Bold Prediction: The New York Knicks Will Make The 2011 NBA Playoffs

Yes, it is true the New York Knicks have been the laughing stock of the league for what seems the last decade, but this is the year they turn the franchise's fortune around and make the playoffs.

The Knicks basically threw away the past three season's for the opportunity to try to convince LeBron James to come to N.Y. and be the savior the city desperately needs. Unfortunately for the Knicks, not everything has gone as planned.

The good news is even though the LeBron deal did not come to fruition, the Knicks did not stand pat during free agency. The Knicks instead were proactive and were able to have Amar'e Stoudemire sign on the dotted lines for a max contract, instantly giving them a franchise player they have been lacking since the Patrick Ewing era.

Stoudemire is one of the elite big men in the game today and will be especially dangerous returning to play in Mike D'Antoni's offense. Playing under D'Antoni, Stoudemire averaged a shade above 18 ppg and will instantly give the Knicks the athletic presence they have not had under the basket in years. 

Stoudemire was recently quoted saying that the Knicks goal this season is to get into the playoffs and if they don't then the season will be considered a failure. Most writers probably laughed off the notion, but it's something the Knicks can definitely accomplish this season. 

What made Stoudemire great in Phoenix was having Steve Nash as his point guard. Nash has the ability to make everyone around him better by driving to the basket and dishing the open man without even looking. He has the court vision not that is not prevalent in the NBA these days. With the Knicks, Stoudemire will rely on Raymond Felton to be his Nash.

Don't laugh, Felton is a very capable NBA point guard. He not only can score, but also defend and rebound. He has the knack of getting the ball to open man before the defense even sees what hit them as evidenced by his career average of 6.4 assists per game.

In D'Antoni's offensive minded scheme, the former 5th overall pick of the 2005 NBA Draft, can excel and help get his teammates better.

A key factor for the Knicks to get into the postseason is the continued development of Danilo Gallinari. People may think he has been a bust, but compare his stats to those of Dirk Nowitski and Gallinari compares favorably. In fact last season in a game against the Denver Nuggets, Gallinari showed hope for the future of being an All-Star.

Gallinari and Carmelo Anthony traded shot after shot through the third and fourth quarters, eventually ending in a rare Knicks win. The fact Gallinari stood up to Anthony's physical defense and answered everyone of his scores with a score of his own bodes well for the Knicks future success.

Let's not forget about athletic swing-man Wilson Chandler, who has the ability to score on the perimeter and take it to the hole. Creating shots is an essential part of the NBA game and it is a trait Chandler has already mastered. 

With these four players leading the way, the Knicks may find themselves in the 2011 NBA Playoffs for the first time since 2004.