Stephen Curry Works Out with Knicks

News today revolves around basketball as Stephen Curry worked out at the Knicks Training Center in Westchester. Curry had a good workout from all reports, though media weren't allowed to watch the workouts, and he still wants to be a Knick.

The former Davidson stand-out has made it known to all that he would love to play at Madison Square Garden and in Mike D'Antoni's run-and-gun system. Curry, a point guard, has a tremendous three-point shot and can be a big factor in the Knicks' future plans (which include adding LeBron James after this season).

Curry told reporters he was happy with his workout today and hopes he impressed those watching. When asked what kind of player he'll be in the NBA, he responded, "A great one." Curry also noted that he would be able to play better with a lot of talented players around him (who wouldn't?), so it's clear he could thrive adding LeBron to the mix.

With the Knicks picking 8th, the big question is if Curry will be available by then. Other teams have talked about trading up to get him. I think if he's there, and the Knicks don't trade up or down, they'll take Curry. He's a great shooter, can really do well in D'Antoni's offense, and loves the idea of playing in NY. It would be a good fit.

If the Knicks don't take him, other guys in their sights are Jrue Holiday, who also worked out today and said he could've done better, Jonny Flynn, who dominated running the point this year for Syracuse, and Ty Lawson, who helped lead North Carolina to the national championship. I like Flynn, having watched him in person. He can pass, shoot, compete, and lead. He's a great all-around player that will thrive running the point in the NBA. His small size is the only concern.

The Return

After a long time away from the blog to finish up schoolwork and get settled back at home, I have returned to revive this blog. I want to get back up and running, giving you all the best I have to offer regarding NY-area sports. For my first post, I want to look at all the of current head coaches/managers and take a look at who has done the best job. Few have been around for a while (Coughlin) while many are just getting started (Manuel, Tortorella, Gordon). However, let's take a look at what they've done so far, see who's done the best and worst job, and who has potential for future success:

Joe Girardi

Team: New York Yankees

Arrived: October 30, 2007 (hired by Yankees)

Record: 116-93

Playoffs: None

Overall Consensus: Girardi had big shoes to fill after Joe Torre left, and has been okay so far. The Yanks didn't make the playoffs in his first season, missing out on October baseball for the first time since 1993. In '09, the Yanks have shown some signs of life and increasing chemistry. He continues to make questionable decisions but overall has done a decent job. I think he'll continue to have success, find his way back into the playoffs, and has a chance at a championship. However, he won't have the same success that Torre did.

Jerry Manuel
Team: New York Mets

Arrived: June 17, 2008 (replaced Willie Randolph)
Record: 72-52
Playoffs: None
Overall Consensus: Manuel took over for Randolph midseason in '08 and helped stabilize a struggling Mets team, only to watch them collapse in September for a 2nd year in a row. The team removed his interim tag, and he's started 2009 off okay despite the team being riddled with injuries. It still seems like he has some relationship issues with players in the clubhouse, namely Jose Reyes, but overall he has held down the fort. If he's going to be successful, he needs to find a way to get the team focusing on the fundamentals of baseball (baserunning especially) and prevent another choke job late in the season. I think it's possible.

Tom Coughlin

Team: New York Giants
Arrived: January 6, 2004 (hired by Giants)
Record: 47-33
Playoffs: 4 times (Super Bowl Champs in 2008, lost NFC divisional game to Eagles in '09, lost NFC wild card games to Panthers and Eagles in '06 and '07, respectively)
Overall Consensus: Tom Coughlin has been around the longest among the NY sports coaches and has done a fine job. The team has made the playoffs in four out to his five seasons at the helm and has won a Super Bowl as well. Not much to complain about here. As long as he keeps the team in the playoffs, he has the talent on the roster to keep them mentioned in Super Bowl talks year after year.

Rex Ryan
Team: New York Jets
Arrived: January 21, 2009 (hired after Eric Mangini was fired)
Record: None, was with Ravens who were 5-11 in 2008
Playoffs: None, won Super Bowl in 2000 with Ravens as Defensive Line Coach
Overall Consensus: Eric Mangini didn't fulfill the dreams of Jets fans, and now, Rex Ryan has the chance to do that. He stresses defense, a major issue for the Jets last season, and brings in a lock-down package that has been lacking in recent years. He still has to figure out who will be the starting QB in 2009 (Kellen Clemens or Mark Sanchez) and who his wide receivers will be, but he has the foundation for a playoff team. He has the potential to succeed but needs to build up his offense a little more.

Mike D'Antoni
Team: New York Knicks
Arrived: May 10, 2008 (hired by Knicks)
Record: 32-50
Playoffs: None, made playoffs previous 4 seasons as Head Coach of the Suns
Overall Consensus: D'Antoni has a major, major task to try and build this Knicks team into a winner. The organization is banking on a big free agent signing in 2010 (namely, Lebron), but as of now, the team is very weak. They have some bright spots in David Lee and Nate Robinson, and showed brief success in 08-09, but not enough to warrant a playoff berth. I don't think he finishes his time in NY with an NBA title, but I do think if he's around after 2010, he can lead the team back to the playoffs.

John Tortorella
Team: New York Rangers
Arrived: February 23, 2009 (hired by Rangers after firing Tom Renney)
Record: 12-7-2
Playoffs: Once in 2008-09, Rangers lost to Capitals in 1st Round
Overall Consensus: He was brought in after Tom Renney was let go to lead the Rangers into the playoffs, and he accomplished that. After blowing a 3-1 series lead, it is now his job to help restructure the team to his liking and use a full season to build a team that can go deep into the playoffs. He has a good style of play that's aggressive and stresses scoring, but lacks a big-time scorer. If he can nab someone like Ilya Kovalchuk, the Rangers have a great mix of young and old talent that can lead to success. He can have a temper though, and he needs to learn to keep his cool. No more squirting water on fans behind the bench! I say he brings the Rangers back to the playoffs, but won't win a Stanley Cup during his time at The Garden.

Scott Gordon
Team: New York Islanders
Arrived: August 12, 2008 (hired by Islanders after firing Ted Nolan)
Record: 26-45-9
Playoffs: None
Overall Consensus: Just like D'Antoni, he has a tall task to take this team of youngsters and bring them to the playoffs and beyond. The Islanders are the joke of the league and will not get any true, proven talent as long as they are playing at Nassau Coliseum. Until they get their new arena, IF they get a new arena, they will continue to struggle because simply, no one wants to play there and fans don't want to go and watch. I don't see a bright future for Gordon and the Islanders, and I think he's gone before the end of the upcoming season.

That does it for this debate. I left out Lawrence Frank (Nets) and Brent Sutter (Devils) since they're mostly NJ. However, Frank had some early success with the Nets but has struggled since, and Sutter has helped the Devils continue making the playoffs and will do so with the teams he keeps producing. Let me know your thoughts on all of the coaches.

In addition, since baseball is in high swing, I will try and do some liveblogging later on tonight with the Yanks at Cleveland and the Mets hosting the Marlins. I will especially be active with this when the Yanks and Mets play each other in June. Until then, I plan on being more active once again!

Around New York on a Wednesday in February

Hey Everyone. So today I figured I'd cover a whole mess of New York sports news considering there were so many teams in action and other news today. So, here we go:

Yankees:
Beat the Blue Jays 6-1 in their first spring training game of the season. A-Rod was booed and responded with a homer. Brett Gardner hit one as well. Very impressive to see the little guy show he has some power and on the second pitch of the game no less. I think this guy desperately wants to make the team and will have a monster spring to prove he deserves the center field spot. Pitchers threw fairly well so that's a good sign. Overall, solid start for the Yanks.

Mets:
Also started off the spring well with a 9-3 rout of the Orioles. Biggest surprises were four RBI's for Luis Castillo and three for Ryan Church. It would be huge for the Mets to have a good campaign from Castillo after a mediocre start with the team. It's also important that Church shows he can still play well after his concussion problems last year. Pitching was alright but no one very important threw. Again, good beginning.

Rangers:
In their first game under new Head Coach John Tortorella, the Rangers showed more of the same and lost in a shootout 2-1 in Toronto. The team is just incapable of scoring. They had a ton of opportunities and got more shots on net but failed to capitalize. Nice to see Wade Redden get in the goal column for the first time since the home opener on October 10th. The team looked a little more lively but continues to struggle scoring goals every game.

Knicks:
Another game that looked close at the end, but a lackluster effort at the beginning did them in. Mike D'Antoni was as irate as I've ever seen in the first half when his team failed to shoot well from the field and lacked communication on defense. It was like the Knicks just came out half asleep. The second half was much better, and I was impressed with Danilo Gallinari's shooting. However, Larry Hughes and Chris Wilcox failed to impress, and the team as a whole will need to play well for 48 minutes every night if they want to get in the playoffs.

Jets:
The long relationship with Laveranues Coles is over after the Jets and the receiver parted ways. Now, he can still come back as a free agent, but I think the Jets might go after a guy like Marvin Harrison or someone else to help boost a struggling Jets offense. Coles is a great receiver, but he was never part of the Jets' prime plans last year. It would be smarter for the Jets to get someone who can be more of a primary option.

Giants:
Brandon Jacobs was locked up for four years in a deal that was important to keep the Giants running game as superb as it's been. Jacobs has had to deal with injuries, but he provides a power running game that not too many have in the NFL. Not much to say about this, but the Giants made the right move by keeping him in a blue jersey.

Knicks Make Splash at Deadline

Maybe a ripple instead of a splash, but they did go out and make a couple decent moves. First, they traded a bunch of players who really had no role on the team for a pair of guys who could be instrumental in getting the Knicks to a playoff spot. The Knicks sent the trio of Tim Thomas, Jerome James, and Anthony Roberson for Larry Hughes, then traded Malik Rose and cash for Chris Wilcox.

Now, neither of these players the Knicks obtained have done much of anything this year. However, now in a new system, they have the chance to thrive again. The Knicks have not had a player that can function well enough as a 2-guard since they traded Jamal Crawford to Golden State. Hughes can fill that role and create a strong backcourt with Chris Duhon. He's had success, averaging 12 points per game this season and the previous two. Chris Wilcox can help add another big man and has the potential to be another factor off a solid Knicks bench.

Overall, these aren't any jaw-dropping moves. However, Knicks fans are happy over this and they should be. The team got two improvements over the crop they gave up and did not trade Nate Robinson, David Lee, or Wilson Chandler to do so. I feel like the Knicks rely so much on how these three have been playing that giving up any of them would've been stupid. Take a look:

Robinson (off the bench): 17 points, 4 rebounds a game, 45% shooter
Lee: 17 points, 12 rebounds a game, 56% shooter, Tied for 1st in the league in double-doubles.
Chandler: 14 points, 5 rebounds a game, 43% shooter

Each of these players brings so much energy and talent to the team each night that losing them at this point would not be smart. Mike D'Antoni is a head coach who wants to win now. Even if they're not the best team in the league, they will be led to give their best effort every night. The Knicks kept this version of the "Big Three" and got two players who can give an added boost in their attempt to return to the playoffs.

Garden Greatness

I know, I'm focusing a lot on Madison Square Garden this week, but that's what happens when a Rangers great has his number retired and the Knicks play host to the Lakers, Cavaliers, and Celtics all in the same week. However, I will give my take on the tremendous performances we saw on the hardwood from Kobe Bryant and LeBron James on Monday and Wednesday nights.

19,763 fans packed the Garden on Monday night and proceeded to watch Bryant drop 61 points on their hometown team, breaking the record for most points scored at the current version of the World's Most Famous Arena. Two nights later, another sell-out crowd, another brilliant display of talent, as James put up 52 points of his own, finishing with a triple-double as well (10 rebounds, 11 assists). It was two of the best performances the building has ever seen.

What stood out to me was the love the fans showed for both of them. On Monday, fans chanted "M-V-P!" for Kobe when he was taken out of the game, and he saluted the crowd in appreciation. Wednesday's game was much closer, so the fans were still cheering the Knicks' effort, but you could tell there were several spectators who were applauding every shot made by LeBron. It was a site that you will rarely see anywhere else other than the mecca of basketball, MSG.

With the "Boston Three Party" coming to the Garden on Friday, can we expect another dominating performance by one player? If so, by who? KG? Ray? The Truth? Whatever the case, I don't think you'll see the types of games KB and LJ had. They make their teams, they are the focus, and they control the tempo. With Boston, it can be any of the three.

It's a shame the Knicks lack the type of talented player like these guys. David Lee, Nate Robinson, and Wilson Chandler are all talented, but neither of them come near these guys. For a team with history like the Knicks, you would think they'd have one. Well, 2010 isn't too far off is it? Pretty soon, LeBron will put on the orange and blue, and if not him, Chris Bosh or another big name basketball star will. It would be shocking and damaging if the franchise didn't nab one of them.

Red Hot Knicks

On a night when the Rangers collapsed again at the Igloo in Pittsburgh and Syracuse basketball could not win on the road at Providence, it seems only fitting to talk about the Knicks, who won their second straight game and fifth in the last six, 112-104 over the Hawks. Not only did the team improve to within five games of the .500 mark, but they leapfrogged into a virtual tie for 8th place in the East with the Bucks.

Even though the Bucks own the tiebreaker, it still puts the team in a position where even the most pessimistic Knicks fan has to believe this team has a true shot at making the playoffs. Let's take a glimpse at some of the teams the Knicks have beaten since the start of the new year:

-100-88 win vs. the Celtics, who are 2nd in the East, at MSG
-101-95 win vs. the Hornets, who are 3rd in the West, at NOR
-114-109 win vs. the Suns, who are 7th in the West, at MSG
-104-98 win vs. the Rockets, who are 6th in the West, at MSG
-112-104 win vs. the Hawks, who are 4th in the East, at MSG

If one thing stands out to me, it is that the Knicks are playing much better at home, feeding off a newly energized crowd and taking care of business, even against some of the best in the league. Now, while there are losses in that mix to teams like Washington and Oklahoma City, there is a clear step in the Knicks game right now. And to me, two players have been the key factors in this.

1) David Lee: The forward from Florida is the workhorse for this team, posting double-doubles night after night (9 straight now), no matter if the team wins or loses. He's competed with the best in the league down low, and it is clear how much his game has improved. I've already commented on this blog that he should be an all-star this year, and we'll find out soon whether or not he will be. He's been a catalyst and has done everything asked of him and more!

2) Chris Duhon: Coming into a new system and a new team after serving as a back-up with the Bulls, Duhon has put the team on his shoulders and helped control each game. He's averaging close to 13 points and 8 assists a game, helping share the ball (unlike Marbury) and hitting big shots, especially at the free throw line (where he's 86.9% on the season). He's arguably the most valuable player right now on Mike D'Antoni's team.

There's no question the impact guys like Nate Robinson, Wilson Chandler, and Al Harrington have had on the team. However, Lee and Duhon have risen their game in such a short amount of time to the level it needs to be if this team wants to succeed.

After a road game at Indiana, the Knicks will be tested to the max, facing the Lakers, Cavaliers, and Celtics in a five-day span. In case you didn't know, those are the three best teams in the league. Fortunately for the Knicks, they are all at home, where the team is 14-9 this year compared to a dismal 6-16 on the road. The team has to improve away from MSG, but winning at least two of these three games at home would be a huge statement as to how good this team really is.

Could Marbury Finally Be Gone?

Reports are saying it is possible the Knicks guard could be headed to Greece. The Greek club Olympiacos spoke with the Knicks earlier in the day about a possible move to get Marbury to play across the Atlantic. The team lost star Josh Childress to surgery for a sports hernia and are looking for a replacement.

The Knicks need to get this move done and get him out of town. He's not distracting the team because they've been playing well as of late, and he's been nowhere in sight. However, it is ridiculous that the team is paying him close to $21 million to not come anywhere near the team. A buy-out needs to happen and he needs to get as far away as possible. Therefore, his name and stories about him will not be the daily ritual.

Sticking with the Knicks, I'm impressed with their play as of late. With their 114-109 win over the Suns on Wednesday, they hit the half-way mark with a record of 17-24, just two games behind the Nets for the 8th spot in the East. While it's not amazing, you have to notice the improvement. They're just six wins shy of last season's final total with 41 games left to play. Is it safe to say they'll improve on last year's record?

My other question is: Does David Lee deserve to be an All-Star? If you ask me, I say yes. The guy is averaging over 15 points and 11 rebounds a game and has 30 double-doubles this season. Only Dwight Howard has more. Not to mention, he just outdueled Shaq at the Garden, with a 25-point, 16-rebound performance. Those are all-star numbers folks! He puts bodies in the seats at Madison Square Garden and ignites the team with his energy night-in and night-out. He has my vote!

Let me know what you think!

First Post (Updated)

Alright, so for my first post, I'm gonna focus on a game I attended today that was quite the good time. The site was the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, NY where #8 Syracuse hosted #12 Notre Dame in a huge Big East match-up. Not only was the place amped up for the implications of a win here, but 30,021 people filled the Dome to watch this game. It wasn't the biggest crowd ever at the place, but my goodness, 30,000+ people to watch a basketball game?! That's impressive! It's hard to think how loud Madison Square Garden can get when there's a sold-out crowd of 19,763 and then you add another 10,000+ to that to get the size of the dome!

Syracuse dominated ND 93-74 and the place was rocking from start to finish. I give the 'Cuse a lot of credit. After a sloppy showing against Georgetown earlier in the week, they came out and exploited the Irish from start to finish and got help all around. Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson both played strong and dominated Luke Harangody down low. Kyle McAlarney was solid for the Irish, but Johnny Flynn played great once again as well.

My game ball goes to Jim Boeheim, the Orange Head Coach, however. Twice late the game, the Irish were threatening to tie the score, and Boeheim called much needed time outs. After both stoppages, Syracuse came out flying and dominated Notre Dame, energizing the crowd and separating the two teams once again. Great job by Syracuse, who I would not be shocked to see beat Pitt on the road Monday night. Still not likely, but I wouldn't be as surprised!

Other Tidbits:
For you football fans, the Giants lost defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to the Rams today. Now, we'll see if the G-men D can still be as good as they were. The pass rush was pretty abysmal against the Eagles and it showed how much Osi and Strahan meant to that team. As for Jets fans, it seems pretty obvious Rex Ryan will follow Eric Mangini's reign in New York. He's a fine choice, especially with how good the Ravens have looked. He could be hired as early as Monday if Baltimore loses to the Steelers tomorrow.


And finally, Knicks lottery pick Danilo Gallinari took the floor tonight against the 76ers at MSG, his first action since October 31st, which coincidentally was also against Philly (a 116-87 road loss in which he had 2 points in just under 8 minutes). The Italian had 6 points in 15:14, shooting 2 of 4 from the field with both baskets coming from downtown. Good start for him. For the Knicks' sake, I hope he starts doing well. This team could surely use something positive to build on and look forward to!

One other thing, you really gotta feel bad for the Islanders. They sign Wade Dubielewicz to play goal for them with Rick DiPietro and Joey MacDonald already out with injuries. However, a rule said he must go through waivers first, and of course, he gets picked up by the Blue Jackets to back up Steve Mason. Tough break for Dubie who wanted to go back to the Isles, and even worse for the team, who had to recall Peter Mannino to back-up Yann Danis. Can things get worse for this franchise? Maybe they should move to Kansas City after all!

That's all folks. Until Tomorrow!