New York Knicks: 5 Positives So Far This Season

It's easy to get down on the Knicks.

They've started slow and everything seems out of sync. The offense lacks flow and the defense non-existent at times.

Already, there are chants from the New York faithful to fire coach Mike D'Antoni. Some are calling the Knicks the disappointment of the league.

Despite all this, all is not lost. The Knicks can still turn things around and make some noise in this season's playoffs. 

For all the diehard Knicks fans, let's run through some of the positives so far in 2011-2012.

Opening the Season with a Win over Rival Boston Celtics

On opening day, the Knicks gave their fans the best present they could ask for and defeated their Atlantic Conference rival Boston Celtics.

Carmelo Anthony put the team on his back, scoring 37 points, and the Knicks shot 45 percent from deep.

After being swept out of the playoffs—in the first round—last season by the Celtics, it was an important win for the Knicks. Also, it didn't hurt to start off the season with a victory.

Although the Celtics were without star forward Paul Pierce, it was important that the Knicks managed a close victory over a team that had asserted much dominance over the blue and orange during the past decade.

Tyson Chandler

Chandler has been a force for the Knicks on both sides of the ball.

When he signed with New York, he was expected to be a defensive stopped on the interior. So far, he has done this—leading the Knicks with about two blocks per game—and also asserting himself on the offensive end of the floor.

Against the Kings, playing without Amar'e Stoudemire, Chandler led the Knicks to victory, scoring 22 points. Then, playing at home against the Bobcats, Chandler opened up the game with four thunderous dunks.

For Chandler to be worth all the money the Knicks have payed him, fans will expect more wins, but so far, Chandler has proved he's motivated.

He's clearly the hardest working Knick.

Hopefully this attitude rubs off on his teammates.

Rookie Iman Shumpert

The Knicks' first-round draft pick, Iman Shumpert, has been a bright spot for the struggling New York backcourt. 

Shumpert got his first start, against the Detroit Pistons, on Saturday after playing very well in preceding games.

He proved that he can create off the dribble and can shoot from beyond the arc. He's also leading the Knicks in steals.

Despite missing a few games with a sprained MCL, Shumpert has earned his spot in the rotation, and the sky is the limit for this young, athletic guard.

Added Depth

One of New York's biggest problems last season was the lack of depth.

So far this season, the Knicks have had up to 10 players in the regular rotation. It's obvious that this will not persist all season long, but it's a good sign that D'Antoni has faith in this many players on his bench.

In particular, rookie Josh Harrellson and veterans Renaldo Balkman and Jarred Jefferies. Harrellson, fondly nicknamed "Jorts" because of his apparent love of jean shorts, has some much-needed hustle and stroke from the perimeter.

These players may not be called on too often during the regular season, but come playoff time, the Knicks may call on their bench.

Expect the Knicks bench to be ready this postseason.

Carmelo Anthony's Leadership

I was among the critics when the Knicks traded for Carmelo Anthony. I realized he was a great talent and had always been a fan but viewed the trade with some skepticism.

Once he joined the Knicks, it seemed like they lacked offensive flow. Even during the 2011-2012 season they have lacked cohesiveness. But with Melo, none of that matters. He can flat-out score the basketball when called upon.

Through the first seven games of the season, Melo has averaged 29.1 points per game, 6.9 rebounds per game and 3.9 assists per game. More importantly, he has been super effective closing out games.

This season, Anthony has both talked about and proven that he's giving more effort on the defensive end, and the Knicks desperately needed this.

Carmelo Anthony has proved—to me as well as other skeptics—that he was worth everything the Knicks traded for him. As the team has more time to gel, he will get the chance to prove himself, once again, at the end of the season and into the playoffs.