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New York Knicks
The Jeremy Lin phenomenon captivated Knicks fans this season, but his agent is telling fans that it's no guarantee that Lin will be back in New York. Lin is a restricted free agent this summer, and while New York gave him the shot that made him a household name, he could potentially use his star status to land in a more appealing situation. Knicks coach Mike Woodson said that Lin would "definitely" be back with the Knicks, but is the coach's confidence in Lin's return misplaced?
Lin's future?
Lin could see where his marketability would take him. Teams are always looking for talented point guards to run their offenses.
Where would Lin thrive?
That being said, Lin could have something special with the Knicks -- if he ends up meshing well with Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire, the Knicks could be championship contenders.
Would Lin have made a difference?
This year, the Knicks were definitely not championship contenders. They managed to win onyl one game against an (apparently) beatable Heat team despite several close misses. Tellingly, Lin was out with an injury the entire time.
The Knicks' soap opera of a season ended Wednesday night with a seemingly inevitable loss to the Heat, which means it's time for the annual edition of "What do the Knicks do now?" Amare Stoudemire is on record as saying that Steve Nash would be a great fit on the team, which would leave no room for the somewhat-phenom that is Jeremy Lin. Amare himself is under scrutiny, as he and Carmelo Anthony haven't quite clicked yet. The team also has questions to answer at coach -- Mike Woodson seemed a good fit for New York, but the Knicks considered reaching out to former coach Phil Jackson. It doesn't look to be a boring offseason at Madison Square Garden.
Trade Amare?
Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony have had a hard time getting on the same page, which might signal the need for a trade in New York.
Nash or Lin?
That said, if they do end up keeping Amare, the Knicks must decide whether to pursue Steve Nash or keep Jeremy Lin. Someone has to dish it to Stoudemire, after all.
Woodson's potential?
Mike Woodson did an admirable job taking over for Mike D'Antoni after his departure, but is he a long-term solution?
Is Jackson done?
The Knicks were reportedly interested in Phil Jackson, but never reached out to him because they weren't certain he would take the job.
The Knicks are still in a hole against the Heat, but an 89-87 win in Game 4 has given New York fans some hope, as well as restored some dignity to the series. Carmelo Anthony's 41 points propelled the Knicks to their first postseason win since 2001, but the most interesting storyline going forward is Jeremy Lin's availability for Game 5. Lin's been out for a good long while, but he's participated in 3-on-3 games and could suit up for the Knicks going forward. Would they have a better chance with him at point guard?
Game 5 matchup?
The Knicks have to go a long way to win this series, but the possible return of Jeremy Lin could help them immensely.
Decimated by injuries?
The Knicks had been losing players left and right before this series even started.
Comeback chance?
Five teams are in a 3-1 hole in the playoffs, but a comeback or two isn't out of the question just yet.
Amare Stoudemire isn't the first star to injure himself in these playoffs, but his injury may have been the most avoidable. Reacting poorly after a Game 2 loss to the Heat, Stoudemire punched a glass case containing a fire extinguisher, lacerating his hand and possibly knocking him out for the rest of the playoffs. Stoudemire said on Twitter that he wasn't proud of his actions, but do you attribute it more to his desire to win than selfishness?
Amare's motivation?
Some experts are calling Stoudemire's actions selfish, but he may have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Knicks' chances?
The Knicks haven't been able to solve the Heat's offerings so far, and losing Stoudemire will make it that much more difficult.
Carmelo to step up?
This could be a chance for Carmelo Anthony to prove that he can carry a team on his back -- no Stoudemire or Jeremy Lin could mean that Anthony has a chance to light up the scoreboard.
On Tuesday, "First Take" debated Amare Stoudemire's impending return to the Knicks. The team has been playing pretty well without him, actually, which brings up the all-important idea of chemistry over talent. Tim Legler would bring Stoudemire off the bench due to the fact that he doesn't fit in the Knicks' successful smaller lineup, while Skip Bayless is of the opinion that Amare would be an asset in the playoffs. What's your take?
A bit of good news and a bit of bad news for the Knicks. The good news: Carmelo Anthony hit the tying and winning 3s as part of a 43-point performance against the Bulls. The bad news: Jeremy Lin is not sure he'll be back in time for the first round -- that is, if the Knicks make the playoffs at all. They're in a good position right now, but as we've seen with this team in the past, it doesn't take much to send it into a tailspin.
Playoff bound?
The Knicks are holding on to one of the last two spots in the playoffs, and with the 76ers in free fall, their chances of making the postseason seem pretty good...
One-and-done?
... but whether or not they'll do anything once they're there is anyone's guess. Jeremy Lin's absence could be keenly felt if Carmelo Anthony goes cold ...
Anthony's rank?
... but his performance against the Bulls was yet another reminder that Carmelo can score with the best of them when he's on.
Lin or Anthony?
Lin and Anthony seemed to have difficulty meshing when they first started playing together, but it takes time for two players to develop a rapport.
On Tuesday, "First Take" debated the fate of the Knicks without Amare Stoudemire. Stoudemire has been lost "indefinitely" with a bulging disk in his lower back, while Jeremy Lin is day to day with a sore right knee. The Knicks are just barely in the playoff picture right now, and despite a two-game winning streak, injuries could leave them on the outside looking in come playoff time. What's your take?
On Thursday, "First Take" debated the Knicks again, but this time after a resounding win over the Blazers. A blowout against a team in as much disarray as Portland may not be much to get excited about, but it's still better than, say, a big loss against that same team. The Knicks have a lot of talent, but was former coach Mike D'Antoni holding them back or propping them up? What's your take?
On Wednesday, "First Take" debated the suddenly-reeling Knicks. The team will no longer have to tune out Mike D'Antoni -- the embattled head coach resigned his position Wednesday afternoon. New York had lost eight of its last 10 games, leaving D'Antoni's future in flux. Some are blaming Carmelo Anthony, but Jeremy Lin hasn't been playing well as of late either. It's getting to the point where the playoffs look like a laughable proposition for the Knicks, and it's almost like "Linsanity" never happened at all. What's your take?
Remember when the Knicks were the best team in basketball? It was a few weeks ago, and it was pretty exciting. There was this really awesome guy, came out of nowhere, started leading a formerly directionless team to the playoffs? Yeah, uh ... about that. The Knicks lost to the Spurs on Wednesday night, making them 2-5 since Carmelo Anthony's return from injury. It's anyone's guess as to what the issue is, but we're sure Knicks fans aren't enjoying this latest run of futility.
What's to blame?
The Knicks have suffered from an array of problems in their past nine games, in which they're 3-6 and falling rapidly out of the playoff picture.
When are they better?
We're not blaming Carmelo Anthony for this recent state of affairs, but the Knicks seemed to be more effective when Jeremy Lin was running the show by himself.
Can Lin and Anthony co-exist?
Chemistry is everything in basketball, and if you have two stars who can't get it together on the court, your team isn't going anywhere.
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