Game 1

12-25-2011

We spent last Christmas in the Garden watching Amar'e and the "Melo Pawns" battle the Bulls in an epic match-up. The place was electric, and I repeatedly told my wife, wait until we are here for a big playoff game...you'll feel what being a Knick fan really feels like. I tempered the sentiment, "It may not happen for a while, but when it does..."

I was lucky enough to have been at the Garden when Starks dunked on the entire Bulls team, when Hue Hollins bailed Hubert Davis out in Game 5 against Pippen's Bulls, and also when Patty missed the finger roll against Reggie and the Pacers. Human electricity exists, and when the Knicks are good, really good, the electricity generated at the Garden could light up all of Midtown.

I believe in this group. I don't believe that the roster they roll out today can get a ring but I believe that if the chips fall into place the one they put on the floor in June may be good enough.

In 1999 Camby propelled the Knicks into the Finals by becoming the player that Zeke thought he could be when he drafted him out of UMASS. He dominated the floor on the defensive end and let our offensive stars be just that. I am not the first one to make this comparison, but if Chandler plays the 99' Camby role who says the Knicks can't make a similar run?

Today's game is not indicative of where we are going, its just a start but I believe we will get the feeling back this year. Here are a few predictions heading into today's matchup:

1. Toney Douglas will look infinitely better guarding Rajon Rondo than he did in the playoffs.

The reason? Tyson Chandler. Toney can pressure Rondo and force him into the paint this year which is not the layup line it has been in the past. With a stronger interior defense our good face up defenders will benefit by being able to ball hawk and pressure the dribble. While typically you would want to lay off Rondo to let him shoot by doing so you don't hinder his court vision which is uncanny. Today, Rondo looks good, but not all-world good.

2. Melo goes for 30+.
With no Paul Pierce and his new role as "point forward" giving him the ball that much more he won't be able to help himself and will put it up at least 24 times. If he is feeling it early, it could be a 40 plus day for Carmelo.

3. Chandler gets in early foul trouble.
Love the dude, but he will too hyped early, and the refs will be looking to not let the Knicks establish this new aggressive defensive scheme from jump street. Plus, Doc is a great coach and will attack the rim with KG and Brandon Bass to start the game.

4. Shumpert has a moment of brillance and moment of complete buffoonery.

Further Musings

The line is -3.5. Idiot's gamble on basketball. Addicts gamble on basketball opening day. Idiotic Addicts gamble on Basketball on opening day after a shortened pre-season.

The over/under for Knicks wins this season is 40. Damn Vegas is good. Don't know where to go with this. I haven't looked at the complete schedule with an eye towards predicting this but think we go under 40. With Amar'e already promising to rest some and the PG situation being completely unsettled I think that under is the right bet. What we can hope for is that B.Diddy comes back we play .500 ball with him for his first 10 games and catch lighting in a bottle in the playoffs.

Final Thought
Knicks 97
Celtics 92