I don’t want to tell you a single thing about this game. I don’t mean to pull the blinds back from the blogosphere but guess what: we’re no different than you are. No one, save a Knick fan trapped inside Thunder Stadium (not what it’s actually called) would want to do any different.
Knicks fans don’t come any more passionate than I do. But tonight I went out to a bar with the full intention of watching the Knicks. One eye would focus on the NFL playoffs, the other on my beloved Knicks. I have Time Warner Cable, so picture-in-picture, a glass of wine and stoic contemplation were not an option.
Well it didn’t go down like that. Instead, our beloved New York Knicks did nothing to earn my, or our, attention. I make no apologies. They stunk. Amar’e Stoudemire (7-19 for 14 points, 5 turnovers), Bill Walker (1-6, 3 points) and Iman Shumpert (3-10, 6 points) were especially bad, and managed two free throw attempts between the three of them. That’s a bad sign. Amar’e continued trying to force his way to the rim with predictable results, especially against the twin towers of Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins. The only bright spots were another solid performance from Josh “5 for 10″ Harrellson (12 points), some progress from Toney Douglas (5-10 for 14 points and +4) and the return of Jared Jeffries (who only played three minutes). This is the risk you take when you build an exceptionally top-heavy roster: lose one of your “Big Three” and big trouble ensues. That’s what happened without Carmelo Anthony last night.
A twelve point difference tells you nothing. It was worse. With about two minutes to go in the third, the Knicks were down thirty one. Thirty one. You think Carmelo Anthony would have mattered? What would he have done? Guess what: guess don’t generally put up +31s. Watching him go against Kevin Durant (28 points on 10-13 shooting last night) would probably have been depressing anyway. The Knicks went against a team that’s as good or better than any in the league and they got smoked. They’re not quite ready for prime time yet.
There’s nowhere to turn, fellow Knicks fans: the ship be sinking. Grab a life preserver.
Jonathan Fishner is the author of the blog The Real King Fish where he claims to have been “Reppin’ The Knicks Since Day One.” You can follow him on Twitter - @therealkingfish.
