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| Shawne Williams and Landry Fields /Chamber of Fear / Wikimedia Commons |
For the first time since 2004, Madison Square Garden will be the site of an NBA playoff game. It will be a chance for the hometown crowd to rally behind its new and revitalized New York Knicks. The last appearance for the Knicks was in the 2004 playoffs. Led by head coach Lenny Wilkens, their showing resulted in the New Jersey Nets sweeping them in the first round. Their last conference title came in 1999 under the guidance of Hall of Fame center Patrick Ewing. Ever since the Ewing era, the Knicks have failed to impress any non-New Yorkers and those who weren't Knick fans.
That changed last summer with the arrival of Amar'e Stoudemire. For 53 games, Stoudemire, with the help of Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Toney Douglas and others turned the Knicks around and put them on the map of playoff contending teams.
In the middle of the season the Knicks took part in a groundbreaking three-team trade. This trade saw NBA veterans Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups put on blue and orange jerseys for the first time, but also saw many Knicks protégés leave to play for Denver, namely Gallinari and Felton. After a brief adjustment period when they went 7-13, they are now on a four game win streak and look to become the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2011 NBA playoffs.
This time led by distinguished head coach Mike D'Antoni, the Knicks look to prove themselves as being one of the elite teams that dominate the front page news once again, as opposed to half-page articles next to the classifieds section. Anthony and Stoudemire desire to add a NBA playoff ring to their enormous collections of awards.
In order to be successful in their playoff run, the Knicks need to keep passing the ball the way they have these last four games. The confidence that they are showing on the court is key to hitting big shots in close situations, where they will find themselves in most playoff games. The three-point game has really worked for them as of late, hitting fifteen of them against the Raptors Tuesday night on 56% three-point shooting. If they continue to play tough defense as they have been since the start of April, Knicks fans will have a lot to cheer about as they see their team run deep into the playoffs.
That changed last summer with the arrival of Amar'e Stoudemire. For 53 games, Stoudemire, with the help of Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Toney Douglas and others turned the Knicks around and put them on the map of playoff contending teams.
In the middle of the season the Knicks took part in a groundbreaking three-team trade. This trade saw NBA veterans Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups put on blue and orange jerseys for the first time, but also saw many Knicks protégés leave to play for Denver, namely Gallinari and Felton. After a brief adjustment period when they went 7-13, they are now on a four game win streak and look to become the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2011 NBA playoffs.
This time led by distinguished head coach Mike D'Antoni, the Knicks look to prove themselves as being one of the elite teams that dominate the front page news once again, as opposed to half-page articles next to the classifieds section. Anthony and Stoudemire desire to add a NBA playoff ring to their enormous collections of awards.
In order to be successful in their playoff run, the Knicks need to keep passing the ball the way they have these last four games. The confidence that they are showing on the court is key to hitting big shots in close situations, where they will find themselves in most playoff games. The three-point game has really worked for them as of late, hitting fifteen of them against the Raptors Tuesday night on 56% three-point shooting. If they continue to play tough defense as they have been since the start of April, Knicks fans will have a lot to cheer about as they see their team run deep into the playoffs.
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