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1 - Gwmayhem
- Buff & Blue Club
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OT: Knick Fans, Rejoice!
Some odds and ends from a lifelong Knick fan:
1) As any Knick fan is saying this morning, this run has been nothing short of remarkable. Critics will be quick to point out how weak the eastern conference is this year and there is obviously some level of truth to this. However, the Knicks are just destroying everyone they play. They missed out on having to play (without home court advantage) against Detroit and Boston, but I am fully convinced they would have achieved this same level of success against Detroit. Boston would have been more of a war, IMO.
2) I am not old enough to recall the two 1950's NBA Finals appearances but am old enough to remember the two NBA Championships. The mantra of those teams was "to find the open man" which was another way of saying "sacrifice your ego and play as a team." This year's team is truly reminiscent of those teams. The teams that reached the finals in the 90's played an overly aggressive defensive style taught by Pat Riley and later refined by Jeff Van Gundy. They were overly reliant on Ewing though they did reach the finals without him (hence, Bill Simmons's "The Ewing Theory" was born.
3) When we're not talking about the most successful Knick teams, we're left to discuss a sea of mediocrity at best and a flat-out clown show at worst. There was the Bernie and Ernie show, the Bob McAdoo Knicks, the "can Lonnie Shelton really be the best player on the team?" Knicks? Ewing pulled them out of the muck and more towards respectability, but even since the team's last Finals appearance in 1999, no Knick playoff team could ever have been perceived as a legitimate threat to win it all.
4) The move to replace Thibs with Mike Brown raised many eyebrows at the time. What would the logic be behind replacing a coach who had just lost in the conference finals? In retrospect, it is now much easier to see that a different voice was needed to lead the team. While you can look at how well the Knick bench is playing this year compared to last year when TT barely played his bench, I would also point to some of the less tangible coaching aspects. These Knicks are playing with astounding confidence and coaching has plenty to do with that. The team is playing so well that nothing about this run can begin to resemble a fluke.
5) I read a great comparison of this team to the 2012 Dallas Mavericks who were also a #3 seed and then beat the newly formed Superteam in Miami led by LeBron, DWade and Bosh. So does that mean the Knicks can keep this up and knock off the Thunder or Spurs? My take on this is that the Western Conference champ will be heavily favored and rightfully so. The logic behind writing this post today is an admission that the Knicks likely will fall in the finals. However, at the start of these playoffs, there was literally nobody that would have given the Knicks a chance in the finals against either of these teams. The only interesting discussion would have been whether the Knicks would lose in 4 or 5 games. While it may very well still work out this way, there is no denying that something has radically changed. These Knicks are playing fast, moving and passing the ball with great proficiency, rebounding on both ends, getting defensive stops, and my God, knocking down shots. Take away Mitchell Robinson's free throw shooting and it's looked very close to perfection this past 5-6 weeks. They will undoubtedly continue to play at the pace and style that they desire and if a better team beats them, they will have at least put their best foot forward. So no, I'm not expecting a Knick Championship, but I'm also not ruling one out either.
- gwfan25
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Re: OT: Knick Fans, Rejoice!
If our Knicks can do it, GW can
- H&R..71
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Re: OT: Knick Fans, Rejoice!
A few things became clear with this Knick team. Instead of Thibs running his team into the ground, Brown gave a masterclass in bench utilization. Who expected former shocker Landry Shamet to play out of his mind? Or Townes becoming a facilitator? It's also a great story being written on winning by playing the right way with a Villanova championship mentality. Just shows that teams evolve over the course of a season with roles being filled unexpectedly.
Funny how even coaches of the year, or winning championships get fired soon after. Atkinson and Brown coached together in GS I think. How ironic. Nurse, Budenholzer, Malone to name a few. That's why I think CC needs a few more seasons.
Congrats to the Knicks on taking the east. While the west may go 7 in a blood bath, the well healed and rested Knicks will be tough to beat. Hart, Bridges, Anunoby, and Brunson are Dawgs. Fun time in NYC.
- DC Native
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Re: OT: Knick Fans, Rejoice!
Congratulations to all my friends from NY! You all have waited a long time and deserve this, and I hope your team represents well in the Finals. Meanwhile in DC... Well, let's just say that I'm 53 years old and have no memory of the last time the Bullets/Wizards had a 50 win season or played in a conference championship (which last happened when I was 6).
- GWRising
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Re: OT: Knick Fans, Rejoice!
As a lifelong Knicks fan, I haven't been able to get much work done today. Suffice it to say, that I didn't sleep much last night either. Let's hope it continues! The ride has been incredible so far.
DC Native, as for the Wizards, while the Knicks have generally shown more life (but not that much more lol) than the Wizards over the years, I think the Wizards may have turned a corner with some of their recent moves and pending first pick. Better days are likely ahead.
- Long Suffering Fan
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Re: OT: Knick Fans, Rejoice!
I go back to the Bellamy/Komives/Van Arsdale days. While at GW, we would travel to Civic Center to watch them play the Bullets. Even saw an NBA game at Cole Fieldhouse. And while at Creighton Law, I saw the Knicks play the KC-Omaha Kings at the Omaha Civic Center. I have paid my dues since 1973. This 11 game playoff winning streak was some of the best sustained basketball I have ever seen. i qm loving it. Anyone else remember going to the Garden as a kid for either an NBA doubleheader or an NBA/College doubleheader? Got in dirt cheap with your G.O. cards. Then maybe out to Tads for a good steak dinner after the game. Good memories.
- Poog
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Re: OT: Knick Fans, Rejoice!
Long Suffering Fan wrote:
I go back to the Bellamy/Komives/Van Arsdale days. While at GW, we would travel to Civic Center to watch them play the Bullets. Even saw an NBA game at Cole Fieldhouse. And while at Creighton Law, I saw the Knicks play the KC-Omaha Kings at the Omaha Civic Center. I have paid my dues since 1973. This 11 game playoff winning streak was some of the best sustained basketball I have ever seen. i qm loving it. Anyone else remember going to the Garden as a kid for either an NBA doubleheader or an NBA/College doubleheader? Got in dirt cheap with your G.O. cards. Then maybe out to Tads for a good steak dinner after the game. Good memories.
Bellamy and Van Arsdale (both Dick and Tom) mean childhood IU basketball to me. Both twins were penciled in on my Bas-Ket game flipping in ping pong balls from the wings.
- The Other MG
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Re: OT: Knick Fans, Rejoice!
LSF, I go back even a little further, and remember Butch Komives, Bellamy, Jumpin’ Johnny Green, Lenny Chappell, Artie Heyman, Bob Boozer (what was odd about his free throws?), Emmitt Bryant, and the rest. I remember when they drafted Jim (Bad News) Barnes in the first round and Willis Reed in the second round. $.50 GO/SO tickets in the nosebleed section, and sometimes even a double header! Our go-to meal was a Nedick’s hot dog and orange drink. The smell of the old Garden, and the D train from The Bronx..
Before that, my dad took me to see the old Richie Guerin, Kenny Sears, Willie Naulls, and Carl Braun teams.
- Long Suffering Fan
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Re: OT: Knick Fans, Rejoice!
So many of my fond memories from my youth are rapped around the Knicks. I was at Bill Bradley's first pro game after he returned from Oxford. MG...(or others) Do you remember the draft coin toss that we landed up winning but made the wrong selection with the #1. The person we did get, however, was very good also.
- The Other MG
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Re: OT: Knick Fans, Rejoice!
LSF, I remember when they drafted Cazzie Russell instead of Dave Bing, but that might not be who you’re referring to. Cazzie was definitely the flashier player, and a beast in college, but Dave Bing was an all time great. Very under appreciated, like Lenny Wilkens was, but an excellent player for many years. Maybe he didn’t get his due because he played for the Pistons, and they were not a sexy team at that time. Better than Walt Frazier, in my opinion, and I loved Clyde.
- AT Hiker
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Re: OT: Knick Fans, Rejoice!
I will add this memory to the conversation: In 1969 as Sports Editor of the Hatchet I went to a game between the Bullets and the Cincinnati Royals in Baltimore. After the end of a high scoring game I chased Royals coach Bob Cousy and asked him why the defense was so poor in the game. He glared at me and walked away.
- Poog
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Re: OT: Knick Fans, Rejoice!
I will add this memory to the conversation: In 1969 as Sports Editor of the Hatchet I went to a game between the Bullets and the Cincinnati Royals in Baltimore. After the end of a high scoring game I chased Royals coach Bob Cousy and asked him why the defense was so poor in the game. He glared at me and walked away.
Did you really think he would answer a question shouted through a yellow megaphone?
- Long Suffering Fan
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Re: OT: Knick Fans, Rejoice!
I will add this memory to the conversation: In 1969 as Sports Editor of the Hatchet I went to a game between the Bullets and the Cincinnati Royals in Baltimore. After the end of a high scoring game I chased Royals coach Bob Cousy and asked him why the defense was so poor in the game. He glared at me and walked away.
BINGO! That is precisely the coin toss I was referring to. Knicks took Cazzie Russell, a very good player, after winning the toss, leaving future star (and future mayor of Detroit) to the Pistons.
- Wisconsin Colonial 1974
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Re: OT: Knick Fans, Rejoice!
Bullets v. Royals at the old Baltimore Civic Center, which had a big curtain on one end? Near “The block?”
- Long Suffering Fan
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Re: OT: Knick Fans, Rejoice!
Bullets v. Royals at the old Baltimore Civic Center, which had a big curtain on one end? Near “The block?”
That's the one. With the big curtain. Close to Club Tic Toc. (Or was it Tic Toc Club?)
- The Other MG
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Re: OT: Knick Fans, Rejoice!
I went to a couple of games there, and I couldn’t believe the curtain at an NBA game. I don’t remember the teams they played, but I do remember the great Earl the Pearl, Wes Unseld, Jack Marin, Kevin Loughery (hated him), and the amazing Gus Johnson (loved him).
- GWRising
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Re: OT: Knick Fans, Rejoice!
There were three players on at least one of the Knicks two championship teams (meaning they could have played for either) who also played for the Bullets. Can you name them? One is easy. The other two less obvious.
- Gwmayhem
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Re: OT: Knick Fans, Rejoice!
Earl Monroe, Mike Riordan and Dave Stallworth? (Just loved those Knick teams.)
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Thread Starter- GWRising
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Re: OT: Knick Fans, Rejoice!
Earl Monroe, Mike Riordan and Dave Stallworth? (Just loved those Knick teams.)
Correct!
There were a couple of later ones in the 1970's that most people forget too. Tom McMillen and Spencer Haywood.
- Long Suffering Fan
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Re: OT: Knick Fans, Rejoice!
While we are waxing nostalgic, Mike Riordan's cousin, Tim Riordan, played one year for GW, after which he became an intramural referee. In the past few years, we saw Tim at a couple of GW games in the NY vicinity. (May have been a pregame reception at Fordham or at Mohegan Sun vs. South Carolina, the game which caused me PTSD symptoms.