The NBA is back! Well it’s back in a month. So in the meantime we talk about Andy Rautins moving in with his mom, 5 trade scenarios to bring Dwight Howard to the Knicks, and the top 5 things we are looking forward to for the Knicks 2011/12 season. We also make a wager on who will have the best record out of the Timberwolves, Wizards, Cavs and Pistons. Download Episode 85
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The Top Ten Things I Will Miss If the 2011/12 NBA Season Is Cancelled – Part 2
5. Kobe Bryant chasing the all-time points record –
Right now Kobe is 6th all-time in points scored (8th if you count ABA). He’s 10,519 points away from breaking Kareem’s record. Love him or hate him it’s exciting when all-time records are in danger of being broken. The record is in play, but he’d have to play 5 more years, averaging 80 games and 25 points to break the record. Skip a year and he’d have to either have a season like that at 39 or play into his 40’s at a slightly less productive level to even sniff the record. In other words this lockout might lower his ceiling to 3rd all-time. Still impressive but doesn’t quite have the same ring to it.
4. The Knicks –
We said as a joke when we started this blog/podcast that the Knicks would finally get a good team and then there wouldn’t be an NBA. Fast forward 12 months and we get Amar’e Stoudemire, Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony. Then we make the playoffs for the first time in 7 years. Then….NO DAMN SEASON. It’s just not fair. I’m not delusional, this team needs a lot of work to be a contender but they are at least relevant and competitive now. I’d like to see a season or two of it before Amar’es knees explode. Continue reading
Episode 82: Screwed
The first two weeks of the NBA season have been cancelled and maybe more. We talk about the lockout and list all of the people who are getting screwed. We do some role play and play the parts of Billy Hunter and David Stern. We complain about the Knicks never having a real center. We talk about NBA 2K12. Enjoy. Download Episode 82
My Thoughts on the NBA’s Hard Cap Issue
I just read a lockout article in support of the players. I have to say the author, Howard Bryant must be Kobe’s brother because the arguments made here are completely irrational.
In summary, he’s saying that there is parity in the NBA. The owners argue that there isn’t enough parity and that they want to base their model more like the NFL’s where there is. The author says the NFL does not have parity. He bases his argument on stats like this “In the NFL, the league of the vaunted hard salary cap and far less guaranteed money for its players, 20 of the 44 teams in the NFC of AFC title games came from top-10 TV markets” OK, so 31% of the teams played in 45% of the title games. I think that’s pretty even considering some teams get ravaged by injuries or bad management every year.
To say the NBA has parity is ridiculous. 3 teams from the west have made the finals since 1999. 12 years. 3 teams. Sounds pretty lopsided to me. In the east there have been a number of teams that made the finals, but every year there are about 4 good teams and 11 horrible ones. Yes the Knicks have one of the highest salaries and haven’t done anything, but that doesn’t mean having no cap is a good system. In poker if you start each hand with pocket aces you might not win every hand but you definitely start off with an advantage. If you have good ownership, having the highest salary is a huge advantage. (see Lakers and Yankees). Those two teams don’t win every year but they’ve made the finals a hell of a lot more than any other team in their respective sports.
I’m all for a hard cap. It’s boring if the same teams are in it every year. Why not just contract the league to 8 teams if the others aren’t going to have a chance at being competitive? And yes I’m aware that Oklahoma City is a very small market and are doing alright for themselves, but last I checked there is still only one Kevin Durant, so not every small market team is going to be able to draft him to become relevant.
Episode 77: Interview with Audley Stephenson
We interview author of Basketball Talk, The Way It Should Be and host of The Breakdown Show, Audley Stephenson. We talk about the Knicks, the Raptors, the lockout, Audley’s radio show, some of the guests he’s had on an a few funny moments from the show, and his basketball book. You can buy his book here and listen to his show here. Download Episode 77
Knicks Interested in Kurt Thomas
It has been reported that the Knicks are interested in Kurt Thomas.
Ironically he would be our first real center since….Kurt Thomas! I say why not? He can still play decent defense and he can still shoot the midrange jumper.. I’d feel better about Kurt at the 5 than I would having Amar’e bang in the paint on his shaky knees all season. He’d be a relatively cheap option as well.
Episode 67: The Happy Episode
Why are we so happy? Well the Heat lost. That’s it really, the Heat lost and we’re happy. We recap the Heat/Bulls game, the Grizzlies/Thunder game and we talk about some Knicks stories. Download Episode 67
Episode 61: Happy Trails
The Knicks got swept. We say goodbye to an interesting season. We also cover the rest of the weekends games. Download Episode 61
Episode 49: The Sky is Falling
Martin joins us on the show today. We go over the last three games against the Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks, and Boston Celtics. We talk about the teams outlook for the playoffs and the next two years, D’Antoni’s coaching style, and what needs to be done for the Knicks to become a better team. We end the show by recapping our fantasy basketball league. Download Episode 49
I thought the Knicks were getting Earl Barron?
Earl Barron in his first game back, signed with the Bucks, he played 15 minutes and got 9 boards, 5 of them on offense. Good thing the Knicks don’t need any big men.
The New York Knicks Podcast 