And the ""s are just because that implies we had an opponent.
So when you are feeling down in the dumps, what better tonic than the Knicks? Make you feel better about yourself in classic "well, it could be worse" fashion.
I think in lieu of a theme, or I guess as a theme, tonight I am going to go ahead and grade both teams. The Knicks are just too colorfully pathetic to pass on the opportunity.
Cisco ( B ) -- despite meeting little resistance, did not give much above an average first half. Not bad, but nothing special with I think 7pts 2rebs or some such. Picked it up in the third however -- never did shoot well this time out, but the lack of resistance of course continued unabated, and Cisco started getting to the line a lot just by atatcking. No Knick will ever impede you, so you attack, and every once in a while somebody will passively wave and slap you on the arm or something. Some missed shots and sloppy play in the 4th. But it hardly mattered of course. Overall not a huge game, and scored more by persistance than brilliance this time out. But while obviously this was John and Brad's game, Cisco was the third support guy that was more than too mcuh for the pitiful Knicks.
Richardson ( D ) -- the Knicks starters were just pathetic in the first half, but QRich may have taken the cake -- did absolutely nothing, anywhere. Just ran up and down the court with no clue. Do not remember if he got any second half minutes or not. Isiah shook up his lineup yet again after, get this, the four starters not named Curry for the Knicks racked up, ahem, ONE combined point in the first half. And it wasn't QRich's point.
Moore ( C ) -- overwhelmed inside in the early going by the bulk of Curry, and spent much of the night in foul trouble. Did benefit there for a while by going against the catatonic Zach Randolph, but did less well when it was others. Had some fumblethumbs problems, and got himself an unnecessary T arguing a call with us up by 22 at the end of the third. Finally fouled out late in the game, but it was just a shrug. Nothing terrible, and amusingly better than the 20-10 guy who was supposed to show up for the Knicks tonight, but 6pts 7rebs 3TO and just not a factor.
Randolph ( F ) -- then again there was Zach, a 20-10 type player who just so clearly did not care tongiht, and barely exerted himself enough to even get into foul trouble, let alone do anything on offense. Just pathetic. Must have had a dinner date or something to get to too -- got himself thrown out of the game in the third quarter for throwing his head band at the ref, and frankly, good riddance. This is the sort of "effort" that desrves a fine of some sort, or at least not getting paid for the outing. Just an embarassment to the word professional.
Miller ( A ) -- Bulldozed inside by the human earth mover (Curry), but was able to operate completely unimpeded on the other end of the floor, and may actually have had the better half, seeing as Brad's included things like rebounding and defense which the big guy just can't be bothered with. Got some perimeter points as usual, but with Curry's lack of reaction speed was also able to drive to the hoop, to get putbacks against minimal rebounding resistance, and generally to do anything else he wanted to out there. Battled well on the boards, but of course there was hardly anyone to battle with except occasionally for David Lee when he was on the court and not fumbling it. Made a late play to sort orf reseal a game that was already sealed, going full length of the court for the score after we were trying to find someway to allow our sad opponents to pretend to be in it late. An obvious grade for the monster numbers, but this was literally all too easy -- going against the Knicks your numbers often aren't too far off what they would be if you were locked in a gym by yourself.
Curry ( B ) -- woohoo! The only bleeping Knick to even remotely show up to open this game, and completely carried the Knicks in the first half. 20 first half points..and 20 of the 21 scored by the Knicks starters. Even so did nothing else as usual, no rebounding, no defense, and Brad Miller may have outplayed him back the other way just by playing a compelte game. Also as usual, after the big start, there was foul trouble, the other team adjusted, Eddy got tired, maybe lost his focus, the guards get selfish and lose patience, and Curry only scored 4pts after the break while Miller continued racking up across the board numbers. Did not help himself witha Shaq-like showing at the line -- hitting only 4-11 and nearly airballing a few of them. The best Knick. Damn near the only Knick starter tonight. But this was still just basically a big push in the early going to throw it in Isiah's face about not starting him recently, and then three quarters of reminding everybody why he was benched in the first place.
Salmons ( A ) -- there are no A+s against the Knicks...like basically ever, for anyone. If Kobe drops 80 on them next time he sees them, it might be a B+. There is just no resistance, no heart, no coaching, no nothing there, and so big numebrs come oh so easily against the Knicks to any remotely talented NBA player. But if that were nto the case, if this has been a legitimate NBA contest, this would have to be a serious candidate for that rarified "+" game. John got off to the big first quarter against the Knicks unique combination of no effort on defense and no shotblocking, and just kept on pouring it on. Did anything he wanted, went anywhere he wanted, and could have almost had himself a triple double. Make that a quadruple double as Knick after Knick thre clumsy passes across the top of the circle just begging for someone -- normally John -- to just jump inot the lane and steal it for a breakaway. Would have been scary to see how many steals a steal master like Ron might have come up wiht -- it might actually have been 10. I am sure there were at least that many lazy passes thrown out there. The Knicks only rarely made anything approaching a "run" (normally involving them actually *gasp* scoring back to back hoops), but as often as not when they did John was the guy to answer it, and it was nromally no more complex than calling for the ball and dribbling in a straight line right to the undefended hoop for a layin past a couple of guys who average less than half a shotblock a game. So 32pts 11rebs 6ast 6stls -- John's career game. And with the "+"out of the question for this only being a practice game, an automatic clear cut "A", no further questions asked.
Crawford ( D+ ) -- if this is how he is going to play wiht a hurt hand, then maybe he just shouldn't. Did absolutely nothing on offense, and combined with his usual defensive "tenacity" led to a big unimpeded first half for Salmons. Was somewhat msyteriously annointed as the second Knick starter (along wiht Curry) to still get major run after half -- but suppose that's appropriate for a guy who is your leading scorer. Was modestly effective therafter, at least in setting up a few teammates for threes. But your two leading scorers tongiht (Crawford and Randolph), who normally combine for 38pts a night, gave you 14 on 4-15 shooting, and meanwhile Crawford's man has a career night against him. Thx guys!
So when you are feeling down in the dumps, what better tonic than the Knicks? Make you feel better about yourself in classic "well, it could be worse" fashion.
I think in lieu of a theme, or I guess as a theme, tonight I am going to go ahead and grade both teams. The Knicks are just too colorfully pathetic to pass on the opportunity.
Cisco ( B ) -- despite meeting little resistance, did not give much above an average first half. Not bad, but nothing special with I think 7pts 2rebs or some such. Picked it up in the third however -- never did shoot well this time out, but the lack of resistance of course continued unabated, and Cisco started getting to the line a lot just by atatcking. No Knick will ever impede you, so you attack, and every once in a while somebody will passively wave and slap you on the arm or something. Some missed shots and sloppy play in the 4th. But it hardly mattered of course. Overall not a huge game, and scored more by persistance than brilliance this time out. But while obviously this was John and Brad's game, Cisco was the third support guy that was more than too mcuh for the pitiful Knicks.
Richardson ( D ) -- the Knicks starters were just pathetic in the first half, but QRich may have taken the cake -- did absolutely nothing, anywhere. Just ran up and down the court with no clue. Do not remember if he got any second half minutes or not. Isiah shook up his lineup yet again after, get this, the four starters not named Curry for the Knicks racked up, ahem, ONE combined point in the first half. And it wasn't QRich's point.
Moore ( C ) -- overwhelmed inside in the early going by the bulk of Curry, and spent much of the night in foul trouble. Did benefit there for a while by going against the catatonic Zach Randolph, but did less well when it was others. Had some fumblethumbs problems, and got himself an unnecessary T arguing a call with us up by 22 at the end of the third. Finally fouled out late in the game, but it was just a shrug. Nothing terrible, and amusingly better than the 20-10 guy who was supposed to show up for the Knicks tonight, but 6pts 7rebs 3TO and just not a factor.
Randolph ( F ) -- then again there was Zach, a 20-10 type player who just so clearly did not care tongiht, and barely exerted himself enough to even get into foul trouble, let alone do anything on offense. Just pathetic. Must have had a dinner date or something to get to too -- got himself thrown out of the game in the third quarter for throwing his head band at the ref, and frankly, good riddance. This is the sort of "effort" that desrves a fine of some sort, or at least not getting paid for the outing. Just an embarassment to the word professional.
Miller ( A ) -- Bulldozed inside by the human earth mover (Curry), but was able to operate completely unimpeded on the other end of the floor, and may actually have had the better half, seeing as Brad's included things like rebounding and defense which the big guy just can't be bothered with. Got some perimeter points as usual, but with Curry's lack of reaction speed was also able to drive to the hoop, to get putbacks against minimal rebounding resistance, and generally to do anything else he wanted to out there. Battled well on the boards, but of course there was hardly anyone to battle with except occasionally for David Lee when he was on the court and not fumbling it. Made a late play to sort orf reseal a game that was already sealed, going full length of the court for the score after we were trying to find someway to allow our sad opponents to pretend to be in it late. An obvious grade for the monster numbers, but this was literally all too easy -- going against the Knicks your numbers often aren't too far off what they would be if you were locked in a gym by yourself.
Curry ( B ) -- woohoo! The only bleeping Knick to even remotely show up to open this game, and completely carried the Knicks in the first half. 20 first half points..and 20 of the 21 scored by the Knicks starters. Even so did nothing else as usual, no rebounding, no defense, and Brad Miller may have outplayed him back the other way just by playing a compelte game. Also as usual, after the big start, there was foul trouble, the other team adjusted, Eddy got tired, maybe lost his focus, the guards get selfish and lose patience, and Curry only scored 4pts after the break while Miller continued racking up across the board numbers. Did not help himself witha Shaq-like showing at the line -- hitting only 4-11 and nearly airballing a few of them. The best Knick. Damn near the only Knick starter tonight. But this was still just basically a big push in the early going to throw it in Isiah's face about not starting him recently, and then three quarters of reminding everybody why he was benched in the first place.
Salmons ( A ) -- there are no A+s against the Knicks...like basically ever, for anyone. If Kobe drops 80 on them next time he sees them, it might be a B+. There is just no resistance, no heart, no coaching, no nothing there, and so big numebrs come oh so easily against the Knicks to any remotely talented NBA player. But if that were nto the case, if this has been a legitimate NBA contest, this would have to be a serious candidate for that rarified "+" game. John got off to the big first quarter against the Knicks unique combination of no effort on defense and no shotblocking, and just kept on pouring it on. Did anything he wanted, went anywhere he wanted, and could have almost had himself a triple double. Make that a quadruple double as Knick after Knick thre clumsy passes across the top of the circle just begging for someone -- normally John -- to just jump inot the lane and steal it for a breakaway. Would have been scary to see how many steals a steal master like Ron might have come up wiht -- it might actually have been 10. I am sure there were at least that many lazy passes thrown out there. The Knicks only rarely made anything approaching a "run" (normally involving them actually *gasp* scoring back to back hoops), but as often as not when they did John was the guy to answer it, and it was nromally no more complex than calling for the ball and dribbling in a straight line right to the undefended hoop for a layin past a couple of guys who average less than half a shotblock a game. So 32pts 11rebs 6ast 6stls -- John's career game. And with the "+"out of the question for this only being a practice game, an automatic clear cut "A", no further questions asked.
Crawford ( D+ ) -- if this is how he is going to play wiht a hurt hand, then maybe he just shouldn't. Did absolutely nothing on offense, and combined with his usual defensive "tenacity" led to a big unimpeded first half for Salmons. Was somewhat msyteriously annointed as the second Knick starter (along wiht Curry) to still get major run after half -- but suppose that's appropriate for a guy who is your leading scorer. Was modestly effective therafter, at least in setting up a few teammates for threes. But your two leading scorers tongiht (Crawford and Randolph), who normally combine for 38pts a night, gave you 14 on 4-15 shooting, and meanwhile Crawford's man has a career night against him. Thx guys!
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