This New York-Boston series was really over before it began but kudos to the Knicks for hanging in tough for the first two games in Boston. In reality the Knicks really outplayed the Celtics in both games but their typical blunders, mental lapses, and overall lack of execution has really cut them below the knees. It would be nice to see them get at least 1 win at the Garden, which will surely be roaring with excitement over the first playoff game in 7 years, but in the end the Knicks just aren't ready for this stage.
We have seen both our stars, Amare and Melo, step up as well as fall down throughout the course of the first two games. Amare's descent is really no fault of his own, just painful back spasms. Melo on the other hand has me scratching my head. He plays terrible in game 1 and forces up a terrible shot to end the game. Then he plays out of his mind in the second game and passes up on a shot opportunity (deferring to the incompetent Jeffries) at the end of the game and then completely forgets to guard Delonte West on the last possession when the Knicks desperately needed to foul. Melo can't be content with a historic double-double performance. A true winner plays from start to finish, without any lapse.
At the end of the day its tough to blame the Knicks players. They aren't as talented as the Celtics and they are drastically over matched in the coaching department. It is D'antoni's responsibility to get this team mentally prepared and they rarely are. It was as if they didn't know that the Celtics could pass the ball into the back court on the last possession and D'antoni must shoulder at least half the blame for Melo's blunder. The team's almost blatant disregard for defense is insulting as a fan especially when we see how much commitment Boston puts into that part of the game on a nightly basis.
Finally, Jared Jeffries. When a player puts up a layup with the "please go in please go in" look in his eyes... its time for him to go. Jared Jeffries has more passes go off his hands than the fat kid at recess. He was so scared to get the last pass from Melo that his brain shut down and he just let go of the ball, hoping it would somehow evade Garnett and end of in Walker's hands...which of course it did not. I know the Knicks were desperate and brought him in to be an active presence on the defensive end but at 6-9 there is only so much he can do. The Knicks will never been a winning team when the likes of Jared Jeffries and Ronny Turiaf are your centers. In short...D'antoni and Jeffries will be the first casualties of defeat this off-season. Lets enjoy these next few games at MSG if we can but next year is the real decisive year for the New York Knicks.
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| The fact that Jared Jeffries is a professional basketball player is insulting |
We have seen both our stars, Amare and Melo, step up as well as fall down throughout the course of the first two games. Amare's descent is really no fault of his own, just painful back spasms. Melo on the other hand has me scratching my head. He plays terrible in game 1 and forces up a terrible shot to end the game. Then he plays out of his mind in the second game and passes up on a shot opportunity (deferring to the incompetent Jeffries) at the end of the game and then completely forgets to guard Delonte West on the last possession when the Knicks desperately needed to foul. Melo can't be content with a historic double-double performance. A true winner plays from start to finish, without any lapse.
At the end of the day its tough to blame the Knicks players. They aren't as talented as the Celtics and they are drastically over matched in the coaching department. It is D'antoni's responsibility to get this team mentally prepared and they rarely are. It was as if they didn't know that the Celtics could pass the ball into the back court on the last possession and D'antoni must shoulder at least half the blame for Melo's blunder. The team's almost blatant disregard for defense is insulting as a fan especially when we see how much commitment Boston puts into that part of the game on a nightly basis.
Finally, Jared Jeffries. When a player puts up a layup with the "please go in please go in" look in his eyes... its time for him to go. Jared Jeffries has more passes go off his hands than the fat kid at recess. He was so scared to get the last pass from Melo that his brain shut down and he just let go of the ball, hoping it would somehow evade Garnett and end of in Walker's hands...which of course it did not. I know the Knicks were desperate and brought him in to be an active presence on the defensive end but at 6-9 there is only so much he can do. The Knicks will never been a winning team when the likes of Jared Jeffries and Ronny Turiaf are your centers. In short...D'antoni and Jeffries will be the first casualties of defeat this off-season. Lets enjoy these next few games at MSG if we can but next year is the real decisive year for the New York Knicks.
