NEW YORK – If you’re a fan of the New York Knicks, there are only so many times that a moral victory will suffice. Coming into the 2011-2012 season, with a true center in Tyson Chandler and a dynamic frontcourt duo featuring two of the NBA’s most prolific scorers, the Knicks were supposed to be battling with the likes of the Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls for supremacy in the Eastern Conference. But after last night 105-102 loss to the
// // Carmelo Anthony returned, and the Knicks finally won a game. Forgive the cynical New York media if it wasn’t that impressed. The Knicks were back home and hosting the Detroit Pistons, who would have trouble winning games if they played in the Big Ten Conference instead of the Central Division. In a season of awful performances, this one may have been the worst. Detroit established season “highs” for points allowed and margin of defeat, which is saying something when you
In fairness to the basketball expertise possessed by Jim Dolan, trading for a superstar usually works out great for the receiving team. The cliché in the NBA is, in fact, never trade away a superstar because you can’t get value. The danger in analyzing trades that are not even a year old and involve key players in their 20s, however, is that change can occur unexpectedly. That was the case in 1971 when the Baltimore Bullets sent sensational guard Earl Monroe to
// Fans in the NBA’s two biggest markets can’t be very happy right now. For that matter, neither can David Stern. The New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers are the NBA. They predate instant replay, maximum salaries, team planes, the draft lottery, the 3-pointer, free agency, conferences and leather sneakers. For more than 50 years, they have anchored the league on opposite coasts, guaranteeing interest in the two biggest cities in the country. Both teams basically have unlimited budgets. Both teams
With one game remining in the NFL season, the NBA is making its customary schedule shift from heavy to lighter on Saturdays and light to heavier on Sundays, with some allowances for the compression of the lockout. As a result, Saturday’s slate has just six games, and the best of a weak bunch has the slumping New York Knicks visiting the surging Houston Rockets. Yes, this isn’t exactly a marquee matchup, especially with Knicks star Carmelo Anthony again sitting out with multiple
The three-star approach seems to be working for the Miami Heat. For the New York Knicks, not so much. The rivals meet Friday night in Miami, the best game on a schedule of 13. While the Heat may be getting back one of their stars, the Knicks will be without one of theirs. Miami’s lineup could include Dwyane Wade, who averaged 28 points vs. New York last season but has missed the last six games with a sprained left ankle. The Heat
LOS ANGELES — Some news for Knicks fans pining for the lost glory days of 1970 and 1973. We have the scoop on whether Phil Jackson is about to return, assume Red Holzman’s mantle and restore the greatness they last glimpsed 39 years ago. Nope. That’s “nope” as in, I don’t think it will happen now, and it’s not likely to happen any time this season. After that, we’ll have to see what happens to coach Mike D’Antoni, in the event he lasts the
// Louis Amundson, Jeff Pendergraph, Gana Diop, Bismack Biyombo, Dexter Pittman, Ed Davis, Gary Forbes, Robin Lopez, Sam Young, Luke Babbitt. No, it’s not another edition of The Bernucca List, because we’re going to give you the answer right away. Of the 115 players who took the floor in Tuesday’s five NBA games, those were the 10 who did not score. Those were also the same 10 who Carmelo Anthony managed to outscore. That’s Carmelo Anthony, fourth in the NBA in scoring at