From: u_nique@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (Jerray Wei)
Subject: Re: Atlantic Div. stuff (was What about Nique?)
Organization: HAC - Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 18:05:11 GMT

In article <1992Oct7.153831.26879@athena.mit.edu> mittman1@athena.mit.edu (Christopher T Chiu) writes:
>
>1. The Knicks still have problems with their point guard position: Greg Anthony
>was unable to unseat Mark Jackson last year to become the starter.  Furthermore,
>if he goes down, who will fill in?  Doc Rivers?  With his old body it will be a
>wonder if he doesn't sit out at least a third of the season with injuries!  If
>Anthony wants to show his wings, he better show them now--the entire team is
>dependent on it.

Wait a second.  Greg Anthony definitely will not be starting.  Even though
Rivers has been injured a bit lately, I don't think he's old...just been hit
by a rash of injuries that's all.  A lot of players have been injured several
times and been labelled injury prone mistakenly.  I'll even go out on a limb
that Doc will be fairly healthy the entire season.  With him at point, the
Clippers were finally cooking.

>2. One month before the playoffs last year, every one predicted the Knicks would
>win the Atlantic Division.  Then what happened?  An unbelievable crash towards
>the finish, that's what happened!  From something like eight games back, the
>Celtics managed to steal the Division title on tiebreaks!!  It left New York fans
>flabbergasted--and the reasons behind this crash have yet to be told.  It has yet
>to be seen whether the Knicks have enough staying power  to prevent a
>horrifying deja vu.

Yeah and the Knicks couldn't score in an empty gym at that time.  So what do
they do?  Bring in two guys who could score 20 ppg any day and lose McDaniel
and Wilkins who frustrated throughout the season.

>3. Rolando is not only old(read that as injury prone), his shooting percentage 
>has started to slip as well--just when the Knicks need better shooting.  Given
>that it is better to have some outside shooting than none, Mr. Blackmon may be
>less of a factor than people think.  Plus, if he goes down, we have an untested
>Hubert Davis to deal with--hard to see him starting.

I'd say Blackman has been darn healthy throughout his career.  Shooting % slip?
I've heard a lot of garbage about that.  This is a Dallas team that has
spiralled downhill every season since they reached the Western finals.  During
that time, Blackman (get the damn spelling right, I've seen at least 30 posts
spelling it wrong and it's getting to me) played solid off-guard.  His % only
took a dive last year.  Why you ask?  Now given the fact: Dallas was forced
to sometimes start FOUR rookies along with Blackman...who do you think you're
going to cover?  Are you going to be able to shoot jumpers when you have no
inside game?  Blackman playing with Donald Hodge, Terry Davis, Doug Smith
and Mike Iuzzolino?  Barely recognize those names right?  Even when Derek
Harper played his 60 some games, he wasn't always fully healthy.  This is a
Dallas team that needs to rebuild from everywhere.

>4. The key tough guys on the Knicks team last year(Anthony, McDaniel) have now
>left!  Wait a minute, weren't these the guys who damn near led, or WRESTLED(!) 
>the Knicks into the Conference Finals?  Worse still, McDaniel is with the
>ENEMY--the Celts!  You get the feeling the Knicks want to be a kinder, gentler,
>more skilled team, but they have lost much of their muscle.  As Arsenio Hall
>would say, hmmmmm.....

Anthony left?  As far as I know, the two Anthonys, Greg and Anthony Mason are
still with the Knicks.  McDaniel left, and that hurts, but it may not hurt
as much as you think.  Without him, the Knicks are not short of tough guys
at all.  If you want to be fouled by Oakley or Mason, or get your shock
rejected into the seats by Smith and Ewing...go ahead.

Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.pro