The 2017 New York Knicks: Can we please stay healthy?

[ehh]

First preseason game is tomorrow @ HOU so it's time to get the ball rolling on another annual team thread.

We haven't had this much pure talent on the roster since the 90s but it comes with plenty of question marks. We also have a new head coach in Jeff Hornacek, a hire that caught many people by surprise.

I think most of us have relatively limited expectations but hopefully it'll be a fun season. The most exciting aspect to me remains Kristaps. Can't wait to see the improvements he makes in his sophomore season.

Roster
PG: Rose/Jennings/Randle (?)
SG: Lee/Holiday/Sasha
SF: Melo/Lance/Kuz
PF: Kristaps/KOQ
C: Noah/Willy

Advanced stats hate Rose but he'll be the best PG we've had in ages. Lee is a nice pick up, Noah isn't what he once he was but we all know he'll be a fan favorite. Can our new overseas guys crack the rotation?

Thoughts? Predictions? Do we make the playoffs?

[bigeastbumrush]

Gotta get to 15.

Plumlee
N'Dour
Tokoto
Baker
Amundson

Looks like Plumlee and Amunson for the final 2 spots. No idea why we gave Amundson a guaranteed contract. I would've preferred N'dour.

My prediction: 39-43; miss playoffs

I'm lessening my expectations the closer we get to the regular season.

I don't think we'll be healthy enough (Noah already with hamstring issues).
I don't think we have good team rebounding.
I don't think we have the athleticism to hang with the mid-to-upper tier teams. Especially hearing how Hornacek wants to play.

I think they'll get off to a slow start but start to come around late December.
I'm also hoping Porzingis can adjust to how teams deal with him defensively. Let's be honest..he was a freak of nature to most last year which helped because no one knew how to guard him.

I'm mostly optimistic because of Rose. I think he'll put up gaudy numbers being in the last year of his deal. Watching highlights of him last year has me gushing. Finally a PG good enough to look off Melo when he wants to ISO every possession.

Surprisingly as well I want to see how Lance Thomas plays. He looks like he really worked on his offense.

Looking forward to this season but also having a 1st rounder next year with a 3rd year Porzingis.

[DieHardYankee26]

Zinger hitting that crossover pull up jumper is everything. Seeing him putting in work in the gym on it and then pulling it out in game was so satisfying.

[ehh]

I was surprised and disappointed at how much Triangle we ran last night, esp in the first half. Hilarious that KP goes off once we start setting pindowns for him and doing pick-n-pop and dribble handoffs. The Triangle has to be thrown in the trash...

[bigeastbumrush]

A Knicks player last year (forgot who it was) said that opposing teams knew what they were going to do on offense.

We have 2 PGs neither of which are "Triangle" PGs.
We have a head coach who is not a Triangle disciple.
We have an ISO SF who is an unwilling passer.

These aren't pieces you construct to run a Triangle.

Phil's stubbornness is gonna cost us. Especially if/when he decides to meddle in the coaching and/or minutes of certain players.

[DieHardYankee26]

Im confident Hornacek will do what he thinks puts us in the best position to win games, I don't believe he's gonna run the triangle because Phil tells him to, especially because as far as has been said he has the freedom to do what he wants.

If in the first regular season game we are dumping it in the post and D Rose is standing around looking confused I'll be worried but as of now after a preseason game where they basically admitted they haven't practiced defense yet, I'm gonna be optimistic and believe the kinks will get worked out.

[Vast]

Quote: Originally Posted by bigeastbumrush

A Knicks player last year (forgot who it was) said that opposing teams knew what they were going to do on offense. We have 2 PGs neither of which are "Triangle" PGs. We have a head coach who is not a Triangle disciple. We have an ISO SF who is an unwilling passer. These aren't pieces you construct to run a Triangle. Phil's stubbornness is gonna cost us. Especially if/when he decides to meddle in the coaching and/or minutes of certain players.

I agree with what you're saying here, but Melo is not an unwilling passer. He showed that last year leading the team in assists with trash pieces around him.

With that said they looked good against the Nets. I'd much rather have Ndour over Amundson and Tokoto over Sasha.

[Jeffx]

Chauncey had me rolling when he said the Knicks "have a very bad system, the triangle". Hornacek admitted in today's paper the players don't like to run it. Wake up, Phil.