Game 2

The Chicken or The Egg?

About 10 years ago the desire to stay up to watch the Knicks West Coast swings kind of dissipated. Looking back now I wonder if it was the maturing process that had me tucked in before the 10:30 tip or if it was a by-product of James Dolan's bought product. Which came first, did the Knicks become bad, or did I get old?

It seemed self-destructive to stay up until 1:00 am watching Howard Eisley dish to Shannon Anderson in a meaningless game against the Antwan Jamison led Warriors. I would wake up to go to work or school the next day exhausted. I would pour over the box score wondering how we gave up 118 points and got to be 11 games under .500. I would see players like Mookie Blaylock come off the bench for the Warriors and wish he was a Knick even though his tank was empty. (The fact that Pearl Jam named Ten after him may have played a small role in my wish)

I haven't intentionally stayed up for a West coast game in years but tonight, tonight, I just finished my cup of coffee and in the famed words of Bart Scott, Can't Wait.

Tonight's game against the Warriors has some great backdrop to it. St. John's own Mark Jackson coaching the Warriors against the team that drafted him, let him run the point for two different stints, and then flirted with him for its own head coaching vacancy before deciding on Mike D'Antoni. I wonder if the final decision took Seven Seconds or Less? Former first round pick David Lee playing against a roster of strangers and hopefully playing the same amount of defense he used to play when he donned the Orange and Blue. Tyson Chandler who isn't bashful about saying that he used the Warriors to drive up the price for his services. Okay, so that isn't a direct quote but read between the lines. Second choices are always a place someone "really wanted to be" until the ultimate landing spot paid more. Lastly, and perhaps intriguing only to me and my father, Cali born and raised, Harvard educated Jeremy Lin returning to GSW and playing (maybe just warming up) in his first game as a New York Knick.

It's the kind of stuff that would intrigue an average fan to tune in and no doubt all of the above will be mentioned during the broadcast. Fortunately, all of the above is ancillary to the game itself which as a diehard Knick fan is a beautiful, wonderful thing.

I have no clue what to expect out of tonight's game but am very, very scared of what Monta Ellis is going to do to our backcourt. Amar'e should have the offense run through him more tonight and hopefully we put in a greater effort on the glass to avoid second shots and playing 48 consecutive seconds of defense. All of that said, here are a few intentionally vague predictions heading into tonight's matchup:

1) Chandler has a double double with 13+ boards. If I'm not mistaken Tyson went to Dominguez High School before getting drafted by the Clips with the #2 overall pick. I know I already referenced the backdrop of Jeremy Lin returning "home" but this is a West Coast kid returning home after shunning his state for the almighty dollar. He is going to want to go H.A.M.

2) Toney Douglas shoots less, looks more composed and has a better game although the box score won't reflect it. For all of Rondo's offensive prowess against TD what is lost in the discussion is Rondo's All-NBA defense, freakish long arms and the desire to shut down his opponent. Toney picked up his dribble too early against the C's and couldn't run the offense. Mark Jackson will try to force his guards to do the same thing, but they're not Rondo, and there is no K.G. around the corner to scare Toney into picking up his dribble.

3) Steve Novak gets open looks and makes em count. Shooters shoot. With an injury to Jeffries and some length on the Warriors I see Steve "Corner Trey" Novak seeing significant time and trying to hide in the corner. No one puts baby in the corner, but D'Antoni puts Novak in the corner, and he could just go Schwayze.

4) Mark Jackson makes a questionable coaching move that he is asked about during the post game. Jax is still NY, knows that we're watching and has the ego that all NY point guards have. He wants a little spotlight so he grabs some. Hope I'm wrong about this and if I am it is because he thought about this very fact and decided to lay low.

I see us 2-0 after this game, and Tyson Chandler is the reason why.