New York Knicks: 4 Questions Team Must Answer Before the Regular Season Ends
Now that Carmelo Anthony is finally a Knick, it is time to focus on basketball. There are four questions that surround this 29-26 team as the NBA regular season enters its final two months. The answers will determine how far the Knicks will go as the season winds down.
1. Who Will Be the First Man off the Bench?
When Timofey Mozgov was inserted into the starting lineup, Wilson Chandler became the sixth man. Now that Mozgov and Chandler are in Denver, which one of the Knicks’ bench players will answer the call?
The two most likely candidates are Toney Douglas and Shawne Williams. Douglas will definitely see more minutes now that Raymond Felton is gone and Williams has had a productive season shooting beyond the three-point line (.471). Bill Walker, currently playing 12 minutes a game, may also see some increased playing time.
2. Is Toney Douglas Ready To Take on More Minutes?
Raymond Felton played 38.4 minutes a night during his time with New York. Billups has played 32.3 minutes a game this season. At 34, Billups in all likelihood is not going to see as many minutes as Felton did. Although the Knicks acquired veteran point guard Anthony Carter in the Carmelo trade, I expect Douglas to see his playing time increased due to his defensive ability and familiarity with D’Antoni’s system.
3. Who Will Step Up on the Interior?
It has been reported in the New York Post that the Knicks are looking to sign center Earl Barron, who played the final seven games of the 2009-10 season and averaged 11.7 points and 11.0 rebounds. While every bit helps for a team ranked 25th in rebound differential, as of yet, he’s not here.
Look to see if Amar’e Stoudemire rises to the challenge. On Wednesday against Milwaukee, Stoudemire scored 19 points but grabbed only five rebounds. On nights where he is not effective offensively, he should look to do more work on defense and rebounding. Now that a second lethal scoring threat has been added to the team, Stoudemire has the opportunity to be more aggressive defensively.
4. Can Amar’e Stoudemire Control Himself with the Referees?
With 15 technical fouls, Stoudemire is one inappropriate outburst away from having to serve a mandatory one-game suspension. He has been everything Knicks fans could have asked for. However, his leadership depends on him staying on the court.
Stoudemire has to do a better job of biting his tongue, especially since the team has undergone a massive roster overhaul in a very short period of time. He has to be the one constant amidst all these variables.
