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This Week In Knicks: Knicks Approach Ledge, Step Back

Jonathan Fishner

Published Feb 27, 2013

Modified Feb 27, 2013

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Jonathan Fishner

Published Feb 27, 2013

Modified Feb 27, 2013

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After chalking up consecutive losses before the All-Star break to fatigue, it was expected that the Knicks would come out of their mini-vacation ready to roll. Instead, they suffered their most horrifying loss of the season to the Pacers in Indiana (125-91) and lost to the Raptors in a close one in Toronto (100-98). The four losses sandwiching the All-Star break made for the Knicks' longest losing streak of the season and had interested observers concerned they had lost their way. But they managed to stave off panic, at least briefly, by returning home with a pleasing win over the crumbling Sixers at the Garden on Sunday evening (99-93).

The single win wasn't enough to convince anyone all is right with the Knicks but it was enough to at least temporarily stop the bleeding. The Knicks are now 1.5 games ahead of the Nets atop the Atlantic Division and 1 game behind Indiana for the second seed in the East.

What Went Wrong This Week: Literally every single thing that happened in Indiana was a disaster. The Knicks shot 34% as a team, with Kidd, Shumpert, Stoudemire and Smith going a combined 3-22. It's worth pointing out that the starting shooting guard, small forward and all the scoring off the bench shot a combined 13%. JR Smith was ejected for getting in a series of inevitable altercations with Brooklyn's own Lance Stephenson. After his ejection, Smith left the court without acknowledging coach Woodson or his teammates. More troubling than the result, however, was the Knicks' behavior: bullied by a more physical team they turned their anger toward the refs yet again, accomplishing nothing.

Against Toronto the Knicks were better, but not by much or for that long. Their defensive effort was up and down (they gave up 30-plus points in the first and third quarters and less than twenty each of the other two) and they allowed Rudy Gay to get loose for a seventeen point third. Tyson Chandler missed a key free throw that would have given the Knicks a chance to tie the game with 21 seconds left and Jason Kidd repeatedly passed up open shots in favor of worse ones for teammates.

The Knicks had 31 turnovers in the two games they lost this week. When the Knicks play at their best they turn the ball over eleven or so times a game. A turnover or two less and they would have won a close one in Toronto. Instead they left with their fourth straight loss.

What Went Right This Week: The Knicks turned the clock back a couple of months with their performance against Philadelphia. No doubt enraged by being scheduled against the Oscars, Amar'e Stoudemire and the Knicks (that's right) blitzed the Sixers with a dominant second quarter where Mike Woodson solved his second unit's defensive issues by playing Tyson Chandler with four backups during the period. It worked as they outscored the Sixers 28-18 in the period.

Stoudemire was 9-10 for 22 points in just 21 minutes.

The Knicks turned the ball over twelve times against Philadelphia, an improvement from the last two games, and were able to overcome another strong performance at the Garden from Jrue Holiday (he had thirty, five and five). They moved the ball, ran their offense and played with enthusiasm. It was a step in the right direction.

Carmelo Anthony, having an otherwise quiet week, made some noise against Philadelphia by, well, slapping Spencer Hawes upside the head.

It was a bit of a punk move, but Knicks fans should be happy with Tyson Chandler's reaction. That's the reaction of a player who cares about his teammate. Of course, it also might be that Tyson Chandler grew up on a farm and knows that when a hillbilly rolls up on someone and isn't stopped, you can't unsee what's about to go down.

Player of the Week: In a short week where the Knicks played just three games and were terrible in two of them, no Knick earned this honor. If for no other reason than that none of this was his fault, Kenyon Martin, signed to a ten day contract this week, receives this week's award. Martin hasn't played this season but contributed to a Clippers team that went to the second round of the playoffs last year. And he's sure to fit in: he's old (35) and has played with JR, Kidd, Melo, Felton and Marcus Camby in the past. Oh, and assuming he's healthy he'll give the Knicks a dose of the interior defense and rebounding they need in the ongoing absence of Marcus Camby and Rasheed Wallace. For posterity's sake it should also be mentioned that the Knicks traded Ronnie "Hitch" Brewer to the Thunder for a second round pick that will almost certainly be the second to last one in the entire draft. Talk about value.

It Was a Bad Week So Nothing Funny Happened, Right? Wrong. First, JR Smith had yet another interesting Twitter episode (involving a "pipe"). Second, Mike Woodson wore maybe the best NBA coach t-shirt ever. Those better be for sale.

Up Next: The Knicks have struggled against scoring point guards all season and will have to find a way to stop Steph Curry and the Warriors at home tonight and John Wall and the Wizards in Washington on Friday. Their reward for all that is a Sunday matinee at the Garden against LeBron James and the Heat who will no doubt have revenge on their minds after losing their first two matchups with the Knicks. Two wins any which way will help the Knicks leave the past week's bad mojo behind.

You can follow Jonathan Fishner on Twitter @therealkingfish, and check out his blog The Real King Fish.

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Jonathan Fishner

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