Garden Party
Written by Josh Katz Friday, 24 December 2010 12:13
Not long ago, I went on a bit of a rant here at the Dose, ripping apart the New York Knickerbockers and their losing ways. The Knicks were in the midst of another miserable losing skid after starting the season 3-8, and heading to the West Coast where they rarely play well. It seemed that Knick fans were in for another long year of sloppy and unwatchable hoops from the World’s Most Famous Arena. They were being out-played, out-hustled and out-coached in every facet of the game. But it’s amazing what a small column and a couple of months will do for a franchise. After all, the NBA is where amazing happens. The Knicks have turned relevant before our very eyes. Led by super-star power forward Amar’e Stoudemire, the Knicks have rattled off 14 wins in their last 17 games, good enough for a 17-12 record and 5th overall in the Eastern Conference. Stoudemire is no doubt the catalyst for the Knicks turnaround. He has gone on a scoring tear to say the least, dropping 30 points in 9 straight games, giving defenses fits trying to stop him. Stoudemire has even drawn some “MVP” chants from the Garden faithful, something that has not been heard from Garden fans since Patrick Ewing and Mark Messier played at the World’s Most Famous Arena. The Knicks also have a supporting cast, which rivals most in the Eastern Conference. Point guard Raymond Felton whom was acquired in free agency from Charlotte has played like an all-star thus far. Felton has been the total package for the Knicks, with his ability to facilitate and score. The Knicks have also relied heavily on sharpshooter Danilo Gallinari, who has been as clutch as they come in the fourth quarter this season. Veteran Knicks such as Wilson Chandler, Toney Douglas and rookie of the year candidate Landry Fields have all contributed with their hard-work and unselfish play. They have even done it with a little defense, a term which is hardly used in Coach Mike D’Antoni’s vocabulary, relying on fan-favorite Ronny Turiaf for some timely shot-blocking and unorthodox tenacity. These are not your older brother’s Knicks. While this team is by no means a championship contender, they are a Carmelo Anthony away from being a real threat in the Eastern Conference.
For a life long Knick fan, it is truly rewarding to see this team giving it 110% every night against the leagues best, and even managing to win some close games. They came within .4 seconds of beating Boston. Hell, to even be talking about the Knicks during football season is a true testament to how far this team has come. As a skeptic by nature, I know there will be bumps in the road. There will be losing streaks; bad losses, injuries and collapses that make us wonder why we are Knick fans in the first place. But at the end of the day, basketball is back in New York City, and for the time being, it appears it’s here to stay. That’s enough to make a skeptic like me into a believer.
