a chance.

Chandler is a great basketball player. Standing at 6"8, he is a big matchup for the standard small forward and can still contend against guards and power forwards. He has shown a tremendous ability to shoot the ball and also plays great defense.

Even though Chandler seems like the most promising young player on the team, it doesn't look like he will get a chance to start this year. He is still a very young player with loads of untapped raw potential.

If Donnie Walsh decides to stay with the current roster to start the season in November, the Knicks are in for a mediocre year. Even though they are lacking many key components, Donnie Walsh is headed in the right direction. The Knicks' future is extremely promising, but only with good leadership and enough money for 2010.