The NBA season has finally kicked off! Everyone is excited except if you are a New York Knick fan like myself. The Knicks last season ended happily for fans because they could not stand watching that terrible form of basketball. The Knicks as well as the fans have seen some positive change with the hiring of Phil Jackson and cleaning house of all the negative energy in the clubhouse. Derek Fisher being hired as the new head coach and the new triangle system offense replacing the isolation offense. These are all positive changes for the Knicks as well as their fans.
Throughout training camp and preseason all I ever saw was certain players complaining about how "hard" the new offense is. I personally believe a player can a learn a new system very quick as long as they are determined to make that change or step forward to possible success. The triangle works as history has proven. Yes their is a need of specific players but the Knicks unknowingly have these pieces. These players need to develop as well as be confident in themselves. Obviously Melo is main piece of this offense. These players are looking to him for guidance. He needs to give these young players as well as the veterans the confidence that they can learn this new offense and be successful in this new offense. Watching the most recent games for Knicks I have noticed the player with the most confidence is Iman Shumpert. He will excel in this offense because he is willing to make that change in his game to succeed. Early in preseason he said he will take any advice he can get from new head coach Derek Fisher.
Some players that have impressed me during preseason and the first couple of games so far are Shane Larkin, Quincy Acy, Amare and Shumpert. Amare is playing in a contract year, if the Knicks resign him well that's up them and his play throughout the season. He needs to stay healthy and continue to work on the court. I like him coming off the bench because of the energy boost he will give the second team. The second needed help from what I saw against the Bulls and STAT is the veteran that can help. STAT is obviously not the same player he once was from his Phoenix days but he still has the ability to help the Knicks during the season. Now Shane Larkin oh my did not see him coming. Larkin will be a great backup to Calderon. I love the way he plays. He plays fast, scrappy and under control usually. He is still young but with the guidance of Fisher and Calderon he will develop into that energetic player the Knicks will need in the long run. His fast and fearless play reminds me of the Nate Robinson days when he played in New York. Acy is the exact player that Fisher and Jackson are looking for. His skills may be slightly raw but the way he plays is what the whole Knicks team needs to look at as a model. Acy is always moving, going to the boards and finding ways to help the Knicks score. He is very active on defense and plays as hard as he can when he plays. He plays to win. And finally Iman Shumpert. His offense declined last year and I believe like everyone else that it was because of the type of offense he was playing in. Shumpert is the type of player that needs to be running the baseline, offscreens and popping out for his shot. He does not excel just standing in the corner waiting for the ball. The season just started but the way he has been playing is already better than last year. His defense added to possibly having a improved offensive year will help the Knicks succeed this season. I know that Shumpert will turn it around in the Triangle offense. He will always be moving rather than being stagnant and he will receive more opportunities to score where he will capitalize on those chances.
GO KNICKS!!
