The Knicks and the Bulls

They woke up this morning with a combined 7 -20 record with a 1-14 away record. They are both big disappointments in this young NBA season, specially Chicago they we're called to be a contender for the East title and the Knicks were expected to make at least a decent push to get into the playoffs. I never thought I would be writing a blog where I compare the Knicks to the Bulls, last year the Bulls were a perfect example of a team with great chemistry, a team with heart, a team fight each possession and that could defeat any team any given night. The Knicks in the other hand were the opposite: a team with bad chemistry, bad locker room influences and without a true identity as a team. This year they are awfully similar and their histories are linked together far before this season.


In 1984 Jerry Krause drafted a high scoring, electric shooting guard from North Carolina. We know what happened to this kid, he ended up reigning the league for an entire decade. In this reign he became the mayor obstacle for a lot of players and franchises in their way to the promised land, one of this franchises were the New York Knicks. In 1985 they got the prize of the year: a 3 time All-American 7'0 feet Jamaican center from Georgetown. Ewing was called the guy who was going to take one of the most important franchises in the league back to their hey days. The Bulls and the Knicks battled for the better part of the early 90's producing one of the best rivalries of that decade and some of the most physical games (Part II) in recent history. True be told, there was lots of hate between those two (Exhibit A, Exhibit B, Exhibit C , just head to YouTube and look for all the videos from the 92 and 93 playoffs series between Knicks and Bulls)





Rivalry aside, they also have helped each other. In June, 1988 the Bulls traded one of their most popular players, Charles Oakley, to the Knicks for 31 year old Bill Cartwright to have someone who can score in the middle but the main objective was to have a big body to defend the likes of Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon and Moses Malone. The Knicks got a though defender, a mean guy if you want and helped the Knicks build that defensive and physical identity that took them to the upper scheledon in the Pat Riley era. As the nineties finished so did the rivalry, MJ retired for a second time, Scottie was shipped to Houston and the Knicks retooled to fight with the new breed of Eastern powerhouses: Indiana, Miami and Orlando.



New York went to finals in 1999 and to the Conference Finals the next year. After that they faded while Scott Layden started to economically dismantle the franchise highlighted by the trade of Patrick Ewing, their franchise player, to the Sonics. While Chicago was playing guys like Marco Fizer, Dalibor Bagaric and John Starks (couldn't find a picture if somebody have one of Starks in a Bulls uniform please, please send it to me).

Both teams went to a dark era at the start of this decade but the Bulls were the first team to see the light with a management crew lead by GM John Paxson and Coach Scott Skiles. They built a team filled with character players coming from either winning college programs or European teams, they built a team identity of defense, hustle and team work and in a matter of 4 years they were called contenders. Meanwhile the Knicks seems to like the dark era, they went from Scott Layden to the Isiah Thomas (how came from declaring CBA's bankruptcy) darker era. Deals like the aforementioned Ewing Trade, the Jerome James deal, tons of buyouts (Larry Johnson, Jalen Rose) and bad acquisitions (Marbury, Steve Francis, Glen Rice) had defined Thomas tenure in New York.



Among those senseless moves the Knicks found Chicago as a trade partner twice. First in the Jamaal Crawford trade and later with the Eddy Curry trade which, eventually, almost landed KG in the Windy City. These trades may seem ok and even fair on paper but the Bulls got rid of two defensive liabilities that didn't match with the team culture, let's not mention Curry's heart, while the Knicks haven´t been able to mesh as a team.




A year ago the Bulls went to win 49 games, defeat an half-powered Miami Heat team and lost to the Detroit Pistons. The Knicks have won 56 games the last two years combined and had mixed their on court failures with off court embarrassments. This year things seems to even out for these teams as the Bulls have "regressed in their progress" for whatever reason you might wanna think - Kobe's trade, contract extensions or they are just tired of Skiles - the true is they are not winning and they're not even close to do it. The Knicks had a nice offseason adquiring Zach Randolph from the Trail Blazers creating a more than decent frontcourt for Eastern Conference standards of Curry and Randolph. This is a team with a lot of talent and offensive firepower but as their record( 4 - 10) and their last game shows they haven't found a winning formula... in over 7 years.



In the NBA there's always somebody to blame and this franchises need something drastic to change their fortunes if they want to live up to their offseason expectations, expect some firing or trading coming from this teams, probably the earliest. In the other, they both look like they're going to have a great chance to get OJ Mayo. Go Knicks! Go Bulls!

TrueHoop's masterpiece

You need to read this. I know I've been making fun of the way how the league treated Dwayne Wayne in the 2006 Finals. I do think there were a lot of wrong and "suspicious" calls now I have the numbers the back it up. I was part of the old "Dallas got robbed" media frenzy although nobody reads this thing but it's out there. I thought that the last play of game 5 which ended with DWade on the free throw line again was completely bogus. I stand correct now because it was a good call, Wade got fauled not only one but twice on that drive. It was a very difficult angle and the refs did a great job catching it. You also have to admire the professionalism of Salvatore and his crew to make that call so late in a overtime game in the NBA Finals. Truly nice work.

Now, Henry Abbot and a couple of TrueHoop reader asked the same question I asked myself when I saw the video the NBA had that were used by Salvatore in his interview with Abbot: Why on the name of the Basketball gods they didn't release this video? Why don't they release all this videos of controversial calls, no matter if it's regular season or post season? I guess they don't want to make the refs look bad and question their decisions but in the case everybody is questioning the ref and the guy is right. Doesn't the league should do something about it? I don't have the answer to any of these questions but what I do know is that the NBA needs to changes this close door policy, they need to open up, the fans are calling for it. We are living in a post Donaghy era and every bad move the league makes it will be judge and scrutinize 10 times harder than 6 months ago.


I still believe there was a DWade Free Throw Parade but at least the most controversial call of the entire parade was right. Something's gotta give.

Preparing for the best: NY Knicks

I'm not very into other sports so I can't really say that James Dolan is the worst owner in the history of pro sports but he has to be in the conversation. Either Dolan has this weird man - crush with Isiah Thomas that's not letting him see things straight or he has a "there's no way I was wrong with this guy" stand that is burying the knicks deeper that we all think.

Not only they are in crappy salary cap position but their team chemistry is getting sour by each passing game and that's reflecting in their record. Everybody outside the Knicks organization knew for two years now that Thomas needs to go but he always had Dolan's and his players support, now he's missing the last. Allowing Mardbury's AWOL to pass only with a financial slap on the wrist ( I know he took away his starting spot but have you seen Marbury talk about it, he doesn't give a rat ass) producing some "discontent" with the rest of the Knicks players.

Look I've never played professional basketball, I'll never play professional basketball, but one thing I know for sure: If you don't trust your teammate, if you don't even like your teammates, there's no way in hell your are going to function like a team and if you want to win games you need some team cohesion and that applies to pretty much anything you do as a group. Bad chemistry have destroyed great teams and the Knicks are not a great team.

Sometime down the line Isiah will be fired, Marbury will be released or traded, Q, Jamal Crawford and Malik Rose among other will be traded for draft picks and young players with a "clean soul". The Knicks need to rebuild the right way and that way doesn't include Zeke. It is the time

Preparing for the worst: Cleveland Cavs

Who to blame? Danny Ferry? Anderson Varejao? New York Media?

I don't know but the truth it's that I don't feel good things happening for Cleveland in the medium run- say 5 year or so - this is Lebron's fifth season and nothing appears to be improving around him. Danny Ferry and his staff have only two more years to make a real run to get some real quality around King James before he leave and play for the Knicks .. probably...

Yes, they did reached the Finals last year but even Lebron has to realized their path to the Eastern Conference crown was a little, let's call it less rocky that any other one. A Wizards team minus Arenas and Butler, and Nets team minus Kritic and Jefferson and a old tired Detroit Pistons team. They need to thank the Basketball's Gods and the Chicago Bulls for that. But the chances of that happening again are very unlikely thats way Lebron needs help from his own organization.

Varejao is a important part of this team, and Danny Ferry's inability to sign this guy really worries me and put this guy ability to create a winning around Lebron on very thin ice. If the Cavaliers organization can not create a winning and consistent team in the next two years Lebron will walk. That's why Lebron signed a short contract extension ( ala Tim Duncan ) to press the Cavaliers to build a winning team pronto.

If the history goes as it's being told so far Lebron, and Wade (, are going to be playing for another team for the 2011 -'12 season.

Preparing for the worst: Chicago Bulls

Two weeks into the regular season and I'm not feeling good about some teams I really thought- and wanted- to do real good this year. As a fan, as a blogger, you want some things to happen: you want young teams to stick together and reach their potential together. You want franchise player to be a player that plays for only one franchise in his career that takes his team from lottery to the promise land.


I've seen three Chicago Bulls games so far this season and I say can without a doubt that they need help. Luol Deng needs help. The worst thing is that Kobe is not the solution sure he can help, he can help a lot but the Bulls need an inside presence. They need somebody that can consistently make baskets from the low post, draw a double team here and there and for the love of God, stop running an offense based on jump shoot and crazy uncontrolled drives to the basket.


They have lots of shooters but nobody to create space for them. They only have two inconsistent scorers in Deng and Gordon and calling Gordon inconsistent it's me being nice guy .This year, they actually have quality big men on Ben Wallace, Tyrus Thomas, Joe Smith and the rook Noah, but outside Smith they bring 0 (nada) offensive skills to the court. They are all great defenders and rebounders and bring a lot of energy and heart to the team but sadly somebody need to score in order to win games, you know that's point, right?


I do see Kobe playing with this team before February. I do see Wallace, Gordon, Noah and Sefolosha in a Lakers uniform. I do see Wallace in a Texas uniform before the playoffs. I don't see a championship in Chicago with Kobe in town

Kobe wants to run with the Bulls

If it's there somebody out there who can actually step up to the challenge of bringing the title back to Chicago and deal with the inevitable MJ comparisons, that's Kobe Bryant, you can even expect Kobe has wanted that scenario his entire career.

Since 2 or 3 years ago every superstar available is being linked one way or another to the Bulls: KG, Gasol, I could swear I read one about Iverson, and now Kobe. This is 'cause the young talent collection the Bulls have,but we all know that story. Kobe wants to play for Chicago, we all also know that, but this is what do the Lakers want?

1. Luol Deng. Probably everybody know that by now, but this is guy who the Lakers think could be a nice starting point for their "quick rebuilding process" (remember, you can't the Lakers nor the Knicks) . The year old is full with potential that's starting to show, last yea he averaged almost 19 ppg and around 52% from the field, and top of that, he's a good person.
2. Joakim Noah: Just a kid, just a rookie with limited offensive game but a lot of energy, and that makes him a fan favorite, and that's one of the factors the Lakers are taking in consideration, they need to sell Jerseys, and although they can't expect Noah's jersey to fly of the shelf as Kobe's does, they need to fill that void.
3. Tyrus Thomas: He could either be the next Shawn Kemp or the next Stromile Swift. An unbelievable athlete with some raw potential, once Kobe out of the way, he and Bynum could grow up together and loss a bunch of games in the process
4. Ben Wallace: He would be asking for a trade before the All Star break, but they might need their salary in order to get Deng
5. Andres Nocioni: Another energy guy and a possible fan favorite. But he's already in a big contract and his age is not very appealing for a rebuilding process
6. Kirk Hinrich: I don't know why there's no more interest around the league for Capitan Kirk yes, he could be erratic at times, but he's a good defender and a decent shooter. But mainly, he's a great decision taker. His lack of size and height may be not suitable for Phil Jackson, but lets be honest, how long is good ol' Phil going to hang around after Kobe is gone ?