Posting and Toasting

Hahn: Update on Danilo Gallinari's Arm

2010-02-10T07:29:38Z

Alan Hahn's got the word (sack up and get a subscription) on Danilo Gallinari's sore right forearm, which was hurting so badly that he airballed one free throw and shot the second lefty during Tuesday night's loss to the Kings. Turns out it's an injury we've seen before:

X-rays taken after the game were negative for any structural damage and Gallinari said it is actually a recurring issue from when he experienced pain in the forearm after he fell into the Magic bench during the Dec. 2 loss in Orlando.

It caused him to miss one game -- Dec. 4 versus Atlanta -- and at the time he said part of the issue was a numbness in his fingertips, which obviously affects his shooting.

He said Tuesday night that he felt his forearm getting weaker as the game went on. Then he airballed a free throw late in the third quarter and he began to flex his wrist.

Chronic pain and numbness don't strike me as minor issues, but then again, my M.D. is in funk, not sports medicine. Whatever the case may be, Gallo sounds as if he'll be ready to go for the Three-Point Shootout this weekend. I personally couldn't care less about that, but it bodes well for after the All-Star break. Hopefully, this injury will either fade or get fixed, because the limb in question is a pretty crucial one. On the list of body parts that The Cock needs most, the right arm is a close third behind the balls and the gland on his scalp that secretes hair gel.

Kings 118, Knicks 114 (OT)

2010-02-10T05:25:44Z

More photos » Frank Franklin II - AP

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I take a shower after games like that. Especially since I've been writing about the Knicks, showering has become my preferred treatment to settle the nerves and clear the head. I'm squeaky clean and swaddled in a towel right now, but still haven't quite settled down. In truly infuriating fashion, the Knicks squandered a double-digit fourth quarter lead, losing their heads and letting down their guards at the absolute worst moment in an overtime loss. Let me see if I can rehash the meltdown without headbutting my computer screen.

Notes, after the jump...

- Let's start at the end, since I'd prefer to get the rough part out of the way. The Knicks held a fluctuating lead for most of the game, and went into the fourth up 8. After some free throws and nice finishes, Nate Robinson buried a runner to give the Knicks a 15-point edge. It was all downhill from there. Donte Greene hit two threes to bookend an 8-0 Kings run that took all of a minute. The Knicks called a timeout, play resumed, and Tyreke Evans took over. Jared Jeffries was too frail and the help defense was too late to stop Evans, who plowed his way to the rim on nearly every possession in the final 3 minutes.

- Not helping matters was the fact that David Lee, Al Harrington, and every other Knick within arm's reach of defensive rebounds seemed completely paralyzed down the stretch. The Kings managed 4 offensive boards in the final 4 minutes of regulation, and 3 more in overtime.

- Particularly in the fourth quarter, the Kings made great use of a zone defense to ice the Knick offense. Danilo Gallinari had already been sidelined with a sore right arm (more on that later), and the Knicks didn't have the shooters to break the zone D. It didn't help that Wilson Chandler, who had a career night (more on that later as well), wasn't getting the looks in the final minutes.

- The part that really made me want to bite off my own fingers was the Knicks' absolutely bewildering choice of shooter on the game's biggest offensive possessions. The cute thing on Twitter was to ridicule Mike D'Antoni's play design, but I've got to believe that each disastrous possession was one part poor playcalling, one part solid defense, and two parts heinous execution. The play at the end of regulation was dribbling, dribbling, and more dribbling, culminating in a 24-foot heave by Chris Duhon that barely hit the floor it missed so badly. With 32 seconds left in overtime, the play was for Nate Robinson to drive into the lane, then kick the ball back out to Jared Jeffries, who bricked a three-pointer with about 17 ticks still on the shot clock. At any point in a basketball game, these shots are less than ideal. In the two most crucial moments of a basketball game, they're crimes against humanity.

So, to summarize, the Knicks defended, rebounded, planned, and executed poorly enough in the late fourth and overtime to completely erase 42 minutes of pretty nice basketball. It's hard to even remember when things were going well, but I'll flesh out some of my notes (including the usual dose of inanity) from the first three and a half quarters.

- Save for that fourth quarter and overtime (during which he rarely had the ball in his hands), Wilson Chandler dominated the action. Silent Wil fired every arrow in his quiver, scoring off drives, cuts, spin moves, pull-ups, alley-oops, and free throws. Omri Casspi and the entire Israeli Army couldn't stop Chandler, and the mum youngster finished with a career-high 35 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. If he could've taken and maken (That's right, maken.) some shots down the stretch to prevent the loss, it would've been a pretty much perfect night for Wilson Chandler.

- Chris Duhon was everywhere over the last two days talking about mirrors and reality checks and the like, and I mentioned before gametime that he ought to back up his words with a solid performance. 9 assist and 1 turnover ain't bad at all, but 2-10 shooting, including 0-6 on three-pointers is poop. Yes, poop.

- All sorts of cruel and unusual injuries were suffered in this game. Jared Jeffries threw a successful wrap-around pass to David Lee in the first quarter, all while colliding with Spencer Hawes. Jeffries' was smarting for a while with a sore back, and Hawes never returned, presumably because the experience of having Jared Jeffries throw a highlight pass in his immediate vicinity ruptured every ligament in his body. Later on, Danilo Gallinari got whacked across the arm while driving to the basket. He airballed the first free throw, then missed the second one with his left hand. He did not return, but assured everybody that he'd be fine for three-point contest, which to me is code for "could have stayed in the game".

- I could write a whole separate blog about Sergio Rodriguez's hairline.

- Jordan Hill got 6 minutes in the second quarter, and looked pretty nice running the floor, rolling off of screens, and attacking the glass. Jon Brockman, who is the lovechild of a bulldozer and an actual bull, pushed Hill around a little bit, but the Knicks' noodly rook still held his own and made a few nice plays. Why he sat when the Knicks' were getting pissed on down the stretch is beyond me.

- It was Jewish Heritage Night. The P&T kids who were at the game (sorry, y'all) will have the word on what festivities took place, but the big attraction was obviously Omri Casspi. The Soaring Semite(?) shot a dismal 1-8 from downtown, but was straight shekels from inside, and finished with 18 points.

- Of all nights, Christoph Waltz (the guy who played Hans Landa) picked tonight to come to MSG and watch the Knicks. The list of available jokes is literally endless, but I'll go with this Twitter response I received from @SportsMachete for the win.

- Meanwhile, Julia Stiles was Jill Martin's halftime interview. Thumbs down.

- Walt Frazier's outfits typically make use of a variety of furry and scaly wildlife, but tonight's was 100% Kermit the Frog.

- Speaking of which, Clyde's line of the night came when David Lee took an incidental karate chop to the throat: "He has a soprano voice now".

- It'd be really cool to be able to palm a basketball.

Well, I'm pretty much calm at this point, but of all the Knicks' atrocious losses, tonight's goes down as the most hair-pulling, gut-wrenching, face-palming fuckup of the season. The best we can do is to try and spit out this sour taste and enjoy the All-Star break.

Postgame: Kings 118, Knicks 114 (OT)

2010-02-10T03:44:36Z

More photos » Frank Franklin II - AP

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For you to vent while I punch out my recap.

Game Thread: Knicks vs. Kings- 2/9/10

2010-02-09T23:51:59Z

Good evening, friends! It's another high-flying night of Knicks basketball, as the Kings pay a visit to the Garden, bringing precocious rookie and king of the Jews Omri Casspi with them. This will be the Knicks' last game before the All-Star Break rolls around, so let's hope they can notch that elusive 20th win (sigh) before the week off.

Come by the thread at 7:30 to talk about the game and share Passover stories. I always direct you to the opposing team's SBN blog because we've got some great ones, but I really mean it when I urge you to check out Sactown Royalty. It's so terrific I get a little choked up just talking about it.

Let's get it, Knicks.

Tomorrow's Jewish heritage night. Omri's in town. Knishes 'til you hurl. Klezmer beats for days....

2010-02-08T21:25:18Z

Tomorrow's Jewish heritage night. Omri's in town. Knishes 'til you hurl. Klezmer beats for days. How could you miss it?

Introduction: Feels Like The First Day of School!

2010-02-08T15:59:56Z

Hey what’s up guys?
Starting now, I’ll be a new author for Posting & Toasting, which brings the grand total to two. I have been following both the Knicks and P&T since 1914 and consider myself fortunate for the opportunity to share my thoughts on everything from Knickerbockers to farts with all my fellow fanatics. A lot of you ladies are probably familiar with my writing style and mock analysis from my former nickname "solanumbrella," and I’ll continue the trend without fail, hopefully to everyone’s delight. I plan to write stuff up relatively frequently, so it’s up to you to let me know if you want any topics covered or if you have any suggestions for me. Like I said before, I’m pretty pumped for this opportunity and to have a forum for talking shit, and thanks in advance to everybody for reading.

A couple things about myself:
I am 20 years old and I currently attend The University of Scranton in Scranton, PA. I major in public relations and frequently dream of running the PR department for Madison Square Garden. I hate snow. My favorite sports teams are The Knicks, The Yankees and The Giants in that order. I watch and play entirely too much basketball, but I am far better at watching than I am at playing pause. I have a blog called Big Giant Orange; it sucks compared to this one. My favorite food is anything with a spicy sauce. I listen to a lot of different music, but my favorite is rap and hardcore, as well as any love song. My favorite current athlete is Renaldo Balkman, but the all-time honor goes to Lawrence Taylor. I desperately want the Knicks to get better and will throw a huge party when they do. You’re all invited.

Now, let’s get into it!

One of the ideas I had for an article is to take a page out of the playbook of our adversaries, depending on who the Knicks are playing, and to analyze how it would work if Coach Pringles were to run it.

The first play I chose is a backscreen that is run by the Cleveland Cavaliers (seems almost oxymoronic to talk about any "plays" the Cavs may have, considering their knack for giving the ball to LeBron and getting the fuck out of the way). This play features James starting with the ball on the left wing. At the top of the key, also at the 3-point line, is Daniel Gibson, who is the beneficiary of this particular play. In the corners stand Jamario Moon or Delonte West, or really any other shooters on the floor at the time, while Zydrunas Ilgauskas battles for low-post position. The first major action of the play dictates the player in the corner to LeBron’s left come over to set a screen on James’s man, giving LeBron an open lane to drive left and drawing the attention of the defenders in his surrounding area. As he begins his drive, Ilgauskas drifts up toward the top of the key and sets a screen behind the man guarding Daniel Gibson at the 3-point line. Gibson immediately runs over to a spot on the 3-point line approximately 10 feet to the right of where he was just standing, running his defender directly into Ilgauskas. LeBron sees the defenders collapse on him and makes the slightly difficult pass over to Gibson for the open tray-banger from the right wing.
This play would work beautifully with the Knicks staff, especially Nate and Gallo. As you could see from the diagram (green lines-first actions, red lines-second actions, yellow lines-pass, blue square-shot), Nate would act LeBron’s part and Gallo would be Daniel Gibson. Lee would come up to set the pick while Harrington and Chandler inhabit the corners.

(green lines-first actions, red lines-second actions, yellow lines-pass, blue square-shot)

As you may be able to tell, I'm an absolute technician with MS Paint.

The beauty of this play is its simplicity as well as the options it opens up. If Gallo gets the ball and he’s open, he shoots the three. If Harrington’s man closes out on Gallo, he swings the ball to Al, who shoots the three. If Chandler’s defender falls asleep, he can cut backdoor and Gallo can fire him a pass for an easy lay-up. The possibilities are endless!

The play relies heavily on the ball handler’s ability to drive, as there is a direct correlation between the defensive attention he receives and the shooter’s defender falling asleep enough not to realize there is a pick being set behind him. This is the reason the play works so beautifully for the Cavaliers; LeBron James gets more attention for his drive than arguably anyone in the league. It’s also the reason I feel Nate would best represent LeBron in this scenario. His ability to drive to the cup is unsurpassed on the Knicks (you could try to argue Wilson Chandler, but I would both disagree and add that Wilson’s passing ability is not up to snuff for a play like this), and he would draw attention by the defense depending on what type of game he was already having. This is a fourth-quarter play; the Cavaliers usually run it after a big defensive stop and need a back-breaking three to rile up the crowd and force a time out. We could and should do the same.

Let me know what you guys think. Thanks for reading.

T-Mobile Player of the Week- 2/8/10

2010-02-08T15:45:21Z

This post is sponsored by T-Mobile.

The Knicks had another losing week. This is becoming a thing. Even still, there were a few individual performances of note. Though the experiment might be over now, last week will be remembered as the period in which Nate Robinson played his way into the starting lineup. Nate registered a 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists in a win against the Wizards. Mike D'Antoni benched Chris Duhon for the entire second half in favor of the lilliputian, and Nate quickly turned a close game into a blowout win.

Robinson received the start on Friday against the Bucks, but didn't play as well. He shot poorly (3-12) from the field, but did get to the line (7-9) and distribute ably (7 assists, 0 turnovers).

While he wasn't exactly the name on everybody's tongue Saturday night, Nate had himself a splendid performance in the loss to the Cavaliers. He sank 5 threes en route to a 26 point, 6 assist, 4 rebound, 1 steal, 1 rebound performance in Cleveland. And that one block? It wasn't just anything.

Not a bad week for Nate. It sounds like Coach D'Antoni prefers him in a sixth man's role, though, so we'll see if he can keep it up from the bench.

Is the Nate Robinson experiment already over?

2010-02-08T15:07:08Z

That was quick. Less than a week ago, the ineffective Chris Duhon sat the entire second half as Nate Robinson led the Knicks to a win against the Wizards. Mike D'Antoni soon revealed that Robinson would be starting the Knicks' next game and for the foreseeable future. The foreseeable future ends today. From Marc Berman and his sources:

Mike D'Antoni is ready to reinstall Chris Duhon as the Knicks starting point guard, and also wants to make him a quasi-assistant coach as he seeks more input from the players.

The Post has learned Duhon and D'Antoni held an important meeting in their Cleveland hotel Saturday afternoon as the desperate Knicks coach picked his captain's brain on the Knicks' troubles for 30 minutes.

Coincidence or not, Duhon, with the club 0-2 since he went to the pine, is expected to return as the starting point guard tomorrow vs. Sacramento in their last game before the All-Star break. Nate Robinson will return to a reserve role.

Now, if you read on, there are plenty of interesting and encouraging quotations from Duhon, none of which actually insinuate that he'll be starting. Nonetheless, I guess we'll take Berman's word that Du will, in fact, be back in the driver's seat starting tomorrow (which, as Berman mentions, is the Knicks' last game before the break). Hopefully, part of the Duhon-D'Antoni summit was an agreement that Du assert himself more on the court. Perhaps that's what the role of "quasi-assistant coach" entails. We'll see how this goes, and as in the case of the original lineup change, whose minutes change with any ripple effect.

P&T&T-Mobile Ticket Contest #4

2010-02-07T17:10:16Z

This post is sponsored by T-Mobile.

So, I intended to host a ticket contest using last night's Knicks-Cavs game, but totally forgot. I've still got tickets to give away to Tuesday's Knicks-Kings game, though, so listen up:

1. In the comments of this post, indicate which team you expect to win Super Bowl XLIV.

2. Comments will close at 5:30 p.m. tonight and we'll all watch to see who wins the damn thing.

3. I'll take a look at the boxscore after the game and, with a series of intricate calculations, will determine the winner of the Super Bowl.

4. Those users who correctly predicted the winner will be entered into a random drawing (which will be an actual hat) for tickets to the 2/9 home game against the Kings.

That simple. Get your responses in, and check out Stampede Blue and Canal Street Chronicles to hang out with some fans who must be SO anxious right now. Seriously. If and when the Knicks get back to the NBA Finals, I am going to be a mess. I can't imagine what caring about the Super Bowl must feel like.

Postgame: Cavaliers 113, Knicks 106

2010-02-07T02:47:21Z

More photos » Tony Dejak - AP

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Yes, Charlie Daniels plays a mean fiddle.

Yes, LeBron James is quite good at basketball.

More tomorrow.

Game Thread: Knicks at Cavaliers- 2/6/10

2010-02-07T00:29:11Z

Uh huh. Yeah.

Game starts in 2 minutes. Come comment! Check out Fear the Sword too. <3

The Caponization of Danilo Gallinari

2010-02-06T19:21:09Z

More photos » Kathy Willens - AP

Have you seen him? (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

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What is up with Danilo Gallinari? The one thing we've come to expect from Gallo, whether or not his shots are falling, is that he play with a palpable edge and a fiery competitive spirit. No matter the circumstances, Danilo's defining characteristic has consistently been a set of giant rooster balls. Not only does he take and make big shots and wheel into the lane for ferocious finishes, he does it with a flourish and a scowl. That unwavering confidence and flair for the dramatic is Danilo's ideal modus operandi and what endeared us to Gallinari in the first place, but it's gone missing.

Last night's 2-6, 7 point performance against the Bucks was the most recent in a run of games in which Gallo's been nearly invisible for long stretches of his court time. On defense, he's had trouble keeping his man in front of him and challenging shots. This was perhaps best exemplified last night, when the 6'1'', 120-pound Brandon Jennings simply shoved him to the floor en route to the game-clinching basket. Forgive me for being unscientific, but I'm almost certain that Gallo with a full tank would never back down or try and sneak a charge against a whippet like Jennings. Gallinari is an offensive player, though, and that's where his poor condition is most noticeable. It's not uncommon for Danilo to start the game attacking, then fade away if his first few attempts don't fall. For the most part, he's aiming and falling away on his shots, driving without conviction or direction, and passing up open opportunities. That last part is perhaps the most bewildering. There was a moment last night when Gallinari-- he of the 40% three-point percentage and league-leading 127 threes made-- lost his man with a fake, eyed the clear skies between himself and the rim...and swung the ball to Jared Jeffries. I'm no doctor, but I'd guess that offensive deference to Jared Jeffries, by any measure, qualifies as a symptom of something.

The smart people are noticing. Mike Breen called Danilo "sluggish" and "a step slow" during last night's broadcast. BK saw it, too:

Gallo looked slow, almost leaden, and overly deferential when the Bucks crowded him on his shot, and he missed 4 of 6 free throws. D'Antoni in the post game conference indicated Gallo needed to create more opportunities for himself, and not pass up the ones that were there when he shook his defender. Whether he's hit a wall, his back is acting up, or he's simply navigating slowly to the next step in his evolution as an NBA player, his struggles are painfully apparent right now, and it may require the all-star break for him to clear his head and go back to playing more instinctively.

And that takes me to my best diagnosis. With 49 games played, Gallinari and the Knicks are just past the midway point of the season. Given the timing and the aforementioned symptoms, I'm calling this one a case of the rookie wall.

Learn about it:

When you are a 19 to 22-year-old rookie, you are basically multiplying your college schedule by three. Eventually, those bodies and minds start to break a little and that’s when the "rookie wall" comes in. Most guys hit the infamous wall at some point in their inaugural NBA season.

"I think everybody hits [the wall]," says Knicks guard Larry Hughes, who was a rookie during the ‘99 lockout season. "Everything is devoted to basketball and traveling, so you expect that. Probably now, a lot of rookies are probably feeling it, if they’re playing a lot of minutes. The thing is how fast you come out of it."

Click through for more of that excellent Dime article. The upshot is that the rookie wall is a mythical entity that can be overcome with basic focus and conditioning, but it afflicts players until they reach that point. Now, there are some caveats in Gallinari's case. One is that he's not a rookie. Danilo is playing in his second season, but with back surgery limiting him to just 28 games played last year, I think it's reasonable to call '08-'09 a false start. This season has been something of a do-over, and in all respects except the one that actually counts, Gallo's rookie year. The second potential caveat is that Gallinari did not come to the Knicks from college. He played almost four years of professional ball in Italy before coming to the States, but even then, was playing a shorter schedule against arguably weaker competition. His experience notwithstanding, all signs point to Danilo Gallinari having hit the wall at full speed. Over 30 minutes a game for 48 games over three or four months is a massive burden for a 21 year-old. The plane trips and foreign cities are probably blurring together. The back probably feels like shit every morning. The losing record and constant spotlight have to be a headache.

Luckily, there might be some R&R on the horizon. BK guesses that the All-Star break might be time to recuperate, and that seems like a possibility. One hopes that Danilo's forthcoming experience in the Three-Point Shootout and Rookie-Sophomore game might instill some confidence in the youngster, all while providing respite from the constant grind of competing for a losing team. I have no doubt in my mind that this is a phase and that Danilo Gallinari will surmount the rookie wall. It's just a matter of how and when. Hopefully, Gallo is gaining an understanding of his own struggles, and will return to form sooner rather than later with some rest and refocusing. The Knicks as a team have hit a wall of sorts, playing sloppy, sleepy basketball for much of the last month. Now more than ever, New York needs a full-grown Rooster to get things done.

Postgame: Bucks 114, Knicks 107

2010-02-06T02:58:29Z

: (

I'll post about this one tomorrow. I've got a feeling it's gonna be more of a Danilo Gallinari post than a recap.

Game Thread Knicks vs. Bucks- 2/5/10

2010-02-06T00:12:37Z

Evening, blokes. The Knicks and Bucks face off in just over 20 minutes. It's Brandon Jennings' first professional game at the Garden, but I'd bet the contents of my wallet that it's the other Bucks (Andrew Bogut, Ersan Ilyasova, Jodie Meeks) that really get work done against New York.

Meanwhile, Nate Robinson will be stepping into Chris Duhon's spot as starting point guard. The ripple effect of that rotation move should be verrrrry interesting.

Come and get it at 7:30, and don't forget to check the exemplary Brew Hoop for all things cervine.

If You Give a Nate a Starting Spot...

2010-02-05T19:24:45Z

More photos » Kathy Kmonicek - AP

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...he's going to ask for a glass of milk. Mike D'Antoni's intention to start Nate Robinson tonight are well-documented. The timing of the move is less than ideal, as this apparent admission of point guard troubles coincides far too tastily with Brandon Jennings' first NBA visit to the Garden. Looking past that, though, some questions emerge regarding the immediate future of the rotation:

Is Chris Duhon benched...or shelved?

On top of promoting Robinson to the starting spot, D'Antoni has expressed that he intends to reallocate some minutes to rookie Toney Douglas. With Larry Hughes apparently sprung from his whiskery confinement, that's three guards getting time for a coach who's loathe to play a rotation of more than 8 1/2 men. My impression is that most Knick fans would merrily accept the prospect of Duhon falling from starter to DNP in a matter of two days, but is D'Antoni really that ballsy? That would be a stark turnaround for a player who's been granted an unusually long leash so far this season.

How much Hughes should we expect?

I have a baseless fear that Larry Hughes will move into the starting lineup along with Robinson. That likely won't be the case, but it remains to be seen which tandem will see the most burn: Robinson-Chandler, Robinson-Hughes, or Robinson-Douglas. Robinson-Duhon could be an intermittent possibility as well.

Will TD be allowed to DWTDD?

Toney Douglas hasn't been all that impressive of late, but I refuse to believe that he's been fully allowed to do what he do. Can we expect more than a nominal appearance from Pretty Toney, and will it be as Robinson's backup, or in the aforementioned tandem?

Could this re-energize Danilo Gallinari?

Gallo's been generally less active on offense over the last few weeks, but he, at the very least, found his three-point touch in the second half on Wednesday. If Nate stays committed to the drive-and-kick and continues to beat his man off the dribble, the quality of Danilo's outside looks could see a marked improvement. If Gallinari's going to camp out in the corner, he might as well get some open threes.

Will we ever see Jordan Hill again?

Probably unrelated, but just wondering.

I look forward to Nate Robinson's start and match-up with Jennings tonight. Pray that Nate makes the best of his opportunity. The Knicks' immediate performance and Robinson's ability to receive a contract this offseason both hinge quite a bit on his showing as the lead guard.

Cheaper P&T Shirts!!!1

2010-02-05T00:17:04Z

Just a quick notice. Plain and supple. I'm taking down P&T's old merchandise store and replacing it with a new one stocked and run by an SBN affiliate, instead of by an outside company. It's all the same stuff as the old one, only with more apparel choices at much more reasonable prices. Apologies (and thanks) to those of you who bought the pricier shirts in the past. Consider those limited edition collector's items.

Now, before it's too late, go buy some shit!

D'Antoni even said he wanted to give rookie Toney Douglas, another scoring guard, a look. Clearly...

2010-02-04T05:08:32Z

D'Antoni even said he wanted to give rookie Toney Douglas, another scoring guard, a look. Clearly time to move away from Duhon.

Alan Hahn

Any objections? Didn't think so.

Knicks 107, Wizards 85

2010-02-04T05:04:54Z

More photos » Frank Franklin II - AP

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It's amazing what a difference trying makes. After another dispirited first half, the Knicks bucked their trend of sleepwalking on the court and outplayed the Wizards in the third and fourth quarters to emerge with a blowout win. The big story of the night was Mike D'Antoni's second half benching of Chris Duhon in favor of Nate Robinson. Nate started the second half and keyed the big runs with hot shooting and relatively focused point guard play.

Take the jump for full game notes...

- Walt Frazier got legitimately choked up on camera remembering his coach and mentor, Dick McGuire. Of all the accounts I've heard of McGuire's legacy today, Clyde's was my favorite. McGuire sounds like a guy who loved everything about the game of basketball and excelled at every level of the sport, but shied away from the fame it might have brought him. He was an admirable man, and such an emotional response from the typically unflappable Clyde is a testament to that.

- David Lee started the game with flames on his fingertips, canning each of his first five shots, including 4-4 on jumpers. It ended up being a quiet but excellent performance by Lee. He finished 10-18 for 22 points, and added the usual 10 rebounds and the increasingly usual 6 assists. If Dave doesn't post a triple-double by season's end, I will be sorely disappointed.

- On the other end, Brendan Haywood made it look like it was going to be another one of those games. He blocked the Knicks' first shot of the game and scored the Wizards' first two buckets off offensive rebounds. Instead of getting smushed down low, though, several Knicks stepped up to help Lee board. Wilson Chandler (6), Danilo Gallinari (9), Jared Jeffries (8), Nate Robinson (6), and Al Harrington (5) each lent a hand on the glass for an overall 47-31 edge. As long as the Knicks are without a 7-footer, team-wide commitment to rebounding has to be part of the gameplan, even at the risk of slowing the fast break.

- Danilo Gallinari ended up with a decent line (15 and 9 on 5-8 shooting, including 4-5 on three-pointers), but has gradually drifted back to his outpost in the corner of the arc. It seems like Gallo starts each game attacking, then gravitates toward the corner if his early drives don't fall. Danilo should do what he finds most comfortable, but we all know he's got more to his game than the corner three.

- On one possession, David Lee had no less than three passes tipped until he finally coughed up the ball. Clyde quipped that Lee was "hellbent to throw that one away". Breen noted that "you're only credited with one turnover", despite Lee's best efforts.

- Larry Hughes hath returned. An emancipated and bearded Hughes played a solid game, contributing 11 points (5-10) in 17 minutes, and defending nicely. Hahn twath that the facial hair isn't going anywhere, free or not. I'm in favor, because the thing is pretty goddamn majestic.

- I've heard a few theories here and on Twitter that Mike D'Antoni played Hughes out of fear that his own facial hair would be overshadowed. Alternatively, it could be some kind of mustaches vs. beards rivalry. Either scenario is completely plausible. My patchy scruff has no opinion on the matter.

- MSG played a couple shots of the same toddler demolishing a plate of cheese fries in the first half. Eventually, Clyde got into it and started announcing the gustatory antics, praising the "perseverance" and "dexterity" of the hungry little kid. All of this led me to decide that one of my life goals is to have Frazier provide a couple minutes of commentary on something I do. I want to take a nap or walk to class or something with Clyde calling the action. My birthday's in a month. Somebody make this happen.

- I'm not a big fan of the "Olé, olé, olé, olé" chant that the Garden soundshow plays at least once a game. It seems unnecessary and out of character in a building that's perfectly capable of generating it's own sound. Also, this is America.

- I think if Wilson Chandler was a superhero, he would be completely mute, but communicate with his tattoos somehow. I haven't really thought this through.

- Chandler, for his part, started quietly, but joined the fun in the third quarter by driving to the basket more and dropping a couple of his signature creative finishes at the rim.

- As mentioned, Nate Robinson was tonight's story. While Duhon sipped Gatorade (Actually, I bet Du drinks V8 on the bench. In fact, I'm certain of it.), Nate got loose for 23, 8, and 6. There were a few brainfarts (a pull-up three early in the shot clock with 3 minutes left in the game, a one-handed bullet pass directly into traffic), but Robinson did his darndest to strike a balance between his own offense and that of his teammates. That included passing up three-pointers for mid-range jumpers and speedy drives to the rim. When he was open, he shot. When teammates were open, he usually passed to them. This is all we ask of a point guard on offense, and Nate provided it.

That's all I've got for you. I spent much of tonight's game screaming "YEAHHHHH" while my roommate played the opening bass line to the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Around the World" over and over again, so my notes weren't as thorough as usual. The Knicks play again Friday night against the Bucks.

Game Thread: Knicks vs. Wizards 2/3/10

2010-02-04T00:08:38Z

Evening, smurfs. We've got two of the league's worst tangling at the Garden tonight with plenty of P&T friends in attendance. I just ate like 4 burritos and am ready to watch some mediocre February basketball. Let's do this.

Come party with me at 7:30 and also check out Bullets Forever. It is great.

R.I.P. Dick McGuire

2010-02-03T21:44:38Z

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Those of you going to the game tonight should tip your hats to the number 15 jersey hanging from the rafters. Dick McGuire died today at the age of 84. If you, like me, know little about McGuire other than that hanging uniform, check out some of the history and personal reflections written today by local beat guys and bloggers:

Rest in peace.