The 2012 New York Knicks: The Filler Year?

[GiantYankee]

Re: The 2012 New York Knicks: The Filler Year?

True. But wouldn't that possibly open something up for someone else since the heat seem soo concerned on stopping Novak?
Run a double screen for Novak with some movement on the opposite side of the court for someone else in case Novak is not open.

Movement creates opportunities for defensive mistakes. The Knicks offense right now is way too simple and too predictable.

The Heat are too good defensively and the Knicks don't have enough offensive fire power to consistently make that happen.

[ehh]

Re: The 2012 New York Knicks: The Filler Year?

True. But wouldn't that possibly open something up for someone else since the heat seem soo concerned on stopping Novak?
Run a double screen for Novak with some movement on the opposite side of the court for someone else in case Novak is not open.

Movement creates opportunities for defensive mistakes. The Knicks offense right now is way too simple and too predictable.

I don't think so, the Heat absolutely are concerned with stopping Novak but they're able to do it with only one guy because of their personnel.

Novak is a one-trick pony in floppy situations so as his defender you're only defending him coming off a screen in one fashion - trailing. Doing so will run him off the three point line on a catch or cause him to curl pre-catch (which he hardly ever does and rightfully so). Great floppy guys (Ray Ray, Reggie, Rip) can score any way using a screen (curl, fade, normal) so defenders must have help. Because Novak isn't a capable scorer or playmaker when curling a screen you have no reason to ever go under a screen to prevent a curl (in which his response would be to fade). So you know he isn't going to hurt you on a curl and you have no reason to ever put him in the position to fade thus eliminating two of the three scoring methods of a floppy action which makes him much easier to stop.

The Heat are respecting Novak way more than any team did in the regular season. LeBron, Battier and Haslem are all capable of shutting him down when it's their only responsibility (which is why lack of penetration is our real killer). Big, athletic guys that only have to trail a screen and not worry about helping elsewhere will really kill Novak's game.

In order to get the good movement you mention the Heat would have to throw another defender at the floppy action which they don't have to do.

Couldn't agree more with your last sentence but IMO it starts with ball movement and penetration, not so much more screens for Novak.

[Vast]

Re: The 2012 New York Knicks: The Filler Year?

Great Post Ehh. I definitely learned something new.
I just assumed they didn't run plays for Novak due to his size and lack of mobility making it easy for defenders to follow him around screens.

What about a pick and pop with Novak and Melo?

[ehh]

Re: The 2012 New York Knicks: The Filler Year?

What about a pick and pop with Novak and Melo?

Probably wouldn't work for a couple of reasons.

1. Novak is too frail to set a good screen and likely has no idea how to. Imagine Novak trying to screen LeBron...
2. Melo is a really poor pick and roll guy. He doesn't come off the pick hard or tight which makes it easy to defend. His "catch and hold the ball" iso thing carries over to him in a PnR situation. PnR requires split second decisions, not exactly Melo's strength. He also isn't a good enough passer to make that sort of play with any type of regularity IMO.
3. Miami is a phenomenal hedge-and-recover team. Combined with the above point pretty much kills our chance. A Udonis Haslem/Battier hedge will force Melo wide enough to negate the play in most instances.
4. Any guy covering Novak will be capable of switching to Melo if needed (not that Miami switches often).

It's sad that Novak has been removed from this series completely because he plays his role really well. He's great at moving without the ball and creating passing angles for his teammates to get him the ball. And spotting up in transition as well.

[CMH]

Stephen A. reporting Knicks and Woodson are discussing a possible three-year deal.

Not sure how serious the talks are now since I would assume Woodson rather wait till after the playoffs - he is simply that kind of guy and that's a reason why he's a good coach.

But the talks are opening. And I couldn't be more satisfied with Knicks management.

Honestly as bad as Dolan has been, I think the Knicks have made very smart moves in the past two seasons. Stoudemire was someone we had to have to get the ball rolling. Melo is a great scorer and top 10-15 in the league. The bench pieces from Williams to Novak, from Jeffries to Smith, have all worked.

Then they got lucky to see D'Antoni walk.

Really the only bad move I think they've made is picking up Douglas's option.


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[Pared]

Re: The 2012 New York Knicks: The Filler Year?

You guys really undersell the Knicks effectiveness with Novak. Let Chandler set the screens for him and roll to the basket. This actually opens up the big man cutting but the problem is the ball handler never hits him.

Plus, if we had a ball handler who could penetrate, you would see more opportunities at the corner 3. Right now... JR Smith just goes one on five.

[datdude69]

Re: The 2012 New York Knicks: The Filler Year?

As great as it was to see the win the other day the fact there were alot of kickout opportunities ignored bothered me. For the two 3's that Bibby hit there were PLENTY more that he was open for but nobody (ahem, STAT Melo) even looked that way. Not to mention a few times the Heat actually did get off Novak and nobody kicked it his way.

[Hassan Darkside]

Re: The 2012 New York Knicks: The Filler Year?

Stephen A. reporting Knicks and Woodson are discussing a possible three-year deal.

Not sure how serious the talks are now since I would assume Woodson rather wait till after the playoffs - he is simply that kind of guy and that's a reason why he's a good coach.

But the talks are opening. And I couldn't be more satisfied with Knicks management.

Honestly as bad as Dolan has been, I think the Knicks have made very smart moves in the past two seasons. Stoudemire was someone we had to have to get the ball rolling. Melo is a great scorer and top 10-15 in the league. The bench pieces from Williams to Novak, from Jeffries to Smith, have all worked.

Then they got lucky to see D'Antoni walk.

Really the only bad move I think they've made is picking up Douglas's option.


Sent from my mobile device.

I don't consider picking up Douglas's option as a bad move. We may be able to get some sort of production out of him when he gets back to 100%. And he may be more effective under Woodson than he was under D'Antoni. It's not really handicapping our cap situation and he could be a throw-in if we make a trade.

[datdude69]

Re: The 2012 New York Knicks: The Filler Year?

I don't consider picking up Douglas's option as a bad move. We may be able to get some sort of production out of him when he gets back to 100%. And he may be more effective under Woodson than he was under D'Antoni. It's not really handicapping our cap situation and he could be a throw-in if we make a trade.

Maybe this will boost his confidence knowing the Knicks still believe in him.

[CMH]

Re: The 2012 New York Knicks: The Filler Year?

Maybe this will boost his confidence knowing the Knicks still believe in him.

It didn't during the season. It was picked up VERY early in the season.

I don't like Douglas. Dislike him a lot. I don't care what issues he had or whatever injuries he had. He still takes bad shots and plays bad basketball all the time.

I wish he'd be gone.

[ehh]

Re: The 2012 New York Knicks: The Filler Year?

You guys really undersell the Knicks effectiveness with Novak. Let Chandler set the screens for him and roll to the basket. This actually opens up the big man cutting but the problem is the ball handler never hits him.

It doesn't though against Miami, that was part of my whole rant.

[NYJets]

Re: The 2012 New York Knicks: The Filler Year?

I don't consider picking up Douglas's option as a bad move. We may be able to get some sort of production out of him when he gets back to 100%. And he may be more effective under Woodson than he was under D'Antoni. It's not really handicapping our cap situation and he could be a throw-in if we make a trade.

Yea, I don't love him, but there's no real downside to it. And he isn't as bad of a player as he showed this season. Maybe if he gets his head on straight, he can be a rotation player.

[Pared]

Re: The 2012 New York Knicks: The Filler Year?

It doesn't though against Miami, that was part of my whole rant.

Put your head coach cap on for a second - you're saying that there is no way they can utilize this and make it work?

I just don't believe that. These type of strategic adjustments are key - and you see a coach like Doc make them (i.e. the zone against the Heat). I would like to see them work something off of this but when you have Stat pretending to set picks it's completely useless.

[ehh]

Re: The 2012 New York Knicks: The Filler Year?

Put your head coach cap on for a second - you're saying that there is no way they can utilize this and make it work?

I don't believe so based on how Miami is defending Novak. Against pretty much every other team, yeah it would work. Miami is packing in the paint like crazy and they aren't helping if Novak comes off a screen so if Chandler's man doesn't have to hedge/help in anyway then how will it open up rolling opportunities?

My post on the last page explains my feelings more in depth.

As for adjustments in general, there really aren't a ton Woody can make other than really abandoning Meloball and begging for more ball movement which would probably result in Melo going in the tank. He's said he doesn't believe in zone D so we won't be seeing that either unfortunately.

[Pared]

Re: The 2012 New York Knicks: The Filler Year?

I don't believe so based on how Miami is defending Novak. Against pretty much every other team, yeah it would work. Miami is packing in the paint like crazy and they aren't helping if Novak comes off a screen so if Chandler's man doesn't have to hedge/help in anyway then how will it open up rolling opportunities?

My post on the last page explains my feelings more in depth.

As for adjustments in general, there really aren't a ton Woody can make other than really abandoning Meloball and begging for more ball movement which would probably result in Melo going in the tank. He's said he doesn't believe in zone D so we won't be seeing that either unfortunately.

They definitely are helping. I have them saved on DVR. I'll record a few and throw it up here for discussion later on.