The Post Is Prologue: Magic @ Knicks

Orlando Magic (1-1)
at
New York Knicks (1-2)
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
7:30 P.M.

Following weekend losses to Boston and Portland, the heavy hitters just keep coming as the Knicks face Dwight Howard, Vince Carter and the powerhouse Orlando Magic at the Garden tonight. To make matters potentially worse for the 'bockers, Orlando is coming off a stinging 96-70 rout in Miami. Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, in typical VG fashion, was not pleased with his team's outing in South Beach and I'd have to assume that the players themselves were pretty angry after losing Round 1 of the Squabl for the Sunshine State.

Having swept three games with ease from New York last season, Orlando has to be looking to get well tonight. Vegas has them as 7 point favorites with the over/under at 202. If the Magic cover that spread then I actually have a hard time seeing the game hitting that over. Even when getting blown out by the Heat, they still didn't let up 100 points. I guess that Vegas is looking at the Magic's 112-83 win over Washington in their opener and assuming that the Knicks are good for a few more buckets than the Wiz (while being just as pliant defensively). Perhaps.

With impressive effort in the Knicks' first three games yielding lackluster results I'm keen to see how the ballclub comes out tonight. Has their confidence been shaken or are they also going to come out with a chip on their shoulder because they feel that they had one stolen from them at home by Portland? Hmmm....

Things to Look For:
-Can Danilo Gallinari break out of his slump? How much leash does D'Antoni give him?
-Can the Moz inch his career point total closer to his career foul total? Or, does Dwight Howard have him fouled out before the first TV timeout?
-How does D'Antoni account for Howard? And, after Moz is tethered to the bench with fouls?
-How does Stan Van Gundy account for Amar'e?
-How and when does Amar'e assert himself in this game? Will he play more than 36 minutes f necessary?
-How is the crowd's intensity? It's a midweek game following the home opener. The crowd was TNT on Saturday night, chanting DEEEE-FENSE from the first possession.

In what I aim to be a season-long habit, I've been trading emails today with a blogger who covers the Knicks' opponent. Below you'll find a back-and-forth with Brian Serra, a contributing blogger at Howard the Dunk and the founder of MagicBasketballOnline.com. He's on the Twitter and the Facebook if you're into it.

WWOD?: How does it feel for Florida to be the center of the basketball universe? What, if anything, did you take away from the first Heat-Magic clash?

HtD: Honestly, I think those of us in Orlando enjoyed it quite a bit more when all we had to worry about from Miami was if Wade was going to drop 50 on us or not. However, there is no denying that the fans of both franchises are now talking a lot more smack back and forth than I have ever previously seen.

The first Heat-Magic game last Friday was obviously a disappointment to the Orlando fans and it showed that our undefeated preseason was truly meaningless and that the team is not as far long as we all thought.

WWOD?: Aside from health, what specific factor will determine how far this Magic team goes?

HtD: The team MUST get physically and emotionally stronger. When you get slapped, how do you respond? This was the biggest problem heading into the offseason last year and while everyone seemed to be talking the talk about it being improved, it clearly hasn’t. Unfortunately, this team is riding heavily on Vince Carter right now and his rollercoaster play will likely determine if the Magic are able to return to the Finals or if they head home in the second round.

WWOD?: What is your favorite part of rooting for a team coached by a Van Gundy brother? Least favorite?

HtD: The favorite has to be the Van Gundy mannerisms. He gives great quotes all the time and you love his passion. The thing that seems to wear on fans, and sometimes the players, the most is the constant yelling and screaming. Although I do think he is becoming a little more mild-mannered as he has figured out the players distinct personalities and how far he can/can not push people.

WWOD?: During the second half of his career, Patrick Ewing excelled on offense largely because of his soft touch from midrange and the baseline, do you think that Dwight Howard can develop that shot under Ewing's tutelage? What parts of Howard's offensive game do you expect to develop as he matures?

HtD: Dwight has already begun showing his ability this season to knock down face-up jumpers and is taking them with increased confidence and making us think that we might need to change the name of the site to HowardtheDuncan. The shots he is making and taking now aren’t new to him either. They are things he has worked very hard on in practice and just lacked the confidence to expand them into his regular game. Dwight spent some time this offseason in Houston working with Hakeem Olajuwon and he’s said the biggest take away for him was being 100% confident in the shots he is taking. With Ewing, for whatever reason, he never developed that. However, there is no denying that Patrick has contributed over the last few years to Dwight’s tremendous growth both offensively and defensively.

WWOD?: What unheralded player in your rotation should a Knicks fan keep an eye out for when watching the Magic tonight?

HtD: You mean Knicks fans didn’t buy tickets to tonight’s game to see the return of Chris Duhon?? Duhon aside, the Magic have a very deep bench. J.J. Redick is probably someone the Knicks should keep an eye on as he is the player now that Knicks fans will be praying Andy Rautins turns into in 5 years. When he first came into the league, Redick was slow and undersized. J.J. worked hard every year to turn into a scrappy and versatile player and of course always has the ability to shoot the ball. If Rautins is going to be an NBA success story, he should be studying the history of J.J. Redick.

Also:

The Post is Prologue: Knicks @ Celtics

New York Knicks (1-0)
@
Boston Celtics (1-1)
TD Garden, Boston, MA
7:30 PM

After Wednesday night's season-opening triumph over the Toronto Raptors I noted that several members of the new-look Knicks roster were undefeated in blue and orange. And, I even argued that it was a significant fact as far as it related to the team's sense of self. Well, that status and self image will surely be tested this evening when the Knicks take the floor against the defending Eastern Conference champs in Boston. Vegas has the Celtics rated 9 points better than the Knicks and sets the over/under for the game at 198.5 points. Sounds about right. Although I do think that if Boston covers that spread then the you could probably knock the O/U down to 195.

The veteran Celtics made a statement in dominating (though not actually pulling away from) the SuperFriends of Miami earlier this week on national television. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen looked every bit the genuine article while the Heat seemed, not surprisingly, like a bunch of extremely talented guys who were all introduced to each other on the bus ride over from the hotel. Even Shaq looked useful. The Celtics then went out on the road and lost their second game to the LeBron-less Cavaliers in Cleveland. Not exactly a stirring encore. And probably terrible news for the Knickerbockers. While I do believe that the Knicks can beat this Celtics group, I think the odds would have been much higher if the Celtics weren't still flush in the face after an embarrassing loss.

That being said, this game is a great early-season test. Going back to the unexplained animosity between Quentin Richardson and Paul Pierce and right up through Kevin Garnett's ejection versus the Knicks in the preseason, recent games between these two clubs have contained more live current then the league standings have dictated that they might. Considering the Celtics' last game and the Knicks desire to rebrand themselves as contenders (or at least as being mediocre), I'm expecting fire. the over/under on Kevin Garnett scowls is at 17.5 and I'm willing to stake large amounts on the over.

If the Knicks are to steal this one then I'd suspect that Rajon Rondo's tendency to turn the ball over would figure prominently. The Knicks will need transition hoops to keep pace with a more muscular and efficient Celtics offense.

Things to Look For:
-How does Stoudemire do against KG? Does KG guard him straight up or do the Celtics run all those old centers at him?
-How does Ray Felton cope with Rondo's speed? And can he use his physical strength to get the better of him on the other end? Do we see Toney Douglas defending Rondo a lot?
-What does Chandler bring off the bench? How does that Douglas-led second unit handle itself? Can either Roger Mason Jr. or Bill Walker make any impact?
-Who guards Pierce? I'd love to see some combination of Gallinari and Chandler go at him. One is long and the other is strong.
-Can Landry Fields get through all those screens to stay with Ray Allen? As usual, I think that this game could be decided by Allen's ability to find a rhythm. Does Chandler guard him late?
-Can Gallo get on track? Although he hit a few big shots against Toronto he never really asserted himself.
-And how much does Amar'e assert himself tonight?


In what I aim to be a season-long habit, I've been trading emails today with a blogger who covers the Knicks' opponent. Below you'll find a back-and-forth with one of the contributors at CelticsBlog.

WWOD?: Which made more of an impression: the opening night win over the Heat or the follow-up loss to the Cavs?

CelticsBlog: I'd say the opening night win. The loss the following night can be attributed to taking their opponent for granted along with the Cavs being very motivated in their home opener. Also, it was the second of back to back games for the Celtics along with travel overnight. Not many Celtics fans are concerned about the loss.

WWOD?: After an up-then-down-then-up 2009-2010 season, what do Celtics fans expect this year? What is the least the team can accomplish without being considered a disappointment?

CelticsBlog: The majority of Celtics fans expect a great season. The team is healthy and motivated and very deep. The bench strength has given fans reason for optimism. Anything short of Banner 18 will be a disappointment.

WWOD?: With 5 of the 7 players getting the most run for the Celtics already being age 30 or older and 3 of the team's top 4 players ranging from 33 to 35, what is the urgency level for this season? Does it feel like a last Gasp effort?

CelticsBlog: I have to laugh when people talk about how old the Celtics are and use that as a reason they rank them below the Lakers. In truth, the Lakers are an older team than the Celtics. The Lakers have 9 players 30 or older while the Celtics have just 5 players 30 or older. The Celtics big 3 take excellent care of themselves and all have at least 2 years left on their contracts. This isn't a last gasp effort. This team is very capable of winning it all this season and next season, barring a major injury.

WWOD?: When does the Shaq-Nate comedy revue begin filming episodes?

CelticsBlog: That's a good question. If you followed their exploits in training camp you know that there won't be a dull moment for Celtics fans this season with those two around.

Also:

The Post is Prologue: Knicks @ Warriors

Knicks (21-29)
@
Warriors (17-35)
10:30 P.M. EST
Oracle Arena, Oakland, Calif.

The good thing about the NBA is that there is (almost) always another game. Unlike, football there is ample room to bounce back from a devastating loss. Or a disheartening four-game losing streak. Which is what the Knicks are trying to do tonight on the left coast. The game between the Knickerbockers and the Warriors is being billed as "an entertaining shootout" according to ESPN.com and has the highest OVER/UNDER of tonight's nine-game slate according to Vegas at 231.5

I'm actually hoping for a game that doesn't see that many points scored. Mostly because the Knicks are on the road and have played as tough a stretch as anyone is likely to play this season (and hasn't handled it as well as the Lakers did who played a pretty tough first week of February themselves) over the past eight days. No matter what the Warriors' record is they are not a team that you want to face on a road trip when you're dragging and looking forward to getting home again. Nellie will have his horses run all over you on a night like that. Which is why I'm hoping for a lower scoring game. That way I know the Knicks will be there at the end.

Of course, if the game is too close at the end then we may all get to watch Jamal Crawford hitting a game-winning shot to lift his new team over his old one. Between Jamal's match-up against his onetime teammates and Al Harrington's return to Oakland there are storylines aplenty. I'd imagine that Harrington enters tonight's tilt with a bigger chip on his shoulder as he was shipped out of the Bay Area because he was in Coach Nelson's doghouse. Crawford, on the other hand, knows his Broadway exit stage left was purely business.

Anyways, I'm looking forward to it and gladly willing to drink a few extra cups of coffee in the morning after staying up late to see this one played out.

As (is again becoming) per usual, I've been trading emails today with a blogger who covers the Knicks' opponent. Below you'll find a back-and-forth with noted Warriors blog Fear the Beard.

WWOD?: How's Jamal Crawford doing? I miss him. Sometimes. Is he most accurately described as the Warriors point guard?
FTB: Jamal is doing well. The adjustment process is always a bit strange for players new to Nellieball, and obviously the Dubs are stacked with combo guards and scorers, so sometimes he disappears a bit. But his passing and game stewardship is being utilized more these days with Monta back in the lineup at the two. His defense is coming along as well as this unit starts to mesh.

WWOD?: What's your final impression of Al Harrington, and the swap for Crawford?
FTB: Tough to say. We still don't have a traditional "four" most of the time, except for the rare occasions where Biedrins and Turiaf have taken the floor together. This makes it a little hard to say it was the ideal trade. Nonetheless, Harrington was always going to be the victim in Nellie's system, which places a lot of unusual pressures on the "four" position.

WWOD?: Given the Ellis injury and the departure of the Bearded One in the offseason, what were your expectations heading into the season? What are they right now?
FTB: My expectations were admittedly pretty low coming into the season, but lately (with most of the team being healthy for stretches here and there) it seems like this team might be a little better than I thought. They're still going to have trouble defensively, but it seems that Crawford's continued development as a floor general and maybe one good trade could get them back into the mix in the west. Next season at least.

WWOD?: It seems like almost every time that I watch the Warriors (which is probably no more than 2 or 3 times a month when their games are nationally broadcast) that I hear about some other young player in Nellie's doghouse. Is his relationship with the players on the roster becoming a problem or do those in the rotation appreciate his my-way-or-the-highway approach?
FTB: Probably safe to say that young players are always going to chafe a bit in his system for a year or two. Unless they are absolutely brilliant, finished products upon arrival. Even Chris Webber was in his doghouse. Chris Mullin too. It's almost a rite of passage in his psychological approach I'm thinking.

WWOD?: With Baron Davis, Jason Richardson, Harrington and Pietrus gone, do you still think that your current squad can look to build on the 2007 upset over Dallas? Or has the franchise really started fresh? Is the most lasting legacy of that playoff series the renewal of local interest in the team?
FTB: It's a new team and a new day. Most of the key figures in the playoff upset have left the building, so I would say that the legacy is really passion, for the fans and the remaining players. The culture of losing was vanquished at least temporarily, and that's better than not at all.

The Post is (Epilogue and) Prologue: Wizards @ Knicks

Knicks (15-22)
@
Wizards (7-31)
Verizon Center
7:00 p.m.

I love the home and home. Just love it. It's a mental/emotional test for a team no matter how the first game plays out. Ego comes in to play because nobody wants to lose to the same group two games in a row. Things get testy. I'm looking forward to an angry game tonight from both teams. I think the Knicks are anxious to extend their mini-streak and I know that the Wiz don't want to lose to the Knicks for the fourth time this season.

Perhaps it's just inertia or the ghost of Gilbert Arenas, but I still see the Wizards as a dangerous team in spite of their 7-31 record. Or at least, I see them as a danger to these Knicks. They've got two players who participated in last year's all-star game suiting up tonight. That's two more than we've got. Apparently Vegas agrees. The Wizards are giving the Knicks 2.5 points. They're also winning this game 62% of the time according to ESPN.com's Accuscore. My guess is that these two facts say more about the overall lack of confidence in the Knicks to win a third straight game than it actually does about the ability of the Wizards to win one.

As (is again becoming) per usual, I've been trading emails today with a blogger who covers the Knicks' opponent. Below you'll find a back-and-forth with noted Wizards blog Bullets Forever. I answered a few questions for them that were posted over at their shop before Wednesday night's Knicks game.

WWOD?: First of all, welcome to the bad team's club. Secondly, how did you end up here? Was 7-31 something that crossed your mind before the season began?
BF: I figured we’d struggle once Brendan Haywood went down for the season. Haywood’s always been criminally underrated as the lynchpin of our defense and on the offensive glass. Gilbert Arenas’ third knee surgery was big, but Haywood’s loss was bigger. But I can’t say I expected 7-31 bad. The fan in me kept thinking optimistically, hoping that Arenas would return, hoping that Haywood’s so-so defensive plus/minus numbers in 07/08 (at least compared to previous seasons, when his presence single handily made us a league-average unit when he was on the floor) was a sign that we didn’t need to lean on him as heavily on that end. Obviously, those were just empty hopes.

WWOD?: For a few seasons I made a point of paying for tickets when the Wizards were visiting MSG because I always wanted to see Gilbert Arenas play. For me, he made those appointment games. But now I almost feel like I will avoid buying tickets to see the Wiz so that I don't have to deal with the disappointment of having paid for tickets only to learn he's hurt the week before the game. At this point, what's the vibe in the District about Agent Zero and his contract?
BF: Umm…the detractors feel vindicated, I suppose? There was always a ton of objection to the deal, particularly because there’s a vocal minority of Wizards fans that believe Arenas wasn’t worth the money even when he was healthy. Ernie Grunfeld clearly took a major risk with the deal (though reports are that it was Abe Pollin move) and it doesn’t look like that risk has worked thus far.
But there still is a lot of time on that deal left for Arenas to perhaps turn it around, even if the signs point increasingly to the opposing view.

Personally, I always felt the move was justified based on the circumstances of the team. Letting Arenas walk either indicates you’re rebuilding or that the Arenas-less team of 2007/08 had a legitimate chance to make noise in the East. The latter view is pure lunacy, as indicated by the team’s lack of success this season. The former is a big risk in and of itself, particularly when, to sign any marquee free agent last year, the team would have also had to get rid of Antawn Jamison. You’re then left with a 28-year old Caron Butler, several veteran role players, a ton of kids that aren’t necessarily can’t-miss prospects and maybe enough cap room to sign Corey Maggette or Luol Deng. Not exactly promising either, at least not until the long process of clearing out bad contracts occurs. Washington doesn’t necessarily have this luxury in the same way New York does, since Washington isn’t the draw for free agents like New York.

Still, if Arenas continues to stay hurt, Ernie and the organization should definitely be held accountable. So yes, I suppose there is an ever-growing group of fans justifiably exhibiting buyers remorse.

WWOD?: Eddie Jordan was fired the day after the Knicks beat the Wiz in DC with just seven players. If the Wiz win that game does Jordan still have a job?
BF: Probably, but it was only a matter of time before he would be ousted. He and Ernie never were on the same page. Ernie has always wanted a more defensive-oriented coach, but Abe Pollin hired Eddie before Ernie, and Eddie exhibited enough success where it would look bad if Ernie fired him. Ernie was just waiting for the right moment to lay down the hammer. If it wasn’t that game, it would have been another.

WWOD?: What's the deal with Interim Head Coach Ed Tapscott? Is he a viable candidate to take over this team permanently? Or is he a patsy to take the many falls that the Wiz have ahead of them this season?
BF: He’s a patsy. At least I hope. It’s become clear that he has no real power and that he is continuing to favor many of his veterans over the team’s young guys. That’s slowly starting to change, but it should have happened sooner.

WWOD?: I know little about Tapscott but the quotes of his that I've read have been pretty darn good. My favorite may be "A day without Jamison would be a day without sunshine for me." Even though Antawn Jamison is having a heck of a first half, are ready to equate him with the life-giving sun?
BF: No. But Antawn’s having one of the best seasons of his career, shooting the ball extremely well and continuing to rebound well (one theory was that Haywood made his life easier, but that’s somewhat been shattered). If he wasn’t on the Wizards, he’d get more all-star consideration.

WWOD?: After having worked under the brothers Van Gundy in Houston and Orlando, could DC be the place where former Hoya Destroya Patrick Ewing earns his first head coaching gig?
BF: Dear God I hope not. What exactly are Ewing’s qualifications? And you want to put a man in charge who’s major weakness as a player was his aloofness. No thanks.

WWOD?: I know all about what Caron Butler and Jamison are capable of doing on the court, but what under-the-radar player should I be paying attention to during tonight's game?
BF: Watch Nick Young. He’s been scoring extremely well in the past couple games (as you saw when he went off for a career high on Wednesday) and is finally getting the playing time he’s always deserved.

WWOD?: The Wizards picked Jared Jeffries with the 11th pick in the 2002 draft and then declined to match the free agent offer he received from the Knicks a few years ago. Was this because the Wiz weren't that high on him or because the Knicks offered an illogical amount of cash?
BF: Both. Probably mostly the latter.

WWOD?: Looking back over the past decade+ a lot of players have come through your town and moved on (Mitch Richmond, Rod Strickland, Chris Webber, Rasheed, MJ, Oak, Ben Wallace, etc.) Who are the players that Wizards fans really consider as your guys?
BF: Gilbert Arenas. Wes Unseld?

WWOD?: Lastly, Charles Oakley played 514 minutes for Washington during the course of 42 games during the 2002-03 season. Which was your favorite?
BF: Favorite Oak game? None of them. He was such a cancer on that team, hate to say it.