Before the season, championship expectations were attached to both the Knicks and the Nets.
The Knicks were coming off the team’s first season with at least 50 or more wins and a trip to the Eastern Conference semifinals since the 1999-2000 campaign, when Jeff Van Gundy patrolled the sidelines, Patrick Ewing wrapped up his final season in New York and Allan Houston was in the prime of his career.
The Nets were coming off their first trip to the playoffs in six years and considered the winners of the offseason after landing future Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, along with Jason Terry, in a blockbuster trade with the Celtics.
However, neither team has lived up to the hype with the All-Star break now upon us.
With that in mind, it’s time to break down the season into four sections for both teams: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly and The Future.
The Knicks enter the All-Star break with few bright spots and many unanswered questions about the present and future that have derailed the team throughout the season.
The Good:
1. Carmelo Anthony: The brightest moment in what has been a gloomy season for New York came on Jan. 24 when Anthony scored 62 points in a win over Charlotte.
Anthony set single-game scoring records for both the Knicks and Madison Square Garden. He had one of the most efficient games of his career, shooting 23-for-35 from the field – including 6-for-11 from downtown – while nailing all 10 free throws.
Equally as impressive, Anthony did not commit a single turnover and grabbed 13 rebounds.
Anthony has carried the Knicks on offense while averaging the most minutes per game (38.8) and field goal attempts (21.53) in the league. He is second in scoring (27.31) and eighth in PER (24.83).
2. Tim Hardaway Jr.: The rookie guard has brought energy and spaced the floor efficiently. Hardaway Jr. is the sniper of the rookie class with the top 3-point percentage (.385).
In addition, Hardaway ranks second among rookies in total shooting percentage (163.55) and third in effective field goal percentage (.550).
Originally drafted as insurance in case J.R. Smith left as a free agent, Hardaway has taken playing time away from Smith and Iman Shumpert, both of whom have taken a step back this season.
Hardaway also has tremendous leaping ability as demonstrated by this dunk in transition. Or you could just ask Ray Allen.
The Bad:
1. Supporting Cast: Raymond Felton was named to Sports Illustrated’s All-Atrocious Team and called “the worst point guard in the NBA” according to a recent report.
In a season that has been marred by injury and inconsistent play, Felton hit rock bottom in New York’s final game before the All-Star break when he yawned in a late-game timeout.
Equally disappointing this season has been the regression of Iman Shumpert after seemingly breaking out against the Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Shumpert is averaging career lows in PER (10.04) and shooting percentage (.382) and has been the subject of rampant trade speculation throughout the season.
Offseason acquisition Andrea Bargnani also failed to space the floor as a stretch forward. Before suffering a torn ligament in his elbow, Bargnani was on pace for his worst 3-point shooting percentage (.278).
How bad has the entire supporting cast been? Anthony outscored the other four starters combined in two recent losses to Portland and Milwaukee.
2. J.R. Smith: It seems winning the Sixth Man Award is a distant memory for Smith when in fact it was just a few months ago the 28-year-old was at the top of his game.
After returning from a five-game drug suspension to start the season, Smith continued to create unnecessary drama. He was fined $50,000 by the league and benched by the team for untying the shoelaces of opponents.
When Smith has been on the court, he hasn’t fared much better. He is on pace for his worst shooting percentage from the field (.389) and the line (.609).
The Ugly:
1. Carmelo Anthony’s Free Agency: With each frustrated quote after a loss, the feeling around the league continues to mount that Anthony will leave this summer for a better chance at winning.
“We are the laughingstock of the league right now,” Anthony said on Dec. 4. “It’s nothing to hide. We are.”
After a demoralizing loss to the Celtics four days later, Anthony called the loss a “good old fashioned ass-whipping. What Boston came here and did, it’s an embarrassment to lose like that on our home court. I think everybody should be pissed off.”
After losing the team’s finale before the All-Star Break, Anthony was asked what expectations he had for the team and if he foresaw this turn of events.
“If I knew it wasn’t a championship team I would have just said that from the jump,” Anthony said. “But I didn’t expect us to be in this situation that we’re in right now. If somebody would’ve told us that before the season, I’d have put any amount of money that they were lying. But we’re in this situation now and we’ve got to fight through it.”
2. Mike Woodson’s Job Security: After losing to the Bucks and Kings, two teams with the worst records in their conference, the hot seat is warmer than ever for Woodson as the Knicks fell to 12 games below .500 — tied for the most this season.
“This year has been, for me, it’s been kind of a disaster from a coaching standpoint in trying to get players to compete and play at a high level,” Woodson said during an ESPN New York radio interview just over a week ago.
Tyson Chandler, one of the team’s respected leaders, has openly questioned Woodson’s defensive schemes. Meanwhile, Anthony didn’t exactly offer any support to his embattled coach.
“I’m not thinking about that at this point,” Anthony said. “That’s been an ongoing issue, ongoing story. Everyday is a new story. He’s still here and that’s what we’re dealing with.”
The Future:
Making the playoffs is within reach for the Knicks, who are just 2 1/2 games out of the eighth seed in the awful East. But to avoid facing Indiana or Miami and virtually certain elimination in the first round, New York would have to erase a five-game deficit while leaping four teams to climb to sixth.
As for the Atlantic Division title, that ship has sailed with the Knicks eight games back of the Raptors. With 30 games remaining, New York will play 19 on the road. Only 11 games are against teams with records above .500.
On the other hand, the Knicks have shown no sign of beating teams they should easily handle.
Therefore, the Knicks will miss the playoffs – despite playing in a putrid conference – unless the supporting cast improves and Woodson reverts to last season’s form.
The Grade: D