Amar'e Stoudemire: Why He and New York Knicks Are Title Pretenders
Amar'e Stoudemire and the New York Knicks are rolling. They have turned a corner, it seems, from NBA bottom feeders to a relevant team. But some fans need to get off the idea that this team will be anything more than above average.
As currently designed, the Knicks are a bottom-seed playoff squad. That is not a bad thing. In fact, I find great solace in the fact that one of the league's more storied franchises is back to being a real force. But their constant search for that elusive title will continue beyond this season. There is no way the Knicks win this year. Here's why.
10. Long Season
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Before we plan a parade around Madison Square Garden, we should stop and take a deep breath. NBA fans are a fun bunch. They treat every game like it comes once a week like in the NFL. Every loss is taken with harsh feelings and every win is praised with exuberance. I submit that the NBA is much more in tune with baseball.
The season is long. There will be ups and there will most assuredly be downs. We are yet to see how the 2010-2011 iteration of Knicks basketball deals with distress. That will be their first true test of their mettle. So far, New York is happy to see some wins on their record. But we should note that there is a long path ahead of this squad.
9. Depth
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Winning a title is not tricky. You get a bunch of players with immense talent and force them to play lights out for a few months. The Knicks are missing one of those ingredients: the bunch of players.
The Knicks lack the depth necessary to contend in the playoffs. Games may be won or lost during the second unit's time on the floor. That is the group that brings the game within reach or extends a lead. As it is, the Knicks bench have been performing well. But I have issues with their long-term success.
Guys tire, they slump. It is a fact of sport. Toney Douglas and his inexperience will shine through. Ronny Turiaf will stop finding the basket. And Eddy Curry is well, fat.
8. Injury
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This is the bane of many an NBA team. Injuries in the NBA are ubiquitous. It is the reason I gave up playing fantasy basketball. Everyday, I had to find a new power forward because mine had a hamstring boo-boo.
The Knicks will get injuries this year. There is no denying that fact. No team makes it through 82 games without them. It is how they react to them that determines where they are come the post season. As it is, they rely too heavily on one person. If Stoudemire were to go down, it would be disastrous. Championship teams can deal with a blow like that and not sink.
If Pierce went down in a heap tomorrow, the Celtics would still make the playoffs. I can't say the same for the Knicks.
7. Still Losing Big Games
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While the season is long and arduous, there are plenty of games that serve as measuring sticks along the way. While you cannot win or lose the title in December, performances now are good barometers of where this team is talent wise.
Many fans were ecstatic as the Knicks pushed the Celtics to the edge recently. They lost to Boston by a mere two points. That should tell you something. This team is not ready to take down the elite teams in this league. We will know much more tomorrow as they face Miami. But as it stands, they are now 0-2 against Boston.
They also have a loss to Minnesota, if you are scoring at home. So they lose the meaningless games too.
6. Big Man
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There is no more obvious fact in the Association than needing an imposing big man to win it all. Stoudemire is not that person. He is an All-Star and an immense talent. But you need tough lockdown defenders that will change shots. Think Dwight Howard, Kendrick Perkins or Andrew Bynum.
Sure Amar'e blocks shots, but he gets very lackadaisical on defense as the year wears on. As it is, the Knicks need a menacing center or power forward. At least get one off the bench. No, Knicks fans, Timofey Mozgov does not fit this description.
5. Seeding
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The Knicks are playing amazing ball right now. But even with them playing at a high level, they are still a mediocre club. As it stands now that Knicks would be a sixth seed in the East. I will give you the benefit of the doubt and say that the Knicks will make the playoffs. But they will not post better than any of the top four teams.
While they may pass Atlanta on record, they may not be able to hold ground on the Bucks. Once the Bucks start playing like they should, they will surpass either the Knicks or the Hawks. The point being, the postseason is long enough and tough enough without playing on the road.
Having home court advantage is extremely important in this league. The Knicks will not have the benefit of that this season.
4. Eastern Powers
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The sad truth is the Knicks cannot win a seven-game series against any of the following: Boston, Orlando, Chicago or Miami. I could very well have added some more there, but I think you get the gist. Yes, the Knicks are playing very well, but they are still a tad under the elite teams.
Fans got excited for the performance the Knicks just showed against the Celtics, but remember they lost the game. It takes immense depth and talent to win a seven-game series. The Thunder almost took down the eventual champs last year in the postseason. But in the end, the better Lakers won out. That is the tough proposition of a seven-game series. The better team almost always wins. The Knicks will have to go through one or two of the listed teams.
That does not bode well.
3. Los Angeles Lakers
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If the Knicks shock the world and get past the powers in the East, they still will have to contend with whatever team represents the West. While the Spurs are playing lights out, the more likely contender is the Lakers.
As they are currently situated, the Knicks could not take them down in seven games. Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol are too much to handle for Stoudemire and Danilo Gallinari. The Lakers bench is much deeper and more seasoned. Then you get to Kobe Bryant and your house of cards tumbles down.
2. One Piece Away
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With all of these arguments on the table, you start to see that the Knicks, while being a good team, are not a great one.
They lack a great many things but overall, they need another superstar. With so many contenders boasting two or more All-Stars, the Knicks need to jump on the bandwagon if they are to contend. While I think they would do well with any of a number of available players, Carmelo Anthony would be perfect.
He is a pure scorer that would hit yet another level in D'Antoni's system. I have a feeling this trade is more a "when it will happen" than an "if it will" situation.
1. The Run and Gun System
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Mike D'Antoni has a wonderful philosophy of basketball. He believes that the more you can score, the more successful you will be as a basketball team. That is true, to a point. His system is very adept at winning ball games and putting fans in the seats. It just doesn't do that little thing we all hope for, which is winning titles.
Knicks fans will always have a very entertaining product on the floor while D'Antoni is around. Your team will always be near the top in points scored, as it is now. The only downside is you will never win a title. How can you without defense? The Knicks also happen to be near the bottom in points allowed.
