The LoHud Knicks Blog

Last week I posited five questions that will define the Knicks off-season. The first of those, addressing who will be the Knicks coach next season, has apparently been answered, as multiple reports indicate that Mike Woodson is about to have the “interim” removed from his title – a shiny new three or four year deal as reward for the coach’s stewardship of the franchise following Mike D’Antoni’s unceremonious ouster in March.

With that little bit of business settled – the team had no interest in even speaking with Phil Jackson – attention will now be squarely focused on New York’s fascinating point guard dilemma, a matter as divisive as it is clouded by external factors outside of the team’s control.

Player personnel decisions aside, the impending arbitration hearing on the NBA Players Association’s challenge to the league’s position on Bird rights for waived players has been scheduled for mid-June. The impact of this determination cannot be overstated for the Knicks. Should the arbitrator find that Bird rights – allowing teams to re-sign their own players without regard to the salary cap – do, in fact, travel with a waived player once he is picked up by another club, then New York will be able to retain both Jeremy Lin (waived by Houston) and Steve Novak (waived by San Antonio) and sign a respectable free agent or two. If, however, the union’s position is determined to be without merit, the Knicks’ options will be severely limited, not only with regard to the point guard position, but their overall roster flexibility as well.

As discussed previously here, I still believe there is virtually zero chance that the arbitrator will side with the NBPA.

Which brings us to the matter at hand: Who should the Knicks be targeting at PG, and why? Some folks think Lin is the answer. The only answer. Still others, myself included, think it should be Steve Nash or bust. Ironically, the debate may well be purely academic, as the Knicks may not be on the latter’s wish list.

Of course, as with everything else that happens at the Garden – aside from occasional fits of amazing and even more starts of discombobulation – it is rarely about just the Xs and Os. If it were, convincing Nash to take the Knicks’ mid-level exception – the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement restricts the MLE to $5 million per season for a maximum duration of four years for teams that are over the cap either before or after the signing, but did not pay luxury tax in the previous season – would be the obvious course of action.

But forget the obvious for a moment. Even the most ardent Nash support would be hard-pressed to deny that Lin has produced at an incredible pace thus far during his nascent career. Per Basketball Reference, here’s a snapshot of the first two years of their careers:

Admittedly, comparing statistics between the two is a difficult proposition given Lin’s smaller sample size (he barely played before that fateful second half performance as a Knick against the New Jersey Nets). Still, the players’ production per 36 minutes is revealing in that it suggests Nash to be a better shooter, especially from long-range (we know as much from his career percentages), whereas Lin seems more adept at penetrating and getting to the free throw line. (Nash’s career average is just 2.8 FTA-per-game.)  From an armchair-scouting perspective alone, neither is a good defender, though Lin’s size gives him an edge on that side of the floor. Lin is also a better rebounder, though Nash is undeniably one of the best passers to ever play the game, a skill particularly useful when paired with a pick-and-roll finisher like… I dunno, say… Amar’e Stoudemire.

The most obvious reason to bring Nash to the Knicks, even if it means letting Lin walk, is the nature of the team’s construction. This is a win-now squad with Carmelo Anthony, Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler under contract for the next three seasons. Not only is there significant risk that Lin will not be able to live up to the promise he showed during “Linsanity,” but there is also that little matter of ‘Melo playing nicely in the Garden sandbox. What, exactly, will the back pages of the tabloids look like if New York’s mercurial small forward – who actually plays better as a power forward despite the Knicks already having one in Amar’e – finds himself unable, or even worse, unwilling, to coexist with fan-favorite Lin?

In Nash, who turns 39-years-old next February, the Knicks would be getting a proven veteran and Hall of Fame talent, who despite the mileage, remains a superior athlete in amazing physical condition. (Nash has averaged over 33 minutes-per-game since the 2001-02 season and this season produced 12.5 PPG on 53.4% shooting and 10.4 APG.) Anyone who frequently watches the Knicks knows that their biggest problem on offense is their stagnation, mostly due to Anthony’s proclivity toward isolation. One would think that Nash, who has better court awareness than virtually any other player in the league, would excel in feeding ‘Melo the ball, not only at the latter’s preferred locations on the court, but perhaps more importantly, after other offensive options have been exhausted. Hero-ball can work, you see, but it should not be relied upon until at least half of the shot clock has expired. Additionally, unlike Lin, Nash is a lethal shooter, especially from 16-23 feet away from the basket, where he has averaged 48.8% from that range over the last six seasons (data courtesy of Hoopdata.com). Having a player with Nash’s sharpshooting prowess would undoubtedly improve the Knicks’ floor spacing, and presumably make life easier for their bigs.

Alas, as many have pointed out, no one knows whether Nash – despite making his off-season home in Manhattan – is willing to come to the Knicks. And even more have fairly opined that the MSG powers that be now view Lin as the centerpiece of their marketing initiatives, now global in scale.

So what about keeping Lin and signing Nash?

Fat chance. Even if the aforementioned arbitration hearing breaks in the Knicks’ favor, a roster with both Lin and Nash seems highly unlikely for several reasons. First, enticing Nash to come to New York, ostensibly to capture the NBA championship that has long-eluded him, seems somewhat less desirable if Lin is breathing down his neck for minutes and glory.

Secondly, a roster with both Lin and Nash would present significant salary cap issues. Without going into painstaking detail, using the full MLE on Nash would trigger the so-called “apron” – applicable when teams go $4M over the salary cap, now $59M, essentially functioning as a secondary hard cap, meaning the Knicks would not be able to go over $74M for the entirety of next season for any reason. With approximately $60M already committed to Anthony, Stoudemire, Chandler, Iman Shumpert, Toney Douglas (how does picking up that option look now, BTW?), Josh Harrellson and Jerome Jordan, $5M each for both point guards would leave approximately $4M in cap room to fill out the rest of the roster. Not exactly encouraging as far as depth goes. This doesn’t even take into account the possibility that J.R. Smith actually decides to exercise his $2.5M player option for next season. After all, guys with rap sheets aren’t usually oft-courted in free agency.

In the end, for better or worse, all signs “point” toward Lin running the show in Gotham. Good luck with all that, Jeremy!

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Image courtesy of Getty Images/Chris Trotman

Last week I posed five questions whose answers will define the Knicks off-season. At the top of the list was what would happen with the Knicks’ coaching situation. Now, despite the availability of the man considered by many as the greatest coach of all-time, I have learned that the organization determined long ago that Phil Jackson was not the answer they were looking for.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a well-placed Garden-source has indicated that Jackson, winner of 11 NBA championships as coach of both the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, was never seriously considered by the team, even immediately after Mike D’Antoni’s unceremonious departure back in March.

As Ken Berger pointed out, that New York failed to even check in on Jackson seemed odd, to say the least, but according to the source, this inaction was not for a lack of consideration or diligence. Instead, the powers that be are squarely focused on establishing continuity and stability, each of which have been notably absent over the last decade at MSG.

Considerable debate has ensued since the Knicks were eliminated from the playoffs over whether interim-coach Mike Woodson is the right man to lead the team going forward – much of the discussion centering upon Woodson’s ability to maximize offensive return on the Knicks’ investment in Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire – but speculation that New York wasn’t interested in Jackson due to age and health concerns may have been overstated.

The more pressing issue, according the source, is Jackson’s ability, or, more accurately, his perceived inability, to follow the Garden chain of command – especially with respect to media interaction and public analysis and/or criticism of his players. From management’s perspective, the franchise remains unwavering and on-track in its year-by-year plan to improve the club en route to capturing its first championship since the 1972-73 season.

Ultimately, Woodson – who improbably steered the Knicks to an 18-6 finish and a playoff berth during his watch – is probably the best choice for the job given Jackson’s MSG-disqualification, but it certainly reeks of short-sightedness and paranoia for the Knicks to have concluded that such an accomplished coach (and former Knick) doesn’t fit their needs. Especially without at least talking to him first.

If the Knicks are okay with winning 50 games-per-season, and then relying on occasional brilliance from Anthony to maybe, possibly advance in the playoffs, then Woodson is a perfectly fine choice. Assuming that their commitment to him isn’t for more than two or three years, Woodson probably won’t hurt the franchise. To go to the next level, however – especially given the club’s salary cap constricted roster limitations – it may take someone of considerably more gravitas manning the sidelines.

That someone, for better or worse, apparently will not be Phil Jackson.

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Per Howard Beck of The New York Times, The National Basketball Player’s Association ­– you might remember the union by one of its many hits, such as “Those Lockout Blues” and “Strike Me? No, Strike You, Pal!” – has filed a letter with the league demanding independent arbitration to clarify a seemingly well-settled question of whether or not players who have been waived retain their so-called “Bird rights,” which allow teams to re-sign their own players sans salary cap consequence.

The challenge, which on its face seems to lack merit from a contract law perspective, is based upon the theory that traded players, despite changing teams, retain their contractual rights and obligations (that’s how lawyers describe “Player A shows up for work, Team must pay Player A”) after the trade is completed, so why should a waived player – who similarly plays under his original contract once claimed by another team – be treated any differently?

The irony, of course, is that should the union’s position be affirmed by an arbitrator – the league’s collective bargaining agreement requires that the league and the union mutually agree on who is chosen to arbitrate the issue – the New York Knicks stand to benefit greatly in the process. And why shouldn’t they? After all, coming off the wackiest professional sports season in recent memory, no one should have expected less drama in Gotham just because the team was recently eliminated from postseason play.

At issue for the Knicks, specifically, are the fates of Jeremy Lin (no, Linsanity never dies, it just takes a little time off every now and again) and Steve Novak, both of whom were claimed off of waivers by New York during the regular season. Amazingly, not only did both players do what is rarely, if ever, done – playing exceptionally well for their new team, and in the process increasing their free agent market value to heights never before seen by a waiver pickup – but they also happened to land on a team with less financial wiggle room than Fred Wilpon at an investor’s seminar. It’s a perfect storm, if you will.

Under the rules as presently interpreted, the Knicks are likely to retain one of Lin and Novak – the smart money is on the former, obviously – but probably not both unless the pair was to settle for less than what they are worth on the open market (and we know how often that happens). The impact, therefore, of a ruling in the union’s favor would be immeasurable to New York, as the team would not only be able to keep both players, but also free up resources to pursue other much-needed free agents.

The union actually has a compelling argument that only players who clear waivers – and are thereafter free agents – should lose their Bird rights, but when strictly viewed as against the applicable provision in the CBA which explicitly says otherwise, it is hard to see how the league’s position on this matter will be reversed.

And besides, does Carmelo Anthony really need additional talented teammates to not pass the ball to? (I keed, I keed!)

Just because the ‘Bockers are no longer playing, that doesn’t mean you can’t continue to get fantastic coverage of the Garden’s other iconic franchise, the New York Rangers! Be sure to check out Rick Carpiniello’s Rangers Report throughout the Rangers’ march to Lord Stanley’s Cup!

If I had a nickel for every solution to the Knicks’ woes that has been offered up since last Wednesday night’s playoff ouster, I would probably have a lot of nickels. Breaking down New York’s dysfunctional basketball team has become an annual rite of sorts, and the perspectives are as varied as they are wacky.

There is this anti-’Melo theory.

And this anti-everyone-but-’Melo one.

There are Lincentric points of view.

And passive-aggressive Nashian pleas.

Yet wherever the answers lie – and yes, I did hear something about how the Interwebs do, in fact, offer non-Mothership content – one thing should be obvious to even the most casual observer: these New York Knickerbockers, though compelling at last, remain as flawed now as they were when the season began.

So now what?

For starters, the franchise’s cap space-eating triumvirate isn’t going anywhere. Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler may or may not represent a championship-caliber core – I happen to think the jury’s still out on their congruity – but whether due to ownership’s unwillingness, management’s inability, or no reasonable justification, respectively, to break up the the “Big Three,” the frontcourt is in Gotham in stay.

Their permanence needn’t be a bad thing, either, especially from a talent perspective. Taken individually, Anthony, no question one of the premier scorers on the planet, Stoudemire, still an athletic finisher with undeniable passion, and Chandler, the reigning Defensing Player of the Year, each bring unique and desirable skill sets into the fold. Unfortunately, those abilities have not yet managed to coexist in a greater-than-the-sum-of-their-parts way.

The trio’s problems run deep, more collectively than individually, and those issues are not easily solvable, but anyone suggesting that it can’t work either has a vested interested in it not working – i.e. those dependent on fan-despondency to drive show ratings and user clicks – or maintains a long-standing anti-Knicks bias.

When it comes to ‘Melo, there are no shortage of opinions. The issues honestly warrant their own piece, and their own piece they shall have, but suffice to say that Anthony is hardly the Knicks’ biggest problem. Yes, he is can be stubborn ball-stopper. And yes, there are times when he manages to suck the life out of the building. But he is also the team’s best player, and for better or for worse, James Dolan has married the franchise’s fortunes to #7. Despite first round exits in eight of Carmelo’s nine career trips to the playoffs, he can succeed here if he adjusts his approach, even slightly. Hero-ball aside, if Anthony can simply avoid the extreme production highs or lows, and contribute every single night, regardless of whether or not his shot is falling, the Knicks will be fine. Max-salaried players are supposed to do this. Superstars are expected to do this. LeBron James does this. To date, in either New York or Denver, ‘Melo hasn’t done this. It’s a matter of heart, you see, because winning players know that basketball is a team game more than anything else.

Can this leopard change his stripes? Well, the proverbial ball is really in his court now. As wild and crazy as the 2011-’12 season just was, ‘Melo ain’t seen nothin’ yet if this team continues to underachieve next year. This summer, Anthony must ponder whether “doing this” means occasional greatness while losing or consistent reliability (in all facets of the game) while winning. Choose wisely, Carmelo, your legacy already teeters perilously close to no-turning-back territory.

As for Amar’e, he, more than any other player on the roster, is the Knicks’ bellwether. The conventional wisdom is that the 29-year-old Stoudemire is no longer the player he once was, that the litany of injuries (eye, knees, back, hand and more recently, ego) have forever robbed him of his explosiveness and the once-unparalleled athleticism as his position. The thing is, even if such proclamations were correct – they aren’t – it wouldn’t matter!

What the Knicks need for their offense to function as God intended, beyond the aforementioned commitment to overall excellence from Anthony, is for Amar’e to become the lethal mid-range jump shooter that he’s capable of being. Before Carmelo’s arrival last season, when Stoudemire was a legitimate MVP-candidate (if only for a little while), it was his shooting prowess that made him virtually impossible to guard. Consider that 60% of Stoudemire’s field goal attempts this season were of the jump shot-variety, yet he was only able to muster a 35.2 eFG% on those shots. Basically, he has been taking more jumpers and producing less.

Sure, Amar’e has always been able to drive around typically slower defenders, particularly at the 5, but if and when opponents must pay attention to him further away from the basket, it would truly become a pick-your-poison scenario for defenses trying to account for both STAT ‘N ‘Melo. When reduced to a one trick pony, relying completely on the pick-and-roll and/or broken plays, Amar’e goes from dynamic to ordinary, from dangerous to predictable, from an asset to a liability, especially with the presence of Chandler in the paint as well.

The most apt comparison, at least in terms of who Stoudemire should aspire to emulate, is Boston’s Kevin Garnett. Yes, Stoudemire will never have a post-up game like KG’s – actually, Stoudemire will never have a post-up game, period – and yes, Garnett has been a knock-down shooter his entire career, but Boston’s offense works because of the spacing afforded by the mid and long-range shooting of Garnett and Ray Allen. The Knicks have their own Paul Pierce, albeit a younger and more talented offensive version, in Carmelo. What they don’t have is a player who can take advantage of the weak side open looks that come off ‘Melo double teams. If Stoudemire can rediscover his jumper over this [healthy] summer, the Knicks’ offensive ineptitude should be far less of an issue.

It also wouldn’t hurt if Anthony and Stoudemire went and re-read this.

Which brings us to Chandler, a player who is especially hard to criticize given that he almost single-handedly changed the culture of the franchise in his first season as a Knick. He also put up near career-best stats in virtually every meaningful category while staying healthy and providing leadership. But where Tyson excelled in directing traffic on the defensive end, he often clogged the middle on offense, limiting the effectiveness and operating space for Amar’e.

It would behoove the Knicks to install a few dedicated sets to get Chandler his touches – after all, he did just put up the 3rd-best FG% in league history – he can otherwise focus on crashing the boards and setting screens in non-PnR situations. (There is a way to do this beyond the high screen-and-rolls that were deployed ad nauseum during “Linsanity,” because as a roller, Chandler’s poor receiving hands can be problematic.) Ultimately, it is about awareness and doing what is necessary to allow his teammates to succeed. There is no doubt that Chandler cares more about winning than his own stats, so one would hope that the spacing and traffic issues can be easily rectified by a full training camp and typical in-season practice sessions, both of which were wiped out by the lockout.

Assuming the “Big Three” are capable of making the necessary adjustments and sacrifices, though, what else must happen for the Knicks to avoid becoming a perennial tease, and take a legitimate step or two closer to New York’s first NBA Championship in almost 40 years?

Here are five pressing questions that I will be addressing over the coming days:

1. Who’s in charge here, anyway? You say Woodson, I say Jackson. Woodson, Jackson. Jackson, Woodson. Let’s call the whole thing off!


2. Seriously, what’s the point? Lin or Nash? The former seems more likely, but is the latter a wiser choice to lead this win-now franchise to the promised land?


3. No, Dad, what about you?! At what point does ownership…uhh, take ownership of the franchise? Perhaps a press conference would be a good start.


4. Have you seen my wiener basketball? The Knicks were second in the league in turnovers-per-game this season. Exactly.


5. Honey, can we really afford this? New York’s cap situation is tenuous, at best, so what can they realistically do to get better?

It has been a wild ride with the ‘Bockers this season, and things may become even more unsettled before they stabilize, but at least the franchise has found its way back to relevancy. With any luck at all, New York – a team clearly not yet ready for prime time – will no longer be relegated to ineptitude, either.

Then again, there’s always next year.

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Sincere thanks to the brains behind @TheWindyApple for the image above.

And so ends what may go down as the wackiest season of any professional sports team in history.

The New York Knicks fell to the Miami Heat last night, dropping Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs in a mostly dreadful five games, their second consecutive first round failure. The game was largely a microcosm of the ‘Bockers maddening 2011-’12 campaign, replete with fits and starts, occasional flashes of cohesion, recurring episodes of incompetence and discombobulation, and harbingers of incongruity.

So what happened?

Well, when Mike Bibby plays an entire first quarter for you – scoring 8 points on 3-of-4 shooting (with two treys), grabbing 3 rebounds and collecting 2 dimes – and you’re still down 4 points, you kind of get the idea that it might not be your night. If the series-outcome seemed inevitable – notwithstanding the loss of Tyson Chandler (flu) and Iman Shumpert (knee) in Game 1, and Baron Davis (knee) in Game 5 – that’s because it was, and now the franchise will have an entire off-season to correct what went wrong.

What was painfully evident last night and throughout the series is that the Knicks are light years behind the Heat, not so much with respect to talent-level, but in terms of having the first clue whatsoever on how to play the game of basketball. Watching the team play – especially on the offensive side of the ball – is an exercise in self-mutilation. From J.R. Smith’s incessant miscues to Carmelo Anthony’s inability to elevate the play of others, from Tyson Chandler’s manos de piedras to every Landry Fields jumper sans arc, every possession just feels like an chapter in Coach Norman Dale’s “What Not To Do On a Basketball Court.”

In truth, though a never-ending roller coast ride, this Knicks season, if nothing else, was a heckuva lot of fun. There was seemingly never a dull moment, and considering “the dark times” of the decade past, it would be hard to deny that things aren’t now looking up – or perhaps sideways – for the franchise.

So rather than perform a gory postmortem, let us reflect upon the good things that have happened since that Christmas Day victory over the Celtics. Let us compartmentalize our disappointment and our frustration, while acknowledging that the Knicks gave us six months of something to talk about. Let us not kid ourselves about the team being “one piece away” or assume definitively that the current pieces of their puzzle will never fit seamlessly.

Seriously, we have all summer to do that!

WHAT WENT RIGHT:

• The Knicks only had 13 turnovers on the night.


• The Knicks sank 18-of-21 free throw attempts.


• Josh Harrellson led the Knicks with a -1 plus/minus!

WHAT WENT WRONG:

• The Heat only had 10 turnovers on the night.


• The Heat sank 29-of-34 free throw attempts.


• Joel Anthony led the Heat with a +17 plus/minus!

Lots going on right now – which I am really excited to share with you in the coming days and weeks – so for more breakdown on last night’s game, make sure to visit Robert Silverman’s fantastic game story over at Knickerblogger and the always terrific Seth Rosenthal’s Posting and Toasting!

KNICK KNACKS:

• Up next for the Knicks: Hot Stove Talk! Wait, what is NBA free agency speculation called, anyway?

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Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images

If you haven’t yet read the great Harvey Araton’s “When the Garden Was Eden,” you’re really missing out. Thankfully, you’re in luck, because I just happen to have an autographed copy of the book for you.

All you have to do is tweet @LoHudKnicks with the winning team and score of tonight’s Game 5 between the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat. I will be monitoring the replies (first come, first serve for those with the SAME score prediction) and shall notify the winner during the post-game.

GOOD LUCK!!!

“The late 1960s and early 1970s, in New York City and America at large, were years marked by political tumult, social unrest—and the best professional basketball ever played. Paradise, for better or worse, was a hardwood court in Midtown Manhattan.

When the Garden Was Eden is the definitive account of how the New York Knickerbockers won their first and only championships, and in the process provided the nation no small escape from the Vietnam War, the tragedy at Kent State, and the last vestiges of Jim Crow. The Knicks were more than a team; they were a symbol of harmony, the sublimation of individual personalities for the greater collective good.

No one is better suited to revive the old chants of “Dee-fense!” that rocked Madison Square Garden or the joy that radiated courtside than Harvey Araton, who has followed the Knicks, old and new, for decades—first as a teenage fan, then as a young sports reporter with the New York Post, and now as a writer and columnist for the New York Times. Araton has traveled to the Louisiana home of the Captain, Willis Reed (after writing a column years earlier that led to his abrupt firing as the Knicks’ short-lived coach); he has strolled the lush gardens of Walt “Clyde” Frazier’s St. Croix oasis; discussed the politics of that turbulent era with Senator Bill Bradley; toured Baltimore’s church basement basketball leagues with Black Jesus himself, Earl “the Pearl” Monroe; played memory games with Jerry “the Brain” Lucas; explored the Tao of basketball with Phil “Action” Jackson; and sat through eulogies for Dave DeBusschere, the lunch-bucket, 23-year-old player-coach lured from Detroit, and Red Holzman, the scrappy Jewish guard who became a coaching legend.

In When the Garden Was Eden, Araton not only traces the history of New York’s beloved franchise—from Ned Irish to Spike Lee to Carmelo Anthony—but profiles the lives and careers of one of sports’ all-time great teams, the Old Knicks. With measured prose and shoe-leather reporting, Araton relives their most glorious triumphs and bitter rivalries, and casts light on a time all but forgotten outside of pregame highlight reels and nostalgic reunions—a time when the Garden, Madison Square, was its own sort of Eden.”

Licenses to kill are a funny thing. On one hand, those who hold them are empowered to eliminate threats at will without fear of consequence. On the other, meting out the ultimate justice requires patience, discretion and steely professionalism. And so it was yesterday at the World’s Most Famous Arena, where Carmelo Anthony played the role of spy, marksman and superhero all rolled into one, vanquishing – if only temporarily – the evil Miami Heat in sometimes gut-wrenching, incessantly heart-stopping fashion. Of course, he wasn’t alone.

Truth be told, the Garden-faithful got this one right during the player introductions. First there were the not-quite-unbridled cheers for Anthony – and let’s be honest, the inciting commentary-at-large on ‘Melo since Game 3 convinced many to grab their pitchforks – followed immediately by a deafening roar for one Amar’e Stoudemire, whose near-miraculous return from the self-inflicted near-amputation of his left hand could not possibly have gone any better. In reality, it was STAT’s performance that keyed the Knicks’ victory. But more important than allocating credit, New York’s two oft-vilified “superstars” – just this once – should be equally praised for treating Gotham to what it has expected and pleaded for all along: unity.

In many ways, yesterday’s Game 4 was the perfect microcosm of this inexplicably wacky New York Knicks season. All the requisite elements were in play. There were indescribable highs and mind-numbing lows. There were heroic surprising returns from injury and a horrific stretcher-ride off the floor. The future of the coach was at risk and then likely secured, all within a few minutes during the fourth quarter. Not surprisingly, there was also enough tension in the air to strain the structural integrity of the Garden itself. And in the end, the narrative was defined by a missed desperation-three by the opposition’s infamous mercenary, a shot, had it gone in, that would have assassinated the Knicks’ season.

Now the Knicks take their talents to South Beach, and though the odds that this series finds its way back to New York for a Game 6 may be long, Knicks fans can be proud of their highly paid action stars for a few days, particularly the guy with 007 stitched onto his jersey.

As for Game 5, maybe the Knicks can give new meaning to the words “You Only Live Twice.”

WHAT WENT RIGHT:

• Stoudmire (20 points, 10 rebounds) isn’t a perfect basketball player. We know that. He doesn’t—either because he can’t or won’t—defend his or any other position. He rebounds occasionally, but for a player with his size, quickness and athleticism, you would think that he would be much better at it. He doesn’t possess a particularly impressive basketball IQ. (Just ask Mike D’Antoni.) But despite his flaws, there is just something about Amar’e that keeps us coming back for more. Wheras Anthony can be aloof, almost too cool for school, Stoudemire wears his heart on his sleeve. He makes you believe that he is trying and that he genuinely cares about the outcome. So kudos, Amar’e, for your performance yesterday. We all noticed those hustle plays, those seemingly countless And-1’s, and how emotionally invested you were. You could have sat this one out on account of the dozen gruesome stitches in your left hand, but instead you chose to play—despite the legitimate risk that you might have embarrassed himself out there and made what had been a bad situation heading into Game 4 even worse. Yes, ‘Melo carried the team, but without your “Willis Bleed” moment, the Knicks’ season is over yesterday. One other thing, Amar’e. Your play in Game 4 begs the question: How good could you be if both of your hands were wrapped?


• ‘Melo (41 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, just 1 turnover) was absolutely unconscious yesterday during the second half. He dropped scored 23 points after halftime (12 in the fourth quarter), including a 3-pointer over Shane Battier that made it 87-84 with 54 seconds to go. But oh, how things might have been different. After getting fouled on a 3-point-attempt with just 25.9 seconds on the clock, Anthony missed 2-of-3 free throws, extending the Knicks’ lead to just 88-84. That margin was then immediately cut to one by LeBron James on the ensuing Miami possession. Just imagine if Miami had won the game. Actually, don’t imagine that, it’s just far too scary to think about the back pages of New York’s tabloids in that scenario. In any case, Anthony routinely ”does this” sort of thing so I guess no one should be surprised. As far as I am concerned, though, ’Melo would take a lot less heat in this town if his production were not so schizophrenic from game to game. It just feels like it’s all or nothing with him, whereas James, for example, manages to contribute to his team’s efforts even when his shot isn’t falling.


• Thank you, Erik Spoelstra for deploying Battier on ‘Melo. Though LeBron has held Anthony to just 29% shooting during the series, comapred with 53% when Battier defends him, the Miami coach decided to outsmart himself yesterday during the second half. Yay!


• The Knicks probably managed to secure Mike Woodson a new contract. A sweep would have left everyone with a bad taste in their mouths, but now—given that Tyson Chandler was a shell of himself in Game 1, Iman Shumpert was lost to a season-ending knee injury in the same game, and Stoudemire was MIA due to MMA in Game 3—it is far easier to make the case that Woodson should be judged more for the team’s performance after Mike D’Antoni’s ouster resignation than the ultimate outcome of this series.


• Mike Bibby was reportedly seen leaving MSG with a game-ball tucked under his arm and a well-deserved game-ball ‘twas! It’s just too bad that no one will ever get to admire his Game 4 trophy, what with him living in a crypt and all. Ol’ Man Bibby is going to have to play major minutes for what’s left of this series. Yesterday’s feel good story aide, that is not ideal going forward no matter how much Woodson loves his veteran presence.

WHAT WENT WRONG:

• Poor Baron Davis. Boom Dizzle slipped while driving to the basket on a fastbreak midway through the third quarter—replays revealed Miami’s players recoiling at the injury, later diagnosed as a dislocated right patella. As fans chanted ”Ba-ron Da-vis, Ba-ron Da-vis,” he acknowledged the Garden crowd with his fist in the air, but it’s hard to think that his career isn’t in now serious jeopardy. Crazy as it seems, Davis was actually being described as a savior back in January—before Linsanity struck—and though his play was uneven and mostly dreadful, you could tell that it wasn’t for lack of trying.


• Speaking of Jeremy Lin, I wouldn’t expect miracles in Game 5. He may suit up for limited minutes, but from what I have heard of his play thus far in practice, he isn’t nearly ready to make a legitimate impact right now, especially given the intensity of playoff basketball. Might that mean we will see some Toney Douglas? Well, we are in the “What Went Wrong” section aren’t we?


• Fouls are a part of the game—and the officiating was balanced yesterday—but seriously? Really? The zebras saw fit to call 55 personal fouls in Game 4, which works out roughly to one personal per every .06358 seconds. Come on now, this is the playoffs. As a matter of fact, if the officials are so intent on calling fouls, how about a technical or two on James and/or Dwyane Wade? I have never seen such blatant whining as is on display each and every time the whistle blows agaisnt Miami’s superstars.


• It’s not a game story unless J.R. Smith (7 points on 3-for-15 shooting, 1-for-8 from long-range) appears somewhere in this section. We’ve discussed this ad nauseum already, but he was positively Starksian out there yesterday afternoon. Yuck, I cannot spend another minute or waste another word on him. Oh, kinda like him for 20 points and a game-winner in Game 5, too.


• The Knicks bench could not beat the University of Kentucky right now. Steve Novak played just 15 minutes and managed to get all of two shot attempts off. He has taken just nine shots in the entire series! I realize that Miami has made a concerted effort to drape him with coverage, but that’s no excuse. Whether it’s Novak’s inability to get open or Woodson’s lack of imagination in getting him involved, the Knicks are missing a major offensive weapon despite being ravaged by injury to other key players. This makes no sense at all.


• Speaking of not enough shots, Chandler (2 points, 9 rebounds, 4 turnovers and another technical foul) also had but two attempts in Game 4. Sure, the Knicks don’t run any plays for the Big Fella, and that’s probably wise, but he is an effective finisher and was open a number of times yesterday. The man is 7’0 tall. He can dunk and stuff. He can demoralize the opposition with his ferocity around the rim. Memo to Knicks: fix this!

KNICK KNACKS:

• The Knicks finally broke their ignominous streak 13 consecutive playoffs losses, now an NBA record!


• The aforementioned Shumpert, fresh off Wednesday’s successful surgery to repair ACL and meniscus tears in his knee, was in attendance yesterday. “It’s definitely going to set me back,” said Shumpert. “I’m not worried. I’ll figure it out. The biggest thing is just coming back healthy. Not trying to come back too early.”


• Rumor has it Mike D’Antoni was spotted in a New Orleans basement yesterday choosing which Knick player voodoo doll to play with next.


• New York Giants star wideouts Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nix sat courtside yesterday. Both were wearing knee braces, just in case.


• Up next for the Knicks: Game 5, Wednesday night in Miami (time TBD).

***

Don’t forget to follow @LoHudKnickson Twitter.

Special thanks to Jonah Kaner (@TheKnicksWall) for the image above.

Fire ‘Melo! Fire Amar’e! Fire D’Antoni Woodson! Those were the despondent sentiments of Knicks fans in the Garden and on the Interwebs last night, but the thing about summary execution is that sooner or later, you run out of people to terminate.

The New York Knicks once again fell to the Miami Heat and now, down 3-0 in the series, it would be an absolute stunner if they weren’t swept into the off-season abyss this Sunday when the teams meet for Game 4 at MSG. No Amar’e Stoudemire, no Iman Shumpert, no Jeremy Lin; no excuses, either. The Knicks had their chances to capitalize on a rare 36 minute-display of ineptitude by the Heat, but the confluence of poor play from a once-again maligned Carmelo Anthony, a “superstar” performance from LeBron James, and an inability of anyone wearing the blue and orange to make a shot was far too much to overcome.

Which leads us to the why – despite their undeniably talented roster, even in its injury-riddled state – these feckless Knicks always seem to come up small in big moments, why they seem wholly incapable of getting out of their own way, and perhaps most importantly, what can be done about it?

Quite simply, the Knicks lack cohesion. They lack resolve. And they lack leadership. To understand why, one need ask but one question: What’s the point? Or better stated: Who’s at the point?

Baron Davis’ effort, despite a littany of nagging injuries, has been admirable, but unfortunately, he has shown himself incapable of orchestrating the Knicks’ offense—and really, what is the Knicks’ offense beyond watching ‘Melo try to go it alone? Mike Bibby? Aside from a steady, if not uninspiring, 15 minutes a night en route to retirement, he has about as much of an effect on his teammates as does Toney Douglas. Actually, that’s not entirely fair; Douglas actually makes everyone else on the court worse, whereas Bibby mostly inspires mediocrity. The dearly departed Shumpert? Like the soon-to-be-departing J.R. Smith, Iman can advance the ball for you in stretches, but again, neither has the ability to direct traffic, cover up their teammates’ mistakes or elevate the play of others.

And so we are left with Mr. Lin. Sadly, we’ll never know how his presence might have changed things against Miami in this series. Yes, Jeremy was exposed when the Knicks played the Heat back in February, mostly on account of the tremendous (and unexpected) full-court pressure deployed by Spoelstra & Co., but surely, Lin’s composure is sorely missed now.

Though the Knicks’ chance to compete in this series was obliterated simultaneously with Shumpert’s knee, the road was likely unpassable once Lin went down with knee trouble of his own. Say what you will about Anthony’s or Smith’s shot selection, or Stoudemire’s ill-advised foray into “Ultimate Fighting,” but the problems begin and end with the lack of reliable PG play.

The Knicks will do what they must to retain Lin this offseason—for basketball and marketing reasons, no matter what the organization says publicly—and they will need every ounce of his ability in guiding his floormates to more consistent and reliable production.

It’s either that or death for all by firing squad!

WHAT WENT RIGHT:

• Nothing.


• Ok, fine. Tyson Chandler received his well-earned Defensive Player of the Year Award last night. Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo presented the award, which was pretty cool. In case you hadn’t read it, I advocated for Chandler—as did many others. Though this season has largely been about more sexy storylines, it is hard to argue that Chandler, after Linsanity, wasn’t the team’s most feel-good story.

WHAT WENT WRONG:

• Everything. Where do I even begin?


• Here’s the thing about Carmelo. For a guy with his skills, he is mind-numbingly inconsistent. Sure, every player can have a bad shooting night—and lord knows ‘Melo came into the playoffs as the hottest player on the planet—but you’d be hard pressed to find another superstar in the league who seems to disappear for long stretches when things aren’t going his way. Dude, find another way to contribute. Rebound, play inspired defense, dive for loose balls, fire up your teammates. Anything. In fairness, Miami made Anthony work on every single possession, often not even allowing the Knicks to get the ball to their best player. And yes, ‘Melo doesn’t have the horses at present to go to war with. But 7-for-23 with five turnovers? No, that is not acceptable.


• New York shot 31.9% from the field, a new franchise playoff low. They shot just 20.0% from long-range, a failure that was compounded by their meager assist (8) ratio to field goals made (23). Again, without a point guard, the Knicks really had no chance, especially against a Miami defense that is second-to-none.


• Steve Novak took two shots last night in 23 minutes. How is that even possible?! After the game Coach Spoelstra said that the Knicks “do a lot of clever things to get Novak looks.” Maybe where Erik comes from the word “clever” means something else, but I saw zero screens being set, zero set plays and zero willingness on Novak’s part to do anything but wait for the ball to get to him. Of course, by the time the ball did get to him, he was already draped with coverage. In one sense, maybe Novak’s inability to do anything but catch and shoot will limit his market value. It still seems unlikely that the Knicks will be able to retain him.


• For every jaw-dropping dunk Smith (12 points on 5-for-18 shooting) executes, he takes 63,000 bad shots. (Ok, that’s an approximate ratio.) I thought he would be the x-factor in this series, but I was wrong. He will almost certainly not exercise his $2.5M option for next season, and it’s probably for the best. Smith is a talented player, to be sure, but not a winning player, period.


• Why is it, exactly, that Woodson refuses to play Josh Harrellson? What else do you have to lose, Coach? Other than your job, that is.


• The Knicks had 21 turnovers which led to 23 points for Miami. This season’s recurring them bit the Knicks in the tuchus once again.


• The game actually felt like it was lost at the end of the first half when the Knicks embraced poor execution and clock management, which led to a four-point swing at the buzzer.

KNICK KNACKS:

• The Knicks have now lost 13 consecutive playoffs games, a new NBA record, so at least they’re consistent!


• Up next for the Knicks: the team’s funeral will be held on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. at Madison Square Garden. The organization asks that in lieu of flowers, charitable donations be made to the “Pay Inflated Premiums To Insure Amar’e’s Contract Fund.”

***

Don’t forget to follow @LoHudKnickson Twitter.

Photo by Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

“Hey Amar’e, what’s happenin’? Ahh, I’m gonna need you to go ahead come in tomorrow. So if you could be here around 4:30 for shootaround, that would be great, mmmkay… Oh, oh and I almost forgot… ahh, I’m also gonna need you to go ahead and come in on Sunday, too, mmmkay? We… ahh… lost some games this week, and ahh… we sort of need to play catch up. Thanks!”

(Do yourself a favor and click on the above image for full animation, it’s amazing.)

Unfortunately for Amar’e Stoudemire, his teammates and long-suffering Knicks fans, it’s far more likely that the forward will be sleeping in like Peter Gibbons from Office Space than suiting up anytime soon. In fairness to Stoudemire, staying in bed all day probably sounds a lot better than facing the music media’s wrath tomorrow night at Madison Square Garden.

Word is that Amar’e will be lost for the remainder of the lost cause which is Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs after he mangled his left hand in a post-game fit of rage on Monday night in Miami—ostensibly due to his 9 shot attempts to Carmelo Anthony’s 900 — which required minor muscle surgery in New York yesterday. I don’t know about you, but anytime someone mentions the words muscle and surgery in the same sentence, the last adjective that comes to my mind is “minor.”

Predictably, the last two days have seen near-universal condemnation—and with good reason—of Stoudemire’s foolish and destructive behavior at the conclusion of the Knicks Game 2 loss to the Heat. Not only has S.T.A.T. (ICYMI, the acronym stands for Standing Tall & Talented) managed to virtually obliterate what had been a stellar reputation since his much-ballyhooed NYC-arrival just two years ago, but he has also left his team—already missing two starters in Jeremy Lin and Iman Shumpert— high and dry when they need him most, down 0-2 to a far superior team.

But maybe the talking heads—no, not these Talking Heads!—have it all wrong. Maybe castigating Amar’e isn’t at all the appropriate thing to do. Maybe, just maybe, Stoudemire’s ill-advised foray into the shadowy world of fire extinguisher MMA was merely the culmination of 12 months of complete and utter disarray in his life, both on the court and off.

Consider the following sequence of events:

1. Alpha male signs $100M contract to play basketball in the world’s largest media market, in the World’s Most Famous Arena, in front of the most loyal and snake-bitten fan-base. For a guy who had been through unimaginable travails in his early life, the magnitude of the event cannot be overstated.


2. Things can’t possibly get off to a better start as alpha male garners legitimate MVP-consideration through the first third of the 2010-’11 NBA season. “The Knicks are back!,” he had proclaimed, and it sure seems like he was right.


3. Something called the “Super Friends” has planted a seed in the minds of the fans, the media and Knicks owner James Dolan. “Stars win championships,” they say, “not deep rosters with less-than-elite players.”


4. Alpha male, though publicly in favor of the move, changes his name to beta male as the team decides to gut itself in order to bring in a different alpha male, one who will supposedly lead them to the promised land.


5. To the surprise of many, (new) alpha male and beta male fail to mesh offensively for the remainder of the regular season, and whispers can be heard throughout the league that perhaps the pair is ill-fitting and incapable of coexistence. Both players no doubt privately wonder if perhaps the Gotham-cauldron wasn’t such a good idea, after all.


6. Beta male attempts ill-advised dunk and severely injures back during pre-game warm-ups prior to Game 2 of Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs against. Team is swept and beta male largely escapes criticism, mostly because the injury is viewed as freak occurrence and NBA players can generally dunk and stuff without issue.


7. Beta male spends the next six months rehabbing his back injury and does not pick up a basketball.


8. The NBA lockout arrives and abates, though not before costing the league 16 regular season games and forcing teams to compress the 2011-’12 season into an absurdly untenable schedule.


9. The team signs Player D—fresh off his own championship run elsewhere —to provide his brand of no-nonsense defense and accountability. No one really wonders what this might mean for beta male.


10. Though synergy between (new) alpha male, beta mail and Player D proves elusive during the early part of the season, optimism reigns supreme that growing pains will sort themselves out and a championship is but a few months away.


11. The older brother of beta male tragically dies in a car accident, and beta male leaves the team to be with his family. The team wins all four games in his absence and a star called Lin is born.


12. Beta male reinjures back and is presumed lost for the season. The team goes on to win 9-of-13 games without him before beta male’s near-miraculous return some weeks later.


13. The team promptly loses beta male’s first game back—against one of the worst teams in the league, thereby assuring that the team will face an opponent they cannot beat in the impending playoffs. DOOM!


14. Beta male fights fire suppressant device and loses.

I agree that Amar’e deserves to be criticized for what he did in frustration on Monday. He is the captain of the team. He gets paid a lot of money. He needs to be smarter than that. He has a responsibility to the organization to represent himself in a manner befitting his status.

That said, criticism is a lot different than vilification.

And to those who have suggested that the Knicks should look into voiding Stoudemire’s contract: that isn’t happening. This was an accident. An accident resulting from selfish, negilent, perhaps even grossly negilgent behavior? Sure. But an accident nonetheless.

What’s that? It’s an apology that you’re after? Fine, if that would make you feel better, but really, the only people that Amar’e needs to apologize to are his teammates. I suspect most in the Knicks locker room are happy that Stoudemire was finally displaying some aggressiveness, even if it was after the final buzzer had sounded.

The Knicks are sure to consider docking 1/110th of Stoudemire’s annual salary per-game-missed, as seems to be their right under the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, but any additional disciplinary or punitive action would surely draw the ire of the Player’s Association and cause additional and unnecessary tension. 

Look, this series is over (cue the “HATER tweets!), but there is a case to be made that the Knicks—who went 14-5 without Stoudemire during the regular season—might actually play better without him. Either way, let’s just call this what it is, a moment of stupidity by a player who had given everything he has to the team before now, despite an inordinate number of less-than-ideal circumstances.

“Oh, and Amar’e? Ahh…Yeah. It’s just that we’re putting new cover plates on all the fire extinguishers now. So if you could go ahead and try to remember to do that from now on, that’d be great. Mmmkay?”

When it comes to dream jobs, it may be impossible to land a gig better than Scott O’Neil’s. As President of Madison Square Garden Sports, the 42-year-old executive occupies unique real estate at the intersection of professional sports and big business, but from his perspective, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“This season, in particular, has been a roller coaster for sure,” says O’Neil. “But just like it is for the fans and players, it’s the same for us here [on the business side]. It’s fun, in a sadistic kind of way.”

Since joining MSG almost four years ago, O’Neil has become a powerful force at the Garden, not only because of his jaw-dropping corporate revenue generation, but also for his attention to detail and his unabashed passion for the product itself. A graduate of Harvard Business School, and a former executive with the NBA, the New Jersey Nets and the Philadelphia Eagles, it’s obvious in person that sports literally course through O’Neil’s veins. That is not to say that he involves himself in player-personnel decisions, though.

At least, not officially.

“[When it comes to the Knicks], Glen [Grunwald] makes his own decisions on how to run the team. Sure, the choices he makes or doesn’t make might impact me in my role, but I do not impact him. I am so happy that he is being rewarded for his hard work, he deserves this opportunity. Glen is a terrific partner, a wonderful guy and he’s very smart. My job here is to take what I see of the on-court or on-ice products and help build and grow our business from there.”

This, despite rumors that O’Neil has the ear of Madison Square Garden Company Executive Chairman James Dolan and the widely-held belief that his close ties to Creative Artists Agency virtually ensures his involvement in roster moves.

Regardless of where the lines are drawn between official capacities (O’Neil’s umbrella covers the Knicks, Rangers, Liberty, college basketball, boxing, tennis and all sporting events at any of MSG’s venues) and behind the scenes facilitations, there is no denying that he has brought Madison Square Garden firmly into the digital age, steward of a wide-sweeping directive that permeates the entire organization. From MSG’s embracement of advanced analytics – utilized by both the business itself and its sports teams alike – to its truly remarkable dedication to fan and community outreach programs, O’Neil’s marketing-fingerprints can be seen everywhere you look.

“We track everything, we use metrics for every aspect of our business, says O’Neil. “So naturally, with the unpredictable and amazing developments of this [Knicks] season, we definitely raised our expectations on the fly and set the bar higher in terms of what level of interest in the team we were aiming for.”

Given his tremendous influence, it should come as no surprise that a driven O’Neil found last year’s NBA lockout to be torturously frustrating. Self-described as ambitious, sometimes to a fault, one gets the sense that he isn’t a fan of being told no. Yet despite the conventional wisdom that fans would shy away from the league after the work stoppage, O’Neil says there was no such concern at MSG.

“We were licking our chops from a marketing perspective. I can’t recall one meeting where concern over the lockout impact was even discussed. To have Carmelo [Anthony], the best scorer in the game, Amar’e [Stoudemire], an all-NBA caliber player, and then to acquire one of the best defensive guys in league in Tyson Chandler? We knew we would light this city on fire. And that was despite no one knowing who Lin was at the time!”

Of course, mere mention of Jeremy Lin quickly sends the characteristically cool O’Neil into a near-euphoric state. “When Linsanity hit, it was like nothing I have ever experienced this or any other business. There has never been anything like it. At one point, 45% of all Knicks merchandise sold in The Garden was connected to Jeremy. And that was after just two weeks. We saw a 2000% increase in our online video views. Our television ratings doubled. When compared against any other league-wide measurable, be it sales, page views, you name it, the gap between us and anyone else was unprecedented.”

When pressed on whether Lin must be re-signed, particularly in light of MSG’s widely-publicized efforts to partner strategically in the Far East, O’Neil demurred to Grunwald, but it seems clear that the organization is committed to expanding its footprint independent of the present or future roster(s).

As if all that weren’t enough, O’Neil also manages marketing partnerships and suites sales for Madison Square Garden’s ongoing renovation – the project is overseen by MSG President and CEO, Hank Ratner – which at last check was fast approaching nearly $1 billion in total cost. “We all knew what we were getting into from the start. Everything remains on schedule, but to put things into perspective, it’s like renovating your kitchen at home and throwing a dinner party every night along the way. We have to be able to do [completing the project and servicing the fans] simultaneously, so it can be tricky. Honestly, the process has been as terrifying as it has been electrifying, as maddening as it is fun. Fortunately the feedback has been outstanding; walking into this building remains special and magical. And it will only be more so when all is said and done.”

And on the Garden’s iconic ceiling, which has certainly seen its best days? “The roof will be restored, not replaced,” says O’Neil. “We are confident that the acoustics will be even better for concerts when it’s done.”

One issue that O’Neil laments not having more control over is those ever-increasing tickets prices. “It is a business, but we try to be responsible. We sell 500 seats to every Knicks game at $10 a pop. That is cheaper than a movie ticket! We try very hard to ensure that there are kids sitting in those seats, but one has to understand the market we operate in. Demand [for tickets] is off the charts, so there is a lot of pressure.”

For a franchise that has seen its share of controversy and upheaval over the past decade or so, it should comfort Knicks fans that the pragmatic and forward-thinking O’Neil remains as excited about his role now as he was when he first joined the organization. Though he often travels to see both the Knicks and Rangers on the road, he doesn’t envision leaving MSG permanently anytime soon. “We’ve got a great thing going here and I am just happy to be a part of it.”

When it comes to the Knicks versus the Heat, however, O’Neil’s clairvoyance was a tad more ambiguous, if not politically correct. “I am predicting sold out crowds, earsplitting cheers and a lot of sore throats throughout New York.”

They say that time flies when you’re having fun, but for former New York Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy, Monday’s 14-year-anniversary of his unforgettable ride on the leg of Alonzo Mourning couldn’t be farther in his rear-view mirror. “People often ask me what I was thinking, and I always answer ‘Obviously, not very much.’ I go ahead and plead temporary insanity on that one.”

Now, as tip-off for Game 1 of the upcoming NBA Playoff series between the Knicks and the Miami Heat rapidly approaches, Van Gundy, who broadcasts games for ABC/ESPN, remains just as controversial, albeit for his unvarnished commentary more than his sideline histrionics. And though he hasn’t coached the Knicks since unceremoniously resigning just 29 games into the 2001-’01 season, one gets the distinct impression that the ties still run deep for Van Gundy.

“I have been extremely impressed by what the Knicks have accomplished this year. When the NBA decided to cram a 66-game schedule into such a condensed framework, every team and its players had to cope. New York, in particular, had to endure more than most, though, on account of their ever changing rotation of players, the injuries and the coaching change. They’ve done a really great job of managing it all, especially in terms of their play down the stretch.”

Van Gundy’s demise at Madison Square Garden over a decade ago is well-documented, but that certainly hasn’t impacted his ability to give fans an unbiased and unabashed take on the state of the Knicks. Though the recurring pattern – from Pat Riley to Van Gundy, from Don Nelson to Lenny Wilkins, from Isiah Thomas to Mike D’Antoni – of ugly divorce proceedings between MSG Executive Chairman James Dolan and his coaches is undeniable, Van Gundy, at least publicly, doesn’t seem to harbor any ill will.

With respect to the dearly-departed D’Antoni, Van Gundy says “Mike did a great job there, in tandem with Donnie Walsh. They endured great pains, gave up some really good players, to get the team where it is now. I have no doubt that he will get another great job because he’s a great coach.”

That isn’t to say that Van Gundy isn’t a believer in Knicks interim coach Mike Woodson. “Woodson has always been vastly underrated for what he did in Atlanta with the Hawks. He took what was a moribund franchise and made them relevant again. I cannot envision any scenario, regardless of what happens against the Heat, that Woodson wouldn’t continue on as coach of the Knicks.”

In terms of what the Knicks must do to beat the Heat, Van Gundy thinks the keys to the series are clear: “New York must have a ‘we can win this thing’ mentality from the start. They can’t look at it like stealing a game or two is enough. Also, how the Knicks’ Big-Three of Chandler, Stoudemire and Anthony answer the bell defensively will be critical. Various factors have kept those guys from playing together as much as the team envisioned, but they’ve got to figure it out, and fast.”

Ironically, Van Gundy thinks the words of his mentor (and former adversary), Heat President Pat Riley, will serve as New York’s bellwether. “‘No rebounds, no rings.’ That’s what the man in that building always said, and he was right.”

Interestingly, Van Gundy also believes that Knicks rookie Iman Shumpert will also play a considerable role in determining the series’ outcome. “I think he deserves serious consideration for the Rookie of the Year Award. He’s had more impact on a good team than any other first-year player. He has a terrific defensive disposition, one borne out of great technique and intensity. Facing a guy like Dwyane Wade, he must be disciplined and determined. Iman must take one thing away, preferably Wade’s ability to get into the lane and get to the free throw line.”

Van Gundy also believes that the officials are likely to have significant impact on which team advances, but he feels the Heat are far better equipped to deal with foul trouble, specifically because they have two elite players in Wade and LeBron James, whereas the Knicks have but one in Carmelo Anthony. “’Melo has to play huge minutes and be incredibly effective at both ends of the floor, says Van Gundy. “New York can’t play really well for extend periods of time if he’s on the bench.”

As for predictions, Van Gundy has Miami in five games, but he believes a Knick-upset is absolutely possible, especially if New York can win one of the first two games. “I expect [the Knicks] to play well, play hard and play competitively. If this thing gets to six games, it will go to seven. A Game 6 in Madison Square Garden won’t be easy for Miami. Playoff games at the Garden are like no other place; it’s a major postseason advantage.”

For Knicks fans’ sakes, here’s hoping he’s right.

I once again hopped aboard WFAN earlier this morning to get you ready for Knicks v. Heat, and in case you missed it, you can hear the complete spot by clicking here. (Be patient, it may take a minute or two for the audio player to full load.)

Oh, I made my prediction: HEAT IN SEVEN (sigh)

And so it comes down to this. The New York Knicks. The Miami Heat. And really, would you want it any other way?

The Knicks (36-30), by virtue of their victory tonight against the historically dreadful Charlotte Bobcats – the outcome of the affair was actually rendered moot when the Philadelphia 76’ers laid down against the Pistons in Detroit – locked up the Eastern Conference’s seventh seed and will open Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs in Miami on Saturday.

With the most tumultuous and unprecedented regular season in franchise history now concluded, we’re all about to find out what these Knicks are made of. The odds are surely not in New York’s favor. The Knicks and Heat met three times this season – with Miami victorious in all three contests, holding the Knicks to just 87.3 points-per-game on 39.0% shooting. Making matters worse, the ‘Bockers allowed the Heat to shoot 47.3% from the field and forfeited the turnover battle 17.3 to 13.7 per game, on average.

So what does New York need to do in order to pull off an upset?

For starters, these are not your D’Antoni’s father’s Knicks. Under interim coach Mike Woodson, New York has gone 18-6 (that’s .750 for all you Math Olympians out there) and they’ve been doing it with a steady dose of Carmelo Anthony and stalwart defense. As noted recently by Mike Kurylo for The New York Times’ Off the Dribble Blog, 41% of the Knicks’ wins since the coaching change was made have been of the blowout variety (a margin of victory of at least 10 points). Between ‘Melo’s brilliance and the herculean defensive efforts of both Defensive Player of the Year candidate Tyson Chandler and rookie Iman Shumpert, the Knicks’ dominance isn’t all that surprising, but what no one could have predicted was that such a run would occur mostly without the services of Amar’e Stoudemire (back) and Jeremy Lin (knee).

Despite their underdog status, the Knicks are certainly capable of beating the Heat. The players believe it. The coaches believe it. And Pat Riley believes it, too.

In the end, defense, rebounding and taking care of the basketball (clichéd phrasing aside) will determine the outcome of this series. Both teams are flawed – ironically, the Knicks and Heat are both thin at the center and point guard positions – mostly due to their top-heavy, star-laden rosters, but from a pure match-ups perspective, New York isn’t as inept as some would have you believe.

We can expect to see ‘Melo and LeBron matched up against one another, which is of some concern for New York as far as foul trouble goes, but if history is any indication, the pair should once again bring out the best in one another. No reasonable person can argue that Anthony is a superior all-around player to James, but over the last 20 games, the Knicks’ SF has reestablished himself as a preeminent scorer in the NBA.

If ever there was a time that called for a superstar to “do this,” now is that time.

Loyal readers of this blog know that I’ve long-praised Shumpert’s on-ball defense, and in facing Dwyane Wade, the neophyte will surely have his work cut out for him in continuing to prove me right. The key for the Knicks is not stopping Wade – no one can do that – but rather it is holding him in check, especially during the fourth quarters. If New York can avoid having both James and Wade get hot at the same time, the games will be close. If they cannot, the series will be over very quickly.

The Knicks’ coaching staff has indicated to me that they intend to deploy Chandler to guard Miami’s enigma, Chris Bosh. It’s the right decision as Stoudemire has not shown an ability to defend his or any other position, and Bosh is the type of player that can really hurt you if you let him. Though leaving Amar’e to defend the Udonis Haslems and Joel Anthonys of the world may not be ideal, the risk of letting him deal with Bosh should far outweigh any breakdowns in help-defense over the course of the series.

More than any other player on the court, J.R. Smith is the series’ x-factor. If the Knicks can get “Good-J.R.” performances from the guard for at least four games – meaning decent shot selection, active defense and sneaky rebounding prowess – their chances of winning the series, or least forcing six or seven games, increases by a factor of ten. If the inconsistent Smith reverts to his bad tendencies, New York is dead. And quickly. Period.

I will have more thoughts on the series and a prediction tomorrow, but for the next 36 hours or so, Knicks fans have earned the right to sit back, enjoy the playoff birth and reflect on the roller coaster ride they’ve just been on. It’s not likely they’ll ever experience anything like it again.