Knick Knacks: Obi Wan Anthony, You Are My Only Hope

Article first published as Knick Knacks: Obi Wan Anthony, You Are My Only Hope on Blogcritics.


A holographic vision appears and tells Carmelo Anthony he is the only hope. Hope for the season, for the playoffs, for staving off the calls for "Wait until next year." The person speaking is Mike Woodson, interim head coach who has somehow lit a spark under these fledgling padawans that call themselves The New York Knicks. Yes, okay, enough of the Star Wars references, but you get the idea. The Knicks are in trouble, even if they have won seven of their last ten games.

One of the biggest problems is Amar'e Stoudemire, the 29 year old forward who has looked ancient at times this year. The history of bad knees were always a problem, but now he has a definitely more serious issue with the bulging disc in his back. No one around the Knicks is saying it, but Amar'e is done for the season. He has to be or he may risk being out for the rest of his career.

Now you can talk about Linsanity all you want, but down the stretch toward the playoffs Jeremy Lin is not going to be the most important factor. Neither are Tyson Chandler, Baron Davis, Steve Novak or any other Knick. It all falls to 'Melo, whether or not any of us like that or not. The equation is simple in the Mike Woodson era (its brevity not withstanding). Even before Amar'e's injury, it was clear Woodson's game plan was built around Anthony. Now there is no choice at all but to believe in this because nothing else will get the Knicks there.

Right now the Knicks are 25-25 and the playoffs loom a month from now. Some people around New York are talking about overtaking the Celtics and Sixers and taking first place, but those guys are dreaming up the wrong tree. They are looking up when they should be looking down at Milwaukee. Right now they lead the Bucks by two games in the playoff race. That is the number they should be concerned about because, like Obi Wan Anthony, it's their only hope.

Photo Credit: NBA.com

Knick Knacks: Linsanity Is Running Out of Gas

Article first published as Knick Knacks: Linsanity Is Running Out of Gas on Blogcritics.

The climate in New York is not good these days for Knicks fans, who are coming down off an artificial high created by Linsanity, the amazing celebratory crush of excitement that involved Jeremy Lin's shooting star. Alas, as with all shooting stars, they peter out, and you are left with the same dark sky filled with many other stars that are still shining.

We Knicks fans should have known better, but we were caught up in the tidal wave of Linmania, unable or unwilling to admit it would ever ebb. We didn't want to think about the fact that it was a short period of time, in the absence of Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony, and that when they returned and the team played more challenging opponents, that the Lin fire would die down.

Right now Lin looks like at best an average player. Other teams have been watching him, scouting him, and figuring out his game. He still fits into the Mike D'Antoni theory of things (outscore your opponents by taking as many shots as possible), but that doesn't solve the continuing defensive problems (magnified when Tyson Chandler is not in the lineup). Lin is clearly not a defensive player, and we can wonder if he ever will match the type of play that caused Linsanity in the first place, or if he will just settle down and be that average player - for the rest of his career.

I still keep thinking that Lin's talent and personality will win out, that he will rise to become a much better player again. He will never be a Kobe Bryant type talent (or even a Carmelo Anthony), but he could still surprise us and that is something to look forward to for Knicks fans.

All you have to do to know Linsanity is running out of gas is to watch the games, or you can ask some of my fellow Knicks fans, or better yet some of the kids who know what's going on. When my nephew was asked if he wanted a Lin jersey for his birthday, the reply was a firm "No thanks." He would take a Stoudemire or Anthony one though. Enough said about Linsanity, at least for now.

Photo Credit - NY Daily News