Most important aspect lot of Knick fans are missing.

[SHOULDA COULDA]

PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE

The team has not been able to practice at all, you cannot understate how important that is for a basketball team.

Knicks have been playing every other day, schedule has been brutal and their record obviously has been awesome despite lots of adversity.

Let our guys get back from injuries, get some practice time, rest up a bit and then I think you will start to see the team from the beginning of the season emerge again.

Just think lately guys are playing way too many minutes, way too many games.

When you don't practice consistently it hurts your cohesion on the court and hurts your ability to get out of funks.

Thankfully, January is a light month, and our guys will be back finally.

Excited for the possibilities and the future.

Some Knick fans need to stop overreacting and calm down, were a solid team that has flaws we need to work on.......in PRACTICE!!

[AIMelo=KillaDUO]

You talkin about the practice?

[D-Leethal]

We knew Dec. was the most brutal month of the season for us, at the tail end some injuries, fatigue and crappy play are bound to set in. This has been first wave of the season. We started off the hottest team in the league and came back to life. A lot of our players did the same individually. Other teams started slow and got hot late. Lakers look like one of them. Rockets look like one of them. Clips lost 6 in a row and followed up with 13 straight wins. This is not the first or last time we'll see that happen this season to a number of teams including our own. Other teams like Grizz and Spurs have come back to life with us after hot starts. OKC just lost 2 in a row. Nobody sustains that type of winning throughout the entire season.

People need to put losing in perspective and recognize were not going to win every game, and as a team likely going to win 55 games or so, were gonna rack up 20 or more losses. Some of them will be a hell of a lot worse than losing to a hot Laker team in Hollywood. Get used to it, we play 82 games.

[KnickerBockerAL]

We knew Dec. was the most brutal month of the season for us, at the tail end some injuries, fatigue and crappy play are bound to set in. This has been first wave of the season. We started off the hottest team in the league and came back to life. A lot of our players did the same individually. Other teams started slow and got hot late. Lakers look like one of them. Rockets look like one of them. Clips lost 6 in a row and followed up with 13 straight wins. This is not the first or last time we'll see that happen this season to a number of teams including our own. Other teams like Grizz and Spurs have come back to life with us after hot starts. OKC just lost 2 in a row. Nobody sustains that type of winning throughout the entire season.

People need to put losing in perspective and recognize were not going to win every game, and as a team likely going to win 55 games or so, were gonna rack up 20 or more losses. Some of them will be a hell of a lot worse than losing to a hot Laker team in Hollywood. Get used to it, we play 82 games.

Another thing, as of right now, we've lost the same amount of games in December as we did in November. With the next two games being PHX and Sacramento we should be able to match the 11-4 start that we had in November. (someone correct me if im wrong on that)

[D-Leethal]

Another thing, as of right now, we've lost the same amount of games in December as we did in November. With the next two games being PHX and Sacramento we should be able to match the 11-4 start that we had in November. (someone correct me if im wrong on that)

That is correct.

And from Nov 28 - Dec 15 we rallied off 9 out of 10 W's.

[KnickerBockerAL]

That is correct.

And from Nov 28 - Dec 15 we rallied off 9 out of 10 W's.

i'll take 11-4 every month of the season. Fine by me.

[nycericanguy]

I dont think practice has much to do with it, this is a veteran team and we had a full training camp.

we're getting good shots, really it comes down to us hitting them, especially Felton. It's REAL tough to win on the road against good teams if ANYONE on the team goes 5-19

once he starts knocking them down it will open up other thigns for us.

[Quietmoney]

I dont think practice has much to do with it, this is a veteran team and we had a full training camp.

we're getting good shots, really it comes down to us hitting them, especially Felton. It's REAL tough to win on the road against good teams if ANYONE on the team goes 5-19

once he starts knocking them down it will open up other thigns for us.

Yeah.. Once he starts knocking them down or stop shooting them. Me, I prefer the latter.

[Backstabber]

Imagine us matching the 11-4 record from November, that would be very impressive considering they we both pretty difficult schedules. We started both months without Amare and Shump. We ended December without Amare, Shump, Wallace and had key injuries to Brewer/Felton/Camby (the walking wounded).

Our guard play (offensively) is becoming somewhat of an issue, mostly Felton in a shooting slump. But a lot of Felton's shots are wide open, some of his poor shooting must be his injuries. In the end, other teams have adjusted to our style of play, now Woody has to make adjustments.

[still a fan]

I dont think practice has much to do with it, this is a veteran team and we had a full training camp.

we're getting good shots, really it comes down to us hitting them, especially Felton. It's REAL tough to win on the road against good teams if ANYONE on the team goes 5-19

once he starts knocking them down it will open up other thigns for us.

no not true at all, for example if the opposition has time to practice and prepare which it appears they have and we don't its huge.

This thread is spot on and even Woody has said he can't practice or he'll kill his players, and why Amare is with he D-league.

Just having chalk board and walk thru's believe me is not enough.

Woody can only discuss what can be done when they take chandler out, and double Melo and let Brewer shoot.

When he can have a full practice to prepare his team I also think results will be different.

A couple fans with that 11-4 put things pretty much in perspective

But I'm not counting those games wins till we win. Crazy year all around so far

[D-Leethal]

Imagine us matching the 11-4 record from November, that would be very impressive considering they we both pretty difficult schedules. We started both months without Amare and Shump. We ended December without Amare, Shump, Wallace and had key injuries to Brewer/Felton/Camby (the walking wounded).

Our guard play (offensively) is becoming somewhat of an issue, mostly Felton in a shooting slump. But a lot of Felton's shots are wide open, some of his poor shooting must be his injuries. In the end, other teams have adjusted to our style of play, now Woody has to make adjustments.

No doubt. Teams are no longer letting our guys step into wide open 3s. They are running them off the 3 point line knowing our guys struggle to create off the dribble in the lane (guys like Kidd and Novak). We need to adjust offensively to get our guys out of these slumps and we need to shore up the defense to get it back to the point it was in the beginning of the season.

Its not unheard of for teams to come out guns blazing in the defensive department and come back to earth around this time. Its tough to keep up that sort of intensity for 82 games but we definitely need a few practices to reinforce it.

All in all, despite the things we all complain about, our team is in a great position and in a way better position than anyone here really dreamt of before the season started. And it only gets better from here with Shump and Amare coming back and the schedule lightening up from here on out.

[SHOULDA COULDA]

I'm not buying the "Same Old Knicks" mantra or saying it was just a mirage that some fans and media types are portraying. They have definately slipped defensively, rotations are not as crisp and are a step slower than earlier in the year, that's why they need to practice. Saying practice is not important or is overrated well... is just plain idiotic, I'm sorry. This is a solid team that needs to get back in the gym and figure things out and they will but this doomsday mentality because they looked sluggish in a few games Im not all that concerned.

[Shawn2timer]

Yeah.. Once he starts knocking them down or stop shooting them. Me, I prefer the latter.

I like his aggressiveness going to the paint, and he can take the open shot every time as far as I'm concerned. But homeboy has no business taking contested jumpers when he's shooting the way he is. His shot attempts should go down considerably once stat and iman get back.

As far as this thread goes. Couldn't agree more. Time off, practice, fresh legs, increased chemistry are things that people continue to under rate. Mind boggling.

[PJAF]

We knew Dec. was the most brutal month of the season for us, at the tail end some injuries, fatigue and crappy play are bound to set in. This has been first wave of the season. We started off the hottest team in the league and came back to life. A lot of our players did the same individually. Other teams started slow and got hot late. Lakers look like one of them. Rockets look like one of them. Clips lost 6 in a row and followed up with 13 straight wins. This is not the first or last time we'll see that happen this season to a number of teams including our own. Other teams like Grizz and Spurs have come back to life with us after hot starts. OKC just lost 2 in a row. Nobody sustains that type of winning throughout the entire season.

People need to put losing in perspective and recognize were not going to win every game, and as a team likely going to win 55 games or so, were gonna rack up 20 or more losses. Some of them will be a hell of a lot worse than losing to a hot Laker team in Hollywood. Get used to it, we play 82 games.

Word.

[nycericanguy]

no not true at all, for example if the opposition has time to practice and prepare which it appears they have and we don't its huge.

This thread is spot on and even Woody has said he can't practice or he'll kill his players, and why Amare is with he D-league.

Just having chalk board and walk thru's believe me is not enough.

Woody can only discuss what can be done when they take chandler out, and double Melo and let Brewer shoot.

When he can have a full practice to prepare his team I also think results will be different.

A couple fans with that 11-4 put things pretty much in perspective

But I'm not counting those games wins till we win. Crazy year all around so far

Sorry, don't buy it.

Main reason we are losing is missing shots, plain and simple. Not lack of practice.

Brewer went from shooting 40% from 3 to disappearing, Felton has shot around 33% almost this whole month, and Kidd's 3pt shooting has come down to earth.

That's pretty much it. And of course losing Sheed has hurt our overall depth.