NY Knicks: Keys to a Deep Postseason Run for Carmelo Anthony and Co.
This has been a very exciting season for the New York Knicks.
Somewhat of a change, considering the misery that the Knicks and their fans have endured over the past few seasons.
Not only did the team acquire superstar Carmelo Anthony in a mid-season trade, but it also looks like they will make the playoffs for the first time since 2004. They will be looking to win a playoff series for the first time since 2000.
Many have considered this a "bridge" year for the Knicks.
Signing Amar'e Stoudemire in the offseason was the first piece to the puzzle. By adding Carmelo Anthony, they made themselves a "good" team again that can compete with anyone. However, to become truly elite, they still need to add a few more pieces (Chris Paul?) in the near future.
Nonetheless, the Knicks will have high expectations for both themselves and their fanbase as they head in to the NBA playoffs.
Here are some keys to the Knicks making a deep run in the postseason.
Take Care of the Ball
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No matter how fast the Knicks play right now, they will be forced to slow down once the postseason begins.
In the playoffs, teams are more methodical and put more of an emphasis on defense. As a result, there are fewer possessions in a game.
To that end, it is important for the Knicks to value those possessions and cut down on their turnovers. On the season, the Knicks turn the ball over an average of 14.2 times per game.
For all of the great things Stoudemire and Anthony do, they are also two of the more turnover-prone players in the league. Stoudemire turns it over 3.4 times per game while Anthony turns it over 2.8.
The Knicks are not good enough defensively to make up for their turnovers, so they will have to take better care of the ball.
Protect Their Home Floor
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The Knicks will likely wind up being the No. 6 or No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference, so they aren't likely to play in any series where they have home-court advantage.
Still, they will have to take care of their business at Madison Square Garden if they hope to make a deep run in the playoffs.
The Knicks are only 19-14 this season at MSG.
While that is a decent record, it isn't anything special. The elite teams in the league have a "refuse-to-lose" mentality when playing at home, and the Knicks have yet to show such an attitude this season.
They have shown the ability to go on the road and win a big game, so they must combine that with protecting their home court if they hope to advance.
Health of the Big Men
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In order to compete with the upper echelon teams in the postseason, the Knicks will need both Ronny Turiaf and Jared Jeffries healthy.
The Knicks have lacked a strong interior presence all season.
They don't really have anyone who can bang bodies with opposing teams' bigs, or someone who can rebound on a consistent basis.
Ronny Turiaf has done his best, but he has also struggled with inconsistency and health issues. He has missed 14 games already this season, and Jeffries isn't exactly the symbol of health either.
Due to the fact that Stoudemire is more of a finesse player, the Knicks will need their other big men healthy. Even if Turiaf and Jeffries can just contribute on defense and on the boards, that may be enough for the Knicks to advance.
In order to do so, they will need to be healthy in a few weeks.
A Stable Starting Lineup
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Because the Knicks traded about half of their roster in the deal for Anthony, they have basically had to go through a second training camp mid-season.
Mike D'Antoni is still in the process of figuring out which players belong in which roles and how exactly he should set up his rotation.
D'Antoni has gone back and forth between starting Turiaf and Shawne Williams at center. The Knicks are better defensively with Turiaf on the floor, because it moves Stoudemire back to his natural forward position. With Williams on the floor, they are better offensively, but are exposed on the interior with Stoudemire at center.
Another question facing D'Antoni is what to do with Toney Douglas.
Douglas excelled as the starting point guard when Chauncey Billups was out due to injury, and has had some very good games since Billups' return.
In a recent game against the Grizzlies, Douglas tied a Knicks record by making nine three-pointers in a game. But should he return to the bench as a backup point guard, come in and play more of a shooting guard role, or take over for Landry Fields in the starting lineup?
He likely won't start, but exactly what his role will be is the major question.
D'Antoni will use these last 14 games to figure out his exact rotation for the playoffs.
Learn to Be Consistent
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Since acquiring Anthony, the Knicks have had some great wins that have made people think this team is a real contender.
However, they have also had some head-scratching losses that have made people question if they are ready to compete with a quality opponent in a seven-game series.
The Knicks are just 7-7 since the trade. They have beat teams like the Jazz, Heat, and Hawks, but also have lost to some very subpar teams, including the Pistons and Pacers.
The Knicks are 0-3 this season against the league's worst team: the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Losses like that show a simple lack of focus.
The Knicks are good, but not good enough to overcome mental lapses in the most important moments of their season. They must be ready to play every night
Rebound the Basketball
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The Knicks ranked just 20th in the league in rebounding; they bring down 40.7 total boards per game.
Due to the fact that the Knicks are almost always playing undersized, they will need five guys constantly crashing the boards at once.
They can't afford to give quality teams second-chance points if they expect to advance deep into the playoffs.
In his introductory press conference, Carmelo Anthony said that he and Stoudemire are capable of averaging 15 boards each. Although that seems crazy, the Knicks are going to need numbers close to that out of their two stars.
Lean on "Mr. Big Shot"
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With all of the attention put on Anthony and Stoudemire, it's easy to forget about that other guy the Knicks received in the deal with the Nuggets.
You know, the guy who has a NBA championship ring and was once a Finals MVP?
He is none other than Chauncey Billups.
While Anthony and Stoudemire have been in the playoffs before, they have never gotten over the top. The rest of the Knicks roster isn't even familiar with the playoffs, so many of them won't know what to expect.
But Billups will.
He has been there before and hit big shots when his team needed them most. The Knicks have already seen firsthand how clutch Mr. Big Shot is.
If and when the game is on the line in the playoffs, the ball shouldn't be in 'Melo's hands or Stoudemire's hands. It should be in the hands of the guy who has made a living hitting big shots in big moments.
